Wire end connector

Abstract

This invention discloses an electrical connector assembly, comprising a wire-end connector and a board-end connector. The board-end connector is used for electrically connecting a circuit board. The board-end connector includes a first housing, a slot, and a plurality of conductive terminals. The plurality of conductive terminals are disposed inside the slot. The wire-end connector is detachably mated to the board-end connector. The board-end connector includes a second housing and a tongue. The wire-end connector has four sidewalls that collectively define a receiving space. The tongue is disposed within the receiving space. The tongue connects to a cable assembly, and the surface of the tongue is provided with a plurality of contact pads. When the board-end connector and the wire-end connector are mated, the tongue inserts into the slot, causing the plurality of contact pads to make electrical contact with the plurality of conductive terminals, while the first housing inserts into the receiving space.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] This invention relates to an electrical connector assembly and its wire end connector, and more particularly to an electrical connector assembly and its wire end connector for enhancing signal transmission stability. [Previous Technology]

[0002] Wire-end connectors and board-end connectors connect each other to electrically connect their internal conductive terminals, thereby achieving signal transmission. The stability of the connection structure between connectors affects the stability of signal transmission. Existing wire-end connectors often require bending of the connected cable during installation due to insufficient space or the cable sagging due to gravity, causing the connector structure to sway or be stretched, thus resulting in unstable signal transmission.

[0003] Therefore, how to overcome the above-mentioned defects through structural design improvements has become one of the important issues to be addressed in this field. [Summary of the Invention]

[0004] The technical problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide an electrical connector assembly and its wire end connector in view of the shortcomings of the prior art.

[0005] To solve the above-mentioned technical problems, one of the technical solutions adopted by the present invention is to provide an electrical connector assembly, which includes a wire-end connector and a board-end connector. The board-end connector is used to electrically connect a circuit board. The board-end connector includes a first housing, a slot, and a plurality of conductive terminals. The plurality of conductive terminals are disposed inside the slot. The wire-end connector is detachably mated to the board-end connector. The wire-end connector includes a second housing and a tongue plate. The wire-end connector has four sidewalls that collectively define a receiving space, and the tongue plate is disposed within the receiving space. The tongue plate connects to a cable assembly, and the surface of the tongue plate is provided with a plurality of contact pads. When the board-end connector and the wire-end connector are mated, the tongue plate is inserted into the slot, so that the plurality of contact pads make electrical contact with the plurality of conductive terminals, and the first housing is inserted into the receiving space.

[0006] To solve the above-mentioned technical problems, another technical solution adopted by the present invention is to provide a wire-end connector, which includes a housing assembly, a tongue plate, and a resilient fastener. The housing assembly has four side walls to surround a receiving space. One part of the tongue plate is disposed inside the housing and connected to a cable assembly, while the other part of the tongue plate is exposed in the receiving space and is provided with multiple contact pads. The resilient fastener has a fixed end and a free end. The fixed end is fixed to the housing assembly and located within the receiving space. The free end protrudes from the four side walls.

[0007] One of the beneficial effects of the present invention is that the electrical connector assembly and its wire end connector provided by the present invention can enhance the overall structural strength when the board end connector and the wire end connector are mated by the structural design of the second housing at least partially covering the first housing, thereby increasing the stability of signal transmission.

[0008] To further understand the features and technical content of the present invention, please refer to the following detailed description and drawings of the present invention. However, the drawings provided are for reference and illustration only and are not intended to limit the present invention.

Implementation Method

[0023] The following describes the implementation of the "electrical connector assembly and its wire-end connector" disclosed in this invention through specific embodiments. Those skilled in the art can understand the advantages and effects of this invention from the content disclosed in this specification. This invention can be implemented or applied through other different specific embodiments, and various details in this specification can also be modified and changed based on different viewpoints and applications without departing from the concept of this invention. In addition, the accompanying drawings of this invention are only simple illustrations and are not depictions based on actual dimensions, as stated in advance. The following embodiments will further describe the relevant technical content of this invention in detail, but the disclosed content is not intended to limit the scope of protection of this invention. In addition, it should be understood that although terms such as "first," "second," and "third" may be used herein to describe various elements, these elements should not be limited by these terms. These terms are mainly used to distinguish one element from another. In addition, the term "or" used herein may include, depending on the actual situation, any combination of any one or more of the associated listed items.

[0024] [First Embodiment]

[0025] Referring to Figures 1, 3, and 4, Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of the wire-end connector according to the first embodiment of the present invention, and Figure 3 is a schematic cross-sectional view of section III-III of Figure 1. The wire-end connector 2 includes a second housing 21 and a tongue plate 22. The second housing 21 has a second receiving space P2, and the tongue plate 22 is partially disposed inside the second housing 21 and is used to connect a cable assembly 3 (e.g., a ribbon cable). The tongue plate 22 is partially exposed in the second receiving space P2, and a plurality of contact pads 23 (commonly known as gold fingers) are provided on the upper and lower surfaces of the exposed portion.

[0026] Referring to Figures 5 and 6, Figure 5 is a schematic diagram of a first embodiment of the wire-end connector and board-end connector of the first embodiment of the present invention, and Figure 6 is a schematic diagram of a first embodiment of the wire-end connector mating with the board-end connector of the first embodiment of the present invention. The board-end connector 1 includes a first housing 11, a plurality of conductive terminals 12, and a terminal block 13. The terminal block 13 is made of insulating material and has a slot 130, and the plurality of conductive terminals 12 are fixed in the terminal block 13. One end of each conductive terminal 12 is located in the slot 130, and the other end of each conductive terminal 12 is exposed as a pin. The first housing 11 is made of conductive material and covers the outside of the terminal block 13. The board-end connector 1 is fixed to a circuit board (not shown in Figure 5) by a plurality of fixing posts 131 of the terminal block 13.

[0027] Referring to Figure 2, which is a partially exploded view of the wire connector according to the first embodiment of the present invention, the wire connector 2 also includes a metal frame 24, which is detachably assembled to the second housing 21. The second housing 21 is an insulating housing, meaning that the metal frame 24 and the second housing 21 together form a housing assembly. Specifically, the second receiving space P2 of the second housing 21 is surrounded by four side walls, namely, the first side wall WL1, the second side wall WL2, the third side wall WL3, and the metal frame 24 define the second receiving space P2. The first side wall WL1 is vertically connected between the second side wall WL2 and the third side wall WL3. Therefore, as shown in Figures 2 and 6, when the wire connector 2 is mated with the board connector 1, the first housing 11 is inserted into the second receiving space P2. At this time, the second housing 21 only surrounds the first housing 11 with the first side wall WL1, the second side wall WL2, and the third side wall WL3, meaning that only three of the four sides of the first housing 11 are covered by the first housing 11.

[0028] By assembling the metal frame 24 onto the second housing 21, the metal frame 24 becomes the fourth sidewall surrounding the first housing 11, thereby allowing the second housing 21 and the metal frame 24 to jointly define the second receiving space P2, completely surrounding the first housing 11. That is, the first sidewall WL1, the second sidewall WL2, and the third sidewall WL3, along with the metal frame 24, will form a continuous four-sided wall surrounding the second receiving space P2. In some applications, the first housing 11 is electrically connected to the ground potential of the circuit board, while the metal frame 24 is electrically connected to the first housing 11 to achieve a shielding effect, thereby enhancing the electromagnetic interference immunity of the high-frequency signal transmission of the electrical connector assembly D.

[0029] Referring again to Figure 2, the metal frame 24 is bent into a U-shaped structure. The metal frame 24 includes a first metal segment 241, a second metal segment 242, and a third metal segment 243. The second metal segment 242 and the third metal segment 243 are respectively connected to the two ends of the first metal segment 241. The side edge of the first metal segment 241 has multiple limiting protrusions 245, while the second metal segment 242 and the third metal segment 243 each include a cantilever 244. The two cantilever 244 are concave (i.e., the two cantilever 244 are bent toward each other) and are elastic. The two sides of the second housing 21 each have two locking grooves 216. Specifically, the locking grooves 216 are strip-shaped grooves. As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the metal frame 24 can be assembled along a first direction (negative X-axis direction), that is, the edges of the second sidewall WL2 and the third sidewall WL3 are in the second housing 21. The limiting protrusions 245 extend toward the first direction. As shown in Figure 3, the bottom of the second housing 21 has multiple limiting holes V corresponding to multiple limiting protrusions 245. When the metal frame 24 is assembled into the second housing 21, the limiting protrusions 245 are inserted into the multiple limiting holes V respectively (see Figure 3).

[0030] The second metal segment 242 and the third metal segment 243 are detachably assembled to the second sidewall WL2 and the third sidewall WL3, respectively. Specifically, each of the second metal segment 242 and the third metal segment 243 also includes a hook portion 246, which is located adjacent to the cantilever 244. The second housing 21 has two slots 217 on each side of the second receiving space P2. When the metal frame 24 is assembled to the second housing 21, the two hook portions 246 are inserted into the two slots 217 respectively to hook the second sidewall WL2 and the third sidewall WL3, preventing the second metal segment 242 and the third metal segment 243 of the metal frame 24 from being bent outward by external force (i.e., bent in the positive and negative Z-axis directions) and detached from the second housing 21.

[0031] Furthermore, when the metal frame 24 is assembled to the second housing 21 along the first direction, the two cantilever arms 244 are respectively engaged in the two locking grooves 216. More specifically, the locking grooves 216 limit the cantilever arms 244 in the positive X-axis direction, meaning the metal frame 24 cannot exit in a second direction (positive X-axis direction) opposite to the first direction. When the metal frame 24 moves in the positive X-axis direction, the concave cantilever arms 244 abut against the locking grooves 216.

[0032] Referring to Figures 2 to 4, the wire connector 2 further includes an elastic fastener 25, a pull strap 26, a retaining member 27, and a mating plate 29. The mating plate 29 is at least partially located within the second receiving space P2 and between the first sidewall WL1 and the tongue plate 22. The fixed end 25A of the elastic fastener 25 is mounted on the mating plate 29, while the free end 25B protrudes outward from the outer surface of the first sidewall WL1. That is, the tongue plate 22, the mating plate 29, and the fixed end 25A of the elastic fastener 25 are all located within the second receiving space P2. It should be noted that, for the sake of clearly showing the elastic fastener 25 and the retaining member 27, the pull strap 26 is omitted in Figure 4. The structural configuration of the pull strap 26 can be shown in Figures 2 and 3. The second housing 21 also includes a locking groove 211 and a fixing post 212. The locking groove 211 is provided on the first sidewall WL1, and at least one locking point 251 on the surface of the elastic fastener 25 protrudes from the locking groove 211.

[0033] The retaining member 27 has a guide opening 270, and the pull strap 26 has a winding portion 261. The pull strap 26 passes through the guide opening 270 and winds around the fixing post 212 through the winding portion 261, and is partially located outside the elastic fastener 25 so that when the pull strap 26 is pulled, the free end 25B of the elastic fastener 25 can be pressed. One side surface of the first housing 11 also has at least one snap-fit ​​hole 111. When the board-end connector 1 and the wire-end connector 2 are mated, the snap-fit ​​hole 111 and the snap-fit ​​point 251 engage with each other to fix the board-end connector 1 and the wire-end connector 2 together without disengaging. When the pull strap 26 is pulled, the snap-fit ​​point 251 moves downward away from the snap-fit ​​hole 111, allowing the wire-end connector 2 to disengage from the board-end connector 1 and release the mating state.

[0034] As shown in Figure 4, the retaining member 27 further includes a guide arm 271 and a positioning arm 272. The guide arm 271 is perpendicular to the positioning arm 272. The second housing 21 also includes a mounting groove 213 and an extension 214 disposed on the lower side of the mounting groove 213. The tongue plate 22 is inserted into the second housing 21 through the mounting groove 213 and exposed in the second receiving space P2. The guide arm 271 is inserted into the second housing 21 through the mounting groove 213, while the positioning arm 272 abuts downward against the extension 214. In addition, the retaining member 27 further includes a plurality of protrusions 273 disposed on the guide arm 271 and the positioning arm 272, and the two sides of the second housing 21 also include a plurality of slots 215. When the retaining member 27 is disposed on the second housing 21, the plurality of protrusions 273 respectively engage with the plurality of slots 215, so that the retaining member 27 is fixed to the second housing 21.

[0035] Referring again to Figures 5 and 6, the board connector 1 in Figures 5 and 6 is actually a vertical socket connector, while the wire connector 2 is a plug connector. Therefore, the board connector 1 is erected on a circuit board located on the YZ plane (not shown), and the socket of the board connector 1 is configured to face the negative X-axis direction. A first receiving space P1 is provided between one side of the first housing 11 and the terminal block 13. When the wire connector 2 is perpendicularly mated to the board connector 1 along the second direction (positive X-axis direction), the tongue plate 22 is inserted into the slot 130 of the terminal block 13 and the mating plate 29 is inserted into the first receiving space P1; while the first housing 11 is inserted into the second receiving space P2, such that the second housing 21 at least partially surrounds the first housing 11. The mated board connector 1 and the wire connector 2 together constitute the electrical connector assembly D of the present invention.

[0036] As shown in Figure 7, since the wire connector 2 is inserted vertically, the cable assembly 3 lacks a support structure and is prone to shaking or bending, resulting in an unstable connection between the board connector 1 and the wire connector 2, affecting the stability of signal transmission. Therefore, this invention adds a metal frame 24 to the second housing 21, allowing the board connector 1 to be completely covered by the second housing 21 and the metal frame 24 (from the outside, the board connector 1 is almost entirely inserted into the wire connector 2), with only the part connected and fixed to the circuit board exposed. This strengthens the connection structure between the board connector 1 and the wire connector 2, ensuring that the connection strength between the two connectors is not affected by the shaking or bending of the cable assembly 3, thereby improving the stability of signal transmission.

[0037] However, the examples given above are merely one possible embodiment and are not intended to limit the present invention. Referring to FIG8, FIG8 is a schematic diagram of a second embodiment of the wire-end connector and board-end connector of the first embodiment of the present invention. The board-end connector 1 can also be a right-angle socket connector. That is, the board-end connector 1 is disposed on the XY plane (the plane where the circuit board B is located), and the socket of the board-end connector 1 is configured to face the negative X-axis direction. It should be noted that the dimensions of the circuit board B in FIG8 are for illustration only and do not represent the actual dimensions. In fact, the circuit board B can extend to the wire-end connector 2. Therefore, the cable assembly 3 in FIG8 is parallel to the circuit board B, and the cable assembly 3 can be placed on the circuit board B without causing wobbling during assembly, so the connection between the board-end connector 1 and the wire-end connector 2 is not easily affected.

[0038] In other words, the wire-end connector 2 of the present invention can be applied to different types of board-end connectors 1 (vertical or right-angle). Furthermore, since the connection between the wire-end connector 2 and the right-angle board-end connector 1 will not cause the cable assembly 3 to sway and affect the signal transmission, the metal frame 24 can be removed when the wire-end connector 2 is connected to the right-angle board-end connector 1, that is, the metal frame 24 is not required to strengthen the connection structure between the connectors.

[0039] [Second Embodiment]

[0040] Referring to Figures 9 and 10, Figure 9 is a schematic diagram of the wire-end connector of the second embodiment of the present invention, and Figure 10 is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of the wire-end connector of the second embodiment of the present invention. The structure of the wire-end connector 2' of the second embodiment is similar to that of the wire-end connector 2' of the first embodiment, and the similarities will not be repeated. The main difference is that in the wire-end connector 2', the second receiving space P2 of the second housing 21 is composed of four integrally formed side walls, namely the first side wall WL1, the second side wall WL2, the third side wall WL3, and the fourth side wall WL4. That is to say, the wire-end connector 2' omits the metal frame.

[0041] Referring to Figure 11, Figure 11 is a schematic diagram of the wire-end connector and the board-end connector according to the second embodiment of the present invention. The board-end connector 1 is erected on a circuit board located on the YZ plane (not shown in the figure). When the wire-end connector 2' mates with the vertical board-end connector 1, the board-end connector 1 can be completely covered by the second housing 21 (from the appearance, the board-end connector 1 is almost completely inserted into the wire-end connector 2), with only the part that is connected and fixed to the circuit board exposed. This strengthens the joint structure between the board-end connector 1 and the wire-end connector 2, so that the connection strength between the two connectors will not be affected by the shaking or bending of the cable assembly 3, thereby improving the stability of signal transmission.

[0042] [Third Embodiment]

[0043] Referring to Figures 12 and 13, Figure 12 is a schematic diagram of the wire-end connector of the third embodiment of the present invention, and Figure 13 is a partially exploded schematic diagram of the wire-end connector of the third embodiment of the present invention. The structure of the wire-end connector 2” of the third embodiment is similar to that of the wire-end connector 2” of the first embodiment, and the similarities will not be described in detail. The main difference is that the wire-end connector 2” further includes an insulating shell 28.

[0044] The insulating housing 28 has a third opening P3 and a fourth opening P4, which are in communication with each other. The insulating housing 28 also has a cutout 281 on the side with the third opening P3. The insulating housing 28 is detachably assembled to the wire connector 2”. Specifically, the second housing 21 is inserted through the third opening P3, so that the insulating housing 28 completely surrounds the second housing 21. The front end of the second housing 21 is disposed inside the insulating housing 28, while the resilient fastener 25 is at least partially (e.g., the rear end) exposed through the cutout 281. The insulating housing 28 has multiple through holes 280 on both sides, and the retaining member 27 has multiple screw holes 274 on both sides corresponding to the multiple through holes 280. The insulating housing 28 can be fixed to the wire connector 2” by multiple screws 4 passing through the multiple through holes 280 and the multiple screw holes 274.

[0045] When the wire connector 2” mates with the vertical board connector (not shown), the board connector can be inserted through the fourth opening P4 of the wire connector 2” and mate with the second housing 21, so that the conductive terminals of the board connector are electrically connected to the contact pads 23 of the wire connector 2” for signal transmission. Since the fourth opening P4 of the insulating housing 28 is composed of four side walls, namely the first side wall WL1, the second side wall WL2, the third side wall WL3 and the fourth side wall WL4, the board connector can be completely covered by the insulating housing 28, thereby strengthening the joint structure between the board connector 1 and the wire connector 2, so that the connection strength between the two connectors will not be affected by the gravity of the cable assembly 3 shaking or bending, thereby improving the stability of signal transmission.

[0046] Referring to Figure 14, Figure 14 is a schematic diagram of the wire-end connector and the board-end connector according to the third embodiment of the present invention. Figure 14 shows the configuration when the wire-end connector 2” is mated with the right-angle board-end connector 1. The second housing 21 includes a mating plate 29, a first side wall EL1 and a second side wall EL2. More specifically, there is a gap G between the mating plate 29 and the first side wall EL1, and another gap G between the mating plate 29 and the second side wall EL2. The two gaps G respectively accommodate the two side walls of the first housing 11 of the board-end connector 1. During mating, the wire-end connector 2” needs to remove the insulating shell 28 first, and then the wire-end connector 2” mates with the board-end connector 1 along the second direction (positive X-axis direction), so that the board-end connector 1 fixed on the circuit board B is inserted into the second receiving space P2 of the second housing 21 to complete the mating. At this time, the second side wall WL2 and the third side wall WL3 are located on the outside of the first housing 11, while the first side wall WL1 is located on the inside of the first housing 11.

[0047] [Beneficial Effects of the Embodiments]

[0048] The electrical connector assembly and its wire-end connector provided by the present invention can enhance the overall structural strength when the board-end connector and the wire-end connector are mated by a structural design in which the second housing at least partially covers the first housing, thereby increasing the stability of signal transmission.

[0049] Furthermore, by adding a metal frame 24 to the second housing 21, the present invention enables the board connector 1 to be completely covered by the second housing 21 and the metal frame 24 (from the appearance, the board connector 1 is almost entirely inserted into the wire connector 2), with only the part that is connected and fixed to the circuit board exposed. This strengthens the connection structure between the board connector 1 and the wire connector 2, so that the connection strength between the board connector 1 and the wire connector 2 will not be affected by the shaking or bending of the cable assembly 3, thereby improving the stability of signal transmission.

[0050] The content disclosed above is only a preferred and feasible embodiment of the present invention, and is not intended to limit the scope of the patent application of the present invention. Therefore, all equivalent technical changes made using the contents of the present invention specification and drawings are included in the scope of the patent application of the present invention. [Simplified Explanation of the Diagram]

[0009] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of the wire end connector of the first embodiment of the present invention.

[0010] Figure 2 is a partially exploded schematic diagram of the wire end connector of the first embodiment of the present invention.

[0011] Figure 3 is a schematic cross-sectional view of section III-III in Figure 1.

[0012] Figure 4 is an exploded view of the wire end connector of the first embodiment of the present invention.

[0013] Figure 5 is a schematic diagram of the first embodiment of the wire-end connector and the board-end connector of the first embodiment of the present invention.

[0014] Figure 6 is a schematic diagram of the board-end connector of the first embodiment of the present invention.

[0015] Figure 7 is a schematic diagram of the first embodiment of the wire-end connector mating plate connector of the first embodiment of the present invention.

[0016] Figure 8 is a schematic diagram of a second embodiment of the wire-end connector and board-end connector of the first embodiment of the present invention.

[0017] Figure 9 is a schematic diagram of the wire end connector of the second embodiment of the present invention.

[0018] Figure 10 is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of the wire end connector of the second embodiment of the present invention.

[0019] Figure 11 is a schematic diagram of the wire-end connector and the board-end connector of the second embodiment of the present invention.

[0020] Figure 12 is a schematic diagram of the wire end connector of the third embodiment of the present invention.

[0021] Figure 13 is a partially exploded schematic diagram of the wire end connector of the third embodiment of the present invention.

[0022] Figure 14 is a schematic diagram of the wire-end connector and the board-end connector of the third embodiment of the present invention.

Claims

1. A wire-end connector, comprising: A housing having a plurality of sidewalls to enclose a receiving space, wherein the inner surfaces of the plurality of sidewalls are non-planar structures; A tongue plate, one part of which is disposed within the housing assembly and connected to a cable assembly, and the other part is exposed in the receiving space and provided with multiple contact pads; and an elastic fastener having a fixed end and a free end, the fixed end being fixed to the housing, and the free end protruding from the plurality of sidewalls.

2. The wire connector as described in claim 1, wherein, The non-planar structure includes a plurality of protrusions formed on the inner surface of at least one of the plurality of sidewalls.

3. The wire connector as described in claim 2, wherein, The non-planar structure includes two recesses, which are respectively formed on the inner surfaces of the two opposing sidewalls among the plurality of sidewalls.

4. The wire connector as described in claim 3, wherein, The plurality of sidewalls are four sidewalls, and the fixed end of the elastic fastener is located in the receiving space.

5. A wire-end connector, comprising: A housing having four side walls to enclose a receiving space, the housing also having a connecting opening communicating with the receiving space, and the inner surfaces of the four side walls having a non-planar structure; and a tongue plate, a portion of which is disposed inside the housing and another portion is exposed in the receiving space and provided with multiple contact pads.

6. The wire connector as described in claim 5, wherein, The non-planar structure includes at least one protrusion formed on the inner surface of at least one of the four sidewalls.

7. The wire connector as described in claim 6, wherein, The four sidewalls include a first sidewall and a fourth sidewall that are arranged opposite to each other and located above and below the tongue plate, respectively, and a second sidewall and a third sidewall that are arranged opposite to each other. The first sidewall and the fourth sidewall are connected between the second sidewall and the third sidewall, and the at least one protrusion is provided on the fourth sidewall.

8. The wire connector as described in claim 7, wherein, The number of protrusions is multiple, and they are arranged at equal intervals along the edge of the connecting opening.

9. The wire connector as claimed in claim 7, wherein, The non-planar structure includes a plurality of recesses, which are respectively formed on the inner surfaces of the second sidewall and the third sidewall.

10. The wire connector as claimed in claim 7, wherein, The inner surface of the fourth sidewall also forms a stepped structure, the stepped structure having an inclined surface facing the connection opening, the inclined surface causing the receiving space to gradually decrease from the connection opening into the interior of the housing.

11. The wire connector as described in claim 7, wherein, The housing further includes a locking groove, a fixing post, an elastic fastener, and a pull strap formed on the first sidewall. The locking groove is located between the connection opening and the fixing post along a plugging direction. The pull strap is attached to the fixing post and connected to the elastic fastener. A portion of the elastic fastener is located within the receiving space and exposed from the locking groove. The plugging direction is the direction in which the wire-end connector mates with a plate-end connector via the connection opening.

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