High density connector

An electrical connector system comprises a first PCB assembly (100) comprising a first PCB (10) and a first electrical connector (20) mounted on said first PCB (10) and a second PCB assembly (300) comprising a second PCB (30) perpendicular to the first PCB (10) and a second electrical connector (40) mounted on said second PCB (30). The first electrical connector (20) is formed with a port and the second electrical connector (40) is also formed with a port matable into the port of the first electrical connector (20), so that the first PCB assembly (100) is mountable to the second PCB assembly (300) along a first direction (120) parallel to the first PCB (10) and the second PCB (30).

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This patent application is related to a pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/148,757, filed on Apr. 22, 2008, and entitled “HIGH DENSITY CONNECTOR HAVING TWO-LEVELED CONTACT INTERFACE”, which is assigned to the same assignee with this application.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a high-density connector and particularly to a connector for connecting PCBs orthogonal to each other.

2. Description of Related Art

U.S. Pat. No. 7,322,856, issued to Laurx ect. on Jan. 29, 2008, discloses a solution for connecting PCBs orthogonal to each other. However, the solution needs to use a mid-plane, which much increases the cost of the connector system. U.S. Pat. No. 6,540,522, issued to Sipe on Apr. 1, 2003, discloses another solution for connecting PCBs orthogonal to each other. While, the connector provided by Sipe has a number of circuit boards, which increases the cost of the connector system.

So there is a need for a new type of connector to connect orthogonal PCBs with the lower cost.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An object of the present invention is to provide an electrical connector for connecting orthogonal PCBs. The electrical connector comprises a plurality of stacked wafer units and a housing securing the wafer units. Each of the wafer units comprises a first wafer and a second wafer abutting to each other. Each of the first and the second wafers comprises a plurality of contacts and a first plastic insert fastening the contacts. Each of said contacts comprises a connecting end for mating with a complementary connector, a terminating end for mating with said PCB, and a middle portion connecting said connecting end to said terminating end. The connecting ends of the contacts are insert-molded in the first plastic insert. The first plastic insert of the first wafer forming a tongue beyond the first plastic insert of the second wafer thereof, said tongue having a side facing the second wafer and parallel to said PCB, the connecting end of each contacts of the wafer unit having a mating face facing away from said side of the tongue.

An object of the present invention is to provide another electrical connector for connecting orthogonal PCBs. The electrical connector comprises a plurality of stacked wafer units and a housing securing the wafer units. Each of the wafer units comprises a first wafer and a second wafer abutting to each other. Each of the first and the second wafers comprises a plurality of contacts and a plastic insert insert-molded with the plurality of contacts. Each of said contacts comprises a connecting end for mating with a complementary connector, a terminating end for mating with said PCB, and a middle portion connecting said connecting end to said terminating end. The plastic insert encapsulates the middle portion thereof, the connecting end extending from the plastic insert in a direction parallel to said PCB and the terminating end extending from the plastic insert towards said PCB. The plastic insert of the second wafer forms a tongue extending beyond the plastic insert of the first wafer in the same wafer unit, the tongue of the second wafer define a side perpendicular to said PCB and facing the first wafer, the connecting ends of the contacts of the wafer units having a mating face facing away from the side of said tongue thereof.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring toFIGS. 1-4, an electrical connector system according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown. The electrical connector system includes a plurality of first PCB assemblies100and a plurality of second PCB assemblies300. Each of the first PCB assemblies100comprises a PCB10and a plurality of first electrical connectors20mounted thereon. Each of the second PCB assemblies300comprises a second PCB30and a plurality of second electrical connectors40mounted thereon. Each of the first PCBs10is arranged parallel to each other and perpendicular to each of the second PCBs30. The first electrical connector20is formed with a first port and the second electrical connector40is formed with a second port matable into the first port of the first electrical connector20so that the first PCB assemblies100are mountable to the second PCB assemblies300along a first direction120parallel to the first PCB10and the second PCB30. The first electrical connectors20and the second electrical connector40are arranged so that any selected one of said first PCBs10is connected to any selected one of said second PCBs30through a pair of mated first and second electrical connectors20,40.

In order to describe the invention in detail, only a pair of mated first and the second electrical connectors20,40and a corresponding portion of the first and the second PCBs10,30are shown inFIGS. 2-4and12.

Referring toFIGS. 5-8,13and14, the first electrical connector20according to an embodiment of present invention is shown in detail. The first electrical connector20comprises an array of terminal pairs. Each terminal pair comprises a first terminal22and a second terminal24which are aligned along a second direction130perpendicular to the second PCB30. Each of the first terminals22and the second terminals24has a middle portion221,241, a connecting end222,242extending from the middle portion221,241for mating with the second electrical connector40, and a terminating end224,244oppositely extending from the middle portion221,241. Each of the connecting ends222,242has a mating face223,243for contacting the second electrical connector40. The mating face223of the first terminal22faces away from the second terminal24and the mating face243of the second terminal24faces toward the first terminal22. The connecting ends222,242of the first and second terminals20,40of each terminal pair are spaced a distance from each other along the first direction120. With the array of terminal pairs thus arranged, the density of the terminals22,24in the second direction130may be increased.

In order to fasten the terminal pairs in position, a number of the first terminals22are firstly stamped from a metal plate and then are insert molded into a first plastic insert220to form a first wafer202. A number of the second terminals24are stamped from another metal plate and are insert-molded into a second plastic insert240to form a second wafer204. A first wafer202and an adjacent second wafer204consist of a wafer200. The second plastic insert240abuts the first plastic insert220and forms a tongue231extending beyond the first plastic insert220. The tongue further defines a number of recesses232to partially receive corresponding connecting ends242of the second wafer204. The mating faces223,243of each contact22,24of the wafer200faces away from a same side of the tongue231. There are several first wafer202and corresponding number of second wafer204which are alternately arranged.

The middle portion241of each second terminal24has a bent portion233bent towards the first terminal22and a connecting end242extends backwards to the middle portion241from the bent portion233. The connecting end242of each second terminal24is molded in the tongue231with the mating face243exposed. The connecting ends222,242of the terminal pairs in one wafer200insulated from the connecting ends222,242of the terminal pairs in adjacent wafer200by the tongue231.

The first electrical connector20further includes a first housing26fastening the wafers200in position. The first housing26defines a front cavity260and a rear cavity269and forms a middle wall264comparting the front cavity260from the rear cavity269. The middle wall264extends perpendicular to the first PCB10and defines a number of slots266. The wafers200are mounted in rear cavity269with the tongues231of the second wafers204and the connecting ends222of the first wafers202extending through corresponding slots266into the front cavity260for mating with the second electrical connector40.

The first housing26forms a plurality of walls262surrounding the front cavity260. The walls262provide alignment prior to the mating of the terminal modules202,204with the second electrical connector40.

Referring toFIGS. 9-14, the second electrical connector40according an embodiment of the present invention is shown in detail. The second electrical connector40comprises a plurality of wafer pieces402-409. Each of the wafer pieces402-409includes a plurality of contacts42-49formed from a metal plate and a first plastic insert522-529molded with the contacts42-49. Each of the contacts42-49has a connecting end422for mating with the first electrical connector20, a terminating end424for mating with the second PCB, and a middle portion421connecting said connecting end422to said terminating end424. Each of the connecting ends422of said wafer piece402-409is disposed in substantially planes parallel to the second PCB30.

Adjacent two402/403,404/405,406/407,408/409of the wafer pieces402-409respectively consist a wafer. Each of the wafers402/403,404/405,406/407,408/409comprises a first wafer402,404,406,408and a second wafer403,405,407,409. Each of the first plastic inserts522,524,526,528of the first wafers402,404,406,408has a tongue520extending beyond the first plastic insert523,525,527,529of the second wafers403,405,407,409in the same wafer. The tongue520defines a number of recesses531to receive corresponding connecting ends432of the contacts43. The connecting ends422,432of each contacts42,43defines a mating face423,433facing away from a same side of the tongue520for contacting corresponding mating face223,243of the first and the second terminals22,23of the first electrical connector20inserted therein.

The middle portion421of each first contact42has a portion4211bent towards the second contact43from a distal end of said middle portion421and then extending backwards to form the connecting ends422. The connecting end422is molded in the tongue520with the mating face423exposed. The contacts44,45of a wafer404/405are insulated from the contacts42,43of an adjacent wafer402/403by the tongue520of the first plastic insert524.

The mating face423of each contacts42of the first wafer402is substantially aligned to the mating face433of corresponding contact43of the second wafer403in the first direction120and spaced a distance from each other along the first direction120in the same wafer. This arrangement of the contacts42-49and terminals22,23may improve the contact density for the first and the second electrical connectors20,40.

Each of said wafers402-409, except for the one that is closest to the second PCB30, further comprise a second plastic insert542-548fastening the terminal ends422of the contacts42-48and separated from the first plastic insert522. The middle portion421is bent between the first and the second plastic insert522,542so that the contact42-49is formed into an “L” shape. The contact module409closest to the second PCB30has no need to design a second plastic to further position the terminal ends of the second contacts49. The second plastic insert542,543of the first and the second wafers402,403abuts each other so that the terminating ends422,432are located in predetermined positions.

The second electrical connector40further comprises a second housing66for fastening the wafers402-409. The second housing66defines a front cavity660and a rear cavity669and a middle wall664computing said front cavity660from the rear cavity669. The middle wall664defines a plurality of slots666so that the first wafers402and the second wafers403can be mounted in rear cavity669with the tongues520of the first wafers402and the connecting ends432of the second wafers403extending through corresponding slots666into the front cavity660for mating with the first electrical connector20.

Each of first plastic inserts522,524,526,528forms a plurality of protrusions521abutting behind the bent portion431of the second wafers403,405,407,409, so that the protrusions521may provide a force to the contact43,45,47,49when the wafers is inserted into the second housing66.

The second housing66forms a plurality of positioning walls65extending backwards from the middle wall664, a plurality of receiving slot650being defined for receiving the second contacts43and the protrusions521of the first plastic insert522.

The second housing66forms a plurality of walls662defining the front cavity660for receiving the complementary connector20. The walls662provide alignment prior to the mating of the terminal modules402-409with the complementary connector20.

Additionally, some features of the invention are described in more detail in the following. Referring toFIGS. 11 and 12, the first plastic insert522of the first wafer402defines a slot560, the first plastic insert523of the second wafer403in the same wafer unit mating into said slot560. Referring toFIGS. 3,9,10and14, the housing66forms a plurality of positioning walls65extending backwards from the middle wall666, a plurality of receiving slot650being defined at an rear end of the positioning walls65receiving the second contacts43,45,47and49and the protrusions521of the first plastic insert522.

Referring toFIGS. 2 and 13, the present invention is summarized in a different way in this paragraph. An electrical connector assembly comprises a first connector40, a plurality of first resilient contacts43, a plurality of first stiff contacts42, a second connector20, a plurality of second resilient contacts22, and a plurality of second stiff contacts24. The first connector40defines a first mating port and a first mounting port. Each of the plurality of first resilient contacts43has a first resilient contacting section432exposed in the first mating port and juxtaposed with one another along a transverse direction14, and a first mounting section434exposed in the first mounting port and juxtaposed along said transverse direction14with one another. Each of the plurality of first stiff contacts42has a first stiff contacting portion422juxtaposed along said transverse direction14and exposed in the first mating port and in back of the first resilient contacting section432of the corresponding first resilient contact43along a front-to-back direction120perpendicular to said transverse direction14, and a first mounting portion424exposed in the first mounting port and juxtaposed along said transverse direction14with one another. The second connector20defines a second mating port and a second mounting port. Each of the plurality of second resilient contacts22includes a second resilient contacting section222exposed in the second mating port and juxtaposed along said transverse direction14with one another, and a second mounting section224exposed in the second mounting port and juxtaposed along said front-to-back direction120with one another. Each of the plurality of second stiff contacts24includes a second stiff contacting portion242exposed in the second mating port in front of the second resilient contacting section222along said front-to-back direction120and juxtaposed along said transverse direction14with one another, and a second mounting portion244exposed in the second mounting port and juxtaposed along said front-to-back direction120with one another.

The disclosure is illustrative only, changes may be made in detail, especially in matter of shape, size, and arrangement of parts within the principles of the invention.