TWI856445B - Assembly of electrical connectors - Google Patents

Abstract

An electrical connector combination includes a male electrical connector and a female electrical connector. The male electrical connector includes a first insulating core, a plurality of first terminals and a metal shell. The female electrical connector includes a second insulating core, a third insulating core and a plurality of second terminals. The third insulating core is supported by the second terminal and is movably arranged in the second insulating core, whereby the floating displacement can be generated in a direction parallel to the first circuit board and the second circuit board. A concave portion of the male electrical connector is movably along a third direction to abut with the stop convex part of the female electrical connector for constrain in the first direction, and the stop convex part of the third insulating core is located between the docking concave part and the stop part with the stop portion abutting the stop convex part for constrain in the second direction. The first terminal contacts the second terminal correspondingly.

Description

Electrical connector assembly

The present invention relates to the technical field of an electrical connector, and in particular to an electrical connector assembly that electrically connects two circuit boards and can be movably connected in a direction perpendicular to the circuit boards to adjust the relative positions of the two circuit boards.

The LCD screen includes a liquid crystal display panel and a backlight module. The backlight module emits light that passes through the liquid crystal display panel to produce an image. The existing backlight module uses a light-emitting diode as a light source, so a power module is required to supply power to the light-emitting diode. The existing power module and the light-emitting diode are respectively arranged on two circuit boards, so an electrical connector assembly is required to electrically connect the two circuit boards in order to achieve power supply to the backlight module.

Due to the requirement of thinness, the height of the housing space of existing LCD screens is very small. How to design an electrical connector assembly that can electrically connect two circuit boards in a very limited housing space and keep the two circuit boards at the same height to maintain the flatness of the diffusion film of the backlight module after installation is an important issue at present.

The purpose of the present invention is to provide an electrical connector assembly, in which the male electrical connector and the female electrical connector are movably connected in a direction perpendicular to the circuit board, so that the relative position of the two circuit boards can be adjusted during assembly, so that the two circuit boards are kept in a predetermined relative position in the vertical direction, which is conducive to the assembly of other components. At the same time, the joint between the male electrical connector and the female electrical connector produces a floating displacement in a direction parallel to the circuit board to compensate for the tolerance of horizontal assembly.

An embodiment of the electrical connector assembly of the present invention includes a male electrical connector and a female electrical connector. The male electrical connector includes a first rubber core, a plurality of first terminals and a metal shell. The first rubber core is arranged on the first circuit board, and the first rubber core has a docking recess. A plurality of first terminals are arranged in a row on the first rubber core, and one end of each first terminal extends into the docking recess. The metal shell is arranged on the first rubber core, and the metal shell includes a stopper. The stopper is arranged across the docking recess. The female electrical connector includes a second rubber core, a third rubber core and a plurality of second terminals. The second rubber core is arranged on the second circuit board. One end of a plurality of second terminals is correspondingly fixed to the second terminal slot. The third rubber core is supported by the second terminal and is movably disposed in the second rubber core, and can generate a first floating displacement in a first direction parallel to the first circuit board and the second circuit board and a second floating displacement in a second direction, the first direction is perpendicular to the second direction, and the third rubber core includes a butt joint end and a stop convex portion, and the butt joint end extends out of the second rubber core. One end of a plurality of second terminals is exposed from the butt joint end, and the stop convex portion is disposed at the butt joint end and protrudes along a third direction, and the third direction is perpendicular to the first direction and the second direction. The butt joint recess of the male end electrical connector is movably butt jointed with the stop convex portion of the female end electrical connector along the third direction to form a limit in the first direction, and the stop convex portion of the third rubber core is located between the butt joint recess and the stop convex portion and abuts against the stop convex portion, so that a limit is formed in the second direction, and the first terminal correspondingly contacts the second terminal.

The electrical connector assembly of the present invention is provided with a docking recess on the first rubber core of the male electrical connector, and a docking end and a stop convex portion located at the docking end are provided on the third rubber core of the female electrical connector. The docking end of the female electrical connector and the docking recess of the male electrical connector can be movably docked in a third direction perpendicular to the two circuit boards, thereby adjusting the relative positions of the first circuit board and the second circuit board to match the assembly of other components. At the same time, the third rubber core of the female electrical connector can be movably arranged in the second rubber core in the first direction and the second direction, so that when the male electrical connector and the female electrical connector are docked, the tolerance of the assembly of the two circuit boards can be compensated.

In order to fully understand the purpose, features and effects of the present invention, the present invention is described in detail through the following specific embodiments and the attached drawings. The description is as follows.

In the present invention, "one" or "an" is used to describe the units, components and assemblies described herein. This is only for the convenience of explanation and to provide a general meaning for the scope of the present invention. Therefore, unless it is obvious that it is otherwise intended, such description should be understood to include one, at least one, and the singular also includes the plural.

In the present invention, the terms "include", "including", "have", "contain" or any other similar terms are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusions. For example, a component, structure, product or device containing multiple elements is not limited to the elements listed herein, but may include other elements that are not explicitly listed but are generally inherent to the component, structure, product or device. In addition, unless expressly stated to the contrary, the term "or" refers to an inclusive "or" rather than an exclusive "or".

Please refer to Figures 1, 2 and 3, wherein Figure 1 is a three-dimensional diagram of an embodiment of the electrical connector assembly of the present invention, Figure 2 is a three-dimensional exploded diagram of the electrical connector assembly of Figure 1, and Figure 3 is a three-dimensional exploded diagram of the electrical connector assembly of Figure 2 from another viewing angle. As shown in the figure, the electrical connector assembly 1 of the present embodiment is used to electrically connect a first circuit board P1 and a second circuit board P2. The first circuit board P1 can be, for example, a circuit board on which a light source is arranged, and the second circuit board P2 can be a circuit board on which a power module is arranged. The first circuit board P1 and the second circuit board P2 are electrically connected by the electrical connector assembly 1, so that the power module supplies power to the light source through the electrical connector assembly 1.

The electrical connector assembly 1 of this embodiment includes a male electrical connector 10 and a female electrical connector 20. The male electrical connector 10 is disposed on the first circuit board P1, and the female electrical connector 20 is disposed on the second circuit board P2. The male electrical connector 10 and the female electrical connector 20 are connected to each other, so that the first circuit board P1 and the second circuit board P2 are electrically connected.

Please refer to Figures 4 and 5, wherein Figure 4 is a three-dimensional exploded view of the male end electrical connector of the electrical connector assembly of the present invention, and Figure 5 is a three-dimensional exploded view of the male end electrical connector of Figure 4 from another viewing angle. The male end electrical connector 10 includes a first rubber core 11, a plurality of first terminals 12, and a metal shell 13. The first rubber core 11 is disposed on the first circuit board P1. The first rubber core 11 is a rectangular parallelepiped, and the edge of one side of the long side forms a docking recess 111, and the other side opposite to the docking recess 111 has a flange 112, and a terminal groove 113 is formed at the edge of the flange 112. The side surface of the first rubber core 11 and the bottom surface of the flange 112 abut against the first circuit board P1.

The docking recess 111 is composed of two limiting walls 1111 disposed opposite to each other in a first direction L1 and a first docking wall 1112 adjacent to the two limiting walls 1111 and parallel to the first direction L1. The first rubber core 11 includes a plurality of first terminal grooves 114, which are arranged in a row along the first direction L1. Each first terminal groove 114 extends along a second direction L2 and opens at the bottom of the first rubber core 11, and is provided with a side surface of a flange 112 and a groove wall of a terminal groove 113 of the flange 112, and each first terminal groove 114 has a first opening 1141 disposed on the first docking wall 1112.

Each first terminal 12 includes an elastic contact portion 121, an elastic deformation portion 122, a first holding portion 123 and a first welding portion 124. Each first terminal 12 is correspondingly arranged in a first terminal slot 114. The first holding portion 123 is inserted into the holding positioning slot 115 connected to each first terminal slot 114 and fixed to the first rubber core 11. The elastic contact portion 121 is located at one end of the first terminal 12 and protrudes from the first opening 1141 of the first abutting wall 1112. The elastic deformation portion 122 is connected to the elastic contact portion 121 to allow the first terminal 12 to generate elastic deformation in the second direction L2. The first welding portion 124 protrudes from the slot wall of the terminal slot 113 and is welded to the solder pad of the first circuit board P1 by surface mounting technology (SMT).

The metal shell 13 includes a stopper 131, a structural reinforcement part 132 and two positioning parts 133. The stopper 131 and the structural reinforcement part 132 are adjacent and perpendicularly arranged strips, and the stopper 131 and the structural reinforcement part 132 both extend along the first direction L1. The stopper 131 is perpendicular to a second direction L2, the structural reinforcement part 132 is parallel to the second direction L2, and the second direction L2 is perpendicular to the first direction L1. The two positioning parts 133 are respectively arranged on the opposite sides of the stopper 131 and the structural reinforcement part 132 and cover the two short sides of the first rubber core 11. The metal shell 13 can strengthen the structure of the first rubber core 11 and produce an electromagnetic shielding effect on the first terminal 12.

The metal shell 13 is limited in the first direction L1 and the second direction L2 by combining the positioning hole 1331 of the positioning part 133 with the protrusions 116 on the upper surface and the lower surface of the first rubber core 11. The metal shell 13 is limited in a third direction L3 by inserting the inserting piece 1332 extending along the first direction L1 into the slot 117 of the first rubber core 11. The third direction L3 is perpendicular to the first direction L1 and the second direction L2. In this way, the metal shell 13 is combined with the first rubber core 11 and is limited in the first direction L1, the second direction L2 and the third direction L3 and is positioned on the first rubber core 11, so that the metal shell 13 and the first rubber core 11 form an integrated structure. The metal shell 13 is welded to the first circuit board P by the welding piece 1333 of the positioning part 133, thereby positioning the first rubber core 11 on the first circuit board P1.

Please refer to Figures 6 and 7, wherein Figure 6 is a three-dimensional exploded view of the female end electrical connector of the electrical connector assembly of the present invention, and Figure 7 is a three-dimensional exploded view of the female end electrical connector of Figure 6 from another perspective. The female end electrical connector 20 includes a metal shell 21, a second rubber core 22, a third rubber core 23, and a plurality of second terminals 24. The female end electrical connector 20 is disposed on the second circuit board P2.

The metal shell 21 is disposed on the second rubber core 22. The metal shell 21 includes a structural reinforcement portion 211 and two mounting portions 212 connected to opposite sides of the structural reinforcement portion 211. The structural reinforcement portion 211 covers the upper surface of the second rubber core 22, which has a reinforcing effect on the structure of the second rubber core 22, and at the same time has an electromagnetic shielding effect on the second terminal 24 disposed on the second rubber core 22.

The mounting part 212 is limited in the first direction L1 and the second direction L2 by the engagement piece 2121 being engaged with the engagement recess 22a of the second rubber core 22, and is limited in the third direction L3 by the insertion piece 2122 extending along the first direction L1 being inserted into the slot 22b of the second rubber core 22, thereby forming an integrated structure of the metal shell 21 and the second rubber core 22, and the metal shell 21 is welded to the second circuit board P2 by the welding piece 2123 of the mounting part 212.

The second rubber core 22 is a rectangular parallelepiped structure, which forms a concave accommodation space 221 at the bottom and one side. The second rubber core 22 also includes a plurality of second terminal grooves 222, which are arranged in a row on a rear wall forming the accommodation space 221 and are connected to the accommodation space 221.

The third rubber core 23 is a hollow frame, which includes a butt end 231, a stop convex portion 232 disposed on the butt end 231 and protruding along the third direction L3, and a coupling end 233 disposed opposite to the butt end 231. One side of the butt end 231 has a second butt surface 231a, and the third rubber core 23 is provided with a third terminal groove 234 on the second butt surface 231a of the butt end 231 and a positioning groove 235 on the bottom surface of the butt end 231. The stop convex portion 232 is provided with a stop surface 232a on one side close to the second rubber core 22.

Each second terminal 24 includes a second holding portion 241, a third holding portion 242, a second elastic deformation portion 243, and a second welding portion 244. The second holding portion 241 is fixed to the second terminal groove 222 of the second rubber core 22, and the third holding portion 242 is fixed to the third terminal groove 234 of the third rubber core 23, so that the second terminal 24 supports the third rubber core 23 by its rigidity. The coupling end 233 of the third rubber core 23 is arranged in the accommodation space 221 of the second rubber core 22 and has a predetermined distance with the wall surface of the accommodation space 221 in the first direction L1 and the second direction L2. The elastic deformation of the second terminal 24 enables the third rubber core 23 supported by the second terminal 24 to generate floating displacement in the first direction L1 and the second direction L2. The second elastic deformation part 243 connects the second holding part 241 and the third holding part 242, and the second elastic deformation part 243 is located in the accommodating space 221. The second rubber core 22 has an accommodating recess 223, and the accommodating recess 223 is arranged on the top wall of the accommodating space 221. The top end of the second elastic deformation part 243 of the second terminal 24 is accommodated in the accommodating recess 223. The second welding part 244 protrudes from the rear end of the second rubber core 22 and is welded on the second circuit board P2 by surface mounting technology.

Please refer to Figures 8, 9, 10 and 11, wherein Figure 8 is a side view of the male end electrical connector and the female end electrical connector of the electrical connector assembly of the present invention before assembly. Figure 9 is a side view of the male end electrical connector and the female end electrical connector of the electrical connector assembly of the present invention after assembly. Figure 10 is a top view of the electrical connector assembly of the present invention. Figure 11 is a cross-sectional view along line A-A of Figure 10. When the male connector 10 is connected to the female connector 20 along the third direction L3, the connecting recess 111 of the first rubber core 11 of the male connector 10 is movably connected to the stop convex portion 232 of the female electrical connector 20 along the third direction L3, and the two limiting walls 1111 of the connecting recess 111 in the first direction L1 abut against the two sides of the stop convex portion 232 to form a limit in the first direction L1. At the same time, the stop convex portion 232 of the third rubber core 23 is located between the connecting recess 111 and the stop convex portion 131 of the metal shell 13, and the stop surface 232a of the stop convex portion 232 abuts against the stop portion to form a limit in the second direction L2.

The first abutting wall 1112 of the abutting recess 111 is opposite to the second abutting surface 231 a of the abutting end portion 231 , and the elastic contact portion 121 of the first terminal 12 is in contact with the surface of the third retaining portion 242 of the second terminal 24 . Since the third retaining portion 242 extends along the third direction L3, the elastic contact portion 121 of the first terminal 12 and the third retaining portion 242 of the second terminal 24 generate a contact range in the third direction L3. The elastic contact portion 121 and the third retaining portion 242 maintain contact within the contact range, so that when the male connector 10 is connected to the female connector 20 along the third direction L3, even if the relative position of the first circuit board P1 and the second circuit board P2 is adjusted, the male connector 10 and the female connector 20 can still maintain electrical connection within the above contact range, thereby providing adjustment flexibility in the position of the first circuit board P1 and the second circuit board P2.

Since the third rubber core 23 of the female connector 20 can generate floating displacement in the first direction L1 and the second direction L2, when the male connector 10 and the female connector 20 are connected, the tolerance of the assembly of the first circuit board P1 and the second circuit board P2 can be compensated in the first direction L1 and the second direction L2.

Please refer to FIG. 12 and FIG. 13 , wherein FIG. 12 is a three-dimensional view of the electrical connector assembly of the present invention from yet another viewing angle, and FIG. 13 is a three-dimensional view of the electrical connector assembly of the present invention from yet another viewing angle. The third rubber core 23 further includes two first guiding slopes 2321 arranged on opposite sides of the stop convex portion 232 in the second direction L2 and extending along the first direction L1. The first rubber core 11 includes a second guiding slope 1113 arranged at the bottom edge of the docking recess 111 in the second direction L2 and along the first direction L1. The metal shell 13 further includes a third guiding slope 1311 arranged at the bottom edge of the stop portion 131 in the second direction L2 and extending along the first direction L1. When the male electrical connector 10 and the female electrical connector 20 are docked, the two first guiding slopes 2321 correspond to the second guiding slope 1113 and the third guiding slope 1311 respectively, and are used to assist the male electrical connector 10 and the female electrical connector 20 in docking.

The third rubber core 23 further includes two fourth guide slopes 2322 disposed on opposite sides of the stop convex portion 232 in the first direction L1, and the second rubber core 22 further includes two fifth guide slopes 1114 disposed on opposite sides of the bottom edge of the docking recess 111 in the first direction L1. When the male electrical connector 10 is docked with the female electrical connector 20, the two fourth guide slopes 2322 correspond to the fifth guide slopes 1114, and are used to assist the male electrical connector 10 in docking with the female electrical connector 20.

The present invention has been disclosed in the above text with preferred embodiments, but those familiar with the present technology should understand that the embodiments are only used to describe the present invention and should not be interpreted as limiting the scope of the present invention. It should be noted that all changes and substitutions equivalent to the embodiments should be included in the scope of the present invention. Therefore, the scope of protection of the present invention shall be based on the scope defined by the patent application.

1:Electrical connector assembly

10: Male electrical connector

11: First rubber core

12: First terminal

13:Metal shell

20: Female electrical connector

21:Metal shell

22: Second rubber core

22a: Engagement recess

22b: Slot

23: The third rubber core

24: Second terminal

111: Docking recess

112: Sudden Edge

113: Terminal slot

116: protrusion

117: Slot

121: Elastic contact part

122: Elastic deformation part

123: First holding part

124: First welding section

131: Stopper

132: Structural reinforcement section

133: Positioning unit

211: Structural reinforcement section

212: Installation Department

221: Storage space

222: Second terminal slot

223: Accommodating recess

231: Butt end

232: Stop convex part

232a: Stop surface

233: Binding end

241: Second holding part

242: Third holding part

243: Second elastic deformation part

244: Second welding section

1111: Limiting wall

1112: First abutting wall

1113: Second guiding slope

1114: The fifth guiding slope

1141: First opening

1311: The third guide slope

1331: Positioning hole

1332: Insert

1333: Welding sheet

2121: snap-fit piece

2122: Insert

2123: Welding sheet

2321: First guide slope

2322: The fourth guiding slope

P1: First circuit board

P2: Second circuit board

Figure 1 is a three-dimensional diagram of an embodiment of the electrical connector assembly of the present invention.

Figure 2 is a three-dimensional exploded view of the electrical connector assembly of Figure 1.

FIG. 3 is a three-dimensional exploded view of the electrical connector assembly of FIG. 2 from another perspective.

Figure 4 is a three-dimensional exploded view of the male end electrical connector of the electrical connector assembly of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a three-dimensional exploded view of the male end electrical connector of FIG. 4 from another perspective.

Figure 6 is a three-dimensional exploded view of the female end electrical connector of the electrical connector assembly of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a three-dimensional exploded view of the female electrical connector of FIG. 6 from another perspective.

Figure 8 is a side view of the male end electrical connector and the female end electrical connector of the electrical connector assembly of the present invention before assembly.

Figure 9 is a side view of the assembled male electrical connector and female electrical connector of the electrical connector assembly of the present invention.

Figure 10 is a top view of the electrical connector assembly of the present invention.

Figure 11 is a cross-sectional view along line A-A of Figure 10.

Figure 12 is a three-dimensional diagram of the electrical connector assembly of the present invention from another perspective.

Figure 13 is a three-dimensional diagram of the electrical connector assembly of the present invention from another perspective.

1 electrical connector assembly 10 male electrical connectors 20 female electrical connectors P1 first circuit board P2 second circuit board

Claims (10)

An electrical connector assembly is used to electrically connect a first circuit board and a second circuit board. The electrical connector assembly includes: a male end electrical connector, which includes: a first rubber core, which is arranged on the first circuit board, and the first rubber core has a docking recess; a plurality of first terminals, which are arranged in a row on the first rubber core, and one end of each of the first terminals extends into the docking recess; and a metal shell, which is provided The first rubber core, the metal shell includes a stopper portion, the stopper portion is arranged across the docking recess; and a female end electrical connector, which includes: a second rubber core, which is arranged on the second circuit board; a third rubber core, which is supported by the second terminals and movably arranged in the second rubber core, and can generate a first floating displacement in a first direction parallel to the first circuit board and the second circuit board and in a A second floating displacement is generated in the second direction, the first direction is perpendicular to the second direction, the third rubber core includes a butt joint end and a stop convex portion, the butt joint end extends out of the second rubber core; and a plurality of second terminals, one end of the second terminals is exposed from the butt joint end, the stop convex portion is arranged at the butt joint end and protrudes along a third direction, the third direction is perpendicular to the first direction and the second direction; wherein the butt joint recess of the male end electrical connector is movably butt jointed with the stop convex portion of the female end electrical connector along the third direction to form a limit in the first direction, and the stop convex portion of the third rubber core is located between the butt joint recess and the stop convex portion and abuts against the stop convex portion, so that a limit is formed in the second direction, and the first terminals are correspondingly in contact with the second terminals. The electrical connector assembly as described in claim 1, wherein the docking recess is composed of two limiting walls disposed opposite to each other in the first direction and a first docking wall adjacent to the limiting walls and parallel to the first direction, the stopper is arranged across the limiting walls, the opposite sides of the docking end are in contact with the limiting walls, and a second docking wall at the end of the docking end corresponds to the first docking wall. The electrical connector assembly as described in claim 1, wherein the stop portion of the metal shell abuts against a stop surface of the mating recess that is perpendicular to the second direction and abuts against a contact surface of the mating end that is perpendicular to the third direction. The electrical connector assembly as described in claim 2, wherein the metal shell further includes a pair of positioning parts and a structural reinforcement part, the structural reinforcement part is adjacent to the stop part and straddles the limiting walls, the pair of positioning parts are respectively connected to the opposite ends of the stop part and the structural reinforcement part, and the stop convex part of the third rubber core is located between the pair of positioning parts. The electrical connector assembly as described in claim 2, wherein the first rubber core further comprises a plurality of first terminal grooves, the first terminal grooves extend along the second direction and have a first opening disposed on the abutting wall, the first terminals are disposed correspondingly in the first terminal grooves, each first terminal comprises an elastic contact portion, a first retaining portion and a first elastic deformation portion, the first retaining portion is retained in the first rubber core, the elastic contact portion is connected to the first elastic deformation portion and is exposed from the first opening to the abutting wall. The electrical connector assembly as described in claim 1, wherein the second rubber core includes a receiving space, the third rubber core includes a coupling end disposed opposite to the mating end, the coupling end is movably disposed in the receiving space, and the coupling end and the receiving space have a distance in the first direction and the second direction respectively. The electrical connector assembly as described in claim 6, wherein the second rubber core further includes a plurality of second terminal slots, the second terminal slots are connected to the accommodating space, the third rubber core further includes a plurality of third terminal slots, the second terminal slots correspond to the third terminal slots, each of the second terminals includes a second elastic deformation portion, a second retaining portion and a third retaining portion, the second retaining portion is fixed to the second terminal slot, the third retaining portion is fixed to the third terminal slot, the second elastic deformation portion connects the second retaining portion and the third retaining portion and is located in the accommodating space. The electrical connector assembly as described in claim 7, wherein the second rubber core further includes a receiving recess, the receiving recess is arranged on the top wall of the receiving space, and the second elastic deformation portion of the second terminals is received in the receiving recess. The electrical connector assembly as described in claim 1, wherein the third rubber core further includes two first guide slopes disposed on opposite sides of the stop convex portion in the second direction and extending along the first direction, the first rubber core includes a second guide slope disposed on the bottom edge of the docking recess and extending along the first direction, and the metal shell further includes a third guide slope disposed on the bottom edge of the stop portion and extending along the first direction, and when the male electrical connector and the female electrical connector are docked, the two first guide slopes correspond to the second guide slope and the third guide slope, respectively. The electrical connector assembly as described in claim 9, wherein the third rubber core further includes two fourth guide slopes disposed on opposite sides of the stop convex portion in the first direction, and the second rubber core further includes two fifth guide slopes disposed on opposite sides of the bottom edge of the docking recess in the first direction, and when the male electrical connector and the female electrical connector are docked, the two fourth guide slopes correspond to the fifth guide slopes.

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