An electrical connector

Abstract

This application relates to the field of electrical connector technology, and in particular discloses an electrical connector including a socket, a plug, and a locking shell. The socket includes a housing and at least one hook. The housing is provided with a self-locking groove. The plug is provided with a resilient insertion arm, and the resilient insertion arm is provided with a locking protrusion. The locking protrusion is received in the self-locking groove. The locking shell includes a base, two first side plates arranged opposite each other along a first direction, and a locking part formed by a portion of the two. The first side plates and the base form a receiving cavity, which receives at least a portion of the plug and the socket. The locking part clamps the outer side wall of the resilient insertion arm. The hook engages with a portion of the locking part, and the hook abuts against the locking part along a third direction. The first direction, the second direction, and the third direction are all perpendicular to each other. With the above structure, this application relies on the engagement of the hook and the locking part to generate a resisting force when the connector is subjected to a reverse force in the third direction, thereby improving the connection stability of the electrical connector.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of electrical connector technology, and in particular to an electrical connector. Background Technology

[0002] As a component for electrically connecting or disconnecting transmission lines, an RF coaxial connector mainly consists of a plug and a socket. The plug and socket achieve a detachable connection through a mating method. To ensure the connection stability of the plug and socket, the socket is provided with a self-locking groove, and the plug is provided with multiple spaced and elastically deformable plug arms. The inner wall of the elastic plug arms is provided with a protrusion. When the user plugs the plug into the socket, the multiple elastic arms are pushed by the outer wall of the self-locking groove and undergo elastic deformation. The gap between any two adjacent elastic plug arms increases so that the plug can be smoothly plugged into the socket. When the protrusion is received in the self-locking groove, the elastic deformation of the elastic plug arm returns to its original shape, and the plug and socket are mated.

[0003] In the process of developing this application, the inventors discovered that: currently, plugs, in addition to multiple flexible plug arms, also include a main body and a terminal for connecting wires. Multiple flexible plug arms and the terminal are spaced apart around the main body and enclose a plugging cavity. The terminal has a wire hole that communicates with the plugging cavity. When the plug and socket are plugged in, although the protrusions of the flexible plug arms are housed in self-locking grooves, which improves the connection stability of the plug and socket, in actual use, the wire is easily subjected to an external force opposite to the direction of the plug being inserted into the socket. Under the traction of this external force, the wire is easily... This causes the gap between the flexible plug arm and the terminal to expand, resulting in the failure of the connection between the protrusion and the self-locking groove, leading to the failure of the plug and socket connection. Although existing electrical connectors use a locking structure to clamp the outer wall of the flexible plug arm to prevent elastic deformation, the force applied by the locking structure to the flexible plug arm is perpendicular to the direction of plug insertion into the socket. When faced with an external force opposite to the direction of plug insertion into the socket, the force that the locking structure can generate in the opposite direction of plug insertion into the socket is limited, and it cannot resist the risk of plug and socket connection failure. Utility Model Content

[0004] This application provides an electrical connector, which mainly solves the technical problem that existing electrical connectors are not effective in resisting the force exerted by the plug in the opposite direction of the socket.

[0005] To solve the above-mentioned technical problems, one technical solution adopted in this application is: to provide an electrical connector, including: a socket, a plug, and a locking shell, wherein the socket includes a housing and at least one hook, the housing is provided with a self-locking groove, the plug is provided with a resilient insertion arm, the resilient insertion arm is provided with a locking protrusion, the locking protrusion is received in the self-locking groove, the locking shell includes a base, two first side plates arranged opposite to each other along a first direction, and a locking part formed by a portion of the base and a portion of the first side plates, the two first side plates and the base together form a receiving cavity, the receiving cavity is used to receive at least a portion of the plug and the socket after insertion along a second direction, such that the locking part clamps the outer side wall of the resilient insertion arm, the hook engages with a portion of the locking part, and the hook abuts against the locking part along a third direction, the first direction, the second direction and the third direction are mutually perpendicular.

[0006] Optionally, the number of hooks is two, each hook is provided with a hook groove, the housing includes a base plate, the two hooks are connected to the base plate, the two hooks are spaced apart along a first direction, one hook engages with a latching portion such that the latching portion is received in the hook groove, the openings of the two hook grooves face the second direction, and / or along the first direction, the openings of the two hook grooves face opposite directions.

[0007] Optionally, the hook includes an extension arm, a side arm, and a hooking arm connected in sequence. The extension arm, the side arm, and the hooking arm together form the hook groove. When the openings of the two hook grooves face the second direction, the distance between the outer walls of the two hooking arms is less than the distance between the inner walls of the two first side plates along the first direction. When the openings of the two hook grooves face opposite directions along the first direction, the distance between the ends of the two hooking arms is less than or equal to the distance between the inner walls of the two first side plates along the first direction.

[0008] Optionally, the extension arm includes an adjacent and perpendicular first wall and a second wall, and the number of side arms is two. One end of one side arm is connected to the first wall, the other end of one side arm is connected to the hook arm, one end of the other side arm is connected to the second wall, and the other end of the other side arm is connected to the hook arm.

[0009] Optionally, the hook includes a limiting arm connected to the extension arm. Along the second direction, the limiting arm and the hook arm have a first gap, which is used to accommodate a portion of the first side plate.

[0010] Optionally, along the second direction, the distance between the two limiting arms of the two hooks is greater than or equal to the distance between the outer walls of the two first side plates.

[0011] Optionally, the socket includes an electrical connection assembly, a portion of which is fixed to the housing, a self-locking groove is disposed on the outer side wall of the housing, and a latch is disposed on the housing, the latch and the housing being integrally formed.

[0012] Optionally, the base also includes a bottom plate and a top plate. The bottom plate, the top plate, and the first side plate are integrally formed. The bottom plate, the top plate, and the first side plate together enclose the receiving cavity. The locking part includes an arc-shaped wall surface disposed on the base and two clamping arms spaced apart and arranged opposite to each other along a second direction. The two ends of one clamping arm are respectively connected to one end of the arc-shaped wall surface and a locking part. The two ends of the other clamping arm are respectively connected to the other end of the arc-shaped wall surface and another locking part. The arc-shaped wall surface and the two clamping arms together enclose a locking space. Along the second direction, the width of the locking part is greater than the width of the clamping arm, so that an abutment step is formed between the locking part and the clamping arm.

[0013] Optionally, the end of the snap-fit ​​portion away from the clamping arm is provided with a guide slope, which is used to guide the plug and the socket after insertion to snap into the locking space along the second direction.

[0014] Optionally, the locking housing further includes a pre-installed limiting structure disposed on the first side plate. The pre-installed limiting structure is located at the end of the locking part away from the base. The pre-installed limiting structure is used to constrain the movement of the plug in the second direction. The socket further includes a reinforcing arm, the two ends of which are respectively connected to the housing and the hook.

[0015] The beneficial effects of this application embodiment are as follows: Unlike the prior art, this application embodiment provides an electrical connector including a socket, a plug, and a locking shell. The socket includes a shell and at least one hook. The shell is provided with a self-locking groove. The plug is provided with a resilient insertion arm. The resilient insertion arm is provided with a locking protrusion. The locking protrusion is received in the self-locking groove. The locking shell includes a base, two first side plates arranged opposite to each other along a first direction, and a locking part formed by a portion of the base and a portion of the first side plates. The two first side plates and the base form a receiving cavity. The receiving cavity is used to receive at least a portion of the plug and the socket after insertion along a second direction, so that the locking part clamps the outer side wall of the resilient insertion arm. The hook engages with the locking part and abuts against the locking part along a third direction. The first direction, the second direction, and the third direction are mutually perpendicular. With the above structure, in the embodiments of this application, when the plug and socket are housed in the receiving cavity of the locking shell after being plugged in, the hook on the socket can engage with a portion of the locking part of the locking shell. Thus, the locking part of the locking shell generates a clamping force on the plug and socket in the first and second directions, and the engagement between the portion of the locking shell and the hook generates a force in the third direction. This improves the electrical connector's resistance to the reverse force in the third direction and enhances the connection stability of the electrical connector. Attached Figure Description

[0016] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application, the drawings used in the embodiments of this application will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of this application. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on the drawings without creative effort.

[0017] Figure 1 This is an exploded structural diagram of an electrical connector provided in an embodiment of this application; Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the assembly structure of an electrical connector provided in an embodiment of this application; Figure 3 This is an exploded view of the socket of an electrical connector provided in an embodiment of this application; Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the housing and hook of a socket for an electrical connector provided in an embodiment of this application; Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the housing and hook structure of the socket of various electrical connectors provided in the embodiments of this application; Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of an electrical connector provided in an embodiment of this application, which is provided with four latches; Figure 7This is a schematic diagram showing that the first gap between the limiting arm and the hook arm of an electrical connector provided in this application embodiment is distributed in a trumpet shape; Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the housing and hook of an electrical connector socket provided in an embodiment of this application from another perspective; Figure 9 This is an enlarged schematic diagram of the plug structure of an electrical connector provided in an embodiment of this application; Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram of the locking shell structure of two electrical connectors provided in the embodiments of this application.

[0018] Icon labels: 100. Electrical connectors; 1. Socket; 11. Housing; 111. Self-locking groove; 112. Base plate; 113. Fitting part; 12. Hook; 12a. Hook groove; 121. Extension arm; 1211. First wall surface; 1212. Second wall surface; 122. Side arm; 123. Hook arm; 1231. First inclined surface; 124. Limiting arm; 1241. Third wall surface; 1242. Fourth wall surface; 1243. Second inclined surface; 125. First gap; 13. Electrical connection assembly; 131. Circuit board; 132. Conductive pin; 14. Reinforcing arm; 2. Plug; 21. Flexible plug arm; 211. Locking protrusion; 22. Terminal; 221. Track groove; 23. Main body; 24. Signal terminal; 25. Second gap; 3. Locking shell; 31. Base; 311. Base plate; 3111. Through groove; 312. Top plate; 32. Locking part; 321. Arc-shaped wall surface; 322. Clamping arm; 323. Locking space; 33. First side plate; 331. Snap-fit ​​part; 3311. Guide slope; 34. Receiving cavity; 35. Abutting step; 36. Pre-installed limiting structure; 361. Piercing assembly; 3611. Piercing arm; 36111. Third inclined surface; 36111a. First side; 36112a. Second side; 362. Limiting assembly; 3621. Abutting arm; X, first direction; Y, second direction; Z, third direction. Detailed Implementation

[0019] To facilitate understanding of this application, a more detailed description is provided below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments. It should be noted that when an element is described as being "fixed to" another element, it can be directly on the other element, or one or more intermediate elements may exist between them. When an element is described as being "connected" to another element, it can be directly connected to the other element, or one or more intermediate elements may exist between them. The terms "vertical," "horizontal," "left," "right," and similar expressions used in this specification are for illustrative purposes only.

[0020] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used in this specification have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this application belongs. The terminology used in this specification is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to limit the scope of this application. The term "and / or" as used in this specification includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items.

[0021] Existing electrical connectors include plugs and sockets, and the connection method of plugs and sockets is usually mating, especially RF (Radio Frequency) connectors, which use plugs and sockets with self-locking structures. The plug has a terminal and a flexible mating arm, which is spaced apart from the terminal. The inner wall of the flexible mating arm has a locking protrusion, and the socket has a self-locking groove. The locking protrusion is accommodated in the self-locking groove to achieve the self-locking characteristic of the plug and socket. However, when faced with a force in the opposite direction of the plug being inserted into the socket (e.g., manual pulling, dragging with foreign objects), the gap between the flexible mating arm and the terminal will elastically expand, causing the plug and socket to fail to connect and affecting the connection stability. Although existing electrical connectors use a locking shell to clamp the flexible mating arm to enhance the connector's ability to resist unexpected elastic deformation of the flexible mating arm, the locking shell's resistance to the force in the opposite direction of the insertion into the socket is limited.

[0022] For ease of understanding and description, the direction in which the plug 2 and socket 1 are inserted and contained in the locking shell 3 is defined as the first direction X, the width direction of the plug 2 and socket 1 is defined as the second direction Y, and the direction in which the plug 2 is inserted into the socket 1 is defined as the third direction Z. The first direction X, the second direction Y, and the third direction Z are all perpendicular to each other.

[0023] To solve the above-mentioned technical problems, this application provides an electrical connector 100. Please refer to [link / reference]. Figure 1 and Figure 2The electrical connector 100 includes a socket 1, a plug 2, and a locking housing 3. The socket 1 includes a housing 11 and at least one hook 12. The housing 11 is provided with a self-locking groove 111. The plug 2 is provided with a resilient insertion arm 21 and a terminal 22. The terminal 22 is spaced apart from the resilient insertion arm 21 so that the resilient insertion arm 21 can smoothly undergo elastic deformation. The resilient insertion arm 21 is provided with a locking protrusion 211, which is received in the self-locking groove 111. This allows the plug 2 to achieve a self-locking function when plugged into the socket 1 by relying on the cooperation of the locking protrusion 211 and the self-locking groove 111. The housing 3 includes a base 31, two first side plates 33 arranged opposite each other along the first direction X, and a locking part 32 formed by a portion of the base 31 and a portion of the first side plates 33. The two first side plates 33 and the base 31 enclose a receiving cavity 34. The receiving cavity 34 is used to receive at least a portion of the plug 2 and socket 1 after insertion along the second direction Y, such that the locking part 32 clamps the outer side wall of the elastic plug arm 21. The hook 12 engages with a portion of the locking part 32 and abuts against a portion of the locking part 32 along the third direction Z. The first direction X, the second direction Y, and the third direction Z are perpendicular to each other. With the above structure, after the plug 2 and socket 1 complete the self-locking connection, the locking part 32 can clamp the elastic plug arm 21 to enhance the resistance of the plug 2 and socket 1 to the external reverse force along the third direction Z. Furthermore, the partial hooking connection between the socket 1 hook 12 and the locking part 32 can further enhance the resistance of the plug 2 and socket 1 to the external reverse force along the third direction Z, thereby improving the connection stability of the electrical connector 100.

[0024] Understandably, the number of hooks 12 is a positive integer greater than or equal to one, and the number of hooks 12 affects the effectiveness of the electrical connector 100 in resisting the reverse force in the Z-direction after the hooks 12 and locking part 32 are partially engaged. The more hooks 12 there are, the stronger the resistance of the electrical connector 100 to the force in the Z-direction. Furthermore, the number of hooks distributed on the two first side plates can be combined in any number. For example, one first side plate can have one, two, or three hooks, and the other first side plate can have one, two, or three hooks, etc. Any combination of these can be formed, resulting in various configurations. Different configurations are determined according to actual needs. When the force on one first side plate is greater than that on the other during actual use, the number of hooks on that side can be selectively increased. The specific selection depends on actual needs, and will not be elaborated further here.

[0025] For example, in this embodiment, the number of hooks 12 is two. See also... Figure 3 and Figure 4The hook 12 is provided with a hook groove 12a. The locking part 32 includes a snap-fit ​​part 331 formed by stamping and bending the first side plate 33. The housing 11 includes a base plate 112. Two hooks 12 are connected to the base plate 112. The two hooks 12 are spaced apart along the first direction X. One hook 12 hooks into the snap-fit ​​part 331 of the first side plate 33 so that the snap-fit ​​part 331 is received in the hook groove 12a. The openings of the two hook grooves 12a face the second direction Y, and / or along the first direction X, the openings of the two hook grooves 12a face opposite directions.

[0026] It should be noted that regardless of the orientation of the slot 12a, the hook 12 remains in contact with the engaging part 331 to ensure that the hook 12 and the slot 12a can smoothly generate a reverse force along the third direction Z, thereby ensuring the stability of the electrical connector 100. Furthermore, the hooks located on different first side plates can have different orientations, allowing the two first side plates to be arranged and combined according to the orientation of the hook slots, thus enriching the structural forms of the socket. Furthermore, based on the selection of the hook slot orientation, the number of hooks can be selected to further enrich the structural styles of the hooks. Users can choose according to their actual needs; further examples will not be provided here.

[0027] In some embodiments, please refer to Figure 3 , Figure 4 and Figure 5 The hook 12 includes an extension arm 121, a side arm 122, and a hook arm 123 connected in sequence. The extension arm 121 is connected to the housing 11 and extends from the housing 11 in the opposite direction of the second direction Y. The extension arm 121, the side arm 122, and the hook arm 123 together form a hook groove 12a. When the openings of the two hook grooves 12a face the second direction Y, that is, when the plug 2 and the socket 1 are received in the receiving cavity 34 along the second direction Y, the distance between the outer side walls of the two hook arms 123 along the first direction X is less than the distance between the inner side walls of the two first side plates 33. The distance between the inner side walls of the two hook arms 123 is greater than or equal to the shortest distance between the two latching parts 331, so that the hook arm 123 can fully abut against the latching part 331 along the third direction Z, which is beneficial to improving the hook connection strength between the hook 12 and the latching part 331.

[0028] It should be noted that when the number of the aforementioned side arms 122 and hook arms 123 provided on one of the first side plates 33 is greater than one, the number of side arms 122 and hook arms 123 also needs to be increased, and the multiple side arms 122 are spaced apart. The length of the extension arm 121 is correspondingly extended to ensure that the multiple side arms 122 have sufficient area for connection. Correspondingly, the multiple hook arms 123 are connected to different side arms 122 to form a combination of multiple hooks 12. For example, please refer to [reference needed]. Figure 6 One of the first side plates 33 has two hooks 12 with their openings facing the first direction X on its first hook slot 12a, while the other first side plate 33 has two hooks 12 with their openings facing the first direction X in the opposite direction. Other combinations, such as one first side plate 33 having at least three hooks 12a with their openings facing the same or different hooks 12, and the other first side plate 33 having at least three hooks 12a with their openings facing the same or different hooks 12, will not be described in detail here.

[0029] In some embodiments, please refer to Figure 3 Along the second direction Y, the end face of the hook arm 123 facing the elastic plug arm 21 is provided with a first inclined surface 1231. The first inclined surface 1231 includes a first side and a second side that are arranged opposite to each other. The first side is closer to the side arm 122 than the second side. The first inclined surface 1231 is used to guide the hook arm 123 to hook with the snap-fit ​​part 331, thereby improving the smoothness of the hook 12 and the snap-fit ​​part 331 hooking.

[0030] When the openings of the two hook grooves 12a face opposite directions along the first direction X, the distance between the ends of the two hook arms 123 is less than or equal to the distance between the inner walls of the two first side plates, and the distance between the ends of the two hook arms 123 is greater than or equal to the distance between the ends of the two locking parts 331, to ensure that the hook arms 123 can smoothly abut against the locking parts 331. Furthermore, along the first direction X, the length of the hook arms 123 is greater than or equal to the length of the locking parts 331, thereby ensuring that the hook arms 123 and the locking parts 331 have sufficient contact area, which is beneficial to improving the hook connection strength between the hooks 12 and the locking parts 331.

[0031] It should be noted that the orientation of the slot opening of the hook groove 12a is determined by the position of the side arm 122 and the hook arm 123 relative to the extension arm 121. For details, please refer to... Figure 3 and Figure 4The extension arm 121 includes a first wall surface 121 and a second wall surface 1212. The first wall surface 121 and the second wall surface 1212 are adjacent and perpendicular. The first wall surface 121 is parallel to a first reference plane constructed in the first direction X and the third direction Z. The second wall surface 1212 is parallel to a second reference plane constructed in the first direction X and the third direction Z. When the side arm 122 and the hook arm 12 are extended and bent based on the first wall surface 121 of the extension arm 121, the hook 12 with the opening of the hook groove 12a facing the second direction Y is formed. When the side arm 122 and the hook arm 12 are extended and bent based on the second wall surface 1212 of the extension arm 121, the hook groove 12a with the opening facing the first direction X or the opposite direction of the first direction X is formed.

[0032] In some embodiments, the hook groove 12a may have two oriented openings simultaneously, and the number of corresponding side arms 122 is not limited to one; the number of side arms 122 may also be two. For example, when there are two side arms 122, one end of one side arm 122 is connected to the first wall surface 121, and the other end of one side arm 122 is connected to the hook arm 123; one end of the other side arm 122 is connected to the second wall surface 1212, and the other end of the other side arm 122 is connected to the hook arm 123. This structure allows both side arms 122 to be connected to the hook arm 123, thus forming a semi-enclosed hook groove 12a. This improves the structural strength of the hook 12 compared to a hook 12 with only one side arm 122, further enhancing the force generated by the hook 12 and the engaging portion 331 in the opposite direction of the third direction Z.

[0033] It should be noted that the two side arms 122 can be connected to each other to form a whole. The two side arms 122 can be formed by stamping. The two side arms 122 can also be set apart from each other to form two independent force transmission structures. This way, when one side arm 122 breaks or fails, the other side arm 122 can still transmit force.

[0034] In some embodiments, please refer to Figure 3 and Figure 4The hook 12 includes a limiting arm 124 connected to the extension arm 121. Along the second direction Y, the limiting arm 124 and the hooking arm 123 have a first gap 125, which is used to accommodate a portion of the first side plate 33. This structure allows the limiting arm 124 to constrain the first side plate 33 after the hook 12 smoothly engages with the locking part 331 along the second direction Y, thus improving the electrical connector 100's ability to resist the reverse force in the third direction Z. Specifically, when the wire connected to the terminal 22 is subjected to a reverse force along the third direction Z, the locking part 331 will undergo elastic deformation, causing the first side plate 33 to undergo elastic deformation away from the hooking arm 123, resulting in connection failure between the hook 12 and the locking shell 3. The limiting arm 124 can constrain the degree of deformation of the first side plate 33, preventing excessive deformation that could lead to connection failure between the hook 12 and the locking part 331. Furthermore, along the first direction X, the distance between the inner walls of the two limiting arms 124 is greater than or equal to the distance between the outer walls of the two first side plates 33 of the locking shell 3, so as to ensure that the two limiting arms 124 can effectively limit the two first side plates 33.

[0035] Understandably, along the second direction Y, the distance of the first gap 125 between the limiting arm 124 and the hook arm 123 on the same side cannot be too large, so as to avoid the limiting arm 124 being unable to effectively limit the first side plate 33 when the hook connection between the locking part 331 and the hook 12 fails or deforms. Specifically, the distance value of the first gap 125 between the limiting arm 124 and the hook arm 123 on the same side needs to take into account the material properties of the locking shell 3 and the socket 1 (such as the yield strength, tensile strength, etc. of the material), which will not be illustrated here.

[0036] It should be noted that the width of the first gap 125 between the limiting arm 124 and the hook arm 123 can be equidistant, so that when the first side plate 33 is inserted into the first gap 125, if the limiting arm 124 successfully limits the first side plate 33 during use, the surface of the limiting arm 124 facing the first side plate 33 will fully contact the first side plate 33, thereby ensuring that the limiting arm 124 provides sufficient limiting support strength for the first side plate 33; or the first gap 125 between the limiting arm 124 and the hook arm 123 can be varied, for example, please refer to Figure 7Along the second direction Y, the first gap 125 is flared, and its width gradually increases along the second direction Y. This flared shape facilitates the insertion of the first side plate 33 of the locking housing 3 into the first gap 125 in the opposite direction of the second direction Y, improving the user experience when connecting the locking housing 3 to the socket 2. Furthermore, the selectable range of the included angle between the flared first gaps 125 needs to be selected while ensuring the effective limiting of the first side plate 33 by the limiting arm 124, thereby ensuring the feasibility of the limiting function of the limiting arm 124 for the first side plate 33. Specific angle selections will not be elaborated here.

[0037] In some embodiments, please refer to Figure 8 The limiting arm 124 includes a third wall surface 1241 and a fourth wall surface 1242. Along the second direction Y, the end of the limiting arm 124 facing the locking shell 3 is provided with a second inclined surface 1243. One end of the second inclined surface 1243 is connected to the third wall surface 1241, and the other end of the second inclined surface 1243 is connected to the fourth wall surface 1242. The second inclined surface 1243 is provided to guide the first side plate 33 into the first gap 125 between the limiting arm 124 and the hook arm 123 when the plug 2 and socket 1 are inserted into the receiving cavity 34 of the locking shell 3 along the second direction Y. This facilitates the clamping of the first side plate 33 by the limiting arm 124 during the hooking process of the hook 12 into the locking part 331, and further improves the smoothness of the operation of the hook 12 during the hooking process with the locking part 331, thus improving the user experience.

[0038] For socket 1 mentioned above, please refer to... Figure 3 The socket 1 includes an electrical connection component 13, which is partially fixed to the housing 11. A self-locking groove 111 is provided on the outer side wall of the housing 11, and a hook 12 is provided on the housing 11. The hook 12 and the housing 11 are integrally formed.

[0039] The housing 11 includes a base plate 112 and a fitting portion 113. The fitting portion 113 is in the shape of a hollow cylinder. The fitting portion 113 is disposed at the center of the base plate 112 in the opposite direction of the third third direction Z. The hook 12 protrudes from the edge of the base plate 112 in the opposite direction of the third third direction Z. The hook 12 is biased on both sides of the fitting portion 113 in the first direction X to prevent the fitting portion 113 from engaging with the elastic plug arm 21. The self-locking groove 111 is disposed around the outer side wall of the fitting portion 113. The fitting portion 113 is used to accommodate a part of the electrical connection assembly 13. When the plug 2 and the socket 1 are plugged in, the fitting portion 113 serves as the main connection structure. The fitting portion 113 is also used to accommodate a part of the plug 2. It should be noted that the housing 11 is obtained by stamping and bending a plate-shaped metal material.

[0040] Understandably, since the interior of the fitting part 113 is hollow, openings are provided at both ends of the fitting part 113 in the third direction Z. The electrical connection assembly 13 includes a circuit board 131 and a conductive pin 132. The circuit board 131 covers and seals the opening of the fitting part 113 in the third direction Z at the lower position. The conductive pin 132 is fixed to the circuit board 131 and is located at the center of the fitting part 113.

[0041] It should be noted that the sealing and fitting part 113 of the circuit board 131 is provided by welding, that is, the substrate 112 and the circuit board 131 are welded together.

[0042] For plug 2 mentioned above, please refer to... Figure 9 The plug 2 includes a flat body 23, a hollow cylindrical flexible plug arm 21, a bent terminal 22, and a signal terminal 24. The flexible plug arm 21 is located at the center of the body 23 along the third direction Z and is arranged around the signal terminal 24. The signal terminal 24 is adapted to the conductive pin 132. The flexible plug arm 21 is a hollow cylindrical shape with a notch. The terminal 22 is spaced apart from the notch of the flexible plug arm so that a second gap 25 is left between the terminal 22 and the flexible plug arm 21. The terminal 22 is provided with a track groove 221, which is used to receive and guide the wire to extend from the notch of the flexible plug arm 21 and be electrically connected to the signal terminal 24.

[0043] Understandably, the elastic plug arm 21 is adapted to the fitting part 113. The inner side wall of the elastic plug arm 21 is provided with a locking protrusion 211. The locking protrusion 211 is formed by the elastic plug arm 21 being stamped, thereby forming a concave structure on the outer side wall of the elastic plug arm 21.

[0044] It should be noted that the second gap 25 mentioned above is the position where the conductor is easily expanded when subjected to a tensile force in the opposite direction of the third direction Z in this application. The existence of this position is necessary to ensure that the elastic plug arm 21 can produce elastic deformation.

[0045] When the plug 2 is inserted into the socket 1, the outer wall of the fitting part 113 pushes the locking protrusion 211 to tend to move radially along the elastic insertion arm 21, thereby forcing the elastic insertion arm 21 to undergo elastic deformation. As the insertion depth of the plug 2 and the socket 1 increases, the locking protrusion 211 is received in the locking groove, the elastic deformation of the elastic insertion arm 21 disappears, and the signal terminal 24 and the conductive pin 132 are connected, thereby realizing the connection between the plug 2 and the socket 1.

[0046] For the aforementioned locking shell 3, please refer to... Figure 1 and Figure 10The base 31 also includes a bottom plate 311 and a top plate 312. The bottom plate 311, the top plate 312, and the first side plate 33 are integrally formed. The bottom plate 311, the top plate 312, and the first side plate 33 together enclose a receiving cavity 34. The locking part 32 includes an arc-shaped wall surface 321 disposed on the base 31 and two clamping arms 322 spaced apart and arranged opposite to each other along the second direction Y. The two ends of one clamping arm 322 are respectively connected to one end of the arc-shaped wall surface 321 and a locking part 331, and the two ends of the other clamping arm 322 are respectively connected to the other end of the arc-shaped wall surface 321 and another locking part 331. The part 331, the arc-shaped wall 321 and the two clamping arms 322 together form a locking space 323. Specifically, after the plug 2 and socket 1 are inserted into the locking space 323 along the second direction Y, the arc-shaped wall 321 and the two clamping arms 322 extend into the above-mentioned concave structure and abut against the inner wall of the concave structure. This allows the arc-shaped wall 321 and the two clamping arms 322 to clamp the elastic plug arm 21 together, thereby limiting the elastic plug arm 21 and preventing the elastic plug arm 21 from undergoing unexpected displacement along the radial direction of the hollow cylinder it encloses.

[0047] Understandably, the clamping arm 322 can elastically deform along the first direction X, so that when the plug 2 and socket 1 are inserted into the locking space 323 along the second direction Y, the outer wall of the plug 2 can push the two latching portions 331 to move relative to each other along the first direction X, thereby allowing the plug 2 and socket 1 to smoothly enter the locking space 323. Furthermore, along the second direction Y, the width of the latching portion 331 is greater than the width of the clamping arm 322, so that an abutment step 35 is formed between the latching portion 331 and the clamping arm 322. Therefore, when the plug 2 and socket 1, after entering the locking space 323, tend to move in the opposite direction of the first direction X, the abutment step 35 can effectively limit their movement, preventing the plug 2 and socket 1 from disengaging from the locking space 323.

[0048] In some embodiments, please refer to Figure 10 The end of the snap-fit ​​part 331 away from the clamping arm 322 is provided with a guide slope 3311. Along the second direction Y, the cross-sectional area of ​​the space constrained between the two guide slopes 3311 gradually decreases. The guide slope 3311 is used to guide the plug 2 and socket 1 after insertion to snap into the locking space 323 along the second direction Y, so as to improve the smoothness of the operation when the plug 2 and socket 1 after insertion are inserted into the locking housing 3 11 along the first direction X.

[0049] In other embodiments, please refer to Figure 10The locking shell 3 also features a pre-installed limiting structure 36, which ensures that the plug 2 and the locking shell 3 can be matched one-to-one during the sale or transportation process. This reduces the steps required for users to assemble the plug 2, socket 1 and locking shell 3 later. Furthermore, the one-to-one matching of the locking shell 3 and plug 2 also reduces the time required for users to assemble the locking shell 3 and plug 2 separately, thus improving the user experience.

[0050] Specifically, the locking shell 3 also includes a pre-installed limiting structure 36 disposed on the first side plate 33. The pre-installed limiting structure 36 is located at the end of the locking part 32 away from the base 31. The pre-installed limiting structure 36 is used to constrain the movement of the plug 2 in the second direction Y. The setting of the pre-installed limiting structure 36 enables the locking shell 3 to be pre-installed with the plug 2, so that the locking shell 3 and the plug 2 will not separate from each other during the actual shipping process or transportation process, thereby reducing the assembly cost and assembly difficulty for end customers and improving the user experience.

[0051] Understandably, when the opening of the hook groove 12a of the hook 12 is oriented in the second direction Y, the hook 12 of the socket 1 needs to be extended to adapt to the locking shell 3 after the addition of the pre-installed limiting structure 36, so as to ensure that the hook 12 can smoothly hook with the locking part 331; when the opening of the hook groove 12a of the hook 12 is oriented in the first direction X or the opposite of the first direction X, the hook 12 can be hooked at the connection position between the pre-installed limiting structure 36 and the locking part 32, or the hook 12 of the socket 1 can be extended to adapt to the locking shell 3 after the addition of the pre-installed limiting structure 36, so as to ensure that the hook 12 can smoothly hook with the locking part 331.

[0052] For example, in this application, the hook 12 is extended; for details, please refer to [link / reference]. Figure 5 , Figure 6 or Figure 7 The socket 1 also includes a reinforcing arm 14, with its two ends connected to the housing 11 and the hook 12 respectively. Along the second direction Y, the length of the reinforcing arm 14 needs to be the same as the length of the pre-installed limiting structure 36 to ensure that the hook 12 can be smoothly engaged with the snap-fit ​​part 331.

[0053] It should be noted that by relying on the reinforcing arm 14 to extend the hook 12, the hook 12 and the latching part 331 can be hooked together closer to the area where the wire is subjected to the force along the third direction Z compared to the method without extension. This is more effective in reducing the expansion of the second gap 25 between the elastic plug arm 21 and the terminal 22.

[0054] For the aforementioned pre-installed limiting structure 36, please refer to... Figure 10The pre-installed limiting structure 36 includes a piercing component 361 and a limiting component 362. Along the opposite direction of the first direction X, the locking part 32, the limiting component 362, the piercing component 361, and the latching part 331 are sequentially arranged. The piercing component 361 includes two wedge-shaped piercing arms 3611, which are respectively disposed on the inner sidewalls of the two first side plates 33 and are formed by stamping from the first side plates 33. The piercing arms 3611 are inclined towards the center of the locking shell 3. The piercing arms 3611 include a third inclined surface 36111, which includes a first side 36111a and a second side 36112a, with the first side 36111a close to the limiting component 362. The two opposing piercing arms 3611 are used to guide the plug 2 into the locking shell 3.

[0055] In some embodiments, please refer to Figure 10 The limiting component 362 includes two abutting arms 3621 respectively disposed on two first side plates 33. The abutting arms 3621 are formed by stamping the first side plates 33. Along the first direction X, the shortest distance between the two oppositely disposed abutting arms 3621 is greater than the shortest distance between the two clamping arms 322 mentioned above, so that when the plug 2 is inserted into the position of the limiting component 362, there is enough space between the two abutting arms 3621 to allow for the elastic deformation of the elastic insertion arm 21 when the plug 2 is inserted and connected to the socket 1. The space defined between the two abutting arms 3621 is designated as the pre-installation space.

[0056] To facilitate understanding of the working principle of the pre-installed limiting structure 36, a brief explanation is provided below. The plug 2 is inserted into the pre-installation space along the first direction X, guided by the snap-fit ​​part 331 and the piercing component 361. At this point, the pre-installation space has sufficient space to accommodate the elastic deformation that occurs when the elastic plug arm 21 engages with the fitting part 113. During the actual shipping or transit stage, the plug 2 being located within the pre-installation space represents the shipping state of the plug 2 and locking shell 3. Upon receiving the plug 2 and locking shell 3 in this shipping state, the user assembles them with the socket 1 independently.

[0057] It should be noted that after the pre-installed limiting structure 36 is set in the locking shell 3, an abutting step is also required at the connection position between the pre-installed limiting structure 36 and the locking part 32 to prevent the plug 2 and socket 1, after being plugged in, from disengaging from the locking space 323 in the opposite direction of the second direction Y.

[0058] In some embodiments, please refer to Figure 10The base plate 311 is provided with a through groove 3111, which is connected to the receiving cavity 34. The user can observe the socket 1 and the plug 2 through the through groove 3111. When the user plugs the plug 2 and socket 1 in the shipping state, the user can adjust the position of the socket 1 through the through groove 3111 to facilitate the quick completion of the plug 2 and socket 1 connection and improve the user experience.

[0059] In this embodiment, the materials used to manufacture the locking shell 3 include, but are not limited to, SUS304-1 / 2H250-310Hv, SUS301-H350-450HV, SUS301EH430-530HV, and other materials with a preset elastic modulus and preset stiffness; wherein, SUS304-1 / 2H250-310Hv is a 304 stainless steel that has undergone semi-hardening treatment, with a hardness range between 250 and 310 Vickers hardness; SUS301-H350-450HV is a 301 stainless steel that has undergone hardening treatment, with a hardness range between 350 and 450 Vickers hardness; SUS301EH430- 530HV is a type of 301 stainless steel that has undergone a stronger hardening treatment, with a hardness range between 430 and 530 Vickers hardness. In addition, the material used to make the locking shell 3 usually has a certain degree of hardness and corrosion resistance, and the thickness of the material used to make the locking shell 3 is, but is not limited to, 0.10mm, 0.12mm, 0.15mm and 0.20mm.

[0060] In this application, the electrical connector 100 includes: a socket 1, a plug 2, and a locking shell 3. The socket 1 includes a housing 11 and at least one hook 12. The housing 11 is provided with a self-locking groove 111. The plug 2 is provided with a resilient insertion arm 21. The resilient insertion arm 21 is provided with a locking protrusion 211. The locking protrusion 211 is received in the self-locking groove 111. The locking shell 3 includes a base 31, two first side plates 33 arranged opposite to each other along a first direction X, and a locking part 32 formed by a portion of the base 31 and a portion of the first side plates 33. The two first side plates 33 and the base 31 enclose a receiving cavity 34. The receiving cavity 34 is used to receive at least a portion of the plug 2 and the socket 1 after insertion along a second direction Y, such that the locking part 32 clamps the outer side wall of the resilient insertion arm 21. The hook 12 hooks into a portion of the locking part 32 and abuts against the locking part 32 along a third direction Z. The first direction X, the second direction Y, and the third direction Z are all perpendicular to each other. With the above structure, in this embodiment of the application, when the plug 2 and socket 1 are housed in the receiving cavity 34 of the locking shell 3 after being plugged in, the hook 12 on the socket 1 can engage with a portion of the locking part 32 of the locking shell 3. Thus, the locking part 32 of the locking shell 3 generates a clamping force on the plug 2 and socket 1 along the first direction X and the second direction Y, and the engagement between the portion of the locking shell 3 and the hook 12 generates a force along the third direction Z. This improves the ability of the electrical connector 100 to resist the reverse force in the third direction Z and enhances the connection stability of the electrical connector 100.

[0061] It should be noted that while preferred embodiments of this application are provided in the specification and accompanying drawings, this application can be implemented in many different forms and is not limited to the embodiments described herein. These embodiments are not intended to impose additional limitations on the content of this application; their purpose is to provide a more thorough and comprehensive understanding of the disclosure of this application. Furthermore, the above-described technical features can be combined with each other to form various embodiments not listed above, all of which are considered to be within the scope of this application's specification. Moreover, those skilled in the art can make improvements or modifications based on the above description, and all such improvements and modifications should fall within the protection scope of the appended claims.

Claims

1. An electrical connector, characterized by, include: A socket, comprising a housing and at least one latch, the housing being provided with a self-locking groove; The plug is provided with a flexible plug arm, the flexible plug arm is provided with a locking protrusion, and the locking protrusion is received in the self-locking groove; A locking housing includes a base, two first side plates disposed opposite each other along a first direction, and a locking portion formed by a portion of the base and a portion of the first side plates. The two first side plates and the base enclose a receiving cavity for receiving at least a portion of the plug and the socket after insertion along a second direction, such that the locking portion clamps the outer side wall of the resilient plug arm. A hook engages with a portion of the locking portion and abuts against the locking portion along a third direction. The first direction, the second direction, and the third direction are mutually perpendicular.

2. The electrical connector according to claim 1, characterized in that, The number of hooks is two, and each hook is provided with a hook groove; The locking part includes a snap-fit ​​part; The housing includes a base plate, and two hooks are connected to the base plate. The two hooks are spaced apart along a first direction. One hook engages with a latching portion such that the latching portion is received in a hook groove. The openings of the two hook grooves face the second direction. And / or along the first direction, the openings of the two hook slots face opposite directions.

3. The electrical connector according to claim 2, characterized in that, The hook includes an extension arm, a side arm, and a hook arm connected in sequence, and the extension arm, the side arm, and the hook arm together form the hook groove. When the openings of the two hook slots face the second direction, along the first direction, the distance between the outer sidewalls of the two hook arms is less than the distance between the inner sidewalls of the two first side plates. When the openings of the two hook grooves face opposite directions along the first direction, the distance between the ends of the two hook arms is less than or equal to the distance between the inner sidewalls of the two first side plates along the first direction.

4. The electrical connector according to claim 3, characterized in that, The extension arm includes an adjacent and perpendicular first wall and a second wall. There are two side arms. One end of one side arm is connected to the first wall, and the other end of one side arm is connected to the hook arm. One end of the other side arm is connected to the second wall, and the other end of the other side arm is connected to the hook arm.

5. The electrical connector according to claim 3, characterized in that, The hook includes a limiting arm connected to the extension arm. Along the second direction, the limiting arm and the hook arm have a first gap, which is used to accommodate a portion of the first side plate.

6. The electrical connector according to claim 5, characterized in that, Along the second direction, the distance between the two limiting arms of the two hooks is greater than or equal to the distance between the outer walls of the two first side plates.

7. The electrical connector according to claim 1, characterized in that, The socket includes an electrical connection assembly, which is partially fixed to the housing. The self-locking groove is disposed on the outer side wall of the housing, and the hook is disposed on the housing. The hook and the housing are integrally formed.

8. The electrical connector according to claim 2, characterized in that, The base also includes a bottom plate and a top plate. The bottom plate, the top plate, and the first side plate are integrally formed. The bottom plate, the top plate, and the first side plate together enclose the receiving cavity. The locking part includes an arc-shaped wall surface disposed on the base and two clamping arms spaced apart and arranged opposite to each other along a second direction. The two ends of one clamping arm are respectively connected to one end of the arc-shaped wall surface and a snap-fit ​​part. The two ends of the other clamping arm are respectively connected to the other end of the arc-shaped wall surface and another snap-fit ​​part. The arc-shaped wall surface and the two clamping arms together enclose the locking space. Along the second direction, the width of the latching portion is greater than the width of the clamping arm, so that an abutment step is formed between the latching portion and the clamping arm.

9. The electrical connector according to claim 8, characterized in that, The end of the latching portion away from the clamping arm is provided with a guide slope, which is used to guide the plug and the socket after insertion to latch into the locking space along the second direction.

10. The electrical connector according to any one of claims 1-9, characterized in that, The locking shell also includes a pre-installed limiting structure disposed on the first side plate. The pre-installed limiting structure is located at the end of the locking part away from the base. The pre-installed limiting structure is used to constrain the movement of the plug in the second direction. The socket also includes a reinforcing arm, the two ends of which are respectively connected to the housing and the hook.

Images