Electrical connector with pick-and-place member

• US 6,174,171 B1
• Filed: 03/22/1999
• Issued: 01/16/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 03/20/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Fu, Samuel
• Primary Examiner(s): Sircus, Brian
• Assistant Examiner(s): Prasad, Chandrika
• Application Number:
  US09/273,930
• Time in Patent Office: 666 Days
• Field of Search: 439/41, 439/135, 439/148, 439/149, 439/150, 439/892
• US Class Current: 439/41
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/447 Shutter or cover plate
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 13/0409 Sucking devices

Abstract

An electrical connector includes an insulative connector body having a bottom face adapted to be mounted to a circuit board and an opposite top face on which a pick-and-place plate is releasably attached. The top face of the connector defines at least one recess. The pick-and-place plate has a flat first surface adapted to be engaged by a vacuum suction device and an opposite second surface forming a projection corresponding to each recess of the insulative body. The projection and the recess are dimensioned to have a force fitting engagement therebetween to releasably attach the pick-and-place plate to the top face of the insulative body.

Claims

1. An electrical connector comprising:

an insulative body having two opposite side walls defining an interior space therebetween for receiving terminal pins therein, a connection surface being formed along top portions of the side walls; and

a pick-and-place plate having a flat first surface adapted to be engaged and held by an external holding device and an opposite second surface releasably attached to the connection surface of the insulative body; and

the improvements comprising at least one recess defined in the connection surface of the insulative body and extending completely through the connection surface in a direction transversing a lengthwise direction of the side walls, the pick-and-place plate forming a projection on the second surface thereof corresponding to the recess of the insulative body, each projection being dimensioned to be force fitted in the corresponding recess the pick-and-place plate being attached to the insulative body essentially by a fitting force between the projection and the body.

2. The electrical connector as claimed in claim 1, wherein the insulative body defines four recesses in the connection surface thereof and, correspondingly, the pick-and-place plate forms four projections for being received in the recesses in a force-fitting manner.

3. The electrical connector as claimed in claim 1, wherein the projection is a circular dimple.

4. The electrical connector as claimed in claim 1, wherein the recess is a groove and wherein the projection is a rib force-fittable into the groove.

5. The electrical connector as claimed in claim 4, wherein the insulative body defines two grooves in the connection surface thereof and, correspondingly, the pick-and-place plate forms two ribs receivable in the grooves in a force-fitting manner.

6. The electrical connector as claimed in claim 1, wherein the pick-and-place plate has two opposite edges projecting beyond the side walls of the insulative body.