Female connector having centring tabs

Abstract

The present invention relates to a female connector (10) intended to be mounted on a printed circuit board (12), comprising a cage (14) which extends in an axial direction (A1) of connection, said cage (14) comprising: - a peripheral axial wall element (18), - an elongate opening (20) which extends in a longitudinal direction and which is able to allow the insertion of a flat male connector (16), - a baseplate (22) intended to be soldered to, and to ensure the electrical connection with, the printed circuit board (12), - at least one aperture (28), - at least one electrical contact member (30), characterized in that the longitudinal edges of the opening (28) are each provided with at least one centring element (54), the centring elements (54) being arranged facing each other so as to ensure transverse centring of the male connector (16) when it is inserted into the cage (14).

Description

[0001] Female connector with centering tabs

[0002] DESCRIPTION

[0003] Technical field of the invention

[0004] The present invention relates to a female connector.

[0005] The invention relates more particularly to a female connector intended to be soldered onto a printed circuit board.

[0006] Technical background

[0007] Female connectors are already known that are designed to be soldered onto a printed circuit board. In particular, female connectors of the CMS type, i.e. Surface Mounted Device, or SMD, are known, which have a base plate allowing soldering by brazing with tin.

[0008] The focus here is on female connectors having an elongated cage to allow the insertion of a flat blade-shaped male connector. The cage is provided with electrical contact members which have a certain flexibility allowing them to bear transversely against the faces of the male connector when it is inserted into the cage.

[0009] Current solutions do not always allow for quality electrical contact between the electrical contact elements and the male connector. In fact, there are sometimes shifts when inserting the male connector, which impairs precise positioning of the male connector in the cage and can deteriorate the quality of the electrical contact at the end of assembly.

[0010] There is therefore a need for a solution that would improve the electrical contact and its reliability, and thus allow relatively high amperages to pass through this female connector.

[0011] Summary of the invention

[0012] The invention provides a female connector intended to be mounted on a printed circuit board, comprising a cage which extends in an axial connection direction, said cage comprising: - a peripheral axial wall element,

[0013] - an elongated opening which extends in a longitudinal direction and which is capable of allowing the insertion of a flat male connector,

[0014] - a sole, arranged on the side opposite the opening, intended to be soldered onto the printed circuit board and to ensure the electrical connection with the printed circuit board,

[0015] - at least one window provided in a longitudinal face of the peripheral axial wall element,

[0016] - at least one electrical contact member which extends from an edge of the window towards the inside of the cage, characterized in that the longitudinal edges of the opening are each provided with at least one centering element, the centering elements being arranged opposite each other so as to ensure transverse centering of the male connector when it is inserted into the cage.

[0017] According to other characteristics of the invention:

[0018] - each centering element is in the form of a tab curved from the associated longitudinal edge of the opening towards the inside of the cage;

[0019] - each leg has a generally flat rectangular shape, of the same thickness as the axial wall element;

[0020] - each leg is inclined at an angle of between 35 and 55 degrees, preferably at an angle close to 45 degrees, relative to the associated axial wall element;

[0021] - the female connector has four centering elements;

[0022] - the centering elements are made in one piece with the associated axial wall element of the cage;

[0023] - the female connector is made from a single piece by cutting, bending, stamping in a metal sheet.

[0024] Brief description of the figures

[0025] Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will appear during the reading of the detailed description which follows for the understanding of which reference will be made to the appended drawings in which: [Fig.1] is a perspective view which schematically represents a female connector according to the invention;

[0026] [Fig.2] is a perspective view with a transverse axial section showing the female connector of Figure 1 from a different viewing angle and with a male connector inserted into the female connector;

[0027] [Fig.3] is a side view showing the female connector of Figure 1;

[0028] [Fig.4] is a top view showing the female connector of Figure 1.

[0029] Detailed description of the invention

[0030] For the description of the invention and the understanding of the claims, the vertical, longitudinal and transverse orientations according to the reference V, L, T indicated in the figures, the longitudinal L and transverse T axes of which extend in a horizontal plane, will be adopted as a non-limiting example and without limiting reference to Earth's gravity. By convention, the longitudinal axis L is oriented from rear to front.

[0031] In the following description, identical, similar or analogous elements will be designated by the same reference numbers.

[0032] Figures 1 to 4 illustrate an embodiment of a female connector 10 according to the invention.

[0033] In Figures 1 and 2, a printed circuit board 12 is schematically shown to show the positioning of the female connector 10 when it is soldered by tin soldering to the upper face of the printed circuit board 12.

[0034] The female connector 10 comprises a cage 14 which extends in an axial connection direction A1, which corresponds to the insertion direction of a male connector 16 shown in FIG. 2.

[0035] In the remainder of the description, a vertical axial orientation will be used, without limitation, along the axial connection direction A1, the male connector 16 being here intended to be inserted axially from top to bottom.

[0036] The cage 14 comprises a peripheral axial wall element 18 which delimits, here at its upper axial end, an opening 20 of elongated shape which extends in a longitudinal direction and which is capable of allowing the insertion of the male connector 16.

[0037] It is noted that the male connector 16 is here a flat connector, that is to say formed of a blade, for example made of copper, thinned at its lower free end to facilitate its insertion into the female connector 10.

[0038] The cage 14 comprises, at its lower axial end, a sole 22 which rests on the printed circuit board 12, or at least which is here welded onto the printed circuit board 12. The tin which forms the weld has not been shown here.

[0039] The sole 22 is arranged on the side opposite the opening 20 and is intended to ensure the electrical connection of the female connector 10 with the printed circuit board 12.

[0040] The cage 14 comprises, here in each longitudinal face 24, 26 of the axial wall element 18, a window 28 of generally rectangular shape. An electrical contact member 30 extends from the upper longitudinal edge 32 of the window 28 towards the interior of the cage 14.

[0041] The electrical contact member 30 is connected to the edge of the window 28 by a connecting portion 34 whose longitudinal dimension is less than the total longitudinal dimension of the electrical contact member 30.

[0042] The electrical contact member 30 comprises an intermediate portion 36 whose longitudinal dimension decreases towards the connecting portion 34. Here the intermediate portion 36 has a generally trapezoidal shape whose apex corresponds to the connecting portion 34.

[0043] Advantageously, the electrical contact member 30 comprises several substantially parallel electrical contact tabs 38 which, in the absence of a male connector 16, are inclined from the intermediate portion 36 towards the inside of the cage 14.

[0044] In the embodiment shown, each electrical contact member 30 comprises three electrical contact tabs 38. Each electrical contact tab 38 is here curved outwards at its free end to form a contact portion 40 capable of coming into contact with the male connector 16. In addition, the contact portion 40 comprises, on the side of the male connector 16, a contact boss 42 of generally hemispherical shape. Advantageously, each electrical contact member 30 is made in one piece, i.e. in a single piece, with the axial wall element 18 of the cage 14.

[0045] The sole 22 will now be described in more detail. This sole comprises several pins 44, preferably three pins 44, which extend over each lower longitudinal edge 46 of the cage 14.

[0046] Each pin 44 here comprises two pallets 48 which are arranged at the end of a connecting branch 50. The connecting branch 50 is curved from the lower longitudinal edge 46 of the cage 14 and it extends, in a longitudinal transverse plane, by the pallets 48.

[0047] Preferably, each pallet 48 is generally flat and rectangular in shape, of the same thickness as the connecting branch 50 and the axial wall element 18.

[0048] The two pallets 48 delimit between them an intermediate space 52 of generally rectangular shape.

[0049] The pins 44 and their pallets 478 are oriented opposite each other, that is to say towards the outside of the cage 14.

[0050] Advantageously, the pins 44 are made in one piece, that is to say in a single piece, with the axial wall element 18 of the cage 14.

[0051] Advantageously, the longitudinal edges of the opening 20 are each provided with at least one centering element 54. According to the example shown, the cage 14 comprises four centering elements 54 which are arranged two by two facing each other so as to ensure transverse centering of the male connector 16 when it is inserted into the cage 14.

[0052] Each centering element is here in the form of a tab 56 curved from the associated longitudinal edge of the opening 20 towards the inside of the cage 14. Each tab 56 here has a generally flat rectangular shape, of the same thickness as the axial wall element 18.

[0053] Each leg 56 is here inclined at an angle of between 35 and 55 degrees, preferably at an angle close to 45 degrees, relative to the associated axial wall element 18. Advantageously, the centering elements 54 are made in one piece, that is to say in a single piece, with the associated axial wall element 18.

[0054] Advantageously, the female connector 10 is made in a single piece by cutting, folding, stamping, in a metal sheet

[0055] The female connector 10 according to the invention makes it possible to facilitate assembly on the printed circuit board 12 by a CMS-compatible process. The particular structure of the sole 22 ensures better centering of the female connector 10 on its location by facilitating the rise by capillarity of the meniscus formed by the tin layer around the pallets.

[0056] In particular, the particular structure of the sole 22, in particular the presence of the intermediate spaces 52 between the pallets 48, but also between the pins 44, makes it possible to increase the wetted surface and the number of edges by which the meniscus rises by capillarity. The greater the quantity of tin used, the greater the recentering force is required when positioning the female connector 10 on the printed circuit board 12.

[0057] When inserting the male connector 16 into the cage 14, the tabs 56 allow the male connector 16 to be guided and ensure precise positioning as soon as it passes through the opening 20 of the cage 14. In particular, the tabs 56 hold the male connector 16 transversely so that it remains centered transversely in the cage 14.

[0058] The legs 56 ensure centering in the upper part of the cage 14.

[0059] In the lower part, the male connector 16 comes into contact with the electrical contact tabs 38 of the electrical contact members 30 which act as clamps. Indeed, in their rest position, that is to say before the insertion of the male connector 16, the electrical contact tabs 38 are inclined towards the inside of the cage 14 and form a transverse space between them of a thickness less than the thickness of the male connector 16.

[0060] Thus, by penetrating the cage 14, the male connector 16 pushes the electrical contact tabs 38 outwards. The electrical contact members 30 are therefore urged towards the male connector 16 by elastic deformation. Thanks to the connecting portion 34, the flexibility of the electrical contact members 30 is improved. In particular, the zone dedicated to elastic deformation is located more precisely, which makes it possible to better control the elastic return force of the electrical contact members 30. In addition, this makes it possible to ensure that, when inserting the male connector 16, the mechanical stresses in torsion or bending on the female connector 10 will be minimized and absorbed by the bending of the electrical contact members 30.

[0061] LEGEND

[0062] 10: female connector

[0063] 12: printed circuit board

[0064] 14: cage

[0065] 16: male connector

[0066] 18: axial wall element

[0067] 20: opening

[0068] 22: sole

[0069] 24, 26: longitudinal faces

[0070] 28: window

[0071] 30: electrical contact organ

[0072] 32: upper longitudinal edge

[0073] 34: connecting portion

[0074] 36: intermediate portion

[0075] 38: electrical contact tab

[0076] 40: contact portion

[0077] 42: contact boss

[0078] 44: pin

[0079] 46: lower longitudinal edge

[0080] 48: palette

[0081] 50: connecting branch

[0082] 52: intercalary space

[0083] 54: centering element

[0084] 56: paw

[0085] A1: connection axis

Claims

CLAIMS 1. Female connector (10) intended to be mounted on a printed circuit board (12), comprising a cage (14) which extends in an axial connection direction (A1), said cage (14) comprising: - a peripheral axial wall element (18), - an opening (20) of elongated shape which extends in a longitudinal direction and which is capable of allowing the insertion of a flat male connector (16), - a sole (22), arranged on the side opposite the opening (20), intended to be welded onto the printed circuit board (12) and to ensure the electrical connection with the printed circuit board (12), - at least one window (28) arranged in a longitudinal face (24, 26) of the peripheral axial wall element (18), - at least one electrical contact member (30) which extends from an edge of the window (28) towards the inside of the cage (14), characterized in that the longitudinal edges of the opening (28) are each provided with at least one centering element (54), the centering elements (54) being arranged opposite each other so as to ensure transverse centering of the male connector (16) during its insertion into the cage (14), each centering element (54) is in the form of a tab (56) curved from the associated longitudinal edge of the opening (20) towards the inside of the cage (14), the at least one centering element (54) is made in one piece with the associated axial wall element (18) of the cage (14), the at least one centering element (54) is made in one piece, in one piece, with the wall element axial (18) associated, the electrical contact member (30) is connected to the edge of the window (28) by a connecting portion (34).

2. Female connector (10) according to the preceding claim, characterized in that each tab (56) has a generally flat rectangular shape, of the same thickness as the axial wall element 3. Female connector (10) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that each tab (56) is inclined at an angle of between 35 and 55 degrees, preferably at an angle close to 45 degrees, relative to the associated axial wall element (18).

4. Female connector (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises four centering elements (54).

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

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