Patent Publication Number: US-7914348-B1

Title: Probe connector

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a probe connector, and particularly to a probe connector connected to a PCB. 
     2. The Related Art 
     Please refer to  FIG. 1 , a conventional probe connector  5  for transmitting electrical signals is generally involved with an insulating housing  501 , a probe pin assembly  502  mounted in the insulating housing  501 , and a conduct element  503 . The conduct element  503  is substantially L-shaped. One free end of the conduct element  503  is formed with a positioning hole  504 . The probe pin assembly  502  is restrained in the positioning hole  504  for fixing the probe pin assembly  502  to the insulating housing  501 . The other free end of the conduct element  503  is defined as a soldering end  505 , which extends out of the insulating housing  501  for being soldered to a printed circuit board (PCB, not shown). Therefore, the probe pin assembly  502  is electrically connected with the PCB by means of the conduct element  503 . 
     However, since the conduct element  503  is manufactured and used to connect the probe pin assembly  502  and the PCB electrically, as a conductor, it is possible to aggravate the heat generation of an electrical device which is equipped with the probe connector  5  in work, because of the large resistivity of the conduct element  503 , as a result, which decreases the use lifetime of the electrical device. Furthermore, the conduct element  503  is a single piece and should be specially manufactured and assembled, which not only increases the manufacturing cost, but also demands the higher assembling precision for guaranteeing transmitting stability. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a probe connector connected to a PCB. The probe connector includes an insulating housing having a base, and a plurality of probe pin assemblies. The base defines a front surface which has a plurality of inserting holes arranged side by side. Each of the inserting holes has a channel at a bottom thereof and reaching a rear surface of the base, and a mating lump protruded inwards from a rear portion of an inner surface thereof. The probe pin assembly has a cylindraceous barrel received in the inserting hole, an elastic element accommodated in the barrel, and a plunger having one end restrained in the barrel and against the elastic element, and the other end extending out from a front opening of the barrel. The barrel has a notch at a rear end of a periphery thereof for engaging with the mating lump. A conduct element of strip shape is extended rearwards from the rear end of the barrel, and exposed out of the insulating housing through the channel for being soldered to the PCB. 
     As described above, the probe connector is provided with the conduct element which is extended from the barrel and soldered to the PCB to connect the barrel and the PCB electrically and directly, which not only decreases the heat generation, prolonging the use lifetime of the probe connector, but also simplifies the assembling process, guaranteeing the stable transmission of the electrical signals. In addition, the barrel has the notch engaged with the mating lump, which is excellent to position the barrel in the inserting hole, improving the connection stability of the probe connector. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The present invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art by reading the following description thereof, with reference to the attached drawings, in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a cross-sectional view of a probe connector in prior art; 
         FIG. 2  is an assembled, perspective view of a probe connector of an embodiment in accordance with the present invention; 
         FIG. 3  is an exploded, perspective view of the probe connector shown in  FIG. 2 ; 
         FIG. 4  is a cross-sectional view showing an inserting hole of the probe connector of  FIG. 2 , wherein a probe pin assembly is disassembled form the inserting hole; 
         FIG. 5  is a perspective view of a barrel of the probe pin assembly shown in  FIG. 3 ; 
         FIG. 6  is an assembled, perspective view of the probe connector of  FIG. 2  seen from a top angle; and 
         FIG. 7  is cross-sectional view taken along a line A-A of  FIG. 6 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENT 
     Referring to the drawings in greater detail, and first to  FIGS. 2-4 , the embodiment of the present invention is embodied in a probe connector  1 . The probe connector  1  includes an insulating housing  10 , a plurality of probe pin assemblies  20  mounted to the insulating housing  10 . The insulating housing  10  has a substantially rectangular base  11 . The base  11  defines a front surface  111 , a rear surface  112 , and a bottom surface  113  connecting with the front surface  111  and the rear surface  112 . The front surface  111  has a plurality of columned inserting holes  12  for receiving the probe pin assemblies  20 . The inserting holes  12  are arranged side by side and extend rearward a predetermined distance, with closed rear ends formed thereof. In this embodiment, there are five inserting holes. Each of the inserting holes  12  has a channel  121  at a bottom  120  thereof and reaching the rear surface  112 . In this embodiment, the bottom  120  of the inserting hole  12  is further protruded frontward to form a positioning post  122  at a middle portion thereof. An inner surface of the inserting hole  12  has a rear portion protruded inwards to form a mating lump  123 . The mating lump  123  extends to reach the bottom  120  and is located opposite to the channel  121  with respect to the positioning post  122 . 
     The base  11  has a top surface formed with two abreast fixing slots  114  for receiving a pair of fixing elements  14 . The fixing slots  114  extends frontward and rearwards, and penetrate the bottom surface  113 . In this embodiment, the fixing slot  114  is located between and spaced from the two adjacent inserting holes  12 . The fixing element  14  is substantially a T shape, and has a rectangular fixing section  141  and an inserting section  142  extending perpendicularly from a middle of a long edge of the fixing section  141 . The fixing section  141  is received in the fixing slot  114 . The inserting section  142  extends out of the bottom surface  113  of the insulating housing  10  for being secured to a printed circuit board (PCB, not shown), thereby fixing the insulating housing  10  to the PCB. 
     Please refer to  FIG. 3  and  FIG. 5 , the probe pin assembly  20  includes a hollow barrel  201 , a plunger  205  and an elastic element  203  received in the barrel  201 . The barrel  201  and the plunger  205  are made of metallic material. The barrel  201  is cylindraceous and defines a front opening  211  for exposing the plunger  205 , and a rear opening  212  opposite to the front opening  211 . A notch  214  is formed at a rear portion of the barrel  201  and communicates with the rear opening  212 . The barrel  201  is connected with a conduct element  213  of strip shape. The conduct element  213  has a connecting portion  221  extended rearwards from a portion of an edge of the rear opening  212  opposite to the notch  214 , a transition  222  bent outwards from a free end of the connecting portion  221 , and a soldering portion  223  extending rearwards from a free end of the transition  222 . The soldering portion  223  is parallel to the connecting portion  221 . It should be noted that the shape of the barrel could be changed for meeting different demands and should not be limited. For example, the barrel can be formed with a closed rear end when the positioning post is unformed. Or, the closed rear end of the barrel has a hole for allowing the positioning post to pass therethrough to position the elastic element. 
     The plunger  205  has a rear end restrained in the barrel  201  and resting against a front end of the elastic element  203 , and a front end extending out of the barrel  201  through the front opening  211  for electrically contacting an electronic device (not shown). Herein, the elastic element  203  is a spring. The spring  203  has a rear end exposed from the rear opening  212  and engaged with the positioning post  122  for positioning the spring  203  and adjusting the compression and distortion of the spring  203 . 
     With reference to  FIGS. 6-7 , in assembly, the probe pin assembly  20  is adjusted and inserted into the inserting hole  12 . The notch  214  is coupled with the mating lump  123 . The soldering portion  223  passes through the channel  121  and exposes out of the insulating housing  10 . The soldering portion  223  is substantially flush with the bottom surface  113 . The rear end of the spring  203  is located by the positioning post  122 , and the front end of the spring  203  supports the plunger  205  so that the front end of the plunger  205  extends out of the front surface  111  of the insulating housing  10 . The bottom surface  113  of the probe connector  1  is attached to the PCB, the fixing elements  14  are respectively inserted into the fixing slots  114  and fastened in installing slots of the PCB (not shown) for fixing the insulating housing  10  to the PCB. The soldering portions  223  are soldered to the PCB. 
     As described above, the probe connector  1  is provided with the conduct element  213  which is extended from the barrel  201  and soldered to the PCB to connect the barrel  201  and the PCB electrically and directly, which not only decreases the heat generation, prolonging the use lifetime of the probe connector  1 , but also simplifies the assembling process, guaranteeing the stable transmission of the electrical signals. In addition, the barrel  201  has the notch  214  engaged with the mating lump  123 , which is excellent to position the barrel  201  in the inserting hole  12 , improving the connection stability of the probe connector  1 .