Female connector equipped with a flexible contact element

Abstract

The present invention relates to a female connector (10) for mounting on a printed circuit board (12), comprising a cage (14) extending along an axial connection direction (A1), said cage (14) comprising: - a peripheral axial wall element (18), - an elongated opening (20), - a base (22) for soldering onto the printed circuit board (12) and for ensuring electrical connection with the printed circuit board (12), - at least one window (28), - at least one electrical contact element (30). The electrical contact element (30) is connected to the edge of the window (28) by a connecting portion (34) whose longitudinal dimension is smaller than the total longitudinal dimension of the electrical contact element (30), so as to increase the flexibility of the electrical contact element (30). Figure 1 for the abstract.

Description

Title of the invention: Female connector equipped with a flexible contact element Technical field of the invention

[0001] The present invention relates to a female connector.

[0002] The invention relates more particularly to a female connector intended to be soldered onto a printed circuit board. Technical background

[0003] Female connectors designed to be soldered onto a printed circuit board are already known. In particular, female connectors of the SMD type, i.e., Surface Mounted Component, are known, which have a base allowing soldering with tin.

[0004] We are particularly interested here in female connectors comprising an elongated cage to allow the insertion of a flat-bladed male connector. The cage is equipped with electrical contact elements that possess a certain degree of flexibility, enabling them to bear transversely against the faces of the male connector when it is inserted into the cage.

[0005] Current solutions do not always ensure a high-quality electrical contact between the electrical contact elements and the male connector. Furthermore, during the connection operations by insertion of the male connector, mechanical stresses in torsion or bending on the female connector can cause deformation of the cage, potentially damaging the solder joint.

[0006] There is therefore a need for a solution which would improve the electrical contact and its reliability, and thus allow relatively high amperages to pass through this female connector. Summary of the invention

[0007] The invention provides a female connector intended to be mounted on a printed circuit board, comprising a cage extending along an axial connection direction, said cage comprising: - a peripheral axial wall element, - an elongated opening extending along a longitudinal direction, suitable for inserting a flat male connector, - a base plate, positioned on the side opposite the opening, designed to be soldered onto the printed circuit board and to ensure the electrical connection with the printed circuit board, - at least one window fitted into a longitudinal face of the peripheral axial wall element, - at least one electrical contact element extending from one edge of the window towards the inside of the cage, characterized in that the electrical contact element is connected to the edge of the window by a connecting portion whose longitudinal dimension is less than the total longitudinal dimension of the electrical contact element, so as to accentuate the flexibility of the electrical contact element.

[0008] According to other features of the invention:

[0009] - the electrical contact member comprises an intermediate portion whose dimension longitudinal decreases towards the connecting portion;

[0010] - the intermediate portion has an overall trapezoidal shape;

[0011] - the electrical contact member comprises several electrical contact tabs substantially parallel which, in the absence of a male connector, are inclined from the intermediate portion towards the inside of the cage;

[0012] - the electrical contact member comprises at least three contact tabs electric;

[0013] - the electrical contact member is made in one piece with the wall element axial of the cage;

[0014] - the cage has a window in each longitudinal face of the element of peripheral axial wall, and each window includes an electrical contact element;

[0015] - the female connector is made from a single piece by cutting, bending, em stamping in a metal sheet. Brief description of the figures

[0016] Other features and advantages of the invention will become apparent upon reading the detailed description that follows, for an understanding of which reference should be made to the accompanying drawings in which:

[0017] [Fig-1] is a perspective view that schematically represents a connector female according to the invention;

[0018] [Fig.2] is a perspective view with a transverse axial section which represents the female connector of [Fig.1] from a different viewing angle and with a male connector inserted into the female connector;

[0019] [Fig.3] is a side view which represents the female connector of [Fig.1];

[0020] [Fig.4] is a top view which represents the female connector of [Fig.1]. Detailed description of the invention

[0021] For a description of the invention and an understanding of the claims, one The system will adopt, without limitation and without limiting reference to Earth's gravity, the vertical, longitudinal, and transverse orientations according to the V, L, T coordinate system shown in the figures, whose longitudinal axis L and transverse axis T extend in a horizontal plane. By convention, the longitudinal axis L is oriented from back to front.

[0022] In the description that follows, identical, similar or analogous elements will be designated by the same reference numerals.

[0023] Figures 1 to 4 illustrate an embodiment of a female connector 10 according to the invention.

[0024] Figures 1 and 2 schematically represent a printed circuit board 12 to show the positioning of the female connector 10 when it is soldered by tin soldering onto the upper face of the printed circuit board 12.

[0025] The female connector 10 has a cage 14 which extends along an axial connection direction Al, which corresponds to the insertion direction of a male connector 16 shown in [Fig.2].

[0026] In the remainder of the description, a vertical axial orientation along the axial direction of connection Al will be used without limitation, the male connector 16 being here intended to be inserted axially from top to bottom.

[0027] The cage 14 includes a peripheral axial wall element 18 which delimits, here at its upper axial end, an elongated opening 20 which extends along a longitudinal direction and which is suitable for allowing the insertion of the male connector 16.

[0028] It is noted that the male connector 16 is here a flat connector, that is to say formed of a blade, for example of copper, thinned at its lower free end to facilitate its insertion into the female connector 10.

[0029] The cage 14 has, at its lower axial end, a base 22 which rests on the printed circuit board 12, or at least which is here soldered onto the printed circuit board 12. The tin which forms the solder has not been shown here.

[0030] The base 22 is arranged on the opposite side to the opening 20 and is intended to ensure the electrical connection of the female connector 10 with the printed circuit board 12.

[0031] The cage 14 has, here in each longitudinal face 24, 26 of the axial wall element 18, a window 28 of generally rectangular shape. An electrical contact member 30 extends from the upper longitudinal edge 32 of the window 28 towards the interior of the cage 14.

[0032] The electrical contact member 30 is connected to the edge of the window 28 by a connecting portion 34 whose longitudinal dimension is less than the total longitudinal dimension of the electrical contact member 30.

[0033] The electrical contact member 30 comprises an intermediate portion 36 of which the The longitudinal dimension decreases towards the connecting portion 34. Here the intermediate portion 36 has an overall trapezoidal shape whose apex corresponds to the connecting portion 34.

[0034] Advantageously, the electrical contact member 30 comprises several substantially parallel electrical contact tabs 38 which, in the absence of a male connector 16, are inclined from the intermediate portion 36 towards the inside of the cage 14.

[0035] In the embodiment shown, each electrical contact member 30 has three electrical contact tabs 38. Each electrical contact tab 38 is here curved outwards at its free end to form a contact portion 40 suitable for making contact with the male connector 16. In addition, the contact portion 40 has, on the side of the male connector 16, a contact boss 42 of generally hemispherical shape.

[0036] Advantageously, each electrical contact member 30 is made from a single piece of material, that is to say, from one piece, with the axial wall element 18 of the cage 14.

[0037] The sole 22 is now described in more detail. It comprises several pins 44, preferably three pins 44, which extend over each lower longitudinal edge 46 of the cage 14.

[0038] Each spindle 44 here comprises two pallets 48 which are arranged at the end of a connecting arm 50. The connecting arm 50 is curved from the lower longitudinal edge 46 of the cage 14 and it extends, in a longitudinal transverse plane, through the pallets 48.

[0039] Preferably, each pallet 48 is generally flat and rectangular in shape, of the same thickness as the connecting arm 50 and the axial wall element 18.

[0040] The two pallets 48 delimit between them an intercalary space 52 which is generally rectangular in shape.

[0041] The pins 44 and their pallets 478 are oriented in opposite directions from each other, i.e. towards the outside of the cage 14

[0042] Advantageously, the pins 44 are made from a single piece of material, that is to say from a single piece, with the axial wall element 18 of the cage 14.

[0043] Advantageously, the longitudinal edges of the opening 20 are each provided with at least one centering element 54. According to the example shown, the cage 14 has four centering elements 54 which are arranged two by two opposite each other so as to ensure transverse centering of the male connector 16 when it is inserted into the cage 14.

[0044] Each centering element is presented here in the form of a leg 56 curved from the associated longitudinal edge of the opening 20 towards the inside of the cage 14. Each leg 56 here has here generally a flat rectangular shape, of the same thickness as the axial wall element 18.

[0045] Each leg 56 is here inclined at an angle between 35 and 55 degrees, preferably at an angle close to 45 degrees, with respect to the associated axial wall element 18.

[0046] Advantageously, the centering elements 54 are made from a single piece of material, that is to say, from a single piece, with the associated axial wall element 18.

[0047] Advantageously, the female connector 10 is made in one piece by cutting, bending, stamping, in a sheet metal.

[0048] The female connector 10 according to the invention facilitates assembly onto the printed circuit board 12 using an SMT-compatible process. The particular structure of the base 22 ensures better centering of the female connector 10 in its location by facilitating the capillary action of the meniscus formed by the tin layer around the pads.

[0049] In particular, the specific structure of the base 22, notably the presence of the spacers 52 between the paddles 48, but also between the pins 44, increases the wetted surface area and the number of edges through which the meniscus rises by capillary action. The greater the quantity of solder used, the greater the recentering force required when positioning the female connector 10 on the printed circuit board 12.

[0050] When inserting the male connector 16 into the cage 14, the tabs 56 guide the male connector 16 and ensure precise positioning as soon as it passes through the opening 20 of the cage 14. In particular, the tabs 56 hold the male connector 16 transversely so that it remains transversely centered in the cage 14.

[0051] The legs 56 ensure centering in the upper part of the cage 14.

[0052] In the lower part, the male connector 16 comes into contact with the electrical contact tabs 38 of the electrical contact members 30, which act like clips. Indeed, in their rest position, that is to say before the insertion of the male connector 16, the electrical contact tabs 38 are inclined towards the inside of the cage 14 and form a transverse space between them with a thickness less than the thickness of the male connector 16.

[0053] Thus, upon entering the cage 14, the male connector 16 pushes the electrical contact tabs 38 outwards. The electrical contact elements 30 are therefore forced towards the male connector 16 by elastic deformation.

[0054] Thanks to the connecting portion 34, the flexibility of the electrical contact members 30 is improved. In particular, the area dedicated to elastic deformation is located more precisely, which allows for better control of the elastic restoring force of the electrical contact members 30. Furthermore, this ensures that, during the insertion of the male connector 16, the mechanical stresses in torsion or bending on the female connector 10 will be minimized and absorbed by the bending of the members. electrical contact 30.

[0055] LEGEND

[0056] 10: female connector 12: Printed circuit board 14: cage 16: male connector 18: axial wall element 20: Opening 22: sole 24, 26: longitudinal faces 28: window 30: electrical contact element 32: upper longitudinal edge 34: connecting section 36: intermediate portion 38: electrical contact tab 40: contact portion 42: Contact boss 44: pin 46: lower longitudinal edge 48: palette 50: connecting branch 52: Intercalated space 54: centering element 56: paw Al: connection axis

Claims

Claims

1. Female connector (10) intended to be mounted on a printed circuit board (12), comprising a cage (14) which extends in an axial connection direction (A1), said cage (14) comprising: - a peripheral axial wall element (18), - an opening (20) of elongated shape which extends in a longitudinal direction and which is capable of allowing the insertion of a flat male connector (16), - a sole (22), arranged on the side opposite the opening (20), intended to be soldered on the printed circuit board (12) and to ensure the electrical connection with the printed circuit board (12), - at least one window (28) arranged in a longitudinal face (24, 26) of the peripheral axial wall element (18), - at least one electrical contact member (30) which extends from an edge (32) of the window (28) towards the inside of the cage (14),characterized in that the electrical contact member (30) is connected to the edge of the window (28) by a connecting portion (34) whose longitudinal dimension is less than the total longitudinal dimension of the electrical contact member (30), so as to accentuate the flexibility of the electrical contact member (30).,

2. Female connector (10) according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the electrical contact member (30) comprises an intermediate portion (36) whose longitudinal dimension decreases towards the connecting portion (34).

3. Female connector (10) according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the intermediate portion (36) has a generally trapezoidal shape.

4. Female connector (10) according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that the electrical contact member (30) comprises several substantially parallel electrical contact tabs (38) which, in the absence of a male connector (16), are inclined from the intermediate portion (36) towards the inside of the cage (14).

5. Female connector (10) according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the electrical contact member (30) comprises at least three electrical contact tabs (38).

6. Female connector (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the electrical contact member (30) is made in one piece with the axial wall element (18) of the cage (14).

7. Female connector (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the cage (14) comprises a window (28) arranged in each longitudinal face (24, 26) of the peripheral axial wall element (18), and each window (28) comprises an electrical contact member (30).

8. Female connector (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it is produced in a single piece by cutting, folding, stamping in a metal sheet.

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