Patent Publication Number: US-9419362-B2

Title: Electrical receptacle connector

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates generally to a receptacle connector, and more particularly to a receptacle connector effectively engaged with a mating plug connector. 
     2. Description of Related Arts 
     A plug connector comprises a mating tongue and a plurality of plug contacts exposed on both upper and lower sides of the mating tongue. A receptacle connector defines a receiving space and has both receptacle contacts and a pair of latches extending into the receiving space for engaging with the plug contacts when the plug connector is inserted in the receiving space of the receptacle connector. The mating tongue undertakes obstruction both from the receptacle contacts and the latches during insertion of the plug connector which may increase difficulty in operation for the user. After repeated use, the plug connector may not be so effectively engaged with the receptacle connector by merely the retaining forces between the plug contacts and the receptacle contacts/latches. 
     A receptacle connector providing enduring retaining force to a plug connector is desired. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a receptacle connector providing enduring retaining force to a plug connector. 
     To achieve the above object, a receptacle connector includes an insulative housing defining an inner space, an insulative body assembled to the insulative housing, a slider assembled between the insulative housing and the insulative body along a front-and-rear direction, and a number of terminals retained in the insulative body. Each terminal has a contacting portion, a U-shaped portion, and a slantwise linear portion connecting between the contacting portion and the U-shaped portion. The U-shaped portion is retained in the insulative body and partly exposing out of the insulative body. The contacting portion is suspended upon the slider. The slider moves in the inner space from a front, original position to a back, final position, presses against the U-shaped portions and pulls the slantwise linear portions downwardly. Finally, the contacting portions enter into the inner space for engaging with a mating plug connector. 
     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, assembled view of a receptacle connector in a first embodiment constructed in accordance with the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is perspective, fully exploded view of the receptacle connector of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  is similar to  FIG. 2 , but taken from a different view; 
         FIG. 4  is perspective, partly assembled view of the receptacle connector of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 5  is a cross-sectional view when taken along line  5 - 5  of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 6  is a cross-sectional view when taken along line  6 - 6  of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 7  is a perspective, assembled view of the receptacle connector and a mating plug connector inserted in the receptacle connector of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 8  is a cross-sectional view when taken along line  8 - 8  of  FIG. 7 ; 
         FIG. 9  is a cross-sectional view when taken along line  9 - 9  of  FIG. 7 ; 
         FIG. 10  is a perspective, assembled view of a receptacle connector in a first embodiment constructed in accordance with the present invention; 
         FIG. 11  is a cross-sectional view when taken along line  11 - 11  of  FIG. 10 ; and 
         FIG. 12  is a cross-sectional view when taken along line  12 - 12  of  FIG. 10 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Reference will now be made in detail to the preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1-9 , a receptacle connector  100  in a first embodiment of the present invention, comprises an insulative housing  1 , an insulative body  4  assembled to the insulative housing  1 , a plurality of terminals  3  received in the insulative body  4 , a slider  2  assembled between the insulative housing  1  and the insulative body  4 , and a pair of springs  5  sandwiched between the slider  2  and the insulative body  4  for providing elasticity to the slider  2 . 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1-6 , the insulative housing  1  defines an inner space or mating cavity  10  for receiving the plug connector along a front-and-rear direction. The insulative housing  1  comprises a main portion  11  extending along a transverse direction perpendicular to the front-and-rear direction, a pair of longitudinal arms  12  extending rearwardly from two distal ends of the main portion  11  along the front-and-rear direction, and a flat portion  13  extending rearwardly from a lower edge of the main portion  11  along the front-and-rear direction for connecting with the longitudinal arms  12  in a lower level. The main portion  11  defines an opening  110  communicating with the inner space  10 . Each longitudinal arm  12  defines a slot  120  communicating with the inner space  10  and exterior. The slot  120  extends along the front-and-rear direction, too. The insulative housing  1  forms a plurality of ribs  1101  extending downwardly from an inner upper face of the main portion  11  into the opening  110 . The insulative housing  1  defines an aperture  121  at a rear end of the longitudinal arm  12  and the aperture  121  is communicated with the inner space  10 . 
     Referring to  FIGS. 2-6 , the slider  2  defines a channel  21  at a front thereof and a plurality of passageways  2010  at a top face  201  thereof The channel  21  is correspondingly communicated with the opening  110  along the front-and-rear direction. Each passageway  2010  is recessed from the top face  201  along a vertical direction perpendicular to both the front-and-rear direction and the transverse direction to be communicated with the channel  21 . The slider  2  comprises a stepped face  202  located behind and lower than the top face  201 . The slider  2  comprises a pair of protrusions  22  extending outwardly from two opposite lateral sides of the stepped faces  202 . The slider  2  comprises a pair of first posts  220  spacing from each other along the transverse direction, each extending rearwardly from the corresponding sideward-extending protrusions  22  along the front-and-rear direction. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1-6 , the insulative body  4  is reversed L-shaped when take along a lateral side view. The insulative body  4  comprise a vertical base portion  41  and a horizontal tongue portion  42  extending from a top end of the vertical base portion  41 . The insulative body  4  defines a plurality of retaining holes  40  each extending a small distance from the top end thereof The insulative body  4  forms a pair of second posts  410  extending forwardly from the vertical base portion  41  along the front-and-rear direction and below the horizontal tongue portion  42 . The second posts  410  are spaces from each other, too and correspondingly faces to the first posts  220  along the front-and-rear direction. The vertical base portion  41  defines a slit  411  at each lateral surface thereof The horizontal tongue portion  52  has an upper surface lower than the top face  201  of the slider  2  and a lower surface higher than the stepped portion  202 . 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1-6 , particularly referring to  FIG. 6 , each terminal  3  comprises a curved portion  31 , a contacting portion  32  extending forwardly from the curved portion  31 , and a rear portion  33  extending backwardly from the curved portion  31 . The curved portion  31  comprises a slantwise linear portion  311  connecting to the contacting portion  32  and a U-shaped portion  312  connecting to the rear portion  33 . The slantwise linear portion  311  is supported on the insulative body  4  and the slider  2  to make sure that the contacting portion  32  is suspended upon the passageway  2010  of the slider  2 . The rear portion  33  is exposed out of the insulative body  4  for soldering on a printed circuit board (not shown). The U-shaped portion  312  is received in the retaining hole  40  of the insulative body  4 . The U-shaped portion  312  extends beyond the insulative body  4  from the front surface of the vertical base portion  41  to make sure that the slider  2  is capable of pressing against the U-shaped portion  312  along the front-and-rear direction. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1-6 , the springs  5  are corresponding positioned by the first posts  220  and the second posts  410  so as to be sandwiched between the slider  2  and the insulative body  4  for providing elasticity. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1-6 , the receptacle connector  100  further comprises a pair of latches  6 . Each latch  6  comprises a retaining portion  60 , a flexible beam  61  extending forwardly from the retaining portion  60 , and a hook portion  62  formed at a front end of the flexible beam  61 . The retaining portion  60  comprises a first retainer  601  extending downwardly and vertically for retaining the receptacle connector  100  in the printed circuit board and a second retainer  602  extending laterally and inwardly into the slit  411  and the aperture  121  for assembling the latch  6  on the insulative body  4  and the insulative housing  1 . The flexible beam  61  is received in the slot  120  of the longitudinal arm  12 . The latch  6  and the spring  5  are positioned two opposite sides of the longitudinal arm  12  along the transverse direction. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 5 and 6 , before the plug connector is inserted into the receptacle connector  100 , the springs  6  are in nature estate to push the slider  2  at a front, original position adjacent to the insulative housing  1 . The slider  2  blocks up the slots  120  of the insulative housing  1  for preventing water, dust, or etc from entering into the interior of electronic appliance via the opening  10  and the slot  120 . The hook portions  62  of the latches  6  press against the lateral walls of the slider  2  and therefore, are prevented from entering into the inner space  10 . 
     Referring to  FIGS. 8 and 9 , after the plug connector is inserted into the inner space  10  of the receptacle connector  100  through the opening  110 , the plug connector pushes the slider  2  to moves backwardly and the slider  2  actuates the springs  5  to deform and have elasticity. The slider  2  moves along the slot  120  from the front, original position to a back, final position at which the slot  120  is opened and the hook portions  62  of the latches  6  flexibly enter into the inner space  10  via the slot  120 . During the movement of the slider  2  from the front, original position to the back, final position, the slider  2  presses against the U-shaped portions  312  for pulling the slantwise linear portions  311  downwardly and finally, the contacting portions  32  enter into the inner space  10  for engaging with the mating plug connector when the slider  2  moves to the back, final position. Because the plug connector is inserted in the inner space  10 , namely the inner space  10  is filled with the plug connector, and therefore, prevents water, dust, or etc from entering into the interior of electronic appliance via the opening  10  and the slot  120  even though the slot  120  is opened. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 10 to 12 , a receptacle connector  100 ′ in a second embodiment of the present invention, comprises an insulative housing  1 , a insulative body  4  assembled to the insulative housing  1  and having a plurality of terminals  3 , a slider  2  assembled between the insulative housing  1  and the insulative body  4 , and a pair of springs  5  sandwiched between the slider  2  and the insulative body  4  for providing elasticity to the slider  2 , and a pair of latches  6  integrating the insulative body  4 ′ to the insulative housing  1 . The receptacle connector  100 ′ of the second embodiment is different from the receptacle connector  100  of the first embodiment in that the receptacle connector  100  of the second embodiment further comprises an additional pad  7 . The pad  7  is substantially rectangular or other figures. The pad  7  is positioned between the slider  2  and the flat portion  13 . The pad  7  provides elasticity to the slider  2  along the vertical direction for more effectively sealing gaps between the slider  2 ′ and the insulative housing  1 . Therefore, the receptacle connector  100 ′ of the second embodiment has a more waterproof effect. 
     While a preferred embodiment in accordance with the present invention has been shown and described, equivalent modifications and changes known to persons skilled in the art according to the spirit of the present invention are considered within the scope of the present invention as described in the appended claims.