Patent Publication Number: US-5249974-A

Title: Multi-contact connector

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to connectors and relates more particularly to a thinner type connector to be fastened to a printed circuit board for connecting an external electronic device. The connector utilizes a flat insulative base plate covered with a flat cover board to hold crimp terminals in place, for permitting the parts thereof to be connected together by rivets, and therefore the total size and the manufacturing cost of the connector can be greatly reduced. 
     2. Description of the Prior Art 
     FIG. 3 illustrates a connector to which the present invention is pertained. The connector is generally comprised of a casing 20, which has two stub tubes 21 upstanding from the top edge adjacent to two opposite ends thereof, a plastic base plate 25, which has two through holes 26 through which the stub tubes 21 project respectively and a terminal holder 27 on the top, a plurality of crimp terminals 35 respectively inserted through terminal holes (not shown) on the plastic base plate 25 and mounted on the terminal holder 27, a top cover 30 covered on the terminal holder 27 of the plastic base plate 25 which has a plurality of bottom grooves 32 to hold the crimp terminals 35 in place, two mounting plates 24 which each has a through hole 29 respectively aligned with either through hole 26 on the plastic base plate 25 and either stub tube 21 on the casing 20, and two fastening elements 23 which connect each mounting plate 24 to either stub tube 21 in retaining the top cover 30, the plastic base plate 25 and the casing 20 together. The disadvantage of this structure of connector is the parts occupy much installation space relative to one another, and therefore the material cost as well as the total size of the connector can not be greatly reduced. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention has been accomplished under the aforesaid circumstances. It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a thinner type connector which requires less installation space. It is another object of the present invention to provide a thinner type connector which is inexpensive to manufacture and easy to install. By making the insulative base plate and the cover board in a respective flat structure and using rivets and slotted angle plates to fasten the insulative base plate and the cover board to the casing, the total height of the connector is greatly reduced. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of the preferred embodiment of the connector of the present invention; 
     FIG. 2 is an elevational assembly view thereof; and 
     FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of a connector according to the prior art. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring to FIG. 1, the preferred embodiment of the present invention is generally comprised of a casing 1, an insulative base plate 2, crimp terminals 3, a cover board 4, and fastening devices 5. The casing 1 is comprised of a flat wall 6 having two round holes 8 adjacent to two opposite ends thereof, and a unitary adapter port 7 perpendicular to the flat wall 6. The insulative base plate 2 is made in the shape of a flat board having a plurality of terminal holes 9, a plurality of elongated grooves 10 on the top edge (surface) thereof respectively extended from either terminal hole 9 to the border, and two horizontal projections 11 on two opposite ends thereof. The cover board 4 is made from a flat board having two horizontal projections 12 at locations corresponding to the horizontal projections 11 on the insulative base plate 2. The fastening devices 5 each is consisted of an angle plate 13 and a rivet 14. The angle plate 13 has an opening 15 on the bend thereof, a hole 16 adjacent to one end thereof, and a unitary plug rod 17 projected from the border adjacent to one corner thereof for inserting into a respective hole on the printed circuit board to which the connector is to be connected. 
     Referring to FIG. 2, crimp terminals 3 are respectively inserted through either terminal hole 9 and engaged in either groove 10 then secured in place by the cover board 4 with the horizontal projections 12 on the cover board 4 respectively overlapped over the horizontal projections on the insulative base plate 2 the insulative base plate 2 are secured to either round hole 8 on the flat wall 6 of the casing 1 by a respective fastening device 5. By inserting the overlapped horizontal projections 12,11 into the opening 15 of the angle plate 13 of either fastening device 5 and inserting the rivet 14 of each fastening device 5 through the hole 16 on the respective angle plate 13 and either round hole 8 on the casing 1 and hammering down the plain end of each rivet 14, the insulative base plate 2, the crimp terminals 3 and the cover board 4 become firmly retained to the flat wall 6 of the casing 1. 
     The flat design of the cover board 4 and the insulative base plate 2 greatly reduces the size and the manufacturing cost of the connector. By means of the fastening devices 5, the cover board and the insulative base plate 2 are positively secured to the casing 1. 
     As indicated, the present invention is to provide a &#34;thinner structure of connector&#34; which requires less installation space and is inexpensive to manufacture.