Electrical connector

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9318837-B2
Application number	US-201314090908-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 26, 2013
Priority date	Nov 29, 2012
Publication date	Apr 19, 2016
Grant date	Apr 19, 2016

Abstract

An electrical connector comprises a cover, terminal block, and pair of latch mechanisms. The cover comprises a top plate and two side edges connected to the top plate. The terminal block and the cover together define a slot. The terminal block comprises two opposite side edges. The pair of latch mechanisms is respectively provided between the two side edges of the cover and the two side edges of the terminal block. Each latch mechanism can include a first latch portion and a second latch portion. The first latch portion and the second latch portion are latched to each other and in a clearance fit, so as to allow the terminal block to rotate and move relative to the cover at the latch mechanism.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An electrical connector, comprising:
a cover comprising a top plate and two side edges connected to the top plate;
a terminal block having two opposite side edges, the terminal block and cover together defining a slot; and
a pair of latch mechanisms respectively provided between the two side edges of the cover and the two side edges of the terminal block, each latch mechanism comprising a first latch portion and a second latch portion, wherein the first latch portion and the second latch portion are latched to each other and in a clearance fit, wherein the terminal block is configured to rotate and move relative to the cover at the pair of latch mechanisms when the first and second latch portions are latched together.

2. The electrical connector according to claim 1 , wherein the terminal block comprises a first end portion and a second end portion which are opposite, and a center of gravity of the terminal block is closer to the second end portion, and the latch mechanism is positioned between the first end portion and the center of gravity.

3. The electrical connector according to claim 2 , wherein the terminal block comprises an insulative body; a metal frame embedded in and fixed to the insulative body;
and a plurality of terminals embedded in and fixed to the insulative body and arranged in a row, each of the terminal comprising a contact portion and a soldering portion, the contact portion extending into the slot, the soldering portion being positioned at the second end portion.

4. The electrical connector according to claim 2 , wherein the first latch portion comprises protruding portion, the second latch portion comprises a latch frame and the protruding portion extends into the latch frame.

5. The electrical connector according to claim 4 , wherein the first latch portion comprises a body portion and two protruding portions and the two protruding portions are hooks positioned in the two opposite sides of the body portion.

6. The electrical connector according to claim 2 , wherein the cover comprises two side plates, and the terminal block comprises two side plates, the pair of latch mechanisms is respectively provided between the two side plates of the cover and the two side plates of the terminal block.

7. The electrical connector according to claim 6 , wherein the first latch portion comprises a protruding portion, the second latch portion comprises a latch frame, the protruding portion extends into the latch frame, the latch frame is provided on the corresponding side plate of the cover, the protruding portion is provided on the corresponding side plate of the terminal block and the protruding portion extends into the latch frame.

8. The electrical connector according to claim 6 , further comprising a second end portion, the first limit mechanism being provided between one of the side plates of the cover and one of the side plates of the terminal block and configured to limit rotation of the terminal block.

9. The electrical connector according to claim 8 , wherein the first limit mechanism comprises a latch frame and a protruding portion extending into the latch frame, the protruding portion is positioned on one of the side plates of the terminal block and the latch frame is positioned on one of the side plates of the cover.

10. The electrical connector according to claim 2 , wherein the latch mechanism is positioned between the first end portion and the second end portion, and a distance from the latch mechanism to the first end portion is smaller than a distance from the latch mechanism to the second end portion.

11. The electrical connector according to claim 10 , further comprising a first limit mechanism, the first limit mechanism being provided between one of the side edges of the cover and one of the side edges of the terminal block, so as to limit the terminal block to rotate and move away from each other relative to the cover at the second end portion.

12. The electrical connector according to claim 11 , wherein the first limit mechanism comprises a stopping portion and a stopping piece for stopping the stopping portion, the stopping portion is provided on one side of one of the latch mechanisms toward the first end portion, and the stopping piece is provided on the terminal block.

13. The electrical connector according to claim 11 , wherein the first limit mechanism comprises a stopping portion and a stopping piece for stopping the stopping portion, the stopping portion is provided on one side of one of the latch mechanisms toward the first end portion, and the stopping piece is provided to the cover.

14. The electrical connector according to claim 11 , wherein the cover comprises two side plates, and the terminal block comprises two side plates, the first limit mechanism is provided between one of the side plates of the cover and one of the side plates of the terminal block, the first limit mechanism comprises a latch frame and a protruding portion extending into the latch frame, the protruding portion is positioned on one of the side plates of the terminal block and the latch frame is positioned on one of the side plates of the cover.

15. The electrical connector according to claim 11 , further comprising a second limit mechanism, the second limit mechanism being provided between one of the side edges of the cover and one of the side edges of the terminal block and configured to limit rotation of the terminal block.

16. The electrical connector according to claim 15 , wherein the second limit mechanism is positioned between the latch mechanism and the second end portion of the terminal block, and comprises a stopping portion and a stopping piece for stopping the stopping portion, the stopping portion is provided to the cover and the stopping piece is provided on the terminal block.

Assignees

• Molex Llc

Inventors

• Tan Han Guan
• Lim Kian Heng

Classifications

• G06K13/085

  using an arrangement for locking the inserted card · CPC title

• H01R13/506 Primary

  assembled by snap action of the parts · CPC title

• H01R13/447

  Shutter or cover plate · CPC title

• H01R12/712

  co-operating with the surface of the printed circuit or with a coupling device exclusively provided on the surface of the printed circuit (H01R12/72 takes precedence) · CPC title