Electric connector and electric connector assembly

Abstract

The utility model provides an electric connector and an electric connector assembly. The electrical connector may include: an insulating housing including an insulating housing main body and a plurality of insulating tubular members disposed to protrude from the insulating housing main body and arranged in one or more rows on the insulating housing main body, each row of insulating tubular members constituting an insulating tubular member group; the fixing structure is arranged at at least one end of the at least one insulating tubular part group in the extending direction; and a plurality of adaptive contact elements, wherein the plurality of adaptive contact elements are accommodated in each insulating tubular element.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure generally relates to the technical field of electrical connectors, and in particular, to an electrical connector and an electrical connector assembly. Background Art

[0002] This section provides background information related to the present application but does not necessarily constitute prior art.

[0003] In related technologies, electrical connectors are primarily used to connect two or more electronic devices together to provide a reliable electrical connection. Electrical connectors are widely used in a wide range of fields, including but not limited to electronic products, communications technology, vehicles, aerospace, and the like.

[0004] In the technical field of power supply connection, especially in power connection involving AC power with relatively high current, higher requirements are placed on the reliability of mechanical and electrical connections, convenience of maintenance, etc. of electrical connectors.

[0005] Electrical connectors used for AC power connections also require very high docking precision with the corresponding electrical connectors. Operators must precisely mate the connectors during insertion and removal to avoid misalignment or damage. Furthermore, the conductors used to transmit AC power typically consist of multiple cables. Especially when the cables are heavy or frequently plugged and unplugged, the electrical connectors can become loose or fall off during use, seriously impacting the normal operation of the equipment. On the one hand, if the mechanical connection strength of the electrical connector is reduced, the electrical connector may produce unstable electrical contact, which in turn affects the reliability of the signal transmission of the electrical connector and may cause data transmission interruptions, reduced speeds, or communication errors. On the other hand, if the mechanical connection strength of the electrical connector is reduced, it may lead to poor contact between the electrical connector's contacts, which may generate additional losses when transmitting current, thereby increasing the power consumption of electronic devices. There is an urgent need for an electrical connector that can carry large amounts of AC power while providing reliable mechanical and electrical connections. Utility Model Content

[0006] This section provides a general summary of the application, and is not a comprehensive disclosure of its full scope or all of its features.

[0007] The first aspect of the present application provides an electrical connector, which may include: an insulating shell, the insulating shell including an insulating shell body and a plurality of insulating tubular members, the plurality of insulating tubular members being arranged to protrude from the insulating shell body and arranged in one or more rows on the insulating shell body, each row of insulating tubular members constituting an insulating tubular member group; a fixing structure, the fixing structure being arranged at least at one end in the extension direction of at least one of the insulating tubular member groups; a plurality of adapter contacts, each of the plurality of adapter contacts being accommodated in each of the insulating tubular members.

[0008] The electrical connector of the present application arranges multiple insulating tubular members protruding from an insulating shell body and accommodates each of the multiple matching contacts within each insulating tubular member, thereby enabling each matching contact to be physically separated from each other by a distance through the insulating shell body and electrically isolated from each other by the insulating tubular members. The insulating shell body can fix the insulating tubular members at intervals, ensuring that the matching contacts accommodated in the insulating tubular members can be fixed in a manner that is spaced apart from each other, thereby achieving reliability in terms of mechanical and electrical connection. In some exemplary embodiments, the multiple insulating tubular members can have a cylindrical shape.

[0009] In some exemplary embodiments, the electrical connector can be a female connector, the adapter contact includes an adapter component and a tail component, one end of the adapter component includes a cup-shaped metal structure and a metal elastic deformation component mounted on the metal structure, and when a mating component is inserted into the metal structure, the metal elastic deformation component is squeezed and deformed by the mating component.

[0010] When the electrical connector of the present application is a female connector, one end of the adapter component is configured to include a cup-shaped metal structure and a metal elastic deformation component installed on the metal structure. The metal elastic deformation component is deformed by being squeezed by the mating component when the mating component is inserted into the metal structure. Therefore, the metal elastic deformation component will generate an inward reaction force along the radial direction of the insulating tubular component on the inserted mating component (for example, the adapter contact of the male connector), further firmly holding the mating component inside the adapter component, thereby ensuring the high reliability of the electrical connector in terms of mechanical and electrical connections. In particular, the electrical connector of the present application is suitable for use as an electrical connector for AC power connection. Even when the cable is heavy, accidentally pulled, or frequently plugged and unplugged, the electrical and mechanical connections between the adapter contact of the female connector and the mating component can be ensured to be highly reliable and stable.

[0011] In some exemplary embodiments, the metal elastic deformation member may include at least one deformation portion, which extends from the inner peripheral wall of the metal structural member to the center of the metal structural member. When a fitting member is inserted into the metal structural member, the deformation portion is squeezed and deformed by the fitting member.

[0012] In the case where the electrical connector of the present application is a female connector, the metal elastic deformable member is configured to include at least one deforming portion, the deforming portion extending from the inner peripheral wall of the metal structural member to the center of the metal structural member. When a mating member is inserted into the metal structural member, the deforming portion of the metal elastic deformable member is squeezed by the mating member (for example, the adapter contact of the male connector) and deformed. Such a structure can generate a greater holding force on the mating member inserted into the metal structural member, thereby being able to more firmly hold the mating member inside the adapter member, thereby further providing a more stable and reliable mechanical connection and electrical connection. In particular, the structure of the electrical connector of the present application with the metal elastic deformable member can reliably adapt to the electrical connection of AC current of 50A to 70A (for example, 60A).

[0013] In some exemplary embodiments, the tail component may be provided at the other end of the adapter component.

[0014] In some exemplary embodiments, the deformed portion may be a plurality of protruding pieces bent toward the inside of the metal structural member, and the plurality of protruding pieces may be formed by cutting the metal elastic deformable member.

[0015] In the case where the electrical connector of the present application is a female connector, by setting the deformation portion as multiple protrusions bent toward the inside of the metal structure, on the one hand, the multiple protrusions can provide compliance allowing the mating part (for example, the adapter contact of the male connector) to be smoothly inserted when the mating part is inserted into the metal structure, thereby allowing the mating part to be more smoothly inserted into the metal structure and accurately aligned; on the other hand, the multiple protrusions can provide a strong holding force for the inserted adapter after the adapter is smoothly inserted into the metal structure, firmly holding the adapter inside the adapter component, and ensuring the stability and reliability of the electrical and mechanical connection between the adapter and the adapter contact of the female connector even in cases where the cable is heavy, accidentally pulled, or frequently plugged and unplugged.

[0016] In some exemplary embodiments, the metal elastically deformable member may be formed as a belt-shaped member that can be bent and inserted into the metal structure, and the belt-shaped member is retained on the metal structure by the insulating housing.

[0017] In some exemplary embodiments, the deformation portion may be a protrusion provided on the metal elastic deformation member.

[0018] In the case where the electrical connector of the present application is a female connector, by constructing the deformation portion as a protrusion arranged on the metal elastic deformation part, when the mating part is inserted into the metal structural part, the protrusion is squeezed by the mating part (for example, the adapter contact part of the male connector) and the force further causes the metal elastic deformation part to elastically deform, thereby generating an inward reaction force along the radial direction of the insulating tubular part on the mating part inserted into the metal structural part, so that the mating part can be more firmly held inside the adapter part, thereby further providing a more stable mechanical connection and electrical connection.

[0019] In some exemplary embodiments, the metal elastically deformable member may be formed to surround at least a portion of the metal structural member.

[0020] In some exemplary embodiments, a peripheral wall of the metal structure may be provided with an opening, and the protrusion protrudes into the interior of the metal structure through the opening.

[0021] In some exemplary embodiments, the protrusion may be a rib formed on the metal elastic deformation member.

[0022] In some exemplary embodiments, the protrusion may be a rib formed on the metal elastic deformable member through a stamping process.

[0023] In some exemplary embodiments, the tail component may be configured to receive a cable or to be mounted to a printed circuit board.

[0024] In some exemplary embodiments, when the tail component may be configured to receive a cable, the electrical connector further includes an overmold that is partially molded over the cable and partially molded over the insulating housing to retain the received cable.

[0025] When the electrical connector of the present application is a female connector, the female electrical connector is configured to include an overmolding member that is partially molded onto the cable and partially molded onto the insulating housing to retain the received cable, thereby enabling the tail member of the mating contact of the electrical connector to be molded into a desired shape according to actual connection requirements. In some embodiments, the tail member can be molded by injection molding using a plastic material. Due to the flexibility of the injection molding process for plastic parts, the tail member of the mating contact can be easily molded into the desired shape.

[0026] In some exemplary embodiments, the fixing structure may include a latch mechanism mounted to the insulating housing or a lock formed on the insulating housing.

[0027] In some exemplary embodiments, the latch mechanism may include a housing and a latch pivotally mounted within the housing.

[0028] In the case where the electrical connector of the present application is a female connector, by configuring the fixing structure to include a latch mechanism, the latch can place the electrical connector (e.g., a female connector and a male connector that cooperate with each other) in a locked state or an unlocked state. The electrical connector of the present application can ensure the reliability of the electrical connector in terms of mechanical and electrical connection by providing a latch mechanism, while allowing the operator to quickly lock and unlock the electrical connector. The electrical connector includes a latch mechanism provided at at least one end in the extension direction of at least one insulating tubular member group, thereby allowing the operator to quickly lock and unlock the electrical connector even when the operating space is limited.

[0029] In some exemplary embodiments, the fixing structure may be a nut or a screw mounted on the insulating housing.

[0030] In some exemplary embodiments, the insulating housing may include a flange having a through hole.

[0031] In some exemplary embodiments, a threaded connector may be inserted into the through hole to connect the electrical connector to the printed circuit board.

[0032] In some exemplary embodiments, a threaded connector may be inserted into the through hole to connect the electrical connector to a mating connector.

[0033] In some exemplary embodiments, a guide protrusion may be provided on the outer circumferential surface of the insulating tubular member along the plugging and unplugging direction.

[0034] When the electrical connector of the present application is a female connector, a guide protrusion is provided on the outer peripheral surface of the insulating tubular part and along the plugging and unplugging direction to cooperate with the guide recess of the matching male connector, so that the female connector and the matching male connector can be accurately aligned, thereby preventing the female connector and the male connector from being misaligned due to improper insertion caused by reasons such as deviation in the insertion direction.

[0035] In other exemplary embodiments, the electrical connector may be a male connector, the adapting contact may include an adapting component and a tail component, and the adapting component may include an elongated metal structural component.

[0036] In some other exemplary embodiments, the adapting component may be a tubular component, one end of the adapting component having an insulating cover, and the tail component extends from the other end of the adapting component.

[0037] When the electrical connector of the present application is a male connector, one end of the adapter component has an insulating cover, which can prevent accidental contact with the long metal structure of the adapter component, thereby providing effective protection for the long metal structure of the adapter component.

[0038] In other exemplary embodiments, some of the adapter components among the plurality of adapter components may have a longer length than other adapter components among the plurality of adapter components.

[0039] When the electrical connector of the present application is a male connector, some of the plurality of adapter components may be configured to be longer than other adapter components for specific design purposes. For example, in some embodiments, a longer adapter component may be used for a grounding component or a neutral conductor.

[0040] In other exemplary embodiments, the tail component may be configured to receive a cable or to be mounted to a printed circuit board.

[0041] In other exemplary embodiments, when the tail component may be configured to receive a cable, the electrical connector may further include an overmold that is partially molded over the cable and partially molded over the insulating housing to retain the received cable.

[0042] When the electrical connector of the present application is a male connector, the male electrical connector is configured to include an overmolded component that is partially molded onto the cable and partially molded onto the insulating housing to retain the received cable. This allows the tail member of the mating contact of the electrical connector to be molded into a desired shape based on actual connection requirements. In some embodiments, the tail member can be molded by injection molding using a plastic material. Due to the flexibility of the injection molding process for plastic parts, the tail member of the mating contact can be easily molded into the desired shape.

[0043] In other exemplary embodiments, the fixing structure may include a latch mechanism mounted to the insulating housing or a lock formed on the insulating housing.

[0044] In other exemplary embodiments, the latch mechanism may include a housing and a latch pivotally mounted within the housing.

[0045] In the case of the male connector of the present application, by providing a fixing structure including a latch mechanism mounted on the insulating housing or a lock formed on the insulating housing, the electrical connector can be placed in a locked state or an unlocked state. The electrical connector of the present application can ensure the reliability of the mechanical and electrical connection of the mutually adapted electrical connectors by providing a latch mechanism or a lock, while allowing the operator to quickly lock and unlock the mutually adapted electrical connectors. The electrical connector includes a latch mechanism or a lock provided at at least one end in the extension direction of at least one insulating tubular member group, thereby allowing the operator to quickly lock and unlock the electrical connector in a convenient manner even when the operating space is limited.

[0046] In other exemplary embodiments, the fixing structure may be a nut or a screw mounted on the insulating housing.

[0047] In other exemplary embodiments, the insulating housing may include a flange having a through hole.

[0048] In other exemplary embodiments, a threaded connector may be inserted into the through hole to connect the electrical connector to the printed circuit board.

[0049] In other exemplary embodiments, a threaded connector may be inserted into the through hole to connect the electrical connector to a mating connector.

[0050] In other exemplary embodiments, a guide recess may be provided on the inner circumferential surface of the insulating tubular member along the plugging and unplugging direction.

[0051] In the case where the electrical connector of the present application is a male connector, a guide recess is provided on the inner circumference of the insulating tubular part and along the plugging and unplugging direction to cooperate with the guide protrusion of the matching female connector, so that the male connector and the matching female connector can be accurately aligned, thereby preventing the male connector and the female connector from being misaligned due to improper insertion caused by reasons such as deviation in the insertion direction.

[0052] According to the second aspect of the present application, an electrical connector assembly is also provided, which may include a female connector and a male connector arranged in pairs, the female connector being the female connector according to some embodiments of the first aspect of the application, and the male connector being the male connector according to other embodiments of the first aspect of the application.

[0053] The electrical connector assembly of the present application is configured such that a plurality of insulating tubular members in a paired female connector and a male connector are protruded from an insulating housing body, and each of a plurality of matching contacts is accommodated in each insulating tubular member, so that each matching contact can be physically separated from each other by the insulating housing body and electrically isolated from each other by the insulating tubular members. The insulating housing body can fix the insulating tubular members at intervals, thereby ensuring that the matching contacts accommodated in the insulating tubular members can be fixed in a manner that is spaced apart from each other, thereby achieving reliability in terms of mechanical and electrical connection.

[0054] During the assembly process of the electrical connector assembly of the present application, the matching contacts of the male connector and the female connector are precisely aligned by means of a guide protrusion provided on the outer circumferential surface of the insulating tubular member of the female connector and a guide recess provided on the inner circumferential surface of the insulating tubular member of the male connector. At the same time, the metal elastic deformation member provided on the female connector is deformed by being squeezed by the matching contact of the male connector when the matching contact of the male connector is inserted into the metal structure. Therefore, the metal elastic deformation member generates an inward reaction force along the radial direction of the insulating tubular member on the matching contact inserted into the male connector, further firmly retaining the matching contact of the male connector inside the matching component of the female connector, thereby ensuring high reliability of the electrical connector in terms of mechanical and electrical connection. In particular, the electrical connector of the present application is suitable for use as an electrical connector for AC power connection. Even in cases where the cable is heavy, accidentally pulled, or frequently plugged and unplugged, the electrical and mechanical connection between the matching contact of the female connector and the matching contact of the male connector can be ensured to be highly reliable and stable. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0055] The features and advantages of the embodiments of the present application will become more readily understood through the following description with reference to the accompanying drawings, which are not drawn to scale and in which some features are exaggerated or minimized to show details of particular components.

[0056] Figure 1A A perspective view of an electrical connector according to some exemplary embodiments of the present application is shown, wherein the electrical connector is a female connector;

[0057] Figure 1B 1. A perspective view of an electrical connector according to some other exemplary embodiments of the present application is shown, wherein the electrical connector is a male connector;

[0058] Figure 2A and Figure 2B is an exploded view of a female connector according to some exemplary embodiments of the present application;

[0059] Figure 3A Schematic diagram of a mating contact of a female connector according to some exemplary embodiments of the present application;

[0060] Figure 3B is a partial enlarged view of a matching contact of a female connector according to some exemplary embodiments of the present application;

[0061] Figure 4A is a schematic diagram of another adapting contact of a female connector according to some exemplary embodiments of the present application;

[0062] Figure 4B is an exploded view of another mating contact of the female connector according to some exemplary embodiments of the present application;

[0063] Figure 5A Schematic diagram of a fixing structure of a female connector according to some exemplary embodiments of the present application;

[0064] Figure 5B is an exploded view of a fixing structure of a female connector according to some exemplary embodiments of the present application;

[0065] Figure 6A and Figure 6B 1 is an exploded view of a male connector according to some other exemplary embodiments of the present application;

[0066] Figure 7A and Figure 7B Schematic diagrams of mating contacts of a male connector according to other exemplary embodiments of the present application;

[0067] Figure 8A and Figure 8B Schematic diagrams of male connectors according to other exemplary embodiments of the present application viewed from different angles;

[0068] Figure 9A and Figure 9B Schematic diagrams of male connectors according to some further exemplary embodiments of the present application viewed from different angles;

[0069] Figure 9C and Figure 9D Schematic diagrams of male connectors according to some further exemplary embodiments of the present application viewed from different angles;

[0070] Figure 10 Schematic diagrams of female connectors according to other exemplary embodiments of the present application;

[0071] Figure 11 Schematic diagrams of female connectors according to some further exemplary embodiments of the present application; and

[0072] Figure 12 Schematic diagrams of female connectors according to some further exemplary embodiments of the present application.

[0073] Description of reference numerals:

[0074] 100 female connector 200 male connector

[0075] 110 Adapter contact 210 Adapter contact

[0076] 111 Adapter Components 211 Adapter Components

[0077] 112 tail parts 212 tail parts

[0078] 113 Metal structural parts 213 Insulation covering parts

[0079] 114 Metal elastic deformation member 230 Insulation shell

[0080] 115 deformation portion 231 insulation shell body

[0081] 116 protrusion 232 insulating tubular member

[0082] 117 opening 233 through hole

[0083] 118 Overmolding 240 Fixing structure

[0084] 130 Insulation housing 241 Lock

[0085] 131 Insulation shell body 244 Guide recess

[0086] 132 Insulating tubular parts 245 Threaded connectors

[0087] 135 Screw 2120 Straight tail part

[0088] 140 Fixed structure 2121 Curved tail component

[0089] 141 latch mechanism 247 fixing member

[0090] 142 housing

[0091] 143 Latch

[0092] 144 guide protrusion

[0093] 145 Arm

[0094] 146 elastic beam

[0095] 147 Fixings

[0096] 148 protrusion. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0097] The present application will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings by way of exemplary embodiments of the present application. It should be noted that the following detailed description of the present application is for illustrative purposes only and is not intended to limit the present application. In addition, the same reference numerals are used throughout the various drawings to represent the same components.

[0098] In the related art, in the field of power supply connections, the conductors used to transmit AC power are usually multiple cables. Especially when the cables are heavy or frequently plugged and unplugged, the electrical connectors may become loose or fall off during use, seriously affecting the normal operation of the equipment. When the mechanical connection strength of the electrical connector is reduced, the electrical connector may produce unstable electrical contact, which in turn affects the reliability of the signal transmission of the electrical connector, and may cause problems such as data transmission interruption, speed reduction, or communication errors. In addition, when the mechanical connection strength of the electrical connector is reduced, it may cause poor contact between the contacts of the electrical connector, and the electrical connector may generate additional losses when transmitting current, thereby increasing the power consumption of the electronic device. The electrical connectors used for AC power connections have increasingly higher requirements for the docking accuracy of the matching electrical connectors. During the plugging and unplugging process of the electrical connector, the operator needs to perform docking more accurately to avoid misalignment or damage. How to realize an electrical connector that can carry large amounts of AC power while providing reliable and stable mechanical and electrical connections is a technical problem that needs to be solved urgently.

[0099] The inventors have recognized a technology for manufacturing an electrical connector that can solve some technical problems in the related art. The electrical connector can carry a large amount of alternating current (for example, 50A to 70A of alternating current) while providing reliable and stable mechanical and electrical connections.

[0100] Considering the need to ensure the mechanical and electrical reliability of the adapter contacts that transmit AC power in the field of power supply connections, the electrical connector of the present application provides a plurality of insulating tubular members protruding from an insulating shell body and accommodates each of the plurality of adapter contacts within each insulating tubular member, thereby enabling each adapter contact to be physically separated from each other by a distance through the insulating shell body and electrically isolated from each other by the insulating tubular members. Therefore, the insulating shell body of the electrical connector of the present application can fix the insulating tubular members at intervals, ensuring that the adapter contacts accommodated in the insulating tubular members can be fixed in a manner that is spaced apart from each other, thereby achieving reliability in terms of mechanical and electrical connection.

[0101] The inventors realized and understood that in order to overcome the problem of the poor connection of the adapter contact in the related art, which leads to reduced connection strength, the female connector of the present application has been specially designed. Specifically, one end of the adapter component of the adapter contact of the female connector is configured to include a cup-shaped metal structure and a metal elastic deformation member mounted on the metal structure. When the metal elastic deformation member is inserted into the mating part in the metal structure, it is deformed by being squeezed by the mating part (for example, the adapter contact of the male connector). Through such a special structural design, the metal elastic deformation member will generate an inward reaction force along the radial direction of the insulating tubular member on the inserted mating part, further firmly holding the mating part inside the adapter component, thereby ensuring the high reliability of the electrical connector in terms of mechanical and electrical connection. In particular, the electrical connector of the present application is suitable for use as an electrical connector for AC power connection. Even in cases where the cable is heavy, accidentally pulled or frequently plugged and unplugged, it can ensure the high reliability and stability of the electrical and mechanical connection between the adapter contact of the female connector and the mating part.

[0102] Furthermore, the inventors realized and understood that in order to ensure that the electrical connector can reliably adapt to the electrical connection of AC power of 50A to 70A (for example, 60A), a special structural design has been made to the metal elastic deformable member of the electrical connector of the present application. Specifically, by configuring the metal elastic deformable member to include at least one deformation portion, the deformation portion extending from the inner peripheral wall of the metal structural member to the center of the metal structural member, when the mating member is inserted into the metal structural member, the deformation portion of the metal elastic deformable member is deformed by being squeezed by the mating member (for example, the adapter contact of the male connector). By adopting such a special structure of the metal elastic deformable member, a greater holding force can be generated on the mating member inserted into the metal structural member, thereby being able to more firmly retain the mating member inside the adapter component, thereby further providing a more stable and reliable mechanical connection and electrical connection.

[0103] Furthermore, the inventors recognized and understood that, in order to further ensure that the electrical connector can reliably connect to AC currents of 50A to 70A (e.g., 60A), they studied and designed the deforming portion of the metal elastic deformable member of the electrical connector of the present application. Specifically, the deforming portion of the metal elastic deformable member is configured as a plurality of tabs that bend toward the interior of the metal structure. By employing such a metal elastic deformable member, the plurality of tabs can provide a compliance force that allows the mating member (e.g., the mating contact of the male connector) to be smoothly inserted into the metal structure when the mating member is inserted into the metal structure, thereby enabling the mating member to be more smoothly inserted into the metal structure and accurately aligned. Furthermore, the plurality of tabs can provide a strong retaining force to the inserted adapter after it is successfully inserted into the metal structure, firmly holding the adapter within the adapter. This ensures the stability and reliability of the electrical and mechanical connection between the adapter and the mating contact of the female connector, even in situations such as heavy cables, accidental pulling, or frequent plugging and unplugging.

[0104] The inventors realized and understood that in order to ensure reliable mechanical and electrical connections while being able to quickly lock and unlock the electrical connector, the fixing structure of the electrical connector of the present application has been specially designed. Specifically, the fixing structure of the electrical connector of the present application (for example, a female connector or a male connector) is set to include a latch mechanism, and the latch can put the electrical connector (for example, a female connector and a male connector that cooperate with each other) into a locked state or an unlocked state. The electrical connector of the present application can ensure the reliability of the electrical connector in terms of mechanical and electrical connections while allowing the operator to quickly lock and unlock the electrical connector by providing a latch mechanism. The electrical connector includes a latch mechanism provided at at least one end in the extension direction of at least one insulating tubular member group, thereby allowing the operator to quickly lock and unlock the electrical connector even when the operating space is limited.

[0105] The inventors realized and understood that in order to accurately position the connection of the electrical connector, a special structural design was made for the electrical connector of the present application. Specifically, a guide protrusion is provided on the outer circumference of the insulating tubular member of the female connector along the plug-in and pull-out direction, and a guide recess is provided on the inner circumference of the insulating tubular member of the male connector along the plug-in and pull-out direction. The guide protrusion of the female connector cooperates with the guide recess of the matching male connector, thereby enabling the female connector and the matching male connector to be accurately aligned, preventing the female connector and the male connector from being misaligned due to improper insertion caused by, for example, a skewed insertion direction.

[0106] The inventors have recognized and understood that, in order to adapt the electrical connector to various types of cable connections, a special structural design has been implemented for the male connector of the present application. By configuring the male electrical connector to include an overmolded member that is partially molded over the cable and partially molded over the insulating housing to retain the received cable, the tail member of the mating contact of the electrical connector can be molded into a desired shape based on actual connection requirements. In some embodiments, the tail member can be molded using a plastic material through injection molding. Due to the flexibility of the injection molding process for plastic parts, the tail member of the mating contact can be easily molded into the desired shape.

[0107] The electrical connector and the electrical connector assembly according to some embodiments of the present application will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0108] For the sake of clarity and conciseness in the description, the figure shows the plug-in and pull-out direction X for inserting the male electrical connector of the present application into the female electrical connector or pulling the male electrical connector out of the female electrical connector, the direction Y perpendicular to the plug-in and pull-out direction X (i.e., the length direction Y of the insulating shell body of the electrical connector), and the direction Z perpendicular to both the plug-in and pull-out direction X and the length direction Y (i.e., the width direction Z of the insulating shell body of the electrical connector).

[0109] A first aspect of the present application provides an electrical connector. The electrical connector according to an embodiment of the present application is described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0110] like Figure 1A and Figure 1B As shown, the electrical connector may include an insulating shell, a fixing structure and a plurality of adapter contacts. The insulating shell of the electrical connector may include an insulating shell body and a plurality of insulating tubular members. The plurality of insulating tubular members of the electrical connector may be arranged to protrude from the insulating shell body of the electrical connector, and the plurality of insulating tubular members of the electrical connector may be arranged in one or more rows on the insulating shell body, with each row of insulating tubular members constituting an insulating tubular member group. The fixing structure of the electrical connector may be provided at least at one end in the extension direction of at least one insulating tubular member group. Each of the plurality of adapter contacts is accommodated in each insulating tubular member, and the adapter contact is used to make an electrical connection with a mating member. In some exemplary embodiments, the plurality of insulating tubular members may have a cylindrical shape. As Figure 1A As shown, the plurality of insulating tubular members extend along the length direction X of the electrical connector, and the plurality of insulating tubular members are arranged in one or more rows in the direction Z perpendicular to the length direction X of the electrical connector (as shown in FIG. Figure 12 shown).

[0111] The electrical connector of the present application is configured such that a plurality of insulating tubular members protrude from an insulating housing body and each of a plurality of matching contacts is accommodated within each insulating tubular member, thereby enabling each matching contact to be physically separated from each other by the insulating housing body and electrically isolated from each other by the insulating tubular members. The insulating housing body can secure the insulating tubular members at intervals, ensuring that the matching contacts accommodated within the insulating tubular members are secured to each other at intervals, thereby achieving reliability in terms of mechanical and electrical connection.

[0112] The electrical connector of the present application can be a female connector or a male connector. Figures 1A to 12 The details of the electrical connector of the present application are described in detail.

[0113] First combine Figure 1A 、 Figures 2A to 5B To describe the female connector as the electrical connector of this application.

[0114] like Figure 1A As shown, the electrical connector may be a female connector 100. Figure 1A As shown, the female connector 100 may include an insulating housing 130, and the insulating housing 130 may include an insulating housing body 131 and a plurality of insulating tubular members 132. The plurality of insulating tubular members 132 of the insulating housing 130 may be arranged to protrude from the insulating housing body 131, and the plurality of insulating tubular members 132 of the insulating housing 130 may be arranged in one or more rows on the insulating housing body 131, with each row of insulating tubular members 132 constituting an insulating tubular member group. Figure 1A As shown, the plurality of insulating tubular members 132 of the insulating housing 130 may be arranged in a row on the insulating housing body 131. In some alternative embodiments, as shown in FIG. Figure 12 As shown, the plurality of insulating tubular members 132 of the insulating housing 130 can be arranged in two rows on the insulating housing body 131. However, the embodiments of the present application are not limited thereto, and according to actual product requirements, the plurality of insulating tubular members 132 of the insulating housing 130 can be arranged in three or more rows on the insulating housing body 131.

[0115] like Figure 1A As shown, the fixing structure 140 of the female connector 100 can be arranged at least at one end in the extension direction of at least one insulating tubular member group. Figure 2A and Figure 2B As shown, a plurality of mating contacts 110 of the female connector 100 may be received in each insulating tubular member 132 .

[0116] like Figure 2BAs clearly shown, the openings of the multiple insulating tubular members 132 of the insulating housing 130, which accommodate the mating contacts 110, are provided with multiple protrusions 148. In some embodiments, the multiple protrusions are provided on the inner surfaces of the openings of the multiple insulating tubular members 132. The multiple mating contacts 110 of the female connector 100 can be accommodated in each insulating tubular member 132 and positioned within the multiple protrusions 148. The multiple protrusions 148 provided in the openings of the insulating tubular members 132 can prevent accidental contact with the mating contacts 110 of the female connector, thereby providing effective protection for the mating components of the female connector.

[0117] Next reference Figure 3A The adapting contact 110 of the female connector 100 may include an adapting component 111 and a tail component 112. One end of the adapting component 111 of the adapting contact 110 may include a cup-shaped metal structure 113 and a metal elastic deformation member 114 mounted on the metal structure 113. When a mating component (for example, the adapting contact of the male connector) is inserted into the metal structure 113, the metal elastic deformation member 114 is deformed by the extrusion of the mating component. Figure 3A As shown, in some exemplary embodiments, the tail component 112 of the mating contact 110 may be disposed at the other end of the mating component 111 , and the tail component 112 of the mating contact 110 may extend along the plugging direction X.

[0118] In some embodiments, as Figure 1A and Figure 2A As shown, the adapting contacts 110 of the female connector 100 according to the present application can have the same structure, so that more adapting contacts can be easily inserted. It is understood that according to the actual product requirements, the adapting contacts 110 of the female connector 100 according to the present application can have different structures, and the present application does not limit this.

[0119] When the electrical connector of the present application is a female connector, one end of the adapter component is configured to include a cup-shaped metal structure and a metal elastic deformation component installed on the metal structure. The metal elastic deformation component is deformed by being squeezed by the mating component when the mating component is inserted into the metal structure. Therefore, the metal elastic deformation component will generate an inward reaction force along the radial direction of the insulating tubular component on the inserted mating component (for example, the adapter contact of the male connector), further firmly retaining the mating component (for example, the adapter contact of the male connector) inside the adapter component, thereby ensuring the high reliability of the electrical connector in terms of mechanical and electrical connections. In particular, the electrical connector of the present application is suitable for use as an electrical connector for AC power connection. Even when the cable is heavy, accidentally pulled, or frequently plugged and unplugged, the electrical and mechanical connections between the adapter contact of the female connector and the mating component (for example, the adapter contact of the male connector) can be ensured to be highly reliable and stable.

[0120] In some exemplary embodiments, Figure 3A and Figure 3B As shown, the metal elastic deformation part 114 may include at least one deformation portion 115, which extends from the inner peripheral wall of the metal structural part 113 to the center of the metal structural part 113. When a mating part (for example, the adapting contact part of the male connector) is inserted into the metal structural part 113, the deformation portion 115 is deformed by the extrusion of the mating part.

[0121] In the case where the electrical connector of the present application is a female connector, the metal elastic deformable member is configured to include at least one deforming portion, the deforming portion extending from the inner peripheral wall of the metal structural member to the center of the metal structural member. When a mating member is inserted into the metal structural member, the deforming portion of the metal elastic deformable member is squeezed by the mating member (for example, the adapter contact of the male connector) and deformed. Such a structure can generate a greater holding force on the mating member inserted into the metal structural member, thereby being able to more firmly hold the mating member inside the adapter member, thereby further providing a more stable and reliable mechanical and electrical connection. In particular, the structure of the electrical connector of the present application with the metal elastic deformable member can reliably and stably adapt to the electrical connection of 50A to 70A (for example, 60A) of alternating current.

[0122] In some exemplary embodiments, Figure 3A and Figure 3B As shown, the deformed portion 115 is a plurality of protruding pieces bent toward the inside of the metal structural member 113 , and the plurality of protruding pieces are formed by cutting the metal elastic deformable member 114 .

[0123] In the case where the electrical connector of the present application is a female connector, by setting the deformation portion as multiple protrusions bent toward the inside of the metal structure, on the one hand, the multiple protrusions can provide compliance allowing the mating part (for example, the adapter contact of the male connector) to be smoothly inserted when the mating part is inserted into the metal structure, thereby allowing the mating part to be more smoothly inserted into the metal structure and accurately aligned; on the other hand, the multiple protrusions can provide a strong holding force for the inserted adapter after the adapter is smoothly inserted into the metal structure, firmly holding the adapter inside the adapter component, and ensuring the stability and reliability of the electrical and mechanical connection between the adapter and the adapter contact of the female connector even in cases where the cable is heavy, accidentally pulled, or frequently plugged and unplugged.

[0124] In some exemplary embodiments, although not shown in the drawings, the metal elastically deformable member 114 may also be formed as a strip-shaped member that can be bent and inserted into the metal structure 113, with the strip-shaped member being retained on the metal structure 113 by the insulating housing 130. However, the embodiments of the present application are not limited thereto, as long as the metal elastically deformable member 114 can provide an appropriate retaining force to the inserted adapter.

[0125] like Figure 4A and Figure 4B As shown, in some exemplary embodiments, the deformation portion 115 may also be a protrusion 116 provided on the metal elastic deformation member 114. Figure 4A and Figure 4B FIG. 1 shows that one protrusion 116 is provided on the metal elastic deformation member 114 . However, in other embodiments, two or more protrusions may be provided on the metal elastic deformation member 114 , and this application does not limit this.

[0126] In the case where the electrical connector of the present application is a female connector, by constructing the deformation portion as a protrusion arranged on the metal elastic deformation part, when the mating part is inserted into the metal structural part, the protrusion is squeezed by the mating part (for example, the adapter contact part of the male connector) and the force further causes the metal elastic deformation part to elastically deform, thereby generating an inward reaction force along the radial direction of the insulating tubular part on the mating part inserted into the metal structural part, so that the mating part can be more firmly held inside the adapter part, thereby further providing a more stable mechanical connection and electrical connection.

[0127] In some exemplary embodiments, Figure 4A and Figure 4BAs shown, the metal elastic deformation member 114 can be formed to surround at least a portion of the metal structure 113. In some exemplary embodiments, the peripheral wall of the metal structure 113 can be provided with an opening 117, and the protrusion 116 protrudes into the interior of the metal structure 113 through the opening 117. In some embodiments, the matching contact 110 can further include a fixing member 147 (such as a fixing member 147) provided between the matching member 111 and the tail member 112. Figure 4B ), for fixing the mating contact 110 to the insulating housing 130. In some embodiments, the fixing member 147 may have a ring shape or a C-shaped shape, but the embodiments of the present application are not limited thereto.

[0128] In some exemplary embodiments, the protrusion 116 may be a rib formed on the metal elastically deformable member 114 (not shown). It should be understood that the metal elastically deformable member 114 may be provided with one or more ribs, and this application is not limited thereto. In some exemplary embodiments, the protrusion 116 is a rib formed on the metal elastically deformable member 114 by a stamping process.

[0129] In some exemplary embodiments, the tail member 112 is configured to receive a cable or be mounted to a printed circuit board. Figures 10 to 12 As shown, when the tail member 112 is configured to receive a cable, the electrical connector further has an overmold 118 that is partially molded over the cable and partially molded over the dielectric housing 130 to retain the received cable.

[0130] When the electrical connector of the present application is a female connector, the female electrical connector is configured to include an overmolding 118, which is partially molded on the cable and partially molded on the insulating housing to retain the received cable, thereby enabling the tail component of the mating contact of the electrical connector to be molded into a desired shape according to actual connection requirements. In some embodiments, the tail component can be molded by injection molding using a plastic material. Since the injection molding process of plastic parts is relatively flexible, the tail component of the mating contact can be easily molded into the desired shape.

[0131] In some exemplary embodiments, Figure 5A and Figure 5B As shown, the fixing structure 140 may include a latch mechanism 141 mounted to the insulating housing 130. In some optional embodiments, the fixing structure 140 may include a lock formed on the insulating housing 130. Figure 5A and Figure 5B As shown, in some exemplary embodiments, the latch mechanism 141 includes a housing 142 and a latch 143 pivotally mounted within the housing 142. Figure 5B As shown, the latch 143 may have a flexible arm 145, so that the latch 143 can be easily inserted into the housing 142 by the flexible arm 145, thereby forming the latch mechanism 141. Figure 5B As shown, the latch mechanism 141 may have an integrated spring beam 146 to place the latch 143 in the locked position. The latch 143 of the present application has a single-piece structure, thereby simplifying the manufacture of the connector.

[0132] In the case where the electrical connector of the present application is a female connector, by configuring the fixing structure to include a latch mechanism, the latch can place the electrical connector (e.g., a female connector and a male connector that cooperate with each other) in a locked state or an unlocked state. The electrical connector of the present application can ensure the reliability of the electrical connector in terms of mechanical and electrical connection by providing a latch mechanism, while allowing the operator to quickly lock and unlock the electrical connector. The electrical connector includes a latch mechanism provided at at least one end in the extension direction of at least one insulating tubular member group, thereby allowing the operator to quickly lock and unlock the electrical connector even when the operating space is limited.

[0133] In some exemplary embodiments, the fixing structure 140 may be a nut or a screw 135 mounted on the insulating housing 130, such as Figure 12 In some exemplary embodiments, the insulating housing 130 includes a flange having a through hole. Figure 12 As shown, in some exemplary embodiments, a threaded connector can be inserted into a through hole to connect the electrical connector to the printed circuit board. In some exemplary embodiments, a threaded connector can be inserted into a through hole to connect the electrical connector to the mating connector.

[0134] In some exemplary embodiments, a guide protrusion 144 is provided on the outer circumferential surface of the insulating tubular member 132 along the plugging and unplugging direction. In the case where the electrical connector of the present application is a female connector, by providing the guide protrusion 144 on the outer circumferential surface of the insulating tubular member and along the plugging and unplugging direction to cooperate with the guide recess (as shown by the reference numeral 244 below) of the matching male connector, the female connector and the matching male connector can be accurately aligned, thereby preventing the female connector and the male connector from being misaligned due to improper insertion caused by, for example, a skewed insertion direction.

[0135] Next, combine Figure 1B 、 6A to 9C To describe the male connector as the electrical connector of this application.

[0136] In some exemplary embodiments, the electrical connector according to the present application may be a male connector 200. Figure 1BAs shown, the male connector 200 may include an insulating housing 230, and the insulating housing 230 may include an insulating housing body 231 and a plurality of insulating tubular members 232. The plurality of insulating tubular members 232 of the insulating housing 230 may be arranged to protrude from the insulating housing body 231, and the plurality of insulating tubular members 232 of the insulating housing 230 may be arranged in one or more rows on the insulating housing body 231, and each row of insulating tubular members 232 constitutes an insulating tubular member group. Figure 1B As shown, the plurality of insulating tubular members 232 of the insulating housing 230 may be arranged in a row on the insulating housing body 231. In some alternative embodiments, as shown in FIG. Figure 9C As shown, the plurality of insulating tubular members 232 of the insulating housing 230 can be arranged in two rows on the insulating housing body 231. However, the embodiments of the present application are not limited thereto, and according to actual product requirements, the plurality of insulating tubular members 232 of the insulating housing 230 can be arranged in three or more rows on the insulating housing body 231.

[0137] like Figure 1B As shown, the fixing structure 240 of the male connector 200 can be arranged at least at one end in the extension direction of at least one insulating tubular member group. Figure 6A and Figure 6B As shown, a plurality of mating contacts 210 of the male connector 200 may be received in each insulating tubular member 232 .

[0138] Continue as Figure 7B As shown, the adapting contact 210 of the male connector 200 may include an adapting component 211 and a tail component 212. The adapting component 211 may include a long strip of metal structure. In some embodiments, the adapting contact 210 may also include a fixing member 247 (such as Figure 7B ), for fixing the adapting contact 210 to the insulating housing 230. In some embodiments, the fixing member 247 may have a ring shape or a C-shaped shape, but the embodiments of the present application are not limited thereto.

[0139] In some embodiments, the mating contacts 210 of the male connector 200 according to the present application can have the same structure, thereby facilitating the insertion of more mating contacts. It is understood that, depending on actual product requirements, the mating contacts 210 of the male connector 200 according to the present application can have different structures (as described below), and the present application does not limit this.

[0140] In some exemplary embodiments, Figure 7BAs clearly shown, the adapter part 211 can be a tubular part, and one end of the adapter part 211 can have an insulating cover 213. The size of the insulating cover 213 is suitable for covering the end of the long strip metal structure. Figure 7A As shown, the tail component 212 can extend from the other end of the adapter component 211. The male connector of the present application, by providing one end of the adapter component of the male connector with an insulating cover, can prevent accidental contact with the long strip of metal structure of the adapter component, thereby providing effective protection for the long strip of metal structure of the adapter component.

[0141] In other exemplary embodiments, Figure 7A As shown, some of the multiple adapter components 211 (e.g., the adapter component located in the middle) have a longer length than other adapter components in the multiple adapter components 211. In the male connector according to the present application, some of the multiple adapter components can be set to a longer length than other adapter components for special design purposes. For example, in some embodiments, a longer adapter component can be used for a grounding component or a neutral conductor.

[0142] In other exemplary embodiments, the tail component 212 can be configured to receive a cable or be mounted to a printed circuit board. In other exemplary embodiments, when the tail component 212 is configured to receive a cable, the male connector further includes an overmold that is partially molded over the cable and partially molded over the insulating housing 230 to retain the received cable.

[0143] When the electrical connector of the present application is a male connector, the male electrical connector is configured to include an overmolded component that is partially molded onto the cable and partially molded onto the insulating housing to retain the received cable. This allows the tail member of the mating contact of the electrical connector to be molded into a desired shape based on actual connection requirements. In some embodiments, the tail member can be molded by injection molding using a plastic material. Due to the flexibility of the injection molding process for plastic parts, the tail member of the mating contact can be easily molded into the desired shape.

[0144] In other exemplary embodiments, the fixing structure 240 may include a lock 241 formed on the insulating housing 230. Figure 6B As shown, the male connector 200 has a latch mechanism 141 (as described above in conjunction with the insulated housing 130 of the female connector) Figure 5A and Figure 5B A lock buckle 241 adapted to the description) is provided.

[0145] In other exemplary embodiments, the fixing structure 240 of the male electrical connector may include a latch mechanism mounted to the insulating housing 230. The latch mechanism may include a housing and a latch pivotally mounted within the housing. Although not shown in the drawings, it should be understood that in an alternative embodiment, the fixing structure 240 of the male electrical connector may be provided with a latch mechanism as described above in conjunction with the above. Figure 5A and Figure 5B The latch described.

[0146] A latch (such as Figure 5A and Figure 5B In the case of the case shown by the reference numeral 141 in the figure), the fixing structure 140 of the female electrical connector can be provided with a lock (such as Figure 6B 241 in the figure).

[0147] In the case of the male connector of the present application, by providing a fixing structure including a latch mechanism mounted on the insulating housing or a lock formed on the insulating housing, the electrical connector can be placed in a locked state or an unlocked state. The electrical connector of the present application can ensure the reliability of the mechanical and electrical connection of the mutually adapted electrical connectors by providing a latch mechanism or a lock, while allowing the operator to quickly lock and unlock the mutually adapted electrical connectors. The electrical connector includes a latch mechanism or a lock provided at at least one end in the extension direction of at least one insulating tubular member group, thereby allowing the operator to quickly lock and unlock the electrical connector in a convenient manner even when the operating space is limited.

[0148] In other exemplary embodiments, the fixing structure 240 may be a nut or a screw mounted on the insulating housing 230. Figure 8A and Figure 8B As shown, the insulating housing 230 includes a flange having a through hole 233. In other exemplary embodiments, as shown in FIG. Figure 8A and Figure 8B As shown, threaded connector 245 is inserted into through hole 233 to connect the electrical connector to the printed circuit board.

[0149] The adapting end of the electrical connector of the present application can be used to connect to a printed circuit board as well as to connect to a cable. Therefore, the electrical connector of the present application has a very wide range of applications and has good compatibility. In some embodiments, in order to adapt to the installation of the electrical connector to the circuit board in different ways, the threaded connector 245 can be inserted into the through holes on different surfaces of the electrical connector (such as Figure 8A and Figure 8B In the exemplary embodiment of the present application, as shown in FIG. Figures 9A to 9BAs shown, the tail member 212 of the mating contact of the electrical connector mounted to the circuit board can be configured to be soldered in a hole of the printed circuit board. Figures 9A to 9B As shown, the tail member of the mating contact of the electrical connector is configured to form a 90-degree bend relative to the plugging and unplugging direction. However, the tail member of the mating contact of the electrical connector may also have other shapes, for example, a bend of 60 to 90 degrees relative to the plugging and unplugging direction, for example, 60, 70, or 80 degrees, so as to be attached to a printed circuit board or a cable.

[0150] In order to adapt the electrical connector of the present application to be connected to a cable or mounted on a circuit board, the tail end of the electrical connector of the present application can be manufactured into different shapes. Figures 10 to 12 As shown, the tail ends of the electrical connectors with different shapes can provide better support for the connected cables, and the tail ends of the electrical connectors can be molded to form overmolding to guide the cables in a specific direction. In other examples, some of the mating contacts of the connector configured to be mounted to a circuit board can be terminated to cables to create a hybrid connector. Figure 9C and Figure 9D As shown, the tail components of the mating contacts of the electrical connector include a straight tail component 2120 parallel to the plugging and unplugging direction and a curved tail component 2121 bent at 90 degrees relative to the plugging and unplugging direction, thereby forming a hybrid connector, allowing some mating contacts in an electrical connector configured to be mounted on a circuit board to be terminated to a cable. The material of the overmold may be the same as or different from the material of the insulating housing of the electrical connector. The overmold can be more flexible, for example, made of rubber or silicone.

[0151] In other exemplary embodiments, Figure 9A and Figure 9B As shown, the threaded connector 245 can be inserted into the through hole 233 to connect the electrical connector to the adapter connector. Figure 9C As shown, a guide recess 244 may be provided on the inner circumference of the insulating tubular member 232 along the plugging and unplugging direction.

[0152] In the case where the electrical connector of the present application is a male connector, a guide recess 244 is provided on the inner circumference of the insulating tubular member and along the plugging and unplugging direction to cooperate with the guide protrusion of the matching female connector (as shown by the figure mark 144 above), so that the male connector and the matching female connector can be accurately aligned to prevent the male connector and the female connector from being misaligned due to improper insertion caused by reasons such as deviation in the insertion direction.

[0153] According to the second aspect of the present application, an electrical connector assembly is also provided. The electrical connector assembly may include a female connector 100 and a male connector 200 arranged in pairs. The female connector 100 is the female connector 100 described in some embodiments of the first aspect of the application, and the male connector 200 is the male connector described in other embodiments of the first aspect of the application.

[0154] The electrical connector assembly of the present application is configured such that a plurality of insulating tubular members in a paired female connector 100 and male connector 200 protrude from an insulating housing body, and each of a plurality of matching contacts is accommodated in each insulating tubular member. This allows each matching contact to be physically separated from one another by the insulating housing body and electrically isolated from one another by the insulating tubular members. The insulating housing body can secure the insulating tubular members at intervals, thereby ensuring that the matching contacts accommodated in the insulating tubular members are secured to each other in a spaced-apart manner, thereby achieving reliability in terms of mechanical and electrical connection.

[0155] Reference below Figure 1A and Figure 1B The assembly process of the electrical connector assembly is described. The male connector 200 is inserted into the female connector 100 along the plugging and unplugging direction by a robot or manually. Then, the latch on the insulating housing of the female connector 100 and the lock on the insulating housing of the male connector are engaged and locked by a robot or manually. This ensures that the female connector 100 and the male connector 200 form a reliable and stable mechanical and electrical connection.

[0156] In the assembly process of the electrical connector assembly of the present application, the male connector 200 and the matching contacts of the female connector 100 are precisely aligned by the guide protrusions 144 provided on the outer circumference of the insulating tubular member of the female connector 100 and the guide recesses 244 provided on the inner circumference of the insulating tubular member of the male connector 200. At the same time, the metal elastic deformation member provided on the female connector 100 is deformed by the extrusion of the matching contacts of the male connector when the matching contacts of the male connector are inserted into the metal structure. Therefore, the metal elastic deformation member will be inserted into the male connector. The adapter contact of the connector generates an inward reaction force along the radial direction of the insulating tubular member, further firmly maintaining the adapter contact of the male connector inside the adapter component of the female connector 100, thereby ensuring the high reliability of the electrical connector in terms of mechanical and electrical connection. In particular, the electrical connector of the present application is suitable for use as an electrical connector for AC power connection, and can ensure the high reliability and stability of the electrical and mechanical connection between the adapter contact of the female connector and the adapter contact of the male connector even when the cable is heavy, accidentally pulled, or frequently plugged and unplugged.

[0157] Those skilled in the art should be aware that, for the sake of clarity, not all features of an actual specific embodiment are described and shown in the specification and drawings. In addition, in order to avoid unnecessary details that obscure the technical solutions that the present application focuses on, only the arrangement structures that are closely related to the technical content of the present application are described and shown in the specification and drawings, while other details that are not closely related to the technical content of the present application and are known to those skilled in the art are omitted.

[0158] In order to make the purpose, technical solutions and advantages of the embodiments of the present application clearer, the above embodiments of the present application are described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that in each embodiment of the present application, many technical details are provided to enable the reader to better understand the present application. However, even without these technical details and various changes and modifications based on the above embodiments, the technical solutions claimed in the present application can be implemented. The division of the above embodiments is for convenience of description and should not constitute any limitation on the specific implementation of the present application. The various embodiments can be combined and referenced with each other under the premise of no contradiction.

[0159] It should be noted that the terms "first", "second", etc. in the specification and claims of this application and the above-mentioned drawings are used to distinguish similar objects, and are not necessarily used to describe a specific order or sequence, and cannot be understood as indicating or suggesting relative importance or implicitly indicating the number of the indicated technical features. Thus, the features defined as "first" and "second" can explicitly or implicitly include one or more of the features. It should be understood that the data used in this way can be interchangeable where appropriate, so that the embodiments of the application described herein can be implemented in an order other than those illustrated or described herein. In addition, the terms "including" and "having" and any variations thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusions, for example, a process, method, system, product or device comprising a series of steps or units is not necessarily limited to those steps or units clearly listed, but may include other steps or units that are not clearly listed or inherent to these processes, methods, products or devices.

[0160] It should be understood that the terms "inside", "outside", "upper", "lower", etc. indicate orientations or positional relationships based on the orientations or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing the present application and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be understood as a limitation on the present application.

[0161] Although the present disclosure has been described with reference to exemplary embodiments, it should be understood that the present disclosure is not limited to the specific embodiments described and shown in detail herein. Those skilled in the art may make various changes to the exemplary embodiments without departing from the scope defined by the claims of the present disclosure.

[0162] The features mentioned and / or illustrated in the above description of the exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure may be incorporated into one or more other embodiments in the same or similar manner, combined with features in other embodiments, or substituted for corresponding features in other embodiments. The technical solutions obtained by such combination or substitution shall also be deemed to be included within the scope of protection of the present disclosure.

Claims

1. An electrical connector, characterized in that: The electrical connector comprises: an insulating housing, the insulating housing comprising an insulating housing body and a plurality of insulating tubular members, the plurality of insulating tubular members being configured to protrude from the insulating housing body and arranged in one or more rows on the insulating housing body, each row of insulating tubular members constituting an insulating tubular member group; a fixing structure, the fixing structure being arranged at at least one end in the extension direction of at least one of the insulating tubular member groups; A plurality of mating contacts are provided, each of the plurality of mating contacts being accommodated in each of the insulating tubular members.

2. The electrical connector according to claim 1, wherein: The plurality of insulating tubular members have a cylindrical shape.

3. The electrical connector according to claim 1, wherein: The electrical connector is a female connector, and the adapting contact comprises an adapting component and a tail component. One end of the adapter component includes a cup-shaped metal structure and a metal elastic deformation member mounted on the metal structure. When a fitting member is inserted into the metal structure, the metal elastic deformation member is squeezed and deformed by the fitting member.

4. The electrical connector according to claim 3, wherein: The metal elastic deformation member includes at least one deformation portion, which extends from the inner peripheral wall of the metal structural member to the center of the metal structural member. When a fitting member is inserted into the metal structural member, the deformation portion is squeezed and deformed by the fitting member.

5. The electrical connector according to claim 4, wherein: The tail component is arranged at the other end of the adapter component.

6. The electrical connector according to claim 4, wherein: The deformation portion is a plurality of protrusions bent toward the inside of the metal structural member, and the plurality of protrusions are formed by cutting the metal elastic deformation member.

7. The electrical connector according to claim 6, wherein: The metal elastic deformation member is formed as a belt-shaped member that can be bent and inserted into the metal structure. The belt-shaped member is held on the metal structure by the insulating housing.

8. The electrical connector according to claim 4, wherein: The deformation portion is a protrusion provided on the metal elastic deformation member.

9. The electrical connector according to claim 8, wherein: The metal elastic deformation member is formed to surround at least a portion of the metal structural member.

10. The electrical connector according to claim 9, wherein: An opening is provided on a peripheral wall of the metal structure, and the protrusion passes through the opening and protrudes into the interior of the metal structure.

11. The electrical connector according to claim 8, wherein: The protrusion is a rib formed on the metal elastic deformation member.

12. The electrical connector according to claim 11, wherein: The protrusion is a rib formed on the metal elastic deformation member through a stamping process.

13. The electrical connector according to claim 3, wherein: The tail assembly is configured to receive a cable or to be mounted to a printed circuit board.

14. The electrical connector according to claim 13, wherein: When the tail component is configured to receive a cable, the electrical connector further has an overmold that is partially molded over the cable and partially molded over the insulating housing to retain the received cable.

15. The electrical connector according to claim 3, wherein: The fixing structure includes a latch mechanism mounted to the insulating housing or a lock formed on the insulating housing.

16. The electrical connector according to claim 15, wherein: The latch mechanism includes a housing and a latch pivotally mounted within the housing.

17. The electrical connector according to claim 3, wherein: The fixing structure is a nut or a screw mounted on the insulating housing.

18. The electrical connector according to claim 3, wherein: The insulating housing includes a flange having a through hole.

19. The electrical connector according to claim 18, wherein: A threaded connector is inserted into the through hole to connect the electrical connector to the printed circuit board.

20. The electrical connector according to claim 18, wherein A threaded connector is inserted into the through hole to connect the electrical connector to the adapter connector.

21. The electrical connector according to claim 3, wherein: A guiding protrusion is provided on the outer peripheral surface of the insulating tubular member along the plugging and pulling direction.

22. The electrical connector according to claim 1, wherein The electrical connector is a male connector, the adapting contact comprises an adapting component and a tail component, and the adapting component comprises an elongated metal structural component.

23. The electrical connector according to claim 22, wherein: The adapting component is a tubular component, and one end of the adapting component is provided with an insulating covering.

24. The electrical connector according to claim 23, wherein: The tail component extends from the other end of the adapter component.

25. The electrical connector according to claim 22, wherein: Some of the plurality of adapter components have a longer length than other of the plurality of adapter components.

26. The electrical connector according to claim 22, wherein: The tail assembly is configured to receive a cable or to be mounted to a printed circuit board.

27. The electrical connector according to claim 26, wherein: When the tail component is configured to receive a cable, the electrical connector further has an overmold that is partially molded over the cable and partially molded over the insulating housing to retain the received cable.

28. The electrical connector according to claim 22, wherein: The fixing structure includes a latch mechanism mounted to the insulating housing or a lock formed on the insulating housing.

29. The electrical connector according to claim 28, wherein: The latch mechanism includes a housing and a latch pivotally mounted within the housing.

30. The electrical connector according to claim 22, wherein The fixing structure is a nut or a screw mounted on the insulating housing.

31. The electrical connector according to claim 22, wherein: The insulating housing includes a flange having a through hole.

32. The electrical connector according to claim 31, wherein: A threaded connector is inserted into the through hole to connect the electrical connector to the printed circuit board.

33. The electrical connector according to claim 31, wherein: A threaded connector is inserted into the through hole to connect the electrical connector to the adapter connector.

34. The electrical connector according to claim 22, wherein: A guide recess is provided on the inner circumferential surface of the insulating tubular member along the inserting and removing direction.

35. An electrical connector assembly, characterized in that: The electrical connector assembly includes a female connector and a male connector arranged in pair, the female connector is the female connector according to any one of claims 3 to 21, and the male connector is the male connector according to any one of claims 22 to 34.

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