Patent Publication Number: US-8986025-B2

Title: Plug device for connectors

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     1. Technical Field 
     The present disclosure relates to plug devices, and particularly to a plug device for two connectors. 
     2. Description of Related Art 
     Generally, a first connector is manually inserted into or extracted from a second connector. However, if an insertion force and an extraction force are uneven, damage may be caused to the two connectors when in assembly or disassembly. Therefore, there is room for improvement in the art. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Many aspects of the 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 embodiments. Moreover, in the drawings, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several views. 
         FIG. 1  is an exploded, isometric view of one embodiment of a plug device. 
         FIG. 2  is an enlarged view of a circled portion II of the plug device of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  is an assembled, isometric view of the plug device of  FIG. 1 , with a handle in a first position and a first connected disengaged from the second connector. 
         FIG. 4  is an enlarged view of a circled portion IV of the plug device of  FIG. 3 . 
         FIG. 5  is another assembled, isometric view of the plug device of  FIG. 1 , with the handle in a second position and the first connected engaged with the second connector. 
         FIG. 6  is an enlarged view of a circled portion VI of the plug device of  FIG. 5 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     The disclosure is illustrated by way of example and not by way of limitation in the figures of the accompanying drawings in which like references indicate similar elements. 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.” 
       FIG. 1  shows one embodiment of a plug device for inserting a first connector  100  into a second connector  200  or disengaging the first connector  100  from the second connector  200 . The first connector  100  includes a body  101  and a protrusion  103  extending outwards from the body  101 . The second connector  200  is secured to a circuit board  201 . The circuit board  201  includes a limiting tab  203 . In one embodiment, the first connector  100  is cable terminals. 
     The plug device includes a base  10 , an operation platform  20 , a guiding rail  30 , a sliding member  50 , two pressing blocks  60 , and a handling assembly  300 . 
     The base  10  defines a plurality of first locking holes  11 . The operation platform  20  and the guiding rail  30  are secured to the base  10 . The operation platform  20  defines a receiving slot  21  and two limiting slots  23  extending from opposite edges of the receiving slot  21 . 
     The guiding rail  30  is step-shaped and includes a mounting base  31 , a holding block  32  extending from the mounting base  31 , and a limiting block  35  extending from the holding block  32 . The mounting base  31  defines a plurality of mounting holes  311  located on opposite sides of the holding block  32 . A sliding channel  40  is defined between the guiding rail  30  and the operation platform  20 . A placing platform  25  extends from the operation platform  20  into the sliding channel  40 . The placing platform  25  is used for the placement of the first connector  100 . 
       FIGS. 1 and 2  show the sliding member  50  including a sliding plate  51  and a mounting plate  53  extending downwards from a first end of the sliding plate  51 . A second end of the sliding plate  51  defines a sliding slot  511 , to form two sliding arms  513  on opposite sides of the sliding slot  511 . An extension piece  515  extends substantially parallel from each sliding arm  513  away from the mounting plate  53 . A positioning block  519  extends downwards from a bottom surface of each sliding arm  513 . The extension piece  515  defines a cutout  516 . Each sliding arm  513  defines a positioning slot  518  communicating with the sliding slot  511 . The positioning slot  518  is used for engaging with the limiting protrusion  103 . The mounting plate  53  defines an installation hole  531 . 
     Each pressing block  60  includes a resisting block  61  and a mounting block  63 , that is substantially perpendicularly connected to the resisting block  61 . The resisting block  61  defines two through holes  611  extending through the mounting block  63 . 
     The handling assembly  300  includes a securing base  301 , a rotating piece  302 , a handle  303 , and a sliding post  305 . The securing base  301  defines a plurality of second locking holes  3011  corresponding to the plurality of first locking holes  11 . A socket  306  is located on the securing base  301 . The rotating piece  302  is rotatably mounted to the securing base  301 . The handle  303  is secured to the rotating piece  302 . The sliding post  305  is slidably received in the socket  306  with a first end rotatably mounted to the rotating piece  302 . A second end of the sliding post  305  includes a threaded portion  3051 . The handle  303  is rotatable relative to the securing base  301  to slide the sliding post  305  in the socket  306  via the rotating piece  302 . 
       FIG. 3  shows that, in assembly, the sliding member  50  is moved to be adjacent to the guiding rail  30  with the sliding arm  513  abutting the holding block  32 . The limiting block  35  is located in the sliding slot  511 , and the positioning block  519  is located in the sliding channel  40 . The extension piece  515  abuts the operation platform  20 . The handling assembly  300  is moved to be adjacent to the base  10 . A plurality of first locking members  600  are inserted through the second locking holes  3011  and the first locking holes  11  to secure the securing base  301  to the base  10 . The threaded portion  3051  is threaded in the installation hole  531 . A plurality of second locking members  500  are inserted through the through holes  611  and the mounting holes  311 , to secure the pressing blocks  60  to the guiding rail  30 . The resisting block  61  is above the sliding arm  513  to prevent the sliding arm  513  from moving upwards when sliding. In other embodiments, the socket  306  is secured to the base  10  directly, and the rotating piece  302  is rotatably mounted to the base  10  directly. 
     The handle  303  is operable to slide the sliding member  50  between a first position and a second position. When the sliding member  50  is in the first position, a first angle is defined between the handle  303  and the base  10 , the positioning block  519  abuts the guiding rail  30 , and a first distance is defined between the mounting plate  53  and the guiding rail  30 . When the sliding member  50  is in the second position, a second angle is defined between the handle  303  and the base  10 , the positioning block  519  abuts the operation platform  20 , and a second distance is defined between the mounting plate  53  and the guiding rail  30 . The first angle is greater than the second angle. The first distance is greater than the second distance. An extending direction of each limiting slot  23  and the positioning slot  518  is substantially perpendicular to a sliding direction of the sliding member  50 . 
       FIGS. 3-6  show that in use, the handle  303  is rotated to the first position, the first connector  100  is placed on the placing platform  25  between the two extension pieces  515 . The limiting protrusion  103  is engaged in the positioning slot  518 . The circuit board  201  is placed in the receiving slot  21 , and the limiting tab  203  is engaged in the limiting slot  23 . In assembly of the first connector  100  to the second connector  200 , the handle  303  is rotated towards the base  10 . The rotating piece  302  is rotated relative to the securing base  301  together with the handle  303  and slides the sliding post  305  in the socket  306 . The sliding post  305  pushes the sliding member  50  to slide towards the operation platform  20 , and the first connector  100  is pushed towards the second connector  200  then. Until the sliding member  50  is in the second position, the first connector  100  is connected to the second connector  200 . 
     In disassembly of the first connector  100  from the second connector  200 , the handle  303  is rotated away from the base  10 , the rotating piece  302  is rotated relative to the securing base  301  together with the handle  303  and slides the sliding post  305  in the socket  306 . The sliding post  305  pulls the sliding member  50  to slide away from the operation platform  20 . The first connector  100  is then pulled away from the second connector  200 . Until the sliding member  50  is in the first position, the first connector  100  is disengaged from the second connector  200 . 
     It is to be understood, however, that even though numerous characteristics and advantages have been set forth in the foregoing description of embodiments, together with details of the structures and functions of the embodiments, the disclosure is illustrative only and changes may be made in detail, especially in the matters of shape, size, and the arrangement of parts within the principles of the disclosure, to the full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed.