Patent Publication Number: US-8986027-B2

Title: Connector

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates to a connector which includes a reinforcement member. 
     JP 2012-33439 A discloses a connector which includes a housing and a reinforcement member attached to the housing. The housing is made of synthetic resin. The reinforcement member is made of metal and extends in a longitudinal direction of the connector. 
     JP 2000-173683 A discloses a connector which includes a housing and a reinforcement member embedded in the housing via insert-molding. The housing is made of insulator. The reinforcement member is made of metal and extends in a longitudinal direction of the connector. 
     There is a need for embedding a reinforcement member in a housing via insert-molding so as to make a connector&#39;s profile low. However, the reinforcement member of JP 2012-33439A is not suitable for insert-molding. The reinforcement member of JP 2000-173683A might not be embedded in the housing via insert-molding when the profile of the connector becomes lower. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is an object of the present invention to provide a connector having a structure more suitable for embedding, at least in part, a reinforcement member in a housing via insert-molding. 
     One aspect of the present invention provides a connector which comprises a plurality of contacts, a housing and a reinforcement member. The housing is made of a predetermined material and holds the contacts. The housing includes a bottom portion extending in a longitudinal direction of the connector. The reinforcement member is, at least in part, embedded in the bottom portion of the housing via insert-molding. The reinforcement member has a rib portion extending in the longitudinal direction. The rib portion has a reversed U- or V-shape cross-section. The rib portion is filled with the predetermined material of the housing. 
     The reinforcement member has the rib portion of the reversed U-like or V-like shape cross-section, and the predetermined material such as resin of the housing is filled within the rib portion. Because of the structural relation between the reinforcement member and the housing, a large contact area between the housing and the rib portion of the reinforcement member is ensured even if the reinforcement member is embedded in the bottom portion of the housing at shallow depths. Therefore, smooth movement of the predetermined material upon insert-molding is ensured while the reinforcement member is secured to the housing. 
     An appreciation of the objectives of the present invention and a more complete understanding of its structure may be had by studying the following description of the preferred embodiment and by referring to the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view showing a connector according to a first embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is a cut-away, cross-sectional perspective view showing the connector of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  is an exploded, perspective view showing the connector of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 4  is a perspective view showing a mating connector mateable with the connector of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 5  is a cut-away, cross-sectional perspective view showing the mating connector of  FIG. 4   
         FIG. 6  is an exploded, perspective view showing the mating connector of FIG.  4 . 
         FIG. 7  is a side view showing a detachment process of the connector of  FIG. 1  from the mating connector of  FIG. 4 . 
         FIG. 8  is a perspective view showing a connector according to a second embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 9  is a cut-away, cross-sectional perspective view showing the connector of  FIG. 8 . 
         FIG. 10  is an exploded, perspective view showing the connector of  FIG. 8 . 
         FIG. 11  is a perspective view showing a mating connector mateable with the connector of  FIG. 8 . 
         FIG. 12  is a cut-away, cross-sectional perspective view showing the mating connector of  FIG. 11   
         FIG. 13  is an exploded, perspective view showing the mating connector of  FIG. 11 ; and 
         FIG. 14  is a cut-away, cross-sectional perspective view showing the connector of  FIG. 1 . 
     
    
    
     While the invention is susceptible to various modifications and alternative forms, specific embodiments thereof are shown by way of example in the drawings and will herein be described in detail. It should be understood, however, that the drawings and detailed description thereto are not intended to limit the invention to the particular form disclosed, but on the contrary, the intention is to cover all modifications, equivalents and alternatives falling within the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims. 
     DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     First Embodiment 
     With reference to  FIGS. 1 to 3 , a connector  100  according to a first embodiment of the present invention is a plug connector mountable on a circuit board (not shown). With reference to  FIGS. 4 to 6 , a mating connector  200  according to the first embodiment is a receptacle connector mountable on another circuit board (not shown). The connector  100  is mateable with and detachable from the mating connector  200  along a Z-direction, which is a height direction of the connector  100 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 3 , the connector  100  comprises a plurality of contacts  110 , a housing  130  holding the contacts  110  and a reinforcement member  150  reinforcing the housing  130 . The contacts  110  and the reinforcement member  150  are made of metal. The housing  130  is made of insulating material, especially, resin. The contacts  110  and the reinforcement member  150  are partially embedded in the housing  130  via insert-molding. 
     Each contact  110  has a contact portion  112  and a terminal portion  114 . The contact portion  112  is used to electrically connect between the connector  100  and the mating connector  200 . The terminal portion  114  is surface-mounted on a circuit board (not shown) when the connector  100  is mounted on the circuit board. 
     The reinforcement member  150  is formed by stamping a base material plate out, followed by folding the stamped base material plate. The reinforcement member  150  has a rib portion  152  and holddown portions  154 . The rib portion  152  extends in a Y-direction, which is a longitudinal direction of the connector  100 . The rib portion  152  has a reversed U- or V-shape cross-section in an XZ plane perpendicular to the Y-direction. In other words, the rib portion  152  has a half-pipe like shape, a reversed ditch like shape or a reversed trench like shape. Each holddown portion  154  is positioned at an end of the rib portion  152  in the Y-direction and extends in an X-direction. The holddown portion  154  is fixed to a circuit board (not shown) when the connector  100  is mounted on the circuit board. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 2 and 3 , the housing  130  has two sidewall portions  132 , two block portions  134 , and a bottom portion  136 . The sidewall portions  132  face each other in the X-direction. Each block portion  134  connects ends of the sidewall portions  132 . The sidewall portions  132  and the block portions  134  form a frame-like shape. The bottom portion  136  is provided at a lower end of the frame-like shape. The sidewall portions  132 , the block portions  134  and the bottom portion  136  form a receiving portion  138  which partially receives the mating connector  200 . 
     As best shown in  FIG. 2 , the contacts  110  are partially embedded in the sidewall portions  131  The contact portions  112  of the contacts  110  are exposed in the receiving portion  138 . 
     The reinforcement member  150  is partially embedded in the bottom portion  136  and the block portions  134 . The rib portion  152  is partially embedded into the bottom portion  136  of the housing  130 . In the  7 -direction, the part of the rib portion  152 , which is embedded in the bottom portion  136 , has a size equal or smaller than a thickness of the base material plate of the reinforcement member  150 . Therefore, even if the bottom portion  136  is thinner, resin movement is not obstructed by the reinforcement member  150  upon insert-molding. The other part of the rib portion  152 , which is not embedded in the bottom portion  136 , protrudes from the bottom portion  136  within the receiving portion  138 . The rib portion  152  is filled with the resin, i.e., the material of the housing  130  so that a filled portion  140  is formed between the bottom portion  136  and the rib portion  152 . Thus, a large contact area between the rib portion  152  of the reinforcement member  150  and the filled portion  140  of the housing  130  can be obtained. 
     As shown in  FIG. 3 , the rib portion  152  is formed with through-holes  156 . Each through-hole  156  connects between the inside and the outside of the rib portion  152 . As apparent from  FIGS. 1 to 3 , the through-holes  156  are filled with the resin, i.e., the material of the housing  130 . In other words, the filled portion  140  are formed with protrusions, which are fit with the through-holes  156 , respectively. See also  FIG. 14 . Thus, the reinforcement member  150  is securely fixed to the housing  130 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 6 , the mating connector  200  comprises a plurality of mating contacts  210 , a mating housing  230  and mating reinforcement members  250 . The mating housing  230  holds the mating contacts  210 . The mating reinforcement members  250  reinforce the mating housing  230  and electrically shield the mating contacts  210 . The mating contacts  210  and the mating reinforcement members  250  are made of metal. The mating housing  230  is made of insulator, especially, resin. The mating contacts  210  and the mating reinforcement members  250  are press-fit into and held by the mating housing  230  in this embodiment. 
     Each mating contact  210  has a contact portion  212  and a terminal portion  214 . When the connector  100  is mated with the mating connector  200 , the contact portion  212  is physically and electrically connected to the contact portion  112  of the corresponding contact  110 . The terminal portion  214  is surface-mounted on a circuit board (not shown) when the mating connector  200  is mounted on the circuit board. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 4 to 6 , the mating housing  230  has a center protrusion portion  232 , facing wall portions  236 , end portions  238  and a bottom portion  240 . The center protrusion portion  232  extends in the Y-direction. The center protrusion portion  232  is received by the receiving portion  138  of the housing  130  when the connector  100  is mated with the mating connector  200 . The center protrusion portion  232  is formed with a ditch  234  which is depressed in the Z-direction and extends in the Y-direction. The ditch  234  receives the rib portion  152  when the center protrusion portion  232  is received by the receiving portion  138 . Each facing wall portion  236  faces the center protrusion portion  232  in the X-direction while the center protrusion portion  232  is positioned between the facing wall portions  236  in the X-direction. Each end portion  238  connects ends of the facing wall portions  236 . The facing wall portions  236  and the end portions  238  form a frame-like shape, which surrounds the center protrusion portion  232 . The bottom portion  240  is provided at a lower end of the frame-like shape. The facing wall portions  236 , the end portions  238  and the bottom portion  240  form an accommodation portion  242  around the center protrusion portion  232 . The accommodation portion  242  partially accommodates the sidewall portions  132  and the block portions  134  when the connector  100  is mated with the mating connector  200 . 
     As best shown in  FIG. 5 , the mating contacts  210  are inserted and press-fit in the mating housing  230  from the bottom portion  240  thereof. The mating contacts  210  are held by the mating housing  230  so that the contact portions  212  of the mating contacts  210  are exposed in the accommodation portion  242 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 6 , Each of the mating reinforcement members  250  is formed by stamping a base material plate out, followed by folding the stamped base material plate. Each mating reinforcement member  250  has a main portion  252  and held portions  254 . The main portion  252  extends in the Y-direction. As shown in  FIG. 5 , the main portion  252  is curved so as to have a C-shape cross-section in the XZ plane. The held portions  254  are press-fit into the end portions  238 . Thus, the main portions  252  cover the outsides of the facing wall portions  236  of the mating housing  230 , respectively, as shown in  FIGS. 4 and 5 . Each main portion  252  is tolerant of a stress along the Z-direction because it is curved as mentioned above. 
     Upon the detachment process, sometimes only one end of the connector  100  is detached from the mating connector  200 , as shown in  FIG. 7 . Upon such detachment, the housing  130  and the mating housing  230  are stressed so as to be curved. However, according to the present embodiment, the reinforcement member  150  and the mating reinforcement members  250  reinforce the housing  130  and the mating housing  230 , respectively, so that the housing  130  and the mating housing  230  can be prevented from being broken. In addition, because the large contact area between the reinforcement member  150  and the housing  130  is ensured, the insert-molded reinforcement member  150  can be secured to the housing  130  and can reinforce the housing  130  properly even if the housing  130  becomes lower. 
     Second Embodiment 
     With reference to  FIGS. 8 to 13 , a connector  100 A and a mating connector  200 A according to a second embodiment of the present invention are modifications of the above-described first embodiment. In  FIGS. 8 to 13 , components similar to those of  FIGS. 1 to 6  are labeled with reference numerals similar to those of  FIGS. 1 to 6 , and explanation thereabout will be omitted for the sake of clarity of the description. Explanation will be hereinafter directed to differences between the first and the second embodiments. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 8 and 10 , a reinforcement member  150 A has a rib portion  152 A which includes a flat plate portion  160 A and two reversed ditch portions  162 A. The flat plate portion  160 A is used and sucked by a nozzle of a vacuum carrier section of an automated placement machine (not shown). The flat plate portion  160 A is positioned between the reversed ditch portions  162 A. As apparent from  FIG. 9 , each of the reversed ditch portions  162 A has a reversed U- or V-shape cross-section in the XZ plane, like as the rib portion  152  of the first embodiment. 
     As apparent from  FIGS. 9 and 10 , a housing  130 A includes a bottom portion  136 A and two filled portions  140 A. As shown in  FIG. 8 , the flat plate portion  160 A is embedded in the bottom portion  136 A so that one surface of the flat plate portion  160 A is exposed in the receiving portion  138 . The reversed ditch portions  162 A are partially embedded into the bottom portion  136 A and are filled with the filled portions  140 A, respectively. Because of large contact areas between the filled portions  140 A and the reversed ditch portions  162 A, the reinforcement member  150 A is secured to the housing  130 A, similar to the first embodiment. 
     With reference to  FIGS. 8 and 10 , a size of the flat plate portion  160 A is about one fourth of a total size of the rib portion  152 A. If the size of the flat plate portion  160 A is smaller than one fifth of the total size of the rib portion  152 A, the vacuum carrier section might not use a nozzle of suitable or normal diameter for suction of the flat plate portion  160 A. If the size of the flat plate portion  160 A is larger than one half of the total size of the rib portion  152 A, the flat plate portion  160 A obstructs the movement of the resin upon the insert-molding. Therefore, it is preferable that the size of the flat plate portion  160 A is one fifth to one half of the total size of the rib portion  152 A. 
     With reference to  FIGS. 11  to  FIG. 13 , a mating housing  230 A includes a center protrusion portion  232 A. The center protrusion portion  232 A is formed with two ditches  234 A, each of which is depressed in the Z-direction and extends in the Y-direction. The ditches  234 A receive the reversed ditch portions  162 A, respectively, when the connector  100 A is mated with the mating connector  200 A so that the center protrusion portion  232 A is received by the receiving portion  138 . Between the ditches  234 A in the Y-direction, a flat surface portion  244 A is provided in this embodiment. The flat surface portion  244 A is positioned at a position corresponding to the flat plate portion  160 A under the mating state where the connector  100 A and the mating connector  200 A are mated with each other. In this embodiment, the flat surface portion  244 A is in contact with the flat plate portion  160 A when the connector  100 A is mated with the mating connector  200 A. The flat surface portion  244 A and the flat plate portion  160 A may be not in contact with each other with a space left therebetween. 
     Upon the automated placement process of the mating connector  200  according to the first embodiment, a tape and so on is put on a fitting portion to be used as a surface sucked by a nozzle of a vacuum carrier section because the whole center protrusion portion  232  is formed with the ditch  234 . On the other hand, the center protrusion portion  232 A of the mating connector  200 A according to the second embodiment is formed with the flat surface portion  244 A, which is used as a surface sucked by a nozzle of a vacuum carrier section, similar to the flat plate portion  160 A of the connector  100 A. Therefore, the second embodiment can reduce the number of processes in comparison with the first embodiment. 
     Although the connector  100 ,  100 A is a plug connector while the mating connector  200 ,  200 A is a receptacle connector in the above-described embodiment, the connector  100 ,  100 A may be a receptacle connector while the mating connector  200 ,  200 A may be a receptacle connector. The mating reinforcement member  250  may be embedded, at least in part, in the mating housing  230 ,  230 A via insert-molding. 
     While there has been described what is believed to be the preferred embodiment of the invention, those skilled in the art will recognize that other and further modifications may be made thereto without departing from the spirit of the invention, and it is intended to claim all such embodiments that fall within the true scope of the invention.