Patent Publication Number: US-9887473-B2

Title: Board connector assembly, receptacle connector and plug connector thereof

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a board connector assembly and, more particularly, to a board connector assembly that has a receptacle connector and a plug connector. Each of the receptacle connector and the plug connector has an insulative housing and a metal reinforcing member mounted on the insulative housing to prevent the insulative housing from being damaged due to repetitive engagements and disengagements between the receptacle connector and the plug connector. Therefore, structural strength and durability of the board connector assembly are improved. 
     2. Description of Related Art 
     A board connector assembly is used to connect different circuit boards and has a receptacle connector and a plug connector mounted respectively on the circuit board. By way of the board connector assembly, the circuit boards are electrically connected. Board connector assemblies on portable devices such as smart phones are downsized greatly, such that the structural strength and lifespan of each of the receptacle connectors and plug connectors of the board connector assemblies are lowered. 
     Taiwan patent application No. 095127280 discloses a board connector assembly that has a receptacle connector and a plug connector. The receptacle connector has a first insulative housing and multiple first terminals mounted on the first insulative housing. The plug connector has a second insulative housing and multiple second terminals mounted on the second insulative housing. However, neither of the first and second insulative housings has any reinforcing elements. After repetitive engagements and disengagements, the receptacle connector and the plug connector are easily ruptured and damaged. 
     Taiwan patent application No. 102145411 discloses a board connector assembly that has a first insulative housing and multiple first terminals mounted on the first insulative housing. The plug connector has a second insulative housing and multiple second terminals mounted on the second insulative housing. Furthermore, both the receptacle connector and plug connector have guiding members to ensure the two connectors are engaged with each other precisely and correctly. However, neither of the receptacle connector and the plug connector has any reinforcing elements, such that the board connector assembly is ruptured easily after repetitive engagements and disengagements of the receptacle connector and the plug connector. 
     To overcome the shortcomings, the present invention provides a board connector assembly, a receptacle connector and a plug connector thereof to mitigate or obviate the aforementioned problems. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The main objective of the invention is to provide a board connector assembly that has a receptacle connector and a plug connector. Each of the receptacle connector and the plug connector has an insulative housing and a metal reinforcing member mounted on the insulative housing to prevent the insulative housing from being damaged due to repetitive engagements and disengagements between the receptacle connector and the plug connector. Therefore, structural strength and durability of the board connector assembly are improved. 
     A board connector assembly in accordance with the present invention comprises a receptacle connector and a plug connector. The receptacle connector has a first insulative housing, two sets of first terminals and two first metal reinforcing members mounted respectively on two opposite ends of the first insulative housing. The plug connector is detachably engaged with the receptacle connector and has a second insulative housing, two sets of second terminals and two second metal reinforcing members mounted respectively on two opposite ends of the second insulative housing. The first and second metal reinforcing members enhance structural strength and durability of the receptacle connector and the plug connector. 
     Other objectives, 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 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a board connector assembly in accordance with the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is an exploded perspective view of the board connector assembly in  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  is another perspective view of the board connector assembly in  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 4  is a cross sectional end view of the board connector assembly in  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 5  is an enlarged and exploded perspective view of a receptacle connector of the board connector assembly in  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 6  is another enlarged and exploded perspective view of the receptacle connector of the board connector assembly in  FIG. 5 ; 
         FIG. 7  is an end view of a first metal reinforcing member of the receptacle connector of the board connector assembly in  FIG. 5 ; 
         FIG. 8  is an enlarged and exploded perspective view of a plug connector of the board connector assembly in  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 9  is another enlarged and exploded perspective view of the plug connector of the board connector assembly in  FIG. 8 ; and 
         FIG. 10  is an end view of a second metal reinforcing member of the plug connector of the board connector assembly in  FIG. 8 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     With reference to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , a board connector assembly in accordance with the present invention comprises a receptacle connector A and a plug connector B. 
     With further reference to  FIGS. 3 and 4 , the receptacle connector A comprises a first insulative housing  10 , two sets of multiple first terminals  20  and two first metal reinforcing members  30 . 
     The first insulative housing  10  has a cavity  100 , an assembling ridge  15 , two end mounting portions and two airflow slots  141 . 
     The cavity  100  is defined in the first insulative housing  10  and has two opposite mounting slots  105  defined in the cavity  100 . 
     The assembling ridge  15  is formed on and protrudes from an inner surface of the cavity  100  and is located between the mounting slots  105 . 
     The end mounting portions are formed respectively on two opposite ends of the first insulative housing  10 , and each end mounting portion is U-shaped and has an end mounting section  11  and two side sections  12 . The side sections  12  are connected to the end mounting section  11 , and each side section  12  has a mounting protrusion  123  formed on an outer surface of the side section  12 . 
     Each airflow slot  141  is formed between one of two opposite sides  14  and a bottom  107  of the first insulative housing  10 . 
     The sets of the first terminals  20  correspond to and are mounted oppositely and respectively in the mounting slots  105  of the first insulative housing  10 . Each first terminal  20  has a first mounting section  21 , an embedding section  22 , two opposite resilient hooks  23 ,  24  and a first soldering section  25 . 
     The first mounting section  21  is mounted on the bottom  107  of the first insulative housing  10  and is located under one of the airflow slots  141 . 
     The embedding section  22  is formed on and protrudes from the first mounting section  21  and is embedded in the first insulative housing  10 . 
     The resilient hooks  23 ,  24  are formed on and protrude from the first mounting section  21  and are mounted in a corresponding mounting slot  105  of the first insulative housing  10 . 
     The first soldering section  25  is formed on and protrudes from the first mounting section  21  and extends out of the first insulative housing  10 . Furthermore, the first soldering section  25  protrudes from the bottom  107  of the first insulative housing  10  instead of being flush with the bottom  107 . 
     The first metal reinforcing members  30  correspond to and are mounted respectively on the end mounting portions of the first insulative housing  10 , and each first metal reinforcing member  30  has a central section  31  and two opposite extension sections  32 . 
     The central section  31  is mounted on the end mounting section  11  of a corresponding end mounting portion and has an outside end clamping tab  311  and at least one inside end clamping tab  312 . The outside end clamping tab  311  is formed on and protrudes from the central section  31 , is embedded on an outer wall  111  of the end mounting section  11  and has two positioning protrusions  313  formed on and protruding from two opposite sides of the outside end clamping tab  311  and embedded in the outer wall  111  of the end mounting section  11 . The at least one inside end clamping tab  312  is formed on and protrudes from the central section  31 , is embedded in an inner wall of the end mounting section  11  and cooperates with the outside end clamping tab  311  to clamp the end mounting section  11 . 
     With further reference to  FIGS. 5 to 10 , the extension sections  32  are formed on and protrude respectively from two opposite ends of the central section  31  and correspond to and are embedded respectively in the side sections  12  of the corresponding end mounting portion. Each extension section  32  has an outside clamping plate  321  and an inside clamping plate  322 . The outside clamping plate  321  is formed on and protrudes from the extension sections  32 , is embedded in an outside wall  121  of a corresponding side section  12  and has a through hole  323  defined through the outside clamping plate  321  and mounted around the mounting protrusion  123  of the corresponding side section  12 . The inside clamping plate  322  is formed on and protrudes from the extension section  32 , is embedded in an inside wall  122  of the corresponding side section  12  and has a positioning notch  324  defined in the inside clamping plate  322 . 
     The plug connector B is engaged detachably with the receptacle connector A and comprises a second insulative housing  50 , two sets of multiple second terminals  60  and two second metal reinforcing members  70 . 
     The second insulative housing  50  is engaged detachably with the first insulative housing  10  and has two mounting ribs  52 , an assembling slot  500  and two end assembling portions  51 . 
     The mounting ribs  52  are formed on the second insulative housing  50  and are mounted detachably and respectively in the mounting slots  105  of the first insulative housing  10 . 
     The assembling slot  500  is defined between the mounting ribs  52  and detachably receives the assembling ridge  15 . 
     The end assembling portions  51  are formed respectively on two opposite ends of the second insulative housing  50 , and each end assembling portion  51  has an outer end wall  511  and two outer side walls  512 . 
     The sets of the second terminals  60  correspond to and are mounted respectively on the mounting ribs  52  of the second insulative housing  50 . The second terminals  60  correspond to and are engaged respectively with the first terminals  20 , and each second terminal  60  has a second soldering section  61  and a resilient arm  62 . 
     The second soldering section  61  extends out of a corresponding mounting rib  52 . 
     The resilient arm  62  is U-shaped, is formed on and protrudes from the second soldering section  61 , is mounted on the corresponding mounting rib  52 , is engaged detachably with the resilient hooks  23 ,  24  of a corresponding first terminal  20 , and has a hooking recess  621  and a notched surface  622 . The hooking recess  621  is defined in the resilient arm  62  and is engaged with one of the two resilient hooks  23 ,  24  of the corresponding first terminal  20 . The notched surface  622  is defined in the resilient arm  62  opposite the hooking recess  621  and is engaged with the other one of the two resilient hooks  23 ,  24  of the corresponding first terminal  20 . 
     The second metal reinforcing members  70  correspond to and are embedded respectively in the end assembling portions  51  of the second insulative housing  50  and correspond to the first metal reinforcing members  30 , and each second metal reinforcing member  70  has an upper covering plate  71 , an end covering plate  73  and two opposite side covering plates  72 . 
     The upper covering plate  71  is embedded in a top of a corresponding end assembling portion  51 . 
     The end covering plate  73  is formed on the upper covering plate  71  and is embedded in the outer end wall  511  of the corresponding end assembling portion  51  and has two thorns  731  formed respectively on two opposite sides of the end covering plate  73  and puncturing into the second insulative housing  50 . 
     The side covering plates  72  are formed on the upper covering plate  71 , are embedded respectively in the outer side walls  512  of the corresponding end assembling portion  51  and correspond to the inside clamping plates  322  of a corresponding first metal reinforcing member  30 . Each side covering plate  72  has a positioning boss  725 , an extensive embedding tab  723  and a soldering leg  721 . The positioning boss  725  is formed on the side covering plate  72  and is engaged with the positioning notch  324  of a corresponding inside clamping plate  322  of the corresponding first metal reinforcing member  30 . The extensive embedding tab  723  is formed on and protrudes from the side covering plate  72  and is embedded in the outer side wall  512  of the corresponding end assembling portion  51 . The soldering leg  721  is formed on the side covering plate  72 . 
     The board connector assembly in accordance with the present invention has the following advantages. 
     1. The first metal reinforcing members  30  three-dimensionally covering the end mounting portions of the first insulative housing  10  and the second metal reinforcing members  70  three-dimensionally covering the end assembling portions  51  of the second insulative housing  50  entirely protect the end mounting portions and the end assembling portions  51 . The structural strength and durability of the first and second insulative housings  10 ,  50  are therefore improved. Thus, the downsized receptacle connector A and plug connector B still maintain sufficient structural strength and are able to bear the pressure along a direction of engagement and disengagement. The board connector assembly allows repetitive plugging and pulling operations without being damaged. 
     2. The metal composition of the first metal reinforcing members  30  of the receptacle connector A and the second metal reinforcing members  70  of the plug connector B may be changed based on different purposes such as a large power supply over 3 Amp or a signal transmission. The soldering leg  721  of the second metal reinforcing member  70  may be soldered on a circuit board to securely attach the plug connector to the circuit board. The thorns  731  of the second metal reinforcing member  70  securely mount the second metal reinforcing member  70  to the second insulative housing  50  to prevent inadvertent separation. 
     3. The airflow slots  141  of the first insulative housing  10  of the receptacle connector A and the protruding first soldering sections  25  allow the first terminals  20  to dissipate heat efficiently and prevent solder from climbing along the sides of the first insulative housing  10  due to capillary action. Therefore, heat dissipation and soldering processing are improved. 
     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. Changes may be made in the details, 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.