Patent Publication Number: US-2003224659-A1

Title: Connector and housing assembly

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001] 1. Field of The Invention  
       [0002] The invention relates to an electrical connector assembly. More particularly, the present invention relates to an electrical connector assembly in which the housing can be directly fixed to the connector body.  
       [0003] 2. Description of Related Art  
       [0004] As shown in FIG. 1, a conventional connector assembly comprises a connector body  10 , a plurality of conductive wires  18 , and a housing  14 . Conventionally, the housing  14  is separately fabricated, and then mounted and fixedly attached to the connector body  10 . Therefore, specific fixing device  22  such as screws and bolt assembly must be provided to attach the housing  14  to the connector body  10 .  
       [0005] With the conventional connector assembly, additional processes are thus necessary to accommodate the housing  14  and the connector body  10  with the fixing device  22 .  
       [0006] A connector assembly that can be fabricated by a manufacture process of lower cost and better adhesion between housing and connector body is therefore desired.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0007] An aspect of the present invention is to provide a connector assembly in which separate fixing devices between the housing and the connector body are not needed, so that the manufacture cost of the connector assembly can be reduced.  
       [0008] Another aspect of the present invention is to provide a connector assembly in which the housing is fabricated directly fixed to the connector body such that specific steps for fixedly attaching the housing to the connector body are not required.  
       [0009] To attain at least the foregoing objectives a connector assembly of the invention comprises a connector body, a plurality of conductive wires connected to the connector body, and a housing. The connector body includes a plurality of slots specifically arranged for housing-attachment purpose. The housing is fabricated by directly molding it onto the connector body so that the housing, once fabricated, is directly fixed attached to the connector body by engaging in the slots of the connector body. This can be achieved by arranging the connector body in a mold with the slots communicating with an interior of the mold cavity. When molding compound is introduced in the mold cavity to form the housing, the molding compound can therefore flow into the slots of the connector body. A dam may be further arranged on the connector body to prevent any overflow of the molding compound into the connector body where the wires or contact terminals enter the connector body. As a result, the fabricated housing has protruding portions that are engaged in the sloes of the connector body. Once fabricated, the housing is therefore directly fixed Attached to the connector body.  
       [0010] It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary, and are intended to provide further explanation of the invention as claimed. 
     
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
     [0011] The accompanying drawings are included to provide a further understanding of the invention, and are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification. The drawings illustrate embodiments of the invention and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention. In the drawings,  
     [0012]FIG. 1 is a perspective view schematically illustrating a conventional connector assembly ; and  
     [0013]FIG. 2 is a perspective view schematically illustrating a conventional assembly according the an embodiment of the present invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
     [0014] The following detailed description of the embodiments and examples of the present invention with reference to the accompanying drawings is only illustrative of specific structures and ways of making of the present invention, and does not limit the scope of the present invention. Wherever possible in the description, like reference numerals will refer to like elements and parts unless otherwise illustrated.  
     [0015] Referring now to FIG. 2, a perspective view schematically shows a connector assembly fabricated according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 2, the connector assembly of the invention comprises a connector body  100 , a cable  124  that encloses a plurality of conductive wires and or contact terminals  104 , and a housing  120 .  
     [0016] The conductive wires  104  electrically connect to contact terminals included in the connector body  100 . The connector assembly thus can electrically connect various electrical devices (not sown), wherein at least one electrical device is electrically connected by engaging to a front side  108  of the connector body  100 , for example.  
     [0017] The housing  120  encloses and protects the connection between the conductive wires  104  and the connector body  100 . As shown in FIG. 2, the connector body  100  of the invention is provided  120  can be thereby directly fixedly attached to the connector body  100 .  
     [0018] The housing  120  may be made of any materials appropriate to the purpose of protecting and housing the conductive wires  104 . In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the housing  120  is made of, for example, polymer material formed by molding.  
     [0019] When fabricated by molding, the connector body  100  and conductive wires  104  are mounted onto a mold tool with the slots communicating with the interior of a mold cavity. When injected in the mold cavity to form the housing  120 , a molding compound can therefore flow into the slots  112  of the connector body  100 . A dam  116 may be further arranged on the connector body  100  to prevent overflow of the molding compound over parts of the connector body  100  that are undesired The dam effectively prevents molding material from entering the connector body and covering the contact terminals which would inhibit the connector from working properly. As a result, the housing  120  once fabricated encloses the conductive wires  104  and is favorably fixedly attached to the connector body  100  by having portions  128  tightly fitted in the slots  112 . Hence, additional fixing devices and steps for attaching the housing to the connector body are no longer needed.  
     [0020]FIG. 2 schematically illustrates a specific arrangement if the slots  112  within the connector body  100 . It should be apparent to those skilled in the art that other arrangements of the slots with other shapes in the connector body  100  are possible in the purpose of fabricating a housing directly fixedly attached to the connector body. More particularly, the slots  112  of the connector body can be designed to have, for example, specific shape to obtain a better attachment of the housing to the connector body. In addition, the slots  112  can be arranged at locations on the connector body  100  that are different from the illustration of FIG. 2 to obtain improved attachment points.  
     [0021] In conclusion, the present invention provides a connector assembly in which the housing once fabricated is directly fixedly attached to the connector body, and no additional fixing devices are necessary. The manufacture time and manufacture cost therefore can be favorably reduced.  
     [0022] It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made to the structure and operations of the present invention without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention.