Electrical connector, electrical connector assembly and electrical equipment

An electrical connector includes a support bracket and a connection terminal. The connection terminal includes a terminal body mounted on the support bracket and in sliding electrical contact with a bus bar extending in a first plane, and a terminal connection portion protruding from a bottom of the terminal body in a first direction parallel to the first plane and electrically connected to a circuit board.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims the benefit of the filing date under 35 U.S.C. § 119(a)-(d) of Chinese Patent Application No. 201811412661.X, filed on Nov. 23, 2018.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to an electrical connector and, more particularly, to an electrical connector adapted to supply power to a circuit board.

BACKGROUND

Electrical equipment can include a cabinet in which a drawer is held, and the drawer may be drawn out in a sliding manner for service, testing, and the like of an electrical component mounted in the drawer. Typically, the electrical component is powered by power wires connected to its circuit board. However, in some applications, it may be desirable to maintain the electrical component in the drawer in a powered state during service, testing and the like, and thus the power wires need to be extended with the drawer, thereby requiring the power wires to be long enough to conform to movement of the drawer.

SUMMARY

An electrical connector includes a support bracket and a connection terminal. The connection terminal includes a terminal body mounted on the support bracket and in sliding electrical contact with a bus bar extending in a first plane, and a terminal connection portion protruding from a bottom of the terminal body in a first direction parallel to the first plane and electrically connected to a circuit board.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENT(S)

The present disclosure will be described in further detail with reference to the following embodiments, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. In the specification, the same or similar references indicate the same or similar components. The following description of embodiments of the present disclosure with reference to the accompanying drawings is intended to explain the general inventive concept of the present disclosure and should not be construed as limiting the present disclosure.

As shown inFIGS.1-3, an electrical equipment according to an embodiment comprises a cabinet400and a drawer300which is moveably held in the cabinet400in a reciprocal manner. The drawer300may be drawn out of the cabinet400for service, testing and the like of an electrical component mounted in the drawer300. A bus bar200is mounted on an inner sidewall of the cabinet400, and an electrical connector100is mounted on a mounting sidewall301of the drawer300facing the inner sidewall of the cabinet400on which the bus bar200is mounted. The electrical connector100is electrically connected to the bus bar200and also electrically connected to a circuit board500held in the drawer300, thereby supplying power or transmitting electrical signals to circuits disposed in the circuit board500in the drawer300by the bus bar200connected to external power wires.

The electrical connector100, as shown inFIG.4, includes a support bracket1and a plurality of connection terminals2. In an embodiment, the support bracket1is made of a plastic material and the connection terminals2are made of a copper or a stainless steel material. In the shown embodiment, the connector100has two connection terminals2, but the number of connection terminals2may vary in other embodiments.

In the electrical connector100, as shown inFIGS.2-7, each of the connection terminals2has a terminal body21and at least one terminal connection portion22. The terminal body21is mounted in the support bracket1and is configured to be kept in sliding electrical contact with the bus bar200extending in a first plane. The terminal connection portion22protrudes from a bottom of the terminal body21in a first direction X parallel to the first plane so as to be electrically connected to the circuit board500.

The support bracket1is mounted on the mounting sidewall301of the drawer300which is adapted to hold the circuit board500and held in the cabinet400. During drawing the drawer300from the cabinet400, the support bracket1and the connection terminals2mounted in the support bracket1may slide relative to the bus bar200mounted on the inner sidewall of the cabinet400and extending in the first plane, and the connection terminals2are always kept in electrical contact with the bus bar200to supply power or transmit electrical signals by the bus bar200to the circuits disposed in the circuit board500in the drawer300. In this way, it is possible to maintain the supply of electrical power to the electrical component during the operations of service, testing and the like of the electrical components in the drawer300.

The support bracket1, as shown inFIGS.4and5, includes a plate-shaped bottom wall11having a through hole extending in the first direction X, through which the terminal connection portion22protrudes from a first side (a bottom side in the shown embodiment) of the bottom wall11. The support bracket1has a first sidewall12extending upwardly from the bottom wall11in a direction perpendicular to the bottom wall11. The first sidewall12has a mounting portion, which is adapted to mount the terminal body21, on a first side of the first sidewall12. The support bracket1has a second sidewall13extending upwardly from the bottom wall11in the direction perpendicular to the bottom wall11, and the second sidewall13is provided with a mounting portion, which is adapted to mount a terminal body21of another connection terminal2, on a first side of the second sidewall13. The mounting portion of the first sidewall12and the mounting portion of the second sidewall13are disposed face to face. In this way, a sliding channel3having a certain width in a second direction Y perpendicular to the first plane is formed between the mounting portion of the first sidewall12and the mounting portion of the second sidewall13, so that at least a portion of the bus bar200slides through the sliding channel3in a third direction Z perpendicular to both the first direction X and the second direction Y. In this way, the support bracket1and the connection terminals2thereon may slide relative to the bus bar200and the terminal bodies21of the connection terminals2may always be kept in sliding electrical contact with the bus bar200during drawing the drawer300from the cabinet400in the third direction Z.

The first sidewall12and the second sidewall13extend upward from the bottom wall11in the direction perpendicular to the bottom wall11in the shown embodiment, but in other embodiments, only one of the first sidewall12or the second sidewall13may be provided as appropriate.

The support bracket1, as shown inFIGS.4and5, has two pairs of third sidewalls14, one of the two pairs of third sidewalls14extending from two opposite sides of the first sidewall12in the second direction Y, the other one of the two pairs of third sidewalls14extending from two opposite sides of the second sidewall13in the second direction Y. The one of the two pairs of third sidewalls14is opposite to the other one of the two pairs of third sidewalls14to form a sliding channel3between the mounting portion of the first sidewall12and the mounting portion of the second sidewall13, so that at least a portion of the bus bar200slides through the sliding channel3in the third direction Z. As a result, a cross-section of each of the first and second sidewalls12,13in a plane parallel to both the second and third directions Y, Z are of U-shaped structure to accommodate at least a portion of the connection terminals2. At least a portion of the connection terminals2is positioned in the sliding channel3when the bus bar200does not enter the sliding channel3between the mounting portion of the first sidewall12and the mounting portion of the second sidewall13, so that the connection terminals may resiliently abut against two opposite side surfaces and be kept in sliding electrical contact with the bus bar200when the bus bar200enters the sliding channel3and slides along the sliding channel3.

As shown inFIG.5, each of each pair of third sidewalls14has a guide portion16on a side away from the other one of the pair of third sidewalls14, and the bus bar200may be easily inserted into the sliding channel3through the guide portion16.

As shown inFIGS.4,6and7, in an embodiment, each terminal body21has a base211extending in a plane parallel to the first plane and mounted at the mounting portion, and a contact portion212bent from at least one of two opposite sides of the base211to a surface of the base211and adapted to be in electric contact with the bus bar200. In this way, the contact portion212is in electrical contact with the bus bar200, so that power may be supplied to the circuit board500via the connection terminal2from the bus bar200.

The terminal connection portion22, as shown inFIG.4, has an insertion portion extending from the bottom of the base21and inserted into a terminal insertion hole501in the circuit board500, shown inFIG.15, and a free end of the terminal connection portion22of the connection terminal2is inserted into the terminal insertion hole501of the circuit board500, thereby achieving the electrical connection between the connection terminal2and the circuit board500. In other embodiments, the terminal connection portion22may have a connection surface extending from the bottom of the terminal body21and adapted to be in electrical contact with an electrical contact of the circuit board500at the free end thereof, and the connection terminal2may be electrically connected to the circuit board500by soldering or the like.

In an embodiment, the contact portions212of the two connection terminals2elastically abut against the two opposite sides of the bus bar200, respectively, to ensure that the contact portions212of the two connection terminals2may elastically abut against the two opposite sides of the bus bar200and be kept in reliably sliding electrical contact with the bus bar200when the bus bar200slides along the sliding passage3.

As shown inFIGS.6and7, the contact portion212has a plurality of elastic pieces spaced apart from each other, each of which has an arc-shaped structure protruding toward the bus bar200on the surface of the base211to ensure that the bus bar200smoothly slides within the sliding channel3of the support bracket1and maintains the sliding electrical contact with the connection terminal2.

As shown inFIGS.4and5, each pair of third sidewalls14has engaging grooves15, and the two opposite sides of the base211of each connection terminal2are at least partially inserted into the engaging grooves15, thereby achieving connection of the connection terminal2to the support bracket1. In another embodiment, the support bracket1may be also directly over-molded on the connection terminal2by using an injection molding process.

As shown inFIGS.5and6, upper and lower portions of one side of the base211of the connection terminal2have protrusions213protruding outward from a plane in which the base211is positioned, respectively. The protrusions213may be inserted into the engaging groove15of each pair of third sidewalls14, and the other side of the base211of the connection terminal2may be inserted into the other engaging groove15of each pair of third sidewalls14.

In an electrical connector100according to another embodiment, as shown inFIG.8, two connecting portions17are provided between ends of the two opposite third sidewalls14in the second direction Y away from the bottom wall11. Each connecting portion17is integrally connected to tops of the first sidewall12and the second sidewall13, respectively. In this way, a gap between the mounting portion of the first sidewall12and the mounting portion of the second sidewall13may be kept constant (that is, the width of the sliding passage in the second direction Y is kept constant) to prevent the gap between the mounting portion of the first sidewall12and the mounting portion of the second sidewall13from becoming large during use, thereby preventing the terminal body21from being separated from the bus bar200during drawing the drawer300from the cabinet400. In other embodiments, the number of connecting portions17may be one or more than two, and the positions of the connecting portion17may also be disposed in the middle of the first sidewall12and the second sidewall13.

An electrical connector100according to another embodiment, as shown inFIG.9, comprises a cover4covering a top of the support bracket1to prevent dust or the like from entering the support bracket1. As shown inFIG.10, the cover4has a cover body41configured to cover a top surface of the support bracket1. The cover4has a cylindrical fastening portion42integrally connected to the cover body41and fastened onto an outside surface of the top of the support bracket1for preventing the mounting portions of the first and second sidewalls12,13from becoming large during use, thereby preventing the terminal body21from being separated from the bus bar200during drawing the drawer300from the cabinet400.

In some embodiments, as shown inFIGS.4,5,8and9, the support bracket1has at least one heat dissipation hole18for dissipating heat generated by the electrical connector100and the bus bar200.

As shown inFIGS.1-7,11, and12, an electrical connector assembly comprises a bus bar200and an electrical connector100. The bus bar200is configured to be mounted on the inner sidewall of the cabinet400adapted to hold a drawer300and extends in the first plane. The electrical connector100has a support bracket1and two connection terminals2. Each of the connection terminals2has a terminal body21and at least one terminal connection portion22. The terminal body21is mounted in the support bracket1and is configured to be held in sliding electrical contact with the bus bar200extending in the first plane. The terminal connection portion22protrudes from a bottom of the terminal body21in a first direction X parallel to the first plane so as to be electrically connected to the circuit board500.

In use, the support bracket1is mounted on the mounting sidewall301of the drawer300adapted to hold the circuit board500and held in the cabinet400. During drawing the drawer300from the cabinet400, the support bracket1and the connection terminals2mounted in the support bracket1may slide relative to the bus bar200mounted on the inner sidewall of the cabinet400and extending in the first plane, and the connection terminals2are always kept in electrical contact with the bus bar200to supply power or transmit electrical signals by the bus bar200to the circuits disposed in the circuit board500within the drawer300. In this way, it is possible to maintain the supply of electrical power to the electrical component during the operations of service, testing and the like of the electrical components in the drawer300.

The bus bar200, as shown inFIG.11, has a mounting section203, a connection portion202, and a bus bar body201. A first side of the mounting section203is configured to be connected to the inner sidewall of the cabinet400, for example, by bolts sequentially passing through a mounting hole204in the mounting section203and a corresponding mounting hole401(shown inFIG.12) in the sidewall of the cabinet400, or by welding. A first side of the connection portion202is integrally connected to a second side of the mounting section203and extends away from the inner sidewall of the cabinet400such that there is a gap between the bus bar body201connected to the second end of the connection portion202and the sidewall of the cabinet400. The bus bar body201is integrally connected to the second end of the connection portion202and substantially parallel to the inner sidewall of the cabinet400, and the bus bar body201is configured to be inserted into the sliding channel3in the first direction X from a upper portion of the support bracket1and to be always in electrical contact with the connection terminal2while sliding relative to the support bracket1. In an embodiment, the bus bar200may be stamped from a sheet-shaped material.

A bus bar200according to another embodiment, as shown inFIG.13is mounted on a sidewall of a cabinet400. The bus bar200includes a bus bar body201′ substantially parallel to the inner sidewall of the cabinet400, connected to the inner sidewall of the cabinet400, and configured to be inserted into the sliding channel3in a third direction Z from a side of the support bracket1and to be always in in electrical contact with the connection terminal2of the electrical connector100when sliding relative to the support bracket1. The bus bar body201′ includes two mounting portions positioned at two opposite ends of the bus bar body201′ and configured to be connected to the inner sidewall of the cabinet400, and two connecting portions202′ integrally connected between the bus bar body201′ and the corresponding mounting portions. The bus bar200may be stamped from a sheet of material.

In a case in which the connection portion17, shown inFIG.8, is provided or the cover4, shown inFIG.9, is provided, the bus bar200shown inFIG.13is used. When the bus bar200is used, the body201of the bus bar200firstly penetrates through the sliding channel3of the support bracket1, and then the bus bar200is fixed on the inner sidewall of the cabinet400. In other embodiments, the bus bar200shown inFIG.13may also be adapted to the case where the connection portions17or the cover4is not provided.

As shown inFIGS.1-3, an electrical equipment comprises an electrical connector assembly as described above, a cabinet400, and at least one drawer300. An inner sidewall of the cabinet400is substantially parallel to the first plane, the bus bar200of the electrical connector assembly is mounted on the inner sidewall of the cabinet400, the drawer300is reciprocally movably held in the cabinet400and is adapted to hold a circuit board500, and the electrical connector100of the electrical connector assembly is positioned on a mounting sidewall301of the drawer300facing the inner sidewall of the cabinet400on which the bus bar200is mounted.

In an embodiment, as shown inFIG.14, a lower portion of the mounting sidewall301of the drawer300is provided with an avoidance space for the electrical connector assembly, and a through hole302is provided in the mounting sidewall301. The circuit board500, shown inFIG.15, substantially perpendicular to the first plane partially protrudes from the through hole302and is electrically connected to the terminal connection portion22of the connection terminal2of the electrical connector100.