Electric connector

Abstract

The invention discloses an electric connector. The electric connector comprises an insulating body, a flexible substrate and a metal shell, the insulating body comprises a first end part and a second end part which are arranged along the butt joint direction. The flexible substrate is embedded in the insulating body, at least part of the flexible substrate is exposed to the first end portion, and at least the other part of the flexible substrate extends to the outside of the second end portion. And the metal shell is coated outside the insulating body. According to the arrangement, the flexible substrate is arranged to replace the conductive terminal, and the electric connector is assembled without welding, so that the assembly efficiency is improved, and the production cost is reduced.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of connectors, and more particularly to an electrical connector. Background Technology

[0002] A typical electrical connector consists of an insulating body, conductive terminals held within the insulating body, and a metal shell covering the insulating body. The cable is soldered to the conductive terminals, which is a relatively complex process and makes the cable prone to breakage at the solder joint.

[0003] Therefore, it is necessary to provide a new electrical connector to solve the above problems. Summary of the Invention

[0004] This application provides an electrical connector that eliminates the need for soldering by replacing conductive terminals with a flexible substrate, thus facilitating assembly.

[0005] This application discloses an electrical connector, comprising:

[0006] An insulating body includes a first end and a second end disposed along the mating direction of the electrical connector;

[0007] A flexible substrate is embedded in the insulating body, at least a portion of the flexible substrate is exposed at the first end, and at least another portion of the flexible substrate extends to the outside of the second end;

[0008] A metal casing is used to cover the insulating body.

[0009] As a further improvement of the technical solution of this application, the insulating body includes a first insulating body and a second insulating body, wherein the first insulating body and the second insulating body clamp the flexible substrate.

[0010] As a further improved technical solution of this application, the first insulating body includes a first contact wall and a second contact wall disposed opposite to each other in the thickness direction of the electrical connector, and the second insulating body includes a third contact wall and a fourth contact wall disposed opposite to each other in the thickness direction of the electrical connector. A connection structure is provided between the first contact wall and the third contact wall, and the flexible substrate is clamped between the first insulating body and the second insulating body through the connection structure. The thickness direction is perpendicular to the mating direction.

[0011] As a further improvement of the technical solution of this application, the connection structure includes a positioning post and a first positioning hole that cooperates with the positioning post. The first contact wall is provided with one of the first positioning hole or the positioning post, and the third contact wall is provided with the other of the positioning post or the first positioning hole. The positioning post passes through the flexible substrate and is connected to the first positioning hole.

[0012] As a further improvement of the technical solution of this application, the metal housing includes a top wall and a bottom wall disposed opposite to each other in the thickness direction of the electrical connector, and a side wall connecting the top wall and the bottom wall, the second contact wall abutting against the inner wall of the top wall, and the fourth contact wall abutting against the inner wall of the bottom wall.

[0013] As a further improvement of the technical solution of this application, the second contact wall is provided with a slot, the top wall is provided with a buckle, the buckle cooperates with the slot, the fourth contact wall is provided with a protrusion, the bottom wall is provided with a groove, and the protrusion cooperates with the groove.

[0014] As a further improvement of this application, the top wall is provided with a limiting part, which cooperates with the second contact wall.

[0015] As a further improvement to the technical solution of this application, the flexible substrate is a flexible flat cable or a flexible circuit board.

[0016] As a further improvement of this application, the third contact wall is provided with a recessed portion, and the flexible substrate is disposed in the recessed portion.

[0017] As a further improvement of the technical solution of this application, the electrical connector also includes a reinforcing plate, which is disposed between the third contact wall and the flexible substrate. The reinforcing plate has a second positioning hole, and the positioning post passes through the flexible substrate, the second positioning hole and the first positioning hole in sequence.

[0018] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of the present invention are as follows:

[0019] This application discloses an electrical connector comprising an insulating body, a flexible substrate, and a metal shell. The insulating body includes a first end and a second end disposed opposite to each other in the mating direction of the electrical connector. The flexible substrate is embedded in the insulating body, with at least a portion of the flexible substrate exposed at the first end. The metal shell covers the insulating body. With this configuration, this application uses a flexible substrate instead of conductive terminals in conventional electrical connectors, enabling assembly of the electrical connector without soldering, thereby improving assembly efficiency and reducing production costs. Attached Figure Description

[0020] Figure 1 This is a three-dimensional schematic diagram of the electrical connector in this application;

[0021] Figure 2 yes Figure 1 A three-dimensional diagram from another angle;

[0022] Figure 3 yes Figure 1 Top view;

[0023] Figure 4 yes Figure 3 A cross-sectional view along line AA in the middle;

[0024] Figure 5 yes Figure 1 A three-dimensional exploded view;

[0025] Figure 6 yes Figure 5 Another perspective of the three-dimensional decomposition diagram;

[0026] Figure 7 This is an exploded perspective view of the flexible substrate in this application.

[0027] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures:

[0028] 100. Electrical connectors;

[0029] 1. Insulating body; 101. First end; 102. Second end; 11. First insulating body; 111. First contact wall; 112. Second contact wall; 1121. Slot; 113. First side wall; 114. Second side wall; 115. Inclined wall; 12. Second insulating body; 121. Third contact wall; 1211. Recess; 122. Fourth contact wall; 1221. Protrusion; 131. Positioning post; 132. First positioning hole;

[0030] 2. Flexible substrate; 21. First protective film; 22. Second protective film; 23. Conductor; 201. Third positioning hole;

[0031] 3. Metal shell; 31. Docking part; 301. Docking space; 32. Assembly part; 302. Assembly space; 33. Top wall; 331. Buckle; 332. Limiting part; 34. Bottom wall; 341. Groove; 35. Side wall;

[0032] 4. Reinforcing plate; 401. Second positioning hole;

[0033] 5. Insulating outer casing. Detailed Implementation

[0034] The exemplary embodiments of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. If several embodiments exist, features in these embodiments may be combined with each other without conflict. When the description refers to the drawings, unless otherwise stated, the same numbers in different drawings represent the same or similar elements. The descriptions in the following exemplary embodiments do not represent all embodiments consistent with the present invention; rather, they are merely examples of apparatuses, products, and / or methods consistent with some aspects of the present invention as set forth in the claims.

[0035] The terminology used in this invention is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to limit the scope of protection of this invention. The singular forms “a,” “the,” or “the” as used in the specification and claims of this invention are also intended to include the plural forms unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.

[0036] It should be understood that the terms "first," "second," and similar words used in the specification and claims of this invention do not indicate any order, quantity, or importance, but are merely used to distinguish features. Similarly, the terms "an" or "a" do not indicate a quantity limitation, but rather indicate the presence of at least one. Unless otherwise stated, the terms "before," "after," "upper," "lower," and similar words appearing in this invention are for ease of explanation only and are not limited to a specific location or spatial orientation. The terms "comprising" or "including" are an open-ended expression, meaning that the element preceding "comprising" or "including" encompasses the element following "comprising" or "including" and its equivalents, but this does not preclude the element preceding "comprising" or "including" from also including other elements. In this invention, the term "several" means two or more.

[0037] Please refer to Figures 1 to 7 This application discloses an electrical connector 100, which includes an insulating body 1, a flexible substrate 2, and a metal housing 3. The electrical connector 100 disclosed in this application is a USB connector. The electrical connector 100 is connected to a mating connector (not shown) along the mating direction M to achieve data transmission. Of course, it is understood that in other embodiments, the electrical connector 100 can also be other types of electrical connectors, which are not limited here. For ease of explanation, the electrical connector 100 of this application is defined as follows: Figure 1 The front-back direction shown is the docking direction M, the left-right direction is the width direction WW, and the up-down direction is the thickness direction TT. The docking direction M, the width direction WW, and the thickness direction TT are mutually perpendicular.

[0038] Please refer to Figures 1 to 6The insulating body 1 includes a first end 101 and a second end 102 disposed along the mating direction M, and a flexible substrate 2 is embedded within the insulating body 1. The first end 101 has a groove 341, and at least a portion of the flexible substrate 2 is exposed outside the first end 101. A metal shell 3 covers the outside of the insulating body 1. In the embodiments of this application, the metal shell 3 is an integral structure, and the metal shell 3 has a mating portion 31 and an assembly portion 32 extending along the mating direction M. The mating portion 31 has a mating space 301, and the assembly portion 32 has an assembly space 302. The mating space 301 and the assembly space 302 communicate with each other. The first end 101 of the insulating body 1 is located in the mating portion 31, and the second end 102 is located in the assembly portion 32. The flexible substrate 2 exposed at the first end 101 is located within the mating space 301. In this application, the mating portion 31 has a shape and size conforming to the USB standard. When the mating connector mates with the mating portion 31, the mating connector is electrically connected to the flexible substrate 2 located within the mating portion 31, thereby enabling data transmission. This application improves assembly efficiency and reduces production costs by replacing the conductive terminals in the conventional electrical connector 100 with a flexible substrate 2, allowing the electrical connector 100 to be assembled without soldering.

[0039] Please refer to Figures 1 to 7 In one embodiment of this application, the flexible substrate 2 is a flexible flat cable. The flexible flat cable includes a first protective film 21, a second protective film 22, and a plurality of conductors 23 disposed between the first protective film 21 and the second protective film 22. At least a portion of the conductors 23 are exposed in the mating portion 31. When the mating connector mates with the electrical connector 100 of this application, the mating connector is electrically connected to the plurality of conductors 23 located in the mating space 301, thereby enabling data transmission. In another embodiment of this application, the flexible substrate 2 is a flexible circuit board with a plurality of gold fingers exposed in the mating space 301. Thus, the mating connector is electrically connected to the plurality of gold fingers, also enabling data transmission.

[0040] Please refer to Figures 5 to 6 The insulating body 1 includes a first insulating body 11 and a second insulating body 12, which clamp the flexible substrate 2 in the thickness direction TT. Specifically, the first insulating body 11 includes a first contact wall 111 and a second contact wall 112 disposed opposite to each other in the thickness direction TT, and the second insulating body 12 includes a third contact wall 121 and a fourth contact wall 122 disposed opposite to each other in the thickness direction TT.

[0041] Please refer to Figures 5 to 6In the first embodiment of this application, a connecting structure is provided between the first contact wall 111 and the third contact wall 121, and the flexible substrate 2 is clamped between the first insulating body 11 and the second insulating body 12 through the connecting structure. The connecting structure includes a positioning post 131 and a first positioning hole 132 that cooperates with the positioning post 131. The first contact wall 111 is provided with one of the first positioning hole 132 or the positioning post 131, and the third contact wall 121 is provided with the other of the positioning post 131 or the first positioning hole 132. The positioning post 131 passes through the flexible substrate 2 and connects to the first positioning hole 132, so that the flexible substrate 2 can be fixed between the first insulating body 11 and the second insulating body 12, preventing the flexible substrate 2 from shaking between the first insulating body 11 and the second insulating body 12. The conductor 23 extends along the mating direction M, and a plurality of conductors 23 are spaced apart along the width direction WW. There is a gap between two adjacent conductors 23, and the positioning post 131 passes through the gap and connects to the first positioning hole 132.

[0042] Specifically, the first contact wall 111 is provided with four positioning posts 131, which are positioned near the second end 102 of the first insulating body 11. The third contact wall 121 is provided with four first positioning holes 132. The four positioning posts 131 and the four first positioning holes 132 are rectangular in shape, and the positioning posts 131 and the first positioning holes 132 are vertically corresponding. This arrangement can improve the stability between the first insulating body 11, the second insulating body 12, and the flexible substrate 2, so as to prevent the flexible substrate 2 from shifting.

[0043] In a second embodiment of this application, the flexible substrate 2 includes a third positioning hole 201, and the positioning post 131 passes through the third positioning hole 201 and connects to the first positioning hole 132, so that the flexible substrate 2 is fixed between the first insulating body 11 and the second insulating body 12.

[0044] In the third embodiment of this application, the first contact wall 111 and the third contact wall 121 are respectively bonded and fixed to the flexible substrate 2 by adhesive.

[0045] Please refer to Figures 1 to 6 The metal housing 3 includes a top wall 33 and a bottom wall 34 disposed opposite each other in the thickness direction TT, and a side wall 35 connecting the top wall 33 and the bottom wall 34. The second contact wall 112 abuts against the inner wall of the top wall 33, and the fourth contact wall 122 abuts against the inner wall of the bottom wall 34. This fixes the first insulating body 11, the flexible substrate 2, and the second insulating body 12 within the metal housing 3.

[0046] The second contact wall 112 is provided with a slot 1121, and the top wall 33 is provided with a buckle 331. The slot 1121 and the buckle 331 cooperate with each other. Specifically, the first insulating body 11 also includes a first side wall 113 and a second side wall 114 disposed opposite to each other in the mating direction M. The first side wall 113 and the second side wall 114 are respectively connected to the first contact wall 111 and the second contact wall 112. The first side wall 113 faces the mating part 31, and the second side wall 114 faces the assembly part 32. The second contact wall 112 is provided with at least two slots 1121, which are spaced apart in the width direction WW. The slot 1121 is recessed from the second contact wall 112 towards the first contact wall 111 in the thickness direction TT. The slot 1121 has an opening that communicates with the assembly space 302. Two latches 331 are respectively spaced apart along the width direction WW. The latches 331 extend obliquely from the top wall 33 towards the side of the mating end and into the assembly space 302 along the mating direction M, and abut against the inner wall of the slot 1121 at the opening. This can prevent the second insulating body 12 from exiting from the side of the assembly part 32 of the metal housing 3 when the electrical connector 100 is mated with the mating connector, thereby preventing the electrical connector 100 from malfunctioning.

[0047] Please refer to Figures 4 to 5 The top wall 33 is provided with a limiting part 332, which cooperates with the second contact wall 112. In one embodiment of this application, the limiting part 332 is a limiting protrusion, which protrudes towards the second contact wall 112. Specifically, the limiting protrusion is located between two latches 331, and the limiting protrusion is positioned closer to the mating part 31 than the two latches 331. An inclined wall 115 is provided between the first side wall 113 and the second contact wall 112, and the limiting protrusion and the inclined wall 115 correspond vertically in the thickness direction TT. When the second insulating body 12 is assembled into the metal housing 3, by providing the limiting protrusion and the latches 331, the limiting protrusion abuts against the inclined wall 115, and the latches 331 abut against the slot part 1121, so as to limit the movement of the second insulating body 12 in the mating direction M within the metal housing 3. In another embodiment, the limiting part 332 is a limiting groove located between two latches 331. An inclined wall 115 is provided between the first side wall 113 and the second contact wall 112, and a limiting protrusion is provided on the inclined wall 115. The limiting protrusion and the limiting groove are correspondingly arranged downward in the thickness direction TT. When the second insulating body 12 is assembled into the metal housing 3, by providing the limiting protrusion and the latches 331, the limiting protrusion abuts against the limiting groove, and the latches 331 abut against the slot part 1121, so as to limit the movement of the second insulating body 12 in the mating direction M within the metal housing 3.

[0048] Please refer to Figure 6The fourth contact wall 122 has a protrusion 1221, and the bottom wall 34 has a groove 341, with the protrusion 1221 engaging with the groove 341. Two protrusions 1221 are spaced apart along the width direction WW, and are located at the assembly part 32. The groove 341 is located at the edge of the bottom wall 34 near the assembly part 32. This arrangement restricts the position of the first insulating body 11 within the metal housing 3, preventing the first insulating body 11 from extending beyond the mating part 31 during assembly.

[0049] Please refer to Figure 5 The third contact wall 121 has a recess 1211, and the flexible substrate 2 is disposed in the recess 1211. Specifically, the recess 1211 is recessed from the third contact wall 121 to the fourth contact wall 122. The shape of the recess 1211 is adapted to the shape of the flexible substrate 2. When the flexible substrate 2 is placed in the recess 1211, the edge of the flexible substrate 2 abuts against the edge of the recess 1211, and the flexible substrate 2 is not higher than the recess 1211, so as to protect the flexible substrate 2.

[0050] Please refer to Figures 5 to 7The electrical connector 100 also includes a reinforcing plate 4, which is disposed between the third contact wall 121 and the flexible substrate 2. The reinforcing plate 4 has a second positioning hole 401, and the positioning post 131 passes through the flexible substrate 2, the second positioning hole 401, and is connected to the first positioning hole 132 in sequence. In one embodiment, the reinforcing plate 4 is first attached to the end of the flexible substrate 2. Then, through a stamping process, the third positioning hole 201 is stamped at the end of the flexible substrate 2 and the second positioning hole 401 is stamped on the reinforcing plate 4 in one step. When the end of the flexible substrate 2 with the reinforcing plate 4 is disposed on the third contact wall 121 of the second insulating body 12, the first positioning hole 132, the second positioning hole 401, and the third positioning hole 201 correspond in the thickness direction TT. In another embodiment, the second positioning hole 401 is first stamped on the reinforcing plate 4 through a stamping process, and the third positioning hole 201 is stamped on the end of the flexible substrate 2 through a stamping process. The stamped reinforcing plate 4 is attached to the end of the flexible substrate 2, with the second positioning hole 401 corresponding to the third positioning hole 201. The flexible substrate 2 with the reinforcing plate 4 attached is then placed on the third contact wall 121 of the second insulating body 12. The first positioning hole 132, the second positioning hole 401, and the third positioning hole 201 correspond in the thickness direction TT. In the above two embodiments, there are four first positioning holes 132, four second positioning holes 401, four third positioning holes 201, and four positioning posts 131. The four third positioning holes 201, four second positioning holes 401, four first positioning holes 132, and four positioning posts 131 are arranged one-to-one in the thickness direction TT. After the flexible substrate 2 and the reinforcing plate 4 are attached to the third contact wall 121 of the second insulating body 12, the positioning post 131 of the first insulating body 11 passes through the third positioning hole 201 and the second positioning hole 401 in sequence and connects with the first positioning hole 132. By setting the reinforcing plate 4, the overall structural strength of the end of the flexible substrate 2 in the area of ​​the first positioning hole 132 can be improved, avoiding direct contact between the flexible substrate 2 and the third contact wall 121, thus providing a certain degree of protection for the flexible substrate 2. At the same time, the bonding and fixing of the reinforcing plate 4 to the flexible substrate 2 increases the friction between the flexible substrate 2 and the second insulating body 12, preventing the flexible substrate 2 from being moved along the mating direction M by the pushing force applied by the mating connector when the electrical connector 100 mates with the mating connector, thereby affecting the performance of the electrical connector 100.

[0051] Please refer to Figure 1 The electrical connector 100 of this application also includes an insulating shell 5, which covers the assembly portion 32 of the metal shell 3. This can provide a certain degree of protection for the flexible substrate 2 exposed outside the assembly portion 32, improve the overall structural strength of the flexible substrate 2, and reduce the risk of breakage at the location where the flexible substrate 2 is exposed to the first insulating body 11 and the second insulating body 12.

[0052] In summary, this application discloses an electrical connector 100, which includes an insulating body 1, a flexible substrate 2, and a metal housing 3. The insulating body 1 includes a first end 101 and a second end 102 disposed in a mating direction M. The flexible substrate 2 is embedded within the insulating body 1, with at least a portion of the flexible substrate 2 exposed at the first end 101. The metal housing 3 covers the outside of the insulating body 1. With this configuration, this application uses the flexible substrate 2 instead of the conductive terminals in conventional electrical connectors, enabling the electrical connector 100 to be assembled without soldering, thereby improving assembly efficiency and reducing production costs.

[0053] The above embodiments are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the technical solutions described in this invention. The understanding of this specification should be based on those skilled in the art. For example, the directional descriptions such as "front," "back," "left," "right," "up," and "down" are important. Although this specification has described the invention in detail with reference to the above embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that they can still modify or make equivalent substitutions to this invention. All technical solutions and improvements that do not depart from the spirit and scope of this invention should be covered within the scope of the claims of this invention.

Claims

1. An electrical connector, characterized by, The application relates to an electric connector, comprising: an insulating body comprising a first end portion and a second end portion arranged along a mating direction of the electric connector; a flexible substrate embedded in the insulating body, at least a part of the flexible substrate being exposed to the first end portion, and at least another part of the flexible substrate extending outside the second end portion; a metal shell covering the insulating body.

2. The electrical connector of claim 1, wherein: The insulating body comprises a first insulating body and a second insulating body, and the first insulating body and the second insulating body sandwich the flexible substrate.

3. The electrical connector of claim 2, wherein: The first insulating body comprises a first contact wall and a second contact wall arranged oppositely in a thickness direction of the electric connector, the second insulating body comprises a third contact wall and a fourth contact wall arranged oppositely in the thickness direction of the electric connector, a connecting structure is arranged between the first contact wall and the third contact wall, the flexible substrate is sandwiched between the first insulating body and the second insulating body through the connecting structure, and the thickness direction is perpendicular to the mating direction.

4. The electrical connector of claim 3, wherein: The connecting structure comprises a positioning column and a first positioning hole matched with the positioning column, one of the first positioning hole or the positioning column is arranged on the first contact wall, the other of the positioning column or the first positioning hole is arranged on the third contact wall, and the positioning column passes through the flexible substrate and is connected with the first positioning hole.

5. The electrical connector of claim 3, wherein: The metal shell comprises a top wall and a bottom wall arranged oppositely in the thickness direction of the electric connector, and a side wall connecting the top wall and the bottom wall, the second contact wall abuts against an inner wall of the top wall, and the fourth contact wall abuts against an inner wall of the bottom wall.

6. The electrical connector of claim 5, wherein: The second contact wall is provided with a clamping groove portion, the top wall is provided with a buckle, the buckle is matched with the clamping groove portion, the fourth contact wall is provided with a protruding portion, the bottom wall is provided with a recess, and the protruding portion is matched with the recess.

7. The electrical connector of claim 5, wherein: The top wall is provided with a limiting portion matched with the second contact wall.

8. The electrical connector of any one of claims 1-7, wherein: The flexible substrate is a flexible flat cable or a flexible circuit board.

9. The electrical connector of claim 4, wherein: The third contact wall is provided with a recessed portion, and the flexible substrate is arranged in the recessed portion.

10. The electrical connector of claim 8, wherein: The electric connector further comprises a reinforcing plate arranged between the third contact wall and the flexible substrate, the reinforcing plate is provided with a second positioning hole, and the positioning column is sequentially connected with the first positioning hole and the second positioning hole through the flexible substrate.

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