Electrical connector

• US 6,183,287 B1
• Filed: 10/21/1999
• Issued: 02/06/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 12/31/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Po, Peter
• Primary Examiner(s): Paumen, Gary F.
• Application Number:
  US09/422,823
• Time in Patent Office: 474 Days
• Field of Search: 439/378, 439/379, 439/358, 439/357, 439/680, 439/681
• US Class Current: 439/358
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 12/7023 integral with the coupling device
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/629 Additional means for facilitating engagement or disengagement of coupling parts, e.g. aligning or guiding means, levers, gas pressure electrical locking indicators, manufacturing tolerances separate tools or apparatus H01R43/26
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/631 for engagement only

Abstract

An electrical connector assembly includes a male connector and a female connector. The male connector comprises an insulative housing, a plurality of silos projecting from the housing, a plurality of contacts received in the silos, a guiding arm formed on a top surface of the housing and a pair of fixing bars extending from distal ends of the housing. The female connector has an insulative housing, a plurality of receptacles formed in the housing for engaging with the corresponding silos, an engaging slot formed in a top surface of the housing, and a plurality of terminals received in the receptacles for electrically contacting the corresponding terminals of the male connector. In assembly, the guiding arm of the male connector is inserted into the engaging slot of the female connector for guiding the connectors and preventing improper engagement therebetween. The silos and the receptacles are manufactured with the same rectangular cross-section thereby reducing production costs.

Claims

1. An electrical connector assembly comprising:

a male connector having an insulative body, a plurality of silos longitudinally projecting from the body, a plurality of contacts received in the silos, and a latch arm extending longitudinally from the body above the silos, and a latch arm formed under the guiding arm; and

a female connector having an insulative housing, a plurality of receptacles formed in the housing for engaging with the corresponding silos, an engaging slot formed in the housing for engaging with the guiding arm, a chamfered latch boss formed proximate the engaging slot, and a plurality of terminals received in the receptacles for electrically contacting the corresponding contacts of the male connector;

wherein the engaging slot is formed in a top surface of the housing;

wherein the latch arm forms a barb on a bottom surface of the free end thereof for engaging with the corresponding chamfered latch boss of the female connector to ensure proper mating of the connectors.