Electrical connector

Abstract: A pair of plug-side latch members (32) are mounted one at each end of a plug connector (6) attached to a mother board (4). A pair of receptacle-side latch members (70) are provided on a daughter board (8) attached to a receptacle connector (10), so that the receptacle-side latch members (70) correspond to the plug-side latch members (32). With the plug-side latch members (32) connected to the receptacle-side latch members (70), the former is elastically latched to the latter so that a mechanical connection force is exerted on the plug-side and receptacle-side connectors (6, 10).

Description: The present invention relates to an electrical connector for allowing a digital signal transfer between circuit boards in a digital data processing apparatus such as a personal computer or in a digital communications apparatus. In a digital data processing apparatus or a digital communications apparatus, there is a growing demand for a high-speed signal transfer, for a high density terminal array for signal input and output and for the downsizing of an apparatus involved. With an electrical connector used as a board-to-board interconnect system, a demand has also been made for an increase in the number of contacts involved, for a high pitch array of contacts involved and for a decrease in the size of the connector. In order to satisfy these demands, there is a risk that a mechanical connection force will be somewhat sacrificed, and also there is a difficult situation in which electrical connection needs to be ensured between a board and a board. In the connector with a high density array of contacts, for example, the length of the contacts is so designed as to be made shorter for the purpose of suppressing any crosstalk among those contacts in a high-density array. The shortening of the length of the contacts decreases a mechanical connection force acting between the plug connector and the receptacle connector. This makes it difficult to secure a positive electrical connection between the two circuit boards. It is accordingly the object of the present invention to provide an electrical connector which ensures an increase in the number of contacts involved, narrowing of their pitch in a contact array, and positive electrical connection between the circuit boards. US-A-4678256 discloses an electrical connector with a plug and a receptacle each composed of a metal shell surrounding insulating bodies containing matable contacts. Figures 10c to 10d depict resilient shaped locking members which are pivotably mounted intermediate their ends with shafts fitting into covers making up the shell of the plug. These locking members interengage with hook-like ends on the noses of complementary resilient locking pieces mounted on the receptacle to hold the plug and receptacle together. The ends of the locking members remote from the hooks can be pushed inwardly together to release the locking engagement with the locking pieces. As is known from US-A-4678256 the present invention provides an electrical connector for connecting a first circuit board to a second circuit board, said connector comprising: a first non-conductive body having a plurality of first contacts molded therein: a first metal body supporting the first non-conductive body in an electrically non-contacting relation to the first contacts and attached to the first circuit board; a pair of elastic members each having a first latching section at one end a second force-receiving section at the other end and a spring section between the first and second sections; a second non-conductive body having a plurality of second contacts molded therein; a second metal body adapted for connection to the first metal body and for supporting the second non-conductive body in an electrically non-contacting relation to the second contacts, the second metal body being attached to the second circuit board and a pair of fixing members mounted at the ends of the first metal body and each having a latching section, engageable with the latching section of one of the first latch members. In contrast to US-A-4678256 and in accordance with the invention, the spring sections of the elastic members are detachably journalled to the second circuit board and are accessible for detachment therefrom and the latching sections of the elastic members and the fixing members are substantially u-shaped and are held in interlocking relationship when the first and second bodies are brought together to cause the first and second contacts to mate together and inwardly directed force exerted on the force-receiving sections of the elastic members cannot release the latching sections from one another. The fixing members can also be detachably mounted to the first metal body and are accessible for detachment therefrom. The spring sections of the elastic members can also be detachably journalled to the second metal body as well as to the second circuit board. At least one of the first and second metal bodies may have a non-conductive member for positioning the contacts. According to the connector of the present invention, the paired elastic members elastically hold the paired fixing members for the second metal body so that the first and second metal bodies are mechanically connected to each other. Even in the connector having many contacts in a narrow-pitch array, the size of a whole connector can be minimised with no sacrifice of an insertion force on the contacts. Thus the two circuit boards can be positively connected to each other. This invention can be more fully understood from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing an electrical connector according to any embodiment of the present invention; Fig. 2 is an exploded perspective view showing a plug connector in Fig. 1; and Fig. 3 is an exploded perspective view showing a receptacle connector in Fig. 1. As can be seen in Fig. 1, an electrical connector 2 of the present invention is composed of a two-piece type connector having a plug 6 attached to the edge of a mother p.c. board 4 and a socket or receptacle 10 attached to the edge of the daughter p.c. board 8. These two connectors components 6 and 10 can be matingly connected to each other. The mother board 4 and daughter board 8 are incorporated into, for example, the notebook computer. In the Figures, X denotes the longitudinal direction of the connector components 6 and 10; Y denotes a direction in which the connectors component 6 and 10 are matingly connected to each other; and Z denotes the thickness direction of the p.c. boards 4,8. Referring to Fig. 2, the edge 4c of the mother board 4 has a pair of cutouts 12, for mating connection of the plug 6. Solder pads 14 extend inwardly from the edge 4c of the mother board 4 at an area between the cutouts 12. Screw holes 18 are provided at the areas of the mother board 4 in the neighbourhood of the cutouts 12 so that the plug 6 can be secured with the screws 16a. The plug 6 has an outer metal body, that is, a metal frame 20, and upper and lower insulating resin bodies 22a and 22b inserted into the metal frame 20. Plug contact rows 24a and 24b are arranged as two arrays on the insulating resin bodies 22a and 22b in the X direction of the plug 6 such that they are molded in a blade-like fashion in the insulating resin bodies 22a and 22b. The two arrays of blade-like plug terminals 24a and 24b are arranged in a mutually parallel way at a middle of the Z-direction height of the connector 6. Ground terminals 26 are inserted between the plug terminal arrays 24a and 24b. Mount lugs 28 are L-shaped in cross-section and extend one at each end of the metal frame 20. Each mount lug 28 has a screw hole 30 in one section of the L-shape corresponding to the screw hole 18 in the mother board 4 and a screw hole 34 in the other section of the L-shape corresponding to a screw hole 36 for mounting a plug-side metal fixing member 32. The plug-side metal fixing members 32 have resilient latch sections 32a between which a portion of the metal frame 20 is sandwiched in the X direction. The plug-side metal fixing members 32 further have mounting sections 32b containing the screw holes 36. The forward end portion of each latch section 32a is folded back toward the mother board 4 side as a U-shape. The mounting section 32b of each latch member 32 is detachably secured to the associated mount lug 28 by inserting a screw 38a through the screw holes 36 and 34 and threadably connecting the screw 38a to a nut 38c with a washer 38b set therebetween. In this state, the pair of latch sections 32a can be elastically displaced in the X direction. The forward ends of the screws 16a are inserted through the corresponding screw holes 18 in the mother board 4 and the screw holes 30 in the corresponding sections of the mount lugs 28 and are threadably attached to a mother board mounting structure, not shown, at a predetermined place in the note-book computer. Thus, the screws 16a perform a double function of fixing the plug 6 to the mother board 4 and fixedly supporting the mother board 4 in the notebook computer. A pair of guide pins 40 extend in the Y direction, at the centre of the metal frame 20. Referring to Fig.3 an array of solder pads 42 extend inwardly from an edge 8c of the daughter board 8. Screw holes 46,96 for fixing the receptacle 10 in place by means of screws 44a are provided in the daughter board 8 inwardly of the array of solder pads 42. The receptacle 10 has an outside metal body, that is, a metal frame 48 and 2 rows x 2 columns inside insulating resin bodies (50a, 50b, 50c, 50d) inserted into the metal frame 48. The receptacle 10 preferably further includes 2 rows of top insulating resin bodies 52a and 52b matingly connected to the top section of the metal frame 48. Receptacle contact rows 54a, 54b, 54c and 54d are molded in the inside bodies 50a to 50d such that they are arranged along the X direction of the receptacle 10. The receptacle terminal rows 54a, ....., 54d are arranged in 2 rows x 2 columns in a manner to correspond to the inside bodies 50a, ....., 50d with the terminal rows 54a and 54b set as an upper array and the terminal rows 54c and 54d set as a lower array. Projections 56 are provided at the top wall of the metal frame 48 so that they are fitted into the top insulating resin bodies 52a and 52b. Holes 58 are provided between both the ends of top insulating resin bodes 52a and 52b so that the projections 56 of the metal frame 48 are fitted into the holes 58. Holes 60 are arranged along the X direction of the bodies 52a and 52b and allow the forward ends of the receptacle terminals in the respective rows 54a, ......, 54d to be inserted therethrough and these terminal rows 54a, ......, 54d to be located there. Guide holes 62 are further provided at the middle of the bodies 52a, 52b to allow the guide pin 40 of the plug 6 to engage therewith. A portion of the metal frame 20 of the plug 6 can be fitted into the top bodies 52a and 52b. The upper terminal rows 54a and 54b and lower terminal rows 54c and 54d are positioned by the top bodies 52a and 52b in a manner to face each other in a spaced apart relation. Ground terminals 64 are inserted between the upper receptacle terminal rows 54a, 54b and the lower receptacle terminal rows 54c, 54d. The blade-like plug terminal rows (22a, 22b) can be matingly connected between the upper receptacle terminal row and the lower receptacle terminal row. Plate-like mount lugs 66 extend at the lower surfaces of both the end portions of the metal frame 48 and each has a screw hole 68 corresponding to the screw hole 46, 96 of the daughter board 8. A pair of receptacle-side metal elastic members 70, each have a latch section 70a on one end, that is, on the mother board 4 side, a force receiving section 70c on the other end, that is, on the daughter board side, and a leaf spring section 70b between the sections 70a, 70c. All these sections 70a,70b,70c are formed as an integral unit. A screw reception hole 72 is provided as a curved part of the leaf spring section 70b such that it corresponds to the screw hole 68 of the mount lug 66 and screw hole 46,96 of the daughter board 8. The forward end portion of each latch section 70a is folded back toward the daughter board side as a U-shape. This folded-back portion of the latch section 70a is engageable with the folded-back portion of the latch section 32a of the corresponding plug-side latch member 32. The forward end portion of the section 70c is similarly folded back toward the mother board 4 side and has such a configuration so as to be easier to handle by hand. The respective metal elastic members 70 are each formed by a striking/bending method, from one elastic metal sheet. The screws 44a are sequentially inserted through the screw holes 72, 46, 96 and 68 so that their forward ends are threadably fitted in the daughter board's mounting structure (not shown) in the notebook computer. By so doing, the metal frame 48 of the receptacle 10 is fixed to the daughter board 8 and the members 70 are journalled relative to the daughter board 8 as shown in Fig. 1. In this state, each latch section 70a is elastically displaceable in the X direction, and the paired latch sections 70a are elastically urged, through the journalling of the member 70, in a direction to be moved towards one other. The resin bodies 22a, 22b and 50a to 50d and 52a, 52b, of the connectors 6 and 10 prevent contact from being made between the terminal rows 24a, 24b, 54a to 54d and the metal frames 20, 48 and prevent short-circuiting between their terminals. These resin bodies are made of suitable resin, such as polyamide resin and Zytel FR-50 commercially available under the trade name manufactured by E.I. Du Pont de Nemours and Co. Connecting together the mother board 4 and the daughter board 8 by the connector 2 will now be explained. Solder tails 74a of the upper plug terminal row 22a and those (not shown) of the lower plug terminal row 22b for the plug 6 are soldered to solder pads 14 of a circuit on the one surface 4a of the mother board 4 and solder pads (not shown) of a circuit on the other surface 4b of the mother board. Similarly, solder tails 76a, 76b of the receptacle terminals on the receptacle 10 are soldered to the corresponding solder pads 42 of both surfaces 8a,8b of the circuits of the daughter board 8, only one 8a of these surfaces being shown for the sake of clarity. The plug 6 and the receptacle 10 are mated together as shown in Figure 1 and the latch sections 32a, 70a of the member 70, 32 inter-engage. When the metal frame 48 of the receptacle 10 and the daughter board 8 are brought sufficiently close to the metal frame 20 of the plug 6 so that the receptacle 10 and the plug 6 are positioned to mate and the elastic members 70 are placed on the daughter board 8 and supported by the screws 44a the latching sections 70a can be interlockingly engaged with the latching sections 32a. Inward force on the sections 70c of the members 70 cannot release the latching sections 70a, 32a together. In this state, the plug 6 is matingly connected to the receptacle 10 and hence the plug connection terminal rows are connected to the receptacle connection terminal rows. The plug 6 is positively mechanically connected to the receptacle 10 and hence the mother board 4 is horizontally connected to the daughter board 8 through the connectors 6 and 10. If there is no need of so much strength as to connect together the connectors 6 and 10 in view of the state in which the boards 4 and 8 are fixed to each other, the members 32 and 70 can be detached from the rest of the connector so that it can be used in the same way as a conventional connector. The present invention is not restricted to the aforementioned embodiment and various changes or modifications of the present invention can be made without departing from the scope of the present invention as defined in the appended claims. In the aforementioned embodiment, for example, the plug connector 6 and receptacle 10 may be connected to the daughter board 8 and mother board 4, respectively. The mount lugs 66 and elastic members 70 may be provided on the plug 6 and the mount lugs 28 and latching members 32 may be provided on the receptacle 10. In the aforementioned embodiment, non-conductive members for positioning the connection terminals may be provided not only on the metal frame 48 but also on the metal frame 20 of the plug 6.

Claims: An electrical connector for connecting a first circuit board (4) to a second circuit board (8), said connector comprising: a first non-conductive body (22a, 22b) having a plurality of first contacts (24a, 24b) molded therein: a first metal body (20) supporting the first non-conductive body (22a, 22b) in an electrically non-contacting relation to the first contacts (24a, 24b) and attached to the first circuit board (4): a pair of elastic members (70) each having a first latching section (70a) at one end a second force-receiving section (70c) at the other end and a spring section (70b) between the first and second sections (70a, 70c); a second non-conductive body (50a, 50b, 50c, 50d) having a plurality of second contacts (54a, 54b, 54c, 54d) molded therein; a second metal body (48) adapted for connection to the first metal body (20) and for supporting the second non-conductive body (50a, 50b, 50c, 50d) in an electrically non-contacting relation to the second contacts (54a, 54b, 54c, 54d), the second metal body (48) being attached to the second circuit board (8) and a pair of fixing members (32) mounted at the ends of the first metal body (20) and each having a latching section (32a), engageable with the latching section (70a) of one of the first latch members (70); characterised in that the spring sections (70b) of the elastic members (70) are detatchably journalled to the second circuit board (8), and are accessible for detachment therefrom and the latching sections (32a, 70a) of the elastic members (70) and the fixing members (32) are substantially u-shaped and are held in interlocking relationships when the first and second bodies (20, 48) are brought together to cause the first and second contacts to mate together and such that inwardly directed force exerted on the force-receiving sections (70c) of the elastic members (70) cannot release the latching sections from one another. A connector according to Claim 1, wherein the latching sections (32a) of the fixing members (32) are also elastic. A connector according to Claim 1 or 2, wherein at least one of the bodies (20, 48) is provided with a non-conductive member for positioning the first and second contacts. A connector according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the spring sections (70b) of the elastic members (70) are also detachably journalled to the second metal body (48). A connector according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the fixing members (32) are detachably mounted to the first metal body (20) and are accessible for detachment therefrom.

Inventors: CHEN CHOU LIN, LEE KOW CHING, WANG BO WIN, CHEN,CHOU LIN, LEE, KOW CHING, WANG,BO WIN
Applicants: BERG ELECTRONICS MFG, BERG ELECTRONICS MANUFACTURING B.V.
Application year: 1993
Main classification: H01R13
IPC codes: H01R12, H01R13