Patent Publication Number: US-9431773-B2

Title: Probe-type connector

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to an electrical connector, in particular, to a probe-type connector which is applicable to transmit high-frequency signals. 
     2. Description of Related Art 
     The probe-type connector is usually disposed in an installation space of an electronic device such as the installation spaces of batteries, a power supply unit, and electronic components. The probe-type connector is mainly electrically connected to the batteries or the power supply unit to provide electrical energy for the electronic device or is electrically connected to the electronic components to transmit signals to the electronic device. 
     The existing probe-type connector mainly comprises an insulating part, plural probes, and plural connecting terminals. The probe is movably disposed in the insulating part and comprises a retractable terminal and an elastic component. The elastic component is supported between the retractable terminal and the insulating part such that the retractable terminal can reciprocate in the insulating part. One end of the connecting terminal is movably and electrically connected to the probe. The other end of the connecting terminal is welded to a printed circuit board (PCB) disposed vertically or is welded to a cable by means of a PCB disposed horizontally. When the above-mentioned batteries, power supply unit, or electronic components are connected to the probe-type connector, the retractable terminals will undergo forces and be compressed to keep in a conducting state using the connecting terminals such that the electrical signals can be transmitted to the PCB through the retractable terminals and the connecting terminals, or even to the cable through the PCB. 
     However, the existing probe-type connector has the follow disadvantages. Because the probe is located on the transmission path of the retractable terminal and the connecting terminal, the transmission path includes more components and becomes longer. Also, the transmission between the retractable terminal and the connecting terminal is the contact transmission, which is likely to cause the problem of signal decay during the transmission. Thus, such transmission is not applicable to the transmission of high-frequency signals and is even difficult to be used in the transmission of high-frequency signals. 
     In view of this, how to design an invention to overcome the above disadvantages becomes an important topic the inventor desires to deal with. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is an objective of the present invention to provide a probe-type connector which can reduce the number of conducting components through which the electric signal is transmitted such that the probe can transmit the electrical signals directly to the connecting plate like a PCB to prevent the signal attenuation and further can be applied to the transmission of high-frequency signals or high-frequency electrical energy to obtain a good transmission effect. 
     It is another objective of the present invention to provide a probe-type connector in which the connecting plate can be directly contacted with the probe, which therefore can omit the traditional connecting terminals and can solve the problem of the traditional connecting terminals having to be installed one by one. Thus, an effect of easy assembly is obtained. 
     In order to achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides a probe-type connector comprising an insulating body, a probe set, and a connecting plate. The insulating body is provided with a receiving space and a plugging slot which both communicate with each other. The probe set is received in the receiving space and comprises a probe terminal, an insulating part, and an elastic part. The probe terminal has a connecting segment and a flexible connecting arm extending from the connecting segment toward the plugging slot. The insulating part is connected between the connecting segment and the elastic part. The elastic part enables the insulating part and the probe terminal to reciprocate in the receiving space. The connecting plate is provided with a connecting portion. The connecting plate is plugged and connected to the insulating body corresponding to the plugging slot. The flexible connecting arm of the probe terminal is electrically connected to the connecting portion. 
     Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following effects. By means of the flexible connecting arm extending from the probe terminal, the electrical signals can be transmitted directly to the connecting plate, which prevents the excessive connecting components on the transmission path and the signal attenuation caused by undue transmission path. Thus, the present invention can be applied to the transmission of high-frequency signals or high-frequency electrical energy and can obtain a good transmission effect. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWING 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective exploded view of the probe-type connector of the present invention (the metal shell not shown); 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective exploded view of the probe-type connector of the present invention according to  FIG. 1  after assembly and assembled with the metal shell; 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective assembled view of the probe-type connector of the present invention; 
         FIG. 4  is a perspective exploded view of the probe set in the present invention; 
         FIG. 5  is a cross-sectional view of the probe-type connector of the present invention before assembly; 
         FIG. 6  is a cross-sectional view of the probe-type connector of the present invention in operation (before plugging); and 
         FIG. 7  is a cross-sectional of the probe-type connector of the present invention in operation (after plugging). 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The detailed description and technical details of the present invention will be explained below with reference to accompanying figures. However, the accompanying figures are only for reference and explanation, but not to limit the scope of the present invention. 
     The present invention provides a probe-type connector, as shown in the accompanying figures, which is disposed in an installation space (not shown) of an electronic device (not shown) such as the installation spaces of batteries, a power supply unit, and electric components. When a connected product  800  like a battery, a power supply unit, or an electronic component (shown in 
       FIG. 6 ) is installed in the installation space and is then connected against the connector  100  of the present invention, the electrical energy or signals of the connected product  800  can be transmitted to the electronic device. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 1-5 , the connector  100  of the present invention comprises an insulating body  1 , at least one first probe set  2 , and a connecting plate  4 . Preferably, the connector  100  further comprises a metal shell  5 . In the current embodiment, the connector  100  further comprising at least one second probe set  3  is used as an example for explanation. 
     As shown in FIG. 1 , the insulating body  1  can be an integrated structure or can comprise a first insulator  1   a  and a second insulator  1   b  connected to the front end surface of the first insulator  1   a  which both are combinable to each other. Further, the insulating body  1  can be provided with a first receiving space  11  and a plugging slot  13  which both communicate with each other (refer to  FIG. 5 ) or can be provided with plural first receiving spaces  11  and a plugging slot  13  which communicate with one another. In the current embodiment, the insulating body  1  with plural first receiving spaces  11 , plural second receiving spaces  12 , and a plugging slot  13  which communicate with one another is used as an example for explanation, but not limited to this case. Of course, the above-mentioned first probe set  2  and the second probe set  2  should be disposed in plurality accordingly. 
     As shown in  FIG. 5 , the above-mentioned first receiving space  11  can comprise a receiving chamber  111  and a throughhole  112  which both communicate with each other. In the current embodiment, the first receiving space  11  further comprising a connecting recess  113  is used as an example for explanation in which the throughhole  112  communicates between the connecting recess  113  and the receiving chamber  111 . As shown in  FIGS. 1 and 5 , the first receiving spaces  11  are identical and the second receiving spaces  12  are identical. The first and second receiving spaces  11  and  12  are disposed up-down symmetrically relative to the plane of the plugging slot  13  on the first insulator  1   a . In other words, the first insulator  1   a  is provided with the first receiving spaces  11  and the second receiving spaces  12  which are arranged in the up and down rows, respectively. The plugging slot  13  is formed and disposed longitudinally into the first insulator  1   a  from the rear end surface thereof. In particular, a cutting slot  131 , narrower than the plugging slot  13 , is formed on the rear end surface of the first insulator  1   a . The cutting slot  131  overlaps and communicates with the plugging slot  13  on the rear end surface of the first insulator  1   a . As shown in  FIG. 5 , a channel  14  is formed in the first receiving space  11  and the second receiving space  12  of the first insulator  1   a  corresponding to the plugging slot  13  such that the channel  14  can communicate between the first receiving space  11  and the second receiving space  12 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 4 , the first probe set  2  comprises a probe terminal  21  (a terminal as a probe), an insulating part  22 , and an elastic part  23 . As shown in  FIGS. 1 and 5 , the first probe sets  2  are identical to the second probe sets  3 . The first probe sets  2  and the identical second probe sets  3  are disposed symmetrically in the first receiving spaces  11  and the second receiving spaces  12 , respectively. The probe terminal  21  has a connecting segment  211  and a flexible connecting arm  212  extending from the connecting segment  211  toward the plugging slot  13  (or the channel  14 ). In the current embodiment, the flexible connecting arm  212  extending as a whole from an end (a first bending portion marked with  213 , referring to  FIG. 4 ) of the connecting segment  211  will be used as an example for explanation. Besides, a first bending portion  213  can be connected between the connecting segment  211  and the flexible connecting arm  212  of the probe terminal  21 ; the flexible connecting arm  212  extends toward the plugging slot  13  (or the channel  14 ) through the first bending portion  213 . The insulating part  22  is fixed to the connecting segment  211  of the probe terminal  21  and the fixed location of the insulating part  22  is near to one end (referring to Part  213 ) of the connecting segment  211  and far away from the other end of the connecting segment  211  opposite to the end such that the connecting segment  211  extends from the end  223  of the insulating part  22  to form an exposed portion  2111 . The insulating part  22  is slidingly connected in the receiving chamber  111  and provided with a cut  224  at a side  221  thereof. The cut  224  is emptied transversely on the insulating part  22  such that the insulating part  22  almost has a “U” shape. In this way, the first probe sets  2  and the second probe sets  3  can be individually arranged side by side and the distance in between reduced. As a result, with the same amount of the probe sets, the width space occupied by the insulating body  1  can be decreased (the connector can be miniaturized). Alternatively, for the insulating body  1  having the same width, the number of the probe sets can be increased (the connector can be expanded to have other functions by increasing the number of the terminals). The cut  224  of the first probe set  2  and the cut  224  of the second probe set  3  communicate with the above-mentioned channel  14  correspondingly. The flexible connecting arm  212  of the probe terminal  21  protrudes out of the insulating part  22  through the cut  224 . 
     According to the description above, the elastic part  23  is supported between the other end  222  of the insulating part  22  and the insulating body  1 . In other words, the insulating part  22  is connected between the connecting segment  211  and the elastic part  23  such that the elastic part  23  enables the probe terminal  21  and the insulating part  22  to reciprocate in the first and second receiving spaces  11 ,  12  and thus the exposed portion  2111  of the probe terminal  21  protrudes through the corresponding throughhole  112  into the connecting recess  113 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 5 , the connecting plate  4  is plugged and connected to the insulating body  1  corresponding to the plugging slot  13 . The connecting plate  4  is provided with plural connecting portions. In the current embodiment, a PCB having plural gold fingers is used as the connecting plate  4  for explanation. The two sides of the connecting plate  4  are individually provided with plural first connecting portions  41  (gold fingers) and plural second connecting portions  42  (gold fingers), respectively. The flexible connecting arm  212  of each first probe set  2  is electrically connected to the first connecting portion  41  correspondingly. The flexible connecting arm  212  of each second probe set  3  is electrically connected to the second connecting portion  42  correspondingly. Besides, the flexible connecting arm  212  of the probe terminal  21  has a second bending portion  2121  which is used by the probe terminal  21  for the electrical connection with the first connecting portion  41  or the second connecting portion  42 . 
     By means of the combination of the above components, the connector  100  of the present invention can be obtained. When the connecting plate  4  is pluggably plugged through the rear end surface of the insulating body  1 , the flexible connecting arm  212  of each first probe set  2  will be smoothly and electrically connected to the corresponding first connecting portion  41  on a side of the connecting plate  4  and be electrically conducted. At the same time, the flexible connecting arm  212  of each second probe set  3  will be smoothly and electrically connected to the corresponding second connecting portion  42  on the other side of the connecting plate  4  and be electrically conducted. 
     Of course, in order to position the elastic part  23 , as shown in  FIGS. 1, 4, and 5 , the other end  222  of the insulating part  22  has a positioning portion  225  corresponding to an end of the elastic part  23 . The elastic part  23  is positioned by the positioning portion  225  to prevent falling off or shifting. Also, in order to ensure the insulating part  22  produces a smooth reciprocating movement in the receiving chamber  111  and prevent the gas from being resistance in the receiving chamber  111  due to excessive tightness, at least one vent  17  is disposed at the place where the insulating body  1  receives the elastic part  23 . The vent  17  can be disposed at the end of the receiving chamber  111  corresponding to the elastic part  23  such that the gas in the receiving chamber  111  can be discharged through the vent  17  when the insulating part  22  slides (i.e., the elastic part  23  is subjected to a force) in the receiving chamber  111 . Consequently, the insulating part  22  can perform the reciprocating movement with high smoothness. 
     In addition, as shown in  FIGS. 1, 2, 3, and 5 , the connector  100  of the present invention can be covered with a metal shell  5 . The metal shell  5  covers the insulating body  1  and exposes the each connecting recess  113  on the front end surface and the plugging slot  13  on the rear end surface of the insulating body  1 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 5 , the connector  100  of the present invention can be applied to a PCB (now shown) or a cable  700 . In the current embodiment, the connecting plate  4  applied to the cable  700  is used as an example for explanation. The first connecting portions  41  and the second connecting portions  42  of the connecting plate  4  are individually extended to form the first welding portions  410  and the second welding portions  420  on the rear end of the connecting plate  4 . The first welding portions  410  and the second welding portions  420  are individually welding to the wire cores  7  of the cables  700  such that the connector  100  of the present invention is electrically connected to the cables  700 . Also, the cables  700  are welded to the first and second connecting portions  41 ,  42  via the wire cores  7  and penetrate into the plugging slot  13  on the rear end surface of the insulating body  1 , which reduces the explosion area of the welding portions. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 6 and 7 , when a user installs a connected product  800  into the installation space of the electronic device, the connecting parts  8  of the connected product  800  are individually plugged into the corresponding connecting recesses  113  of the connector  100  of the present invention such that each connecting part  8  is pressed against the exposed portion  2111  of the connecting segment  211  of the corresponding probe terminal  21  which smoothly retracts to compress the corresponding elastic part  23 . At this time, each probe terminal  21  uses the flexible connecting arm  212  thereof to maintain the electrical connection with the first and second connecting portions  41 ,  42  of the connecting plate  4 . In this way, the electrical energy or signals of the connected product  800  can be transmitted to the cables  700  through the probe terminals  21  and the first and second connecting portions  41 ,  42  of the connecting plate  4 . 
     As for the combination method of the insulating body  1 , as shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , two latch tabs  15  are individually disposed on left and right sides of the first insulator  1   a . The second insulator  1   b  is provided with the latch arms  16  corresponding to the latch tabs  15  such that the first and second insulators  1   a ,  1   b  combine to form the insulating body  1 . 
     In summary, compared with the prior art, the present invention has the follow effects. By means of the flexible connecting arm  212  extending from the probe terminal  21 , the electrical signals can be transmitted directly to the connecting plate  4 , which prevents the excessive connecting components on the transmission path and the signal attenuation caused by undue transmission path. Thus, the present invention can be applied to the transmission of high-frequency signals or high-frequency electric energy and can obtain a good transmission effect. Besides, the first and second probe sets  2 ,  3 , the first and second receiving spaces  11 ,  12 , the plugging slot  13 , and the connecting plate  4  can be plugged and connected to the connecting plate  4  corresponding only to the positon of the plugging slot  13 , which allows plenty of first and second probe sets  2 ,  3  to be individually electrically connected to the first and second connecting portions  41 ,  42  of the connecting plate  4 , respectively. Thus, the problem of installing the connecting terminals one by one into the existing connector can be solved and then has the effect of easy assembly. 
     Moreover, the present invention also has other effects. The insulation of the insulating part  22  between the probe terminal  21  and the elastic part  23  prevents the electrical energy or signals from transmitting to the elastic part  23 . In this way, the elastic part  23  of a spiral spring type will not produce an inductive effect and relevant interference. Further, when the first and second probe sets  2 ,  3  slide, the insulating material of the insulating parts  22  is used to contact the insulating body  1  having the similar insulating material to produce friction, which significantly reduces the wear of insulating material and ensures the sliding stability of the probe terminals  21 . Additionally, the cut  224  is emptied transversely on the insulating part  22 , which can reduce the spacing. Besides, a vent  17  is disposed at the place when the insulating body  1  receives the elastic part  23 , which allows the insulating part  22  to perform a reciprocating sliding movement with high smoothness. 
     The embodiments described above are only preferred ones of the present invention and not to limit the claimed scope of the present invention. Therefore, all the equivalent structure modifications and variations applying the specification and figures of the present invention should be embraced by the claimed scope of the present invention.