Electrical connector assembly

An electrical connector assembly includes: a first module including a mounting plate and a plurality of first electrical connectors; a second module including a housing and a plurality of second electrical connectors; wherein the electrical connector assembly has a locking device including at least one first interlocking member disposed on the first module and at least one second interlocking member disposed on the second module, wherein one of the first interlocking member and the second interlocking member is provided with a protrusion, and the other of the first interlocking member and the second interlocking member is provided with a hole for receiving the protrusion, wherein one of the projection and the hole is elastically actuatable so as to lock or unlock the first module and the second module.

RELATED APPLICATION

The present application claims priority from and the benefit of Chinese Utility Model Application No. 202020014063.3, filed Jan. 3, 2020, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated herein in its entirety.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present utility model relates to an electrical connector assembly.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Electrical connector assemblies are widely used in the field of electrical or electronic products. In some electrical connector assemblies, for example in an electrical connector assembly known from US 20190312394 A1, as shown inFIGS.1and2, the first module31and the second module32of the electrical connector assembly can be switched between a locked state and an unlocked state via cooperation of a rocker arm21and two posts30.

However, in such electrical connector assembly, it is very laborious to release the rocker arm21. Normally, a screwdriver is needed to unlock the first module31and the second module32, which is inconvenient for the user. In addition, since each post30is fixed in a recess20of the rocker arm21, in some cases, the post30might accidentally slide out of the recess20due to deformation of the rocker arm21in a direction along the post30, which results in the first module31and the second module32of the electrical connector assembly are unlocked unexpectedly.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

One object of the present disclosure is to provide an electrical connector assembly capable of overcoming at least one drawback in the prior art. The electrical connector comprises: a first module including a mounting plate and a plurality of first electrical connectors, wherein the plurality of first electrical connectors are mounted on the mounting plate in a predetermined layout; a second module including a housing and a plurality of second electrical connectors mated with the plurality of first electrical connectors, wherein the plurality of second electrical connectors are mounted in the housing in the predetermined layout; and a locking device including at least one first interlocking member disposed on the first module and at least one second interlocking member disposed on the second module. One of the first interlocking member and the second interlocking member is provided with a protrusion, and the other of the first interlocking member and the second interlocking member is provided with a hole for receiving the protrusion. One of the protrusion and the hole is elastically actuatable to enable it to move between a first position in which the protrusion extends into the hole, such that the first electrical connector and the second electrical connector are engaged with each other and the first module and the second module are locked; and a second position in which the protrusion is disengaged from the hole, such that the first module and the second module are unlocked and the first electrical connector and the second electrical connector are separable from each other.

Potential beneficial technical effects of the present utility model may include: a tool is not needed to operate the locking device of the electrical connector assembly, so that it is convenient for use by the user; the locking device may be highly stable, so that the first module and the second module of the electrical connector assembly can be safely and reliably locked; and the electrical connector assembly has a simple structure and a small volume, and thus saves the material and reduces the burden on the product provider.

In some embodiments, the first locking member may include a connecting piece, wherein a first end portion of the connecting piece is fixed on the mounting plate, and the protrusion is provided on a second end portion of the connecting piece; the second locking member may include a cavity provided in the housing, and the hole is provided in a side wall of the cavity.

In some embodiments, the protrusion is constructed to be an elastically extensible pin.

In some embodiments, the connecting piece includes a transverse hole, wherein the pin is disposed in the transverse hole of the connecting piece, and an elastic element is provided in the transverse hole, such that the pin is capable of performing an elastically extensible movement.

In some embodiments, an end portion of the pin that is capable of projecting out of the transverse hole is constructed to be a rounded portion, and the rounded portion is capable of projecting beyond the side wall of the cavity through the hole for receiving the protrusion when the first module and the second module are locked.

In some embodiments, the pin may be constructed to be a cylindrical pin.

In some embodiments, the hole for receiving the protrusion is constructed to be a circular hole.

In some embodiments, the first locking member may include a connecting piece, wherein a first end portion of the connecting piece is fixed on a mourning plate, and one of the protrusion and the hole is provided on/in a second end portion of the connecting piece; and the second locking member may include a cavity provided in the housing, and a toggle structure is provided on a side wall of the cavity, wherein the toggle structure includes a support plate and a fulcrum, and the support plate is elastically rotatable about the fulcrum, wherein the other of the protrusion and the hole is constructed on a first end portion of the support plate.

In some embodiments, a button may be provided on a second end portion of the support plate.

In some embodiments, the protrusion may be constructed to be a wedge-shaped protrusion.

In some embodiments, the hole may be constructed to be a rectangular hole.

In some embodiments, the locking device may include two first interlocking members and two second interlocking members.

In some embodiments, at least one friction button may be provided on an outer wall of the housing.

In some embodiments, the first end portion of the connecting piece may be fixed on the mounting plate in a threaded connection manner.

In some embodiments, the housing may be an injection-molded member.

In some embodiments, the mounting plate may be a mounting plate made of brass.

In some embodiments, the connecting piece may be a connection rod made of brass.

In some embodiments, the pin may be a pin made of brass or steel.

DETAILED EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

The present utility model will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. The accompanying drawings show embodiments of the present utility model. It should be understood, however, that the present utility model may be presented in multiple different ways, and not limited to the embodiments described below. In fact, the embodiments described hereinafter are intended to make a more complete disclosure of the present utility model and to adequately explain the protection scope of the present utility model to a person skilled in the art. It should also be understood that, the embodiments disclosed herein can be combined in various ways to provide more additional embodiments.

It should be understood that, the wording in the specification is only used for describing particular embodiments and is not intended to define the present utility model. All the terms used in the specification have the meanings as normally understood by a person skilled in the art, unless otherwise defined. For the sake of conciseness and clarity, the well-known functions or constructions may not be described in detail any longer. The wordings “comprising”, “containing” and “including” used in the specification indicate the presence of the claimed features, but do not repel the presence of one or more other features.

Referring toFIGS.3and4, an electrical connector assembly in an unlocked and locked state according to one embodiment of the present utility model is shown. The electrical connector assembly comprises a first module1, a second module2, and a locking device3. The first module1and the second module2can be switched between a locked state and an unlocked state by the locking device3.

The first module1includes a mounting plate4and a plurality of first electrical connectors5. The mounting plate4may be rectangular. The plurality of first electrical connectors5may comprise five first electrical connectors. One of the five first electrical connectors5is mounted in the center of the mounting plate4and each of the other four first electrical connectors is mounted in a corner area of the rectangular mounting plate (seeFIG.6). The mounting plate4may be, for example, a mounting plate made of brass. The second module2includes a housing6and a plurality of second electrical connectors7mated with the plurality of first electrical connectors5. The plurality of second electrical connectors7are mounted in the housing6in the same layout as that of the plurality of first electrical connectors5. The housing6may be an injection-molded member.

The locking device3includes at least one first interlocking member disposed on the first module1and at least one second interlocking member disposed on the first module2. In one embodiment, as shown inFIG.3, the locking device3includes two first interlocking members disposed in opposite areas of the first module1and two second interlocking members disposed in opposite areas of the second module2. The first interlocking member may include a connecting piece9. The first end portion of the connecting piece9may be fixed on the mounting plate4in a threaded connection manner. The second end portion of the connecting piece9is provided with a protrusion11. The second interlocking member may include a cavity18constructed in the housing6to receive the connecting piece9. A hole14for receiving the protrusion11is formed in the side wall of the cavity18.

In some embodiments, the protrusion11may be constructed, for example, to be an elastically extensible pin, which will be explained in more detail by way ofFIGS.5a, and5b. As may be explicitly seen fromFIG.5a, the connecting piece9may be a connection rod made of brass. A transverse hole10is provided in the second end portion of the connecting piece9. The protrusion11is constructed to be a pin provided in the transverse hole10. An elastic element12is provided in the transverse hole10so that the pin may be elastically extensible. The elastic element12may be, for example, a coil spring, a leaf spring, a bellows, or the like made of steel. The pin may be a pin made of brass or steel. As shown inFIG.5b, the first interlocking member may further include a stopper13for retaining the pin in the transverse hole10, so that the pin is prevented from moving out of the transverse hole10. The stopper13may be constructed, for example, to be an annular member made of steel. The pin may perform an elastically extensible movement in the transverse hole10through the annular member.

With configuring the protrusion11as an elastically extensible pin, the second end portion of the connecting piece9can be inserted into the cavity18of the housing6from the position shown inFIG.3, and the protrusion11can elastically extend into the hole14(seeFIG.4). Under such a circumstance, the first electrical connectors5and the second electrical connectors7can be engaged with each other and the first module1and the second module2are locked. In order to unlock the first module1and the second module2, the protrusion11may be disengaged from the hole14for example by pressing the protrusion11. In this way, the second end portion of the connecting piece9can be pulled out from the cavity18, and the first electrical connectors5and the second electrical connectors7can be separated from each other (seeFIG.3).

In some embodiments, the pin may be constructed to be a cylindrical pin. Correspondingly, the hole14may be constructed to be a circular hole. However, the present disclosure is not limited thereto, and the pin and the hole14may be provided in other shapes as required. To facilitate the movement of the pin into/out of the hole14, the end portion of the pin that can project out of the transverse hole10may include a rounded portion19. The rounded portion19may project beyond the side wall of the cavity18through the hole14to lock the first module1and the second module2(seeFIG.4).

In addition, in the embodiments shown inFIGS.3and4, the first module1includes five first electrical connectors5and the second module2includes five second electrical connectors7. However, the present disclosure is not limited thereto, the first module1and the second module2may include any plurality of first electrical connectors5and second electrical connectors7respectively, with the number of the first electrical connectors5is same with that of the second electrical connectors7. In addition, the first electrical connectors5and the second electrical connectors7may also be mounted on the mounting plate4and in the housing6respectively in any complementary mating layout.

In some embodiments, the first electrical connectors5may be a male radio frequency (RF) connector, and the second electrical connectors7may be a female RF connector. In other embodiments, the first electrical connectors5may be a RF frequency connector, and the second electrical connectors7may be a male RF connector.

In some embodiments, in order to facilitate the user to hold and operate the second module2, at least one friction button15may be provided on the outer wall of the housing6. As shown inFIGS.3and4, two friction buttons15may be provided on two opposite outer walls of the housing6.

FIGS.6and7respectively show perspective views of an electrical connector assembly in an unlocked and locked state according to another embodiment of the present utility model. For the sake of clarity, the first electrical connectors5and the second electrical connectors7are not shown inFIGS.6and7. Unlike the embodiments shown inFIGS.3and4, in the electrical connector assembly shown inFIGS.6and7, the second interlocking member may include a toggle structure16constructed on a side wall of the cavity18. As shown more explicitly inFIG.9, the toggle structure16includes a support plate22and a fulcrum23, wherein the support plate can elastically rotate about the fulcrum. Specifically, when the second end portion of the support plate22is pressed (represented by the arrow24), the first end portion of the support plate22may be raised (represented by the arrow25); and when the second end portion of the support plate22is released, the first end portion of the support plate22may spring back to its initial position. The fulcrum23may be, for example, a support member formed in the cavity18of the housing6in a manner such as threaded connection, welding, or integral molding with the cavity18.

In some embodiments, as shown inFIGS.6and7, the protrusion11is constructed on the second end portion of the connecting piece9, while the hole14is constructed on the first end portion of the support plate22of the toggle structure16. The second end portion of the connecting piece9can be inserted into the cavity18of the housing6from the position shown inFIG.6, so that the protrusion11extends into the hole14(seeFIG.7). Under such a circumstance, the first electrical connectors5and the second electrical connectors7can be engaged with each other and the first module1and the second module2are locked. In order to unlock the first module1and the second module2, the first end portion of the support plate and the hole14provided therein may be raised by pressing the second end portion of the support plate22, so that the protrusion portion11can be disengaged from the hole14. When the protrusion11is completely disengaged from the hole14, the first module1and the second module2are unlocked, Under such a circumstance, the second end portion of the connecting piece9can be pulled out from the cavity18, and the first electrical connectors5and the second electrical connectors7can be separated from each other (seeFIG.6). In order to facilitate the pressing operation, a button17may be provided on the second end portion of the support plate of the toggle structure16.

In this embodiment, as shown inFIG.8, the protrusion11may be constructed to be a wedge-shaped protrusion which does not have to be constructed to be elastically extensible as shown inFIGS.3and4. Correspondingly, the hole14may be constructed to be a rectangular hole (seeFIGS.6and7).

In other embodiments, the hole14may be provided in the second end portion of the connecting piece9, and the protrusion11may be provided on the first end portion of the support plate22of the toggle structure16. For example, the protrusion11may be provided on the side of the first end portion of the support plate22that faces the cavity18. In such embodiment, the first module1and the second module2may also be locked and unlocked by pressing the second end portion of the support plate22or pressing the button17.

Compared with the prior art, advantages of the electrical connector assembly according to the above-described specific embodiments of the present utility model may include the following aspects: since a rocker arm is not used, a tool is not needed to operate the locking device, so that it is convenient for use by the user; the locking device may be highly stable, so that the first module1and the second module2can be safely and reliably locked; and the electrical connector assembly has a simple structure and a small volume, and thus saves the material and reduces the burden on the product provider.

Although the exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure have been described above, a person skilled in the art should understand that, he or she can make multiple changes and modifications to the exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure. Accordingly, all the changes and modifications are encompassed within the protection scope as defined by the claims of the present utility model.