Patent Publication Number: US-2015064978-A1

Title: Connector tape and connector module thereof

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention is related to a connector, in particular, to a connector tape and a connector module thereof. 
     2. Description of Related Art 
     Latch connectors are available in the market and are used for installing onto the edges of printed circuit boards. Such type of latch connector typically comprises an insulative main body and a plurality of conductive terminals secured onto the insulative main body; each conductive terminal includes a soldering portion exposed on the insulative main body; each soldering portion is soldered onto the edge of the printed circuit board correspondingly. 
     In a conventional soldering method for the soldering portion and the printed circuit board, such as the one disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,860,815, the circuit board includes a receiving hole, and a circuit area and a redundant area are formed at the inner and outer of the receiving hole corresponding to the circuit board, followed by placing the latch connector into the receiving hole in order to allow the soldering portion to be soldered onto the edge of the circuit area correspondingly. Finally, the redundant area is trimmed off in order to complete a finishing product. 
     However, to prevent the latch connector placed inside the receiving hole from tilting forward, a supporting portion is required to be formed at the redundant area in order to allow the soldering portion to be stably attached to the edge of the circuit area. In addition, once the soldering is complete, there is a need of the extra process of trimming the redundant area off. Therefore, for the assembly of the latch connector, there are at least problems of increased costs and complicated steps. 
     In view of the above, the inventor seeks to overcome the aforementioned drawbacks of the currently existing technique and provides an improvement after years of research and development along with the use of academic principles in light of solving the aforementioned problems. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     An objective of the present invention is to provide a connector tape and a connector module, utilizing a detachable counter weight block to be detachably connected to the insulative main body such that during the process the assembly of the connector and the circuit board, the detachable counter weight block can exert a gravitational force of weight on the soldering portions in order to allow the soldering portion to be stably soldered onto the circuit board. In addition, after the assembly of the connector and the circuit board is complete, the detachable counter weight block can be easily detached from the insulative main body; therefore, the advantages of providing a connector assembly that is cost-saving with simplified steps can be achieved. 
     To achieve the aforementioned objective, the present invention provides a connector module comprising: 
     a connector comprising an insulative main body and a plurality of conductive terminals secured on the insulative main body; each one of the conductive terminals having a soldering portion exposed out of the insulative main body; and 
     a detachable counter weight block detachably connected to the insulative main body; the detachable counter weight block configured to exert a gravitational force of weight on the plurality of soldering portions via the insulative main body. 
     To achieve the aforementioned objective, the present invention provides a connector tape comprising: 
     a substrate having a plurality of receiving slots; and 
     a plurality of connector module as mentioned above; each connector module respectively received and sealed inside each receiving slot. 
     The present invention further includes the following advantageous effects: 
     First, when the detachable counter weight block is assembled onto the insulative main body, the detachable counter weight block is able to exert a gravitational force of weight on the soldering portion in order to allow the soldering portion and the corresponding contact points can be firmly soldered onto each other such that a simple unit can be used to facilitate the assembly of the connector and the circuit board; therefore, the connector module of the present invention has the merits of low assembly cost. 
     Second, once the connector and the circuit board are assembled completely, the assembly personnel can easily detach the detachable counter weight block from the insulative main body in order to complete the finishing product such that simple steps are used to complete the assembly of the connector and the circuit board; therefore, the connector module of the present invention has the merits of simplified steps for assembly. 
     Third, the detachable counter weight block detached from the connector module can be re-used; by assembling the detachable counter weight block onto another connector, another new connector module can be formed; therefore, the assembly cost of the connector module of the present invention is even cheaper. 
     Fourth, the manufacturer can ship the connector tapes to the customer in order to facilitate the planning of the storage, shipping and management of the connector modules. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWING 
         FIG. 1  is an exploded view of the first embodiment of the connector module of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective assembly view of the first embodiment of the connector module of the present invention; 
         FIG. 3  is a cross s sectional assembly view of the first embodiment of the connector module of the present invention; 
         FIG. 4  is an illustration showing a state of use of first embodiment of the connector module of the present invention; 
         FIG. 5  is an illustration showing another state of use of first embodiment of the connector module of the present invention; 
         FIG. 6  is a perspective assembly view of the connector tape of the present invention; 
         FIG. 7  is an exploded view of the second embodiment of the connector module of the present invention; 
         FIG. 8  is a cross sectional assembly view of the second embodiment of the connector module of the present invention; 
         FIG. 9  is an exploded view of the third embodiment of the connector module of the present invention; 
         FIG. 10  is a cross sectional assembly view of the third embodiment of the connector module of the present invention; 
         FIG. 11  is an exploded view of the fourth embodiment of the connector module of the present invention; and 
         FIG. 12  is a cross sectional assembly view of the fourth embodiment of the connector module of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The following provides a detailed description of the present invention along with the accompanied drawings; however, it shall be understood that the accompanied drawings are provided for illustrative purposes only, which shall not be treated as limitations of the present invention. 
     Please refer to  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 6 , showing a first embodiment of a connector tape and a connector module thereof of the present invention. The connector module  10  mainly comprises a connector  1  and a detachable counter weight block  2 ; the connector tape  100  comprises a substrate  20  and a plurality of connector modules  10 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 1  to  FIG. 3 , the connector  1  is a latch connector but is not limited to such type only, and the connector  1  can be any type of connector. 
     The connector  1  comprises an insulative main body  11  and a plurality of conductive terminals  12 ; teach conductive terminal  12  includes a soldering portion  121  exposed on the insulative main body  11 . 
     To be more specific, the insulative main body  11  includes an insertion slot  111 ; each conductive terminal  12  is a lower terminal  13 ; each lower terminal  13  is disposed at a lower portion inside the insertion slot  111 , and the soldering portion  121  is formed at an end portion of the lower terminal  13  exposed out of the insertion slot  111 . 
     In addition, the insulative main body  11  includes a positioning member  112 . A mid-section  131  of each lower terminal  13  penetrates through and is positioned on the positioning member  112  in order to restrict each lower terminal  13  to be on the predefined location. 
     Furthermore, the connector  1  further comprises a plurality of upper terminals  14  secured onto the insulative main body  11 . One end of each upper terminal  14  is exposed on the insulative main body  11  and another end thereof is disposed on an upper portion inside the insertion slot  111  in order to allow each upper terminal  14  and each lower terminal  13  to be arranged correspondingly in a top-down manner. 
     The detachable counter weight block  2  is detachably connected to the insulative main body  11 , which means that the detachable counter weight block  2  can be assembled on or detached from the insulative main body  1 , and the detachable counter weight block  2  exerts a gravitational force of weight onto each soldering portion  121  via the insulative main body  11 ; wherein the detachable counter weight block  2  can be of a geometric shape of a rectangular shape and an elongated shape. In addition, the detachable counter weight block  2  can be made of any material of high specific weight in order to allow the weight of the detachable counter weight block  2  to reach the predefined value. 
     In the embodiment, the detachable counter weight block  2  is detachably connected to the insulative main body  11  by using the method that wherein the connector module  10  of the present invention further comprises an adhesive tape  3 , and the detachable counter weight block  2  abuts against the insulative main body  11  while the adhesive tape  3  is attached to the detachable counter weight block  2  and the insulative main body  11  correspondingly. 
     In addition, a most preferable embodiment is as follows. The detachable counter weight block  2  abuts against an upper portion of the positioning block  112 , and the adhesive tape  3  is attached to the detachable counter weight block  2  and the top portion of the insulative main body  11 . However, the present invention is not limited to such configuration only but can be modified based on the needs of an actual situation. 
     Furthermore, the insulative main body  11  includes an error-proof protruding rib  113  extended therefrom and disposed between the lower terminals  13 . The detachable counter weight block  2  includes a notch  21 , and the notch  21  is inserted with the error-proof protruding rib  113  correspondingly. 
     The assembly of the connector module  10  of the present invention, as shown in  FIG. 2  to  FIG. 3 , utilizes the connector  1  comprising the insulative main body  11  and the plurality of conductive terminals  12  secured on the insulative main body  11 , and each conductive terminal  12  includes the soldering portion  121  exposed on the insulative main body  11 ; the detachable counter weight block  2  is detachably connected to the insulative main body  11 ; the detachable counter weight block  2  exerts a gravitational force of weight on each one of the plurality of soldering portions  121  via the insulative main body  11 . With such configuration, the detachable counter weight block  2  is detachably connected to the insulative main body  11  in order to allow the detachable counter weight block  2  to exert a gravitational force of weight on the soldering portions  121  during the later process of the assembly of the connector  1  and the circuit board  30  such that the soldering portions  121  can be stably soldered onto the circuit board  30 . Furthermore, once the assembly of the connector  1  and the circuit board  30  is complete, the detachable counter weight block  2  can be easily detached from the insulative main body  11  in order to achieve the merits of cost-saving with simplified steps for the assembly of the connector  1 . 
     For the state of use of the connector module  10  of the present invention, first, as shown in  FIG. 4 , the connector module  10  is disposed on the edge of the circuit board  30  correspondingly, and the circuit board  30  includes a plurality of contact points  301 . When the detachable counter weight block  2  is assembled onto the insulative main body  11 , the detachable counter weight block  2  can exert a gravitational force of weight on the soldering portions  121  in order to allow each soldering portion  121  to be stably attached to each contact point  301  correspondingly such that the soldering portions  121  and the corresponding contact points  301  can be firmly soldered onto each other. Accordingly, a simple unit can be used to facilitate the assembly of the connector  1  and the circuit board  30 ; therefore, the connector module  10  of the present invention has the merits of low assembly cost. 
     Furthermore, as shown in  FIG. 5 , once the assembly of the connector  1  and the circuit board  30  is complete, which means that the soldering portions  121  are completely soldered onto the corresponding contact points  301 , the assembly personnel can tear off the adhesive tape  3  in order to detach the detachable counter weight block  2  from the insulative main body  1  with ease and to complete the finishing product. Accordingly, simple steps are used to complete the assembly of the connector  1  and the circuit board  30 ; therefore, the connector module  10  of the present invention has the merits of simplified steps for assembly. 
     Moreover, there are redundant materials to be discarded in the known assembly of connector and circuit board; in comparison, the detachable counter weight block  2  detached form the connector module  1  of the present invention can be re-used, and the detachable counter weight block  2  can be assembled onto another connector  1  in order to form a new set of connector module  10 ; therefore, the assembly cost of the connector module  10  of the present invention is even more cheaper. 
     As shown in  FIG. 6 , the connector tape  100  comprises a substrate  20  and a plurality of the connector modules  10  mentioned above. The substrate  20  includes a plurality of receiving slots  201 ; each connector module  10  is received and sealed inside each receiving slot  201  respectively. Accordingly, the manufacturer can ship the connector tapes  100  to the customer in order to facilitate the planning of the storage, shipping and management of the connector modules  10 . 
     Please refer to  FIG. 7  to  FIG. 8 , showing a second embodiment of the connector module  10  of the present invention. The second embodiment is generally identical to the first embodiment; the second embodiment differs from the first embodiment in that its method of connecting the detachable counter weight block  2  to the insulative main body  11  is different. 
     To be more specific, the insulative main body  11  includes a top wall  114  formed inside the insertion slot  111 , and the top wall  114  includes a protrusion  115  extended therefrom. The detachable counter weight block  2  includes at least one L-shape locking hook  22  extended therefrom; the detachable counter weight block  2  abuts against an upper portion of the positioning member  112 , and the L-shape locking hook  22  is inserted into the insertion slot  111  and locked onto the protrusion  115  correspondingly. Therefore, it is able to achieve the same function and effect mentioned above. 
     Similarly, for the connector tape  100  as shown in  FIG. 6 , the receiving slot  201  of the substrate  20  is able to receive and seal the connector module  10  of the second embodiment therein as well. 
     Please refer to  FIG. 9  to  FIG. 10 , showing a third embodiment of the connector module  10  of the present invention. The third embodiment is generally identical to the first embodiment; the third embodiment differs from the first embodiment in that its method of connecting the detachable counter weight block  2  to the insulative main body  11  is different. 
     To be more specific, the detachable counter weight block  2  includes a clamping portion  23  extended therefrom and corresponding to the notch  21 ; the detachable counter weight block  2  abuts against an upper portion of the positioning member  112 ; the notch  21  is inserted with the error-proof protruding rib  113 , and the clamping portion  23  is locked with the error-proof protruding rib  113  correspondingly; wherein the clamping portion  23  is formed by a pair of hooks  231  extended from the insulative main body  11 , and the error-proof protruding rib  113  is clamped between the pair of hooks  231 . Therefore, it is able to achieve the same function and effect mentioned above. 
     Similarly, for the connector tape  100  as shown in  FIG. 6 , the receiving slot  201  of the substrate  20  is able to receive and seal the connector module  10  of the third embodiment therein as well. 
     Please refer to  FIG. 11  to  FIG. 12 , showing a fourth embodiment of the connector module  10  of the present invention. The fourth embodiment is generally identical to the first embodiment; the fourth embodiment differs from the first embodiment in that its method of connecting the detachable counter weight block  2  to the insulative main body  11  is different. 
     To be more specific, the insulative main body  11  includes a rear wall  116  formed on one side away from the insertion slot  111 . The detachable counter weight block  2  includes at least one first locking hook  24  and at least one second locking hook  25 ; the detachable counter weight block  2  abuts against an upper portion of the insulative main body  11 ; the first locking hook  24  is inserted into the insertion slot  111  correspondingly, and the second locking hook  25  is locked onto the rear wall  116  correspondingly. Therefore, it is able to achieve the same function and effect mentioned above. 
     Similarly, for the connector tape  100  as shown in  FIG. 6 , the receiving slot  201  of the substrate  20  is able to receive and seal the connector module  10  of the fourth embodiment therein as well. 
     In view of the above, the connector tape and the connector module thereof of the present invention is able to achieve the objective of the expected uses and overcome the drawbacks of known arts while satisfying the requirement of the patentability including industrial applicability, novelty and inventive step, which is legitimately applied for the grant of a patent right.