Patent ID: 12206194

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS

The present disclosure is more particularly described in the following examples that are intended as illustrative only since numerous modifications and variations therein will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Like numbers in the drawings indicate like components throughout the views. As used in the description herein and throughout the claims that follow, unless the context clearly dictates otherwise, the meaning of “a”, “an”, and “the” includes plural reference, and the meaning of “in” includes “in” and “on”. Titles or subtitles can be used herein for the convenience of a reader, which shall have no influence on the scope of the present disclosure.

The terms used herein generally have their ordinary meanings in the art. In the case of conflict, the present document, including any definitions given herein, will prevail. The same thing can be expressed in more than one way.

Alternative language and synonyms can be used for any term(s) discussed herein, and no special significance is to be placed upon whether a term is elaborated or discussed herein. A recital of one or more synonyms does not exclude the use of other synonyms. The use of examples anywhere in this specification including examples of any terms is illustrative only, and in no way limits the scope and meaning of the present disclosure or of any exemplified term. Likewise, the present disclosure is not limited to various embodiments given herein. Numbering terms such as “first”, “second” or “third” can be used to describe various components, signals or the like, which are for distinguishing one component/signal from another one only, and are not intended to, nor should be construed to impose any substantive limitations on the components, signals or the like.

Embodiments

Referring toFIG.1andFIG.2,FIG.1is a schematic perspective view of an electrical connector assembly according to the present disclosure, andFIG.2is a schematic perspective view of an electrically conductive connection member of the electrical connector assembly according to the present disclosure. One embodiment of the present disclosure provides an electrical connector assembly Z including a housing1, two electrically conductive connection members2, two electrically conductive cable sets, and a cover3. Each of the two electrically conductive connection members2has an electrically conductive terminal21, a cable connection member22, and a terminal holding member23. Two terminals of the cable connection member22are respectively connected to the two electrically conductive cable sets and the electrically conductive terminal21. The terminal holding member23is engaged to the electrically conductive terminal21. It should be noted that the two electrically conductive connection members2are arranged in the housing1and are respectively connected to the two electrically conductive cable sets. Each of the two electrically conductive cable sets has at least one electrically conductive cable S, and the at least one electrically conductive cable S extends on two sides of the electrically conductive connection member2in a horizontal direction and correspondingly passes through two lateral openings103on two sides of the electrical connector assembly Z. One of the beneficial effects of a configuration of the electrical connector assembly Z of the present disclosure is that, if one of the two electrically conductive cable sets is a ground line and another one is a power line, each of the two sides of the electrical connector assembly Z can simultaneously have the ground line and the power line. That is, each of the two sides of the electrical connector assembly Z can simultaneously provide power and ground potentials to an electronic device connected thereto. In contrast with the electrical connector assembly Z, the ground line and the power line of a conventional electrical connector assembly are respectively arranged on two sides of conventional electrical connector assemblies (i.e., the ground line being on one of two sides of the conventional electrical connector assemblies and the power line being on another one of the two sides of the conventional electrical connector assemblies). Therefore, when an electronic device is correspondingly connected to the power line and the ground line of the conventional electrical connector assembly, an extra space for cable arrangement is necessary. In other words, through a structural design of the electrical connector assembly Z of the present disclosure, the space occupied by an arrangement of the cables can be effectively reduced, and more space is available for other components.

Referring toFIG.1toFIG.4,FIG.3is a schematic perspective view of the housing of the electrical connector assembly according to the present disclosure, andFIG.4is a schematic perspective view of the electrically conductive terminal of the electrical connector assembly according to the present disclosure. One of two opposite sides of the housing1has two sockets101, and another one has an opening102. The two electrically conductive connection members2can be inserted into the housing1through the opening102. The cover3is detachably disposed on the side where the housing1has the opening102. The housing1has a first side wall11and a second side wall12that are opposite to each other, and the housing1has a third side wall13and a fourth side wall14that are arranged between the first side wall11and the second side wall12and are opposite to each other. An inner side of the first side wall11has two guide members15. Each of the two guide members15has a sliding groove151and a bump152arranged at one end of the sliding groove151. The second side wall12has two cantilever members16, and the two cantilever members16are respectively arranged opposite to the two guide members15. Furthermore, the housing1is formed by having the first side wall11, the second side wall12, the third side wall13, and the fourth side wall14. An inside of the housing1has a hollow cavity so as to accommodate the two electrically conductive connection members2. Furthermore, the housing1has a partition17connected between the first side wall11and the second side wall12, so as to divide the inside of the housing1into a first accommodating space A1and a second accommodating space A2. The two electrically conductive connection members2are respectively arranged in the first accommodating space A1and the second accommodating space A2. In addition, the housing1has two wings132,142respectively arranged on the third side wall13and the fourth side wall14. Each of the two wings132,142, has a threaded hole, such that a screw member can be inserted into the threaded hole for fixing the electrical connector assembly Z to a proper position.

Referring toFIG.3andFIG.4, the electrically conductive terminal21is arranged in the housing1. The electrically conductive terminal21is integrally formed. The electrically conductive terminal21has two leaf springs211that are opposite to each other and a U-shaped connection part212connected between the two leaf springs211. Each of the two leaf springs211has a base2111and a plurality of elastic contact arms2112, and the plurality of elastic contact arms2112are connected to a side of the base2111. Since the two leaf springs211are arranged opposite to each other, the two leaf springs211each have the plurality of elastic contact arms2112arranged opposite to each other. That is, the plurality of elastic contact arms2112of one of the two leaf springs211is arranged opposite to the plurality of elastic contact arms2112of another one of the two leaf springs211, and a second socket201is formed between the two leaf springs211.

Referring toFIG.2,FIG.5, andFIG.6,FIG.5is a schematic perspective view of the cable connection member of the electrical connector assembly according to the present disclosure, andFIG.6is a schematic perspective view of a groove body of the electrical connector assembly according to the present disclosure. The cable connection member22is correspondingly connected to the electrically conductive terminal21and the corresponding electrically conductive cable set. The cable connection member22is bent relative to a vertical axis, and has a first connection part221and a second connection part222. The first connection part221and the second connection part222each have a plane that is roughly perpendicular to each other. The electrically conductive cable S is connected to the first connection part221by soldering, and the second connection part222is coupled to the U-shaped connection part212. The electrical connector assembly Z further includes a groove body4. The groove body4has a first plate wall41and a second plate wall42that are opposite to each other, and a third plate wall43connected between the first plate wall41and the second plate wall42. The first connection part221of the cable connection member22is coupled to the groove body4and is arranged in the groove body4. For example, in the groove body4, at least one first engage hole440is arranged between the first plate wall41and the third plate wall43, and at least one second engage hole450is arranged between the third plate wall43and the second plate wall42(e.g., in the present embodiment, a quantity of the first engage holes440and a quantity of the second engage holes450both are two). At least one first protrusion part2211corresponding to the at least one first engage hole440and at least one second protrusion part2212corresponding to the at least one second engage hole450are respectively arranged on two sides of the first connection part221(e.g., in the present embodiment, a quantity of the first protrusion parts2211and a quantity of the second protrusion parts2212both are two). The first connection part221of the cable connection member22is fixedly connected to the groove body4through snap-fixing of the at least one first protrusion part2211and the at least one second protrusion part2212to the at least one first engage hole440and the at least one second engage hole450, respectively. However, the present disclosure is not limited to a way of coupling between the first connection part221and the groove body4.

Referring toFIG.7toFIG.9,FIG.7is a schematic view of the electrically conductive cable of the electrical connector assembly according to one embodiment of the present disclosure,FIG.8is another schematic view of the electrically conductive cable of the electrical connector assembly according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, andFIG.9is a schematic view illustrating a connection of the cable connection member to the electrically conductive cable in the electrical connector assembly according to the present disclosure. As mentioned above, the electrically conductive cable set has the at least one electrically conductive cable S. The electrically conductive cable S has a cable main body S2and an electrically insulating material S1covering a periphery of the cable main body S2. When the electrically conductive cable S is connected to the first connection part221of the cable connection member22by soldering, a portion of the electrically conductive cable S connected to the first connection part221is arranged in the groove body4. Referring toFIG.7, a middle portion of the electrically insulating material S1of the electrically conductive cable S is removed so as to expose the cable main body S2, and the cable main body S2that is exposed is arranged in an inside of the groove body4. The inside of the groove body4is filled with molten tin S4so as to cover the cable main body S2that is exposed and at least a portion of the first connection part221. In this way, the groove body4can be used to hold the molten tin S4, so that the molten tin S4can be fixed in an area to prevent overflow. Referring also toFIG.12, the electrically conductive connection member2also has an insulating tape S3, and the electrically conductive connection member2covers the solidified molten tin S4and the groove body4through the insulating tape S3. It is worth mentioning that, in another embodiment of the present disclosure, the groove body4can also be omitted. That is to say, the electrically conductive cable S is connected to the first connection part221of the cable connection member22by soldering through the molten tin S4, and then a soldered portion is covered directly with the insulating tape S3after the molten tin S4has solidified.

Referring toFIG.8andFIG.9, in still another embodiment of the present disclosure, the electrically conductive cable set has two electrically conductive cables S that are arranged opposite to each other, and each of the two electrically conductive cables S has the cable main body S2and the electrically insulating material S1covering a periphery of the cable main body S2. Before connecting to the first connection part221, the electrically insulating material S1at one terminal of each of the electrically conductive cables S is removed so as to expose the cable main body S2therein. Then, the cable main bodies S2that are exposed from two electrically conductive cables S are arranged in opposite direction into an inside of the groove body4. Finally, the two electrically conductive cables S are respectively connected to the first connection part221of the cable connection member22by soldering. The inside of the groove body4is filled with molten tin S4so as to cover the two cable main bodies S2that are exposed and at least a portion of the first connection part221.

Referring toFIG.2andFIG.10,FIG.10is a schematic perspective view of the terminal holding member of the electrical connector assembly according to the present disclosure. The terminal holding member23is arranged in the housing1and at a periphery of the electrically conductive terminal21. The terminal holding member23has two sheet bodies231that are arranged opposite to each other and a plate-shaped connection part232connected between two same sides of the two sheet bodies231. Accordingly, as shown inFIG.10, in a top view (i.e., in a direction of a negative Z-axis), the terminal holding member23is U-shaped, and a guide opening202that is opposite to the plate-shaped connection part232is formed on a side of the terminal holding member23. In addition, the two sheet bodies231are respectively bent along directions towards each other when extending from the top (i.e., in the direction of the negative Z-axis), and a third socket230is formed therebetween.

Referring toFIG.4andFIG.10, the terminal holding member23further has two through holes230, the electrically conductive terminal21further has two cantilever hooks213corresponding to the two through holes230, and each of the two cantilever hooks213is arranged on the base2111. Therefore, when the electrically conductive terminal21is inserted into the terminal holding member23through the guide opening202, each of the two cantilever hooks213is engaged to the corresponding through hole230. Furthermore, a terminal of each of the two cantilever hooks213has an inclined surface2131, and the inclined surface2131extends and inclines inwardly along a direction of a negative X-axis. When the electrically conductive terminal21is assembled in the terminal holding member23, the electrically conductive terminal21is inserted into the terminal holding member23through the guide opening202. Furthermore, the electrically conductive terminal21is inserted into the terminal holding member23through the guide opening202along the direction of the negative X-axis. In other words, the inclined surface2131of one of the two cantilever hooks213extends and inclines inwardly along an insertion direction of the electrically conductive terminal21into the terminal holding member23, or the inclined surface2131extends and expands outwardly along a direction of a positive X-axis, i.e., a distance between the two inclined surfaces2131corresponding to the two cantilever hooks213changes from being narrow to being wide in the positive direction along the X-axis. In this way, the electrically conductive terminal21can be smoothly inserted into the terminal holding member23, and a resistance between the two sheet bodies231of the terminal holding member23and terminal surfaces corresponding to the two cantilever hooks213can be reduced. In addition, when the electrically conductive terminal21is inserted into the terminal holding member23, the third socket203aligns with the second socket201.

It is worth mentioning that, in the present disclosure, when the electrically conductive terminal21is not assembled in the terminal holding member23, a width of the second socket201is less than a width of the third socket203. The width of the second socket201can be defined as a distance between two contacts2113plus a thickness of the two elastic contact arms2112, wherein the two contact areas2113are two areas of the two elastic contract arms2112with a closest distance therebetween. The width of the third socket203can be defined as a closest distance between the two sheet bodies231when the two sheet bodies231are respectively bent along the directions towards each other. In other words, since the width of the second socket201is less than the width of the third socket203when the electrically conductive terminal21is not assembled in the terminal holding member23, the electrically conductive terminal21does not particularly push out the terminal holding member23and the terminal holding member23does not particularly apply a positive force to two sides of the electrically conductive terminal21to clamp the electrically conductive terminal21when the electrically conductive terminal21is assembled in the terminal holding member23and a plug (not shown) is not being inserted into the second socket201. In contrast, conventional terminal clamps are inherently flexible, such that the conventional terminal clamps as the terminal holding members of the present disclosure apply the positive force to two sides of electrically conductive terminals to clamp the electrically conductive terminals when the conventional terminal clamps are assembled with the electrically conductive terminals, thereby causing difficulties during assembly. In other words, compared with the conventional technology, a design of the electrically conductive terminal21and the terminal holding member23of the present disclosure allows users to perform assembly more easily.

As mentioned above, the U-shaped connection part212of the electrically conductive terminal21has two bar-shaped arms2121and a U-shaped arm2122. The two bar-shaped arms2121are respectively connected to the two bases2111of the two leaf springs211, and the U-shaped arm2122is connected between two same sides of the two bar-shaped arms2121. When the electrically conductive terminal21is assembled in the terminal holding member23, the U-shaped arm2122and the plate-shaped connection part232are respectively arranged on two opposite sides of the electrically conductive connection member2. Referring toFIG.2andFIG.5, the electrically conductive connection member2has at least one fastener24, and each of the two bar-shaped arms2121has at least one first through hole2120that corresponds to each other. The second connection part222of the cable connection member22is arranged between the two bar-shaped arms2121, and the second connection part222has at least one second through hole2220. The at least one first through holes2120of each of the bar-shaped arms2121is aligned with the at least one second through hole2220. The at least one fastener24of the electrically conductive connection member2passes through the at least one second through hole2220and the two of the first through holes2120, such that the second connection part222is fixed on the U-shaped connection part212. The present disclosure is not limited to a type of the fastener24and, for example, the fastener24can be a rivet. At least one rivet of the electrically conductive connection member2passes through the at least one second through hole2220and the two of the first through holes2120, such that the second connection part222is fixed on the U-shaped connection part212. In addition, the first connection part221of the cable connection member22is in a shape of a flat plate, and the cable main body S2that is exposed at the one terminal or the middle portion of the electrically conductive cable S contacts and is arranged on the first connection part221. Furthermore, the first connection part221is filled with the molten tin S4, and the cable main body S2that is exposed and the at least a portion or all of the first connection part221are covered for a soldering process. Thereby, the electrically conductive connection member2is electrically connected to the electrically conductive cable S. Referring to FIG.2,FIG.4, andFIG.11,FIG.11is a schematic exploded view of the electrical connector assembly according to the present disclosure. When the two electrically conductive connection members2are inserted into and assembled in the housing1through the opening102, the second sockets201of the two electrically conductive connection members2correspond to the two first sockets101, and the second socket201of each of the two electrically conductive terminals21is communicated with the corresponding first socket101.

Referring toFIG.11toFIG.13, in conjunction withFIG.3,FIG.12is a cross-sectional view taken along line XII-XII ofFIG.11, andFIG.13is a cross-sectional view taken along line XIII-XIII ofFIG.11. A first stop block171and a second stop block172are respectively arranged on two sides of the partition17, a third stop block131is arranged on an inner side of the third side wall13, and a fourth stop block141is arranged on an inner side of the fourth side wall14. The first stop block171and the third stop block131are arranged in the first accommodating space A1, and the second stop block172and the fourth stop block141are arranged in the second accommodating space A2. As shown inFIG.12, each of the two cantilever members16has a first terminal161and a second terminal162that are opposite to each other. The first terminal161is connected to the second side wall12, the second terminal162is overhung, and a thickness of the second terminal162is greater than a thickness of the first terminal161. Moreover, a free terminal of the cantilever member16protrudes inwardly.

According to the above and referring toFIG.10, the terminal holding member23further has two bent segments233. Each of the two bent segments233is adjacent to the guide opening202and is connected to a corresponding one of the two sheet bodies231. When one of the two electrically conductive connection members2is assembled in the first accommodating space A1, the two bent segments233of the terminal holding member23of the one of the two electrically conductive connection members2respectively abut the first stop block171and the third stop block131, the plate-shaped connection part232abuts the corresponding second terminal162of the two cantilever members16, and the U-shaped arm2122of the U-shaped connection part212is arranged in the sliding groove151of the first accommodating space A1and abuts a corresponding one of the bumps152. When another one of the two electrically conductive connection members2is assembled in the second accommodating space A2, the two bent segments233of the terminal holding member23of the another one of the two electrically conductive connection members2respectively abut the second stop block172and the fourth stop block141, and similarly, the plate-shaped connection part232abuts the corresponding second terminal162of the two cantilever members16, and the U-shaped arm2122is arranged in the sliding groove151of the second accommodating space A2and abuts a corresponding one of the bumps152.

Beneficial Effects of the Embodiments

In conclusion, one of the beneficial effects of the present disclosure is that, by virtue of “the two electrically conductive connection members2being arranged in the housing1and respectively connected to the two electrically conductive cable sets, and the electrically conductive cable S of each of the two electrically conductive cable sets extending on two sides of the electrically conductive connection member2in the horizontal direction”, “the electrically conductive cable S being connected to the first connection part221by soldering, and the second connection part222being coupled to the U-shaped connection part212”, and “the terminal holding member23having the two sheet bodies231that are arranged opposite to each other and the plate-shaped connection part232connected between the same sides of the two sheet bodies231, and the guide opening202that is opposite to the plate-shaped connection part232being formed on the side of the terminal holding member23”, a quantity of internal components and an assembly process can be simplified in the electrical connector assembly Z provided by the present disclosure, and a structural strength of the electrical connector assembly after assembly can be enhanced, such that the internal components can be prevented from loosening or shifting after repeated use.

Furthermore, the two electrically conductive connection members2are arranged in the housing1and are respectively connected to the two electrically conductive cable sets. The electrically conductive cable S of each of the two electrically conductive cable sets extends on two sides of the electrically conductive connection member2in the horizontal direction. The beneficial effects of such configuration of the electrical connector assembly Z is that, if one of the two electrically conductive cable sets is the ground line and another one of the two electrically conductive cable sets is the power line, each of the two sides of the electrical connector assembly Z can simultaneously have the ground line and the power line. The space occupied by an arrangement of the cables can be effectively reduced, and more space is available for other components.

Furthermore, the terminal of each of the cantilever hooks213has the inclined surface2131, and the inclined surface2131extends and inclines inwardly along the direction of the negative X-axis, or the inclined surface2131extends and expands outwardly along the direction of the positive X-axis, i.e., the distance between the two inclined surfaces2131corresponding to the two cantilever hooks213changes from being narrow to being wide in the positive direction along the X-axis. In this way, the electrically conductive terminal21can be smoothly inserted into the terminal holding member23, and the resistance between the two sheet bodies231of the terminal holding member23and the terminal surfaces corresponding to the two cantilever hooks213can be reduced. In addition, when the electrically conductive terminal21is inserted into the terminal holding member23, the third socket203aligns with the second socket201.

Furthermore, in the present disclosure, when the electrically conductive terminal21is not assembled in the terminal holding member23, the width of the second socket201is less than the width of the third socket203. Since the width of the second socket201is less than the width of the third socket203when the electrically conductive terminal21is not assembled in the terminal holding member23, the electrically conductive terminal21does not particularly push out the terminal holding member23and the terminal holding member23does not particularly apply the positive force to the two sides of the electrically conductive terminal21to clamp the electrically conductive terminal21when the electrically conductive terminal21is assembled in the terminal holding member23. In other words, compared with the conventional technology, the design of the electrically conductive terminal21and the terminal holding member23of the present disclosure allows users to perform assembly more easily.

The foregoing description of the exemplary embodiments of the disclosure has been presented only for the purposes of illustration and description and is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the disclosure to the precise forms disclosed. Many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teaching.

The embodiments were chosen and described in order to explain the principles of the disclosure and their practical application so as to enable others skilled in the art to utilize the disclosure and various embodiments and with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. Alternative embodiments will become apparent to those skilled in the art to which the present disclosure pertains without departing from its spirit and scope.