connector

Abstract

The present invention discloses a connector. The connector comprises: a housing (1) comprising a main housing body (10) and a pair of side walls (11) respectively connected to the rear sides of two ends of the main housing body (10) that are opposite in a transverse direction (X) of the main housing body (10); a row of first terminals (2) which is set into the main housing body (10) and each first terminal (2) has a first connection part (22) extending from the rear side wall (16) of the main housing body (10); and a positioning plate (3) which is set between a pair of side walls (11) of the housing (1) and its two ends are respectively fixed to the pair of side walls (11). The positioning plate (3) comprises a row of positioning slots (32), and the first connection parts (22) of the row of first terminals (2) are respectively positioned in the row of positioning slots (32), multiple positioning protrusions (3d) are formed in the positioning slot (32), and the multiple positioning protrusions (3d) are pressed against multiple different portions of the first connection part (22) to position the first connection part (22) at a predetermined position. In the present invention, the positioning plate can ensure that the first connection parts of a row of first terminals are in a predetermined position, thereby improving the positional accuracy of the first connection part of a row of first terminals.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

[0001] This application claims the benefit of Chinese Patent Application No. CN202423135459.0 filed on December 18, 2024 in the State Intellectual Property Office of China, the whole disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention

[0002] The present invention relates to a connector.Description of the Related Art

[0003] In the prior art, a connector typically includes a housing, a row of upper terminals and a row of lower terminals arranged within the housing. The upper and lower terminals respectively have connection parts extending from the rear side of the housing. The connection part of the upper terminal includes a first horizontal arm extending backwards from the rear side of the housing along the longitudinal direction of the housing, a first vertical arm connected to the rear end of the first horizontal arm and extending downwards along the height direction of the housing, and a first welding pin connected to the lower end of the first vertical arm and extending backwards along the longitudinal direction of the housing. The connection part of the lower terminal includes a second vertical arm extending downward along the height direction of the housing, and a second welding pin connected to the lower end of the second vertical arm and extending backward along the longitudinal direction of the housing. Due to the longer first horizontal arm and the longer first vertical arm of the upper terminal, it is difficult to accurately position the connection part of the upper terminal, thus unable to ensure that the first welding pins of the row of upper terminals are accurately positioned in the same plane. Due to the poor coplanarity of the first welding pins of the row of upper terminals, it is difficult to reliably solder all the first welding pins of the row of upper terminals to the circuit board using surface mount.SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0004] The present invention has been made to overcome or alleviate at least one aspect of the above mentioned disadvantages.

[0005] According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a connector. The connector comprises: a housing comprising a main housing body and a pair of side walls respectively connected to the rear sides of two ends of the main housing body that are opposite in a transverse direction of the main housing body; a row of first terminals which is set into the main housing body and each first terminal has a first connection part extending from the rear side wall of the main housing body; and a positioning plate which is set between a pair of side walls of the housing and its two ends are respectively fixed to the pair of side walls. The positioning plate comprises a row of positioning slots, and the first connection parts of the row of first terminals are respectively positioned in the row of positioning slots, multiple positioning protrusions are formed in the positioning slot, and the multiple positioning protrusions are pressed against multiple different portions of the first connection part to position the first connection part at a predetermined position.

[0006] According to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the first connection part of the first terminal comprises: a first horizontal arm which extends backwards from the main housing body along the longitudinal direction of the main housing body; and a first vertical arm which is connected to the rear end of the first horizontal arm and extends downward along the height direction of the main housing body. The multiple positioning protrusions include: a first positioning protrusion which is pressed against the first horizontal arm for positioning the position of the first horizontal arm; and a second positioning protrusion which is pressed against the first vertical arm for positioning the position of the first vertical arm.

[0007] According to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the first positioning protrusion is located near the rear end of the first horizontal arm, and the second positioning protrusion is located near the lower end of the first vertical arm.

[0008] According to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the first connection part of the first terminal further comprises a first welding pin which is connected to the lower end of the first vertical arm and extends backwards along the longitudinal direction of the main housing body, used for welding to a circuit board, the first welding pins of the row of first terminals are arranged in a row in the transverse direction of the main housing body and located in the same plane, so that the first welding pins of the row of first terminals can be soldered to the circuit board in a surface mount manner.

[0009] According to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a vertical slot extending along the height direction of the main housing body is formed on the inner side of the side wall of the housing, and the two ends of the positioning plate are respectively inserted and fixed into the vertical slots of a pair of side walls of the housing.

[0010] According to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention, elastic buckles are respectively formed at both ends of the positioning plate, and the elastic buckle include an elastic arm and a protrusion formed on the elastic arm; a snap slot is formed on the inner wall of the vertical slot of the side wall, and the protrusion of the elastic buckle is engaged with the snap slot to lock the two ends of the positioning plate in the vertical slots of the pair of side walls.

[0011] According to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention, ribs extending along the transverse direction of the main housing body are formed on the front and / or rear sides of the two ends of the positioning plate, respectively; the cross-section of the ribs is semi-circular and interference fit with the inner wall of the vertical slot of the side wall to fix the two ends of the positioning plate in the vertical slot of the pair of side walls.

[0012] According to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the rib comprises: an upper rib which is located near the top of the positioning plate; and a lower rib which is located near the bottom of the positioning plate. The upper rib and the lower rib are formed on the front or rear side of the positioning plate.

[0013] According to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the first terminal further comprises: a first fixing part which is connected to the first connection part and fixed to the rear wall of the main housing body; and a first mating part which is connected to the first fixing part and extend into the main housing body for mating with a first mating terminal inserted into the main housing body.

[0014] According to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a first slot is formed on the rear wall of the main housing body, and the first fixing part is inserted into the first slot in an interference fit manner to fix the first fixing part to the rear wall of the main housing body.

[0015] According to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the connector further comprises a row of second terminals which is arranged in the main housing body and located below the row of first terminals, the second terminal has a second connection part extending from the rear wall of the main housing body, and the positioning plate is located between the first connection parts of the row of first terminals and the second connection parts of the row of second terminals to space them apart.

[0016] According to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the second connection part of the second terminal comprises: a second vertical arm which extends downward along the height direction of the main housing body; and a second welding pin which is connected to the lower end of the second vertical arm and extends backwards along the longitudinal direction of the main housing body. The second welding pins of the row of second terminals are arranged in a row in the transverse direction of the main housing body and located in the same plane, so that the second welding pins of the row of second terminals can be soldered to the circuit board in a surface mount manner.

[0017] According to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the second terminal further comprises: a second fixing part which is connected to the upper end of the second vertical arm and fixed to the rear wall of the main housing body; and a second mating part which is connected to the second fixing part and extend into the main housing body, for mating with a second mating terminal inserted into the main housing body.

[0018] According to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a second slot is formed on the rear wall of the main housing body, and the second fixing part is inserted into the second slot in an interference fit manner to fix the second fixing part to the rear wall of the main housing body.

[0019] According to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention, an upper insertion cavity and a lower insertion cavity are formed in the main housing body and spaced apart in the height direction; the first mating parts of the row of first terminals extend into the upper insertion cavity, and the second mating parts of the row of second terminals extend into the lower insertion cavity.

[0020] According to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the connector further comprises a pair of installation buckles which are respectively fixed to the two ends of the housing in the transverse direction, the installation buckle is suitable for being snapped into a socket in the circuit board to fix the housing to the circuit board.

[0021] According to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the installation buckle comprises a plate-shaped body and a pair of elastic legs connected to the plate-shaped body; installation slots are respectively formed on the outer sides of the two ends of the housing in the transverse direction, and the plate-shaped body of the installation buckle is inserted into the installation slot, the pair of elastic legs of the installation buckle extend from the bottom of the housing for insertion into the socket in the circuit board.

[0022] In the aforementioned exemplary embodiments according to the present invention, the positioning plate can ensure that the first connection parts of a row of first terminals are in a predetermined position, thereby improving the positional accuracy of the first connection parts of a row of first terminals.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0023] The above and other features of the present invention will become more apparent by describing in detail exemplary embodiments thereof with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 shows an illustrative perspective view of a connector according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 shows an illustrative exploded view of a connector according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; Figure 3 shows a transverse sectional view of a connector according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; Figure 4 shows an illustrative exploded view of the connector shown in Figure 3; Figure 5 shows a longitudinal sectional view of a connector according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; Figure 6 shows another longitudinal sectional view of a connector according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; and Figure 7 shows an illustrative exploded view of the connector shown in Figure 6. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE IVENTION

[0024] Exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure will be described hereinafter in detail with reference to the attached drawings, wherein the like reference numerals refer to the like elements. The present disclosure may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as being limited to the embodiment set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided so that the present disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the concept of the disclosure to those skilled in the art.

[0025] In the following detailed description, for purposes of explanation, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the disclosed embodiments. It will be apparent, however, that one or more embodiments may be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, well-known structures and devices are schematically shown in order to simplify the drawing.

[0026] According to a general concept of the present invention, there is provided a connector. The connector comprises: a housing comprising a main housing body and a pair of side walls respectively connected to the rear sides of two ends of the main housing body that are opposite in a transverse direction of the main housing body; a row of first terminals which is set into the main housing body and each first terminal has a first connection part extending from the rear side wall of the main housing body; and a positioning plate which is set between a pair of side walls of the housing and its two ends are respectively fixed to the pair of side walls. The positioning plate comprises a row of positioning slots, and the first connection parts of the row of first terminals are respectively positioned in the row of positioning slots, multiple positioning protrusions are formed in the positioning slot, and the multiple positioning protrusions are pressed against multiple different portions of the first connection part to position the first connection part at a predetermined position.

[0027] Figure 1 shows an illustrative perspective view of a connector according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 shows an illustrative exploded view of a connector according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; Figure 3 shows a transverse sectional view of a connector according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; Figure 4 shows an illustrative exploded view of the connector shown in Figure 3; Figure 5 shows a longitudinal sectional view of a connector according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; Figure 6 shows another longitudinal sectional view of a connector according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; Figure 7 shows an illustrative exploded view of the connector shown in Figure 6.

[0028] As shown in Figures 1 to 7, in an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a connector is disclosed. The connector includes: a housing 1, a row of first terminals 2, and a positioning plate 3. The housing 1 includes a main housing body 10 and a pair of side walls 11 respectively connected to the rear sides of two ends of the main housing body 10 in the transverse direction X of the main housing body 10. The row of first terminals 2 is set into the main housing body 10 and each first terminal 2 has a first connection part 22 extending from the rear side wall 16 of the main housing body 10. The positioning plate 3 is set between the pair of side walls 11 of the housing 1 and its two ends are respectively fixed to the pair of side walls 11. The positioning plate 3 includes a row of positioning slots 32. The first connection parts 22 of the row of first terminals 2 are respectively positioned in the row of positioning slots 32. Multiple positioning protrusions 3d are formed in the positioning slot 32, which abut against different portions of the first connection part 22 to position the first connection part 22 at a predetermined position.

[0029] As shown in Figures 1 to 7, in the illustrated embodiment, the first connection part 22 of the first terminal 2 includes a first horizontal arm 22a and a first vertical arm 22b. The first horizontal arm 22a extends backwards from the main housing body 10 along the longitudinal direction Y of the main housing body 10. The first vertical arm 22b is connected to the rear end of the first horizontal arm 22a and extends downward along the height direction Z of the main housing body 10. Multiple positioning protrusions 3d include: a first positioning protrusion 3d' and a second positioning protrusion 3d". The first positioning protrusion 3d' is pressed against the first horizontal arm 22a, used to locate the position of the first horizontal arm 22a. The second positioning protrusion 3d" is pressed against the first vertical arm 22b to locate the position of the first vertical arm 22b.

[0030] As shown in Figures 1 to 7, in the illustrated embodiment, the first positioning protrusion 3d' is located near the rear end of the first horizontal arm 22a, and the second positioning protrusion 3d" is located near the lower end of the first vertical arm 22b.

[0031] As shown in Figures 1 to 7, in the illustrated embodiment, the first connection part 22 of the first terminal 2 further includes a first welding pin 22c. The first welding pin 22c is connected to the lower end of the first vertical arm 22b and extends backward along the longitudinal direction Y of the main housing body 10, for soldering to a circuit board (not shown). The first welding pins 22c of the row of first terminals 2 are arranged in the transverse direction X of the main housing body 10 and located in the same plane, so that the first welding pins 22c of the row of first terminals 2 can be soldered to the circuit board in a surface mount manner.

[0032] As shown in Figures 1 to 7, in the illustrated embodiment, a vertical slot 13 extending along the height direction Z of the main housing body 10 is formed on the inner side of the side wall 11 of the housing 1. The two ends of the positioning plate 3 are respectively inserted and fixed into the vertical slots 13 of a pair of side walls 11 of the housing 1.

[0033] As shown in Figures 1 to 7, in the illustrated embodiment, elastic buckles 30 are respectively formed at both ends of the positioning plate 3, the elastic buckle 30 includes an elastic arm 3b and a protrusion 3a formed on the elastic arm 3b. A snap slot 1a is formed on the inner wall of the vertical slot 13 of the side wall 11, and the protrusion 3a of the elastic buckle 30 are engaged with the snap slot 1a to lock the two ends of the positioning plate 3 in a pair of vertical slots 13 of the side walls 11.

[0034] As shown in Figures 1 to 7, in the illustrated embodiment, ribs 3c extending along the transverse direction X of the main housing body 10 are formed on the front and / or rear sides of the two ends of the positioning plate 3, respectively. The ribs 3c have a semi-circular cross-section and are interference fit with the inner wall of the vertical slot 13 of the side wall 11 to fix the two ends of the positioning plate 3 in the vertical slot 13 of a pair of side walls 11.

[0035] As shown in Figures 1 to 7, in the illustrated embodiment, the rib 3c includes an upper rib 3c' and a lower rib 3c". The upper rib 3c' is located near the top of the positioning plate 3. The lower rib 3c" is located near the bottom of the positioning plate 3. There are upper ribs 3c' and lower ribs 3c" formed on the front or rear side of the positioning plate 3.

[0036] As shown in Figures 1 to 7, in the illustrated embodiment, the first terminal 2 further comprises a first fixing part 23 and a first mating part 21. The first fixing part 23 is connected to the first connection part 22 and fixed to the rear wall 16 of the main housing body 10. The first mating part 21 is connected to the first fixing part 23 and extends into the main housing body 10, for mating with a first mating terminal (not shown) inserted into the main housing body 10.

[0037] As shown in Figures 1 to 7, in the illustrated embodiment, a first slot 12 is formed on the rear wall 16 of the main housing body 10, and the first fixing part 23 is inserted into the first slot 12 in an interference fit manner to fix the first fixing part 23 to the rear wall 16 of the main housing body 10.

[0038] As shown in Figures 1 to 7, in the illustrated embodiment, the connector further includes a row of second terminals 4. The row of second terminals 4 is set into the main housing body 10 and located below the row of first terminals 2. Each second terminal 4 has a second connection part 42 extending from the rear wall 16 of the main housing body 10, and the positioning plate 3 is located between the first connection parts 22 of the row of first terminals 2 and the second connection parts 42 of the row of second terminals 4 to space them apart. In this way, the creepage distance between the two can be increased.

[0039] As shown in Figures 1 to 7, in the illustrated embodiment, the second connection part 42 of the second terminal 4 includes a second vertical arm 42b and a second welding pin 42c. The second vertical arm 42b extends downward along the height direction Z of the main housing body 10. The second welding pin 42c is connected to the lower end of the second vertical arm 42b and extends backwards along the longitudinal direction Y of the main housing body 10. The second welding pins 42c of the row of second terminals 4 are arranged in the transverse direction X of the main housing body 10 and located in the same plane, so that the second welding pins 42c of the row of second terminals 4 can be soldered to the circuit board in a surface mount manner.

[0040] As shown in Figures 1 to 7, in the illustrated embodiment, the second terminal 4 further comprises a second fixing part 43 and a second mating part 41. The second fixing part 43 is connected to the upper end of the second vertical arm 42b and fixed to the rear wall 16 of the main housing body 10. The second mating part 41 is connected to the second fixing part 43 and extend into the main housing body 10, for mating with a second mating terminal inserted into the main housing body 10.

[0041] As shown in Figures 1 to 7, in the illustrated embodiment, a second slot 14 is formed on the rear side wall 16 of the main housing body 10, and the second fixing part 43 is inserted into the second slot 14 in an interference fit manner to fix the second fixing part 43 to the rear side wall 16 of the main housing body 10.

[0042] As shown in Figures 1 to 7, in the illustrated embodiment, an upper insertion cavity 101 and a lower insertion cavity 102 spaced apart in the height direction Z are formed in the main housing body 10. The first mating part 21 of the row of first terminals 2 extend into the upper insertion cavity 101, and the second mating parts 41 of the row of second terminals 4 extend into the lower insertion cavity 102.

[0043] As shown in Figures 1 to 7, in the illustrated embodiment, the connector also includes a pair of installation buckles 5. The pair of installation buckles 5 are respectively fixed to the two ends of housing 1 in the transverse direction X. The installation buckle 5 is suitable for being snapped into the socket in the circuit board to fix the housing 1 to the circuit board.

[0044] As shown in Figures 1 to 7, in the illustrated embodiment, the installation buckle 5 includes a plate-shaped body 50 and a pair of elastic legs 51 connected to the plate-shaped body 50. An installation slot 15 is formed on the outer side of each of the two ends of the housing 1 in the transverse direction X, and the plate-shaped body 50 of the installation buckle 5 is inserted into the installation slot 15. The pair of elastic legs 51 of the installation buckle 5 extend from the bottom of the housing 1 for insertion into the sockets in the circuit board.

[0045] It should be appreciated for those skilled in this art that the above embodiments are intended to be illustrated, and not restrictive. For example, many modifications may be made to the above embodiments by those skilled in this art, and various features described in different embodiments may be freely combined with each other without conflicting in configuration or principle.

[0046] Although several exemplary embodiments have been shown and described, it would be appreciated by those skilled in the art that various changes or modifications may be made in these embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of the disclosure, the scope of which is defined in the claims and their equivalents.

[0047] As used herein, an element recited in the singular and proceeded with the word "a" or "an" should be understood as not excluding plural of said elements or steps, unless such exclusion is explicitly stated. Furthermore, references to "one embodiment" of the present invention are not intended to be interpreted as excluding the existence of additional embodiments that also incorporate the recited features. Moreover, unless explicitly stated to the contrary, embodiments "comprising" or "having" an element or a plurality of elements having a particular property may include additional such elements not having that property.

Examples

Embodiment Construction

[0024]Exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure will be described hereinafter in detail with reference to the attached drawings, wherein the like reference numerals refer to the like elements. The present disclosure may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as being limited to the embodiment set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided so that the present disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the concept of the disclosure to those skilled in the art.

[0025]In the following detailed description, for purposes of explanation, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the disclosed embodiments. It will be apparent, however, that one or more embodiments may be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, well-known structures and devices are schematically shown in order to simplify the drawing.

[0026]According to a general concept of the present inv...

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

[0001] This application claims the benefit of Chinese Patent Application No. CN202423135459.0 filed on December 18, 2024 in the State Intellectual Property Office of China, the whole disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention

[0002] The present invention relates to a connector.Description of the Related Art

[0003] In the prior art, a connector typically includes a housing, a row of upper terminals and a row of lower terminals arranged within the housing. The upper and lower terminals respectively have connection parts extending from the rear side of the housing. The connection part of the upper terminal includes a first horizontal arm extending backwards from the rear side of the housing along the longitudinal direction of the housing, a first vertical arm connected to the rear end of the first horizontal arm and extending downwards along the height direction of the housing, and a first welding pin connected to the lower end of the first vertical arm and extending backwards along the longitudinal direction of the housing. The connection part of the lower terminal includes a second vertical arm extending downward along the height direction of the housing, and a second welding pin connected to the lower end of the second vertical arm and extending backward along the longitudinal direction of the housing. Due to the longer first horizontal arm and the longer first vertical arm of the upper terminal, it is difficult to accurately position the connection part of the upper terminal, thus unable to ensure that the first welding pins of the row of upper terminals are accurately positioned in the same plane. Due to the poor coplanarity of the first welding pins of the row of upper terminals, it is difficult to reliably solder all the first welding pins of the row of upper terminals to the circuit board using surface mount.SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0004] The present invention has been made to overcome or alleviate at least one aspect of the above mentioned disadvantages.

[0005] According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a connector. The connector comprises: a housing comprising a main housing body and a pair of side walls respectively connected to the rear sides of two ends of the main housing body that are opposite in a transverse direction of the main housing body; a row of first terminals which is set into the main housing body and each first terminal has a first connection part extending from the rear side wall of the main housing body; and a positioning plate which is set between a pair of side walls of the housing and its two ends are respectively fixed to the pair of side walls. The positioning plate comprises a row of positioning slots, and the first connection parts of the row of first terminals are respectively positioned in the row of positioning slots, multiple positioning protrusions are formed in the positioning slot, and the multiple positioning protrusions are pressed against multiple different portions of the first connection part to position the first connection part at a predetermined position.

[0006] According to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the first connection part of the first terminal comprises: a first horizontal arm which extends backwards from the main housing body along the longitudinal direction of the main housing body; and a first vertical arm which is connected to the rear end of the first horizontal arm and extends downward along the height direction of the main housing body. The multiple positioning protrusions include: a first positioning protrusion which is pressed against the first horizontal arm for positioning the position of the first horizontal arm; and a second positioning protrusion which is pressed against the first vertical arm for positioning the position of the first vertical arm.

[0007] According to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the first positioning protrusion is located near the rear end of the first horizontal arm, and the second positioning protrusion is located near the lower end of the first vertical arm.

[0008] According to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the first connection part of the first terminal further comprises a first welding pin which is connected to the lower end of the first vertical arm and extends backwards along the longitudinal direction of the main housing body, used for welding to a circuit board, the first welding pins of the row of first terminals are arranged in a row in the transverse direction of the main housing body and located in the same plane, so that the first welding pins of the row of first terminals can be soldered to the circuit board in a surface mount manner.

[0009] According to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a vertical slot extending along the height direction of the main housing body is formed on the inner side of the side wall of the housing, and the two ends of the positioning plate are respectively inserted and fixed into the vertical slots of a pair of side walls of the housing.

[0010] According to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention, elastic buckles are respectively formed at both ends of the positioning plate, and the elastic buckle include an elastic arm and a protrusion formed on the elastic arm; a snap slot is formed on the inner wall of the vertical slot of the side wall, and the protrusion of the elastic buckle is engaged with the snap slot to lock the two ends of the positioning plate in the vertical slots of the pair of side walls.

[0011] According to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention, ribs extending along the transverse direction of the main housing body are formed on the front and / or rear sides of the two ends of the positioning plate, respectively; the cross-section of the ribs is semi-circular and interference fit with the inner wall of the vertical slot of the side wall to fix the two ends of the positioning plate in the vertical slot of the pair of side walls.

[0012] According to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the rib comprises: an upper rib which is located near the top of the positioning plate; and a lower rib which is located near the bottom of the positioning plate. The upper rib and the lower rib are formed on the front or rear side of the positioning plate.

[0013] According to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the first terminal further comprises: a first fixing part which is connected to the first connection part and fixed to the rear wall of the main housing body; and a first mating part which is connected to the first fixing part and extend into the main housing body for mating with a first mating terminal inserted into the main housing body.

[0014] According to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a first slot is formed on the rear wall of the main housing body, and the first fixing part is inserted into the first slot in an interference fit manner to fix the first fixing part to the rear wall of the main housing body.

[0015] According to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the connector further comprises a row of second terminals which is arranged in the main housing body and located below the row of first terminals, the second terminal has a second connection part extending from the rear wall of the main housing body, and the positioning plate is located between the first connection parts of the row of first terminals and the second connection parts of the row of second terminals to space them apart.

[0016] According to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the second connection part of the second terminal comprises: a second vertical arm which extends downward along the height direction of the main housing body; and a second welding pin which is connected to the lower end of the second vertical arm and extends backwards along the longitudinal direction of the main housing body. The second welding pins of the row of second terminals are arranged in a row in the transverse direction of the main housing body and located in the same plane, so that the second welding pins of the row of second terminals can be soldered to the circuit board in a surface mount manner.

[0017] According to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the second terminal further comprises: a second fixing part which is connected to the upper end of the second vertical arm and fixed to the rear wall of the main housing body; and a second mating part which is connected to the second fixing part and extend into the main housing body, for mating with a second mating terminal inserted into the main housing body.

[0018] According to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a second slot is formed on the rear wall of the main housing body, and the second fixing part is inserted into the second slot in an interference fit manner to fix the second fixing part to the rear wall of the main housing body.

[0019] According to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention, an upper insertion cavity and a lower insertion cavity are formed in the main housing body and spaced apart in the height direction; the first mating parts of the row of first terminals extend into the upper insertion cavity, and the second mating parts of the row of second terminals extend into the lower insertion cavity.

[0020] According to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the connector further comprises a pair of installation buckles which are respectively fixed to the two ends of the housing in the transverse direction, the installation buckle is suitable for being snapped into a socket in the circuit board to fix the housing to the circuit board.

[0021] According to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the installation buckle comprises a plate-shaped body and a pair of elastic legs connected to the plate-shaped body; installation slots are respectively formed on the outer sides of the two ends of the housing in the transverse direction, and the plate-shaped body of the installation buckle is inserted into the installation slot, the pair of elastic legs of the installation buckle extend from the bottom of the housing for insertion into the socket in the circuit board.

[0022] In the aforementioned exemplary embodiments according to the present invention, the positioning plate can ensure that the first connection parts of a row of first terminals are in a predetermined position, thereby improving the positional accuracy of the first connection parts of a row of first terminals.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0023] The above and other features of the present invention will become more apparent by describing in detail exemplary embodiments thereof with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 shows an illustrative perspective view of a connector according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 shows an illustrative exploded view of a connector according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; Figure 3 shows a transverse sectional view of a connector according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; Figure 4 shows an illustrative exploded view of the connector shown in Figure 3; Figure 5 shows a longitudinal sectional view of a connector according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; Figure 6 shows another longitudinal sectional view of a connector according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; and Figure 7 shows an illustrative exploded view of the connector shown in Figure 6. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE IVENTION

[0024] Exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure will be described hereinafter in detail with reference to the attached drawings, wherein the like reference numerals refer to the like elements. The present disclosure may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as being limited to the embodiment set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided so that the present disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the concept of the disclosure to those skilled in the art.

[0025] In the following detailed description, for purposes of explanation, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the disclosed embodiments. It will be apparent, however, that one or more embodiments may be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, well-known structures and devices are schematically shown in order to simplify the drawing.

[0026] According to a general concept of the present invention, there is provided a connector. The connector comprises: a housing comprising a main housing body and a pair of side walls respectively connected to the rear sides of two ends of the main housing body that are opposite in a transverse direction of the main housing body; a row of first terminals which is set into the main housing body and each first terminal has a first connection part extending from the rear side wall of the main housing body; and a positioning plate which is set between a pair of side walls of the housing and its two ends are respectively fixed to the pair of side walls. The positioning plate comprises a row of positioning slots, and the first connection parts of the row of first terminals are respectively positioned in the row of positioning slots, multiple positioning protrusions are formed in the positioning slot, and the multiple positioning protrusions are pressed against multiple different portions of the first connection part to position the first connection part at a predetermined position.

[0027] Figure 1 shows an illustrative perspective view of a connector according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 shows an illustrative exploded view of a connector according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; Figure 3 shows a transverse sectional view of a connector according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; Figure 4 shows an illustrative exploded view of the connector shown in Figure 3; Figure 5 shows a longitudinal sectional view of a connector according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; Figure 6 shows another longitudinal sectional view of a connector according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; Figure 7 shows an illustrative exploded view of the connector shown in Figure 6.

[0028] As shown in Figures 1 to 7, in an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a connector is disclosed. The connector includes: a housing 1, a row of first terminals 2, and a positioning plate 3. The housing 1 includes a main housing body 10 and a pair of side walls 11 respectively connected to the rear sides of two ends of the main housing body 10 in the transverse direction X of the main housing body 10. The row of first terminals 2 is set into the main housing body 10 and each first terminal 2 has a first connection part 22 extending from the rear side wall 16 of the main housing body 10. The positioning plate 3 is set between the pair of side walls 11 of the housing 1 and its two ends are respectively fixed to the pair of side walls 11. The positioning plate 3 includes a row of positioning slots 32. The first connection parts 22 of the row of first terminals 2 are respectively positioned in the row of positioning slots 32. Multiple positioning protrusions 3d are formed in the positioning slot 32, which abut against different portions of the first connection part 22 to position the first connection part 22 at a predetermined position.

[0029] As shown in Figures 1 to 7, in the illustrated embodiment, the first connection part 22 of the first terminal 2 includes a first horizontal arm 22a and a first vertical arm 22b. The first horizontal arm 22a extends backwards from the main housing body 10 along the longitudinal direction Y of the main housing body 10. The first vertical arm 22b is connected to the rear end of the first horizontal arm 22a and extends downward along the height direction Z of the main housing body 10. Multiple positioning protrusions 3d include: a first positioning protrusion 3d' and a second positioning protrusion 3d". The first positioning protrusion 3d' is pressed against the first horizontal arm 22a, used to locate the position of the first horizontal arm 22a. The second positioning protrusion 3d" is pressed against the first vertical arm 22b to locate the position of the first vertical arm 22b.

[0030] As shown in Figures 1 to 7, in the illustrated embodiment, the first positioning protrusion 3d' is located near the rear end of the first horizontal arm 22a, and the second positioning protrusion 3d" is located near the lower end of the first vertical arm 22b.

[0031] As shown in Figures 1 to 7, in the illustrated embodiment, the first connection part 22 of the first terminal 2 further includes a first welding pin 22c. The first welding pin 22c is connected to the lower end of the first vertical arm 22b and extends backward along the longitudinal direction Y of the main housing body 10, for soldering to a circuit board (not shown). The first welding pins 22c of the row of first terminals 2 are arranged in the transverse direction X of the main housing body 10 and located in the same plane, so that the first welding pins 22c of the row of first terminals 2 can be soldered to the circuit board in a surface mount manner.

[0032] As shown in Figures 1 to 7, in the illustrated embodiment, a vertical slot 13 extending along the height direction Z of the main housing body 10 is formed on the inner side of the side wall 11 of the housing 1. The two ends of the positioning plate 3 are respectively inserted and fixed into the vertical slots 13 of a pair of side walls 11 of the housing 1.

[0033] As shown in Figures 1 to 7, in the illustrated embodiment, elastic buckles 30 are respectively formed at both ends of the positioning plate 3, the elastic buckle 30 includes an elastic arm 3b and a protrusion 3a formed on the elastic arm 3b. A snap slot 1a is formed on the inner wall of the vertical slot 13 of the side wall 11, and the protrusion 3a of the elastic buckle 30 are engaged with the snap slot 1a to lock the two ends of the positioning plate 3 in a pair of vertical slots 13 of the side walls 11.

[0034] As shown in Figures 1 to 7, in the illustrated embodiment, ribs 3c extending along the transverse direction X of the main housing body 10 are formed on the front and / or rear sides of the two ends of the positioning plate 3, respectively. The ribs 3c have a semi-circular cross-section and are interference fit with the inner wall of the vertical slot 13 of the side wall 11 to fix the two ends of the positioning plate 3 in the vertical slot 13 of a pair of side walls 11.

[0035] As shown in Figures 1 to 7, in the illustrated embodiment, the rib 3c includes an upper rib 3c' and a lower rib 3c". The upper rib 3c' is located near the top of the positioning plate 3. The lower rib 3c" is located near the bottom of the positioning plate 3. There are upper ribs 3c' and lower ribs 3c" formed on the front or rear side of the positioning plate 3.

[0036] As shown in Figures 1 to 7, in the illustrated embodiment, the first terminal 2 further comprises a first fixing part 23 and a first mating part 21. The first fixing part 23 is connected to the first connection part 22 and fixed to the rear wall 16 of the main housing body 10. The first mating part 21 is connected to the first fixing part 23 and extends into the main housing body 10, for mating with a first mating terminal (not shown) inserted into the main housing body 10.

[0037] As shown in Figures 1 to 7, in the illustrated embodiment, a first slot 12 is formed on the rear wall 16 of the main housing body 10, and the first fixing part 23 is inserted into the first slot 12 in an interference fit manner to fix the first fixing part 23 to the rear wall 16 of the main housing body 10.

[0038] As shown in Figures 1 to 7, in the illustrated embodiment, the connector further includes a row of second terminals 4. The row of second terminals 4 is set into the main housing body 10 and located below the row of first terminals 2. Each second terminal 4 has a second connection part 42 extending from the rear wall 16 of the main housing body 10, and the positioning plate 3 is located between the first connection parts 22 of the row of first terminals 2 and the second connection parts 42 of the row of second terminals 4 to space them apart. In this way, the creepage distance between the two can be increased.

[0039] As shown in Figures 1 to 7, in the illustrated embodiment, the second connection part 42 of the second terminal 4 includes a second vertical arm 42b and a second welding pin 42c. The second vertical arm 42b extends downward along the height direction Z of the main housing body 10. The second welding pin 42c is connected to the lower end of the second vertical arm 42b and extends backwards along the longitudinal direction Y of the main housing body 10. The second welding pins 42c of the row of second terminals 4 are arranged in the transverse direction X of the main housing body 10 and located in the same plane, so that the second welding pins 42c of the row of second terminals 4 can be soldered to the circuit board in a surface mount manner.

[0040] As shown in Figures 1 to 7, in the illustrated embodiment, the second terminal 4 further comprises a second fixing part 43 and a second mating part 41. The second fixing part 43 is connected to the upper end of the second vertical arm 42b and fixed to the rear wall 16 of the main housing body 10. The second mating part 41 is connected to the second fixing part 43 and extend into the main housing body 10, for mating with a second mating terminal inserted into the main housing body 10.

[0041] As shown in Figures 1 to 7, in the illustrated embodiment, a second slot 14 is formed on the rear side wall 16 of the main housing body 10, and the second fixing part 43 is inserted into the second slot 14 in an interference fit manner to fix the second fixing part 43 to the rear side wall 16 of the main housing body 10.

[0042] As shown in Figures 1 to 7, in the illustrated embodiment, an upper insertion cavity 101 and a lower insertion cavity 102 spaced apart in the height direction Z are formed in the main housing body 10. The first mating part 21 of the row of first terminals 2 extend into the upper insertion cavity 101, and the second mating parts 41 of the row of second terminals 4 extend into the lower insertion cavity 102.

[0043] As shown in Figures 1 to 7, in the illustrated embodiment, the connector also includes a pair of installation buckles 5. The pair of installation buckles 5 are respectively fixed to the two ends of housing 1 in the transverse direction X. The installation buckle 5 is suitable for being snapped into the socket in the circuit board to fix the housing 1 to the circuit board.

[0044] As shown in Figures 1 to 7, in the illustrated embodiment, the installation buckle 5 includes a plate-shaped body 50 and a pair of elastic legs 51 connected to the plate-shaped body 50. An installation slot 15 is formed on the outer side of each of the two ends of the housing 1 in the transverse direction X, and the plate-shaped body 50 of the installation buckle 5 is inserted into the installation slot 15. The pair of elastic legs 51 of the installation buckle 5 extend from the bottom of the housing 1 for insertion into the sockets in the circuit board.

[0045] It should be appreciated for those skilled in this art that the above embodiments are intended to be illustrated, and not restrictive. For example, many modifications may be made to the above embodiments by those skilled in this art, and various features described in different embodiments may be freely combined with each other without conflicting in configuration or principle.

[0046] Although several exemplary embodiments have been shown and described, it would be appreciated by those skilled in the art that various changes or modifications may be made in these embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of the disclosure, the scope of which is defined in the claims and their equivalents.

[0047] As used herein, an element recited in the singular and proceeded with the word "a" or "an" should be understood as not excluding plural of said elements or steps, unless such exclusion is explicitly stated. Furthermore, references to "one embodiment" of the present invention are not intended to be interpreted as excluding the existence of additional embodiments that also incorporate the recited features. Moreover, unless explicitly stated to the contrary, embodiments "comprising" or "having" an element or a plurality of elements having a particular property may include additional such elements not having that property.

Examples

Embodiment Construction

[0024]Exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure will be described hereinafter in detail with reference to the attached drawings, wherein the like reference numerals refer to the like elements. The present disclosure may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as being limited to the embodiment set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided so that the present disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the concept of the disclosure to those skilled in the art.

[0025]In the following detailed description, for purposes of explanation, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the disclosed embodiments. It will be apparent, however, that one or more embodiments may be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, well-known structures and devices are schematically shown in order to simplify the drawing.

[0026]According to a general concept of the present inv...

Claims

1. A connector, comprising: a housing (1) comprising a main housing body (10) and a pair of side walls (11) respectively connected to the rear sides of two ends of the main housing body (10) that are opposite in a transverse direction (X) of the main housing body (10); a row of first terminals (2) which is set into the main housing body (10) and each first terminal (2) has a first connection part (22) extending from the rear side wall (16) of the main housing body (10); and a positioning plate (3) which is set between a pair of side walls (11) of the housing (1) and its two ends are respectively fixed to the pair of side walls (11), wherein the positioning plate (3) comprises a row of positioning slots (32), and the first connection parts (22) of the row of first terminals (2) are respectively positioned in the row of positioning slots (32), multiple positioning protrusions (3d) are formed in the positioning slot (32), and the multiple positioning protrusions (3d) are pressed against multiple different portions of the first connection part (22) to position the first connection part (22) at a predetermined position.

2. The connector according to claim 1, wherein the first connection part (22) of the first terminal (2) comprises: a first horizontal arm (22a) which extends backwards from the main housing body (10) along the longitudinal direction (Y) of the main housing body (10); and a first vertical arm (22b) which is connected to the rear end of the first horizontal arm (22a) and extends downward along the height direction (Z) of the main housing body (10), wherein the multiple positioning protrusions (3d) include: a first positioning protrusion (3d') which is pressed against the first horizontal arm (22a) for positioning the position of the first horizontal arm (22a); and a second positioning protrusion (3d") which is pressed against the first vertical arm (22b) for positioning the position of the first vertical arm (22b).

3. The connector according to claim 2, wherein the first positioning protrusion (3d') is located near the rear end of the first horizontal arm (22a), and the second positioning protrusion (3d") is located near the lower end of the first vertical arm (22b).

4. The connector according to claim 3, wherein the first connection part (22) of the first terminal (2) further comprises: a first welding pin (22c) which is connected to the lower end of the first vertical arm (22b) and extends backwards along the longitudinal direction (Y) of the main housing body (10), used for welding to a circuit board, wherein the first welding pins (22c) of the row of first terminals (2) are arranged in a row in the transverse direction (X) of the main housing body (10) and located in the same plane, so that the first welding pins (22c) of the row of first terminals (2) can be soldered to the circuit board in a surface mount manner.

5. The connector according to claim 1, wherein a vertical slot (13) extending along the height direction (Z) of the main housing body (10) is formed on the inner side of the side wall (11) of the housing (1), and the two ends of the positioning plate (3) are respectively inserted and fixed into the vertical slots (13) of a pair of side walls (11) of the housing (1).

6. The connector according to claim 5, wherein elastic buckles (30) are respectively formed at both ends of the positioning plate (3), and the elastic buckle (30) include an elastic arm (3b) and a protrusion (3a) formed on the elastic arm (3b); wherein a snap slot (1a) is formed on the inner wall of the vertical slot (13) of the side wall (11), and the protrusion (3a) of the elastic buckle (30) is engaged with the snap slot (1a) to lock the two ends of the positioning plate (3) in the vertical slots (13) of the pair of side walls (11).

7. The connector according to claim 6, wherein ribs (3c) extending along the transverse direction (X) of the main housing body (10) are formed on the front and / or rear sides of the two ends of the positioning plate (3), respectively; the cross-section of the ribs (3c) is semi-circular and interference fit with the inner wall of the vertical slot (13) of the side wall (11) to fix the two ends of the positioning plate (3) in the vertical slot (13) of the pair of side walls (11).

8. The connector according to claim 7, wherein the rib (3c) comprises: an upper rib (3c') which is located near the top of the positioning plate (3); and a lower rib (3c") which is located near the bottom of the positioning plate (3), wherein the upper rib (3c') and the lower rib (3c") are formed on the front or rear side of the positioning plate (3).

9. The connector according to claim 1, wherein the first terminal (2) further comprises: a first fixing part (23) which is connected to the first connection part (22) and fixed to the rear wall (16) of the main housing body (10); and a first mating part (21) which is connected to the first fixing part (23) and extend into the main housing body (10) for mating with a first mating terminal inserted into the main housing body (10).

10. The connector according to claim 9, wherein a first slot (12) is formed on the rear wall (16) of the main housing body (10), and the first fixing part (23) is inserted into the first slot (12) in an interference fit manner to fix the first fixing part (23) to the rear wall (16) of the main housing body (10).

11. The connector according to any one of claims 1-10, further comprising: a row of second terminals (4) which is arranged in the main housing body (10) and located below the row of first terminals (2), wherein the second terminal (4) has a second connection part (42) extending from the rear wall (16) of the main housing body (10), and the positioning plate (3) is located between the first connection parts (22) of the row of first terminals (2) and the second connection parts (42) of the row of second terminals (4) to space them apart.

12. The connector according to claim 11, wherein the second connection part (42) of the second terminal (4) comprises: a second vertical arm (42b) which extends downward along the height direction (Z) of the main housing body (10); and a second welding pin (42c) which is connected to the lower end of the second vertical arm (42b) and extends backwards along the longitudinal direction (Y) of the main housing body (10), wherein the second welding pins (42c) of the row of second terminals (4) are arranged in a row in the transverse direction (X) of the main housing body (10) and located in the same plane, so that the second welding pins (42c) of the row of second terminals (4) can be soldered to the circuit board in a surface mount manner.

13. The connector according to claim 12, wherein the second terminal (4) further comprises: a second fixing part (43) which is connected to the upper end of the second vertical arm (42b) and fixed to the rear wall (16) of the main housing body (10); and a second mating part (41) which is connected to the second fixing part (43) and extend into the main housing body (10), for mating with a second mating terminal inserted into the main housing body (10), wherein optionally a second slot (14) is formed on the rear wall (16) of the main housing body (10), and the second fixing part (43) is inserted into the second slot (14) in an interference fit manner to fix the second fixing part (43) to the rear wall (16) of the main housing body (10), wherein optionally an upper insertion cavity (101) and a lower insertion cavity (102) are formed in the main housing body (10) and spaced apart in the height direction (Z); the first mating parts (21) of the row of first terminals (2) extend into the upper insertion cavity (101), and the second mating parts (41) of the row of second terminals (4) extend into the lower insertion cavity (102).

14. The connector according to claim 1, further comprising: a pair of installation buckles (5) which are respectively fixed to the two ends of the housing (1) in the transverse direction (X), wherein the installation buckle (5) is suitable for being snapped into a socket in the circuit board to fix the housing (1) to the circuit board.

15. The connector according to claim 14, wherein the installation buckle (5) comprises a plate-shaped body (50) and a pair of elastic legs (51) connected to the plate-shaped body (50); installation slots (15) are respectively formed on the outer sides of the two ends of the housing (1) in the transverse direction (X), and the plate-shaped body (50) of the installation buckle (5) is inserted into the installation slot (15), the pair of elastic legs (51) of the installation buckle (5) extend from the bottom of the housing (1) for insertion into the socket in the circuit board.

Images