Patent Publication Number: US-2005130472-A1

Title: Electrical connector having pick-up cap

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
      1. Field of the Invention  
      The present invention generally relates to an electrical connector, and particular to an electrical connector having a pick-up cap.  
      2. Description of Prior Arts  
      Generally, when soldering an electrical connector to a printed circuit board (PCB), a pick-up cap is needed to mount to the electrical connector. Thus, a suction nozzle of a suction apparatus can engage with the pick-up cap and place the electrical connector on a predetermined place of the PCB.  FIG. 4  and  FIG. 5  show an electrical connector  9  having a pick-up cap. The electrical connector  9  comprises an insulative housing  90 , a pick-up cap  91  locking on the insulative housing  90 , and a plurality of terminals  92  received in the insulative housing  90 . The insulative housing  90  comprises a central area  902  and lateral walls  903  higher than the central area  902 . The central area  902  has a plurality of terminal channels  9020  for retaining the terminals  92  therein. The opposite lateral walls  903  each has a locking member  9030  on the outer face thereof. The pick-up cap  91  comprises a holding portion  910 , a connecting portion  911  extending from the holding portion  911 , and a pair of retaining portions  912  extending downwardly from the opposite sides of the connecting portion  911 . The pick-up cap  91  straddles the insulative housing  90  with the retaining portion  912  of the pick-up cap  91  engaging with the locking member  9030  of the insulative housing  90 . Whereby, the pick-up cap  91  is retained to the insulative housing  90 . However, the dimension both in the vertical direction and the longitude direction of the pick-up cap  91  is beyond those of the insulative housing  90 , respectively. As a result, the size of the whole electrical connector is increased. Obviously, this electrical connector  9  increases the cost of the package and occupies a relatively large space on the PCB.  
      For solving above problem, a new design is provided in  FIG. 6 . An electrical connector  8  comprises an insulative housing  80  and a film  81  attaching closely to the insulative housing  80 . The film  81  made from viscid plastic material is very filmy and has a smooth face. However, when the suction nozzle sucks and presses the film of the electrical connector  8 , the film  81  bends downwardly because of filmy and soft material. Thus, the airproof capability is decreased to cause the suction nozzle not suck the electrical connector  8  firmly.  
      Hence, it is desirable to have an improved electrical connector to overcome the above-mentioned disadvantages of the prior art.  
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
      Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an electrical connector with decreased size and having a pick-up cap.  
      In order to achieve the above-mentioned objects, an electrical connector comprises an insulative housing, a plurality of terminals received in the insulative housing, and a pick-up cap. The insulative housing comprises a central area and two opposite lateral walls surrounding the central area, each lateral wall defines a gap thereon. The pick-up cap comprises a holding portion, a connecting portion extending from the holding portion, and a retaining portion extending from the connecting portion vertically. The locking portion completely received in the gap of the lateral wall of the insulative housing.  
      Other objects, advantages and novel features of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of the present embodiment when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.  
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       FIG. 1  is an exploded view of an electrical connector in accordance with the present invention;  
       FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the electrical connector shown in  FIG. 1 ;  
       FIG. 3  is a cross-sectional view taken along line  3 - 3  of  FIG. 2 ;  
       FIG. 4  is an exploded view of a conventional electrical connector;  
       FIG. 5  is a perspective view of the electrical connector shown in  FIG. 4 ; and  
       FIG. 6  is a perspective view of another conventional electrical connector. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
      Reference will now be made to the drawing figures to describe the present invention in detail.  
      With reference to  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 2 , an electrical connector  1  mounted on a PCB comprises an inslulative housing  20 , a plurality of terminals  21  received in the insulative housing  20 , and a pick-up cap  3  locking with the insulative housing  20 .  
      The insulative housing  20  comprises a central area  200 , two pairs of lateral walls  201  surrounding the central area  200 . The central area  200  has a plurality of terminal channels  203  extending from a top surface to a bottom surface thereof for receiving the terminals  21  therein. A pair of lateral walls  201 , each has base portion  204  and a locking portion  205  at the center of the base portion  204 . A gap  2051  is defined between the base portion  204  and the locking portion  205 . The locking portion  205  defines two slits  2050  spaced with each other and an inclined block  2052  extending from the locking portion  205 .  
      The pick-up cap  3  is retained on the insulative housing  20 , and comprises a holding portion  30  extending along a first direction with a smooth surface, a connecting portion  31  extending from opposite sides of the holding portion  30  along the first direction, and a retaining portion  32  extending from the connecting portion  31  vertically in a second direction. A third direction is perpendicular to both first direction and second direction. A dimension d 1  of the connecting portion  31  along the second direction is equal to a dimension D 1  of the slit  2050  along the third direction. A dimension d 2  of the connecting portion  31  is not more than a dimension D 2  of the slit  2050  along the second direction. A dimension d 3  of the retaining portion  32  is not more than a dimension D 3  of the gap  2051  along the first direction.  
      It is to be understood, however, that even though numerous characteristics and advantages of the present invention have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of the structure and function of the invention, the disclosure is illustrative only, and changes may be made in detail, especially in matters of shape, size, and arrangement of parts within the principles of the invention to the full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed.