Floating mechanism of connector

Abstract

A floating mechanism of a connector comprises a containing cavity, a plurality of guide concave parts, a metal frame and an elastic assembly. The accommodating cavity and the guide concave parts are arranged in one device, and each guide concave part is provided with a conical inner wall surface; at least one plug connector is tightly matched in the metal frame, and the plug connector is provided with a butt joint direction; the metal frame is contained in the containing cavity, the metal frame is pushed by the elastic assembly to move forwards in the butt joint direction, the metal frame is provided with guide columns located in the corresponding guide concave parts, and the guide columns can move along the conical inner wall faces of the guide concave parts to guide the metal frame. The floating of the connector is achieved through the cooperation of the guide column and the guide concave part and the cooperation of the elastic assembly, real-time accurate alignment can be achieved, and butt joint damage of the connector is avoided.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present application relates to the field of connectors, in particular a floating mechanism of connectors for alignment and mating of two connectors. BACKGROUND

[0002] Chinese patent application CN116264364A discloses a high-density, high-speed connector assembly, the plug connector of which comprises a plurality of conductive elements arranged in a matrix and a bone-shaped protruding structure between the conductive elements, and the socket connector is provided with corresponding holes. When the plug connector and the socket connector are mated, the protruding structure and the hole first complete the preliminary alignment, and then the conductive elements of the two connectors are mated to avoid collision damage of the conductive terminals.

[0003] Chinese patent application CN118156891A discloses a floating connector assembly, which comprises a cable connector and a connector holder assembled by front and rear metal frames and upper and lower metal frames. A biasing member is arranged between the cable connector and the rear metal frame, which can allow the cable connector to move backward relative to the rear metal frame. A mating guide is arranged on the connector holder and is not movable. In this way, the cable connector can have a limited amount of floating movement relative to the connector holder to adapt to the misalignment of the cable connector relative to the mating electrical connector.

[0004] However, the above-mentioned connectors still have the problem of damage to the mating or the conductive elements due to inaccurate alignment during mating. SUMMARY

[0005] The technical problem to be solved by the present application is to provide a floating mechanism of a connector, which can be accurately aligned in real time and reduce damage to the connector during mating.

[0006] To solve the above-mentioned technical problem, the present application provides a technical solution: a floating mechanism of a connector, comprising a receiving cavity and a plurality of guide recesses, a metal frame and an elastic assembly located behind the metal frame; the receiving cavity and the guide recesses are arranged in one device, each guide recess has a tapered inner wall surface; the metal frame tightly fits at least one plug connector, the plug connector is provided with a mating direction; the metal frame is received in the receiving cavity, and the metal frame is pushed by the elastic assembly to move forward along the mating direction; the metal frame is provided with a guide column located in the corresponding guide recess, and the guide column can move along the tapered inner wall surface of the guide recess to guide the metal frame.

[0007] The cooperation of the guide column and the guide recess and the cooperation of the elastic assembly achieve the floating of the connector, which can be accurately aligned in real time and avoid damage to the connector during mating. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0008] Figure 1 is an exploded perspective view of a floating mechanism in a cassette device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0009] Figure 2 is a sectional view taken along line A-A in Figure 1

[0010] Figure 3 is a sectional view taken along line B-B in Figure 1

[0011] Figure 4 is a sectional view taken along line C-C in Figure 1

[0012] Figure 5 is an exploded perspective view from the front. Figure 1

[0013] Figure 6 is an exploded perspective view from another angle.

[0014] Figure 7 is a perspective view of the upper base from another angle in Figure 5

[0015] is a perspective view of the lower base from another angle in Figure 8 Figure 5

[0016] Figure 9 is a plan view of the floating assembly in Figure 6

[0017] Figure 10 is an exploded perspective view of the floating mechanism from the front in Figure 9

[0018] Figure 11 is an exploded perspective view from another angle. Figure 10

[0019] Figure 12 is an exploded perspective view of the elastic assembly in Figure 11 REFERENCE NUMERALS

[0020] floating assembly 100 metal frame 10 connector housing cavity 11 guide pin 12 passage 13 positioning pin 131 top surface 141 bottom surface 142 front surface 143 rear surface 144 guide post 15 through-hole 16 rear tip 161 ​​​​​​​​​​Elastic assembly 20 Coil spring 21 Long rod 22 Screw cap 221 Device 300 Upper base 31 Lower base 32 Receiving cavity 33 Rear inner wall 331 Limiting post 34 Guide recess 35 Conical inner wall surface 351 Front tip 352 Blocking portions 361, 362. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0021] A preferred embodiment of the present application will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0022] The present application relates to a floating mechanism used to accurately align a plug connector and a socket connector during mating, so as to avoid structural damage, such as mating guide and / or conductive elements, caused by forced insertion due to inaccurate alignment. The plug connector and the socket connector can refer to those described in the patent application No. 202510908638.3.

[0023] As shown in FIGS. 1-12, the floating assembly 100 is floatingly retained between the upper base 31 and the lower base 32 of a device 300 (e.g., a cartridge). The floating assembly 100 includes a metal frame 10 and an elastic assembly 20. The metal frame 10 is provided with at least one connector receiving cavity 11 for tightly receiving a plug connector (e.g., a backplane), the rear end of which can be connected to a cable. The plug connector and the socket connector can be those in the patent application No. 202510908638.3. That is, the device 300 has a receiving cavity 33 for receiving the floating assembly 100 and allowing the cable to pass through. The upper base 31 and the lower base 32 jointly define the receiving cavity 33. The upper base and the lower base can be part of the housing of the device 300, or can be separate from the housing of the device 300. Two guide pins 12 extend forwardly from the front surface 143 of the metal frame 10, for insertion into two guide holes of a socket connector mounted on a mating device (e.g., a switch). The elastic assembly 20 is located at the rear of the metal frame 10 and is blocked by the rear inner wall 331 of the receiving cavity 33, as shown in FIG. 2. When the guide pins 12 are inserted into the guide holes, the elastic assembly 20 provides sufficient elastic force to keep the metal frame 10 in a forward position, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. Figure 4 When the plug connector starts to be inserted into the socket connector, the metal frame 10 is driven to move rearwardly together with the plug connector until the two connectors are mated with each other.

[0024] The elastic assembly 20 includes three coil springs 21 and three long rods 22 with nuts 221. As shown in Fig. 2, the front section of each coil spring 21 is received in the channel 13 provided in the metal frame 10, the long rod 22 is inserted into the rear section of the coil spring 21, and the nut 221 is pressed against the rear inner wall 331 of the receiving cavity 33. The front end of the coil spring 21 is positioned at the positioning pin 131 in the channel 13. Each upper base 31 and lower base 32 has a blocking portion 361, 362 behind the limiting post 34, and the elastic assembly 20 is pressed against the blocking portion 361, 362. The front surface of the blocking portion defines the rear inner wall 331 of the receiving cavity 33.

[0025] The metal frame 10 has a top surface 141, a bottom surface 142, and a rear surface 144. The metal frame 10 is provided with four guide posts 15 on the top surface 141 and the bottom surface 142, and has a through hole 16 between the top surface 141 and the bottom surface 142. The guide pin 12 is located at approximately the middle of the metal frame 10, and the through hole 16 is located behind the guide pin 12. Each upper base and lower base has a limiting post 34 and four guide recesses 35. The limiting post 34 extends downward / upward and protrudes into the through hole 16. The cooperation of the limiting post 34 and the through hole 16 limits the forward position and the rearward position of the floating assembly 100 in the docking direction X-X (Fig. 1).

[0026] As shown in Figs. 3-5, each guide recess 35 has a tapered inner wall surface 351 with a slope surface. Each guide recess 35 converges forward, and the through hole 16 converges rearward. From the top-down direction (as shown in Fig. 9), the through hole 16 is tapered, with a rear tip 161 at the rear end. From the top-down direction, the guide recess 35 is tapered, with a front tip 352 at the front end, as shown in Fig. 7. When the plug connector starts to be inserted into the socket connector, the interface of the two connectors provides further accurate alignment, and the floating assembly 100 will move along the tapered inner wall surface 351 under the push of the elastic assembly 20, starting to self-align. The metal frame 10 can move or float in the X, Y, Z axes or three axes, moving the metal frame 10 back to the center position. Therefore, the centering of the metal frame 10 will accurately mate the plug connector with the socket connector, thereby achieving the self-return function. In summary, the floating assembly and the guide recesses in the device together constitute a floating mechanism.

[0027] It is noted that conductive components will be provided within the connector housing of the plug connector, and for simplicity and clarity, these conductive elements are omitted from the figures. Likewise, conductive elements provided in the socket connector are also omitted from the figures where applicable.

[0028] In summary, the above is only the preferred embodiment of the present application, should not be limited by the scope of the present application, namely, the simple equivalent changes and modifications made in accordance with the claims and the contents of the present application, should still be within the scope of the present application.

Claims

1. A floating mechanism for a connector, comprising a receiving cavity and a plurality of guide recesses, and a metal frame and an elastic component located behind the metal frame; characterized in that, The receiving cavity and the guide recess are disposed in a device, and each of the guide recesses has a tapered inner wall surface; At least one plug connector is tightly fitted inside the metal frame, and the plug connector has a mating direction; the metal frame is housed in the receiving cavity, and the metal frame is pushed forward along the mating direction by the elastic component; The metal frame is provided with guide posts located in corresponding guide recesses, and the guide posts can move along the conical inner wall of the guide recesses to guide the metal frame.

2. The floating mechanism of the connector as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The metal frame has a front surface and a rear surface, a top surface and a bottom surface connecting the front surface and the rear surface, and a through hole penetrating the top surface and the bottom surface; The device is equipped with an upper limit post and a lower limit post, which are inserted into the through hole to restrict the movement of the metal frame in the docking direction.

3. The floating mechanism of the connector as described in claim 2, characterized in that, Two guide pins are integrally formed by extending forward from the front surface of the metal frame for insertion into two guide holes provided in a socket connector.

4. The floating mechanism of the connector as described in claim 2, characterized in that, The device has four guide posts on its top and bottom surfaces, and the guide posts are housed in corresponding guide recesses.

5. The floating mechanism of the connector as described in claim 3, characterized in that, The limiting hole is located directly behind the guide pin.

6. The floating mechanism of the connector as described in claim 3, characterized in that, Viewed from above, the through hole has a tapered structure with a pointed end.

7. The floating mechanism of the connector as described in claim 6, characterized in that, Viewed from above, the guide recess has a conical structure with a pointed tip at its front end.

8. The floating mechanism of the connector as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The device is provided with blocking parts located behind the upper limit post and the lower limit post respectively, and the elastic component abuts against the blocking parts.

9. The floating mechanism of the connector as described in claim 8, characterized in that, The elastic component includes three helical springs and three long rods, one end of which is provided with a nut; The front section of each helical spring is housed in a channel provided in the metal frame, the long rod is inserted into the rear section of the helical spring, and the nut presses against the blocking part.

10. The floating mechanism of the connector as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that, The device is a box-type device; the plug connector is a backplane connector with a cable connected to its rear end, and the cable passes through the box-type device.

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