FR2771860A3 - Improved electrical connector design - Google Patents

Abstract

The construction allows easy assembly of the connector. The shorter pin inserting holes are easy to manufacture using moulding techniques.

Description

TECHNOLOGICAL BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an improved connector, and more particularly to a two-part connector having an improved pin insertion structure.

 Figures 1 and 2 are an exploded perspective view and an assembled side sectional view, respectively, of a usual one-piece connector. As shown in the figures, the usual connector comprises a plastic body 1 in which several pins 2 are inserted. The plastic body 1 has two rows of pin holes 11 and 12 arranged alternately. The row of pin holes 11 is located at the top of the row of pin holes 12. A partition wall 13 extends between rows II and 12 and has a length practically equal to the length of the bottom row of holes for spindle 12. The upper spindle holes It has a greater length than that of the lower spindle holes 12, so that the upper spindle holes Il are held in different positions from those of lower spindle holes 12. A wall upper 14 projects horizontally from an upper face of the plastic body 1 to cover the upper pin holes 11.

The upper wall 14 prevents the upper pin holes 11 from being too long to securely hold the pins 2. Part of the pin holes 11 located below the upper wall 14 extending beyond the partition wall 13 is open downwards, and similarly, part of the pin holes 12 located below the partition wall 13 extending beyond the plastic body 1 is open downwards. The pins 2 are inserted into the upper and lower pin holes 11, 12, their rear parts being located below the open downward parts of the pin holes 11, 12 and ending in a downward curvature. The downward curved ends of pins 2 serve as insertion pins for connection as well as for signal transmission. Two positioning elements 15 are separately associated with the curved ends of the pins 2 inserted in the two rows of pin holes 11,12 to fix the positions of the curved ends of the pins 2 relative to each other.

The following disadvantages are found in the usual one-piece connector described above:
1. The whole connector in a single part consists of a
plastic material by injection molding. The holes for
upper pins 11 are so long that they cause
difficulties in injection molding. The problem
more common with the injection molding of such a connec
the molding needles of the corresponding mold
in the long spindle holes are broken or short
open.

2. The upper pin holes 11 are very long and
it is not easy to precisely insert pins 2 into
their respective pin hole 11. It commonly happens that
more than one pin 2 is inserted in a pin hole
It causes damage to pins 2. It re
mostly, that it is necessary to insert in
taking care and with precision the pins 2 in the
pin holes 11.

SUMMARY OF THIS INVENTION
It is therefore a primary object of the present invention to provide a two-part connector, so that the connector may have upper pin holes having a shortened length.

 Another object of the present invention is to provide a two-part connector, so that the pins can be more easily inserted into the pin holes of the connector to improve production efficiency.

 To achieve the above goals, as well as others, a two-part connector is provided comprising a plastic body, a top plate and several pins. The plastic body is provided with upper and lower pin holes arranged alternately to insert the pins therein. The holes for the spindles are separated from the holes for the lower spindles by a partition wall formed on the plastic body between the holes for the upper and lower spindles. The partition wall is provided with two studs on an upper surface close to both sides thereof. The upper plate is provided on a lower surface located near the two sides thereof with two mortises corresponding to the two studs located on the partition wall to engage with the studs and therefore connect the upper plate to the material body. plastic. The upper plate has a portion extending beyond the plastic body when the upper plate is covered and connected to the plastic body. Several ribs are arranged on the lower surface of the part of the upper plate extending beyond the plastic body, so that each space existing between two adjacent ribs of the upper plate forms a pin hole corresponding to a holes for upper pin of the plastic body and forms an extension of said hole for upper pin. The pins can be inserted into the upper pin holes before the upper plate is covered and connected to the plastic body.

Due to the arrangement of the top plate, the perimeter pin holes on the two-part connector can be shortened in length to facilitate easy and precise insertion of the pins into the upper pin holes without adversely affecting the connector resistance and the pins inserted in the connector.

The production yield can therefore be improved.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The aims, characteristics and function of the present invention can be better understood on reading the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment and the attached drawings, in which:
- Figure 1 is an exploded perspective view of a connector in a single usual part;
- Figure 2 is an assembled side sectional view of the connector of Figure 1;
- Figure 3 is an exploded perspective view of a two-part connector according to the present inventlon;
- Figure 4 is an exploded side sectional view of the two-part connector of the present invention; and
- Figure 5 is an assembled side sectional view of the two-part connector of the present invention
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
We will now refer to Figures 3 and 4 which are an exploded perspective view and an exploded side sectional view, respectively, of a connector in two parts according to the present invention.

As shown in the drawings, the two-part connector mainly comprises a plastic body 3, an upper plate 4, and several pins 2.

 The plastic body 3 is provided with upper and lower pin holes 31, 32, respectively arranged alternately.

The upper and lower pin holes 31, 32 are separated from each other by a partition wall 33 formed on the plastic body 3 between the upper and lower pin holes 31, 32. Two outer ends of an upper surface of the partition wall 33 are respectively provided with a stud 34.

 The upper plate 4 is provided at the two sides with a lower surface of mortises 41 corresponding to the studs 34 located on the plastic body 3. After the upper plate 4 has been assembled on the plastic body 3 by putting in engagement with the mortises 41 with the tenons 34, there is a part of the upper plate 4 extending beyond the front edge of the partition wall 33. Several ribs 42 are formed in parallel on a lower surface of the part of the upper plate 4 extending beyond the partition wall 33, so that each space existing between two adjacent ribs 42 forms a hole for pin 43 corresponding to a hole for upper pin 31 located on the plastic body 3 and forming an extension of a hole for upper pin 31.

 The pins 2 used in the present invention are identical to the pins 2 used in the usual connectors. In addition, a positioning member 15 similar to that used in conventional connectors engages the curved ends of the pins 2, in order to fix the curved ends of the pins 2 in place relative to each other.

 Before the upper plate 4 is covered on the plastic body 3, the pins 2 are first inserted in the upper and lower pin holes 31, 32 formed on the plastic body 3. Next, the plate upper 4 is assembled on the plastic body by engaging the mortises 41 of the upper plate 4 with the pins 34 arranged on the partition wall 33, as shown in FIG. 5. In this way, the upper pin holes 31 in which the pins 2 are inserted may have a shortened length without adversely affecting the strength of the pin holes 31 in which the pins 2 are inserted. In addition, the shortened upper pin holes 31 allow the pins 2 to be more easily and more precisely inserted into these. A high production yield can therefore be obtained.

 What should be noted is that the embodiment of the present invention shown and described is to be taken as the preferred embodiment of the present invention and that various changes in the shape, dimensions, and arrangement of the parts may be carried out without departing from the spirit of the present invention or the scope of the appended claims.

Claims (1)

CLAIM  1. Two-part connector comprising a plastic body (3), an upper plate (4) and several pins (2); said plastic body being provided with upper (31) and lower (32) pin holes alternately arranged to insert said pins (2) therein, said upper pin holes being separated from said lower pin holes by a partition wall (33) formed on said plastic body between said upper and lower pin holes; said partition wall being provided with two tenons (34) on an upper surface near two sides thereof, said upper plate being provided on a lower surface located near two sides thereof with two mortises (41 ) corresponding to the two studs located on said partition wall to engage said studs and therefore connect said upper plate to said plastic body; said upper plate having a portion extending beyond said plastic body when said upper plate is covered and connected to said plastic body; and a plurality of ribs (42) being arranged on the lower surface of the part of said upper plate extending beyond said plastic body, so that each space (43) existing between two ribs of said upper plate forms a pin hole corresponding to one of said upper pin holes of said plastic body and forms an extension of said upper pin hole.