Abstract:
An electrical connector ( 100 ) includes a housing ( 10 ) for receiving a number of connector modules ( 11 ), and a latching member ( 6 ) rotatably mounting on the housing ( 10 ). The latching member ( 6 ) includes an intermediate portion ( 61 ) defining a pivotable portion therewith and an engagement portion ( 62 ) extends from the intermediate portion ( 61 ) for engaging to a complementary connector. The latching member ( 6 ) also includes an arc-shaped actuating portion ( 63 ) extending from the intermediate portion ( 61 ) opposite to the engagement portion ( 62 ) and provides biasing force by itself inflection.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0002]    The present invention relates generally to an electrical connector, and particularly to a latching structure securing the connection between the electrical connector and a mated complementary connector. 
         [0003]    2. Description of Prior Art 
         [0004]    Backplane connectors are generally mounted on printed circuit boards used in high-speed and high-density communication system. Cable connectors are often provided to mate with the backplane connectors. It is common to employ a latching member to secure the connection between the backplane connector and the cable connector. 
         [0005]    One such latching assembly is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,371,788, issued on Apr. 16, 2002. In this patent, a latching assembly for securing a plurality of connector modules to a mating connector in mating engagement includes a retainer member that engages and holds the plurality of connector modules together as a block. A latching lever is movably mounted to the retainer member and has an elongated body portion extending between two opposing ends. A first ends of the latching lever is a latching end disposed in opposition to the mating connector, a second end is an activating end manipulatable by a user to urge said first end into and out of engagement of the mating connector. A clip member movably attaches the latching lever to the retainer member. A biasing member is stamped from the lever body portion of the latching lever between the clip member and the second end for applying a biasing force to the latching lever to constantly urge the latching lever into an engagement position. 
         [0006]    However, the biasing force is insufficient to secure the connector modules to the mating connector. Moreover, it is unreliable that the lever is fixed on the retainer member by a clip. Further, the complex latching assembly adds difficulties to manufacture and increases the product cost correspondingly. 
         [0007]    Therefore, it&#39;s desirable to provide an improved latching structure to the connector to overcome the aforementioned disadvantages. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0008]    It is therefore a general object of the present invention to provide an effective latching structure providing enough biasing force to ensure a firmly connection between mated complementary connectors. 
         [0009]    It is another object of the present invention to provide an effective latching structure with simple configuration and easily to manufacture. 
         [0010]    In order to achieve such objects set forth, an electrical connector having an improved latching structure according to the present invention comprises a housing receiving a plurality of connector modules and hold the connector modules as a block, and a latching member for rotatably mounting to the housing. The latching member includes an intermediate portion having a pair of opposite cylindrical ribs thereon defining a pivotable portion therewith, a engagement portion extends from the intermediate portion for engaging to a complementary connector, and an actuating portion extending from the intermediate portion opposite to the engagement portion, which is manipulated by an operator to force the engagement portion to engage to or disengage from the complementary connector. The actuating portion has an end abutting against the housing and has an inflectable arc shape configuration providing enough biasing force by itself. 
         [0011]    These and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be clearly understand through consideration of the following description. 
     
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING 
         [0012]    The features of the present invention which are believed to be novel are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. The present invention, together with its objects and the advantages thereof, may be best understood by reference to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which: 
           [0013]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an electrical connector having an improved latching structure in accordance with the principle of the present invention; 
           [0014]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the electrical connector with connector modules being exploded therefrom; 
           [0015]      FIG. 3  is an explosive view of the connector; 
           [0016]      FIG. 4  is another explosive view of the connector; 
           [0017]      FIG. 5  is a side plan view of the connector showing the latching structure in a latching position; and 
           [0018]      FIG. 6  is a view similar to  FIG. 5  showing the latching structure in an unlatched position. 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
       [0019]    Reference will now be made in detail to the preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
         [0020]    As shown in  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 2 , an electrical connector  100  in accordance with the present invention is typically terminated with a plurality of wires or cables (not shown) and mates with a backplane connector mounted on a printed circuit board (not shown). The electrical connector  100  includes a plurality of electrical connector modules  11  assembled together as a connector block  1  for engaging with the complementary backplane connector. In the preferred embodiment, the connector block  1  includes two opposite “side modules” and one “central module” sandwiched between the two “side modules”. Each side module  11  has one row of insulated contacts  14  (only one illustrating contact is shown) each electrically connecting to a corresponding wire. The electrical connector  100  forms a housing or a cover  10 . The housing  10  has a first housing member  2  and a second housing member  3  which mate with each other and define a receiving space  4  therebetween for receiving the connector block  1 . The electrical connector  100  also includes a latching member  6  mounted on the housing  10  for securing the connection between the connector  100  and the complementary connector during engagement. 
         [0021]    Referring to  FIG. 3 , the first housing member  2  includes a main body  21  comprising a rectangular section  210  and a triangular section  211 . The rectangular section  210  defines a recess  212 . A pair of protrusions  213  is positioned adjacent to the recesses  212 . Each of the protrusion  213  defines a cavity  2130  functioning as fulcrums. Two sidewalls  22  vertically extend from two side edges of the rectangular section  210  and each has a locking member  220 . The locking member  220  includes a resilient arm member  221  extending beyond the bottom side of the sidewall  22 , and an opening  222  defined thereon. A pair of slits  223  is oppositely positioned beside the resilient arm member  221  so as to increase the spring force of the resilient arm member  221 . In addition, the main body  21  has an elongate groove  25  (see more clearly in  FIG. 4 ) defined on its inner surface for mating with ribs  12  formed on the connector block  1 . Two inclined sidewalls  23 , 24  also vertically extend from two side edges of the triangular section  211  and intersect with each other. The inclined wall  23  is provided with the locking member  220  as same as that of the sidewall  22 . Further, the inclined wall  24  defines a half-round opening  241 , and a neck portion  26  thereon. The half-round opening  241  and the neck portion  26  are used to manage the wires connected to the connector modules  11 . 
         [0022]    Now reference made to  FIG. 4 , the second housing member  3  is capable of cooperating with the first housing member  2  and has a similar configuration with the first housing  2  except for locking members  320  on two sidewalls  32  and an inclined wall  34 . The locking member  320  includes a planar  321  with a cam  322  formed thereon for engaging within the opening  222  of the first housing member  2  thereby to firmly assemble the first and second housing members  2 ,  3  together. Two elongate grooves  35  are defined on the inner surface of the main body portion  31  for receiving second ribs  13  formed on the connector block  1  to thereby secure the modules  11  in the housing  10 . 
         [0023]    As mentioned above, the present invention is aimed at an improved latch structure providing enough biasing force for reliably retaining the connector block  1  in place within the complementary connector. As shown in  FIG. 2 , one preferred embodiment of the improved latching structure comprises a pair of latching members  6 . The latching members  6  have an intermediate portion  61  pivotally mounted on the first housing member  2  and second housing member  3  respectively. The intermediate portion  61  provides two cylindrical ribs  610  on both sides thereof. The ribs  610  are rotatably received in the cavities  2130  of the protrusions  213  defining the intermediate portion  61  as a pivotable portion. The latch member  6  further has an engagement portion  62  extending from the intermediate portion  61 . The engagement portion  62  illustrated as a hook for engaging with the complementary connector, while the complementary connector may have a recess on its side surface to receive the engagement portion  62 . The latching member  6  has an actuating portion  63  extending from the intermediate portion  61  opposite to the engagement portion  62 . The actuating portion  63  is provided with an injectable arc shape that has a front end  631  abutting against an outer surface of the first/second housing members  2 ,  3 . When pressed by an operator, as best shown in  FIG. 5  and  FIG. 6 , the actuating portion  63  will inflect toward the connector block  1  and provides biasing force making the latching member  6  rotate around the pivotable portion, which result in the engagement portion  62  coming out of the receptacle. Vice versa, the actuating portion  63  restores and forces the engagement portions  62  enter into the engagement position to thereby lock the connector module  1  and the complementary connector together. 
         [0024]    While the preferred embodiment of the invention have been shown and described, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention, the scope of which is defined by the appended claims.