Wire-to-board connector

Abstract

Disclosed in the present invention is a wire-to-board connector, comprising a first connecting member, a second connecting member, and a locking assembly. The first connecting member comprises a first housing and first terminals. Each first terminal comprises a main body portion and a crimping portion. The main body portion comprises a base plate provided with a through hole, a first side plate, and a first force arm. The first side plate is provided with a first contact, and the first side plate is bent to form a second force arm extending therefrom. The second force arm is provided with a second contact. The crimping portion is connected to a cable or a flexible flat cable. The second connecting member comprises a second housing and a terminal assembly. The terminal assembly is provided with first contact surfaces and second contact surfaces. The first contact and the second contact are tightly connected to a second contact surface and a first contact surface, respectively. The locking assembly comprises a first locking member and a second locking member. The first locking member locks the first terminals in the first housing, and the second locking member locks the first housing in the second housing. The wire-to-board connector improves the retention force between the terminals, and solves the problems of unstable connection and poor transmission performance.

Description

Wire-to-board connector Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of connector technology, and specifically relates to a wire-to-board connector. Background Technology

[0002] Connectors are used to transmit current and / or signals, and are mostly connected together by a mating method to form a connector assembly. Based on the structure of the connection terminals, connectors can be divided into female connectors and male connectors. The connection terminals of female connectors are typically electrically connected to cables, ribbon cables (including FFC and FPC), and the connection terminals of male connectors; the connection terminals of male connectors are inserted into female connectors.

[0003] Wire-to-board connectors mainly include female connectors that connect to cables or ribbon cables, and male connectors that are fixed to the circuit board. Due to their flexible assembly, good transmission performance and convenient installation, wire-to-board connectors are widely used in electronic office equipment, power systems and industrial automation systems.

[0004] As the new energy sector moves towards lightweight, highly integrated, and low-cost designs, wire-to-board connectors, which use ribbon cables instead of wire harnesses, are widely used in battery management systems. Currently, most wire-to-board connectors on the market still rely on crimped cables, and the unstable contact between the male and female terminals leads to poor transmission performance. Therefore, improvements to the structure of wire-to-board connectors are necessary. Summary of the Invention

[0005] To address the shortcomings of the prior art, the present invention provides a wire-to-board connector that employs a dual-arm, dual-contact terminal structure to improve the holding force between terminals and between terminals and the housing, thereby solving the problems of unstable contact and poor transmission performance of existing wire-to-board connectors.

[0006] The technical effects to be achieved by this invention are realized through the following technical aspects:

[0007] A wire-to-board connector, comprising:

[0008] The first connector includes a first housing and a first terminal disposed in the first housing. The first housing has a terminal receiving groove. The first terminal includes a main body and a crimping part. The main body is disposed in the terminal receiving groove. The main body includes a base plate with a through hole, a first side plate extending from the base plate, and a first lever arm formed by bending the first side plate. The first side plate has a protruding first contact point. After the first side plate is bent twice, a second lever arm extends out. The second lever arm is disposed inside the first lever arm and has a second contact point. The crimping part is connected to a cable or flexible ribbon cable.

[0009] The second connector includes a second housing and a terminal assembly disposed on the second housing. The second housing includes a first end, a second end, a first sidewall, a second sidewall, and a receiving cavity. The receiving cavity is recessed from the first end toward the second end. The terminal assembly is inserted into the receiving cavity from the second end. The terminal assembly has a first contact surface and a second contact surface, the first contact surface and the second contact surface facing the first sidewall and the second sidewall, respectively.

[0010] The locking assembly includes a first locking member and a second locking member, wherein the first locking member locks the first terminal into the first housing, and the second locking member is pre-locked into the first housing and locks the first housing into the second housing;

[0011] The first contact point is tightly connected to the second contact surface, and the second contact point is pressed and tightly connected to the first contact surface by the first lever arm.

[0012] In some embodiments, the main body further includes a second side plate extending from the substrate on the other side relative to the first side plate. The second side plate is separated from the first lever arm and is bent and tightly connected to the first side plate. The first side plate, the second side plate, the first lever arm, and the second lever arm surround to form a terminal contact groove.

[0013] In some embodiments, the second lever arm includes a first bent segment bent toward the terminal contact groove and a second bent segment bent away from the terminal contact groove, and the second lever arm has a groove between the first bent segment and the second bent segment;

[0014] The first lever arm includes a third bent section bent away from the terminal contact groove, a fourth bent section bent toward the terminal contact groove, and a fifth bent section bent further away from the terminal contact groove. The first lever arm has a third contact point in the fourth bent section and the fifth bent section, and the third contact point abuts against the groove.

[0015] In some embodiments, the terminal assembly includes a second terminal and a third terminal, the second terminal including a first pin and a first plug portion, the first contact surface and the second contact surface being disposed on opposite sides of the first plug portion, and the first plug portion also having a first feeding surface on its lower side;

[0016] The third terminal includes a second pin, a pin bending section, and a second plug-in portion. The first contact surface and the second contact surface are provided on opposite sides of the second plug-in portion. The second plug-in portion also has a second feeding surface on its upper side.

[0017] The second terminal and the third terminal are respectively inserted into the terminal contact groove through the first plug-in portion and the second plug-in portion.

[0018] In some embodiments, the first housing has opposing first and second mounting surfaces, the first mounting surface has a first protrusion and a first groove, and the first groove is recessed in the middle of the first housing from the first mounting surface toward the second mounting surface;

[0019] The second housing has a second groove and a second protrusion at the first end facing the second end. The second groove is connected to the first protrusion, and the first groove is connected to the second protrusion.

[0020] In some embodiments, the first housing has a slot on the second mounting surface, the slot being connected to the terminal receiving slot; the main body has an elastic locking block, the first locking member has a latching position, the first locking member is inserted into the slot, and the elastic locking block is engaged in the latching position.

[0021] In some embodiments, the second locking member includes a locking body and a spring arm extending from the locking body, the spring arm having a stop and a locking end;

[0022] The first housing is further provided with a guide strip and a guide groove on the first mounting surface. The stop block is inserted into the guide groove, and the spring arm is pre-locked to both sides of the first groove along the guide strip.

[0023] The second housing is further provided with an enlarged locking block, which is connected to the second protrusion, and the locking end is engaged with the locking block.

[0024] In some embodiments, the first housing is provided with a crossbeam above the guide strip, and the second locking member passes through the crossbeam and is pre-locked to the first mounting surface; the locking end and the stop block are not located on the same plane, the locking end slides against the guide strip, and both the locking end and the stop block of the guide strip have an inclined surface structure.

[0025] In some embodiments, the unlocking direction of the first terminal is the same as the direction in which the terminal assembly is inserted into the terminal contact groove.

[0026] In some embodiments, the unlocking fixture is provided with an unlocking rack that is inserted into the terminal contact groove to push the first terminal out of the terminal receiving groove and separate it.

[0027] In summary, the present invention has at least the following advantages:

[0028] 1. The wire-to-board connector provided by the present invention has a through hole on the substrate of the first terminal of the first connector to facilitate CCD detection of spring height and electroplating after stamping. The first force arm and the second force arm extending from the substrate abut against each other. The second contact cooperates with the first contact of the first side plate to stably connect and maintain contact with the second terminal and the third terminal inserted into the terminal contact groove, thereby improving the connection stability between the terminals and improving the transmission efficiency.

[0029] 2. The wire-to-board connector provided by the present invention uses a first locking member to lock the first terminal in the first housing, and uses a second locking member to pre-lock the first housing and lock the first housing in the second housing; and provides guides and pre-locking members in the first housing and the second housing to prevent the terminal from being damaged by oblique insertion during the insertion process. Attached Figure Description

[0030] Figure 1 is an exploded view of the wire-to-board connector of Embodiment 1 of the present invention.

[0031] Figure 2 is an enlarged schematic diagram of part A in Figure 1.

[0032] Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of the structure of the first terminal of Embodiment 1 of the present invention from one view.

[0033] Figure 4 is a partial structural schematic diagram of the first terminal of Embodiment 1 of the present invention from another perspective.

[0034] Figure 5 is a bottom view of the first terminal of Embodiment 1 of the present invention.

[0035] Figure 6 is a schematic diagram of the terminal assembly of Embodiment 1 of the present invention.

[0036] Figure 7 is a schematic diagram of the connection between the first terminal and the terminal assembly in Embodiment 1 of the present invention.

[0037] Figure 8 is a partial cross-sectional view of the main body of the first terminal in Embodiment 1 of the present invention.

[0038] Figure 9 is a schematic diagram of the structure of the second and third terminals in Embodiment 1 of the present invention.

[0039] Figure 10 is a schematic diagram of the structure of the first housing and the first locking member in Embodiment 1 of the present invention.

[0040] Figure 11 is a schematic diagram of the structure of the first housing and the second locking member in Embodiment 1 of the present invention.

[0041] Figure 12 is a schematic diagram of the structure of the second connector in Embodiment 1 of the present invention.

[0042] Figure 13 is a schematic diagram of the second locking member pre-locked in the first housing according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention.

[0043] Figure 14 is a schematic diagram of the wire-to-board connector of Embodiment 1 of the present invention.

[0044] Figure 15 is an exploded view of the wire-to-board connector of Embodiment 2 of the present invention.

[0045] Figure 16 is a schematic diagram of the structure of the first terminal in Embodiment 2 of the present invention.

[0046] Figure 17 is a partial cross-sectional view of the first connector in Embodiment 3 of the present invention.

[0047] Figure 18 is a schematic diagram of the first unlocking fixture unlocking the first terminal in Embodiment 3 of the present invention.

[0048] Figure 19 is a partial cross-sectional view of the first unlocking fixture unlocking the first terminal in Embodiment 3 of the present invention.

[0049] Figure 20 is a schematic diagram of the wire-to-board connector and the second unlocking fixture in Embodiment 4 of the present invention. Embodiments of the present invention

[0050] To facilitate understanding of the present invention, a more comprehensive description will be given below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments. The drawings illustrate preferred embodiments of the invention. However, the invention can be implemented in many different forms and is not limited to the embodiments described herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided to provide a thorough and complete understanding of the disclosure of the invention.

[0051] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention pertains. The terminology used herein in the description of the invention is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the invention.

[0052] Example 1:

[0053] As shown in Figures 1-14, this embodiment provides a wire-to-board connector 100, including a first connector 1, a second connector 2, and a locking assembly 3. The first connector 1 and the second connector 2 are detachably inserted together and locked and limited by the locking assembly 3.

[0054] The first connector 1 includes a first housing 11 and a first terminal 12, with the first terminal 12 disposed within the first housing 11. The first housing 11 is an insulating plastic part and has a terminal receiving groove 110 for mounting the first terminal 12. The first terminal 12 includes a main body 121 and a crimping part 122, which can be connected to a cable or flexible ribbon cable, such as an FPC or FFC. In this embodiment, the first terminal connected to the flexible ribbon cable 4 via the crimping part 122 is described as an example. The main body 121 includes a substrate 1211, a first side plate 1212, and a first lever arm 1213. The substrate 1211 has a through hole 123, and the first side plate 1212 extends from the substrate 1211. In some embodiments, the first lever arm 1213 is formed by bending the first side plate 1212, and the first lever arm 1213 is separate from the substrate 1211, or the first lever arm 12 is connected to the substrate 1211. In other embodiments, the first lever arm 1213 may also be formed by extending from the substrate 1211 on the other side of the first side plate 1212.

[0055] The first side plate 1212 has a protrusion with a first contact point 1214, and after being bent twice, the first side plate 1212 extends into a second lever arm 1215. The second lever arm 1215 is located inside the first lever arm 1213, and a second contact point 1216 is provided on the second lever arm 1215.

[0056] The second connector 2 includes a second housing 21 and a terminal assembly 22, with the terminal assembly 22 disposed within the second housing 21. The second housing 21 is also an insulating plastic component and includes a first end 211, a second end 212, a first sidewall 213, a second sidewall 214, and a receiving cavity 215. The receiving cavity 215 is recessed from the first end 211 toward the second end 212, and the terminal assembly 22 is inserted into the receiving cavity 215 from the second end 212. The terminal assembly 22 has a first contact surface 2201 and a second contact surface 2202, with the first contact surface 2201 facing the first sidewall 213 and the second contact surface 2202 facing the second sidewall 214. When the second connector 2 is inserted into the first connector 1, the terminal assembly 22 is connected to the first terminal 12. The first contact 1214 is tightly connected to the second contact surface 2202, and the second contact 1216 is tightly connected to the first contact surface 2201 under the pressure of the first force arm 1213.

[0057] The locking assembly 3 includes a first locking member 31 and a second locking member 32. The first locking member 31 locks the first terminal 12 into the first housing 11; the second locking member 32 is pre-locked into the first housing 11, and after the first connector 1 and the second connector 2 are inserted, the second locking member 32 locks the first housing 11 into the second housing 21.

[0058] Specifically, the second housing 21 has a first end 211 and a second end 212 opposite to each other in the longitudinal direction Y, and a first sidewall 213 and a second sidewall 214 opposite to each other in the transverse direction X. In this embodiment, the first end 211 and the second end 212 are the front end and the rear end of the second housing 21, respectively, and the first sidewall 213 and the second sidewall 214 are the left sidewall and the right sidewall of the second housing 21, respectively. The terminal assembly 22 includes a second terminal 221 and a third terminal 222, each of which is provided with a first contact surface 2201 and a second contact surface 2202. The first contact surface 2201 faces the first sidewall 213 on the left and is in close contact with the second contact 1216; the second contact surface 2202 faces the second sidewall 214 on the right and is in close contact with the first contact 1214.

[0059] When the first terminal 12 is inserted into the terminal receiving groove 110 of the first housing 11, the substrate 1211 of the main body 121 faces upward in the thickness direction Z, and the substrate 1211 has a through hole 123. After the first terminal 12 is stamped, it needs to be inspected and electroplated. In this embodiment, the through hole 123 is opened in the middle of the substrate 1211. After the stamping process, the through hole 123 of the first terminal 12 can transmit light, so that the spring height of the first terminal can be checked by CCD from the substrate 1211; in addition, after the first terminal 12 is stamped, the electroplating solution can smoothly enter the interior through the through hole 123 to electroplat the first terminal 12. However, in some terminal structures that use vertical contact, it is not possible to open a through hole in a suitable position after stamping, which makes it inconvenient to perform CCD inspection after stamping; in addition, the wrapping and contact film thickness of these vertical contact contacts make electroplating difficult, and only pre-plated materials can be selected for stamping. In this embodiment, the first terminal 12 has a through hole 123 on the substrate 1211 of the main body 121, which allows for CCD detection and subsequent electroplating after stamping, forming a stable protective film layer and improving the terminal contact retention force and service life.

[0060] Referring to Figure 7, a first side plate 1212 is formed by bending downwards from one side of a substrate 1211. A first contact 1214 is provided on the first side plate 1212, and the first contact 1214 is in close contact with the second contact surface 2202 of the terminal assembly 22. The first side plate 1212 is bent twice, first horizontally and then upwards, to form a second lever arm 1215. The second lever arm 1215 is provided with a second contact 1216, and the second contact 1216 is in close contact with the first contact surface 2201 of the terminal assembly 22. The first lever arm 1213 and the second lever arm 1215 are separate structures, wherein the second lever arm 1215 is close to the insertion port 124 of the first terminal 12, while the first lever arm 1213 is away from the insertion port 124. In this embodiment, the first lever arm 1213 is also formed by bending the first side plate 1212 twice, and the first lever arm 1213 elastically abuts against the outside of the second lever arm 1215, and the connection between the second contact point 1216 and the first contact surface 2201 provides a holding force.

[0061] Furthermore, the main body 121 also includes a second side plate 1217, which is formed by bending and extending from the substrate 1211 on the other side relative to the first side plate 1212. In some embodiments, the second side plate 1217, the first lever arm 1213, and the second lever arm 1215 are located on the same side of the substrate 1211, and the second side plate 1217 is separate from the first lever arm 1213. After the second side plate 1217 is bent and extended from the substrate 1211, it is positioned and connected to the outside of the second lever arm 1215. Then, the second side plate 1217 is bent again and tightly connected to the first side plate 1212. The first side plate 1212, the second side plate 1217, the first lever arm 1213, and the second lever arm 1215 together form a terminal contact groove 125. The terminal assembly 22 is inserted into the first terminal 12 through the insertion port 124, and then positioned and held in the terminal contact groove 125.

[0062] The first side plate 1211 is bent horizontally to form a first surrounding plate 1241, and the second side plate 1217 is bent horizontally to form a second surrounding plate 1242. The first surrounding plate 1241 and the second surrounding plate 1242 are both disposed on the side opposite to the substrate 1211, and the second surrounding plate 1242 is located outside the first surrounding plate 1241. In addition, the second side plate 1217 is bent diagonally downward after being bent horizontally to form a limiting plate 1243. The limiting plate 1243 is separated from the second surrounding plate 1242 and is obliquely inserted into the terminal contact groove 125 to form a blocking structure for the terminal assembly 22, thereby improving the pre-holding force of the terminal assembly 22. That is, when the terminal assembly 22 is inserted into the first terminal 12, the front end of the terminal assembly 22 first passes through the insertion port 124 and partially inserts into the terminal contact groove 125, and then passes through the blocking structure formed by the limiting plate 1243 before being fully inserted into the terminal contact groove 125. Meanwhile, the stop formed by the limiting plate 1243 also serves to prevent the terminal assembly 22 from retracting and separating. The main body 121 is also provided with a barrier 126, which abuts against the first lever arm 1213 in the longitudinal Y direction or has a certain gap with the first lever arm 1213. The barrier 126 can limit the terminal assembly 22 from being over-inserted.

[0063] Based on Figures 1-7 and referring to Figure 8, as shown in Figure 8, in the longitudinal direction Y, the second lever arm 1215 has a two-segment bending structure. The second lever arm 1215 includes a first bending segment 1201 bent toward the terminal contact groove 125 and a second bending segment 1202 bent away from the terminal contact groove 125. A groove 1206 is formed between the first bending segment 1201 and the second bending segment 1202.

[0064] In the longitudinal direction Y, the first lever arm 1213 has a three-segment bending structure, including a third bending segment 1203 bent away from the terminal contact groove 125, a fourth bending segment 1204 bent towards the terminal contact groove 125, and a fifth bending segment 1205 bent further away from the terminal contact groove 125. A third contact 1207 is provided at the connection between the fourth bending segment 1204 and the fifth bending segment 1205, and the third contact 1207 abuts against the groove 1206. Based on this structure, the first lever arm 1213 elastically abuts against the outside of the second lever arm 1215 and provides a stable holding force for the contact connection between the second contact 1216 and the terminal assembly. The terminal assembly 22 is inserted into the terminal contact groove 125, and the first contact 1214 and the second contact 1216 are respectively tightly connected to the second contact surface and the first contact surface in the transverse direction X.

[0065] It should be noted that, as shown in Figure 5, the main body 121 has a base surface 1200 on the substrate 1211. The projections of the first contact 1214, the second contact 1216, and the third contact 1207 on the base surface 1200 all fall into the through hole 123. Based on this structure, the electroplating solution can smoothly enter the interior of the first terminal 12 through the through hole 123 to electroplat the first contact 1214, the second contact 1216, and the third contact 1207. Therefore, after the first terminal 12 is stamped, CCD detection and subsequent electroplating processes are performed to form a comprehensive and stable protective film layer on the first contact 1214, the second contact 1216, and the third contact 1207, improving the contact retention force between the first terminal and the terminal assembly and enhancing data transmission efficiency.

[0066] Referring to Figures 6 and 9, the terminal assembly 22 includes a second terminal 221 and a third terminal 222. The second terminal 221 includes a first pin 2211 and a first insertion portion 2212. A first contact surface 2201 and a second contact surface 2202 are disposed on opposite sides of the first insertion portion 2212. The first insertion portion 2212 has a first feeding surface 2213 on its lower side. The second terminal 221 is inserted into the terminal contact groove 125 through the first insertion portion 2212.

[0067] The third terminal 222 includes a second pin 2221, a pin bending section 2222, and a second insertion portion 2223. A first contact surface 2201 and a second contact surface 2202 are disposed on opposite sides of the second insertion portion 2223. The second insertion portion 2223 has a second unloading surface 2224 on its upper side. The third terminal 222 is inserted into the terminal contact groove 125 through the second insertion portion 2223.

[0068] Both the first insertion portion 2212 and the second insertion portion 2223 have large rounded corners at their forward ends, which can guide the second terminal 221 and the third terminal 222 to be smoothly inserted into the terminal contact groove 125 and reduce insertion resistance. The second terminal 221 and the third terminal 222 are respectively provided with a first unloading surface 2213 and a second unloading surface 2224, which can accommodate housings with different spacings, facilitate assembly and stamping, and have high mass production capability.

[0069] The third terminal 222, by setting a pin bending section 2222, positions the second plug portion 2223 directly above the first plug portion 2212, thereby increasing the creepage distance. It can be considered that the second terminal 221 is the lower row of terminals in the terminal assembly 22, and the third terminal 222 is the upper row of terminals in the terminal assembly 22.

[0070] In the first terminal 12 of this embodiment, the crimping portion 122 is provided with a plurality of protrusions 1221. The protrusions 1221 can be used to pierce the insulating film and / or wire of the flexible cable, and then bend and wrap the wire to make an electrical connection with the wire. The end of the protrusion 1221 is a pointed structure.

[0071] Referring to Figures 1, 10-12, in the first connector 1, the first housing 11 is provided with a first mounting surface 1101 and a second mounting surface 1102 facing each other. In the thickness direction Z, the first mounting surface 1101 is the upper side surface of the first housing 11, and the second mounting surface 1102 is the lower side surface of the first housing 11. The first housing 11 is provided with a first protrusion 111 and a first groove 112 on the first mounting surface 1101. The first groove 112 is recessed from the first mounting surface 1101 toward the second mounting surface 1102, and the first protrusion 111 protrudes from the first mounting surface 1101.

[0072] In the second connector 2, the second housing 12 extends from the first end 211 toward the second end and is provided with a second groove 216 and a second protrusion 217, with the second protrusion 217 protruding toward the receiving cavity 215. The second groove 216 is engaged with the first protrusion 111, and the first groove 112 is engaged with the second protrusion 217.

[0073] In the wire-to-board connector of this embodiment, the first protrusion 111 and the second groove 216 cooperate with each other, and the second protrusion 217 and the first groove 112 cooperate with each other to guide the first housing 11 into the receiving cavity 215 of the second housing 21. Furthermore, since the second protrusion 217 protrudes towards the receiving cavity 215, it can also block the left and right sides of the insertion end of the first housing 11 when it is engaged with the first groove 112 of the first housing 11, thereby preventing the first housing 11 from being inserted at an angle and protecting the terminal assembly.

[0074] The first housing 11 has a slot 113 on the second mounting surface 1102, which connects to the terminal receiving groove 110. The first terminal 12 has an elastic block 1218 on its main body 121. The elastic block 1218 is formed by bending the second side plate 1217, and the elastic block 1218 is slightly bent away from the terminal contact groove 125, forming a raised structure. The first locking member 31 has a corresponding latch 311. After the first terminal 12 is inserted into the terminal receiving groove 110, the first locking member 31 is inserted into the slot 113 along the direction of the second mounting surface 1102 toward the first mounting surface 1101, and then the elastic block 1218 is engaged in the latch 311, thereby preventing the first terminal 12 from shifting position in the terminal receiving groove 110.

[0075] Referring further to Figures 1 and 10, the first terminal 12 is inserted into the terminal receiving groove 110 along the longitudinal Y direction, the first locking member 31 is inserted into the slot 113 along the thickness Z direction, and the elastic locking block 1218 is engaged in the latching position 311 in the transverse X direction, thereby locking the first terminal 12 in the terminal receiving groove 110.

[0076] As shown in Figures 11 and 12, the second locking member 32 includes a locking body 321 and a spring arm 322, with the spring arm 322 extending from the locking body 321. In this embodiment, two spring arms 322 extend from the locking body 321 along the longitudinal direction Y, and the spring arms 322 are provided with a stop 3221 and a locking end 3222.

[0077] The first housing is also provided with a guide bar 114 and a guide groove 115 on the first mounting surface 1101. The stop block 3221 is inserted into the guide groove 115, and the spring arm 322 is pre-locked along the guide bar 114 on both sides of the first groove 112.

[0078] Furthermore, the second housing 21 is also provided with a locking block 218 protruding towards the receiving cavity 215, and the locking block 218 is connected to the second protrusion 217. The locking block 218 has an enlarged ring-like structure, and the locking block 218 is connected to the first end 211 and the second protrusion 217 respectively. The second protrusion 217 protrudes further towards the receiving cavity 215 than the locking block 218, that is, the thickness of the second protrusion 217 is greater than the thickness of the locking block 218. After the first housing 11 is fully inserted into the second housing 21, the locking end 3222 of the second locking member 32 engages with the locking block 218.

[0079] The first housing 11 has a crossbeam 116 above the guide strip 115. The guide strip 115 has a stop block 117 at its junction with the first groove 112. The stop block 117 has an inclined surface structure. When the first housing 11 is not inserted into the second housing 21, the second locking member 32 passes through the crossbeam 116 and is pre-locked onto the first mounting surface 1101. Because the second locking member 32 has a push stop, it cannot continue to push forward at this time. After the first housing 11 is inserted into the receiving cavity 215 of the second housing 21, the locking end 3222 continues to move forward, the spring arm 322 expands outward, and the locking end 3222 finally engages with the locking block 218.

[0080] It should be noted that in the second locking member 32, the locking end 3222 and the stop block 3221 are not located on the same plane. The stop block 3221 is closer to the first mounting surface 1101 than the locking end 3222, which can restrict the movement direction of the spring arm and prevent the spring arm from tilting upward.

[0081] As shown in Figure 13, the locking end 3222 also has an inclined surface structure. It slides along the guide strip 115 and passes through the crossbeam 116. Then, the locking end 3222 is engaged with the stop block 117, and the spring arms 322 are located on both sides of the first groove 112. After the first housing 11 is inserted into the receiving cavity 215 of the second housing 21, the locking end 3222 continues to move forward and finally engages with the locking block 218, making the first housing and the second housing unable to be unlocked, thus providing secondary protection.

[0082] In this embodiment, both the stop block and the locking end are made into a structure with an inclined surface, that is, the force-bearing surface is an inclined surface. When the second locking member is subjected to a forward pushing force, the spring arm will generate a downward component force, which can prevent the spring arm from tilting upward, so that the second locking member is finally locked in the second housing.

[0083] Referring to Figures 1, 12 and 14, the second connector 2 is provided with mounting grooves 219 on the first sidewall 213 and the second sidewall 214. The fixing piece is inserted into the mounting groove 219 and the second connector 2 is installed on the circuit board 7. The first connector 1 is connected to a flexible ribbon cable 4. Then the first connector 1 and the second connector 2 are connected together to complete the assembly of the wire-to-board connector.

[0084] The wire-to-board connector provided in this embodiment has a through hole on the substrate of the first terminal of the first connector to facilitate CCD detection of spring height and electroplating after stamping. A first and second lever arm extending from the substrate abut against each other. The second contact, in conjunction with the first contact of the first side plate, can stably connect with the second and third terminals inserted into the terminal contact groove and maintain contact laterally, improving the connection stability between terminals and enhancing transmission efficiency. The wire-to-board connector uses a first locking member to lock the first terminal in the first housing and a second locking member to lock the first housing in the second housing. Furthermore, guides and pre-locking members are provided in the first and second housings to prevent damage to the terminals during insertion due to oblique insertion.

[0085] Example 2:

[0086] This embodiment provides another type of wire-to-board connector, as shown in Figure 15. The wire-to-board connector 100 in this embodiment includes a first connector 1, a second connector 2, and a locking assembly 3. The first connector 1 and the second connector 2 are detachably inserted together and locked and limited by the locking assembly 3.

[0087] The first connector 1 includes a first housing 11 and a first terminal 12, with the first terminal 12 disposed within the first housing 11. The second connector 2 includes a second housing 21 and a terminal assembly 22, with the terminal assembly 22 disposed within the second housing 21. The locking assembly 3 includes a first locking member 31 and a second locking member 32. The first locking member 31 locks the first terminal 12 within the first housing 11; the second locking member 32 is pre-locked within the first housing 11, and after the first connector 1 and the second connector 2 are inserted, the second locking member 32 locks the first housing 11 within the second housing 21.

[0088] The first terminal 12 includes a main body 121 and a crimping part 122. However, unlike the first terminal in Embodiment 1 where the crimping part is used to connect to the flexible ribbon cable, in this embodiment, the crimping part 122 is connected to the cable 5. In the first terminal 12, the crimping part 122 is provided with protrusions 1221 and enclosing blocks 1222. After the insulation layer of the cable 5 is peeled off, it is placed on the crimping part 122. Then, the protrusions 1221 and the enclosing blocks 1222 are bent. The wire is enclosed and contacted by the enclosing blocks 1222, and the protrusions 1221 crimp and enclose the insulation layer of the cable 5. For other structures of the wire-to-board connector in this embodiment, please refer to the corresponding description in Embodiment 1, which will not be repeated here.

[0089] Example 3:

[0090] Referring to Figure 17, based on Figures 1-16, the first terminal 12 is installed in the terminal receiving groove 110. The terminal assembly 22 is inserted into the terminal contact groove 125 of the first terminal 12 through the insertion port 124, that is, the terminal assembly 22 is inserted into the terminal contact groove 125 in the longitudinal Y direction through the insertion port 114. Referring to Figures 18 and 19, when the first terminal 12 needs to be replaced or repaired, the unlocking direction of the first terminal 12 is the same as the direction in which the terminal assembly 22 is inserted into the terminal contact groove 125. The first locking member 31 is pulled out from the first housing 11, and the first unlocking jig 81 is inserted into the terminal contact groove 125 through the insertion port 124.

[0091] The first unlocking fixture 81 is provided with an unlocking rack 811 that is adapted to the insertion port 124. The unlocking rack 811 is inserted into the terminal receiving groove 110 along the longitudinal direction Y and squeezes the elastic block 1218 of the main body 121 away from the locked position, thereby pushing the first terminal 12 to loosen and separate from the terminal receiving groove 110.

[0092] In this embodiment, the unlocking direction of the first terminal is set to be the same as the direction in which the terminal assembly is inserted into the terminal contact groove. This allows the first terminal to be distributed according to the maximum number of pins. With the same number of pins, the width of the housing is smaller and the area occupied is smaller.

[0093] Example 4:

[0094] Figure 20 is a structural schematic diagram of the wire-to-board connector and the second unlocking fixture of this embodiment. As shown in Figure 20, in some relatively narrow installation spaces, when it is necessary to separate the first connector 1 from the second connector 2, the second unlocking fixture 82 can be used for unlocking. Specifically, the first connector 1 has unlocking positions 118 on the left and right sides of the first housing 11, and the second unlocking fixture 82 has corresponding claws 821. By inserting the claws 821 into the unlocking positions 118 and flipping the handle 822 of the second unlocking fixture 82 upward, the first connector 1 and the second connector 2 can be separated.

[0095] The unlocking position 118 can also be used as a pressing or pushing position. The first connector 1 can be pushed forward by pressing the unlocking position to insert the second connector 2. In some cases where it is inconvenient to manually push the first connector 1 into the second connector 2, the claw 821 can be inserted into the unlocking position 118 and the first housing 11 can be pushed forward to make the first connector 1 and the second connector 2 fit together.

[0096] The above description is merely an example and illustration of the structure of this invention, and while the description is specific and detailed, it should not be construed as limiting the scope of this invention. It should be noted that those skilled in the art can make various modifications and improvements without departing from the concept of this invention, and these obvious substitutions all fall within the protection scope of this invention.

Claims

1. A wire-to-board connector, characterized in that, include: The first connector includes a first housing and a first terminal disposed in the first housing. The first housing has a terminal receiving groove. The first terminal includes a main body and a crimping part. The main body is disposed in the terminal receiving groove. The main body includes a base plate with a through hole, a first side plate extending from the base plate, and a first lever arm formed by bending the first side plate. The first side plate has a protruding first contact point. After the first side plate is bent twice, a second lever arm extends out. The second lever arm is disposed inside the first lever arm and has a second contact point. The crimping part is connected to a cable or flexible ribbon cable. The second connector includes a second housing and a terminal assembly disposed on the second housing. The second housing includes a first end, a second end, a first sidewall, a second sidewall, and a receiving cavity. The receiving cavity is recessed from the first end toward the second end. The terminal assembly is inserted into the receiving cavity from the second end. The terminal assembly has a first contact surface and a second contact surface, the first contact surface and the second contact surface facing the first sidewall and the second sidewall, respectively. The locking assembly includes a first locking member and a second locking member, wherein the first locking member locks the first terminal into the first housing, and the second locking member is pre-locked into the first housing and locks the first housing into the second housing; The first contact point is tightly connected to the second contact surface, and the second contact point is pressed and tightly connected to the first contact surface by the first lever arm.

2. The wire-to-board connector according to claim 1, characterized in that, The main body also includes a second side plate, which extends from the substrate on the other side relative to the first side plate. The second side plate is separated from the first lever arm. After being bent, the second side plate is tightly connected to the first side plate. The first side plate, the second side plate, the first lever arm, and the second lever arm surround each other to form a terminal contact groove.

3. The wire-to-board connector according to claim 2, characterized in that, The second lever arm includes a first bent section bent toward the terminal contact groove and a second bent section bent away from the terminal contact groove, and the second lever arm has a groove between the first bent section and the second bent section; The first lever arm includes a third bent section bent away from the terminal contact groove, a fourth bent section bent toward the terminal contact groove, and a fifth bent section bent further away from the terminal contact groove. The first lever arm has a third contact point in the fourth bent section and the fifth bent section, and the third contact point abuts against the groove.

4. The wire-to-board connector according to claim 2, characterized in that, The terminal assembly includes a second terminal and a third terminal. The second terminal includes a first pin and a first plug portion. The first contact surface and the second contact surface are disposed on opposite sides of the first plug portion. The first plug portion is also provided with a first feeding surface on its lower side. The third terminal includes a second pin, a pin bending section, and a second plug-in portion. The first contact surface and the second contact surface are provided on opposite sides of the second plug-in portion. The second plug-in portion also has a second feeding surface on its upper side. The second terminal and the third terminal are respectively inserted into the terminal contact groove through the first plug-in portion and the second plug-in portion.

5. The wire-to-board connector according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first housing has a first mounting surface and a second mounting surface opposite to each other. The first mounting surface has a first protrusion and a first groove. The first groove is recessed in the middle of the first housing from the first mounting surface toward the second mounting surface. The second housing has a second groove and a second protrusion at the first end facing the second end. The second groove is connected to the first protrusion, and the first groove is connected to the second protrusion.

6. The wire-to-board connector according to claim 5, characterized in that, The first housing has a slot on the second mounting surface, and the slot is connected to the terminal receiving slot; the main body has an elastic locking block, the first locking member has a buckle, the first locking member is inserted into the slot, and the elastic locking block is engaged in the buckle.

7. The wire-to-board connector according to claim 5, characterized in that, The second locking member includes a locking body and a spring arm extending from the locking body, the spring arm having a stop and a locking end; The first housing is further provided with a guide strip and a guide groove on the first mounting surface. The stop block is inserted into the guide groove, and the spring arm is pre-locked to both sides of the first groove along the guide strip. The second housing is further provided with an enlarged locking block, which is connected to the second protrusion, and the locking end is engaged with the locking block.

8. The wire-to-board connector according to claim 7, characterized in that, The first housing has a crossbeam above the guide strip, and the second locking member passes through the crossbeam and is pre-locked to the first mounting surface; the locking end and the stop block are not located on the same plane, the locking end slides along the guide strip, and both the locking end and the stop block of the guide strip have an inclined surface structure.

9. The wire-to-board connector according to claim 2, characterized in that, The unlocking direction of the first terminal is the same as the direction in which the terminal assembly is inserted into the terminal contact groove.

10. The wire-to-board connector according to claim 9, characterized in that, The unlocking fixture is equipped with an unlocking rack, which is inserted into the terminal contact groove to push the first terminal out of the terminal receiving groove and separate it.

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