Electrical connector

• US 6,068,502 A
• Filed: 10/13/1999
• Issued: 05/30/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 07/02/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Kuo, Peter
• Primary Examiner(s): Paumen, Gary F.
• Application Number:
  US09/416,864
• Time in Patent Office: 230 Days
• Field of Search: 439/567, 439/571, 439/572, 439/607, 439/609, 439/610, 439/939, 439/350-358, 439/92
• US Class Current: 439/353
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 12/57 surface mounting terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 12/7023 integral with the coupling device

Abstract

An electrical connector comprises a body, a metal plate and a shield. The body defines a plurality of passageways for retaining terminals therein. The shield encloses the body and the body has an exposed bottom face for mating with a circuit board. The metal plate surrounds the body, and a pair of board locks is formed on opposite lateral ends of the metal plate. Each board lock comprises a base, a pair of folded portions extending from opposite ends of the base, a leg extending from each folded portion, and a barb formed on a free end of each leg. A resilient plate extends from a central portion of the base. A folded tip is formed on a free end of the resilient plate. When the board lock extends through a receiving hole of another circuit board having a different thickness, the electrical connector is properly secured to the circuit board due to the provision of the resilient plate and the barbs.

Claims

1. An electrical connector comprising:

a body defining a plurality of passageways therein;

a plurality of terminals being retained in the corresponding passageways;

a shield defining a receiving space for enclosing the body; and

a metal plate being secured to the shield and surrounding the body, a pair of board locks being formed on opposite lateral ends of the metal plate for securing to a circuit board, each board lock comprising a base, a pair of legs extending from opposite ends of the base, a barb formed on a free end of each leg, and a resilient plate extending from the base to electrically contact a grounding pad on the circuit board;

wherein the resilient plate sidewardly extends from a central portion of the base for imparting a predetermined spring force to the grounding pad of the circuit board;

wherein the barbs engage a bottom surface of the circuit board, and wherein the resilient plate contacts a top surface of the circuit board with a spring force when the electrical connector is assembled to the circuit board.

2. The electrical connector as claimed in claim 1, wherein the resilient plate forms a folded tip for electrically contacting the grounding pad of the circuit board.

3. An electrical connector assembly comprising:

a printed circuit board;

a connector mounted on the printed circuit board, said connector including;

an insulative body with a plurality of terminals therein;

a board lock downwardly extending at a bottom portion of the body, said board lock including;

a base and a pair of legs extending downwardly from said base, a barb formed on a free end of each of said legs, and

a resilient plate extending from the base toward the barbs of the legs with vertical deflection capability, the resilient plate abutting an upper surface of the printed circuit board and the barbs abutting a lower surface of the printed circuit board so as to adjust to thickness differences of different printed circuit boards.