Patent Publication Number: US-2006014424-A1

Title: Structure for reinforcement pin in electrical connector

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
      The present invention relates to a structure for a reinforcement pin in an electrical connector which is designed to prevent bending of an electrical contact in the connector.  
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
      Connectors are generally known in the art for establishing electrical connections between inputs and outputs of electronic devices such as notebook computers, camcorders, etc. Where such connectors are to be mounted to a printed circuit board, one or more reinforcement pins may be mounted on the connector housing and soldered to the circuit board to help secure the connector to the board and to relieve stresses acting on the connector terminal mating interfaces and solder connections. One example of a conventional reinforcement pin structure will be explained with reference to  FIGS. 1 and 2  below.  FIG. 1  is an exploded view of a female connector  10  incorporating a conventional reinforcement pin  16 .  FIG. 2  is a partial cutaway view of the connector of  FIG. 1 .  
      Referring to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , female connector  10  comprises a connector housing  12  having a mating hole  12   a  through which a male connector (not shown) is inserted and mating parts  12   b  formed generally in a “U” shape on sides of mating hole  12   a ; connection pins  14  each having a first electrical contact for electrical connection with an electrical contact  22  on a printed circuit board  20  and a second electrical contact for electrical connection with a mating contact (not shown) in a male connector; and reinforcement pins  16  for soldering to stationary contacts  24  on printed circuit board  20  to prevent bending of connection pins  14 .  
      In conventional female connector  10 , the first and second electrical contacts of connection pins  14  are disposed to extend forwardly from sides of a rear surface of the connector housing, and reinforcement pins  16  are mounted to lower sides of a front surface of connector housing  12 . Each reinforcement pin  16  is configured in shape of a “U”, which corresponds to a mating part  12   b  having a complementary “U” shape formed at lower sides of the front surface of connector housing  12 . In this configuration, an upper portion of reinforcement pin  16  is inserted into and mated with an upper portion of mating part  12   b , and a lower portion of pin  16  abuts a lower surface of connector housing  12 . That is, reinforcement pin  16 , which is mated with respective mating part  12   b  in connector housing  12 , is inserted into and mated to mating part  12   b  only at the upper portion of pin  16 .  
      Conventional electrical connector  10  is secured to printed circuit board  20  by soldering the first electrical contacts of connection pins  14  and reinforcement pins  16  to electrical contacts  22  and stationary contacts  24 , respectively, on printed circuit board  20 . As explained above, according to the conventional reinforcement pin structure, each reinforcement pin  16  is configured to have a “U” shape and to be mated with a portion of the connector housing also having a “U” shape. The lower portion of each reinforcement pin  16  is exposed to a lower surface of the connector housing, so that mating forces are reduced, producing some shaking of the reinforcement pin. Accordingly, the connection pins can be bent due to shaking of the connector housing when the male connector is electrically coupled to the female connector.  
      Further, the electrical connection between the electrical contacts of the printed circuit board and the connection pins can be disrupted due to bending of the connection pins. In addition, with reinforcement pins having the conventional structure described above, it is difficult to accurately form the corresponding mating part on the connector housing. That is, as the connector housing is very small in size, it is very difficult to configure the mating part on the connector housing in a “U” shape which corresponds in shape to the reinforcement pin.  
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
      Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a connector reinforcement pin structure configured so that it can penetrate into one side of a mating part in a connector housing and engage a mating part in a connector housing, thereby facilitating location of the reinforcement pin in the mating part of the connector housing.  
      Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved reinforcement pin structure which will aid in preventing bending of connection pins mounted in the connector.  
      Another object of the present invention is to provide a connector reinforcement pin structure enabling a connector to be securely fixed to a printed circuit board by locating and mounting the reinforcement pin in a mating part in the connector housing.  
      Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a connector reinforcement pin structure which enables accurate positioning of a connection pin on a printed circuit board when the reinforcement pin is engaged with a mating part in a connector housing.  
      Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a connector reinforcement pin structure in which a mating part of the reinforcement pin can be accurately sized by configuring the reinforcement pin to be inserted so as to penetrate into and engage one side of the mating part of the connector housing.  
      In order to accomplish these objects, a connector reinforcement pin structure is provided for mounting on an electrical connector, the connector including a connector housing, connection pins mounted in the connector housing for electrical contact with contacts in a printed circuit board, and reinforcement pins which abut lower portions of a front surface of the connector housing and for solder attachment to stationary contacts on the printed circuit board to reinforce the connection pins.  
      Mating parts for each reinforcement pin are formed at lower sides of the connector housing and include upper and lower mating grooves formed together, with a portion of a front part of the lower mating groove having an open lower side.  
      Each reinforcement pin has upper and lower mating members which correspond to the mating part in the connector housing, and each reinforcement pin is inserted into and mated with the mating part of the connector housing. Further, a sill is formed between a front end of the reinforcement pin lower mating member and a lower portion of the lower mating member. The lower portion of the lower mating member is soldered to a corresponding stationary contact on the printed circuit board. Also, a raised spot is formed on a lower surface of the upper mating member for penetrating into a lower surface of the lower mating groove, to fix and locate the reinforcement pin on the mating part when the reinforcement pin is inserted into and mated with the mating part in the connector housing. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
      The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be more apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:  
       FIG. 1  is an exploded view showing a prior art reinforcement pin structure employed in an electrical connector;  
       FIG. 2  is a partial cutaway view of the connector of  FIG. 1  shown in an assembled state;  
       FIG. 3  is a perspective view showing a reinforcement pin for an electrical connector in accordance with the present invention;  
       FIG. 4  is a side view of the reinforcement pin of  FIG. 3 ;  
       FIG. 5  is an exploded view of a connector incorporating the reinforcement pin structure of  FIG. 3 , in accordance with the present invention;  
       FIG. 6  is a perspective view of a rear portion of the electrical connector of  FIG. 5  shown in an assembled state;  
       FIG. 7  is a sectional view of the reinforcement pin structure of  FIG. 1  mated with a mating portion of a connector housing in accordance with the present invention;  
       FIG. 8  is a perspective view of the connector of  FIG. 5  showing alignment of the connector contacts and reinforcement pins with corresponding contacts on a printed circuit board; and  
       FIG. 9  is a plan view of the connector of  FIG. 8  attached to the printed circuit board. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
      Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the following description and drawings, the same reference numerals are used to designate the same or similar components, and so repetition of the description of the same or similar components will be omitted.  
      FIGS.  3  to  9  show a female connector  100  in accordance with the present invention. Referring to  FIGS. 5 and 9 , female connector  100  includes a connector housing  110  having a mating hole  112  through which a male connector (not shown) is inserted and mating parts  114  for reinforcement pins  130  formed at sides of the housing on a front surface thereof. Connection pins  120  are provided, each pin  120  having a first electrical contact  122  for electrical connection with an electrical contact  210  on a printed circuit board  200  by soldering, and a second electrical contact  124  for mating with a complementary contact in a male connector. Reinforcement pins  130  are fixed to stationary contacts  220  on the printed circuit board  200  by soldering when pins  130  are mated with the mating parts  114  in the connector housing  110 , in order to prevent bending of the connection pins  120  when connector  100  is exposed to impact or vibration.  
      Referring to connector housing  110  as seen in  FIGS. 3, 5  and  7 , mating part  114  for reinforcement pin  130  includes upper and lower mating grooves  114   a ,  114   b  formed together at lower portions of the connector housing  110 .  
      Referring to  FIGS. 5 and 7 , the upper mating grooves  114   a  of the mating part  114  are formed at sides of the connector housing  110  as through holes, and the lower mating grooves  114   b  have open lower portions at a front side of housing  110 . Lower mating groove  114   b  is open at a lower portion thereof so that a lower surface of a reinforcement pin lower mating member  134  can be soldered to the stationary contact  220  of the printed circuit board  200 . An engaging jaw  114   b - 1  is formed proximate a bottom surface of housing  110  for abutting a sill  134   a  formed on lower mating member  134  of reinforcement pin  130 , in a manner to be described in detail later.  
      Referring to  FIGS. 3 and 7 , reinforcement pins  130  are each configured to have upper and lower mating members  132 ,  134 , respectively, which correspond to the connector housing mating parts  114 .  
      As shown in  FIG. 7 , upper mating member  132  and lower mating member  134  of reinforcement pin  130  are formed together in a “U” shape to mate with upper and lower mating grooves  114   a ,  114   b  respectively of mating part  114 .  
      A sill  134   a  is formed between a front end of lower mating member  134  and a portion of reinforcement pin  130  to be secured to stationary contact  220  of printed circuit board  200 . Abutment of sill  134   a  with engaging jaw  114   b - 1  during insertion of reinforcement pin  130  into connector housing  110  indicates that reinforcement pin  130  is fully engaged with mating part  114 . Lower mating member  134  also has a portion which is exposed and which is configured for attachment to stationary contact  220  of printed circuit board  200  by soldering.  
      Further, a stationary raised spot  132   a  is formed on a lower surface of upper mating member  132  to penetrate into a lower surface of housing upper mating groove  114   a  during reinforcement pin insertion, thereby fixing and locating reinforcement pin  130  in mating part  114  when reinforcement pin  130  is inserted into and mated with mating part  114 .  
      A process for mating reinforcement pin  130  with mating part  114  of connector  100  is explained below.  
      Firstly, upper and lower mating members  132 , 134  of reinforcement pin  130  are aligned with upper and lower mating grooves  114   a ,  114   b , respectively, of the mating part  114 . Then, upper and lower mating members  132 ,  134  are pushed forward into respective mating grooves  114   a ,  114   b  causing raised flange  132   a , which is formed at a lower surface of upper mating member  132  of reinforcement pin  130 , to penetrate into a lower surface of upper mating groove  114   a  to locate and secure reinforcement pin  130  within housing  110 . During insertion of reinforcement pin  130  into housing  110 , when sill  134   a  formed on the lower mating member  134  abuts engaging jaw  114   b - 1  formed on lower mating groove  114   b , reinforcement pin  130  is completely mated with the mating part  114 . If sill  132   a  does not abut engaging jaw  114   b - 1 , reinforcement pin  130  is not completely mated with the mating part.  
      Thus, according to the present invention as described above, when each mating member  132 , 134  of reinforcement pin  130  is inserted into lower and upper mating grooves  114   a ,  114   b  of a mating part  114 , stationary raised spot  132   a  formed at the lower surface of upper mating member  134  penetrates into the lower surface of upper mating groove  114   a  to fix and locate reinforcement pin  130  to mating part  114 . Also, an end of lower mating member  134  is inserted into, and mated with, the lower mating groove  114   b  of the mating part  114 .  
      Referring to  FIGS. 8 and 9 , after assembly the connector  100  is then fixed to the printed circuit board  200  by aligning second electrical contacts  122  and reinforcement pins  130  with corresponding ones of electrical contacts  210  and stationary contacts  220 , respectively, and then soldering second electrical contacts  122  and reinforcement pins  130  to corresponding contacts on circuit board  200 . Accordingly, when connector  100  (including reinforcement pins  130 ) has been fixed to the printed circuit board  200  by soldering, reinforcement pins  130  act to prevent connection pins  120  from bending when connector  100  is exposed to impact or vibration.  
      The following advantages are achieved by the present invention as described above. as follows.  
      Firstly, as the reinforcement pins are configured to penetrate into and engage the mating parts of the connector housing, the reinforcement pins can be securely engaged with the mating parts in the connector housing, thus enabling the reinforcement pins to prevent bending of the connection pins.  
      Secondly, as the reinforcement pins are securely engaged with the mating parts in the connector housing as described above, the reinforcement pins aid in securing the connector to the printed circuit board when the reinforcement pins are soldered to the board.  
      In addition, as the reinforcement pins are configured to securely engage the mating parts of the connector to help prevent bending of the connection pins, good electrical contact between the connection pins and the printed circuit board can be achieved.  
      Lastly, as the reinforcement pins are configured to penetrate into and securely engage the mating parts of the connector, the mating parts formed in the connector housing for the reinforcement pins can be more accurately shaped to conform to the shape of the reinforcement pins, and the reinforcement pins can be more easily assembled to the mating parts in the connector housing.  
      Although a preferred embodiment of the present invention has been described for illustrative purposes, those skilled in the art will appreciate that various modifications, additions and substitutions are possible, without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention as disclosed in the accompanying claims.