Connector assembly

Abstract

This invention provides a connector assembly including a first connector and a second connector. The first connector includes a first insulating housing, a first metal housing, and a nut member attached to the first metal housing. The first insulating housing has a receiving space, into which the second connector can be inserted along a first direction. The second connector includes a second insulating housing, a second metal housing, and a locking member. The second metal housing has a locking hole. The locking member has a spring arm that can move in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction and is constantly biased to an engaged position. The second connector can be locked onto the first connector by a headed screw. This achieves a connector assembly with good operability and high reliability.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] This invention relates to connector assemblies, and more particularly to low-profile connector assemblies with good operability. [Previous Technology]

[0002] Taiwan Utility Model Patent Publication No. M644042U (Patent Document 1) discloses a flexible flat cable connector. The connector in Patent Document 1 has an operating member pivotally mounted on an insulating housing, and the flexible flat cable is unlocked by pressing the body of the operating member to pivot the operating member. However, this operating member has a certain thickness, so this connector is not conducive to realizing a low-profile connector.

[0003] Taiwan Utility Model Patent Publication No. M591717U (Patent Document 2) discloses a connector for flexible flat cables. Patent Document 2 discloses a connector housing installed as a male end at the insertion end of the flexible flat cable. In this way, the mating direction of the flexible flat cable and the easy-lock connector can be changed, allowing the insertion of the flexible flat cable into the easy-lock connector to be easily achieved in an automated manner. In addition, the operability of the flexible flat cable and the protection of the flexible flat cable can be improved. However, in the easy-lock connector disclosed in Patent Document 2, two separate locking members must be operated simultaneously to release the flexible flat cable, so the unlocking operability is poor. Because the operating part of the locking member is located on the same side as the body of the flexible flat cable, the unlocking operation may also be interfered with by the body of the flexible flat cable. [Summary of the Invention]

[0004] One of the objectives of this invention is to provide a connector assembly that has good operability and high reliability.

[0005] Another object of the present invention is to provide a connector assembly having a low profile, suitable for use in small or thin electronic devices with limited space.

[0006] Another object of the present invention is to provide a connector assembly that facilitates automated assembly.

[0007] According to the present invention, a connector assembly is provided, including a first connector and a second connector; the first connector includes: a first insulating housing having a receiving space, the second connector being insertable into the receiving space along a first direction such that at least a portion of the second connector is received in the receiving space; a plurality of contacts held by the first insulating housing, the plurality of contacts being arranged along a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, each contact having a contact portion positioned in the receiving space and a connection terminal portion opposite to the contact portion; a first metal shell covering a portion of the first insulating housing, the first metal shell having two first engagement portions facing each other in the second direction; and at least one nut member attached to the first metal shell, the at least one nut member having a screw hole; the second connector includes: a second insulating housing; A second metal housing, covering a portion of the second insulating housing, the second metal housing having a locking hole corresponding to at least one nut member, the locking hole being provided for the shank of a headed screw to pass through and be screwed into the threaded hole of the nut member; and two snap-fit ​​members, spaced apart from each other in the second direction and held by the second insulating housing, each snap-fit ​​member having a spring arm oriented in the first direction, the spring arm having a second engagement portion such that when the second connector is engaged with the first connector, the second engagement portion engages with its respective first engagement portion.

[0008] According to the connector assembly of the present invention, the second insulating shell system has two guide posts extending in the first direction formed on the bottom surface for guiding the second connector into the receiving space during the engagement of the second connector with the first connector.

[0009] According to the connector assembly of the present invention, the end of each guide post is chamfered.

[0010] According to the connector assembly of the present invention, the first insulating shell system is formed with two guide post holes for the insertion of the two guide posts respectively.

[0011] According to the connector assembly of the present invention, each guide post partially surrounds its respective spring arm.

[0012] According to the connector assembly of the present invention, the spring arm is a U-shaped spring arm.

[0013] According to the connector assembly of the present invention, the second metal housing is composed of an upper housing and a lower housing. The upper housing is disposed on the upper side of the second insulating housing, and the lower housing is disposed on the lower side of the second insulating housing. The second connector further includes a flat connecting object, which includes a head and a plurality of electrode portions formed on the head. The head of the flat connecting object is received in a space defined by the second insulating housing and the lower housing. The plurality of electrode portions are exposed from the lower housing, such that when the second connector is engaged with the first connector, the plurality of electrode portions will respectively make electrical contact with the plurality of contacts of the first connector.

[0014] According to the connector assembly of the present invention, the at least one nut component is fixed to the first metal housing by welding or fusion.

[0015] According to the connector assembly of the present invention, the screw hole is oriented such that its central axis is parallel to the first direction.

[0016] According to the connector assembly of the present invention, the second engagement portion is convex in a cross section perpendicular to a third direction, and the third direction is perpendicular to the first direction and the second direction.

[0017] According to the connector assembly of the present invention, the mating between the first connector and the second connector can be easily achieved automatically without the need for complex machinery. The mating between the first connector and the second connector can be securely locked, thereby achieving reliable mating.

[0018] The connector assembly according to the present invention can save the size of the connector assembly in the third direction (front and rear direction).

[0019] Furthermore, since the snap-fit ​​mechanism is not configured in the first connector that serves as the board mounting connector, the difficulty of maintenance is greatly reduced.

[0020] Those skilled in the art to which this invention pertains will best understand the technical features and other objects and advantages of this invention after referring to the specification and drawings of this invention.

Implementation Method

[0022] The connector assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the drawings, the same elements or elements having the same function are indicated by the same element symbols. The drawings are not drawn to scale.

[0023] Referring to Figures 1 and 2, a connector assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described, wherein Figure 1 is a perspective view of the connector assembly in a mated state according to an embodiment of the present invention, and Figure 2 is a perspective view of the connector assembly in an unmatted state according to an embodiment of the present invention. The connector assembly is generally indicated by component symbol 1. The connector assembly 1 includes a socket connector 10 as a first connector and a plug connector 20 as a second connector. The plug connector 20 can be mated with the socket connector 10 in a first direction D1. In the mated state, the plug connector 20 can be locked onto the socket connector 10 by means of a head screw 30.

[0024] In this embodiment, the socket connector 10 is a board-mount connector, and the plug connector 20 is formed by mounting a connector housing (i.e., a second insulating housing) and a connector outer shell (i.e., a second metal shell) to the head of a flat connecting object such as a flexible flat cable (FFC) or a flexible printed circuit (FPC). In the specification, the assembly consisting of the connector housing (i.e., the second insulating housing), the connector outer shell (i.e., the second metal shell), and the flat connecting object is referred to as a "second connector" or a "plug connector".

[0025] The socket connector 10 of the present invention will be described with reference to Figures 3 and 4, wherein Figure 3 is a perspective view of the socket connector according to an embodiment of the present invention, and Figure 4 is an exploded perspective view of the socket connector according to an embodiment of the present invention. The socket connector 10 includes a first insulating shell 11, a first metal shell 12, two nut members 13, and a plurality of contacts 14.

[0026] The plug connector 20 is insertable into the socket connector 10 along a first direction D1 (i.e., the height direction or the mating direction). The flat connection object forming part of the plug connector 20 may be a flexible flat cable (FFC) or a flexible printed circuit (FPC), but is not limited thereto. The flat connection object may also be a card. The flat connection object includes a plurality of electrode portions formed on the head of the flat connection object. The plug connector 20 may also be a wire-end connector in a wire-to-board connector assembly.

[0027] FIG5 is a perspective view of the first insulating housing 11. The structure of the first insulating housing 11 will be described with reference to FIG5. The first insulating housing 11 is made of insulating synthetic resin or polymer material. The first insulating housing 11 has a flat rectangular body 110 and peripheral walls formed on the edge of the flat rectangular body 110. The flat rectangular body 110 and the peripheral walls roughly define the receiving space SP. The peripheral walls are formed by a front wall portion 111 and a rear wall portion 112 opposite to the front wall portion 111.

[0028] The flat rectangular body 110 has a plurality of contact grooves 1101. The contact grooves 1101 are arranged along the second direction D2 (i.e., the width direction) and spaced apart from each other. The flat rectangular body 110 has two guide holes 1102 spaced apart in the second direction D2. The upper edge of each guide hole 1102 is chamfered. The upper edge of one inner surface of each guide hole 1102 is recessed 1103.

[0029] The front wall portion 111 is provided with a notch 1110. By forming the notch 1110, interference between the front wall portion 111 and the body of the flat connected object (e.g., the cable portion) can be avoided.

[0030] The rear wall portion 112 is provided with a plurality of contact retaining holes 1121. Each contact retaining hole 1121 is connected to its respective contact groove 1101. In order to fix the first metal housing 12 to the first insulating housing 11, the rear wall portion 112 is further provided with two protrusions 1122.

[0031] Figure 6 is a perspective view of a plurality of contacts 14. The contacts 14 are arranged in a row along the second direction D2 and held by a first insulating housing 11. Each contact 14 is made of copper or a copper alloy. The contact 14 has a connecting terminal 141, a holding portion 142, a contact arm 143, and a contact portion 144. The contact arm 143 extends from one end of the holding portion 142, and the connecting terminal 141 extends from the other end of the holding portion 142. The holding portion 142 is formed with a barbed structure. The holding portion 142 is inserted into the contact holding hole 1121 in an interference fit manner. The contact portion 144 is formed at the distal end of the contact arm 143. Each contact arm 143 extends approximately in the third third direction D3 (front-back direction) into the receiving space SP in its respective contact groove 1101, such that the contact portion 144 is positioned in the receiving space SP. Therefore, the contact portion 144 can contact the electrode portion formed on the flat object. The third direction D3 is perpendicular to the first direction D1 and the second direction D2. The connection terminal 141 extends from the first insulating housing 11. The connection terminal 141 can be soldered to the pads formed on the circuit board using surface mount technology (SMT). When the socket connector 10 is mounted on the circuit board, the soldering status of the connection terminal 141 can be inspected using automated optical inspection (AOI).

[0032] FIG7 is a perspective view of the first metal casing 12. The first metal casing 12 is formed by stamping and bending a metal sheet (e.g., a sheet made of stainless steel or phosphor bronze). The first metal casing 12 is configured to be approximately U-shaped when viewed from the first direction D1. The first metal casing 12 has two side casing portions 121 and a connecting portion 120 connecting the two side casing portions 121.

[0033] The lower edge of the side housing portion 121 has a first solder portion 1211 near the front end and a second solder portion 1212 near the rear end. The first solder portion 1211 and the second solder portion 1212 can be soldered to the pads formed on the circuit board by surface mount technology (SMT). In this way, the socket connector 10 can be securely mounted on the circuit board. The upper edge of the side housing portion 121 has a stop portion 1213 serving as a first engagement portion at approximately the middle. The stop portions 1213 of the two side housing portions 121 face each other in the second direction D2. A retaining portion 1214 is formed at the distal end of the side housing portion 121. The retaining portion 1214 has a barbed structure and is inserted into a retaining hole formed in the first insulating housing 11 in an interference fit manner. In this way, the distal end of the side housing portion 121 is fixed to the first insulating housing 11.

[0034] A joining portion 1201 is formed on the rear edge of the connecting portion 120 for engaging with a protrusion 1122 formed on the rear wall portion 112 of the first insulating housing 11. A retaining portion 1202 is formed on the inner edge of the connecting portion 120. The retaining portion 1202 has a barbed structure and is inserted into a retaining hole formed in the first insulating housing 11 in an interference fit manner. In this way, the connecting portion 120 is fixed to the first insulating housing 11. By engaging the joining portion 1201 with the protrusion 1122, the first metal outer shell 12 can be further prevented from detaching from the first insulating housing 11.

[0035] The connecting portion 120 is provided with an alignment hole 1203. When the robot arm picks up the plug connector 20 and aligns the plug connector 20 with the receiving space SP of the socket connector 10, the alignment hole 1203 functions as an alignment mark that can be recognized by the machine vision system.

[0036] Figure 8 is a perspective view of the nut component 13. The nut component 13 includes a rectangular plate-shaped body 130 and a fixing portion 131. The plate-shaped body 130 is formed with a sleeve portion 1301 having a threaded hole. The plate-shaped body 130 is oriented perpendicular to a first direction D1, such that the central axis L1 of the threaded hole (shown in Figure 15) is parallel to the first direction D1. The fixing portion 131 is oriented perpendicular to a second direction D2. The fixing portion 131 is fixed to the side shell portion 121 of the first metal shell 12 by welding, fusion, such as laser beam welding.

[0037] The plug connector 20 of an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Figures 9, 10 and 11, wherein Figure 9 is a perspective view of the plug connector according to an embodiment of the present invention, Figure 10 is another perspective view of the plug connector according to an embodiment of the present invention, and Figure 11 is an exploded perspective view of the plug connector 20 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The plug connector 20 includes a second insulating shell 21, a second metal shell, two snap-fit ​​members 24 and a flat connecting object 25. The second metal shell is composed of an upper shell 22 and a lower shell 23.

[0038] The second insulating housing 21 will be described with reference to Figures 11 and 12, wherein Figure 12 is a perspective view of the second insulating housing 21. The second insulating housing 21 is made of insulating synthetic resin or polymer material. The second insulating housing 21 includes a flat rectangular body portion 210 and side portions 211 located on both sides of the body portion 210 in the second direction D2. Four positioning holes 2101 are formed on the upper surface of the body portion 210 for positioning the upper outer shell 22. Two bosses 2102 are formed on the lower surface of the body portion 210 for engaging with the recesses 2510 (described below) of the flat connecting object 25. Each side portion 211 has a receiving hole 2110 for receiving the snap-fit ​​member 24. As shown in Figure 11, each side portion 211 has a guide post 2111 extending downward from its lower surface in the first direction. The guide post 2111 is configured to guide the insertion of the plug connector 20 and position the plug connector 20 during the insertion of the plug connector 20 into the socket connector 10.

[0039] The upper housing 22 and the lower housing 23 will be described with reference to Figures 11 and 13, where Figure 13 is a perspective view of the upper housing 22. Details of the upper housing 22 are shown in Figures 10 and 13, and details of the lower housing 23 are shown in Figure 11. The upper housing 22 and the lower housing 23 are formed by stamping and bending a metal sheet (e.g., a sheet made of stainless steel or phosphor bronze). The upper housing 22 is disposed on the upper side of the second insulating housing 21, and the lower housing 23 is disposed on the lower side of the second insulating housing 21.

[0040] The upper housing 22 has a body portion 220. The body portion 220 of the upper housing 22 has a flat surface for suction by a vacuum nozzle. The body portion 220 of the upper housing 22 has an alignment hole 2201. Similar to the alignment hole 1203, the alignment hole 2201 serves as an alignment mark recognizable by a machine vision system. The body portion 220 of the upper housing 22 has two lateral extensions 221 formed on its two side edges in the second direction D2. The lateral extensions 221 have locking holes 2210 corresponding to the screw holes of the nut member 13. In the engaged state of the connector assembly, the locking holes 2210 are approximately aligned with the screw holes of the nut member 13. At this time, the lateral extensions 221 can be clamped between the head of the head screw 30 and the nut member 13 by screwing the shank of the head screw 30 into the screw hole.

[0041] Two joints 222 are formed on each side edge of the body portion 220 of the upper outer shell 22. Four positioning pieces 2202 are formed on the lower surface of the upper outer shell 22, which respectively mate with the positioning holes 2101. By inserting the positioning pieces 2202 into the positioning holes 2101, movement of the upper outer shell 22 relative to the second insulating shell 21 in a plane perpendicular to the first direction D1 can be prevented.

[0042] The lower outer shell 23 has a body portion 230. The body portion 230 has a notch 2301 through which a portion of the bottom surface of the flat connected object 25 can be exposed. Two first limiting portions 2302 and two second limiting portions 2303 are formed at the front and rear edges of the lower outer shell 23, respectively. Two protrusions 232 are formed on each side edge of the lower outer shell 23. By engaging the protrusions 232 with the connecting portions 222, the upper outer shell 22 and the lower outer shell 23 are fixed together to form a second metal shell.

[0043] The body portion 230 of the lower outer casing 23 is further formed with two bosses 2304, which serve as gap adjusters. The bosses 2304 prevent the flat connected object 25 from wobbling up and down relative to the second insulating casing 21 and the lower outer casing 23.

[0044] As shown in FIG11, each latching member 24 includes a retaining portion 240 and a U-shaped spring arm 241. The retaining portion 240 is formed with a barbed structure. The retaining portion 240 is inserted into the receiving hole 2110 in an interference fit manner, so that the latching member 24 is held in the receiving hole 2110. At this time, the U-shaped spring arm 241 is partially surrounded by the guide post 2111, while a part of the U-shaped spring arm 241 is not surrounded by the guide post 2111. The guide post 2111 can protect the U-shaped spring arm 241 and prevent the U-shaped spring arm 241 from being accidentally impacted. The U-shaped spring arm 241 is aligned in a first direction D1 and configured to be movable in a second direction D2 and constantly biased to the engaged position. The U-shaped spring arm 241 is formed with a protruding rib 242 as a second engagement portion, such that when the plug connector 20 is engaged with the socket connector 10, the protruding rib 242 (second engagement portion) will engage with the stop portion 1213 (first engagement portion) formed on the first metal housing to prevent the plug connector 20 from detaching from the socket connector 10.

[0045] The flat connector 25 will be described with reference to FIG11. As shown in FIG11, the flat connector 25 includes a head 251 and an extension 250. Each side edge of the head 251 has a notch 2510. In this embodiment, the flat connector 25 is a flexible flat cable (FCC), and the extension 250 is a cable body. Another head may be formed at the other end of the cable body. The bottom surface of the head 251 has a plurality of electrode portions arranged in a second direction D2 near the insertion end or leading edge. The head 251 of the flat connector 25 is housed in a space defined by the second insulating housing 21 and the lower housing 23. These electrode portions protrude from the notch 2301 of the lower housing 23, so that when the plug connector 20 and the socket connector 10 are engaged, these electrode portions will make electrical contact with the contact 14 of the socket connector 10 respectively.

[0046] The first limiting portion 2302 and the second limiting portion 2303 formed on the body portion 230 of the lower housing 23 will abut against the leading edge and trailing edge of the head 251 of the flat connecting object 25, respectively, preventing the flat connecting object 25 from moving relative to the second insulating housing in the third direction D3. The boss 2102 will abut against the inner edge of the recess 2510 of the flat connecting object 25, preventing the flat connecting object 25 from moving relative to the second insulating housing in the second direction D2.

[0047] Figure 14 is a top view of the connector assembly 1 in the locked state, wherein the socket connector 10 is mounted on the circuit board 40. Figure 15 is a cross-section taken along line AA in Figure 14. As shown in Figure 15, the rib 242, which is the second engagement portion, engages with the stop portion 1213, which is the first engagement portion. The rib 242 is configured to be rounded and convex on a cross-section perpendicular to the third direction D3.

[0048] When the plug connector 20 is removed upward from the socket connector 10 along the first direction D1, the interaction between the rib 242 and the stop portion 1213, due to the shape of the rib 242, causes the U-shaped spring arm 241 to be biased away from the engaged position, allowing the plug connector 20 to disengage from the socket connector 10. Therefore, no additional operating member is required for biasing the U-shaped spring arm away from the engaged position.

[0049] The connector according to the invention truly combines the advantages of low profile and good operability. Furthermore, the connector according to the invention is particularly suitable for small or thin electronic devices with limited space. The connector according to the invention is also suitable for automated assembly of flat connecting objects and connectors.

[0050] Although the present invention has been described and demonstrated with reference to preferred embodiments, it should be understood that many variations and modifications can be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Therefore, the present invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments, but is subject to the textual description in the appended claims, that is, equivalent variations and modifications made without departing from the claims of the present invention should still be within the scope of the present invention. [Simplified Explanation of the Diagram]

[0021] FIG1 is a perspective view of the connector assembly in the engaged state according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG2 is a perspective view of the connector assembly in the disengaged state according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG3 is a perspective view of the socket connector according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG4 is an exploded perspective view of the socket connector according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG5 is a perspective view of the first insulating housing of the socket connector according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG6 is a perspective view of the contact of the socket connector according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG7 is a perspective view of the first metal housing of the socket connector according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG8 is a perspective view of the nut member of the socket connector according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG9 is a perspective view of the plug connector according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG10 is another perspective view of the plug connector according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG11 is an exploded perspective view of the plug connector according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG12 is a perspective view of the second insulating housing of the plug connector according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG13 is a perspective view of the upper housing of the plug connector according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG14 is a top view of the connector assembly in the locked state according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG15 is a cross-section taken along line AA in FIG14.

Claims

1. A connector assembly, comprising a first connector and a second connector; the first connector comprising: A first insulating housing having a receiving space, into which the second connector can be inserted along a first direction, such that at least a portion of the second connector is received; a plurality of contacts held by the first insulating housing, the plurality of contacts being arranged along a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, each contact having a contact portion positioned in the receiving space and a connection terminal portion opposite to the contact portion; a first metal shell covering a portion of the first insulating housing, the first metal shell having two first joint portions facing each other in the second direction; The first metal housing includes at least one nut component attached to the first metal housing, the at least one nut component having a threaded hole; the second connector includes: a second insulating housing; A second metal housing, covering a portion of the second insulating housing, is formed with a locking hole corresponding to the at least one nut member, the locking hole being provided for the shank of a headed screw to pass through and be screwed into the threaded hole of the nut member; and two latching members, spaced apart from each other in the second direction and held by the second insulating housing, each latching member having a spring arm oriented in the first direction, the spring arm forming a second engagement portion such that when the second connector is engaged with the first connector, the second engagement portion engages with its respective first engagement portion. The second metal housing is composed of an upper housing and a lower housing. The upper housing is disposed on the upper side of the second insulating housing, and the lower housing is disposed on the lower side of the second insulating housing. The second connector further includes a flat connecting object, which includes a head and a plurality of electrode portions formed on the head. The head of the flat connecting object is housed in a space defined by the second insulating housing and the lower housing. The plurality of electrode portions protrude from the lower housing, such that when the second connector is engaged with the first connector, the plurality of electrode portions will make electrical contact with the plurality of contacts of the first connector.

2. The connector assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the second insulating shell system has two guide posts formed on its bottom surface extending in the first direction for guiding the second connector into the receiving space during the engagement of the second connector with the first connector.

3. The connector assembly as claimed in claim 2, wherein the end of each guide post is chamfered.

4. The connector assembly as claimed in claim 2, wherein the first insulating shell system has two guide post holes for insertion of the two guide posts respectively.

5. The connector assembly as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein each guide post partially surrounds its respective spring arm.

6. The connector assembly as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the spring arm is a U-shaped spring arm.

7. The connector assembly of any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the at least one nut member is secured to the first metal housing by welding or fusion.

8. The connector assembly as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the screw hole is oriented such that its central axis is parallel to the first direction.

9. The connector assembly of any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the second engagement portion is convex in a cross section perpendicular to a third direction, the third direction being perpendicular to the first direction and the second direction.

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