Abstract:
This approach generally pertains to a header connector with rigid latches. The connector includes columns with column cavities therein and latching mechanisms having latch beams and latching ends, with a plurality of mating contacts with mounting pins affixed to a dielectric housing. A harness is securable to the header connector generally between the latching mechanisms. The harness is insertable and removable. The harness provides easy access to a tool that can facilitate extraction of the harness from the header connector.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     This present invention generally pertains to high density connectors and more particularly to high density headers and harnesses with rigid latched connection. The connectors can be suitable for automotive or vehicle applications or for use in other industries utilizing electronic components. 
     DESCRIPTION OF BACKGROUND ART 
     High density header connectors that suitably mount to printed circuit boards are used in diverse applications such as automobile and vehicle audio and video equipment including car radios, receivers and players, and non-vehicle receivers and players, VCRs, CD and DVD players and recorders, televisions, computer peripherals and telecommunications. Typically these headers have low profiles. Connectors having vertical mating configurations with one-piece upper housing construction provide reliability and good cable retention and are suited for small circuit size applications. Despite good retention, breaks in connection can occur. For example, the connection between a header and a harness when the harness is being pushed and pulled in an assembly process can result in unintended unmating of the male and female connectors. 
     Prior art approaches that have not recognized the positives that could be gained by seeking to achieve the objectives or teach solutions as those of the present approach include U.S. Pat. No. 3,993,390, which pertains to a molded header with cavities at each end to receive separately molded latches. The separately molded latches have protruding members that are inserted into the cavities of the header and are held in place with interference fit. A variety of separately molded latches overcome issues in limited applications. The molded latches depicted in this patent, however, have unprotected latch release members subject to accidental release or damage. U.S. Pat. No. 5,037,323 relates to an electrical connector with blind mate shrouds that are attached to the ends of the electrical connector. The shroud assists in aligning a complementary connector during mating of the two connectors as well as maintaining alignment of the two connectors during unmating of the two connectors. U.S. Pat. No. 5,468,156 relates to a system for locking a daughterboard in the header of a motherboard without involving the daughterboard connector. The motherboard header contains separately molded latches at each end. The latches have a pivoting boss and a detent to hold the latch in an open position. Furthermore, the latches have an upper exposed portion with an unprotected actuating section for opening and closing the latch. The unprotected actuating section subjects the latch to accidental release. 
     Other prior art includes the following. U.S. Pat. No. 6,033,267 relates to connectors having insulating material extending partially across contact windows such that retention force is applied to header pins when they are inserted into the windows. Mating and un-mating forces remain uniform after numerous mating and un-mating cycles. Latches, furthermore, are pivotally mounted to the ends of the header and the tops of the latches have unprotected release extensions. U.S. Pat. No. 6,048,222 pertains to ribbon cable connectors that have integral, flexible and unprotected latches at the ends of the ribbon cable connectors. The ribbon cable connectors are mounted to hardware devices such as male headers. The flexible latches engage notches in the male headers and are released with digital pressure applied to the side of the flexible latches. U.S. Pat. No. 6,179,642 relates to a connector assembly comprising a first connector, a second connector and a strain relief device for releasably attaching the second connector to the first connector. The strain relief device includes outer unprotected integral latches at each end that engage a connector header. 
     With the present approach, it has been determined that various characteristics of prior art, such as these patents, have shortcomings and undesirable attributes, results and/or effects. The present approach recognizes and addresses matters such as these to provide enhancements not heretofore available. Overall, the present approach provides a more fully enhanced retention force of mated connectors. 
     More specifically, goals that have been arrived at in accordance with the present approach, while maintaining good manufacturing control and minimizing variation of tolerance, include increasing the retention force and protecting the connector such that the increased retention force is maintained during the assembly process. Other goals include ease of extraction of a mated harness and low manufacturing costs with high reliability in performance. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     An embodiment of the present approach generally pertains to header and harness connectors. The header connectors mount to printed circuit boards and have integral rigid latches at each end with latches extending upward from the base of the header, latching to the harness when the header and the harness are mated. Typically, the retention force of mated connectors with engaged rigid latches of the present approach provide about twice the retention force of unlatched mated connectors. 
     In another embodiment the latched harnesses are secure from accidental release or damage along their length with protective columns. 
     In an additional embodiment the headers have rigid integral latches molded from polymeric material that can withstand high temperatures in a reflow process. 
     In a further embodiment, the harness connectors with the rigid latches of the present approach engaged during connection are intended to be easily accessible by an extraction tool. 
     Another embodiment provides a polarization connection between the header connector and a printed circuit board to assure proper alignment during connection. 
     An additional embodiment provides a polarization connection to assure proper alignment between the header connector and the harness connector during connection. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective front view of a connector according to the present approach; 
         FIG. 2  is another perspective front view of the connector shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective rear view of the connector that is shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 4  is another perspective rear view of the connector that is shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 5  is a detailed perspective view, in cross-section, of a portion of the header connector of  FIG. 1 , showing a latch mechanism; 
         FIG. 6  is a detailed perspective view of the header connector portion shown in  FIG. 5 , with a harness mounted thereonto;  FIG. 6A  is a further perspective view of a header connector portion with mounted harness from a perspective different from  FIG. 6 ;  FIG. 6B  is a further perspective of a header connector portion with mounted harness from a further perspective different from  FIG. 6 ; 
         FIG. 7  is a top plan view of the header connector with harness mounted thereonto;  FIG. 7A  is a side elevational view of the header connector with harness mounted thereonto; 
         FIG. 8  is a perspective view of a receptacle connector assembly positioned above and disconnected from a board mounted connector according to the present approach; 
         FIG. 9  is a perspective view of the receptacle connector mated and latched with the mounted connector shown in  FIG. 8 ; 
         FIG. 10  is an enlarged perspective view of the receptacle connector shown in  FIG. 8 ; and 
         FIG. 11  is another enlarged perspective view of the receptacle connector shown in  FIG. 8 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     As required, detailed embodiments of the present approach are disclosed herein; however, it is to be understood that the disclosed embodiments are merely exemplary of the invention, which may be embodied in various forms. Therefore, specific details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but merely as a basis for the claims and as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art to variously employ the present invention in virtually any appropriate manner, including employing various features disclosed herein in combinations that might not be explicitly disclosed herein. 
     In an embodiment of this approach as shown in  FIG. 1 , a header connector, generally shown as  10 , has a plurality of male contacts  12  for mating with a receptacle connector such as a harness and a plurality of mounting pins  14  for mounting to a printed circuit board. The number of male contacts is, for example, suitable for between about 2 circuits and about 36 circuits and typically between about 4 circuits and about 26 circuits. The electrical current may be AC or DC, but is typically DC. The male contacts, for example, can have a pitch of between about 1.00 mm and about 1.50 mm and typically between about 1.25 mm and about 1.30 mm. The voltage can suitably be, for instance, between about 100 volts and about 300 volts and typically between about 235 volts and about 265 volts. The current can be, for example, between about 0.5 amps and about 2.0 amps and typically between about 1.0 amp and about 1.5 amps. 
     Pins  14  depicted in  FIG. 1  are surface mount pins suitable for solder mounting to a printed circuit board (PCB), but other pin types are suitable such as standard pins, kinked printed circuit tails, surface mount component (SMC) high temperature pins and integrated device technology (IDT) board-in pins. Male contacts  12  with accompanying mounting pins  14  are affixed in dielectric housing  16 . Housing  16  has an interconnecting portion including a first surface  18 , considered a PCB contact surface, and a second surface  20 , considered a receptacle or harness contact surface. Housing  16  has a first end  22 , considered a left end, and a second end  24 , which can be considered a right end. First or left end  22  has a first column  26 , which can be considered a left column, and the second or right end  24  has a second column  28 , which can be considered a right column. 
     Both first or left column  26  and second or right column  28  extend from harness surface  20  in a direction that can be considered upward. As viewed in  FIG. 3 , first or left column  26  has a height (H 1 ) and a width (W 1 ), and the second or right column  28  has a height (H 2 ) and a width (W 2 ). H 1  and H 2  are, for instance, between about 5.0 mm and about 7.0 mm and typically between about 6.2 mm and about 6.6 mm. H 1  and H 2  provide for low profile mating height configurations in a direction considered vertical. W 1  and W 2  are, for example, between about 3.0 mm and about 6.0 mm and typically between about 4.0 mm and 5.0 mm. W 1  and W 2  are suitably unequal to provide for polarized or properly aligned attachment of a receptacle connector such as a harness  30  as shown in  FIG. 6 ,  FIG. 6A  and  FIG. 6B , as well as in  FIG. 7  and  FIG. 7A . 
     First or left column  26  has a first elongated column cavity  32 , which can be considered a left column cavity, and the second or right column  28  has a second elongated column cavity  34 , which can be considered a right column cavity. Within the first or left column cavity  32  and second or right column cavity  34  are a first latching mechanism, generally shown as  36 , and that can be considered a left latching mechanism, and right latching mechanism, generally shown as  38 , and that can be considered a right latching mechanism, respectively. First or left latching mechanism  36  is comprised of a first beam  40 , that can be considered a left beam, and same extends from harness surface  20  in a direction that can be considered upward, and further comprised of a first latching end  42 , that can be considered a left latching end and terminal to first or left beam  40 . 
     As viewed in  FIGS. 3 and 4 , the first or left latching end  42  includes a first camming surface  44 , which can be considered a left camming surface, a first latch wall  45 , which can be considered a left latch wall, and a first retention surface  46 , which can be considered a bottom left retention surface. As viewed in  FIG. 2  and  FIG. 5 , the second or right latching mechanism  38  is comprised of a second beam  48 , which can be considered a right beam, and same extends from harness surface  20  in a direction that can be considered upward, and further comprised of a second latching end  50 , that can be considered a right latching end and terminal to second or right beam  48 . The second or right latching end  50  includes a second camming surface  52 , which can be considered a right camming surface, a second latch wall  53 , which can be considered a right latch wall, and a second retention surface  54 , which can be considered a right bottom retention surface. The first latch wall extends between the lower portion of the first camming surface and the first retention surface while the second latch wall extends between the lower portion of the second camming surface and the second retention surface as seen in  FIGS. 1-5 . 
     First or left column  26  and second or right column  28  surround first or left latch mechanism  36  and a second or right latch mechanism  38  respectively to protect the latch mechanisms from damage and accidental release of latch ends  42  and  50 . The first or left column  26  also has a first elongated projection  64  that can be considered a left elongated projection that is in proximity to the first or left latching mechanism  36  providing overstress protection. The second or right column  28  has a second elongated projection  66  that can be considered a right elongated projection that is in proximity to second or right latching mechanism  38  providing overstress protection. Extending from circuit board contact surface  18  in a direction considered downward are polarizing guides  56  and  58  and centering projections  60  and  62  to aid in mounting header  10  to a circuit board at a proper orientation. 
     Housing  16  suitably can be prepared, for example, from polymeric materials that can withstand temperatures between about 250° C. and about 270° C., typically between about 255° C. and 265° C., in a reflow process while having a melt temperature, for instance between about 310° C. and 330° C., typically between 315° C. and 325° C. Suitable materials include polyphthalamide plastics (“PPA polymers”) such as PA6T/66 material types as designated in ASTM D5336. 
     Header  10  is shown in  FIGS. 8 and 9  mounted to a printed circuit board  68 . Cable assembly, generally shown as  70 , is comprised of ribbon cable  72  and a receptacle connector, suitably a harness  30  that comprises a harness housing  76  with a plurality of receptacle contacts corresponding to and matable with male contacts  12  of connector  10 . Harness housing  76 , as illustrated in  FIGS. 10 and 11 , has a first cavity  78  that can be considered a left side cavity with a first latch engaging edge  80 , which can be considered a bottom left latch engagement ledge, and with a first harness wall  82  that can be considered a left harness wall. Harness housing  76  also has a second cavity  84  considered a right side cavity with a second latch engaging edge  86 , which can be considered a bottom right latch engagement ledge, and with a second harness wall  88  that can be considered a right harness wall. Furthermore, harness housing  76  has a first retention surface  90  that can be considered a top left retention surface and a second retention surface  92  that can be considered a top right retention surface. The plurality of receptacle contacts are carried intermediate the first cavity  78  and the second cavity  84 . 
     As harness  30  mates with header  10 , first or left column  26  and second or right column  28  of header  10  are positioned within first or left cavity  78  and second or right cavity  84  of harness  30 , respectively. Harness  30  moves to the header  10  in a direction A shown in  FIG. 8  wherein bottom first or left edge  80  and bottom second or right edge  86 , as shown in  FIGS. 10 and 11 , first engage left camming surface  44  and right camming surface  52  as depicted in  FIG. 1 , respectively. This engagement urges first or left latch end  42  and second or right latch end  50  to spread apart by moving outwardly away from each other. Further movement of harness  30  in direction A results in the engagement and then disengagement of first or left latch wall  45  (see  FIG. 4 ) and second or right latch wall  53  (see  FIG. 2 ) with first or left harness wall  82  (see  FIG. 10 ) and second or right harness wall  88  (see  FIG. 11 ). Upon disengagement first or left bottom retention surface  46  (see  FIG. 9 ) and second or right bottom retention surface  54 , as shown in  FIG. 2 , snap inwardly towards each other and engage top left retention surface  90  and top right retention surface  92  as depicted in  FIG. 8 , respectively, thus latch locking harness  30  in mating relationship with header  10 . Header  10  and harness  30  when mated and latch locked are intended to exhibit relatively high retention forces. Achievable retention forces can be, for instance, between about 35 N and about 50 N for a four circuit sized connector and between about 140 N and 180 N for a twenty-six circuit sized connector, for example. 
     Latched harness  30  is easily accessible to an extraction tool (not shown) in order to facilitate disconnection. Typically, a tool can be used in order to overcome the retention force of the connector and extract latched harness  30  from header  10 . First ledges  176 , which can be considered right ledges, of harness  30  (shown in  FIG. 11 ) and second ledges  178 , which can be considered left ledges, of harness  30  (depicted in  FIG. 10 ) are adapted to be easily accessible to a suitable extraction tool (not shown). First ledges  176  and second ledges  178  can be gripped by the extraction tool such that harness  30  can be removed from header  10  by applying a force to the extraction tool that applies an unmating force to harness  30  in a direction considered upward as viewed in  FIGS. 8 through 11  and that is sufficient to overcome the retention force between harness  30  and header  10 . Also a component or components of the tool can engage right latch end  50  urging the right latch end outwardly and to disengage from the harness  30 , while the left latch end  42  can be engaged by a tool component urging the left latch end outwardly to also disengage from the harness  30 . These features of the header facilitate removal action of this type by a suitable tool. 
     It will be understood that there are numerous modifications of the illustrated embodiments described above which will be readily apparent to one skilled in the art, such as many variations and modifications of the miniature receptacle terminals and/or its components including combinations of features disclosed herein that are individually disclosed or claimed herein, explicitly including additional combinations of such features, or alternatively other types of miniature receptacle terminals. Also, there are many possible variations in the materials and configurations. These modifications and/or combinations fall within the art to which this approach relates and are intended to be within the scope of the claims, which follow.