Electric connector

Abstract

The invention discloses an electric connector, which comprises a shell assembly, the shell assembly comprises a plurality of terminal channels used for accommodating terminals, the shell assembly comprises a plastic shell, a plurality of shell clamping arms respectively corresponding to the plurality of terminal channels are formed on the plastic shell, and the shell clamping arms respectively correspond to the plurality of terminal channels. The plurality of shell clamping arms comprise first shell clamping arms formed on the left side and the right side of the plastic shell and second shell clamping arms formed on the upper side and the lower side of the plastic shell; the terminal position maintaining assemblies are used for being installed on the left side and the right side of a plastic shell of the shell assembly, and each terminal position maintaining assembly is used for applying acting force to the first shell clamping arm and the second shell clamping arm; and the first shell clamping arm and the second shell clamping arm are bent towards the interior of the plastic shell.

Description

[0001] This application claims the priority of a Chinese patent application with the application number 202410099153.X and the title "A Connector" filed on January 23, 2024, the entire content of which is incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field

[0002] This application relates to an electrical connector, including but not limited to electrical connectors in the field of coaxial connectors. Background Art

[0003] Currently, when designing a multi-terminal electrical connector, multiple terminal position holders (TPAs) are usually provided on the connector housing to hold the installed terminals. For example, a 6-terminal electrical connector may require up to 3 TPA components to achieve terminal retention. In addition, the shapes, structures, and functions of multiple TPAs for the same connector may be different, resulting in an increase in the number of molds for manufacturing TPAs. Summary of the Invention

[0004] This application aims to solve the above problems and provides an electrical connector that can achieve the effect of terminal position retention using a smaller number of terminal position retention components (TPAs).

[0005] According to one aspect of this application, there is provided an electrical connector, which includes a housing assembly. The housing assembly includes a plurality of terminal channels for accommodating terminals. Among them, the housing assembly includes a plastic housing, and a plurality of housing clamping arms corresponding to the plurality of terminal channels are formed on the plastic housing. Among them, the plurality of housing clamping arms include first housing clamping arms formed on the left and right sides of the plastic housing, and second housing clamping arms formed on the upper and lower sides of the plastic housing; and a terminal position retention component for being installed on the left and right sides of the plastic housing of the housing assembly. Among them, each terminal position retention component applies a force to both the first housing clamping arm and the second housing clamping arm, causing both the first housing clamping arm and the second housing clamping arm to bend towards the inside of the plastic housing. Brief Description of the Drawings

[0006] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application, the following will briefly introduce the drawings required for the description of the embodiments. Obviously, the following drawings are only some embodiments of this application. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative efforts.

[0007] Figure 1 It is a perspective view of an electrical connector provided by an embodiment of this application.

[0008] Figure 2The side view of an electrical connector provided by an embodiment of the present application.

[0009] Figure 3 It is Figure 2 the cross-sectional view at A-A in

[0010] Figure 4 It is Figure 2 the cross-sectional view at B-B in

[0011] Figure 5 The front view of an electrical connector provided by an embodiment of the present application.

[0012] Figure 6A It is Figure 5 the cross-sectional view at C-C in

[0013] Figure 6B It is the three-dimensional view of the rear half of the electrical connector obtained after cutting the electrical connector front and back.

[0014] Figure 7 The exploded three-dimensional view of an electrical connector provided by an embodiment of the present application.

[0015] Figure 8 The three-dimensional view of the housing assembly in an electrical connector provided by an embodiment of the present application.

[0016] Figure 9 The relative position diagram of two terminal position holding components in an electrical connector provided by an embodiment of the present application.

[0017] Figure 10 The three-dimensional view of the terminal position holding component in an electrical connector provided by an embodiment of the present application. Specific embodiments

[0018] Next, the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application will be clearly and completely described in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in the embodiments of the present application. Obviously, the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of the present application, rather than all the embodiments. Based on the embodiments in the present application, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative efforts belong to the scope of protection of the present application.

[0019] In the description of the present application, it should be understood that the orientation or positional relationship indicated by the terms "center", "upper", "lower", "front", "rear", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inner", "outer", etc. is the orientation or positional relationship based on the accompanying drawings, and is only for the convenience of describing the present application and simplifying the description, rather than indicating or implying that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore cannot be understood as a limitation to the present application.

[0020] The terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the quantity of the indicated technical features. Thus, features defined with "first" and "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of such features. In the description of this application, unless otherwise specified, the meaning of "a plurality of" is two or more.

[0021] In the description of this application, it should be noted that, unless otherwise clearly specified and defined, the terms "mounted", "connected" and "coupled" should be understood in a broad sense. For example, it may be a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; it may be a mechanical connection, a direct connection, or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium, and it may be the communication inside two components. For those of ordinary skill in the art, the specific meanings of the above terms in this application can be understood according to specific circumstances.

[0022] According to one aspect of this application, there is provided an electrical connector, which includes a housing assembly. The housing assembly includes a plurality of terminal channels for accommodating terminals. Among them, the housing assembly includes a plastic housing, and a plurality of housing clamping arms corresponding to the plurality of terminal channels are formed on the plastic housing. Among them, the plurality of housing clamping arms include first housing clamping arms formed on the left and right sides of the plastic housing, and second housing clamping arms formed on the upper and lower sides of the plastic housing; and a terminal position retention assembly for being mounted on the left and right sides of the plastic housing of the housing assembly. Among them, each terminal position retention assembly is used to apply a force to both the first housing clamping arm and the second housing clamping arm, so that both the first housing clamping arm and the second housing clamping arm are bent towards the inside of the plastic housing.

[0023] In the above solution of the electrical connector, optionally, the terminal channels include a first terminal channel and a second terminal channel. The first housing clamping arm is disposed near the first terminal channel, and the second housing clamping arm is disposed near the second terminal channel.

[0024] In the above solution of the electrical connector, optionally, the terminal position retention assembly can push the first housing clamping arm to bend and enter the first terminal channel, and can push the second housing clamping arm to bend and enter the second terminal channel.

[0025] In the above solution of the electrical connector, optionally, the terminal channels are distributed in an upper row and a lower row. Each row of terminal channels includes first terminal channels located at the leftmost and rightmost positions, and second terminal channels located between the first terminal channels.

[0026] In the above solution of the electrical connector, optionally, there are 6 terminal channels, arranged in two rows, upper and lower. Each row of 3 terminal channels includes the leftmost first terminal channel and the rightmost first terminal channel, and the middle second terminal channel.

[0027] In the above solution of the electrical connector, optionally, the terminal position holding component includes a first terminal position holding component for mounting on the left side of the plastic housing of the housing component, and a second terminal position holding component for mounting on the right side of the plastic housing of the housing component. The first terminal position holding component is used to push one of the second housing clamping arms located on the upper and lower sides of the plastic housing, and the second terminal position holding component is used to push the other of the second housing clamping arms located on the upper and lower sides of the plastic housing.

[0028] In the above solution of the electrical connector, optionally, the terminal position holding component is used to apply interference to the terminals in the first terminal channel to prevent the terminals from withdrawing.

[0029] In the above solution of the electrical connector, optionally, the terminal position holding component includes a substrate and an extended pressing arm formed on the edge of the substrate. When the substrate of the terminal position holding component is mounted on the left or right side of the plastic housing, the extended pressing arm applies a force to the second housing clamping arm to bend it.

[0030] In the above solution of the electrical connector, optionally, the substrate of the terminal position holding component includes a mounting substrate and an actuating substrate. The thickness of the actuating substrate enables it to apply a force to the first housing clamping arm to bend it.

[0031] In the above solution of the electrical connector, optionally, interference protrusions are formed on the actuating substrate of the terminal position holding component for applying interference to the terminals in the first terminal channel to prevent the terminals from withdrawing.

[0032] In the above solution of the electrical connector, optionally, the interference protrusions on the actuating substrate include a first interference protrusion formed at approximately the middle of the actuating substrate.

[0033] In the above solution of the electrical connector, optionally, the interference protrusions on the actuating substrate include a second interference protrusion formed on the side edge of the actuating substrate opposite to the extended pressing arm.

[0034] Reference Figure 1 and Figure 5 , an embodiment of the present application provides an electrical connector 10 (or simply referred to as a connector) for accommodating a plurality of electrical connection terminals. As Figure 1 shown, the connector 10 can be placed in an XYZ coordinate system, where the direction in which the cable extends is the first direction X. The first direction X, the second direction Y, and the third direction Z intersect, for example, the first direction X, the second direction Y, and the third direction Z can be perpendicular to each other.

[0035] Reference Figure 1 and Figure 7 , an electrical connector 10 provided by an embodiment of the present application includes a housing component 100 and a terminal position holding component 200. As Figures 1-3 , Figures 6A-6B, Figure 7 As shown, several first terminal channels 101 are provided inside the housing assembly 100. The first terminal channels 101 extend from the incoming wire end of the connector to the plug end of the connector and are used to accommodate and position the terminals. At the rear of the first terminal channels 101 (near the incoming wire end of the connector), each first terminal channel 101 can be partially surrounded by a first inner wall convex structure 102. As Figure 8 shown, the housing assembly 100 is a plastic housing 120. The rear of the plastic housing 120 is enclosed by plastic side walls. In the middle of the plastic housing 120, a first housing clamping arm 110 extending from the left plastic side wall and the right plastic side wall is provided. The first housing clamping arm 110 can be deformed or bent towards the inside of the plastic housing 120 under the action of an external force. In some embodiments, at least part of the first housing clamping arm 110 enters the first terminal channel 101 when not under force.

[0036] Please refer to Figure 1 , Figure 4 and Figure 8 . A second terminal channel 103 is further provided inside the housing assembly 100. The second terminal channel 103 extends from the incoming wire end of the connector to the plug end of the connector and is used to accommodate and position the terminals. At the rear of the second terminal channel 103 (near the incoming wire end of the connector), each second terminal channel 103 can be partially surrounded by a second inner wall convex structure 104. As Figure 8 shown, in the middle of the plastic housing 120, a second housing clamping arm 130 extending from the upper plastic side wall and the lower plastic side wall is provided. At least part of the second housing clamping arm 130 enters the first terminal channel 101. The second housing clamping arm 130 can be deformed or bent towards the inside of the plastic housing 120 under the action of an external force. In some embodiments, at least part of the second housing clamping arm 130 enters the first terminal channel 101 when not under force.

[0037] Combining Figure 1 and Figure 7 shown, in the case of a total of 6 terminal positions in two upper and lower rows, each of the upper row and the lower row includes one second terminal channel 103, and each second terminal channel 103 is located between two first terminal channels 101. It can be understood that in a more general implementation with upper and lower rows of terminal positions, the first terminal channels 101 can be terminal channels adjacent to the left plastic side wall or the right plastic part side wall, and the second terminal channels 103 can be terminal channels not adjacent to the left plastic side wall or the right plastic part side wall. For example, in the case of a total of 8 terminal positions in two upper and lower rows, terminal positions 1 and 4 in the upper row and terminal positions 5 and 8 in the lower row are the first terminal channels 101, while terminal positions 2 and 3 in the upper row and terminal positions 6 and 7 in the lower row are the second terminal channels 103.

[0038] As Figure 7 ,Figures 9-10 As shown, the terminal position holding component 200 is used to be mounted on the housing component 100 to provide a terminal position holding function. Among them, as Figure 10 shown, the terminal position holding component 200 includes a mounting portion 210 and an acting portion 220, and the two share a substrate 280. For the convenience of description, the part of the substrate 280 corresponding to the mounting portion 210 is called the mounting substrate 281, and the part of the substrate 280 corresponding to the acting portion 220 is called the actuating substrate 282. The mounting portion 210 includes a mounting substrate 281 and a pair of clamping arms located on both sides of the mounting substrate 281. Through this pair of clamping arms, the terminal position holding component 200 can be mounted on the mounting notch 121 on the side surface of the housing component 100. As Figure 8 shown, a pair of clamping grooves 141 are respectively provided on the top side and the bottom side of the housing component 100, so as to cooperate with the clamping protrusions at the ends of the clamping arms to realize the installation positioning of the terminal position holding component 200 in the pre-locked state. A slot hole 122 is also provided in the middle of the top side and the bottom side of the housing component 100 for the installation positioning of the terminal position holding component 200 in the final-locked state.

[0039] Furthermore, as Figure 10 shown, the terminal position holding component 200 further includes an acting portion 220 adjacent to the mounting portion 210. The acting portion 220 is configured such that when it is mounted in the housing component 100, it can apply forces to both the first housing clamping arm 110 and the second housing clamping arm 130 in the housing component 100, thereby applying a locking effect or a position holding effect on the terminal. Specifically, as Figure 10 shown, the acting portion 220 is the part adjacent to the mounting portion 210, and it includes an actuating substrate 282 and a structure formed on the actuating substrate 282. Compared with the mounting substrate 281, the thickness of the actuating substrate 282 is increased. As Figure 3 shown, when the terminal position holding component 200 is mounted on the left and right side surfaces of the housing component 100, the thickened actuating substrate 282 squeezes the first housing clamping arm 110 located on the left and right side surfaces of the plastic housing 120, so that the first housing clamping arm 110 deforms, and its first free end 112 further approaches the axis of the first terminal channel 101, thereby enhancing the holding force of the first housing clamping arm 110 on the terminal.

[0040] Further referring to Figure 4 and Figures 9-10, the acting portion 220 of the terminal position holding component 200 includes an extended pressing arm 230 extending from one side edge of the actuating substrate 282. The extended pressing arm 230 includes an extended connecting plate 231 and a pressing portion 232 located at the end of the extended connecting plate 231. The position and shape of the pressing portion 232 are configured to squeeze the second housing clamping arms 130 on the upper and lower sides of the plastic housing 120 of the main housing component 100, so that the second housing clamping arms 130 are deformed, and its second free end 132 is further close to the axis of the second terminal channel 103, thereby enhancing the holding force of the second housing clamping arms 130 on the terminals. As Figures 9-10 shown, the local width and thickness of the pressing portion 232 are smaller than the width and thickness of the extended connecting plate 231, so as to ensure the overall strength of the extended pressing arm 230.

[0041] As Figure 10 shown, the terminal position holding component 200 may include two interference protrusions different from the extended pressing arm 230 at the acting portion 220. As shown in the figure, the two interference protrusions may include a first interference protrusion 241 formed at the approximate middle of the actuating substrate 282, and a second interference protrusion 242 formed at the side edge of the actuating substrate 282 opposite to the extended pressing arm 230.

[0042] Further comparison Figure 2 and Figures 6A-6B , along the first direction X, the projections of the first interference protrusion 241 and the second interference protrusion 242 partially coincide with the projection profile of the first terminal channel 101. Therefore, the first interference protrusion 241 and the second interference protrusion 242 can prevent the accidental withdrawal of the terminals in the first terminal channel 101 in the housing component 100 based on interference.

[0043] Further comparison Figure 2 and Figures 6A-6B , for the terminals in the second terminal channel 103 (i.e., the middle terminals in the upper row and the middle terminals in the lower row), although there is no position holding based on physical interference similar to that of the first terminal channel 101, the acting force exerted on the second free end 132 of the second housing clamping arm 130 by the pressing portion 232 of the extended pressing arm 230 deforms the second housing clamping arm 130 towards the inside of the plastic housing 120, enhancing the terminal holding force in the second terminal channel 103.

[0044] In a further embodiment, refer to Figure 3, the first connecting plate 111 of the first housing clamping arm 110 transitions to the first free end 112 through the first inclined surface 1121. In the terminal locking state, there is a first inclination angle α between the first inclined surface 1121 and the first direction X, and the range of the first inclination angle α is from 30° to 60°. In specific implementations, the first inclination angle α can also be selected as any value among 30°, 35°, 40°, 45°, 50°, 55°, 60° or the range value of any two of them.

[0045] In a further embodiment, refer to Figure 4 , the second connecting plate 131 of the second housing clamping arm 130 transitions to the second free end 132 through the second inclined surface 1321. In the terminal locking state, there is a second inclination angle β between the second inclined surface 1321 and the first direction X, and the range of the second inclination angle β is from 30° to 60°. In specific implementations, the second inclination angle β can be any value among 30°, 35°, 40°, 45°, 50°, 55°, 60° or the range value of any two of them.

[0046] In this article, specific examples are used to elaborate on the principles and implementation manners of the present application. The description of the above embodiments is only used to help understand the method and its core idea of the present application; at the same time, for those skilled in the art, according to the idea of the present application, there will be changes in the specific implementation manners and application scopes. In summary, the content of this specification should not be construed as a limitation to the present application.

Claims

1. An electrical connector, characterized in that, Comprising: A housing assembly (100) including a plurality of terminal channels for accommodating terminals. The housing assembly (100) includes a plastic housing (120) on which a plurality of housing clamping arms corresponding to the plurality of terminal channels are formed. The plurality of housing clamping arms include first housing clamping arms (110) formed on the left and right sides of the plastic housing (120), and second housing clamping arms (130) formed on the upper and lower sides of the plastic housing (120); and A terminal position holding assembly (200) for being mounted on the left and right sides of the plastic housing (120) of the housing assembly (100). Each terminal position holding assembly applies a force to both the first housing clamping arm (110) and the second housing clamping arm (130), causing both the first housing clamping arm (110) and the second housing clamping arm (130) to bend towards the inside of the plastic housing (120).

2. The electrical connector according to claim 1, wherein, The terminal channels include a first terminal channel (101) and a second terminal channel (103). The first housing clamping arm (110) is disposed near the first terminal channel (101), and the second housing clamping arm (130) is disposed near the second terminal channel (103).

3. The electrical connector according to claim 2, characterized in that, The terminal position holding assembly (200) can push the first housing clamping arm (110) to bend and enter the first terminal channel (101), and can push the second housing clamping arm (130) to bend and enter the second terminal channel (103).

4. The electrical connector according to claim 2, wherein, The terminal channels are distributed in an upper row and a lower row. Each row of terminal channels includes a first terminal channel (101) at the leftmost and rightmost positions, and a second terminal channel (103) between the first terminal channels (101).

5. The electrical connector according to claim 4, characterized in that, There are a total of 6 terminal channels, arranged in two upper and lower rows. Each of the 3 terminal channels in each row includes a leftmost first terminal channel (101) and a rightmost first terminal channel (101), and a middle second terminal channel (103).

6. The electrical connector according to claim 1, wherein, The terminal position holding assembly (200) includes a first terminal position holding assembly for being mounted on the left side surface of the plastic housing (120) of the housing assembly (100), and a second terminal position holding assembly for being mounted on the right side surface of the plastic housing (120) of the housing assembly (100). The first terminal position holding assembly is used to push the second housing clamping arm (130) on one of the upper and lower sides of the plastic housing (120), and the second terminal position holding assembly is used to push the second housing clamping arm (130) on the other of the upper and lower sides of the plastic housing (120).

7. The electrical connector according to claim 2, wherein, The terminal position holding assembly (200) is used to apply interference to the terminals in the first terminal channel (101) to prevent the terminals from withdrawing.

8. The electrical connector according to claim 2, wherein, The terminal position holding assembly (200) includes a substrate (280), and an extended pressing arm (230) formed on a side edge of the substrate (280). When the substrate (280) of the terminal position holding assembly (200) is mounted on the left or right side of the plastic housing (120), the extended pressing arm (230) applies a force to bend the second housing clamping arm (130).

9. The electrical connector according to claim 8, characterized in that, The substrate (280) of the terminal position holding assembly (200) includes a mounting substrate (281) and an actuating substrate (282). The thickness of the actuating substrate (282) enables it to apply a force to bend the first housing clamping arm (110).

10. The electrical connector according to claim 9, characterized in that, Interference protrusions are formed on the actuating substrate (282) of the terminal position holding assembly (200) for applying interference to the terminals in the first terminal channel (101) to prevent the terminals from exiting. The interference protrusions on the actuating substrate (282) include a first interference protrusion (241) formed at a substantially middle portion of the actuating substrate (282), and a second interference protrusion (242) formed on a side edge of the actuating substrate (282) opposite to the extended pressing arm (230).

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