Patent Publication Number: US-6210180-B1

Title: Retention device for connector

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a connector, and particularly to a connector having a retention member for securing a plurality of terminals in position during assembly. 
     2. Brief Description of the Prior Art 
     A retention member of a contact of a female connector is desired to secure the contact in position when the female connector is mated with a male connector in one direction and when the female connector is mounted onto a circuit board in an another direction. A conventional contact is usually secured by a plurality of barbs thereof interferentially engaging with a passageway therearound. However, such a retention member of the contact of the female connector, such as the plurality of barbs, can more reliably retain the contact when the male connector is inserted into the female connector than it can when the female connector is mounted onto a circuit board. Insertion force of the female connector into the circuit board is greater than a reaction force resulted from insertion of a male connector into the female connector, which aggravates a requirement for a retention member that can secure the contact in opposite directions. 
     Hence, an improved electrical connector is required to overcome the disadvantages of the prior art. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     A first object of the present invention is to provide a connector with a retention member which can secure contacts of the connector in position; 
     A second object of the present invention is to provide terminals which are adapted to be secured by the retention member. 
     To achieve the above objects, a connector includes a dielectric housing, a plurality of terminals received in the housing, a spacer for securing the terminals, and a retainer for supporting the spacer. 
     The terminals each has a base, an engaging end extending forwardly from the base, a neck projecting rearwardly from the base, a shoulder intersecting the neck and a leg for mounting the connector on a circuit board. The spacer includes a plurality of uniformly spaced dividers and a pair of latches and posts at bottom of the dividers. Each of the dividers defines a pair of elongate channels at rear corners thereof. Each channel opens toward a front side of the divider and toward a lateral side of the divider whereby defining a front wall face of an abutment wall. The retainer defines a pair of apertures and holes for respectively receiving the pair of posts and latches of the spacer whereby being upwardly attached to the spacer. 
     The spacer can also configure with some elongate dividers whose heights are equal to that of the housing, so it can support itself without the retainer. 
     In assembly, the terminals are forwardly received in the housing while the necks extend beyond the housing. The spacer is then pushed downwardly from upwardly of the housing while the dividers thereof wedge between the necks. Moreover, the shoulders of the terminals are fixed between the corresponding channels and press against the abutment walls of the dividers. The retainer is attached to the spacer upwardly from a bottom of the spacer for supporting the spacer. 
     During an engagement with a complementary connector, the terminals of the connector are retained in position by the barbs. However, the terminals are secured by the shoulders thereof fitting against the abutment walls of the dividers when the legs extend into corresponding through holes in a circuit board. 
     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 an exploded view of a spacer of FIG. 1 showing a rear side of the spacer; 
     FIG. 3 is an assembled view of the connector of FIG. 1; and 
     FIG. 4 is a partially sectional view of the connector of FIG. 3 taken along IV—IV. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Referring to FIG. 1, an electrical connector  1  comprises a dielectric housing  10  receiving a plurality of terminals  12  therein, a spacer  140  and a retainer  147 . 
     The elongate housing  10  includes a plurality of receiving passages  100  for receiving the plurality of terminals  12 . The receiving passages  100  extend through the housing  10  and thus the terminals  12  can forwardly extend into the passages  100  from rearwardly of the housing  10 . 
     The terminals  12 , also referring to FIG. 3, each has a base  121 , an engaging end  120  extending forwardly from an end of the base  121  for mating with a complementary connector (not shown), an intermediate neck  125  extending rearwardly from an opposite end of the base  12 , a shoulder  124  intersecting with the neck  125 , and a leg  122  rearwardly extending from the shoulder  124  for contacting a circuit board (not shown). The base  121  fits with the receiving passage  100  and forms a barb  123 . 
     The dielectric spacer  140 , referring to FIG. 2, has a plurality of elongate dividers  141  extending from a bottom thereof proximate to a top end thereof. The dividers  141  are uniformly spaced apart and each of the dividers  141  defines a pair of elongate channels  144  in two rear comers thereof (see FIG.  3 ). Each channel  144  opens toward a rearward side of the divider  141  and toward a lateral side of the divider  141 , a rearwardly facing abutment wall  145  in the divider  141  defining the channel  144 . Two latches  142  and posts  143  respectively extend downwardly from the dividers  141 . 
     The retainer  147  equals the spacer  140  in width and defines two holes  149  and apertures  148  in a top wall thereof for respectively engaging with the latches  142  and the posts  143  whereby attaching the retainer  147  to the spacer  140 . Heights of the retainer  147  and the spacer  140  add up to that of the housing  10 . 
     In assembly, referring to FIGS. 3 and 4, the terminals  12  are inserted into the receiving passages  100  forwardly from rear portion of the housing  10 . The barbs  123  of the terminals  12  interferentially mate with respective receiving passages  100  and the bases  121  fit with the receiving passages  100  thereby the terminals  12  are retained in the receiving passages  100 . The necks  125  of the terminals  12  extend beyond the housing  10 . The spacer  140  is then pushed downwardly from above of the housing  10  while the necks  125  are fixed between adjacent dividers  141 . The shoulders  124  of the terminals  12  are pressed against the abutment walls  145  of the dividers  141  and held between the adjacent channels  144 . 
     The retainer  147  is then attached to the spacer  140  upwardly from underside of the spacer  140  in such a way that the apertures  148  mate with the post  143  and the holes  149  interlock with the latches  143 . Since the height of the spacer  140  and the retainer  147  equal to that of the housing  10 , the retainer  147  supports the spacer  140 . 
     The spacer  140  can also configure with some of elongate dividers  141  whose lengths equal to that of the housing  10 . Therefore, the spacer  140  supports itself without the retainer  147 . 
     When the legs  122  extend through a plurality of through holes in a circuit board (not shown), the abutment walls  145  bear against the shoulders  124  thereby preventing the terminals  12  from longitudinal movement. The shoulders  124  held between the channels  144  are further precluded from transverse movement by the channels  144 . The barbs  123  of the bases  121  interferentially engage with the receiving passages  100  and thus additionally constrain the terminals  12  in position. The terminals  12  are fixedly secured when the connector  1  is mounted onto the circuit board (not shown). As well known to us, the barbs  123  are able to secure the terminals  12  in position when the connector  1  engages with the complementary connector (not shown). 
     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.