Patent Publication Number: US-2005118882-A1

Title: Electrical connector latching apparatus

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
      1. Field of the Invention  
      The present invention relates generally to a latching apparatus, and more particularly to an electrical connector latching apparatus capable of assuring a reliable and firm electrical contact there-between.  
      2. The Prior Art  
      At present, an electrical connector is coupled with a mated connector by a latching apparatus. A conventional electrical connector latching apparatus is shown in  FIG. 7  and  FIG. 8 . The electrical connector  10   a  has an insulation cover  1   a , which has a plurality of spring terminals  2   a  and a latch  3   a . The latch  3   a  includes a latching member  31   a , a pivot part  32   a  formed at one end of the latching member  31   a  and an S-shaped spring part  33   a  formed at the other end of latching member  31   a . The spring part  33   a  extends to form a pedestal  34   a . The pedestal  34   a  has a saw-toothed part  341   a  so as to make the latch  3   a  fasten to the insulation cover  1   a.    
      In general, the electrical connector  10   a  can be coupled with a mated connector firmly by the latch  3   a . The pivot part  32   a  of the latch  3   a  couples with the mated connector. Since an outer side of the pivot part  32   a  is a flat surface, there is a big friction force when latching. Therefore, the latch  3   a  cannot latch the mated connector smoothly. Furthermore, if an angle formed between the pivot part  32   a  and the latching member  31   a  is a right angle (90 degrees) or an obtuse angle (above 100 degrees), the electrical connector  10   a  departs from the mated connector easily. Consequently, the fixing force between the pivot part  32   a  and the mated connector is insufficient. Once the electrical connector  10   a  and the mated connector slip off from each other, the transmission of electrical signal is broken off. On the other hand, if the angle is less than 90 degrees (an acute angle), it overcomes the drawbacks said above, but it makes the electrical connector  10   a  difficult to depart from the mated connector.  
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
      According to the present invention, one object of the present inventions is to provide an electrical connector latching apparatus, which is capable of coupling an electrical connector with a mated connector firmly and departing from each other easily.  
      An electrical connector latching apparatus has a supporting arm. A latching pivot forms at top portion of the supporting arm. A smooth curved surface forms at top portion of the latching pivot. The smooth curved surface consists of at least two surfaces having different curvature; therefore, the latching pivot slides into a pivot hole of the mated connector neatly.  
      Another object of the present invention is to provide an electrical connector latching apparatus having a latching pivot. The bottom surface of the latching pivot is an indentation-curved surface to define a fixed support portion. An angle between the fixed support portion and the supporting arm is a special angle. Hence, the fixed support portion makes the latching pivot fasten to the mated connector firmly and provides an appropriate force to prevent the joined connectors departing.  
      As mentioned above, the present invention will now be described more specifically with reference to the drawings attached by the way of examples. And it provides a reliable coupling performance of the electrical connector. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
      A detailed explanation of a preferred embodiment of the present invention will be given, with reference to the attached drawings, for better understanding thereof to those skilled in the art, in which:  
       FIG. 1  is a partial exploded view of an electrical connector according to the present invention;  
       FIG. 2  is a perspective view of a latching apparatus according to the present invention;  
       FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the electrical connector according to the present invention;  
       FIG. 4  is a cross-sectional view of the electrical connector according to the present invention;  
       FIG. 5  is a perspective view showing an electrical connector and a mated connector separated;  
       FIG. 6  is a perspective view showing the electrical connector and the mated connector latched;  
       FIG. 7  is a partial exploded view of an electrical connector in accordance with the prior art; and  
       FIG. 8  is a perspective view of an electrical connector latching apparatus in accordance with the prior art. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
      Referring now to  FIG. 1 , an electrical connector  10  is installed on a baseboard or connected with electrical cables. The electrical connector  10  has an insulation housing  1 , a plurality of elastic contacts  2  and a latching apparatus  3 . There are two latching apparatus  3  shown in the  FIG. 1 . A shield housing  4  is latched to the bottom of the electrical connector  10 . When the electrical connector  10  couples with a mated connector  20  entirely and contacts conductively, the electrical signal is transmitted by the elastic contacts  2 .  
      As shown in  FIG. 2 , according to the present invention, the latching apparatus  3  comprises a supporting arm  31 , a latching pivot  32  formed at top portion of the supporting arm  31 , an elastic arm  34  extending from the lower portion of the supporting arm  31 , a base arm  35  horizontally extending from the lower portion of the elastic arm  34  and a free contact  351  vertically extending from the end of the base arm  35 . The latching pivot  32  forms a smooth curved surface  321  at top portion. The smooth curved surface  321  is consisted of at least two surfaces having different curvature. Moreover, a fixed support portion  33  formed at bottom portion of the latching pivot  32 . The fixed support portion  33  has an indentation-curved surface to provide friction. An angle θ between the fixed support portion  33  and the supporting arm  31  is approximately from 93 degrees to 100 degrees for smoothly latching and providing suitable fixing force.  
      The supporting arm  31  inclines and extends towards the bottom thereby to define the elastic arm  34 . The elastic arm  34  extends to form the U-shaped base arm  35 . An end of the base arm  35  extends vertically to form the free contact  351 . The free contact  351  is formed with a plurality of saw-toothed portions  352  on its inside surface to make the latching apparatus  3  couple with the insulation housing  1  of the electrical connector  10  firmly.  
      Referring to  FIG. 3  and  FIG. 4 , according to the present invention, the insulation housing  1  of the electrical connector  10  has at least a chamber  11  to receive the latching apparatus  3 . The chamber  11  and the latching apparatus  3  have approximate shapes, and the chamber  11  is capable of holding the latching apparatus  3 . After the latching apparatus  3  is located in the chamber  11 , the latching pivot  32  projects outside. However, the chamber  11  has enough space to allow the supporting arm  31  and the elastic arm  34  moving in the chamber  11 . Due to the saw-toothed portion  352 , the free contact  351  of the base arm  35  couples with the inside insulation housing  1  stably.  
      As show in  FIG. 5 , according to the present invention, the mated electrical connector  20  has a pivot hole  201  corresponding to the latching pivot  32  of the latching apparatus  3 . The pivot hole  201  has a blockade board  202  at its bottom. Therefore, when the electrical connector  10  couples with the mated connector  20 , the latching pivot  32  is jammed in the corresponding pivot hole  201  of the mated electrical connector  20 . The fixed support portion  33  clips to the blockade board  202  of the latching pivot  201 . Thus the electrical connector  10  and the mated connector  20  couple together firmly, as shown in  FIG. 6 .  
      In accordance with the present invention, when the latching pivot  32  of the latching apparatus  3  slides into the corresponding pivot hole  201 , since the top portion of the latching pivot  32  is the smooth curved surface  321 , the latching pivot  32  slides into the latching pivot hole  201  lightly and conveniently. Furthermore, the fixed support portion  33  clips to the blockade board  202  of the pivot hole  201 , since the angle θ between the fixed support portion  33  and the supporting arm  31  is a special angle, the fixed support portion  33  latches the pivot hole  201  of the mated electrical connector  20  firmly. However, the fixed support portion  33  can be departed from the blockade board  202  easily by a suitable and light pulling force.  
      Although a particular embodiment of the invention has been described in detail for purposes of illustration, additional advantages and modifications will readily appear to those skilled in the present invention, and various modifications and enhancements may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the invention is not to be limited except as by the appended claims.