Electric connector

Abstract

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

Description

[0001] The present application claims priority to the Chinese patent application No. 202410099153.X, filed on January 23, 2024, entitled “A connector”, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. TECHNICAL FIELD

[0002] The present application relates to an electrical connector, including but not limited to the field of coaxial connectors. BACKGROUND

[0003] At present, when designing a multi-terminal-position electrical connector, a plurality of terminal position holders (TPAs) are usually arranged on the connector housing to achieve the purpose of holding the installed terminals in place. For example, a 6-terminal-position electrical connector may need up to 3 TPA assemblies to achieve terminal holding. In addition, the shapes, structures and functions of the plurality of TPAs used for the same connector may be different, resulting in an increase in the number of molds for manufacturing the TPAs. SUMMARY

[0004] The present application aims to solve the above problems, and provides an electrical connector which can achieve the effect of terminal position holding using a smaller number of terminal position holding assemblies (TPAs).

[0005] According to one aspect of the present application, an electrical connector is provided, which includes a housing assembly including a plurality of terminal channels for accommodating terminals, wherein the housing assembly includes a plastic housing having a plurality of housing clamping arms corresponding to the plurality of terminal channels respectively, wherein the plurality of housing clamping arms include first housing clamping arms formed on the left and right sides of the plastic housing, and second housing clamping arms formed on the upper and lower sides of the plastic housing; and a terminal position holding assembly for mounting to the left and right sides of the plastic housing of the housing assembly, wherein each terminal position holding assembly is configured to apply a force to both the first housing clamping arms and the second housing clamping arms to cause both the first housing clamping arms and the second housing clamping arms to bend towards the inside of the plastic housing. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0006] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application, the drawings needed in the embodiment description will be briefly introduced as follows. Obviously, the drawings in the following description are only some embodiments of the present application, and other drawings can also be obtained by those skilled in the art without creative labor on the basis of these drawings.

[0007] Figure 1 A perspective view of an electrical connector according to an embodiment of the present application.

[0008] Figure 2A side view of an electrical connector according to an embodiment of the present application.

[0009] Figure 3 A front view of an electrical connector according to an embodiment of the present application. Figure 2 A cross-sectional view at A-A in the electrical connector.

[0010] Figure 4 A front view of an electrical connector according to an embodiment of the present application. Figure 2 A cross-sectional view at B-B in the electrical connector.

[0011] Figure 5 A front view of an electrical connector according to an embodiment of the present application.

[0012] Figure 6A A front view of an electrical connector according to an embodiment of the present application. Figure 5 A cross-sectional view at C-C in the electrical connector.

[0013] Figure 6B A perspective view of a rear half of an electrical connector after the electrical connector is cut in front and rear.

[0014] Figure 7 A perspective view of an electrical connector according to an embodiment of the present application.

[0015] Figure 8 A perspective view of a housing assembly in an electrical connector according to an embodiment of the present application.

[0016] Figure 9 A relative position view of two terminal position assurance assemblies in an electrical connector according to an embodiment of the present application.

[0017] Figure 10 A perspective view of a terminal position assurance assembly in an electrical connector according to an embodiment of the present application. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0018] The technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application will be described clearly and completely below with reference to the drawings in the embodiments of the present application. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some of the embodiments of the present application, but not all the embodiments of the present application. Based on the embodiments in the present application, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative work fall within the scope of protection of the present application.

[0019] In the description of the present application, it should be understood that the terms "center", "upper", "lower", "front", "rear", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inner", "outer", and the like indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the drawings, and are only used to facilitate the description of the present application and simplify the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a particular orientation, be constructed and operated in a particular orientation, and therefore cannot be understood as a limitation of the present application.

[0020] The terms "first", "second", "third", "fourth", "fifth", "sixth", "seventh" and "eighth" are only used for descriptive purposes and are not to be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or a specific number of technical features indicated. Thus, features defined with "first", "second", "third", "fourth", "fifth", "sixth", "seventh" and "eighth" can explicitly or implicitly include one or more of the features. In the description of the present application, the meaning of "a plurality of" is two or more, unless otherwise specified and limited.

[0021] In the description of the present application, it should be noted that unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "mounting", "connecting", "connection" should be understood broadly, for example, it can be fixed connection, or detachable connection, or integrally connected; it can be mechanical connection, it can be direct connection, or indirect connection through intermediate medium, it can be internal communication of two elements. For those skilled in the art, the specific meaning of the above terms in the present application can be understood according to the specific circumstances.

[0022] According to an aspect of the present application, an electrical connector is provided, which includes a housing assembly including a plurality of terminal passages for accommodating terminals, wherein the housing assembly includes a plastic housing having a plurality of housing clip arms formed thereon corresponding to the plurality of terminal passages, wherein the plurality of housing clip arms include first housing clip arms formed on left and right sides of the plastic housing, and second housing clip arms formed on upper and lower sides of the plastic housing; and a terminal position assurance assembly for mounting to the left and right sides of the plastic housing of the housing assembly, wherein each terminal position assurance assembly is configured to apply a force to both the first housing clip arms and the second housing clip arms to cause both the first housing clip arms and the second housing clip arms to bend towards the interior of the plastic housing.

[0023] In the above-mentioned electrical connector, optionally, the terminal passages include first terminal passages and second terminal passages, the first housing clip arms are disposed adjacent to the first terminal passages, and the second housing clip arms are disposed adjacent to the second terminal passages.

[0024] In the above-mentioned electrical connector, optionally, the terminal position assurance assembly is configured to push the first housing clip arms to bend into the first terminal passages, and to push the second housing clip arms to bend into the second terminal passages.

[0025] In the above-mentioned electrical connector, optionally, the terminal passages are arranged in an upper row and a lower row, each row of terminal passages includes first terminal passages located at the leftmost and rightmost positions, and second terminal passages located between the first terminal passages.

[0026] In the above-mentioned electrical connector, optionally, the terminal passages are six in total and arranged in an upper row and a lower row, each row of three terminal passages includes first terminal passages located at the leftmost and rightmost positions, and second terminal passages located in the middle.

[0027] In the electrical connector, optionally, the terminal position assurance assembly includes a first terminal position assurance assembly for mounting on a left side of the plastic housing of the housing assembly, and a second terminal position assurance assembly for mounting on a right side of the plastic housing of the housing assembly, the first terminal position assurance assembly for pushing the second housing clip arms on one of the upper and lower sides of the plastic housing, and the second terminal position assurance assembly for pushing the second housing clip arms on the other of the upper and lower sides of the plastic housing.

[0028] In the electrical connector, optionally, the terminal position assurance assembly is configured to apply interference to the terminals in the first terminal passageway to prevent the terminals from being withdrawn.

[0029] In the electrical connector, optionally, the terminal position assurance assembly includes a base plate, and an extension pressing arm formed on an edge of the base plate, the extension pressing arm applying a force to the second housing clip arms to bend the second housing clip arms when the base plate of the terminal position assurance assembly is mounted on the left side or the right side of the plastic housing.

[0030] In the electrical connector, optionally, the base plate of the terminal position assurance assembly includes a mounting base plate and an actuating base plate, the actuating base plate having a thickness that allows the actuating base plate to apply a force to the first housing clip arms to bend the first housing clip arms.

[0031] In the electrical connector, optionally, the actuating base plate of the terminal position assurance assembly has an interference protrusion formed thereon for applying interference to the terminals in the first terminal passageway to prevent the terminals from being withdrawn.

[0032] In the electrical connector, optionally, the interference protrusion on the actuating base plate includes a first interference protrusion formed on a substantially middle portion of the actuating base plate.

[0033] In the electrical connector, optionally, the interference protrusion on the actuating base plate includes a second interference protrusion formed on a side edge of the actuating base plate opposite to the extension pressing arm.

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

[0035] Reference is made to Figure 1 and Figure 7 Embodiments of the present application provide an electrical connector 10 including a housing assembly 100 and a terminal position assurance assembly 200. As shown in Figures 1-3 , Figures 6A-6B, Figure 7 As shown, the housing assembly 100 is provided with a plurality of first terminal passageways 101 extending from the wire-in end of the connector to the plug-in end of the connector for accommodating and positioning terminals. At the rear portion of each first terminal passageway 101 (close to the wire-in end of the connector), each first terminal passageway 101 can be partially enclosed by a first inner wall protrusion structure 102. As shown, Figure 8 As shown, the housing assembly 100 is a plastic shell 120, the rear portion of which is enclosed by plastic side walls, and the middle portion of which is provided with first housing clamping arms 110 extending from the left and right plastic side walls. The first housing clamping arms 110 can be deformed or bent towards the interior of the plastic shell 120 under external force. In some embodiments, at least part of the first housing clamping arms 110 enters the first terminal passageways 101 without being forced.

[0036] As shown in Figure 1 , Figure 4 and Figure 8 , the housing assembly 100 is further provided with second terminal passageways 103. The second terminal passageways 103 extend from the wire-in end of the connector to the plug-in end of the connector for accommodating and positioning terminals. At the rear portion of each second terminal passageway 103 (close to the wire-in end of the connector), each second terminal passageway 103 can be partially enclosed by a second inner wall protrusion structure 104. As shown, Figure 8 As shown, the middle portion of the plastic shell 120 is provided with second housing clamping arms 130 extending from the upper and lower plastic side walls. At least part of the second housing clamping arms 130 enters the first terminal passageways 101. The second housing clamping arms 130 can be deformed or bent towards the interior of the plastic shell 120 under external force. In some embodiments, at least part of the second housing clamping arms 130 enters the first terminal passageways 101 without being forced.

[0037] As shown in Figure 1 and Figure 7 , in the case of six terminal positions in the upper and lower rows, each of the upper and lower rows contains one second terminal passageway 103, and each second terminal passageway 103 is located between two first terminal passageways 101. It can be understood that in a more extensive implementation with terminal positions in the upper and lower rows, the first terminal passageways 101 can be terminal passageways adjacent to the left or right plastic side walls, and the second terminal passageways 103 can be terminal passageways not adjacent to the left or right plastic side walls. For example, in the case of eight terminal positions in the upper and lower rows, terminal position 1 and terminal position 4 of the upper row and terminal position 5 and terminal position 8 of the lower row are first terminal passageways 101, while terminal position 2 and terminal position 3 of the upper row and terminal position 6 and terminal position 7 of the lower row are second terminal passageways 103.

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

[0039] As shown in Figure 10 Further, as shown in Figure 10 As shown, the acting portion 220 is the part adjacent to the mounting portion 210, which includes the acting substrate 282 and the structure formed on the acting substrate 282. Compared with the mounting substrate 281, the thickness of the acting substrate 282 is thickened. As shown in Figure 3 As shown, when the terminal position keeping assembly 200 is mounted on the left and right sides of the housing assembly 100, the thickened acting substrate 282 extrudes the first housing clamping arm 110 located on the left and right sides of the plastic shell 120, so that the first housing clamping arm 110 is deformed, and its first free end 112 is further close to the axis of the first terminal passage 101, thereby enhancing the holding force of the first housing clamping arm 110 on the terminal.

[0040] Further reference is made to Figure 4 And Figures 9-10The terminal position holding assembly 200 includes an actuating portion 220 comprising an extended pressing arm 230 extending from one edge of the actuating substrate 282. The extended pressing arm 230 includes an extended connecting plate 231 and a pressing portion 232 located at the end of the extended connecting plate 231. The pressing portion 232 is positioned and shaped to compress the second housing clamping arms 130 on the upper and lower sides of the plastic shell 120 of the main housing assembly 100, thereby deforming the second housing clamping arms 130 and bringing its second free end 132 closer to the axis of the second terminal channel 103, thereby enhancing the holding force of the second housing clamping arms 130 on the terminal. Figures 9-10 As shown, the local width and thickness of the pressing part 232 are smaller than the width and thickness of the extension connecting plate 231, thereby ensuring the overall strength of the extension pressing arm 230.

[0041] like Figure 10 As shown, the terminal position holding assembly 200 may include two interference protrusions in the actuating portion 220 that are distinct from the extended pressing arm 230. As shown, the two interference protrusions may include a first interference protrusion 241 formed on the generally central portion of the actuation substrate 282, and a second interference protrusion 242 formed on the side edge of the actuation substrate 282 opposite to the extended pressing arm 230.

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

[0043] Further comparison Figure 2 and Figures 6A-6B For the terminals in the second terminal channel 103 (i.e., the middle terminals in the upper row and the middle terminals in the lower row), although the position retention based on physical interference is not provided in the same way as in the first terminal channel 101, the force applied to the second free end 132 of the second housing clamp arm 130 by the pressing part 232 of the extended pressing arm 230 causes the second housing clamp arm 130 to deform toward the plastic shell 120, thereby enhancing the terminal holding force in the second terminal channel 103.

[0044] In a further embodiment, reference is made to Figure 3The first connecting plate 111 of the first housing clamping arm 110 transitions to the first free end 112 via the first inclined surface 1121. In the terminal locked state, the first inclined surface 1121 has a first tilt angle α with the first direction X. The first tilt angle α ranges from 30° to 60°. In specific implementations, the first tilt angle α can also be any value or a range of any two of 30°, 35°, 40°, 45°, 50°, or 55° and 60°.

[0045] In a further embodiment, reference is made to Figure 4 The second connecting plate 131 of the second housing clamping arm 130 transitions to the second free end 132 via the second inclined surface 1321. In the terminal locked state, the second inclined surface 1321 has a second tilt angle β with the first direction X. The second tilt angle β ranges from 30° to 60°. In specific implementations, the second tilt angle β can be any value among 30°, 35°, 40°, 45°, 50°, 55°, and 60°, or a range of both.

[0046] This document uses specific examples to illustrate the principles and implementation methods of this application. The descriptions of the above embodiments are only for the purpose of helping to understand the methods and core ideas of this application. At the same time, for those skilled in the art, there will be changes in the specific implementation methods and application scope based on the ideas of this application. Therefore, the content of this specification should not be construed as a limitation of this application.

Claims

1. An electrical connector, characterized by, The application relates to a terminal position assurance assembly (100) for a terminal housing assembly (100), comprising: a housing assembly (100) comprising a plurality of terminal passages for accommodating terminals, wherein the housing assembly (100) comprises a plastic housing (120) having a plurality of housing clips (110, 130) formed thereon corresponding to the plurality of terminal passages, wherein the plurality of housing clips (110, 130) comprises first housing clips (110) formed on left and right sides of the plastic housing (120), and second housing clips (130) formed on upper and lower sides of the plastic housing (120); and a terminal position assurance assembly (200) for mounting to the left and right sides of the plastic housing (120) of the housing assembly (100), wherein each terminal position assurance assembly is configured to apply a force to both the first housing clips (110) and the second housing clips (130) to cause both the first housing clips (110) and the second housing clips (130) to bend towards the interior of the plastic housing (120).

2. The electrical connector of claim 1, wherein, The terminal passages comprise first terminal passages (101) and second terminal passages (103), the first housing clips (110) are arranged adjacent to the first terminal passages (101), and the second housing clips (130) are arranged adjacent to the second terminal passages (103).

3. The electrical connector of claim 2, wherein, The terminal position assurance assembly (200) is configured to push the first housing clips (110) to bend into the first terminal passages (101), and to push the second housing clips (130) to bend into the second terminal passages (103).

4. The electrical connector of claim 2, wherein, The terminal passages are arranged in upper and lower rows, each row of terminal passages comprises first terminal passages (101) at the leftmost and rightmost positions, and second terminal passages (103) between the first terminal passages (101).

5. The electrical connector of claim 4, wherein, The terminal passages are arranged in two rows, each row of three terminal passages comprises first terminal passages (101) at the leftmost and rightmost positions, and a second terminal passage (103) between the first terminal passages (101).

6. The electrical connector of claim 1, wherein, The terminal position assurance assembly (200) comprises a first terminal position assurance assembly for mounting to the left side of the plastic housing (120) of the housing assembly (100), and a second terminal position assurance assembly for mounting to the right side of the plastic housing (120) of the housing assembly (100), the first terminal position assurance assembly is configured to push the second housing clips (130) located at one of the upper and lower sides of the plastic housing (120), and the second terminal position assurance assembly is configured to push the second housing clips (130) located at the other of the upper and lower sides of the plastic housing (120).

7. The electrical connector of claim 2, wherein, The terminal position assurance assembly (200) is configured to apply interference to the terminals in the first terminal passages (101) to prevent the terminals from being pulled out.

8. The electrical connector of claim 2, wherein, The terminal position assurance assembly (200) includes a base plate (280), and an extension pressing arm (230) formed at a side edge of the base plate (280), when the base plate (280) of the terminal position assurance assembly (200) is installed at the left side or the right side of the plastic housing (120), the extension pressing arm (230) exerts a force on the second housing clamping arm (130) to make it bent.

9. The electrical connector of claim 8, wherein, The base plate (280) of the terminal position assurance assembly (200) includes a mounting base plate (281) and an actuating base plate (282), the thickness of the actuating base plate (282) is capable of exerting a force on the first housing clamping arm (110) to make it bent.

10. The electrical connector of claim 9, wherein, The actuating base plate (282) of the terminal position assurance assembly (200) is formed with interference protrusions for exerting interference on the terminals in the first terminal passage (101) to prevent the terminals from being withdrawn, the interference protrusions on the actuating base plate (282) include a first interference protrusion (241) formed at a substantially middle portion of the actuating base plate (282), and a second interference protrusion (242) formed at a side edge of the actuating base plate (282) opposite to the extension pressing arm (230).

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