Patent Publication Number: US-8523608-B2

Title: Electrical connector assembly

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     1. Technical Field 
     The present disclosure relates to a connector. 
     2. Description of Related Art 
     In an electronic device, some connectors, such as serial advanced technology attachment (SATA) connectors, are mounted to a sidewall of an enclosure of the electronic device with screws. However, the screws are small and difficult to handle, and the installation of the connector in the computer is tedious. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Many aspects of the present embodiments can be better understood with reference to the following drawings. The components in the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale, the emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the present embodiments. Moreover, in the drawing, all the views are schematic, and like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several views. 
         FIG. 1  is an exploded, isometric view of an exemplary embodiment of a connector assembly. 
         FIG. 2  is an assembled, isometric view of the connector assembly of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  is similar to  FIG. 2 , but showing the connector assembly of  FIG. 2  fully assembled. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     The disclosure, including the accompanying drawings, is illustrated by way of example and not by way of limitation. It should be noted that references to “an” or “one” embodiment in this disclosure are not necessarily to the same embodiment, and such references mean at least one. 
     Referring to  FIG. 1 , an exemplary embodiment of a connector assembly includes a connector  10  and a fixing plate  20  for fixing the connector  10 . 
     The connector  10  includes a block  13 , a connector body  14  formed on a front surface of the block  13 , a plurality of cables  16  connected to the connector body  14  and extending from a rear surface of the block  13 , and a limiting member  18  extending from the top of the block  13 . Two spaced protrusions  132  extend out from the top  100  of the block  13 , and a similar two spaced protrusions (not shown) extend out from the bottom  102  of the block  13 . The limiting member  18  includes two posts  180  extending up from the top  100  of the block  13 , a connection piece  182  connected between tops of the posts  180 , and an L-shaped latch  184  perpendicularly extending out from a center of the connection piece  182 . The latch  184  includes a pin  186  extending out from a distal end of the latch  184  opposite to the connection piece  182 . In this embodiment, the block  13  and the limiting member  18  are made of plastic. 
     The fixing plate  20  is a part of a sidewall of an electronic device enclosure. A substantially rectangular opening  21  is defined in the fixing plate  20 . Two notches  23  and a positioning hole  25  are defined in the fixing plate  20  communicating with the top side of the opening  21 , and two notches  23  only are defined in the fixing plate  20  communicating with the bottom side of the opening  21 . 
     Referring to  FIGS. 2 and 3 , the connector  10  is assembled in the manner of a linear bayonet mounting, by being placed behind the fixing plate  20 , and each of the four protrusions  132  is aligned with a notch of the four notches  23 . The connector body  14  and a front part of the block  13  extend through the opening  21 . The protrusions  132  come out through the notches  23 . The pin  186  abuts against the rear surface of the fixing plate  20  to deform the latch  184  backward. After the protrusions  132  have passed the notches  23 , the connector  10  is longitudinally slid along the opening  21  in one direction (the lock direction), moving the pin  186  towards the positioning hole  25 . When the pin  186  meets the positioning hole  25 , the latch  184  self-restores to push the pin  186  forwards and engage in the positioning hole  25 . The heads of the protrusions  132 , being no longer in line with the notches  23 , allow the protrusions  132  to stagger with the corresponding notches  23  and blocked by a front surface of the fixing plate  20 . The posts  180  and the connection piece  182  abut the rear surface of the fixing plate  20 . Thereby, the connector  10  is fixed to the fixing plate  20 . 
     To detach the connector  10  from the fixing plate  20 , fingernail pressure pushes back the pin  186  to disengage from the positioning hole  25 . The connector  10  may be slid in the direction (unlock direction) opposite to the lock direction, to allow the protrusions  132  to move towards the notches  23 . When the protrusions  132  are once again aligned with the notches  23 , the connector  10  can be pulled away from the fixing plate  20 . 
     Even though numerous characteristics and advantages of the embodiments have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of the structure and the functions of the embodiments, the disclosure is illustrative only, and changes may be made in details, especially in the matters of shape, size, and arrangement of parts within the principles of the embodiments to the full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed.