Plug connector with mating protection

• US 20060134993A1
• Filed: 10/07/2005
• Published: 06/22/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/17/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Molex LLC (KOCH Industries Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Molex Incorporated
• Inventors: Brinkerhoff, Cleaver, Dawiedczyk, Daniel L., Neer, Jay H., Duran, Jaime
• Granted Patent: US 7,448,897 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 439/676
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 12/7005 Guiding, mounting, polarizing or locking means; Extractors for printed circuit boards H05K
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 12/727 Coupling devices presenting arrays of contacts
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6275 Latching arms not integral with the housing H01R13/6276, H01R13/6277, H01R13/6278 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/631 for engagement only
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/641 by indicating incorrect coupling; by indicating correct or full engagement

Abstract

A plug connector is disclosed that has a body portion and a circuit card extending forwardly of a mating face of the connector. The circuit card is protected in place by a protective flanges that extends forwardly from the body portion above the circuit card to protect it from stubbing and to provide a means for aligning the plug connector with a receptacle connector.

Claims

1. A plug connector for connecting wires to a mating connector, comprising:

a connector housing, the connector housing including a forward face;

a circuit card, the circuit card including a leading edge with contacts for mating with the mating connector and a trailing edge with contacts for termination to a plurality of wires, said circuit card being disposed in said connector housing such that the circuit card leading edge extends from said connector housing forward face, the circuit card trailing edge being disposed within said connector housing;

a plurality of wires terminated to contacts of said circuit card trailing edge; and

,

said connector housing including a first flange extending from said connector housing forward face and spaced apart from said circuit card.

2. The plug connector of claim 1, wherein said circuit card leading edge and said first flange have respective widths, the width of said circuit card leading edge being less than the width of said first flange.

3. The plug connector of claim 1, wherein said first flange includes an angled lead-in configuration along side edges thereof.

4. The plug connector of claim 1, wherein said first flange includes an engagement recess disposed on a top surface thereof.

5. The plug connector of claim 1, wherein said connector housing includes a pair of opposing sides, and at least one engagement member being disposed in one of the connector housing sides for engaging an outer guide member.

6. The plug connector of claim 1, wherein said connector housing includes two side surfaces, each of the side surfaces extending in a transverse direction to said first flange, each of said two side surfaces including an engagement member for engaging an outer guide member.

7. The plug connector of claim 1, wherein the engagement member includes recesses formed in said side surfaces.

9. The plug connector of claim 1, wherein said connector housing includes a transverse slot disposed in said forward face through which said circuit card extends.

10. The plug connector of claim 1, wherein said connector housing includes means for registering it with a guide member associated with a mating connector, the registration means including a pair of slots formed therein.

11. The plug connector of claim 1, wherein said circuit card projects forwardly of said connector housing forward face for a first distance and said first flange projects forwardly of said connector housing forward face for a second distance, the second distance being greater than said first distance.

12. A connector for engaging a mating connector, comprising:

a housing with a mating face thereon for mating with the opposing connector;

a mating blade portion projecting forwardly of the mating face, the mating blade portion having a plurality of conductive contacts supported thereon;

a flange extending forwardly from said mating face and spaced apart from said circuit card.

13. The connector of claim 12, wherein said mating blade portion has a width whcih is less than a width of said flange.

14. The connector of claim 12, wherein said flange includes an angled lead-in configuration along side edges thereof.

15. The connector of claim 12, wherein said flange includes an engagement recess disposed on a top surface thereof.

16. The plug connector of claim 12, wherein said connector housing includes a pair of opposing sides, and at least one of the connector housing sides includes an engagement member for engaging an outer guide member.

17. The connector of claim 12, wherein said mating blade portion includes a circuit card.