Abstract:
A contact element ( 10 ) includes a main portion ( 200 ), a mating portion ( 300 ) extending from the main portion for electrically connecting to an printed circuit board, a tail portion ( 100 ) extending from the main portion for electrically connecting to a cable, a restrictive portion ( 400 ) extending from either the tail portion or the main portion and a spring portion ( 401 ) extending from the mating portion and restrictively attached to the restrictive portion for preventing abnormal moving of the mating portion.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     1. Field of the Invention  
         [0002]     The present invention relates to an electrical contact element, and more particularly, to an electrical contact element electrically connecting to a printed circuit board.  
         [0003]     2. Description of Related Art  
         [0004]     With the development of communication, the mobile phone increases additional functions more and more, such as the microphone. The use of the microphone can release the user&#39;s hands, and make the user talk with others conveniently without taking out the mobile phone from the pocket or bag.  
         [0005]     To establish a signal connection, the microphone needs a contact element to contact a circuit unit of the microphone to an interior module of the mobile phone. In general, the contact element comprises a tail portion allowing a cable to contact thereto, a mating portion electrically contacting with a contact area of a printed circuit board, and a contacting portion contacting the tail portion to the mating portion.  
         [0006]     The mating portion of the contact element needs enough preload to provide a reliable transmission between the microphone and the mobile phone when the contact area of the printed circuit board contacts with the mating portion of the contact element. It is emphasized that, during a process to design the contact element, how to make the contact element have improved preload characteristics is directive.  
         [0007]     In addition, the mating portion of the contact element is easy to be deflected away from the contact area of the printed circuit board when the contact element contacts with the printed circuit board, thereby causing the electrical connection therebetween unsteady and therefore influencing the signal transmission.  
         [0008]     Hence, an improved electrical contact element is desired to address the problems stated above.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0009]     An object of the present invention is to provide an electrical contact element, the contact element provided with enough preload makes the contact element have enough normal force, and limits the contact element&#39;s abnormal deflection when the mating portion connects with a printed circuit board.  
         [0010]     To achieve the above object, an electrical contact element in accordance with the present invention comprises a main portion, a mating portion extending from one end of the main portion, a tail portion extending from the other end of the main portion, a spring portion extending from the mating portion to a free end, and a restrictive portion extending from either the main portion or the tail portion and engaging with the spring portion. The restrictive portion comprises a first portion adapted for limiting the lateral deflection of the mating portion, and a second portion adapted for limiting the upward movement of the mating portion and providing enough preload.  
         [0011]     Other objects, advantages and novel features of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0012]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a contact element in accordance with the present invention which received in an insulative housing;  
         [0013]      FIG. 2  is a view similar to  FIG. 1  but taken from a different perspective view;  
         [0014]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the contact element in accordance with the present invention; and  
         [0015]      FIG. 4  is a view similar to  FIG. 3  but taken from a different perspective view. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0016]     Referring to  FIGS. 1-4 , a contact element  10  in accordance with the present invention received in an insulative housing  500  comprises a substantially V-shape main portion  200 , a mating portion  300  extending from one end of the main portion  200  and capable of connecting with a printed circuit board (not shown), a tail portion  100  extending from the other end of the main portion  200  toward outside, a restrictive portion  400  extending from a joint of the main portion  200  and the tail portion  100 , and a spring portion  401  downwardly and forwardly extending from the mating portion  300 . In the embodiment shown, although the restrictive portion  400  extends from the joint of the main portion  200  and the tail portion  100 , the invention is not so limited. It is contemplated that the restrictive portion  400  could extend from one of the main portion  200  and the tail portion  100 .  
         [0017]     The main portion  200  comprises a cambered portion  201 , and a first arm portion  210 , a second arm portion  220  respectively extending from opposite ends of the cambered portion  201 . The first arm portion  210  comprises a first connecting portion  211  flatly extending from one end of the cambered portion  210 , a first stretching portion  213  parallel to the first connecting portion  211 , and an inclined middle portion  212  connecting the first connecting portion  211  to the first stretching portion  213 . The second arm portion  220  comprises a second connecting portion  221  upwardly and forwardly extending from the other end of the cambered portion  201 , and a second stretching portion  222  upwardly and forwardly extending from the second connecting portion  221 .  
         [0018]     The mating portion  300  has a cambered form, one end of the mating portion  300  is attached to the second stretching portion  222  of the main portion  200 , the other end of mating portion  300  is attached to the spring portion  401 . A top surface of middle portion of the mating portion  300  is formed with a cambered projection  301  used for elastically abutting against the printed circuit board.  
         [0019]     The tail portion  100  comprises a curved portion  110  extending from one side edge of the first stretching portion  213  with an angle formed between the curved portion  110  and the first stretching portion  213 , an enlarged engaging portion  103  downwardly extending from the curved portion  110  and with a width being greater than the width of the curved portion  110 , a first flat fixing portion  102  vertically extending from the engaging portion  103 , a curved bowed portion  104  extending from the first flat fixing portion  102  and bending backwardly, and a second fixing portion  101  slantways and downwardly extending from the bowed portion  104 . The engaging portion  103  has a pair of lateral sides  113 . Each lateral side  113  has a plurality of stings (not labeled), by which the contact element  10  interferentially engages with the insulative housing  50 . The curved bowed portion  104  allows a cable (not shown) to be twisted therewith, after the cable&#39;s twist, the second fixing portion  101  is pushed toward the first flat fixing portion  102  to clamp above cable, then, the cable is soldered to the bowed portion  104 .  
         [0020]     The restrictive portion  400  is substantially L-shape and is slotted with a receiving space  402 , and comprises a first portion  423  extending from an end of the first stretching portion  213  and adapted for limiting the lateral deflection of the mating portion  300 , and a transverse second portion  420  adapted for limiting the upward movement of the mating portion  300 . The first portion  423  comprises a pair of restrictive arms  421 ,  422  respectively extending a distance from the first arm portion  220  along a first direction and then respectively bended upwardly along a second direction perpendicular to the first direction. The transverse second portion  420  horizontally connects two ends of the restrictive arms  421 ,  422 .  
         [0021]     The spring portion  401  downwardly extending from the end of the mating portion  300 , comprises a distal end  411  received in the receiving space  402 . Because of the limitation generated by the second portion  420 , the distal end  411  could not move up excessively, thereby allowing the contact element  40  to have enough preload at a low position. When the contact area (In this embodiment, the contact area is soldered with conductive material, such as gold.) of the printed circuit board contacts with the mating portion  300  of the contact element  10 , the mating portion  300  will generate enough upward normal force, and make the contact element  10  contact with the printed circuit board instantly. In addition, because of the limitation of the restrictive portion  400 , the distal end  411  under the press of the printed circuit board will move downwardly in the receiving space  402  and can not deflect away from its predetermined trial, thereby avoiding the mating portion  300  deflecting from the contact area of the printed circuit board, and thus ensuring the reliable connection between the contact element  10  and the printed circuit board. In this embodiment, the restrictive portion  400  adopts two restrictive arms  421 ,  422  of the first portion  423  and the second portion  420  to provide enough preload and avoid abnormal deflection of the mating portion  300 , but the invention is not so limited. It is contemplated that other structure, such as a bowed structure, a triangle structure, which similarly form a receiving space, may be used in lieu of the two restrictive arm  421 ,  422  and the second portion  420  to achieve above goals.  
         [0022]     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.