Connector and electrical connection assembly

Abstract

To provide a connector capable of effectively absorbing a position error of two circuit boards and reducing manufacturing cost.SOLUTION: A connector is provided with a housing (1) having upper and bottom surfaces opposite to each other in the height direction, and also with a terminal (2) which is inserted into an insertion slot (10) of the housing (1) and has a soldered end (21) exposed from the upper surface of the housing (1) and a connecting end (22) exposed from the bottom surface of the housing (1). The soldering end 21 of the terminal 2 is adapted to be surface-mounted soldered to a first circuit board, and the connecting end 22 of the terminal 2 is configured to be electrically connected to a second circuit board. The terminals 2 of the connector are floatable relative to the second circuit board in the transverse, longitudinal and height directions of the housing. Only one connector is provided between two circuit boards, and a terminal 2 of the connector is soldered to one circuit board and can float with respect to the other circuit board.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application claims priority to Chinese Patent Application No. CN202411037444.2, filed with the State Intellectual Property Office of China on July 30, 2024, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.

[0002] The present invention relates to a connector and an electrical connection assembly including the connector. [Background technology]

[0003] Currently, the overall space utilization of vehicles is improving, reducing the installation space of each module while increasing the functionality of the module. In this case, to meet the functional requirements of the module, a two-layer circuit board solution is designed for the module. Furthermore, considering the assembly process errors of the two-layer circuit board, a floating connector between the two circuit boards must be designed to absorb these errors.

[0004] In the prior art, the conventional floating board-to-board connectors available on the market include a male connector and a female connector, which requires two connectors and two surface mount soldering processes for module installation, thereby increasing material management costs and manufacturing costs. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] The present invention has been made to overcome or mitigate at least one aspect of the above disadvantages. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] According to an aspect of the present invention, a connector is provided. The connector includes a housing with an insertion slot, the housing having a top surface and a bottom surface opposite each other in the height direction of the housing, and terminals inserted into the insertion slot of the housing and having soldering ends exposed from the top surface of the housing and connection ends exposed from the bottom surface of the housing. The soldering ends of the terminals are adapted to be soldered to a first circuit board in a surface-mounted manner, and the connection ends of the terminals are configured to be electrically connected to a second circuit board. The connector terminals are capable of floating in the horizontal, vertical, and height directions of the housing relative to the second circuit board.

[0007] According to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the connection ends of the terminals are configured to electrically contact contact pads of the second circuit board, and the dimensions of the connection ends of the terminals in the lateral direction of the housing are smaller than the dimensions of the second circuit board in the lateral direction of the housing to allow the terminals of the connector to float laterally relative to the second circuit board.

[0008] According to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the dimension of the connection end of the terminal in the vertical direction of the housing is smaller than the dimension of the second circuit board in the vertical direction of the housing to allow the terminal of the connector to float in the vertical direction relative to the second circuit board.

[0009] According to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the terminal further has an elastic portion located between the soldering end and the connection end of the terminal, the elastic portion being elastically deformable in the height direction of the housing so as to allow the terminal of the connector to float in the height direction relative to the second circuit board.

[0010] According to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the resilient portion is S-shaped and has upper and lower ends connected to the soldering end and the connecting end, respectively.

[0011] According to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the soldering end is in the form of a strip extending in the longitudinal direction of the housing, and the connecting end is in the form of a post extending in the height direction of the housing, with the upper end of the elastic part being connected to the center of the soldering end and the connecting end extending downward in the height direction from the lower end of the elastic part.

[0012] According to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the housing has front and rear sides opposed to each other in the longitudinal direction of the housing, a row of insertion slots is formed in each of the front and rear sides of the housing, the row of insertion slots in the front side and the row of insertion slots in the rear side being alternately arranged in the transverse direction of the housing, and the connector includes two rows of terminals, the two rows of terminals being inserted into the row of insertion slots in the front side and the row of insertion slots in the rear side of the housing, respectively.

[0013] According to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the housing has left and right sides opposite each other in the lateral direction of the housing, solder pins are fixed to the left and right sides of the housing, respectively, and the solder pins and the two rows of terminals are adapted to be simultaneously soldered to a first circuit board in a surface-mount manner.

[0014] According to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the housing includes a fixed shell configured to be fixed to a first circuit board and a floating shell located below the fixed shell and floating relative to the fixed shell. The soldering ends of the terminals are fixed to the fixed shell, and the connection ends of the terminals protrude from the bottom of the floating shell and are configured to be press-fit into insertion holes in a second circuit board. The terminals further have fixed portions fixed within the floating shell and elastic portions located between the soldering ends and the fixed portions, allowing the terminals to float together with the floating shell relative to the second circuit board.

[0015] According to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a positioning pillar is formed on the bottom of the floating shell, and the positioning pillar is configured to cooperate with a positioning hole of the second circuit board to guide the press-fitting of the connection end of the terminal into the insertion hole of the second circuit board.

[0016] According to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the positioning post has a tapered guide end configured to guide insertion of the positioning post into the positioning hole of the second circuit board.

[0017] According to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the elastic portion is S-shaped and has upper and lower ends connected to the soldering end and the fixed portion, respectively, and the connected end extends downward from the fixed portion in the height direction of the housing.

[0018] According to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the insertion slots include an upper insertion slot located in the fixed shell, and the soldering end of the terminal has a flat plate shape and is inserted into the upper insertion slot of the fixed shell with an interference fit. The insertion slots further include a lower insertion slot located in the floating shell, and the fixing portion of the terminal has a flat plate shape and is inserted into the lower insertion slot of the floating shell with an interference fit.

[0019] According to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention, two rows of upper insertion slots are formed in the fixed shell, the connector includes two rows of terminals, the soldering ends of the terminals in the two rows are inserted into the two upper insertion slots, and two rows of lower insertion slots are formed in the floating shell, the fixing portions of the terminals in the two rows are inserted into the two lower insertion slots.

[0020] According to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the fixed shell has laterally opposite left and right sides, soldering pins are fixed to the left and right sides of the fixed shell, respectively, and the soldering pins and the two rows of terminals are adapted to be simultaneously soldered to a first circuit board in a surface-mount manner.

[0021] According to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the floating shell is movably assembled to the fixed shell such that the floating shell can move in the lateral, longitudinal and height directions of the housing relative to the fixed shell, allowing the terminals to float in the lateral, longitudinal and height directions relative to the second circuit board.

[0022] According to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention, resilient latches are formed on both lateral sides of the floating shell, and retaining grooves are formed on both lateral sides of the fixed shell, and the resilient latches are movably engaged with the retaining grooves such that the floating shell can move laterally, vertically, and in height relative to the fixed shell but cannot be separated from the fixed shell.

[0023] According to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the connecting end of the terminal includes a pair of arc-shaped elastic arms, the upper ends of which are connected to a fixed portion. The pair of arc-shaped elastic arms are bent in an arch shape in opposite directions so that the connecting end has a fisheye shape. The lower ends of the pair of arc-shaped elastic arms are spaced apart by a predetermined distance, so that the connecting end of the terminal is elastically deformable to allow the connecting end of the terminal to float in a height direction relative to the second circuit board.

[0024] According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided an electrical connection assembly comprising a first circuit board, a second circuit board having contact pads, and the connector described above, wherein soldering ends of terminals of the connector are soldered to the first circuit board and connecting ends of the terminals are in electrical contact with the contact pads of the second circuit board.

[0025] According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided an electrical connection assembly comprising a first circuit board, a second circuit board having an insertion hole, and the connector described above, wherein the soldering ends of the connector terminals are soldered to the first circuit board and the connecting ends of the terminals are press-fit into the insertion hole of the second circuit board.

[0026] According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a connector. The connector includes a housing having a fixed shell and a floating shell facing each other in the height direction of the housing, and terminals inserted into insertion slots in the housing and having soldering ends exposed from the top surface of the fixed shell and connecting ends exposed from the bottom surface of the floating shell. The soldering ends of the terminals are adapted to be surface-mounted and soldered to a first circuit board, the fixed shell is configured to be fixed to the first circuit board, and the connecting ends of the terminals are configured to be electrically connected to a second circuit board. The connector terminals further include elastic portions located between the soldering ends and connecting ends of the terminals, allowing the floating shell to float in both horizontal and vertical directions.

[0027] According to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the connecting end of the terminal includes a pair of arc-shaped elastic arms bent in an arch shape in opposite directions so that the connecting end has a fisheye shape, and lower ends of the pair of arc-shaped elastic arms are spaced apart by a predetermined distance, thereby allowing the connecting end of the terminal to be elastically deformable so as to allow the connecting end of the terminal to float in a height direction relative to the second circuit board.

[0028] In the above exemplary embodiments according to the present invention, only one connector is provided between the two circuit boards, and the terminals of the connector are soldered to one circuit board and can float relative to the other circuit board, thereby effectively absorbing the position error of the two circuit boards and reducing the manufacturing cost.

[0029] These and other features of the present invention will become more apparent from the detailed description of illustrative embodiments of the invention taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0030] [Figure 1] 1 is an explanatory perspective view of a connector according to a first embodiment of the present invention, as viewed from above; [Figure 2] FIG. 1 is an explanatory exploded view of a connector according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3] 1 is an explanatory perspective view of a connector according to a first embodiment of the present invention, as viewed from below. [Figure 4] 1 is an explanatory plan view of a connector according to a first embodiment of the present invention, seen from the front, showing a first circuit board and a second circuit board; [Figure 5] 1 is an explanatory plan view of a connector according to a first embodiment of the present invention, seen from the left side, showing a first circuit board and a second circuit board. FIG. [Figure 6] FIG. 10 is an explanatory perspective view of a connector according to a second embodiment of the present invention, as viewed from above. [Figure 7] FIG. 6 is an explanatory exploded view of a connector according to a second embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 8] FIG. 4 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of a connector according to a second embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 9] 10 is a cross-sectional plan view of a connector according to a second embodiment of the present invention, showing a first circuit board and a second circuit board. FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0031] Exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Like reference numerals refer to like elements throughout the drawings. However, the present disclosure may be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the concept of the disclosure to those skilled in the art.

[0032] 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 diagrammatically shown to simplify the drawings.

[0033] According to a general concept of the present invention, there is provided a connector. The connector includes a housing with an insertion slot, the housing having a top surface and a bottom surface opposite each other in the height direction of the housing, and terminals inserted into the insertion slot of the housing and having soldering ends exposed from the top surface of the housing and connection ends exposed from the bottom surface of the housing. The soldering ends of the terminals are adapted to be soldered to a first circuit board in a surface-mounted manner, and the connection ends of the terminals are configured to be electrically connected to a second circuit board. The connector terminals are capable of floating in the horizontal, vertical, and height directions of the housing relative to the second circuit board.

[0034] According to another general aspect of the present invention, there is provided an electrical connection assembly comprising a first circuit board, a second circuit board having contact pads, and the connector described above, wherein soldering ends of terminals of the connector are soldered to the first circuit board and connecting ends of the terminals are in electrical contact with the contact pads of the second circuit board.

[0035] According to another general aspect of the present invention, there is provided an electrical connection assembly including a first circuit board, a second circuit board having an insertion hole, and the connector described above, wherein the soldering ends of the connector terminals are soldered to the first circuit board and the connecting ends of the terminals are press-fit into the insertion hole of the second circuit board.

[0036] According to another general concept of the present invention, there is provided a connector. The connector includes a housing having a fixed shell and a floating shell opposed to each other in the height direction of the housing, and terminals inserted into insertion slots in the housing and having soldering ends exposed from the top surface of the fixed shell and connecting ends exposed from the bottom surface of the floating shell. The soldering ends of the terminals are adapted to be surface-mounted and soldered to a first circuit board, the fixed shell is configured to be fixed to the first circuit board, and the connecting ends of the terminals are configured to be electrically connected to a second circuit board. The connector terminals further include elastic portions located between the soldering ends and connecting ends of the terminals, allowing the floating shell to float in both horizontal and vertical directions.

[0037] 1 to 5 show a first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1 is an explanatory perspective view of a connector according to the first embodiment of the present invention, as seen from above. FIG. 2 is an explanatory exploded view of a connector according to the first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is an explanatory perspective view of a connector according to the first embodiment of the present invention, as seen from below. FIG. 4 is an explanatory plan view of a connector according to the first embodiment of the present invention, as seen from the front, showing a first circuit board 4 and a second circuit board 5. FIG. 5 is an explanatory plan view of a connector according to the first embodiment of the present invention, as seen from the left, showing a first circuit board 4 and a second circuit board 5.

[0038] As shown in FIGS. 1 to 5 , a connector is disclosed in an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. The connector includes a housing 1 and terminals 2. The housing 1 includes an insertion slot 10 and has a top surface and a bottom surface opposite each other in a height direction Z of the housing. The terminals 2 are inserted into the insertion slot 10 of the housing 1 and have soldering ends 21 exposed from the top surface of the housing 1 and connection ends 22 exposed from the bottom surface of the housing 1. The soldering ends 21 of the terminals 2 are adapted to be soldered to a first circuit board 4 in a surface-mounted manner, and the connection ends 22 of the terminals 2 are configured to be electrically connected to a second circuit board 5. The terminals 2 of the connector are capable of floating relative to the second circuit board 5 in the lateral direction X, longitudinal direction Y, and height direction Z of the housing 1.

[0039] 1 to 5, in the illustrated embodiment, the connection ends 22 of the terminals 2 are configured to electrically contact the contact pads 5a of the second circuit board 5. The dimensions of the connection ends 22 of the terminals 2 in the lateral direction X of the housing 1 are smaller than the dimensions of the second circuit board 5 in the lateral direction X of the housing 1 to allow the terminals 2 of the connector to float in the lateral direction X relative to the second circuit board 5.

[0040] As shown in Figures 1 to 5, in the illustrated embodiment, the dimension of the connection end 22 of the terminal 2 in the longitudinal direction Y of the housing 1 is smaller than the dimension of the second circuit board 5 in the longitudinal direction Y of the housing 1 so as to allow the terminal 2 of the connector to float in the longitudinal direction Y relative to the second circuit board 5.

[0041] As shown in Figures 1 to 5, in the illustrated embodiment, the terminal 2 further has an elastic portion 23 located between the soldering end 21 and the connection end 22 of the terminal 2, and the elastic portion 23 is elastically deformable in the height direction Z of the housing 1 so as to allow the terminal 2 of the connector to float in the height direction Z relative to the second circuit board 5.

[0042] 1 to 5, in the illustrated embodiment, the elastic portion 23 is S-shaped, with an upper end and a lower end connected to the soldering end 21 and the connecting end 22, respectively. In the illustrated embodiment, the S-shape of the elastic portion 23 of the terminal 2 and its relatively small thickness allow the elastic portion 23 of the terminal 2 to elastically deform not only in the height direction Z but also in the lateral direction X and the longitudinal direction Y.

[0043] 1 to 5, in the illustrated embodiment, the soldering end 21 is in the form of a strip extending in the longitudinal direction Y of the housing 1, and the connecting end 22 is in the form of a column extending in the height direction Z of the housing 1. The upper end of the elastic portion 23 is connected to the center of the soldering end 21, and the connecting end 22 extends downward in the height direction Z from the lower end of the elastic portion 23.

[0044] 1 to 5, in the illustrated embodiment, the housing 1 has a front side and a rear side that are opposite to each other in the longitudinal direction Y of the housing 1, and a row of insertion slots 10 is formed in each of the front side and the rear side of the housing 1, and the row of insertion slots 10 in the front side and the row of insertion slots 10 in the rear side are alternately arranged in the transverse direction X of the housing 1. The connector has two rows of terminals 2, and the two rows of terminals 2 are inserted into the row of insertion slots 10 in the front side and the row of insertion slots 10 in the rear side of the housing 1, respectively.

[0045] As shown in FIGS. 1 to 5, in the illustrated embodiment, the housing 1 has a left side and a right side opposite to each other in the lateral direction X of the housing 1, and soldering pins 3 are fixed to the left side and the right side of the housing 1, respectively, and the soldering pins 3 and the two rows of terminals 2 are adapted to be simultaneously soldered to a first circuit board 4 in a surface-mounted manner.

[0046] 1 to 5, another exemplary embodiment of the present invention discloses an electrical connection assembly. The electrical connection assembly includes a first circuit board 4, a second circuit board 5, and the connector described above. The second circuit board 5 includes contact pads 5a. The soldering ends 21 of the terminals 2 of the connector are soldered to the first circuit board 4, and the connecting ends 22 of the terminals 2 are in electrical contact with the contact pads 5a of the second circuit board 5.

[0047] 6 to 9 show a second embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 6 is an explanatory perspective view of a connector according to the second embodiment of the present invention as seen from above. Fig. 7 is an explanatory exploded view of a connector according to the second embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 8 is a longitudinal sectional view of a connector according to the second embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 9 is a plan sectional view of a connector according to the second embodiment of the present invention, showing a first circuit board 4 and a second circuit board 5.

[0048] As shown in FIGS. 6 to 9 , a connector is disclosed in an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. The connector includes a housing 1 and terminals 2. The housing 1 includes an insertion slot 10 and has a top surface and a bottom surface opposite each other in a height direction Z of the housing. The terminals 2 are inserted into the insertion slot 10 of the housing 1 and have soldering ends 21 exposed from the top surface of the housing 1 and connection ends 22 exposed from the bottom surface of the housing 1. The soldering ends 21 of the terminals 2 are adapted to be soldered to a first circuit board 4 in a surface-mounted manner, and the connection ends 22 of the terminals 2 are configured to be electrically connected to a second circuit board 5. The terminals 2 of the connector are capable of floating relative to the second circuit board 5 in the lateral direction X, longitudinal direction Y, and height direction Z of the housing 1.

[0049] As shown in FIGS. 6 to 9 , in the illustrated embodiment, the housing 1 includes a fixed shell 11 and a floating shell 12. The fixed shell 11 is configured to be fixed to the first circuit board 4. The floating shell 12 is located below the fixed shell 11 and is capable of floating relative to the fixed shell 11. The soldering ends 21 of the terminals 2 are fixed to the fixed shell 11, and the connection ends 22 of the terminals 2 protrude from the bottom of the floating shell 12 and are configured to be press-fit into the insertion holes 5b of the second circuit board 5. The terminals 2 further have a fixed portion 24 fixed within the floating shell 12 and an elastic portion 23 located between the soldering end 21 and the fixed portion 24, thereby allowing the terminals 2 to float together with the floating shell 12 relative to the second circuit board 5.

[0050] 6 to 9, in the illustrated embodiment, positioning posts 13 are formed on the bottom of the floating shell 12. The positioning posts 13 are configured to cooperate with positioning holes in the second circuit board 5 to guide the press-fitting of the connection ends 22 of the terminals 2 into the insertion holes 5b of the second circuit board 5.

[0051] 6 to 9, in the illustrated embodiment, the positioning pillar 13 has a tapered guide end portion 13a that is configured to guide the insertion of the positioning pillar 13 into a positioning hole (not shown) of the second circuit board 5.

[0052] 6 to 9, in the illustrated embodiment, the elastic portion 23 is S-shaped and has an upper end and a lower end connected to the soldering end 21 and the fixed portion 24, respectively, and the connecting end 22 extends downward from the fixed portion 24 in the height direction Z of the housing 1. In the illustrated embodiment, the S-shape of the elastic portion 23 of the terminal 2 and its relatively thin thickness allow the elastic portion 23 of the terminal 2 to elastically deform not only in the height direction Z but also in the lateral direction X and the longitudinal direction Y.

[0053] 6 to 9, in the illustrated embodiment, the insertion slot 10 includes an upper insertion slot 101 located in the fixed shell 11, and the soldering end 21 of the terminal 2 has a flat plate shape and is inserted into the upper insertion slot 101 of the fixed shell 11 with an interference fit. The insertion slot 10 further includes a lower insertion slot 102 located in the floating shell 12, and the fixing portion 24 of the terminal 2 has a flat plate shape and is inserted into the lower insertion slot 102 of the floating shell 12 with an interference fit.

[0054] 6 to 9, in the illustrated embodiment, two rows of upper insertion slots 101 are formed in the fixed shell 11, the connector has two rows of terminals 2, and the soldering ends 21 of the two rows of terminals 2 are inserted into the two rows of upper insertion slots 101, respectively. Two rows of lower insertion slots 102 are formed in the floating shell 12, and the fixing portions 24 of the two rows of terminals 2 are inserted into the two rows of lower insertion slots 102, respectively.

[0055] As shown in FIGS. 6 to 9, in the illustrated embodiment, the fixed shell 11 has a left side and a right side opposite to each other in the lateral direction X, the soldering pins 3 are fixed to the left side and the right side of the fixed shell 11, respectively, and the soldering pins 3 and the two rows of terminals 2 are adapted to be simultaneously soldered to the first circuit board 4 in a surface-mounted manner.

[0056] As shown in FIGS. 6 to 9 , in the illustrated embodiment, the floating shell 12 is movably assembled to the fixed shell 11 such that the floating shell 12 can move in the lateral direction X, the longitudinal direction Y, and the height direction Z of the housing 1 relative to the fixed shell 11, thereby allowing the terminals 2 to float in the lateral direction X, the longitudinal direction Y, and the height direction Z relative to the second circuit board 5.

[0057] As shown in FIGS. 6 to 9 , in the illustrated embodiment, elastic latches 14 are formed on both sides of the floating shell 12 in the lateral direction X, and retaining grooves 15 are formed on both sides of the fixed shell 11 in the lateral direction X, and the elastic latches 14 are movably engaged with the retaining grooves 15 so that the floating shell 12 can move in the lateral direction X, the longitudinal direction Y, and the height direction Z relative to the fixed shell 11 but cannot be separated from the fixed shell 11.

[0058] 6 to 9, in the illustrated embodiment, the connection end 22 of the terminal 2 includes a pair of arc-shaped elastic arms 22a. The pair of arc-shaped elastic arms 22a are connected to the fixing portion 24 at their upper ends. The pair of arc-shaped elastic arms 22a are bent in an arch shape in opposite directions so that the connection end 22 has a fisheye shape. The lower ends of the pair of arc-shaped elastic arms 22a are spaced apart by a predetermined distance, so that the connection end 22 of the terminal 2 is elastically deformable to allow the connection end 22 of the terminal 2 to float in the height direction Z relative to the second circuit board 5.

[0059] 6 to 9, an electrical connection assembly is disclosed in another exemplary embodiment of the present invention. The electrical connection assembly includes a first circuit board 4, a second circuit board 5, and the above-described connector. The second circuit board 5 includes an insertion hole 5b. The soldering end 21 of the terminal 2 of the connector is soldered to the first circuit board 4, and the connection end 22 of the terminal 2 is press-fit into the insertion hole 5b of the second circuit board 5.

[0060] As shown in FIGS. 6 to 9 , a connector is disclosed in another exemplary embodiment of the present invention. The connector includes a housing 1 and a terminal 2. The housing 1 has a fixed shell 11 and a floating shell 12 that face each other in the height direction Z of the housing. The terminal 2 is inserted into an insertion slot 10 of the housing 1 and has a soldering end 21 exposed from the top surface of the fixed shell 11 and a connecting end 22 exposed from the bottom surface of the floating shell 12. The soldering end 21 of the terminal 2 is adapted to be soldered to a first circuit board 4 in a surface-mount manner, and the fixed shell 11 is configured to be fixed to the first circuit board 4. The connecting end 22 of the terminal 2 is configured to be electrically connected to a second circuit board 5. The terminal 2 of the connector further includes an elastic portion 23 located between the soldering end 21 and the connecting end 22 of the terminal, thereby allowing the floating shell 12 to float in the horizontal direction X and the vertical direction Y.

[0061] 6 to 9, in the illustrated embodiment, the connection end 22 of the terminal 2 includes a pair of arc-shaped elastic arms 22a. The pair of arc-shaped elastic arms 22a are connected to the fixing portion 24 at their upper ends. The pair of arc-shaped elastic arms 22a are bent in an arch shape in opposite directions so that the connection end 22 has a fisheye shape. The lower ends of the pair of arc-shaped elastic arms 22a are spaced apart by a predetermined distance, so that the connection end 22 of the terminal 2 is elastically deformable to allow the connection end 22 of the terminal 2 to float in the height direction Z relative to the second circuit board 5.

[0062] It should be understood by those skilled in the art that the above embodiments are intended to be illustrative and not restrictive. For example, those skilled in the art can make many modifications to the above embodiments without any contradiction in structure or principle, and can freely combine various features described in different embodiments with each other.

[0063] While several exemplary embodiments have been shown and described, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes or modifications can be made to these embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of the present disclosure, the scope of which is defined by the following claims and their equivalents.

[0064] As used herein, elements described in the singular and preceded by the word "a" or "an" should be understood as not excluding a plurality of such elements or steps, unless expressly stated otherwise. Furthermore, references to "one embodiment" of the invention are not intended to be interpreted as excluding the existence of additional embodiments that also incorporate the recited features. Furthermore, unless expressly stated otherwise, embodiments "comprising" or "having" an element or elements having a particular characteristic may include additional such elements that do not have that characteristic.

Claims

1. A connector, a housing (1) with an insertion slot (10), the housing having a top surface and a bottom surface opposite to each other in a height direction (Z) of the housing; a terminal (2) inserted into the insertion slot (10) of the housing (1) and having a soldering end (21) exposed from the top surface of the housing (1) and a connecting end (22) exposed from the bottom surface of the housing (1); Equipped with The soldering end (21) of the terminal (2) is adapted to be surface-mounted and soldered to a first circuit board (4), and the connecting end (22) of the terminal (2) is configured to be electrically connected to a second circuit board (5); The terminals (2) of the connector are capable of floating relative to the second circuit board (5) in the horizontal direction (X), vertical direction (Y), and height direction (Z) of the housing (1).

2. 2. The connector according to claim 1, wherein the connecting ends (22) of the terminals (2) are configured to electrically contact contact pads (5a) of the second circuit board (5), and a dimension of the connecting ends (22) of the terminals (2) in the lateral direction (X) of the housing (1) is smaller than a dimension of the second circuit board (5) in the lateral direction (X) of the housing (1) to allow the terminals (2) of the connector to float in the lateral direction (X) relative to the second circuit board (5).

3. 3. The connector according to claim 2, wherein a dimension of the connecting end (22) of the terminal (2) in the longitudinal direction (Y) of the housing (1) is smaller than a dimension of the second circuit board (5) in the longitudinal direction (Y) of the housing (1) to allow the terminal (2) of the connector to float in the longitudinal direction (Y) relative to the second circuit board (5).

4. 4. The connector according to claim 3, wherein the terminals (2) further have elastic portions (23) located between the soldering ends (21) and the connection ends (22) of the terminals (2), and the elastic portions (23) are elastically deformable in the height direction (Z) of the housing (1) so as to enable the terminals (2) of the connector to float in the height direction (Z) relative to the second circuit board (5).

5. 5. The connector of claim 4, wherein the elastic portion (23) is S-shaped and has upper and lower ends connected to the soldering end (21) and the connecting end (22), respectively.

6. the soldering end (21) is in the form of a strip extending in the longitudinal direction (Y) of the housing (1), and the connecting end (22) is in the form of a column extending in the height direction (Z) of the housing (1); 6. The connector of claim 5, wherein the upper end of the elastic portion (23) is connected to the center of the soldering end (21), and the connection end (22) extends downward in the height direction (Z) from the lower end of the elastic portion (23).

7. The housing (1) has a front side and a rear side opposite to each other in the longitudinal direction (Y) of the housing (1), and a row of insertion slots (10) is formed in each of the front side and the rear side of the housing (1), and the row of insertion slots (10) in the front side and the row of insertion slots (10) in the rear side are alternately arranged in the transverse direction (X) of the housing (1); 3. The connector according to claim 2, wherein the connector has two rows of the terminals (2), and the two rows of the terminals (2) are inserted into the row of insertion slots (10) in the front side and the row of insertion slots (10) in the rear side of the housing (1), respectively.

8. 8. The connector according to claim 7, wherein the housing (1) has a left side and a right side opposite to each other in the lateral direction (X) of the housing (1), soldering pins (3) are fixed to the left side and the right side of the housing (1), respectively, and the soldering pins (3) and the two rows of terminals (2) are adapted to be simultaneously soldered to the first circuit board (4) in a surface-mounted manner.

9. The housing (1) a fixed shell (11) configured to be fixed to the first circuit board (4); a floating shell (12) located below the fixed shell (11) and capable of floating relative to the fixed shell (11); Including, The soldering end (21) of the terminal (2) is fixed to the fixed shell (11), and the connection end (22) of the terminal (2) protrudes from the bottom of the floating shell (12) and is configured to be press-fitted into the insertion hole (5b) of the second circuit board (5); 2. The connector of claim 1, wherein the terminal (2) further has a fixed portion (24) fixed within the floating shell (12) and an elastic portion (23) located between the soldering end (21) and the fixed portion (24), thereby allowing the terminal (2) to float together with the floating shell (12) relative to the second circuit board (5).

10. 10. The connector according to claim 9, wherein a positioning pillar (13) is formed on the bottom of the floating shell (12), and the positioning pillar (13) is configured to cooperate with a positioning hole of the second circuit board (5) to guide the press-fitting of the connection end (22) of the terminal (2) into the insertion hole (5b) of the second circuit board (5).

11. 11. The connector of claim 10, wherein the positioning post (13) has a tapered guide end (13a), the tapered guide end (13a) being configured to guide insertion of the positioning post (13) into the positioning hole of the second circuit board (5).

12. 10. The connector of claim 9, wherein the elastic portion (23) is S-shaped and has upper and lower ends connected to the soldering end (21) and the fixing portion (24), respectively, and the connecting end (22) extends downward from the fixing portion (24) in the height direction (Z) of the housing (1).

13. The insertion slot (10) includes an upper insertion slot (101) located in the fixed shell (11), and the soldering end (21) of the terminal (2) has a flat plate shape and is inserted into the upper insertion slot (101) of the fixed shell (11) with an interference fit; 10. The connector of claim 9, wherein the insertion slot (10) further includes a lower insertion slot (102) located in the floating shell (12), and the fixing portion (24) of the terminal (2) has a flat plate shape and is inserted into the lower insertion slot (102) of the floating shell (12) with an interference fit.

14. Two rows of the upper insertion slots (101) are formed in the fixed shell (11), the connector has two rows of the terminals (2), and the soldering ends (21) of the two rows of terminals (2) are inserted into the two rows of the upper insertion slots (101), respectively; 14. The connector according to claim 13, wherein two rows of the lower insertion slots (102) are formed in the floating shell (12), and the fixing portions (24) of the two rows of terminals (2) are inserted into the two rows of the lower insertion slots (102), respectively.

15. 15. The connector according to claim 14, wherein the fixed shell (11) has a left side and a right side opposite to each other in the lateral direction (X), soldering pins (3) are fixed to the left side and the right side of the fixed shell (11), respectively, and the soldering pins (3) and the two rows of terminals (2) are adapted to be simultaneously soldered to the first circuit board (4) in a surface-mounted manner.

16. 10. The connector according to claim 9, wherein the floating shell (12) is movably assembled to the fixed shell (11) so that the floating shell (12) can move in the lateral direction (X), the vertical direction (Y), and the height direction (Z) of the housing (1) relative to the fixed shell (11), thereby enabling the terminals (2) to float in the lateral direction (X), the vertical direction (Y), and the height direction (Z) relative to the second circuit board (5).

17. 17. The connector of claim 16, wherein elastic latches (14) are formed on both sides of the floating shell (12) in the lateral direction (X), and retaining grooves (15) are formed on both sides of the fixed shell (11) in the lateral direction (X), and the elastic latches (14) are movably engaged with the retaining grooves (15) so that the floating shell (12) can move in the lateral direction (X), the longitudinal direction (Y), and the height direction (Z) relative to the fixed shell (11) but cannot be separated from the fixed shell (11).

18. The connection end (22) of the terminal (2) is a pair of arc-shaped elastic arms (22a) connected at upper ends of the pair of arc-shaped elastic arms (22a) to the fixed portion (24); The pair of arc-shaped elastic arms (22a) are bent in an arch shape in opposite directions so that the connecting ends (22) form a fisheye shape, 18. A connector as described in any one of claims 9 to 17, wherein the lower ends of the pair of arc-shaped elastic arms (22a) are spaced apart by a predetermined distance, thereby allowing the connecting end (22) of the terminal (2) to be elastically deformable so as to allow the connecting end (22) of the terminal (2) to float in the height direction (Z) relative to the second circuit board (5).

19. 1. An electrical connection assembly comprising: a first circuit board (4); a second circuit board (5) provided with contact pads (5a); The connector according to any one of claims 1 to 8. Equipped with The soldering ends (21) of the terminals (2) of the connector are soldered to the first circuit board (4), and the connecting ends (22) of the terminals (2) are in electrical contact with the contact pads (5a) of the second circuit board (5).

20. 1. An electrical connection assembly comprising: a first circuit board (4); a second circuit board (5) having an insertion hole (5b); A connector according to any one of claims 9 to 18. Equipped with The soldering end (21) of the terminal (2) of the connector is soldered to the first circuit board (4), and the connection end (22) of the terminal (2) is press-fitted into the insertion hole (5b) of the second circuit board (5).

21. A connector, A housing (1) having a fixed shell (11) and a floating shell (12) facing each other in a height direction (Z) of the housing; a terminal (2) inserted into the insertion slot (10) of the housing (1) and having a soldering end (21) exposed from the top surface of the fixed shell (11) and a connecting end (22) exposed from the bottom surface of the floating shell (12); Equipped with the soldering end (21) of the terminal (2) is adapted to be surface-mounted and soldered to a first circuit board (4), the fixing shell (11) is configured to be fixed to the first circuit board (4), and the connecting end (22) of the terminal (2) is configured to be electrically connected to a second circuit board (5); The terminal (2) of the connector further has an elastic portion (23) located between the soldering end (21) and the connecting end (22) of the terminal, thereby allowing the floating shell (12) to float in the lateral (X) and vertical (Y) directions.

22. The connection end (22) of the terminal (2) is The connecting end (22) includes a pair of arc-shaped elastic arms (22a) bent in an arch shape in opposite directions so as to have a fish-eye shape, 22. The connector of claim 21, wherein the lower ends of the pair of arc-shaped elastic arms (22a) are spaced apart by a predetermined distance, thereby allowing the connecting end (22) of the terminal (2) to be elastically deformable so as to allow the connecting end (22) of the terminal (2) to float in the height direction (Z) relative to the second circuit board (5).

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