CN113097770B

CN113097770B - Electric connector

Info

Publication number: CN113097770B
Application number: CN202110346169.2A
Authority: CN
Inventors: 谭丙权; 张晓庆; 许立军
Original assignee: Dongguan Leader Precision Industry Co Ltd
Current assignee: Dongguan Leader Precision Industry Co Ltd
Priority date: 2021-03-31
Filing date: 2021-03-31
Publication date: 2023-09-19
Anticipated expiration: 2041-03-31
Also published as: TW202234767A; CN113097770A; TWI796101B

Abstract

The invention discloses an electric connector, which comprises a shell, an insulator and a plurality of elastic terminals, wherein the insulator is accommodated in the shell and a plug cavity is formed between the insulator and the shell, and the insulator comprises a plurality of accommodating grooves communicated with the plug cavity; the elastic terminal comprises a fixed part fixed in the insulator and an elastic contact arm extending from the fixed part, the elastic contact arm is accommodated in the accommodating groove, and the elastic contact arm is provided with a contact part exposed to the plug-in cavity; the accommodating groove is internally provided with a lever part, the elastic contact arm support is arranged on the lever part, and the lever part forms the action of a lever fulcrum, so that the problems of yield reduction, fracture and the like of the elastic terminal can be effectively avoided, the reject ratio is reduced, the cost is saved, the yield is improved, and the service life is prolonged.

Description

Electric connector

Technical Field

The present disclosure relates to electrical connectors, and particularly to an electrical connector.

Background

The electric connector is widely applied to electronic equipment such as communication, computers, household appliances and the like, and plays important roles in connection, communication and the like. Taking the existing USB Type-a receptacle connector as an example, the electrical connector generally includes a housing, an insulator connected in the housing, and nine terminals fixed in the insulator, wherein the nine terminals include two pairs of upper differential signal terminals and one ground terminal located above, and a pair of differential signal terminals, one power signal terminal and one ground terminal located below. The housing and the insulator form a socket for plugging and unplugging the plug connector, and the terminal below the housing comprises an elastic part extending into the socket. However, the elastic part is prone to yield and fracture in the long-time plugging process.

Disclosure of Invention

The present invention is directed to an electrical connector for solving the above-mentioned problems.

In order to achieve the above purpose, the invention adopts the following technical scheme:

an electrical connector, comprising:

a housing;

the insulator is accommodated in the shell and a plug-in cavity is formed between the insulator and the shell, and the insulator comprises a plurality of accommodating grooves communicated with the plug-in cavity;

the elastic terminals comprise fixing parts fixed in the insulator and elastic contact arms extending from the fixing parts, the elastic contact arms are accommodated in the accommodating grooves, and the elastic contact arms are provided with contact parts exposed to the plug-in cavities;

the elastic contact arm support is arranged on the lever part, the lever part is a convex hull protruding from the bottom of the accommodating groove, and the convex hull is provided with an arc surface which is in contact with the elastic contact arm.

As a further improved technical scheme of the invention, the elastic contact arm is bent and extended from the fixing part.

As a further improved technical scheme of the invention, the insulator further comprises an abutting part abutting on a bending part between the fixing part and the elastic contact arm, the elastic terminal comprises a first surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface, the abutting part abuts on the first surface, and the convex hull abuts on the second surface.

As a further improved technical scheme of the invention, the point of contact between the elastic contact arm and the convex hull is positioned between 1/4 and 1/3 of the elastic contact arm.

As a further improved technical scheme of the invention, the elastic contact arm is bent and extended from the fixing part, and the included angle between the fixing part and the elastic contact arm is smaller than 90 degrees.

As a further improved technical scheme of the invention, the insulator further comprises an abutting part abutting against a bending part between the fixing part and the elastic contact arm.

As a further improved technical scheme of the invention, the insulator comprises a main body part and a matching part buckled on the main body part, the main body part comprises a tongue plate positioned in the inserting cavity, the accommodating groove is formed in the tongue plate, and the fixing part of the elastic terminal is fixed in the matching part.

As a further improved technical scheme of the invention, the electric connector further comprises a plurality of contact terminals, wherein the contact terminals comprise flat contact parts exposed to the plug-in cavity, and the contact parts of the plurality of elastic terminals and the flat contact parts of the plurality of contact terminals are divided into two rows on the tongue plate and are arranged in a staggered manner.

As a further improved technical scheme of the invention, the elastic terminal further comprises a pin extending out of the matching part, and the contact terminal further comprises a pin extending out of the main body part.

As a further improved technical scheme of the invention, the main body part comprises a vertical part, a tail part extending backwards from the upper end of the vertical part and the tongue plate extending forwards from the lower end of the vertical part, and the shell comprises a shielding part and a rear cover, wherein the shielding part is positioned around the tongue plate and forms the plug-in cavity with the tongue plate, and the rear cover is covered on the tail part.

Compared with the prior art, the invention has the beneficial effects that: the accommodating groove is internally provided with the lever part, the elastic contact arm support is arranged on the lever part, and the lever part forms the action of a lever fulcrum, so that the problems of yield reduction, fracture and the like of the elastic terminal can be effectively avoided, the reject ratio is reduced, the cost is saved, the yield is improved, and the service life is prolonged.

Drawings

FIG. 1 is a schematic view of an electrical connector according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a schematic view of the structure of FIG. 1 at another angle;

FIG. 3 is a schematic view of an exploded housing of the electrical connector of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a schematic view of the structure of FIG. 3 at another angle;

fig. 5 is a schematic view of the structure of a main body portion accommodating a contact terminal and a mating portion accommodating an elastic terminal of the electrical connector of the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a schematic view of the structure of FIG. 5 at another angle;

FIG. 7 is an exploded schematic view of FIG. 5;

FIG. 8 is an exploded view of the alternate angle of FIG. 7;

fig. 9 is a schematic cross-sectional view of an electrical connector of the present invention.

Detailed Description

Referring to fig. 1 to 4 and 9, an electrical connector 100 is disclosed in the present invention, and in an embodiment, the electrical connector 100 is an USB Type-a receptacle connector for plugging and unplugging a mating plug connector (not shown). The electrical connector 100 comprises a housing 1, an insulator 2, a number of spring terminals 3 and a number of contact terminals 4. The insulator 2 is accommodated in the shell 1 and a plug cavity 21 is formed between the insulator and the shell 1, and the insulator 1 comprises a plurality of accommodating grooves 22 communicated with the plug cavity 21. The elastic terminal 3 includes a fixing portion 31 fixed in the insulator 2 and an elastic contact arm 32 extending from the fixing portion 31, the elastic contact arm 32 is accommodated in the accommodating groove 22, and the elastic contact arm 32 is provided with a contact portion 321 exposed to the plugging cavity. The lever part 23 is arranged in the accommodating groove 22, the elastic contact arm 32 is erected on the lever part 23, and the lever part 23 forms the function of a lever fulcrum, so that the problems of yield reduction, fracture and the like of the elastic terminal 3 can be effectively avoided, the reject ratio is reduced, the cost is saved, the yield is improved, and the service life is prolonged.

With continued reference to fig. 9, the lever portion 23 is a convex hull protruding from the bottom of the accommodating groove 22, and the convex hull is provided with an arc surface 231 contacting with the elastic contact arm 32, when the contact portion 321 is stressed, the elastic contact arm 32 elastically deforms and moves along the arc surface 231 to contact, so as to avoid stress concentration, thereby preventing the elastic terminal 3 from falling down and breaking. Preferably, the height of the convex hull is less than or equal to half the depth of the receiving groove 22, ensuring leverage and ensuring the receiving effect of the resilient contact arms 32. The position of the elastic contact arm 32 in contact with the convex hull is 1/4 to 1/3 of the position of the elastic contact arm 32, specifically, the position between 1/4 and 1/3 of the direction from the fixed part 31 to the contact part 321, so as to ensure the elasticity of the elastic contact arm 32 and the contact effect of the contact part 321. The elastic contact arm 32 is bent and extended from the fixing portion 31, and the angle between the fixing portion 31 and the elastic contact arm 32 is smaller than 90 degrees, for example, preferably 83 degrees to 88 degrees, so as to further ensure the leverage between the lever portion 23 and the elastic contact arm 32. The insulator 2 further includes an abutting portion 24 abutting on a bending portion between the fixing portion 31 and the elastic contact arm 32, and an end portion of the abutting portion 24 is curved to match the bending portion and can protect the elastic contact arm 32.

Specifically, referring to fig. 5 to 9, the insulator 2 includes a main body 25 and a mating portion 26 that is engaged with the main body 25. The main body portion 25 is generally Z-shaped and includes a vertical portion 251, a tail portion 252 extending rearward from an upper end of the vertical portion 251, and a tongue plate 253 extending forward from a lower end of the vertical portion 251. The tongue 253 is located in the insertion cavity 21, the receiving groove 22 is disposed in the tongue 253, and the fixing portion 31 of the elastic terminal 3 is fixed to the mating portion 26. The mating portion 26 includes a transverse plate 261 that is snapped onto the tail portion 252 and a vertical plate 262 that is snapped onto the vertical portion 251, the fixing portion 31 of the elastic terminal 3 is fixed into the vertical plate 262, the elastic contact arm 32 of the elastic terminal 3 is received in the receiving groove 22 and is mounted on the lever portion 23 after the vertical plate 262 is snapped onto the vertical portion 251, and the contact portion 321 at the free end of the elastic contact arm 32 is located in the socket cavity 21. The angle between the elastic contact arm 32 and the fixing portion 31 may be originally smaller than 90 degrees, or may be kept smaller than 90 degrees by the lever portion 23, or may be both factors. The sprung terminal 3 further includes a pin 33 extending from the cross plate 261 of the mating portion 26. Specifically, the fixing portion 31 has a substantially inverted U-shape, and includes a beam portion 311, a front frame portion 312 bent and extended from one end of the beam portion 311, and a rear frame portion 313 bent and extended from the other end of the beam portion 311. The beam portion 311 is fixed in the cross plate 261 and both sides of the beam portion 311 are provided with barbs to strengthen the fixation with the cross plate 261, the front frame portion 312 is fixed in the riser 262, and the rear frame portion 313 is fixed in the cross plate 261. The resilient contact arm 32 is bent and extended from the front frame 312, and the included angle is smaller than 90 degrees. The pins 33 are obtained by continuing to extend from the rear frame portion 313 to the cross plate 261. The fixing part 31 with an inverted U shape can firmly install the elastic terminal 3 in the insulator 2, and ensure the elasticity of the elastic contact arm 32 and the leverage with the lever part 23; the front frame 312 has a length greater than that of the rear frame 313, so that the elastic terminals 3 are suitable for being mounted on the edge of a circuit board (not shown) to reduce the height of the electrical connector 100 on the circuit board, thereby facilitating miniaturization and thickness reduction.

The contact terminal 4 includes a positioning portion 41 fixed in the main body portion 25, a flat plate contact portion 42 located at one end of the positioning portion 41, and a pin 43 extending out of the main body portion. The flat contact portion 42 is provided at the free end portion of the tongue plate 253 and exposed to the plug-in cavity 21. The positioning portion 41 is fixed in the vertical portion 251 and the tongue 253, and the pins 43 extend out of the tail portions 252. Specifically, the positioning portion 41 includes a vertically disposed rod portion 411, a front extension portion 412 bent from a lower end of the rod portion 411, and a rear extension portion 413 bent and extended from an upper end of the rod portion 411. The rod 411 is fixed in the vertical portion 251, the front extension portion 412 is fixed in the tongue 253, the flat contact portion 42 is disposed at the end of the front extension portion 412, the rear extension portion 413 is fixed in the tail portion 252, and the pins 43 are bent and extended from the rear extension portion 413. The positioning portion 41 is firmly installed in the insulator 2, and both sides of the rear extension portion 413 are provided with barbs to strengthen fixation. The contact portions 321 of the plurality of elastic terminals 3 and the flat contact portions 42 of the plurality of contact terminals 4 are separated into two rows on the tongue plate 253 and are arranged in a staggered manner. Pins 33 of the plurality of elastic terminals 3 and pins 43 of the plurality of contact terminals 4 are divided into two rows and are arranged in a staggered manner. The tongue 253 is located at the lower end of the vertical portion 251 and extends forward, the tail 252 is located at the upper end of the vertical portion 251 and extends backward, the pins 33 and the pins 43 extend downward from the tail 252 to be plugged on a carrier such as a circuit board (not shown), and the positions of the pins 33 and the pins 43 are higher than those of the tongue 253, so that the height of the electric connector 100 on the carrier such as the circuit board can be reduced, the height and the area of the circuit board are not occupied, and miniaturization and thinning are facilitated.

Referring to fig. 1 to 4 and 9, the housing 1 includes a shielding portion 11 and a rear cover 12. The shielding part 11 is located around the tongue 253 and forms an inserting cavity 21 with the tongue 253, and the rear cover 12 covers the tail 252. The shielding part 11 is buckled on the vertical part 251 and extends forwards to suspend around the tongue plate 253, the shielding part 11 comprises a plurality of buckling parts 111 extending into the inserting cavity 21 and lugs 112 bending outwards, buckling parts 111 are arranged on the upper, lower, left and right sides of the shielding part 11, and the buckling parts 111 can be suspended or non-suspended elastic bodies. The ears 112 are located on the left and right sides for securing the electrical connector 100 when mounted to a carrier such as a circuit board. The rear cover 12 serves to shield the pins 33 of the spring terminals 3 and the pins 43 of the contact terminals 4. Fixing legs 121 are bent downward at both sides of the rear cover 12, and a rear cover plate 122 is bent downward at the rear side of the rear cover 12. The fixing legs 121 and the ears 112 have the same height and the same function, and the back cover 122 serves for shielding and protection.

Referring to fig. 7 and 8, the elastic terminals 3 and the contact terminals 4 conform to the USB 3.0 transmission protocol, and the elastic terminals 3 are four, namely, a ground terminal 341, a pair of differential signal terminals 342 and a power signal terminal 343, wherein the pair of differential signal terminals 342 are located in the middle, and the ground terminal 341 and the power signal terminal 343 are located at two sides. The total of five contact terminals 4 are a ground terminal 441 located in the middle and two pairs of differential signal terminals 442 located on both sides of the ground terminal 441.

Referring to fig. 1 to 9, the steps of assembling the electrical connector 100 are as follows:

step one, providing 4 elastic terminals 3 connected by a material belt (not shown), injection molding the matching part 26 at the fixing part 31, and suspending the elastic contact arms 32 and exposing the pins 33; and then the material belt is folded.

Step two, providing 5 contact terminals 4 connected through the main material belt and the auxiliary material belt, injection molding the main body part 25 at the positioning part 41, and exposing the flat contact part 42 and exposing the pins 43; and then the main material belt and the auxiliary material belt are folded.

Step three, the fitting portion 26 is fastened to the main body portion 25 to form the insulator 2 accommodated in the elastic terminal 3 and the contact terminal 4; the elastic contact arms 32 are accommodated in the accommodating grooves 22, the contact parts 321 protrude out of the tongue plate 253,4, and the contact parts 321 and the 5 flat plate contact parts 42 are distributed back and forth on the same side of the tongue plate 253 and are arranged in a staggered manner.

Step four, providing a shell 1, and preassembling the shell 1 on the insulator 2.

And fifthly, riveting the shell 1 to complete the assembly of the shell 1 and the insulator 2.

And step six, detecting, laser carving and packaging.

Wherein step one and step two can be exchanged or performed synchronously.

When adopting planar structure for current insulator, elastic terminal is the plane to the plane with the insulator for elastic terminal's strength is concentrated in insulator and elastic terminal junction in the time of plug entirely, and easy messenger elastic terminal falls down in the long-time plug in-process and breaks. The electric connector provided by the invention is provided with the elastic terminal, the bending angle of the elastic terminal is smaller than 90 degrees, when the lever part is used for the insulator, the elastic terminal can reach the function of a lever type fulcrum, and the elastic terminal can be prevented from falling down, breaking and the like, so that the reject ratio is reduced, the cost is saved, the yield is improved, and the service life is prolonged.

The above embodiments are only for illustrating the present invention and not for limiting the technical solutions described in the present invention, and the understanding of the present specification should be based on the description of the directivity of the present invention such as "front", "rear", "left", "right", "upper", "lower", etc., and although the present specification has been described in detail with reference to the above embodiments, it should be understood by those skilled in the art that the present invention may be modified or equivalent by those skilled in the art, and all the technical solutions and improvements that do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention should be covered by the claims of the present invention.

Claims

1. An electrical connector, comprising:

a housing;

the elastic contact arm support is arranged on the lever part, the lever part is a convex hull protruding from the bottom of the accommodating groove, the convex hull is provided with an arc surface in contact with the elastic contact arm, and the insulator further comprises an abutting part abutting against a bending part between the fixing part and the elastic contact arm.

2. The electrical connector of claim 1, wherein the resilient contact arm extends from the securing portion.

3. The electrical connector of claim 1, wherein the spring terminal includes a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface, the abutment abutting the first surface, the convex hull abutting the second surface.

4. The electrical connector of claim 1, wherein the point at which the resilient contact arm contacts the convex hull is located between 1/4 and 1/3 of the location of the resilient contact arm.

5. The electrical connector of claim 1, wherein the resilient contact arm extends from the fixing portion in a bent manner, and wherein the fixing portion forms an angle with the resilient contact arm of less than 90 degrees.

6. The electrical connector of claim 5, wherein the insulator further comprises an abutment portion abutting a bend between the fixed portion and the resilient contact arm.

7. The electrical connector of claim 1, wherein the insulator comprises a main body and a mating portion that is snapped into the main body, the main body comprises a tongue plate disposed in the socket cavity, the receiving slot is disposed in the tongue plate, and the fixing portion of the elastic terminal is fixed in the mating portion.

8. The electrical connector of claim 7, further comprising a plurality of contact terminals including flat contact portions exposed to the socket cavities, the contact portions of the plurality of spring terminals and the flat contact portions of the plurality of contact terminals being separated into two rows on the tongue plate and being offset from each other.

9. The electrical connector of claim 8, wherein the spring terminals further comprise pins extending out of the mating portion, and the contact terminals further comprise pins extending out of the body portion.

10. The electrical connector of claim 7, wherein the body portion includes a vertical portion, a tail portion extending rearward from an upper end of the vertical portion, and the tab extending forward from a lower end of the vertical portion, and the housing includes a shielding portion surrounding the tab and forming the mating cavity with the tab, and a rear cover covering the tail portion.