Patent Publication Number: US-7585192-B1

Title: Electrical connector

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   1. Field of the Invention 
   The present invention generally relates to a connector, and more particularly to an electrical connector. 
   2. The Related Art 
   Referring to  FIG. 1 , conventionally, an electrical connector  1 ′ includes a housing  10 ′ and a plurality of terminals  20 ′. Each of the terminals  20 ′ has a rectangular base board  21 ′ extending vertically. A rear edge of the base board  21 ′ extends rearward to form a bar-shaped soldering portion  22 ′ and a top of a front edge thereof extends forward to form an elastic portion  23 ′ with a substantially serpentine shape. A front of the elastic portion  23 ′ extends forward to form a substantially rectangular contact arm  24 ′. The base board  21 ′ and the elastic portion  23 ′ are disposed in the housing  10 ′. The contact arm  24 ′ is inserted in the housing  10  and a free end thereof stretches out of a front surface of the housing  10 ′. The soldering portion  22 ′ stretches out of a rear surface of the housing  10 ′ for being soldered to a printed circuit board (not shown). 
   However, the terminal  20 ′ is assembled in the housing  10 ′ only by means of the base board  21 ′ being fastened in the housing  10 ′. As a result, when the electrical connector  1 ′ is shaken in use, the terminal  20 ′ is apt to fall off the housing  10 ′. Furthermore, the length of the electrical connector  1 ′ is relatively longer due to the soldering portion  22 ′ stretching out of the rear surface of the housing  10 ′ so that it makes the electrical connector  1 ′ occupy a relatively larger space in a matching electronic device. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   An object of the present invention is to provide an electrical connector including a housing and a plurality of terminals disposed in the housing. The housing has a front surface, a rear surface and a bottom surface and defines a passageway extending longitudinally to pass through the rear surface and the front surface. The upper portion of a rear of the passageway extending sideward to form a fixing slot, and a bottom thereof extends downward and then forward to form a receiving fillister penetrating through the bottom surface. The terminal is substantially disposed in the passageway of the housing and includes a base board extending vertically, a contact arm with a front end thereof projecting out of the passageway and an elastic portion elastically connecting the contact arm to the base board. A top end of the base board is bent sideward to form a fixing portion, a rear of a bottom end of the base board extends downward and then is bent forward to form a holding portion. A free end of the holding portion is bent downward and then extends forward to form a soldering portion. The fixing portion is buckled in the corresponding fixing slot and the holding portion is held in the corresponding receiving fillister, the soldering portion is located under the bottom surface. 
   As described above, the fixing portion of each of the terminals is buckled in the corresponding fixing slot of the housing and the holding portion is held in the corresponding receiving fillister so that can ensure the terminals assembled in the housing firmly. Moreover, the soldering portion is located under the bottom surface of the housing so that can reduce the length of the electrical connector and further reduce an occupation space of the electrical connector in a matching electronic device. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The present invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art by reading the following description of a preferred embodiment thereof, with reference to the attached drawings, in which: 
       FIG. 1  is a cross-sectional view of a conventional electrical connector; 
       FIG. 2  is a perspective view of an electrical connector in accordance with the present invention; 
       FIG. 3  is an exploded view of the electrical connector of  FIG. 2 ; 
       FIG. 4  is a cross-sectional view of the electrical connector of  FIG. 2 ; and 
       FIG. 5  is a cross-sectional view of a housing of the electrical connector of  FIG. 3 . 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
   With reference to  FIG. 2  and  FIG. 3 , an electrical connector  1  in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention includes a housing  10 , a plurality of terminals  20  disposed in the housing  10 , a cover  30  and a shell assembly  40  mounted on the housing  10  respectively. 
   Referring to  FIG. 3  and  FIG. 5 , the housing  10  is of rectangular shape and has a front surface  11 , a rear surface  12 , a top surface  13 , a bottom surface  14  and a pair of side surfaces  15 . A middle of the housing  10  defines a plurality of passageways  16  arranged at regular intervals along a transverse direction thereof and each extending longitudinally to pass through the front surface  11  and the rear surface  12 . The passageway  16  includes a receiving cavity  17  passing through the rear surface  12 . A middle of a front of the receiving cavity  17  extends forward to pass through the front surface  11  to form an inserting cavity  18 . Accordingly, a pair of preventing surfaces  19  is formed at the junction of the receiving cavity  17  and the corresponding inserting cavity  18 . An upper portion of a rear of each of the receiving cavities  17  extends sideward to form a fixing slot  101  passing through the rear surface  12 , and a bottom thereof extends downward and then extends forward to form a receiving fillister  102  penetrating through the bottom surface  14 . A middle of each of two side surfaces  15  protrudes outward to form two holding blocks  103  spaced from each other, and a middle of a rear thereof protrudes outward to form a fixing lump  104 . The top surface  13  defines two holding grooves  105  extending longitudinally to penetrate through a rear edge thereof. 
   Referring to  FIG. 3  and  FIG. 4 , each of the terminals  20  has a rectangular base board  21  disposed vertically. A top end of the base board  21  is bent sideward to form a fixing portion  22 . A rear of a bottom end of the base board  21  extends downward and then is bent forward to form a holding portion  23 . A free end of the holding portion  23  is bent downward and then extends forward to form a soldering portion  24 . A bottom of a front edge of the base board  21  extends forward to form an elastic portion  25  with a substantially serpentine shape. A front of the elastic portion  25  extends forward to form a substantially rectangular contact arm  26 . 
   Referring to  FIG. 3  again, the cover  30  has a rectangular base body  31  extending transversely and disposed vertically. Two ends of a top edge of the base body  31  extend upward and incline forward to form a pair of propping portions  32 . Two opposite side edges of the base body  31  extend forward to form a pair of holding sections  33  facing each other, and a middle of each of the holding sections  33  defines a holding aperture  34  passing therethrough. 
   Referring to  FIG. 3  again, the shell assembly  40  includes an upper shell  410  and a lower shell  420  mated with each other. The upper shell  410  has a rectangular top board  411  and two first side boards  412  extending downward from two opposite sides of the top board  411 . Each of the first side boards  412  defines two first fixing apertures  413  spaced from each other. Two sides of the top board  411  respectively define a first receiving opening  414  extending longitudinally. A front edge of each of the receiving openings  414  extends rearward and then is arched downward to form a first resilient arm  415 . A rear edge of the top board  411  extends rearward and inclines downward to form a holding board  416 . 
   The lower shell  420  has a bottom board  421  and a pair of second side boards  422  extending upward from two opposite sides of the bottom board  421 . Two sides of the bottom board  421  respectively define a second receiving opening  423  extending longitudinally. A front edge of each of the second receiving openings  423  extends rearward and then is arched upward to form a second resilient arm  424 . Each of the second side boards  422  defines two second fixing apertures  425  spaced from each other and two fixing barbs  426  protruded outward, wherein the second fixing apertures  425  and the fixing barbs  426  are alternately located at the corresponding side board  422 . 
   Referring to  FIG. 2 ,  FIG. 3  and  FIG. 4 , in assembly, the base board  21  and the elastic portion  25  of each of the terminals  20  are received in the corresponding receiving cavity  17  of the housing  10 . The elastic portion  25  is restricted within the receiving cavity  17  by the preventing surface  19 . The contact arm  26  is inserted into the corresponding inserting cavity  18  and a free end thereof stretches out of the front surface  11  of the housing  10 . The fixing portion  22  is buckled in the corresponding fixing slot  101  and the holding portion  23  is held in the corresponding receiving fillister  102  so as to ensure the terminal  20  assembled in the housing  10  firmly. The soldering portion  24  is located under the bottom surface  14  for being soldered to a printed circuit board (not shown). 
   The base body  31  of the cover  30  covers on the rear surface  12  of the housing  10  and props against the base board  21  of the terminals  20  so as to prevent the terminals  20  from moving rearward and falling off the housing  10 . The fixing lump  104  is buckled into the corresponding holding aperture  34  in order to ensure a firm engagement between the housing  10  and the cover  30 . A free end of each of the propping portions  32  abuts against the rear edge of the top surface  13 . The upper shell  410  is mated with the lower shell  420  to receive the housing  10  therebetween, wherein the second resilient arms  424  of the lower shell  420  abut against the bottom surface  14  of the housing  10 , and the holding blocks  103  are buckled into the corresponding second fixing apertures  425 . The soldering portion  24  is further located under the bottom board  421  of the lower shell  420 . Then the first resilient arms  415  of the upper shell  410  are buckled in the corresponding holding grooves  105  of the housing  10  and the holding board  416  is held on the rear surface  12  and the propping portions  32 . The fixing barbs  426  of the lower shell  420  are buckled into the corresponding first fixing apertures  413  of the upper shell  410 . 
   As described above, the fixing portion  22  of each of the terminals  20  is buckled in the corresponding fixing slot  101  of the housing  10  and the holding portion  23  is held in the corresponding receiving fillister  102  so that can ensure the terminals  20  assembled in the housing  10  firmly. Moreover, the soldering portion  24  is located under the bottom surface  14  of the housing  10  so that can reduce the length of the electrical connector  1  and further reduce an occupation space of the electrical connector  1  in a matching electronic device.