Abstract:
A power connector assembly ( 100 ) includes a cable ( 7 ) including a number of wires ( 70 ), an insulative housing ( 1 ), and a number of electrical contacts ( 2 ). The electrical contacts include at least one detection contact ( 22 ) and plural contacts ( 21 ). Each of the plural contacts includes a pair of mating portions ( 211 ), a pair of middle portions ( 212 ) extending rearwardly from the mating portions respectively, a connecting portion ( 213 ) connected with the middle portions, and a first soldering portion ( 214 ) connected with the connecting portion. The at least one detection contact includes a second soldering portion ( 223 ). Each of the first soldering portions and the second soldering portion includes a soldering area soldered to respective one of the wires, and all of the soldering areas are disposed at a common horizontal plane, arranged in a straight line, and soldered to corresponding wires at same time.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0002]    The present invention relates to a power connector assembly, and more particularly to soldering structure of contacts thereof 
         [0003]    2. Description of Related Arts 
         [0004]    Taiwan Patent No. M264690, issued on May 11, 2005 to Lai et al., discloses an electrical connector soldered with wires of a cable. The electrical connector comprises an insulative housing and a plurality of contacts received in the insulative housing. Each of the contacts comprises a pair of mating portions disposed face to face and spaced apart from each other along a vertical direction and a soldering portion connected with the two mating portions. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0005]    An object of the present invention is to provide a power connector assembly with contacts conveniently soldered to cable wires. 
         [0006]    To achieve the above-mentioned object, a power connector assembly comprises: a cable comprising a plurality of wires; an insulative housing; and a plurality of electrical contacts received in the insulative housing, the electrical contacts comprising at least one detection contact and a plurality of contacts, each of the plurality of contacts comprising a pair of mating portions disposed face to face and spaced apart from each other along a vertical direction, a pair of middle portions extending rearwardly from the mating portions respectively, a connecting portion connected with the pair of middle portions, and a first soldering portion connected with a rear side of the connecting portion, the at least one detection contact comprising a second soldering portion; wherein each of the first soldering portions and the second soldering portion comprises a soldering area soldered to a respective one of the wires, and all of the soldering areas are disposed at a common horizontal plane, arranged in a straight line, and soldered to corresponding wires at same time. 
         [0007]    According to the present invention, direct soldering with the soldering areas at same time without use of a printed circuit board simplifies manufacturing process and reduces cost. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING 
         [0008]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a power connector assembly in accordance with the present invention; 
           [0009]      FIG. 2  is a partly exploded view of the power connector assembly as shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0010]      FIG. 3  is further partly exploded view of the power connector assembly as shown in  FIG. 2 ; 
           [0011]      FIG. 4  is an exploded view of the power connector assembly as shown in  FIG. 1 ; and 
           [0012]      FIG. 5  is another exploded view of the power connector assembly as shown in  FIG. 4 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
       [0013]    Reference will now be made in detail to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
         [0014]    Referring to  FIGS. 1 to 5 , a power connector assembly  100  adapted for mating with a mating connector comprises an insulative housing  1 , a plurality of contacts  2  received in and fixed in the insulative housing  1 , a pair of grounding members  3  mounted on the insulative housing  1 , a latch member  4  received in the insulative housing  1  for being latched with the mating connector, a spacer  5  disposed at a rear side of the insulative housing  1  to arrange the contacts, a mating shell  6  enclosing the insulative housing  1  an the spacer  5 , a cable  7  comprising a plurality of wires  70  directly soldered with the contacts  2  respectively, and an outer shell  8  enclosing a portion of the mating shell  6 . The power connector assembly  100  can be mated with the mating connector in two reversed orientations to perform same function. 
         [0015]    The insulative housing  1  comprises a top wall  11 , a bottom wall  12  spaced apart from and parallel to the top wall  11 , a pair of side walls  13  spaced apart from and parallel to each other and connected with the top wall  11  and the bottom wall  12 , and a receiving room  14  surround by the top wall  11 , the bottom wall  12 , and the pair of the side wall  13 . The receiving room  14  is divided into a first portion  142  having a front opening  141  opening forwardly and a second portion  144  having a rear opening  142  opening rearwardly. The top wall  11  defines a top recess  111  disposed at a front portion thereof and in communication with the first portion  142  of the receiving room  14 . The bottom wall  12  defines a bottom recess  121  disposed at a front portion thereof and in communication with the first portion  142  of the receiving room  14 . Each of the side walls  13  defines a slot  131  extending from a rear end of the insulative housing  1  toward but not through a front end of the insulative housing  1 . The slots  131  are in communication with the first and the second portions  142 ,  144 . Both of the top and the bottom walls  11 ,  12  define a plurality of through holes  15  adjacent to a front end of the insulative housing  1  and in communication with the first portion  142 . The insulative housing  1  comprises a pair of projection portions  1421  at two side walls  13  and adjacent to the first portion  142  of the receiving room  14 . 
         [0016]    The electrical contacts  2  comprise a plurality of contacts  21  and a pair of detection contacts  22 . Each of the contacts  21  comprises a pair of first mating portions  211  disposed face to face and spaced apart from each other along vertical direction, a pair of first middle portions  212  extending rearwardly from the first mating portions  211  respectively, a first connecting portion  213  connected with the pair of first middle portions  212 , and a first soldering portion  214  connected with a rear side of the connecting portion  213 . Each of the detection contacts  22  comprises a second mating portion  221  for being mated with the mating connector, a second middle portion  222  extending rearwardly from the second mating portion  221 , and a second soldering portion  223  connected with a rear side of the second middle portion  222 . Each of the first soldering portions  214  comprises a first side wall  215  disposed on a vertical plane, and a first soldering area  216  connected with the first side wall  215  and disposed on a horizontal plane. Each of the second soldering portions  223  comprises a second side wall  224  disposed on a vertical plane, and a soldering area  225  connected with the second side wall  224  and disposed on the horizontal plane. All of the first and the second soldering areas  216 ,  225  are disposed at a same horizontal plane that can be soldered with respective one of the wires  70  respectively at same time. Each of the first and the second soldering areas  216 ,  225  comprise an upper surface  25  and a bottom surface  26 . All of the wires  70  are soldered on all of the upper surfaces  25  or the bottom surfaces  26  of the first and the second soldering areas  216 ,  225  at same time. Each of the first soldering areas  216  is larger than the second soldering area  225 . The detection contacts  22  are disposed central symmetry at a middle portion of the insulative housing  1 . The pair of the second soldering areas  225  are extending toward each other. Only one of the pair of detection contacts  22  is soldered with the wire  70  of the cable  7 . The contacts  21  comprise a pair of power contacts  23  and a pair of grounding contacts  24 . The pair of power contacts  23  are disposed central symmetry at outer sides of the detection contacts  22 , respectively. The pair of grounding contacts  24  are disposed central symmetry at outer sides of the power contacts  23 , respectively. The first soldering areas  216  of the power contacts  23  are extending far away from the detection contacts  22  respectively to prevent the wires  70  incorrectly soldered with the second soldering areas  225  of the detection contacts  22 . The first soldering areas  216  of the grounding contacts  24  are extending far away from the power contacts  23  respectively to prevent the wires  70  incorrectly soldered with the first soldering areas  216  of the power contacts  23 . 
         [0017]    The pair of grounding members  3  are mounted on the top and the bottom walls  11 ,  12  of the insulative housing  1 , respectively. Each of the grounding members  3  comprises a body portion  31 , a pair of elastic mounting members  32  extending from two ends of the body portion  3  and agley toward the insulative housing  1  respectively, and a plurality of elastic grounding tabs  33  extending from the body portion  31  forwardly and into the first portion  142  of the receiving room  14  through the through holes  15  respectively for being mated with the mating connector to establish grounding connection. Each of the elastic mounting members  32  defines a through hole  321  to be latched with the projection portion  1421  of the insulative housing  1 . 
         [0018]    The latch member  4  comprises a base portion  41  extending transversely, a pair of latching beams  42  extending forwardly from two ends of the base portion  41 , and a pair of latching portions  43  extending from free ends of the latching beams  42  respectively and toward each other. The latch member  4  is assembled to the insulative housing  1  through the rear opening  143  of the second portion  144  along a rear to front direction. The pair of latching beams are received in the slots  131  respectively, and at least a portion of the latching portions  43  are projected into the first portion  142  of the receiving room  14 . 
         [0019]    The spacer  5  defines a plurality of contacts holes  51  to fix and arrange the electrical contacts  2 . The spacer  5  comprises a plurality of tabs  52 . The mating shell  6  has a closed circumference surface that has a good seal performance and good anti-EMI performance. The mating shell  6  can be formed by the methods of metal sheet pumping process, metal strip bending process, or metal material casting process, etc. The mating shell  6  comprises a front portion  61  for being inserted into the mating connector, a rear portion  62  larger than the front portion  61 , and a transition portion  63  connected with the front portion  61  and the rear portion  62 . The rear portion  62  comprises a plurality of latch tabs  621  extending rearwardly and outwardly. The rear portion  62  defines a plurality of latching holes  622  latched with the tabs  52  of the spacer  5 , respectively. The cable  7  comprises a jacket  71  enclosing the wires  70 . The outer shell  8  comprises main portion  81  enclosing a portion of the mating shell  6  and a portion of the cable  7 , and a strain release portion  82  extending rearwardly from the main portion  81  and enclosing the cable  7 . 
         [0020]    The steps of assembling the power connector assembly  100  comprise: firstly, molding the spacer  5  in the electrical contacts  2 , mounting the electrical contacts  2  with the spacer, and the latch member  4  in the insulative housing  1 , mounting the grounding members  3  on the top wall Hand the bottom wall  12 , respectively; then, assembling the insulative housing  1  into the mating shell  6  with the first soldering portion  214  and the second soldering portion  223  exposed out of the mating shell  6 , putting the wires  70  of the cable  7  alignment with the first soldering portion  214  and the second soldering portion  223  respectively and then soldering the wires and the first soldering portion  214  and the second soldering portion  223  at same time; and, finally, over-molding the outer shell  8  on a portion of the mating shell  6  and a portion of the cable  7 , or mounting the outer shell  8  on the mating shell  6  and the cable  7  and fixing them by glues. 
         [0021]    It is to be understood, however, that even though numerous characteristics and advantages of the present invention have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of the structure and function of the invention, the disclosure is illustrative only, and changes may be made in detail, especially in matters of shape, size, and arrangement of parts within the principles of the invention to the full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed.