EP0324268A2

EP0324268A2 - Electrical connector

Info

Publication number: EP0324268A2
Application number: EP88312245A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Masao Suzuki
Original assignee: Thomas and Betts Corp
Current assignee: ABB Installation Products Inc
Priority date: 1987-12-25
Filing date: 1988-12-22
Publication date: 1989-07-19
Also published as: EP0324268A3; JPH089902Y2; JPH01166984U

Abstract

An electrical connector is disclosed including a housing (10) having a plurality of cavities (11) which support electrical contacts (20) therein. Each electrical contact (20) has a bent distal end portion (21) extending from the outside of the cavity (11) into the cavity (11). The distal end portion (21) is biased. The distal end portion (21) of the contact (20) is inserted through an engaging hold (12) formed at the upper portion of the peripheral wall of the housing. The distal end portion (21) of the contact (20) is placed in electrical connection with a portion of a conductive element which is inserted into the housing cavity (11).

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION:

The present invention relates to a connector mainly used in a printed circuit board and, more particularly, a low-profile connector.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION:

A typical conventional contact of this type has a structure wherein receptacle contacts are arranged in a housing to receive pins for connection thereto. However, if a compact connector is designed without changing this structure, the contact stroke is shortened and the biasing force of the contact spring is decreased, and the inserted pins cannot be firmly held by the corresponding contacts. Conventional connectors of this type have dimensional limitations due to this structure.
The device of the present application has been made to eliminate conventional drawbacks and provide a connector which has a sufficient holding force even if low-profile pins are inserted therein.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION:

According to a gist of the device of the present application, there is provided a connector including a housing 10 having a cavity 11 for accommodating a portion of a conductive element and a contact 20. The contact 20 has a bent distal end portion 21 extending from the outside of the cavity into the cavity so that the distal end portion can be biased. The distal end portion of the contact is inserted through an engaging hole 12 formed at an upper portion of a peripheral wall of the housing which defines the cavity and a face of the cavity. The distal end portion of the contact is placed in electrical contact with a portion of the conductive element when the portion to be connected is inserted in the cavity.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS:

Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view showing the first embodiment of the present device;
Figure 2 is a side view thereof;
Figure 3 is a plan view thereof;
Figure 4 is a longitudinal sectional view of a second embodiment
Figure 5 shows a third embodiment according to the invention; and
Figure 6 is a view showing a biased state of a contact.

DETAILED DESCRITION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS:

Figures 1 and 2 show a first embodiment of the present device. Referring to Figure 1, reference numeral 10 denotes a housing in which a plurality of cavities 11 are formed to receive pins as portions to be connected. Reference numerals 20 denote contacts each having a distal end portion 21 to be bent and to be biased, a connecting portion 23, and a body 22 for connecting the distal end portion 21 and the connecting portion 23.
The distal end portion 21 of each contact is inserted into a corresponding engaging hole 12 formed in the upper portion of the peripheral wall of the housing which defines the cavities, and faces the corresponding cavity. The distal end portions of the contacts are brought into contact with the pin portions to be connected so as to achieve electrical connection when the pin portions are inserted into corresponding cavities.
The connecting portions 23 of the contacts are inserted into corresponding holes formed in a printed circuit board or are brought in contact with conductive pads and are fixed by soldering.
As is apparent from Figures 1 to 3, the bodies 22 of the contacts are fitted in grooves 13 in the housing to fix the contacts in the housing.
Projections 22a are formed on the bodies of the contacts, respectively. When the connector is mounted on a printed circuit board, the bodies of the contacts float from the surface of the circuit board by the projections 22a.
When the pin portions to be connected are inserted in the housing having the contacts having the above structure, the pins are brought into contact with the bent distal end portions 21 of the contacts in the cavities, respectively. The distal end portions 21 of the contacts are spread to hold the pins inserted into the cavities 11 by elastic forces.
Figure 4 shows a second embodiment of the present device. A connecting portion of a connector is inserted into a circuit board in a direction parallel to the circuit board for mounting the connector. In this case, the width of the housing in the first embodiment serves as the height when the connector is used.
Figure 5 shows a third embodiment according to the present invention. In this embodiment, bodies of contacts 20 are inserted through grooves 13 in a housing 10 and parts extending to the connecting portions 23 of the contacts are bend and the connecting portions extend from the bottom of the housing downward. By means of this configuration, the contacts are more firmly fixed to the housing.
Figure 6 illustrates a sample of a connector of which contacts 20 get contact with a part of a wall defining the cavity of the housing so as to be biased in advance. Thereby, the contact can more securely contact with a member 100 to be connected. In the drawing, a contact represented by a solid line A is of a previous type and a contact represented by a solid line B shows a contact of the present embodiment. As seen from the drawing, the contact of the present embodiment is biased by a protrusion of the wall defining the cavity. Thereby, the member to be connected can be free from the drawback that it is obstructed by a head of the contact in its insertion into the cavity and is bent or damaged. Accordingly, the member is securely held in the cavity and firmly connected with the contact.
The structures of the connectors according to the present application have been described in detail. The following special effects can be obtained by these structures.
Since the contacts are fixed outside the cavities of the housing and the distal end portions of the contacts extend into the openings of the cavities, the elastic forces of the distal end portions are not decreased, and a low-profile housing can be obtained. Therefore, a low-profile connector can be obtained.
The distal end portions of the contacts can be biased to abut against the inner wall surfaces of the cavities when the portions to be connected are inserted into the cavities, respectively. Movement of the distal end portion is limited by the inner wall surface. That is, the contact serves as an anti overstress contact.
Since the pin portions to be connected are in contact with the connecting portions of the contacts at the openings of the cavities, the stroke of each pin before reaching the bottom of the corresponding cavity can be increased. Therefore, a wiping effect for removing contamination of the pin.
Since the contacts are fixed outside the cavities, the contact bodies need not be inserted into the cavities, respectively. The bottom of each cavity is closed (the bottom of the cavity in the conventional connector also serves as a contact insertion port). Therefore, inconvenience caused by the open bottom of the cavity, such an entrance of a solder flux of the like can be prevented.

Claims

1. A connector including a housing 10 having a cavity 11 for storing a conductive portion to be connected and a contact 20 having a bent distal end portion 21 extending from the outside of said cavity into said cavity so that said distal end portion be biased,
characterized in that said distal end portion of said contact is inserted to be engaged with an engaging hole 12 formed at an upper portion of a peripheral wall of said housing which defines said cavity and to face said cavity, and said distal end portion of said contact is brought into electrical contact with said portion to be connected when said portion to be connected is inserted in said cavity.

2. A connector according to claim 1, characterized in that said contact further comprises a body 22 fixed outside said cavity of said housing and a connecting portion 23 extending outside said housing.

3. A connector according to claim 2, characterized in that said body of said contact is fitted in a groove 13 formed in said housing, so that said contact is fixed in said housing.

4. A connector according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that a projection 22a is formed on an outer surface of said body.

5. A connector according to any one of Claims 1 to 4 wherein said contact gets contact with a part of a wall defining the cavity of said housing so as to be biased in advance.