Patent Publication Number: US-11394149-B2

Title: Electrical connector and electrical connector assembly

Description:
RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application claims the benefit of Chinese Application No. 202010101831.3, filed on Feb. 19, 2020, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. 
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present disclosure relates to the field of electrical connectors, particularly relates to an electrical connector which can realize stable reliable electrical connection and an electrical connector assembly which has the electrical connector. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Chinese utility model patent application issuance No. CN201887154U discloses a pin-type connector, which includes a shell, a pin and an elastic body, the shell is formed by integrally stamping a metal plate and has a receiving shell, one end of the pin is received in the receiving shell of the shell, other end of the pin extends out of the receiving shell, the elastic body is received in the receiving shell of the shell and abuts against the pin; a connecting portion extends from one end of the receiving shell, a clamping piece extends outwardly from two side edges of the connecting portion. The receiving shell has a sleeve portion and a seat portion connected with a lower end of the sleeve portion, the seat portion is formed by bending a first elastic piece and a second elastic piece to form an enclosure. 
     Such a pin-type connector attains electrical connection depending on contact between the pin and the sleeve portion, such an electrical contact manner has a small contact area, a contact force is small and the pin always has the tendency of elasticity movement, which cause such an electrical connection to be very not stable, momentary disconnection easily occur, and the electrical connection to be not reliable. 
     SUMMARY 
     The technical problem to be solved by the present disclosure is to overcome the deficiency existing in the above prior art and provide an electrical connector which can realize stable reliable electrical connection and an electrical connector assembly which has the electrical connector. 
     According to one solution of the present disclosure, the present disclosure provides an electrical connector comprising a conductive seat, a movable contact pin and a spring member. The conductive seat comprises a first receiving section, a second receiving section positioned behind the first receiving section, at least one connection arm connected between the first receiving section and the second receiving section, and two elastic contact arms extending from one of the first receiving section and the second receiving section toward the other of the first receiving section and the second receiving section and extending; a through hole is provided at a front end of the first receiving section, an electrical connection leg extends out from the second receiving section. The movable contact pin comprises a mating portion, a tail portion and a connecting portion connected between the mating portion and the tail portion; the movable contact pin is mounted in the conductive seat in a manner that the movable contact pin can move back and forth in the conductive seat to attain a mating state or a non-mating state, the mating portion protrudes forwardly from the through hole; the two elastic contact arms elastically press against the connecting portion whether in the mating state or the non-mating state. The spring member is received in the conductive seat and used to elastically drive the movable contact pin to move forwardly in the conductive seat. 
     According to another solution of the present disclosure, the present disclosure provides an electrical connector assembly comprising an insulating housing and at least one the electrical connector as above, the insulating housing is formed with at least one receiving groove which penetrates the insulating housing in a front-rear direction to correspondingly receive the electrical connector; the electrical connector has at least one fixing barb protruding outwardly, so that the electrical connector is fixed in the receiving groove of the insulating housing. 
     In comparison with the prior art, the present disclosure at least has the following advantages: in the electrical connector of the present disclosure, the two elastic contact arms of the conductive seat clamp the connecting portion of the movable contact pin, thus have larger normal forces used to maintain contact, and whether the movable contact pin is in the mating state or in the non-mating state, the two elastic contact arms always elastically press against the connecting portion, so that the conductive seat and the movable contact pin always retain elastic contact, a current may be transmitted to the conductive seat via the movable contact pin and the conductive seat, transmission of the current is stable without the risk of momentary disconnection, reliability of electrical connection is promoted. At the same time, the two elastic contact arms allocate the current, which further may promote a magnitude of the transmitted current and lower rising of temperature, promote capability of transmitting a high current, and is beneficial to be applied in the circumstance of the high current. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  and  FIG. 2  are perspective views a preferred embodiment of an electrical connector of the present disclosure viewed from two different angles. 
         FIG. 3  is a front view of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 4  is a cross sectional view taken along a line A-A of  FIG. 3 . 
         FIG. 5  is a side view of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 6  is a cross sectional view taken along a line B-B of  FIG. 5 . 
         FIG. 7  and  FIG. 8  are exploded perspective views of the electrical connector of  FIG. 1  viewed from two different angles. 
         FIG. 9  and  FIG. 10  are schematic views illustrating states that the electrical connector of  FIG. 1  and an insulating housing assembly are in use. 
         FIG. 11  and  FIG. 12  are perspective views of another preferred embodiment of the electrical connector of the present disclosure viewed from two different angles. 
         FIG. 13  is a front view of  FIG. 11 . 
         FIG. 14  is a side view of  FIG. 11 . 
         FIG. 15  is a cross sectional view taken along a line C-C of  FIG. 14 . 
         FIG. 16  is an exploded perspective view of  FIG. 11 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     While the present disclosure may be susceptible to embodiments in different forms, there are shown in the figures, and will be described herein in detail, are only specific embodiments, with the understanding that the present disclosure is to be considered as an exemplification of the principles of the present disclosure, and is not intended to limit the present disclosure to that as illustrated. 
     As such, references to a feature are intended to describe a feature of an embodiment of the present disclosure do not to imply that every embodiment thereof must have the described feature. Furthermore, it should be noted that the description illustrates a number of features. While certain features may be combined together to illustrate potential system designs, those features may also be used in other combinations not expressly described. Thus, the described combinations are not intended to be limiting, unless otherwise noted. 
     In the embodiments illustrated in the figures, representations of directions such as up, down, left, right, front and rear, used for explaining the structure and movement of the various components of the present disclosure, are not absolute, but relative. These representations are appropriate when the components are in the position shown in the figures. If the description of the position of the components changes, however, these representations are to be changed accordingly. 
     Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present disclosure are further described in detail in combination with the figures of the present disclosure. 
     The present disclosure provides an electrical connector in form of Pogo Pin. In use, the electrical connector is mounted in electronic device and used to mate with another electrical connector (for example a conductive contact point). 
     For sake of convenience of description, a direction in which an end of the electrical connector is used to mate with another electrical connector is defined as “front”, a direction relative to an opposite end is defined as “rear”. 
     Referring to  FIG. 1  to  FIG. 6 , an electrical connector  1  of the preferred embodiment includes a conductive seat  11 , a movable contact pin  12  movably mounted in the conductive seat  11  and a spring member  13  received in the conductive seat  11 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 7  and  FIG. 8 , the conductive seat  11  includes a first receiving section  111 , a second receiving section  112  which is positioned behind the first receiving section  111 , two connection arms  113  which oppose to each other and each connect the first receiving section  111  and the second receiving section  112 , and two elastic contact arms  114  which oppose to each other and each inclinedly bend forwardly and inwardly from the second receiving section  112  and extend toward the receiving section  111 . 
     The conductive seat  11  is an integral structure, preferably is formed by integrally stamping and bending a metal plate, so that a jointing slit  1131  extending along an front-rear direction is formed on the first receiving section  111 , one of the two connection arms  113  and the second receiving section  112  (the jointing slit  1131  specifically referring to  FIG. 2 ). A plurality of fixing barbs  1132  protrude outwardly from two sides of the other of the two connection arms  113  of the electrical connector  1 . 
     The first receiving section  111  has a hollow circular cylinder shape with a front end tapering, the front end of the first receiving section  111  preferably forms an circular arch portion  1111 , a through hole  1112  is formed in a center of the circular arch portion  1111 . Along a circumferential direction of the through hole  1112 , the front end of the first receiving section  111  is preferably provided with a plurality of notches  1113  which each extend along a front-rear direction, which is convenient for the front end of the first receiving section  111  to perform the bending and closing processing to form the circular arch portion  1111 . 
     The second receiving section  112  substantially has a hollow circular cylinder shape, a central axis of the second receiving section  112  coincides with a central axis of the first receiving section  111 . In the preferred embodiment, a supporting portion  1121  inwardly bends perpendicularly from each of two facing sides of a rear end of the second receiving section  112 , tip ends of the two supporting portions  1121  oppose to each other, are substantially in the same plane and are used to block a rear end opening of the second receiving section  112 . Two electrical connection legs  1122  slightly inwardly bend from the rear end of the second receiving section  112  and further extend rearwardly, the two electrical connection legs  1122  oppose to each other and are respectively positioned at two sides of the two supporting portion  1121 . In some not illustrated embodiments, the supporting portion  1121  may bend only from one side of the rear end of the second receiving section  112  and extend. 
     The electrical connection leg  1122  is preferably used to be fixed with a circuit board (not shown) by soldering, so that an electrical conduction path between the movable contact pin  12  and the circuit board is established. In the preferred embodiment, the electrical connection leg  1122  is in form of vertical type soldering leg, is inserted into a via of the circuit board and soldered, thereby making the conductive seat  11  erected on the circuit board. In other not illustrated embodiment, the electrical connection leg  1122  also may be a right-angle type structure, bends outwardly from the rear end of the second receiving section  112  by 90 degrees, so that after the electrical connection leg  1122  is connected with the circuit board, the conductive seat  11  may lie down and be mounted on the circuit board. It may be understood that, the electrical connection leg  1122  may be adjusted in number and structure form according to practical circumstances. 
     The two elastic contact arms  114  are preferably oppose to each other, which is beneficial to provide two facing forces constituting a clamping force. The elastic contact arm  114  is plate shaped, inclinedly bends forwardly and inwardly from the second receiving section  112  and extends to form a cantilever structure, and thus has elasticity. A tip end of the elastic contact arm  114  firstly further bends inwardly and then bends outwardly so as to form a contact portion  1141 , the two contact portions  1141  of the two elastic contact arms  114  oppose to each other. 
     The two connection arms  113  oppose to each other, preferably, an inner wall of the connection arm  113  is a flat plane. An interval between the two connection arms  113  is less than an outer diameter of the first receiving section  111  and an outer diameter of the second receiving section  112 , that is, the two connection arms  113  slightly offset inwardly relative to the first receiving section  111  and the second receiving section  112 , so as to approach the movable contact pin  12  positioned in the conductive seat  11 . 
     Still referring to  FIG. 7  and  FIG. 8 , the movable contact pin  12  substantially is elongate, includes a mating portion  121  positioned at a front end thereof, a tail portion  123  positioned at a rear end thereof and a connecting portion  122  positioned between the mating portion  121  and the tail portion  123 . 
     In the preferred embodiment, the mating portion  121  and the tail portion  123  each have circular cylinder shape. A front end of the mating portion  121  tapers to have a roundhead shape so as to facilitate mating. A length of the tail portion  123  is substantially a half of a length of the spring member  13 , so as to facilitate assembling of the spring member  13 . 
     The connecting portion  122  has a squared shape, an outer circumference of the connecting portion  122  has two first planes  1221  which are paralleled to each other and oppose to each other and two second planes  1222  which are paralleled to each other and oppose to each other. The outer circumference of the connecting portion  122  exceeds an outer circumference of the mating portion  121  and an outer circumference of the tail portion  123  in a radial direction. In the front-rear direction, the connecting portion  122  preferably has a longer length. In the preferred embodiment, the length of the connecting portion  122  substantially is a half of a total length of the movable contact pin  12 . 
     In combination with  FIG. 3  to  FIG. 6 , the connecting portion  122  and the tail portion  123  of the movable contact pin  12  are received in a range which is limited by the first receiving section  111  and the second receiving section  112  of the conductive seat  11 , and the mating portion  121  protrude forwardly from the through hole  1112  of the first receiving section  111 , so that the mating portion  121  is used to mate with another conductive contact point (not shown). 
     The two elastic contact arms  114  of the conductive seat  11  respectively elastically press against the connecting portion  122  of the movable contact pin  12 , the contact portion  1141  of the elastic contact arm  114  slideably attaches on the first plane  1221  of the connecting portion  122 . The inner walls of the two connection arms  113  respectively approach the two second planes  1222  of the connecting portion  122 . Because a contact between the contact portion  1141  of the elastic contact arm  114  and the first plane  1221  of the connecting portion  122  is a linear contact perpendicular to a movable direction of the movable contact pin  12  and the connecting portion  122  is clamped by the two elastic contact arms  114 , rotating of the movable contact pin  12  may be prevented in moving back and forth of the movable contact pin  12 , maintain stable contact between the conductive seat  11  and the movable contact pin  12  in moving back and forth of the movable contact pin  12 , and thus retain electrical connection stable. Furthermore, that the flat planes of the inner walls of the two connection arms  113  approach the two second planes  1222  of the connecting portion  122  respectively prevents the movable contact pin  12  from rotating in the conductive seat  11  so as to further retain electrical contact stable. 
     The spring member  13  preferably is a spring, sheathes the outer circumference of the tail portion  123 , a front end of the spring member  13  abuts against a rear end of the connecting portion  122 , a rear end of the spring member  13  abuts against the supporting portion  1121  of the second receiving section  112 . By that the spring member  13  is limited in position by the tail portion  123  and the spring member  13  is surrounded by the two elastic contact arms  114  and the two connection arms  113  from outside, non-axial deformation of the spring member  13  can be prevented, thereby making that the spring member  13  only can elastically deform along the front-rear direction, so that the movable contact pin  12  can be stably elastically driven to move forwardly in the conductive seat  11 . 
     The moving back and forth of the movable contact pin  12  makes the movable contact pin  12  have a mating state and a non-mating state. In the mating state, the movable contact pin  12  rearwardly moves under a mating pressure from an external conductive contact point and withdraws toward an interior of the conductive seat  11 , the spring member  13  is elastically compressed and provides a forward acting force to the movable contact pin  12  to retain a reliable mating with the external conductive contact point. In the non-mating state, the external mating pressure does not exist, the spring member  13  elastically restores to drive the movable contact pin  12  to move forwardly, the mating portion  121  extend out forwardly of the circular arch portion  1111 , the circular arch portion  1111  of the first receiving section  111  stops a front end of the connecting portion  122  to prevent the movable contact pin  12  from detaching forwardly out from the conductive seat  11 . The connecting portion  122  preferably has a longer length along the front-rear direction (specifically in the embodiment, the connecting portion  122  has a length which is substantially a half of the length of the movable contact pin  12 ), so that whether in the mating state or in the non-mating state, the two elastic contact arms  114  always elastically press against the connecting portion  122  in a manner of sliding back and forth, the two elastic contact arms  114  clamp the connecting portion  122 , such an elastic contact arm  114  design has a larger normal force used to retain contact, which is beneficial to retain electrical contact between the conductive seat  11  and the movable contact pin  12  stable, avoids risk of momentary disconnection, realizes stable reliable electrical connection. At the same time, two elastic contact arms  114  allocate the current, which is convenient to realize high current transmission and beneficial to lower rising of temperature (in a practical use, capability of  8 A transmission has been realized). 
     Referring to  FIG. 9  and  FIG. 10 , when the electrical connector  1  is in use, the electrical connector  1  is mounted in an insulating housing  5  to form an electrical connector assembly  100 . The mating portion  121  of the electrical connector  1  extends forwardly out of the insulating housing  5  and is used to mate with a conductive contact point of other electronic device; the electrical connection leg  1122  extends rearwardly out of the insulating housing  5  and is used to be soldered to a circuit board. In the insulating housing  5 , the electrical connector  1  may be flexibly provided in number and arrangement according to practical circumstances. 
     Because the electrical connector  1  itself structure may perform position limit with respect to moving back and forth of the movable contact pin  12  and may prevent the movable contact pin  12  from rotating, when the electrical connector  1  is mounted in the insulating housing  5 , it only needs to make the insulating housing  5  opened with a receiving groove  52  which penetrates the insulating housing  5  in the front-rear direction and is used to cooperate with the electrical connector  1 , which facilitate formation and manufacturing of the insulating housing  5 ; and, the fixing barb  1132  of the connection arm  113  of the electrical connector  1  may fixed in the receiving groove  52  of the insulating housing  5 , so that an assembling process that the electrical connector  1  is mounted in the insulating housing  5  is simplified, and the fixing is firm and is not easily loosen, product reliability of the electrical connector assembly  100  is promoted. In some not illustrated embodiment, the fixing barb  1132  may be provided as one in number, moreover, the fixing barb  1132  also may protrude outwardly from other structure of the electrical connector  1 , for example, protrude outwardly from the first receiving section  111 , the second receiving section  112  or the electrical connection leg  1122 . 
       FIG. 11  to  FIG. 16  illustrates a structure of an electrical connector  2  of another preferred embodiment of the present disclosure. The electrical connector  2  of the preferred embodiment also includes a conductive seat  21 , a movable contact pin  22  and a spring member  23 . 
     A main difference from the previous embodiment lies in that, in the preferred embodiment, two elastic contact arms  214  of the conductive seat  21  inclinedly bend rearwardly and inwardly from the first receiving section  211  and extend toward the second receiving section  212 . The second receiving section  212  has a square shape in which a side length thereof is slightly less than an outer diameter of the first receiving section  211 . And a tail portion  223  and a connecting portion  222  of the movable contact pin  22  also both have a square shape, the tail portion  223  inserts into the second receiving section  212  with clearance fit, each outer circumferential surface of the tail portion  223  correspondingly approaches each inner wall of the second receiving section  212 , which may prevent the movable contact pin  22  from oscillating left and right and rotating in the conductive seat  21 . A protruding portion  224  protruding outwardly is further provided behind the mating portion  221  in the movable contact pin  22 . The spring member  23  is received in the first receiving section  211 , sheathes an outer circumference of the connecting portion  222 , a front end of the spring member  23  abuts against the protruding portion  224  from below, a rear end of the spring member  23  abuts against a rear end of the first receiving section  211 , the rear end of the first receiving section  211  tapers. 
     Similar to the previous embodiment, whether in the mating state or in non-mating state, the two elastic contact arms  214  always respectively elasticity press against two first planes  2221  of the connecting portion  222 , which whether in the mating state or in the non-mating state, retains stable electrical contact, prevents momentary disconnection. 
     In the embodiment, by that the tail portion  223  and the second receiving section  212  cooperate with each other with the square shape structures closing to each other, rotating of the movable contact pin  22  in the conductive seat  21  may be prevented, which further promotes stability of electrical contact between the movable contact pin  22  and the conductive seat  21 . 
     As can be seen from the above description, the electrical connector  1 ,  2  of the above preferred embodiment of the present disclosure, the two elastic contact arms  114 ,  214  of the conductive seat  11 ,  21  clamp the connecting portion  122 ,  222  of the movable contact pin  12 ,  22 , thus have larger normal forces used to maintain contact, and whether the movable contact pin  12 ,  22  is in the mating state or in the non-mating state, the two elastic contact arms  114 ,  214  always elastically press against the connecting portion  122 ,  222  in a manner of sliding back and forth, so that the conductive seat  11 ,  21  and the movable contact pin  12 ,  22  always retain elastic contact, a current may be transmitted to the conductive seat  11 ,  21  via the movable contact pin  12 ,  22  and then transmitted to the circuit board via the conductive seat  11 ,  21 , transmission of the current is stable without the risk of momentary disconnection, reliability of electrical connection is promoted. At the same time, the two elastic contact arms  114 ,  214  allocate the current, which further may promote a magnitude of the transmitted current and lower rising of temperature, promote capability of transmitting a high current, and is beneficial to be applied in the circumstance of the high current. 
     Further, by that the elastic contact arms  114  cooperates with the connection arms  113  to form a fence-type structure with a square shape, the connecting portion  122  is limited, or further by that the square shape structure of the second receiving section  212  cooperates with the square shape structure of the tail portion  223  to realize limitation, rotating of the movable contact pin  12 ,  22  in the moving back and forth of the movable contact pin  12 ,  22  may be prevented, stability of electrical contact may be further retained. 
     The above described contents are only the preferred embodiments of the present disclosure, which cannot limit the implementing solutions of the present disclosure, those skilled in the art may conveniently make corresponding variation or modification based on the main concept and spirit of the present disclosure, therefore the extent of protection of the present disclosure shall be determined by terms of the Claims.