Patent Abstract:
An electrical connector includes an insulating housing ( 1 ) with at least one terminal ( 2 ) mounted therein. The at least one terminal includes a retaining portion ( 21 ) received and retained in the insulating housing, a bending portion ( 23 ) extending from the retaining portion ( 21 ) and a solder portion ( 24 ) extending from the bending portion ( 23 ). The bending portion ( 23 ) and the solder portion ( 24 ) expose to an exterior of the housing. The bending portion ( 23 ) offsets to the retaining portion and part of a rear end of the retaining portion serves as an operating portion.

Full Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to an electrical connector, and particularly to a connector which can assure an exact position of a terminal solder portion. 
     2. Description of the Prior Art 
     U.S. Pat. No. 5,007,851 discloses a power connector mounted onto a printed circuit board (PCB). As shown in  FIG. 1  of said patent, a stationary contact piece  3  is provided with a board shaped plate portion  31  and a solder portion  32  extending from a rear end of the plate portion  31 . As known, the rear end of the plate portion  31  is where the plate portion  31  to be pressed to be inserted into a corresponding channel defined in the housing. The solder portion  32  is bended laterally and offset to the plate portion  31  at top edge of the plate portion  31 . The bending jointing portion between the solder portion  32  and the plate portion  31  is in front of the rear end of the plate portion  31 , so a receiving channel of the housing should provide a large open to accommodate the bending jointing portion. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide an electrical connector which can assure an exact position of a terminal solder portion. 
     In order to achieve the object set forth, an electrical connector comprises an insulating housing with at least one terminal mounted therein. The at least one terminal comprises a retaining portion received and retained in the insulating housing, a bending portion extending from the retaining portion and a solder portion extending from the bending portion. The bending portion and the solder portion expose to an exterior of the housing. The bending portion offsets to the retaining portion and part of a rear end of the retaining portion serves as an operating portion. 
     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 a perspective view of an electrical connector in accordance with the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is an exploded view of the electrical connector shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view of an insulating housing of the electrical connector; and 
         FIG. 4  is a perspective view of a first power terminal of the electrical connector. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Reference will now be made to the drawing figures to describe a preferred embodiment of the present invention in detail. 
     Referring to  FIG. 1 , an electrical connector  100  according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention is provided and comprises an insulating housing  1 , a plurality of first and second power terminals  2 ,  3  and a signal terminal  4  mounted in the insulating housing  1  and a shield  5  surrounding the insulating housing  1 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 2 , the insulating housing  1  is in a block shape and comprises a cubical first housing  11  defining a receiving space  13  therein and a cylindrical second housing  12  integrally extending forward from a rear wall of the first housing  11  and exposed to the receiving space  13 . A receiving slot  14  runs through the second housing  12  along a longitudinal axis of the insulating housing  1 . A hexagon first receiving groove  111  and a first receiving aperture  112  communicating with the first receiving groove  111 , are defined in the rear wall of the first housing  11 . The first receiving aperture  112  penetrates a front wall  117  of the first housing  11  and opens to the receiving space  13  in a middle portion thereof, as  FIG. 3  shown. A second receiving groove  121  and a second receiving aperture  122 , which are respectively similar to and at inner circle of the first receiving groove  111  and first receiving aperture  112 , are defined in the rear wall of the second housing  12 . A bottom wall (not figured) of the insulating housing  1  parallel to the PCB is defined as a mounting surface of the electrical connector. Protrusions  113 ,  114 ,  116  are respectively formed on the side wall and upper wall of the first housing  11  to lock with the shield  5  and supporting portions  115 ,  118  are respectively formed on the side wall and rear wall of the first housing  11  to keep the electrical connector  100  above the printed circuit board (PCB) when the connector is mounted on the PCB. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 2 and 4 , the first power terminal  2  comprises two flat metal plates and each comprises a vertical sheet like retaining portion  21 , a contacting portion  22  extending forward from the retaining portion  21 , a bending portion  23  extending rearward and offsetting to the retaining portion  21  and a solder portion  24  extending rearward from the bending portion. The solder portion  24  is parallel to the retaining portion  21  and has a leg extending downward to connect with the PCB. A plurality of tips  211 ,  212  are formed at edges of the retaining portion  21 . An opening  231  is defined in the bending portion  23 , so a rear end of the retaining portion  21  is exposed to function as an operating portion  2310 . 
     The pair of first power terminals  2  are inserted into the insulating housing  1  from the rear wall of the second housing  12 . As the bending portions  23  are extending inwardly face to face, therefore the operating portion  2310  is substantially exposed outwardly and a tool can directly press on the operating portion  2310  to urge the terminal  2  into the housing  1 . The retaining portion  21  is received in the second receiving groove  121  with tips  211 ,  212  interfering with the second receiving groove  121  and the contacting portion  22  is received in the second receiving aperture  122  and partly projects to the receiving space  13 . The bending portion  23  and the solder portion  24  expose to the outer of the insulating housing  1 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 2 , the pair of second power terminals are in a ring shaped. Each second power terminal  3  comprises a body portion  31 , a pair of retaining portions  32  extending inwardly from opposite ends of the body portion  31  with a plurality of tips  321  thereon, a contacting portion  33  extending forwardly from an edge of the retaining portion  32  and a solder portion  34  extending downwardly from the body portion  31 . The body portion  31  and the retaining portion  32  are received in the first receiving slot  111  and the contacting portion  33  is received in the first receiving aperture  112  and partly exposes in the receiving space  13 . 
     The signal terminal  4  received in the receiving slot  14  comprises a horizontal base portion  41 , a fork shaped mating portion  42  and a solder portion  43  extending downwardly perpendicular to the base portion  41 . The shield  5  covers the insulating housing  1  and defines a plurality of openings  51 , 52 , 53  to interlock with the protrusions  113 , 114 , 116  and a solder portion  54  to be mounted onto the PCB. 
     In the present invention, the electrical connector is mounted onto the PCB in a perpendicular direction and the solder portions  24  of the first power terminals  2  are vertical to the PCB to be mounted on the pre-positioned conductive pads. As the solder portion  24  and the retaining portion  21  offset to each other by the bending portion  23  therebetween, when a distance between the conductive pads is changed due to a different need, the bending portions  23  can be bend to adjust the deviation thereby assuring the solder portions  24  to be exactly mounted on the conductive pads. Moreover, rear end of the retaining portion  23  severs as an operating portion  2310  when the first power terminals  2  are assembled, which can avoid directly push of the operating tool on the solder portion  24  so as to avoid deflection of the solder portion  24 , i.e. it can assure an exact position of the solder portion  24  of the first power terminal. Further, the bending portions  23  of the first power terminals  2  are bend inwardly and the operating portions are exposed outwardly, which is convenient for the tool to press the first power terminals  3  into the housing. 
     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.

Technology Classification (CPC): 7