Patent Publication Number: US-11381016-B2

Title: Plug connector having control-actuated releasable latch mechanism

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE 
     1. Field of the Disclosure 
     The present disclosure relates to a plug connector, in particular to a plug connector with miniaturized structure. 
     2. Description of Related Arts 
     China patent No. 209169515U discloses a plug connector which can be locked with a socket connector by pressing a button. The plug connector includes an insulative housing, a rotating shaft, a cable, a button, and a pull tape. The button is connected to the connecting member through the second rotating shaft arranged in the middle of the pair of connectors, which increases the overall size of the plug connector and is not conducive to miniaturization of the connector. 
     Therefore, an improved plug connector is desired. 
     SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE 
     Accordingly, an object of the present disclosure is to provide a plug connector with miniaturized structure. 
     To achieve the above object, a plug connector for mating with a socket connector comprises: a printed circuit board; an insulative housing partially covering the printed circuit board; a locking mechanism housed in the insulative housing; and an elastic piece matched with the locking mechanism, wherein the locking mechanism includes a pressing portion protruding from the insulative housing and a locking portion integrally formed with the pressing portion, one end of the locking portion exposing outside the insulative housing to be locked with the socket connector. 
     Other objects, advantages and novel features of the disclosure will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a plug connector according to the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is another perspective view of the plug connector as shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  is an exploded view of the plug connector as shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 4  is a further exploded view of the plug connector as shown in  FIG. 3 ; 
         FIG. 5  is another exploded view of the plug connector as shown in  FIG. 4 ; 
         FIG. 6  is a further exploded view of the plug connector as shown in  FIG. 4 ; 
         FIG. 7  is another exploded view of the plug connector as shown in  FIG. 6 ; 
         FIG. 8  is an exploded view of a locking mechanism as shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 9  is a cross-sectional view of the plug connector as shown in FIG.  1 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Reference will now be made in detail to the embodiments of the present disclosure. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1-9 , a plug connector  100  used to mate with the socket connector (not shown) includes an insulative housing  1 , an inner mold  4  received in the insulative housing  1 , a printed circuit board  2  partially covered in inner mold  4 , a cable  3  electrically connected with the printed circuit board  2 , a plurality of springs  5  received in the insulative housing  1 , and a locking mechanism  6  matched with the springs  5 . 
     The insulative housing  1  includes an upper housing  11  and a lower housing  12  assembled with the upper housing  11 . The upper housing  11  includes an upper wall  111  and a pair of upper sidewalls  112  on the left and right sides of the upper wall  111 . The upper wall  111  includes a square hole  1111  and a pair of through holes  1112  on the left and right sides of the square hole  1111 . The upper sidewalls are respectively provided with a side hole  1121 . The lower housing  12  includes a front wall  121 , a bottom wall  122  opposite to the front wall  121  and a pair of lower sidewalls  123  on the left and right sides of the front wall  121 . The front wall  121  includes an opening or a horizontal slot  1211  for the printed circuit board  2  to pass through. The lower sidewalls  123  are respectively provided with a projection  1231  matched with the side holes  1121 . 
     The printed circuit board  2  is partially covered in the insulative housing  1  and includes an insertion portion  21  extending out of the opening  1211  and a plurality of first holes  22  corresponding to the spring  5 . The upper and lower surfaces of the insertion portion  21  are provided with a plurality of metal plates or mating pads  211 . In this embodiment, the printed circuit board  2  forms a plurality of notches (not labeled) in a front end region for receiving the corresponding keys of the socket connector (not shown) and in alignment with the corresponding first openings  22  in the front-to-back direction 
     The front end of the cable  3  is connected to the upper and lower surfaces of the printed circuit board  2 , and the rear end extends backwards out of the insulative housing  1 . 
     The inner mold  4  covers the connection between the printed circuit board  2  and the cable  3  and includes a step  41  for holding the locking mechanism  6 , and a plurality of second holes  42  corresponding to the spring  5 . 
     The locking mechanism  6  includes an insulative pressing portion  61  passing through the square hole  1111  and protruding from the insulative housing  1 , and metallic locking portions  62  extending horizontally from both ends of the pressing portion  61 . The pressing portion  61  is integrally formed with the locking portion  62 . The locking portion  62  includes a horizontal portion  621 , a vertical portion  622  extending upward from the horizontal portion  621 , a bending portion  623  connected to the vertical portion  622  and a buckle portion  624  extending upward from the bending portion  623  and out of the insulative housing  1 . The buckle portion  624  extends upwardly with corresponding through holes  1112  to lock with the socket connector. The locking mechanism  6  also includes a plurality of cylinders  63  located below the pressing portion  61 . The springs  5  are respectively sleeved on the corresponding cylinders  63 . The cylinders  63  pass through the first holes  22  and the second holes  22  to abut on the lower housing  12 . 
     When the plug connector  100  is mated with the socket connector, the plug connector  100  is inserted forward into the opening of the socket connector until the metal plates  211  of the printed circuit board  2  is electrically connected to the conductive terminals of the socket connector, while the buckle portion  624  of the locking mechanism  6  protrudes into the locking hole of the socket connector. When the plug connector  100  and the socket connector are unlocked, the external force presses the pressing portion  61  downward, so that the spring is compressed and the entire locking mechanism  6  moves downward until the buckle portion  624  is received in the insulative housing  1 , thereby exiting the locking hole of the socket connector, and releasing the plug connection between the connector  100  and the socket connector. When the external force is removed, under the action of the elastic restoring force of the spring  5 , the locking mechanism  6  moves upward, and the buckle portion  624  passes through the through holes  1112  to return to the original position.