Electric connector with a positioning terminal

An electric connector includes a dielectric connector body (1), an insulative partition frame (2), a plurality of signal terminals (4) received in the connector body and the partition frame, a conductive positioning terminal (3) located in the connector body and the partition frame, a metal shell (5) positioned to the connector body, and a pair of plug elements (6) and rivet elements (7) cooperative to secure the partition frame to the connector body. The positioning terminal comprises a first flat coupling wall (31) and a second flat coupling wall (32) which defines a locating notch (322) at a bottom edge thereof. A locating block (213) raise from the partition frame into the locating notch, thereby fixing the positioning terminal in position.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
 The present invention relates to an electric connector, and more
 particularly to such an electric connector, which comprises a connector
 body and a partition frame fastened together to hold a set of signal
 terminals, and an angled positioning terminal coupled between the
 connector body and the partition frame to secure the connector body and
 the partition frame in position. The positioning terminal comprises hooked
 retaining arms respectively hooked in a locating hole at the connector
 body, two mounting legs respectively inserted through respective locating
 holes at the partition frame, and a locating notch engaged with a locating
 block at the partition frame.
 FIG. 6 shows an electric connector with angled terminals according to
 Taiwan Patent Publication No. 308375. This structure of electric connector
 comprises a connector body holding a set of terminals, a metal shell
 covered on the connector body at the front side, a partition frame
 fastened to the connector body at the back side to support the terminals,
 a fastening device fastened to the connector body and the partition frame
 for grounding. The fastening device secures the connector body and the
 partition frame together. This structure of electric connector is still
 not satisfactory in function. Because the fastening device has a
 complicated structure, its manufacturing cost is high. Further, the
 coupling structure between the fastening device and the partition frame is
 complicated. It takes much time to fasten the fastening device to the
 partition frame and the connector body.
 SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
 The present invention has been accomplished to provide an electric
 connector, which eliminates the aforesaid drawbacks. According to one
 aspect of the present invention, the electric connector comprises a
 connector body having rows of terminal slots and a locating slot, a
 partition frame coupled to the connector body, a set of signal terminals
 respectively mounted in the terminal slots at the connector body and
 respective insertion slots at the partition frame, and a positioning
 terminal fastened to the locating slot at the connector body to hold down
 the partition frame, wherein the locating slot of said connector body
 comprises a sloping guide wall portion at a rear end thereof and a
 retaining wall portion at a front end thereof; the positioning terminal
 comprises a first flat coupling wall and a second flat coupling wall
 connected at right angles, two sloping edges respectively provided at top
 and bottom sides of the first flat coupling wall and stopped at the
 sloping guide wall portion in the locating slot at the connector body, two
 springy retaining arms forwardly extended from the sloping edges at the
 first flat coupling wall and inserted into the locating slot at the
 connector body, the retaining arms each having a hooked portion
 respectively hooked on the retaining wall portion in the locating slot at
 the connector body, and two elongated clamping strips forwardly extended
 from the first flat coupling wall between the retaining arms. By using a
 tool to squeeze the hooked portions of the retaining arms toward each
 other, the positioning terminal can easily be disconnected from the
 locating hole at the connector body. According to another aspect of the
 present invention, the partition frame comprises two locating holes and a
 locating block disposed between the locating holes, the positioning
 terminal comprises two mounting legs downwardly extended from the second
 flat coupling wall thereof and respectively mounted in the locating holes
 at the partition frame, and a locating notch disposed at the bottom side
 of the second flat coupling wall and forced into engagement with the
 locating block at the partition frame.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
 Referring to FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, an electrical connector is shown comprised
 of a connector body 1, a partition frame 2, a positioning terminal 3, a
 set of signal terminals 4, a metal shell 5, two plug elements 6, and two
 rivet elements 7.
 The connector body 1 is an electrically insulative member comprising a
 substantially rectangular base 11, and two mounting blocks 12
 symmetrically formed integral with two opposite lateral side walls of the
 base 11 and disposed in flush with the back side wall of the base 11. The
 base 11 comprises rows of terminal slots 111 and an elongated locating
 slot 112 through front and backside walls thereof, and two bottom notches
 113 bilaterally provided at a bottom sidewall thereof. The locating slot
 112 has a sloping guide wall portion 1121 at a rear end thereof for
 guiding the positioning terminal 3 into position, and a retaining wall
 portion 1122 at a front end thereof for engagement with the positioning
 terminal 3 (see FIG. 3). The mounting blocks 12 each comprise a
 substantially rectangular positioning recess 122, a through hole 121
 through the positioning recess 122, and two locating notches 123 at the
 top and bottom sides.
 The partition frame 2 is a substantially U-shaped frame comprising a flat
 board 21, and two substantially L-shaped mounting plates 22 formed
 integrally with two distal ends of the flat board 21. The flat board 21
 comprises rows of insertion slots 211 corresponding to the terminal slots
 111 at the connector body 1, two locating holes 212 disposed near one
 mounting plate 22, a locating bock 213 raised from a top side wall thereof
 between the locating holes 212, and two protruding blocks 214 bilaterally
 extending forwardly from the front edge thereof adjacent to the L-shaped
 mounting plates 22. The locating block 213 is aligned with the locating
 holes 212 in a direction transverse to the flat board 21. The L-shaped
 mounting plates 22 each comprise a through hole 221 at a vertical wall
 thereof corresponding to the through hole 121 at each mounting block 12 of
 the connector body 1, and a locating hole 222 at the horizontal wall
 thereof transverse to the vertical wall.
 The positioning terminal 3 is a flat member comprising a first flat
 coupling wall 31 and a second flat coupling wall 32 connected at an right
 angle, two sloping edges 311 at top and bottom sides of the first flat
 coupling wall 31, two retaining arms 312 forwardly extended from the
 sloping edges 311 at the first flat coupling wall 31 and terminated at
 hooked portions 3121, two elongated clamping strips 313 forwardly extended
 from the first flat coupling wall 31 between the retaining arms 312, two
 mounting legs 321 downwardly extended from the second flat coupling wall
 32 corresponding to the two locating holes 212 at the flat board 21 of the
 partition frame 2, and a locating notch 322 provided at the bottom edge of
 the second flat coupling wall 32 between the mounting legs 321
 corresponding to the locating block 213 at the flat board 21 of the
 partition frame 2.
 The signal terminals 4 are shaped like a tuning fork, each comprising a
 forked clamping portion 41 at one end, an elongated mounting portion 42 at
 an opposite end, and a hooked portion 421 on the middle for positioning in
 one terminal slot 111 at the connector body 1.
 The metal shell 5 comprises a receiving chamber 50, which receives the base
 11 of the connector body 1, two through holes 51 at two opposite lateral
 sides corresponding to the through hole 121 at each of the mounting blocks
 12 of the connector body 1, and two pairs of mounting lugs 52 respectively
 disposed adjacent to the through hole 51 corresponding to the locating
 notches 123 at the mounting blocks 12 of the connector body 1.
 The plug elements 6 are flat, each comprising a through hole 61 near a top
 side thereof, a bottom mounting leg 62, and a shoulder 621 between the
 through hole 61 and the bottom mounting leg 62 for positioning the plug
 element 6 in the locating hole 222 at a corresponding mounting plate 22 of
 the partition frame 2.
 The rivet elements 7 each comprise a head 71 at one end for positioning in
 the positioning recess 122 at one mounting block 12 of the connector body
 1, a shank 72 extended from the head 71 for insertion through the through
 hole 121 at one mounting block 12 of the connector body 1, the through
 hole 221 at one mounting plate 22 of the partition frame 2 and the through
 hole 61 at one mounting element 6, and a screw hole 70 through the shank
 72 and the head 71.
 The assembly process of the present invention is outlined hereinafter with
 reference to FIGS. 3A through 5. The signal terminals 4 are respectively
 inserted into the terminal slots 111 at the connector body 1, permitting
 the forked clamping portion 41 and hooked portion 421 of each signal
 terminal 4 to be respectively positioned in the terminal slots 111 at the
 connector body 1, then the elongated mounting portion 42 of each signal
 terminal 4 is respectively downwardly bent, and then the positioning
 terminal 3 is inserted into the locating slot 112 at the base 11 of the
 connector body 1, permitting the hooked portion 3121 of each of the
 retaining arms 312 to be hooked on the retaining wall portion 1122 in
 corresponding locating slot 112 and the sloping edge 311 to be stopped at
 the sloping guide wall portion 1121 in corresponding locating slot 112
 (see Figures from 3A through 3D). Thereafter, the partition frame 2 is
 attached to the connector body 1 to engage the protruding blocks 214 into
 the bottom notches 113 at the connector body 1, permitting the angled
 mounting portions 42 of the signal terminals 4 to be respectively inserted
 through the insertion slots 211 at the flat board 21 of the partition
 frame 2, the mounting legs 321 of the positioning terminal 3 to be
 respectively inserted through the locating holes 212 at the flat board 21
 of the partition frame 2, and the locating block 213 of the partition
 frame 2 to be forced into engagement with the locating notch 322 at the
 positioning terminal 3 (see Figures from 3E through 3H). Then, the flat
 plug elements 6 are respectively inserted through the locating holes 222
 at the mounting plates 22 of the partition frame 2, so that the shoulders
 621 are respectively firmly fitted into the locating holes 22 at the
 mounting plates 22 of the partition frame 2. After installation of the
 plug elements 6, the rivet elements 7 are installed to secure the
 connector body 1, the plug elements 6 and the partition frame 2 together
 by: inserting the shank 72 of one rivet element 7 through the through hole
 121 at one mounting block 12 of the connector body 1, the through hole 221
 at one mounting plate 22 of the partition frame 2 and the through hole 61
 at one plug element 6, for enabling the head 71 of one rivet element 7 to
 be positioned in the positioning recess 122 at one mounting block 12 of
 the connector body 1, and then hammered down the end of the shank 72 of
 each rivet element 7 to form another head (see FIGS. 4 and 5). After
 installation of the rivet elements 7, the metal shell 5 is covered on the
 connector body 1 to insert the mounting lugs 52 through the locating
 notches 123 at the mounting blocks 12 of the connector body 1, and then
 the mounting lugs 52 are respectively bent inwards and closely attached to
 the back sidewall of each of the mounting blocks 12 of the connector body
 1 (see FIGS. 4 and 5). After installation of the metal shell 5, the base
 11 of the connector body 1 is received inside the receiving chamber 50,
 and the through holes 51 of the metal shell 5 are respectively aligned
 with the screw holes 70 at the rivet elements 7. Screws (not shown) can
 then be threaded into respective screw holes 70 to fixedly secure the
 electric connector to a casing of an apparatus (for example, the mainframe
 of a computer, or a switch box).
 Because the hooked portions 3121 of the retaining arms 312 of the
 positioning terminal 3 are hooked on the retaining wall portions 1122 in
 corresponding locating slot 112 and the sloping edges 311 are abutted
 against the sloping guide wall portions 1121 in corresponding locating
 slot 112, the positioning terminal 3 is firmly secured to the locating
 slot 112 in the base 11 of the connector body 1, and prohibited from
 displacement. When disconnecting the positioning terminal 3 from the
 connector body 1, a tool is used to force the retaining arms 312 to move
 inwards, enabling the hooked portion 3121 of each retaining arm 312 to be
 disengaged from corresponding retaining wall portion 1122.
 Further, because the mounting legs 321 of the positioning terminal 3 are
 respectively inserted through the locating holes 212 at the partition
 frame 2 and the locating notch 322 of the positioning terminal 3 is
 engaged with the locating block 213 at the partition frame 2, and because
 the protruding blocks 214 of the partition frame 2 are respectively
 engaged into the bottom notches 113 at the connector body 1, the connector
 body 1, the positioning terminal 3 and the partition frame 2 are firmly
 retained together against vibration.
 As indicated above, when the connector body 1, the partition frame 2 and
 the plug elements 6 are assembled together, the through hole 121 at each
 mounting block 12, the through hole 61 at each plug element 6 and the
 through hole 221 at each L-shaped mounting plate 22 are respectively
 aligned for quick insertion of the shank 72 of each rivet element 7,
 enabling the head 71 of each rivet element 7 to be respectively and
 positively positioned in the rectangular positioning recess 122 at each
 mounting block 12, so that the connector body 1, the plug elements 6 and
 the partition frame 2 can be firmly secured together by hammering down the
 free end of the shank 72 of each rivet element 7 to form a respective
 head.
 As indicated, the metal shell 5 is covered on the connector body 1,
 enabling the rectangular base 11 of the connector body 1 to be received in
 the receiving chamber 50, and the mounting lugs 52 to be respectively
 inserted through the locating notches 123 at the mounting blocks 12 at the
 connector body 1, and then the mounting lugs 52 are respectively bent
 inwards and closely attached to the back sidewall of each of the mounting
 blocks 12 of the connector body 1 (see FIGS. 4 and 5) to secure the metal
 shell 5 and the connector body 1 firmly together. After installation of
 the metal shell 5, the through holes 51 of the metal shell 5 are
 respectively aligned with the screw hole 70 at each rivet element 7 for
 securing to the casing of an apparatus (for example, the mainframe of a
 computer, or a switch box) by screw means.
 While only one embodiment of the present invention has been shown and
 described, it will be understood that various modification and changes
 could be made thereunto without departing from the spirit and scope of the
 invention disclosed.