Patent Publication Number: US-9419377-B2

Title: Dual orientation electrical connector assembly

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to an electrical connector assembly, and more particularly to an electrical connector assembly can be engaged in two directions with different number of the terminals. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     U.S. Pat. No. 7,311,526 issued on Dec. 25, 2007, discloses a magnetic connector including a plug and a receptacle relying on magnetic force to maintain contact. The plug and receptacle each defines at least one magnet and a magnetic element for attracting the magnets, which makes the plug can be combined with the receptacle by magnetic attraction so as to achieve the purpose of power supply. However, the number of terminals of the plug and receptacle must be consistent when the magnetic connector is connected. 
     Therefore, an improved electrical connector assembly is highly desired to meet overcome the requirement. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     An object of the present invention is to provide an electrical connector assembly can be engaged in two directions with different number of the terminals and having a detection function. 
     In order to achieve above-mentioned object, an electrical connector assembly includes a first connector and a second connector. The first connector includes a first terminal group and a first magnetic element around the first terminal group, the first terminal group defines a first central terminal and two first outer terminals located at both sides of the first central terminal. The second connector includes a second terminal group and a second magnetic element around the second terminal group, the second terminal group defines a second central terminal, a second outer terminal located at a side of the second central terminal and an elastic terminal located at another side of the second central terminal. When the first connector is engaging with the second connector in a first position, the first magnetic element and the second magnetic element are attached to each other in order to maintain the mating between the first and second connector, the first central terminal is contacting the second central terminal, the second outer terminal is contacting one of the first outer terminals and the elastic terminal is elastically abutting against the first magnetic element of the first connector in order to form electrical transmission, when the first connector is engaging with the second connector by rotating 180 degree to a second position, the first central terminal is contacting the second central terminal, the second outer terminal is contacting the other one of the first outer terminals and the elastic terminal is elastically abutting against the first magnetic element of the first connector in order to form electrical transmission. 
     Other objects, advantages and novel features of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of the present embodiment when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view showing an electrical connector assembly in accordance with the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is another perspective view of the electrical connector assembly shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  is an exploded perspective view of a first connector of the electrical connector assembly shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 4  is a partly exploded perspective view of a second connector of the electrical connector assembly shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 5  is an exploded perspective view of a second connector of the electrical connector assembly shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 6  is a cross-sectional perspective view of the electrical connector assembly take along the line  6 - 6  shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 7  is a cross-sectional perspective view of the electrical connector assembly take along the line  6 - 6  shown in  FIG. 1 , wherein the electrical connector assembly is connected; and 
         FIG. 8  is a cross-sectional perspective view of the electrical connector assembly take along the line  6 - 6  shown in  FIG. 1 , wherein the first connector is connected with the second connector by rotating 180 degrees. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION 
     Reference will now be made to the drawing figures to describe a preferred embodiment of the present invention in detail. Referring to  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 2 , an electrical connector assembly  100  is used to achieve power supply. The electrical connector assembly  100  includes a first connector  1  connected to a cable  3  and a second connector  2  used for mounting on a circuit board, the second connector  2  is usually installed in a device, such as tablet PCs or laptops. The second connector  2  is mounted on the side of the device and retracted within the outside of the device so that a receiving cavity is formed between the housing and the front surface of the second connector, and the receiving cavity is used for exactly the first connector inserted into. 
     Referring to  FIG. 3 , the first connector  1  includes a first insulative housing  10 , a first terminal group  11  fixed in the first insulative housing  10 , a first magnetic element  12  around the first terminal group  11  and a insulative shell  13 , the first magnetic element  12  is a ferromagnetic material and substantially rectangular shape. The first insulative housing  10  defines a plurality of first terminal slots  101  receiving the first terminal group  2 , the inner surface of the first terminal slot  101  facing to a front surface  102  of the first insulative housing  10  is gradually expanded shape. The first magnetic element  12  defines a receiving cavity  120  running through the front surface  121  and the rear surface thereof, the first insulative housing  10  is tightly fixed in the receiving cavity  120  of the first magnetic element  12 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 6 , the first magnetic element  12  is fixed in a receiving space  130  of the insulative shell  13  and the front surface  121  of the first magnetic element  12  is exposed outside of the insulative shell  13  to form a mating surface of the first connector. The front portion of the first magnetic element  12  is projecting forwardly from the front surface of the insultive shell  13 , the mating surface is located in front of the front surface of the insultive shell  13  and the front surface  102  of the first insulative housing  10  is flush with the mating surface. In the preferred embodiment, the first terminal group  11  of the first connector  1  defines a first central terminal  111  and two first outer terminals  112 ,  113  located at both sides of the first central terminal  111 , the first central terminal  111  and the first outer terminals  112 ,  113  are telescopic in the first terminal slots  101  along a front-to-rear direction, and the distance from the first central terminal  111  to the first outer terminals  112  is equal to the distance from the first central terminal  111  to the first outer terminals  113 . In a free state, the front end of the first terminal group  11  is substantially flush with the mating surface, and the front end of the first terminal group  11  can be retracted into the inside of the first terminal slots  101  by actuated. The first terminal group  11  defines a plurality of connecting portions in the rear side thereof, the connecting portions are projecting rearwardly outside of the first insulative housing  10  and connecting to the conductive core wires of the cable  3 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 4  to  FIG. 6 , the second connector  2  includes a base  20 , a second terminal group  21  fixed in the base  20 , a second magnetic element  22  around the second terminal group  21  and a metal shell  23 , the second magnetic element  22  is a magnet and substantially rectangular shape. The base  20  defines a base portion  25  and a second insulative housing  24  projecting outside of the bade portion  25 , the base portion  25  and the second magnetic element  22  together form a receiving cavity  220  for receiving the second insulative housing  24 , the second insulative housing  24  defines a plurality of second terminal slots  242  and a terminals slot  243  for receiving the second terminal group  22 . In the preferred embodiment, the second terminal group  21  defines a second central terminal  211 , a second outer terminal  212  located at a side of the second central terminal  211  and an elastic terminal  213  located at the other side of the second central terminal  211 . The second central terminal  211  and the second outer terminal  212  are non-scalable terminals receiving in the second terminal slots  242  and each defines a contacting portion  2121  projecting outside of the front surface  241  of the second insulative housing  24 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 2  to  FIG. 6 , the base  20  abuts the rear surface of the second magnetic element  22 , the second insulative housing  24  is tightly secured in the receiving cavity  220 , and the front surface  241  of the second insulative housing  24  and the front surface  221  of the second magnetic element  22  together form a mating surface of the second connector  2 . The base portion  25  defines a post  251  projecting into the terminal slot  243 . The elastic terminal  213  defines a retaining portion  2131  adjust to the post  251  and fixed to the terminal slot  243 , an elastic contacting arm  2132  bending from the retaining portion  2131  and abutting the front surface of the post  25  and a soldering portion  2133  extending outside of the base  20 . The metal shell  23  surrounds the outside of the base portion  25  and the second magnetic element  22 . The second magnetic element  22  defines two recesses  222  in both sides of the front surface  221  thereof in a vertical direction and the metal shell  23  defines a pair of locking pieces  231  attached to the corresponding recesses  222 , the metal shell  23  defines a pair of locking holes  232  in both sides thereof in a longitudinal direction and the base portion  25  defines a pair of locking portions  252  projecting outwardly and clasping the corresponding locking holes  232 , thereby the metal shell is fixed. 
     Referring to  FIG. 7  to  FIG. 8 , when the first connector  1  is engaging with the second connector  2  in a first position, the first magnetic element  12  and the second magnetic element  22  are attached to each other in order to maintain the mating between the first and second connector, the first central terminal  111  is contacting the second central terminal  211 , the second outer terminal  212  is contacting the first outer terminal  112  and the elastic terminal  213  is elastically abutting against the first magnetic element  12  of the first connector  1  in order to form electrical transmission. When the first connector  1  is engaging with the second connector  2  by rotating 180 degree to a second position, the first central terminal  111  is contacting the second central terminal  211 , the second outer terminal  212  is contacting another first outer terminal  113  and the elastic terminal  213  is elastically abutting against the first magnetic element  12  of the first connector  1  in order to form electrical transmission, which ensures the electrical connector assembly engaged in two directions. Wherein the first central terminal  111  is connecting the second central contact for transmitting a first power supply signal, the second outer terminal  212  is respectively connecting the first outer terminals  112 ,  113  for transmitting a second power supply signal, and the elastic terminal  213  is elastically abutting the first magnetic element  12  of the first connector for transmission detection signal. 
     It is to be understood, however, that even though numerous characteristics and advantages of the present invention have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of the structure and function of the invention, the disclosure is illustrative only, and changes may be made in detail, especially in matters of shape, size, and arrangement of parts within the principles of the invention to the full extent indicated by the board general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed.