Patent Publication Number: US-2011076865-A1

Title: Elelctrical connector having terminals with different types of tails

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to an electrical connector, and more particularly to an electrical connector having terminals with different types of tails. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     An electrical connector mounted on a printed circuit board comprises an insulative housing and a plurality of terminals secured in the housing. Conventionally, the terminals are electrically connected to the printed circuit board by soldering. In recent years, connectors with press-fit terminals have come to be used. U.S. Pat. No. 7,481,657 issued to Kiat et al. discloses a SAS (Serial Attached SCSI) receptacle comprising an insulative housing and a plurality of terminals secured in the housing. The housing defines a receiving slot and opposite first and second walls located two sides of the slot. First and second rows of terminals are retained in the first wall of the housing and a recess is formed between the first and second rows of terminals. A third row of terminals is retained in the second wall of the housing and corresponds to the recess. The pitch of the adjacent terminals of the third row is smaller than that of the adjacent terminals of the first or second rows. Furthermore, the dimension of each terminal of the third row is smaller than that of each terminal of the first and second rows. Therefore, it is difficult to produce the terminals of the third row which have press-fit tails thereof 
     In view of the above, a new electrical connector that overcomes the above-mentioned disadvantages is desired. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide an electrical connector having improved terminals. 
     To fulfill the above-mentioned object, an electrical connector comprises an insulative housing and a plurality of terminals secured in the housing. The insulative housing comprises a mating face, an mounting face opposite to the mating face and a receiving slot penetrating through the mating face. The receiving slot has opposite first and second sidewalls. The first sidewall defines spaced first and second mating portions, the second sidewall defines a third mating portion. The terminals comprise first terminals and second terminals of different types. The first and second mating portions are loaded with the first terminals, and the third mating portion are loaded with the second terminals. 
     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 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an electrical connector mounted on a PCB in accordance with the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the electrical connector and the PCB; 
         FIG. 3  is an exploded, perspective view of the electrical connector of the  FIG. 1 ; and 
         FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the electrical connector of  FIG. 1 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention will now be described in detail with reference to a preferred embodiment thereof as illustrated in the accompanying drawings. In the following description, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the present invention. It will be apparent, however, to one skilled in the art, that the present invention may be practiced without some or all of these specific details. In other instances, well known process steps have not been described in detail in order to not unnecessarily obscure the present invention. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1 to 2 , an electrical connector assembly comprises a PCB (Printed Circuit Board)  200  and an electrical connector  100  mounted on the PCB  200 . The PCB  200  has two spaced groups of through holes  201  extending in one row and a group of conductive pads  202  located thereon in one row. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1 to 4 , the electrical connector  100  comprises an insulative housing  1  and a plurality of terminals secured in the housing  1 . The insulative housing  1  comprises a mating face  110 , an opposite mounting face  116  and a receiving slot  11  penetrating through the mating face  110 . The receiving slot  11  has a first sidewall  111  and a second sidewall  117  opposite to the first sidewall  111 . The first sidewall  111  defines a first mating portion  113  and a second mating portion  114  spaced from the first mating portion  113  by a recess  112  formed in the first sidewall  111  and located between the first mating portion  113  and the second mating portion  114 . The second sidewall  117  defines an expanding portion  1151  thicker than other portion of the second sidewalls to form a third mating portion  115  corresponding to and aligned with the recess  112 . A plurality of passageways (not labeled) are formed in the first, second and third mating portion to receive the terminals. The terminals comprising some first terminals  21  and some second terminals  22 . 
     The first terminals  21  are secured in the first mating portion  113  and the second mating portion  114 , and the second terminals  22  are secured in the third mating portion  115 . The first terminal  21  is punched out of a metal sheet and comprises a retention portion  210  secured in the housing  1 , a contact portion  211  extending from one end of the retention portion  210  and a press-fit tail  212  extending from the other end of the retention portion  210 . The contact portions  211  extend into the receiving slot  11  so as to engage with corresponding mating terminals (not shown). The press-fit tail  212  is configured by shuttle portions  2121  with an elliptical slit  2122  disposed at a center portion of the shuttle portion. The elliptical slit extends along a same extending direction of the shuttle portion. The press-fit tails  212  of the first terminals are pressed into the corresponding through holes  201  of the PCB  200  respectively. The shuttle portions  2121  are compressed and deformed so that the reaction force causes the shuttle portions  2121  to press against inner walls of the through holes  201  and produce a secure electrical connection. 
     The second terminal  22  comprise a retention portion  220  secured in the housing  1 , a contact portion  221  extending from one end of the retention portion  220  and a pressed tail  222  extending from the other end of the retention portion  220 . The contact portions  221  extend into the receiving slot  11  so as to engage with corresponding mating terminals. The pressed tail  222  obliquely extends toward the second sidewall  117  and forms a curved point  2221 . The curved point  2221  of the pressed tail  222  extends beyond and face to the mounting face  116  of the insulative housing so as to abut against the conductive pads  202  of the PCB  200 . Therefore, a reliable electrical connection is formed. 
     Two mounting portions  15  extend outwardly from two ends of the insulative housing  1 . A pair of board locks  3  is secured in the mounting portions  15  of the insulative housing  1  respectively. Each board lock  3  comprises a base portion  31  with barbs  311  and a pair of locking legs  32  extending downwardly beyond the mounting face  116  of the insulative housing  1 . 
     In assembly, firstly the first terminals  21  and the second terminals  22  are mounted to the insulative housing  1  from the mounting face  116 , and the board locks  3  are also mounted to the two ends of the insulative housing  1  from the mounting face  116 . Secondly, the electrical connector  100  is assembled to the PCB  200 , the press-fit tails  212  of the first terminals  21  are inserted into the through holes  201  of the PCB  200 , and the pressed tails  222  of the second terminals  22  resiliently abut against conductive pads  202  of the PCB  200 . In the meantime, the locking legs  32  of the board locks  3  are inserted into position holes  203  of the PCB  200  so that the connector  100  is securely attached to the PCB. To ensure a fitly connection with the PCB, the tails are soldered to the PCB finally. 
     The first terminals  21  are wider than the second terminals  22  and has a larger pitch between every adjacent first terminals than that of the second terminals. Thus, the pressed tails of the second terminals benefit usage of the terminals 
     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.