A connector

Abstract

The application discloses a connector, which belongs to the technical field of electrical connectors, and a PCB insertion slot is formed between an upper clamping wall and a lower clamping wall, and two side walls are not provided with exposed side buckle arms which are outwardly extended along the width direction and used for buckling the side edges of the PCB; an insulating rubber shell is provided with an unlocking buckle position which is used for cooperating with a locking hole or a locking notch of the PCB; a CPA comprises a sliding body, a locking arm connected with the sliding body, and a gripper exposed to the outside of a rear cover; the unlocking buckle position is used for cooperating with the locking hole or the locking notch of the PCB to realize locking, so that the connector does not need to be provided with exposed buckling structures on both sides in the width direction, which is beneficial to reducing the width direction appearance size of the connector and reducing the lateral reserved space requirement of the PCB. Meanwhile, the risk that the unlocking buckle position is unexpectedly separated from the PCB due to vibration, accidental touch or external force can be reduced, and the locking reliability between the connector and the PCB can be improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of electrical connector technology, and particularly to connectors. Background Technology

[0002] Connectors are typically used to establish electrical connections between wire harnesses and PCBs. In applications such as automotive lighting and automotive electronic modules, connectors need to reliably connect to the PCB within limited installation space and maintain a stable connection under vibration, insertion / removal, or wire harness stress.

[0003] Some existing connectors use exposed side-clamping arms located on both sides of the housing to hold the PCB board sideways and prevent the connector from detaching from the PCB board. These exposed side-clamping arms occupy space in the connector's width direction and require the PCB board to reserve corresponding lateral clamping areas, which is detrimental to the miniaturization of the connector and its matching PCB board. Furthermore, the two side-clamping arms usually require separate operation during disassembly. When installation space is limited or the wire harness has a 90-degree bend, the connector lacks a gripping position for applying pull-out force, easily leading to situations where the wire harness is pulled out by pulling.

[0004] Furthermore, if the connector relies solely on a single latch to maintain connection with the PCB board, the latch may unexpectedly disengage under vibration or accidental contact. If the terminals lack a reliable terminal position guarantee structure, they may also retract along the terminal receiving cavity during insertion / removal or when the wiring harness is under stress, affecting the contact stability between the terminals and the PCB board. Therefore, it is necessary to provide a connector that can reduce the overall dimensions in the width direction, facilitate disassembly, and improve the locking reliability of the terminals and the PCB. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The technical problem to be solved by the present invention is to overcome the shortcomings of the prior art and provide a connector that aims to solve the problems of the exposed side latching arms on both sides of the connector occupying space in the width direction, the lack of reliable pull-out grips for 90-degree bend specifications, and the insufficient reliability of PCB locking and terminal retention in the prior art.

[0006] To achieve the above-mentioned objectives, the first aspect of the present invention provides a connector, including an insulating shell, a terminal group, a TPA, a rear cover, and a CPA. The insulating shell has a PCB insertion slot for inserting a PCB board and a terminal receiving cavity for accommodating the terminal group. The terminal group is disposed in the terminal receiving cavity and has a terminal clamp facing the PCB insertion slot. The TPA is assembled to the insulating shell and is used to restrict the terminal group from exiting the terminal receiving cavity. The rear cover is snapped onto the lead-out end of the insulating shell. The CPA is slidably assembled to the insulating shell and has a pre-installed position and a locked position. The insulating shell includes two side walls arranged opposite each other in the width direction, and an upper clamping wall and a lower clamping wall located between the two side walls. The PCB insertion slot is formed between the upper clamping wall and the lower clamping wall. Neither of the two side walls has an exposed side clamping arm extending outward in the width direction for holding the side of the PCB board. The insulating shell is provided with an unlocking latch for engaging with the locking hole or locking notch of the PCB board; The CPA is a single, integrally molded sliding component. The CPA includes a sliding body, a locking arm connected to the sliding body, and a gripper exposed on the outside of the rear cover. When the CPA is in the locked position, the locking arm is located in the downward deformation space of the unlocking buckle to prevent the unlocking buckle from detaching from the PCB board. When the CPA is in the pre-installed position, the locking arm retracts from the downward deformation space of the unlocking buckle to allow the unlocking buckle to be pressed and unlocked.

[0007] Optionally, the unlocking latch includes an elastic latch arm and latch teeth disposed on the elastic latch arm. The latch teeth are disposed facing the PCB insertion slot and are used to latch into the locking hole or locking notch of the PCB board.

[0008] Optionally, when the CPA is in the locked position, the locking arm is located within the downward deformation space of the elastic buckle arm to prevent the elastic buckle arm from deforming in the direction of detaching from the PCB board.

[0009] Optionally, the insulating shell is provided with a guide groove extending along the sliding direction of the CPA, and the sliding body of the CPA is provided with a guide rib that slides with the guide groove to restrict the movement of the CPA relative to the insulating shell between the pre-installed position and the locking position in a predetermined direction.

[0010] Optionally, the CPA is provided with an elastic limiting buckle, and the insulating shell is provided with a first limiting part and a second limiting part. When the elastic limiting buckle cooperates with the first limiting part, the CPA is held in the pre-installed position. When the elastic limiting buckle cooperates with the second limiting part, the CPA is held in the locked position.

[0011] Optionally, the gripper includes two gripper positions arranged opposite each other along the width direction. The two gripper positions are respectively located on both sides of the CPA and are exposed on the outer end face of the rear cover when the CPA is in the locked position.

[0012] Optionally, the maximum outer contour of the CPA in the width direction does not exceed the distance between the outer surfaces of the two sidewalls.

[0013] Optionally, the gripper is a recess, a lug, or a stepped portion formed on the outer side of the CPA.

[0014] Optionally, the TPA includes a body and a plurality of locking teeth extending from the body toward the terminal group.

[0015] Optionally, the plurality of locking teeth are respectively located on the exit path of the corresponding terminal to restrict the terminal group from exiting the terminal receiving cavity when the TPA is assembled in place.

[0016] The beneficial effects of this invention are: 1. The connector of the present invention eliminates the exposed side fastening arms that extend outward along the width direction on the two side walls, and uses the unlocking fastening position to cooperate with the locking hole or locking notch of the PCB board to achieve locking. This eliminates the need for exposed fastening structures on both sides of the width direction of the connector, which helps to reduce the overall size of the connector in the width direction and reduce the lateral reserved space requirements of the PCB board.

[0017] 2. The connector of the present invention, by setting a slidable CPA and allowing the locking arm of the CPA to enter the downward deformation space of the unlocking latch in the locking position, forms a block against the unlocking deformation of the unlocking latch, which can reduce the risk of the unlocking latch unexpectedly detaching from the PCB board due to vibration, accidental contact or external force, and improve the locking reliability between the connector and the PCB board.

[0018] 3. In the connector of the present invention, the CPA is a single integrally molded sliding member, and its gripper is exposed on the outside of the back cover. The operator can apply a pull-out force to the connector through the gripper, which is especially suitable for scenarios where the wire harness has a 90-degree bend structure, thereby reducing the stress on the terminal crimping part, the wire harness bending part, or the outlet end caused by directly pulling the wire harness.

[0019] 4. The connector of the present invention, by using the locking teeth of the TPA to restrict the terminal group from exiting the terminal receiving cavity, can improve the reliability of the terminal position retention under insertion, vibration and wire harness stress conditions. Attached Figure Description

[0020] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the connector of the present invention; Figure 2This is a rear view schematic diagram of the overall structure of the connector of the present invention; Figure 3 This is an exploded view of the internal structure of the insulating shell of the connector of the present invention; Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the structure between the terminal group and the PCB board of the connector of the present invention; Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of a single terminal structure of the connector of the present invention; Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the mounting structure of the connector's insulating shell and PCB board according to the present invention. Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the CPA pre-assembled state structure of the connector of the present invention; Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the CPA locking state structure of the connector of the present invention.

[0021] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures: 200. PCB board; 201. Locking hole or locking notch; 1. Insulating shell; 11. PCB insertion slot; 12. Terminal receiving cavity; 16. Unlocking latch; 161. Elastic latch arm; 162. Latch tooth; 17. Guide groove; 181. First limiting part; 182. Second limiting part; 2. Terminal assembly; 21. Terminal clamp; 3. TPA; 31. Body; 32. Locking tooth; 4. Back cover; 5. CPA; 51. Sliding body; 52. Locking arm; 53. Grab part; 531. Grab position; 54. Guide rib; 55. Elastic limit buckle.

[0022] The realization of the objective, functional features and advantages of the present invention will be further explained in conjunction with the embodiments and with reference to the accompanying drawings. Detailed Implementation

[0023] It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are merely illustrative of the invention and are not intended to limit the invention.

[0024] In the description of this invention, it should be noted that, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," and "joining" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; they can refer to a mechanical connection, a direct connection, or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; they can refer to the internal communication of two components or the interaction between two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention according to the specific circumstances.

[0025] like Figures 1 to 8As shown, this embodiment provides a connector for mating with a PCB board 200. The connector includes an insulating shell 1, a terminal group 2, a TPA 3 (i.e., a terminal position guarantee), a back cover 4, and a CPA 5 (i.e., a connector position guarantee).

[0026] The insulating housing 1 has a terminal receiving cavity 12 and a PCB insertion slot 11. The terminal receiving cavity 12 is used to receive the terminal group 2, and the PCB insertion slot 11 is used for the insertion of the PCB board 200. The terminal receiving cavity 12 and the PCB insertion slot 11 are connected, so that the PCB board 200 can enter the contact area of ​​the terminal group 2 after being inserted into the PCB insertion slot 11.

[0027] The insulating housing 1 includes two sidewalls disposed opposite each other along its width, and an upper clamping wall and a lower clamping wall located between the two sidewalls. The upper clamping wall and the lower clamping wall are disposed vertically opposite each other, and a PCB insertion slot 11 is formed between the upper clamping wall and the lower clamping wall. The two sidewalls are used to define the insertion range of the PCB board 200 in the width direction and to provide lateral protection for the internal structure of the insulating housing 1.

[0028] Neither sidewall has an exposed side latching arm extending outwards along the width direction to hold the side of the PCB board 200. Locking between the connector and the PCB board 200 is achieved by the engagement of an unlocking latch 16 on the insulating housing 1 with a locking hole or locking notch 201 on the PCB board 200. Therefore, the outer contour of the connector in the width direction is mainly defined by the outer surfaces of the two sidewalls, which helps to reduce the width dimension of the connector.

[0029] Terminal group 2 includes multiple conductive terminals, which are spaced apart along the terminal arrangement direction. Each conductive terminal has a terminal clamp 21 facing the PCB insertion slot 11. After the PCB board 200 is inserted into the PCB insertion slot 11, the conductive area on the PCB board 200 enters the terminal clamp 21, and the terminal clamp 21 forms electrical contact with the PCB board 200 through elastic clamping.

[0030] In some embodiments, the rear cover 4 is snapped onto the wire outlet end of the insulating housing 1. The rear cover 4 has a wire outlet hole through which the wire harness connected to the terminal group 2 is led out. The rear cover 4 is used to constrain the wire outlet position and to provide protection for the rear end of the terminal group 2 and the wire harness connection portion.

[0031] like Figure 3 and Figure 7 As shown, the insulating shell 1 is provided with an unlocking latch 16. The unlocking latch 16 is used to cooperate with the locking hole or locking notch 201 of the PCB board 200 to prevent the connector from disengaging from the PCB board 200 in the pull-out direction.

[0032] The unlocking latch 16 includes a resilient latch arm 161 and latch teeth 162 disposed on the resilient latch arm 161. The latch teeth 162 are positioned facing the PCB insertion slot 11. During the insertion of the PCB board 200 into the PCB insertion slot 11, the PCB board 200 pushes the latch teeth 162, causing the resilient latch arm 161 to spring out. When the PCB board 200 is fully inserted, the latch teeth 162 align with the locking hole or locking notch 201 of the PCB board 200, and the resilient latch arm 161 springs back, causing the latch teeth 162 to engage in the locking hole or locking notch 201.

[0033] CPA 5 is slidably mounted on the insulating housing 1. CPA 5 is a single, integrally molded sliding component, including a sliding body 51, a locking arm 52, and a gripper 53. The locking arm 52 is connected to the sliding body 51, and the gripper 53 protrudes from the outside of the rear cover 4.

[0034] CPA 5 has a pre-installed position and a locked position. When CPA 5 is in the pre-installed position, the locking arm 52 disengages from the downward deformation space of the elastic latch arm 161, allowing the elastic latch arm 161 to be pressed and causing the latch teeth 162 to disengage from the locking hole or locking notch 201 of the PCB board 200. When CPA 5 is in the locked position, the locking arm 52 is located within the downward deformation space of the elastic latch arm 161. When the elastic latch arm 161 is subjected to pressing force, it is blocked by the locking arm 52, preventing the deformation that would cause the latch teeth 162 to disengage from the PCB board 200.

[0035] The insulating housing 1 is provided with a guide groove 17 extending along the sliding direction of CPA 5, and the sliding body 51 of CPA 5 is provided with a guide rib 54 that slides in conjunction with the guide groove 17. After the guide rib 54 is inserted into the guide groove 17, CPA 5 can move between the pre-installed position and the locked position in a predetermined direction, preventing CPA 5 from swaying or disengaging when sliding.

[0036] CPA 5 is provided with an elastic limiting buckle 55, and the insulating shell 1 is provided with a first limiting part 181 and a second limiting part 182. The first limiting part 181 and the second limiting part 182 are spaced apart along the sliding direction of CPA 5. When the elastic limiting buckle 55 is engaged with the first limiting part 181, CPA 5 is held in the pre-installed position; when the elastic limiting buckle 55 is engaged with the second limiting part 182, CPA 5 is held in the locked position. The first limiting part 181 and the second limiting part 182 can be a limiting groove, a limiting hole, or a limiting step, and the elastic limiting buckle 55 can be an elastic claw, an elastic protrusion, or an elastic buckle arm.

[0037] like Figure 3As shown, the gripper portion 53 includes two gripper positions 531 disposed opposite each other along the width direction. The two gripper positions 531 are located on both sides of the CPA 5 and protrude from the outer end face of the rear cover 4 when the CPA 5 is in the locked position. The gripper positions 531 are used for the operator's fingers or tools to abut against in order to push the CPA 5 or apply a pull-out force to the connector.

[0038] The maximum outer contour of CPA 5 in the width direction does not exceed the distance between the outer surfaces of the two sidewalls. Thus, while the gripper portion 53 can provide a gripping position, it does not increase the maximum outer dimension of the connector in the width direction.

[0039] The gripper position 531 can be a recess, a lug, or a stepped portion formed on the outer surface of the CPA 5. The recess can be a groove or an arc-shaped depression; the lug can be a partial protrusion for easy finger support; the stepped portion can have a stepped surface for withstanding pull-out forces. All of the above structures can provide a gripping position without affecting the sliding assembly of the CPA 5.

[0040] In some alternative embodiments, the rear cover 4 has a cable exit hole and an abutment surface located outside the cable exit hole. The cable harness is led out from the cable exit hole and can form a bent cable structure. The gripper 53 is located outside the abutment surface. When the connector needs to be pulled out of the PCB board 200, the operator can apply a pulling force through the gripper 53. The pulling force is transmitted to the connector body through the assembly fit between the CPA 5 and the insulating shell 1, thereby reducing the need to directly pull the cable harness.

[0041] like Figure 3 As shown, TPA 3 is assembled in an insulating housing 1. TPA 3 includes a body 31 and a plurality of locking teeth 32 extending from the body 31 toward the terminal group 2. The plurality of locking teeth 32 correspond to a plurality of terminals in the terminal group 2 and are located on the exit path of the corresponding terminals.

[0042] After the terminal assembly 2 is inserted into the terminal receiving cavity 12, the TPA 3 is assembled into place, so that the locking teeth 32 enter the exit path of the corresponding terminal. When the terminal assembly 2 is subjected to the pulling force of the wire harness, the insertion and extraction reaction force, or vibration and has a tendency to exit, the terminal is blocked by the locking teeth 32, thereby maintaining it in a predetermined position within the terminal receiving cavity 12.

[0043] When assembling the connector, first insert terminal group 2 into the terminal receiving cavity 12 of the insulating housing 1, with the terminal clamp 21 facing the PCB insertion slot 11. Then, assemble TPA 3 onto the insulating housing 1, allowing the locking teeth 32 to enter the exit path of the corresponding terminal. Next, snap the rear cover 4 onto the wire exit end of the insulating housing 1, and lead the wire harness out through the wire exit hole of the rear cover 4. Finally, assemble CPA 5 onto the insulating housing 1, placing CPA 5 in the pre-installed position.

[0044] When the connector is inserted into the PCB board 200, the PCB board 200 is inserted between the upper and lower clamping walls along the PCB insertion slot 11. During insertion, the PCB board 200 enters the terminal clamp 21 and forms an electrical connection with the terminal group 2. Simultaneously, the PCB board 200 pushes the latching teeth 162, causing the elastic latching arm 161 to spring out. After the PCB board 200 is fully inserted, the latching teeth 162 engage with the locking holes or locking notches 201 of the PCB board 200, achieving a single locking between the connector and the PCB board 200.

[0045] After the PCB board 200 is inserted into place, the operator pushes CPA 5, causing it to slide along the guide groove 17 from the pre-installed position to the locking position. When CPA 5 reaches the locking position, the elastic limit buckle 55 engages with the second limit part 182, and the locking arm 52 enters the downward deformation space of the elastic buckle arm 161. At this time, the unlocking deformation of the elastic buckle arm 161 is blocked by the locking arm 52, and the buckle teeth 162 are not easy to exit from the locking hole or locking notch 201, thus achieving secondary locking. When CPA 5 is in the locked state, the elastic buckle arm 161 and the PCB insertion groove 11 clamp the PCB board 200 together in the vertical direction, ensuring its posture balance, thereby protecting the terminal contact points.

[0046] When it is necessary to remove the connector from the PCB board 200, the operator first pushes or pulls the gripper 53 to return CPA 5 from the locking position to the pre-installed position. After CPA 5 returns, the locking arm 52 disengages from the downward deformation space of the elastic latch arm 161. Then, the operator presses the unlocking latch 16 to disengage the latch teeth 162 from the locking hole or locking notch 201 of the PCB board 200, and then applies a pulling force to the connector through the gripper 53 to pull the connector out of the PCB board 200.

[0047] In scenarios where the wire harness forms a 90-degree bend, the operator can pull it out using the gripper 53 exposed on the outside of the rear cover 4, without having to pull the wire harness. This reduces the risk of additional loads on the bent portion of the wire harness, the crimped portion of the terminals, and the terminal group 2.

[0048] In this embodiment, no exposed side latches are provided on the two sidewalls, which reduces the overall size of the connector in the width direction; the unlocking latch 16 cooperates with CPA 5 to form a primary locking and secondary anti-retraction structure between the connector and the PCB board 200; TPA 3 restricts the backward movement of the terminal group 2. The above structures work together to improve the connector in terms of miniaturization, locking reliability, terminal retention reliability, and ease of disassembly.

[0049] The above description is merely a preferred embodiment of the present invention and does not limit the patent scope of the present invention. Any equivalent structural or procedural transformations made based on the content of the present invention's specification and drawings, or direct or indirect applications in other related technical fields, are similarly included within the patent protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A connector comprising an insulating shell (1), a terminal group (2), a TPA (3), a rear cover (4), and a CPA (5), wherein the insulating shell (1) has a PCB insertion slot (11) for inserting a PCB board (200) and a terminal receiving cavity (12) for accommodating the terminal group (2), the terminal group (2) is disposed within the terminal receiving cavity (12) and has a terminal clamp (21) facing the PCB insertion slot (11), the TPA (3) is fitted onto the insulating shell (1) and is used to restrict the terminal group (2) from exiting the terminal receiving cavity (12), the rear cover (4) is snapped onto the lead-out end of the insulating shell (1), and the CPA (5) is slidably fitted onto the insulating shell (1) and has a pre-installed position and a locking position, characterized in that: The insulating shell (1) includes two side walls arranged opposite each other in the width direction, and an upper clamping wall and a lower clamping wall located between the two side walls. The PCB insertion slot (11) is formed between the upper clamping wall and the lower clamping wall. Neither of the two side walls is provided with an exposed side clamping arm that extends outward in the width direction and is used to hold the side of the PCB board (200). The insulating shell (1) is provided with an unlocking latch (16) for engaging with the locking hole or locking notch (201) of the PCB board (200). The CPA (5) is a single integrally molded sliding component. The CPA (5) includes a sliding body (51), a locking arm (52) connected to the sliding body (51), and a gripper (53) exposed on the outside of the rear cover (4). When the CPA (5) is in the locked position, the locking arm (52) is located in the downward deformation space of the unlocking buckle (16) to restrict the unlocking buckle (16) from disengaging from the PCB board (200). When the CPA (5) is in the pre-installed position, the locking arm (52) exits the downward path of the unlocking buckle (16) to allow the unlocking buckle (16) to be pressed and unlocked.

2. The connector according to claim 1, characterized in that, The unlocking latch (16) includes an elastic latch arm (161) and latch teeth (162) disposed on the elastic latch arm (161). The latch teeth (162) are disposed facing the PCB insertion slot (11) and are used to latch into the locking hole or locking notch (201) of the PCB board (200).

3. The connector according to claim 2, characterized in that, The locking arm (52) is located within the downward deformation space of the elastic buckle arm (161) when the CPA (5) is in the locking position, so as to prevent the elastic buckle arm (161) from deforming in the direction of detaching from the PCB board (200).

4. The connector according to claim 1, characterized in that, The insulating shell (1) is provided with a guide groove (17) extending along the sliding direction of the CPA (5), and the sliding body (51) of the CPA (5) is provided with a guide rib (54) that slides with the guide groove (17) to restrict the CPA (5) from moving relative to the insulating shell (1) between the pre-installed position and the locking position in a predetermined direction.

5. The connector according to claim 4, characterized in that, The CPA (5) is provided with an elastic limiting buckle (55), and the insulating shell (1) is provided with a first limiting part (181) and a second limiting part (182). When the elastic limiting buckle (55) cooperates with the first limiting part (181), the CPA (5) is kept in the pre-installed position. When the elastic limiting buckle (55) cooperates with the second limiting part (182), the CPA (5) is kept in the locked position.

6. The connector according to claim 1, characterized in that, The gripper (53) includes two gripper positions (531) arranged opposite each other in the width direction. The two gripper positions (531) are located on both sides of the CPA (5) and are exposed on the outer end face of the rear cover (4) when the CPA (5) is in the locked position.

7. The connector according to claim 6, characterized in that, The maximum outer contour of the CPA (5) in the width direction does not exceed the distance between the outer surfaces of the two sidewalls.

8. The connector according to claim 6, characterized in that, The gripper (531) is a recessed portion, a protruding portion, or a stepped portion formed on the outer side of the CPA (5).

9. The connector according to claim 1, characterized in that, The TPA (3) includes a body (31) and a plurality of locking teeth (32) extending from the body (31) toward the terminal group (2).

10. The connector according to claim 9, characterized in that, Multiple locking teeth (32) are located on the exit path of the corresponding terminals to restrict the terminal group (2) from exiting the terminal receiving cavity (12) when the TPA (3) is assembled in place.

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