Electrical connector

• US 6,736,651 B2
• Filed: 04/30/2003
• Issued: 05/18/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/01/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Molex LLC (KOCH Industries Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Molex Incorporated (KOCH Industries Incorporated)
• Inventors: Ho, Yi-Tse
• Primary Examiner(s): Bradley, P. Austin
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hammond, Briggitte R.
• Application Number:
  US10/427,489
• Publication Number:
  US 20030207600A1
• Time in Patent Office: 384 Days
• Field of Search: 439/79, 439/541.5, 439/540.1, 439/83, 439/571
• US Class Current: 439/79
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 12/725 containing contact members presenting a contact carrying strip, e.g. edge-like strip
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 27/02 for simultaneous co-operation with two or more dissimilar counterparts

Abstract

The present invention provides an electrical connector inserted into a circuit board for insertion of at least two mating electrical connectors so that the mating electrical connectors and the circuit board are electrically interconnected. The electrical connector includes an insulating housing having two spaced-apart side walls, at least two upper and lower stacked plug seats formed integrally with the insulating housing, a plurality of terminals received respectively in a plurality of terminal receiving slots formed in the plug seats. Each of the side walls is formed with a retaining notch that extends between two plug seats opposite to the insert direction for detachable insertion of a circuit board therein. When each plug seat permits detachable insertion for a mating electrical connector, the mating electrical connector is correspondingly and electrically connected to the terminals to establish electrical connection with the circuit board.

Claims

1. A stacked type connector for insertion of at least two mating electrical connectors, said connector comprising:

an insulating housing having two spaced-apart side walls formed integrally therebetween with at least two upper and lower stacked plug seats, each of said plug seats being formed with a plurality of terminal receiving slots, said housing defining an insert direction, each of said side walls being formed with a retaining notch that extends between said two plug seats in a direction opposite to said insert direction for detachable insertion of a circuit board therein; and

a plurality of terminals received respectively in said terminal receiving slots, said terminals respectively interfering with inner walls of said terminal receiving slots, and having contact ends received in the respective terminal receiving slots, and soldering ends projecting out of the respective terminal receiving slots and connected electrically to said circuit board;

wherein, when each of said plug seats permits detachable insertion for a mating electrical connector, said mating electrical connector is correspondingly and electrically connected to said terminals to establish electrical connection with said circuit board.

2. The stacked type connector as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of said retaining notches has a width smaller than the thickness of said circuit board, and, when said circuit board is inserted into said retaining notches, said circuit board is forcedly clamped and said connector is fixed relative to said circuit board.

3. A stacked type connector for insertion of at least four mating electrical connectors, said connector comprising:

an insulating housing having two spaced-apart side walls, which are formed integrally therebetween with at least two left and right plug seat units, each of said plug seat units having two upper and lower stacked plug seats, each of said plug seats being formed with a plurality of terminal receiving slots, said housing defining an insert direction, each of said side walls being formed with a retaining notch that extends in a direction opposite to said insert direction for detachable insertion of a circuit board therein, two spaced-apart retaining arms being formed between said two plug seat units and extending oppositely of said insert direction, said retaining arms clamping fixedly said circuit board; and

a plurality of terminals received respectively in said terminal receiving slots, each of said terminals interferentially engaging an inner wall of a corresponding one of said terminal receiving slots, and having a contact end received in the corresponding one of said terminal receiving slots, and a soldering end projecting out of the corresponding one of said terminal receiving slots and connected electrically to said circuit board;

wherein, when each of said plug seats permits detachable insertion for a mating electrical connector, said mating electrical connector is correspondingly and electrically connected to said terminals to establish an electrical connection with said circuit board.

4. The stacked type connector as claimed in claim 3, wherein each of said retaining arms further has a retaining hook extending toward the other one of said retaining arms, said two retaining hooks cooperating to define therebetween a gap smaller than the thickness of said circuit board, so that said circuit board is inserted between said retaining arms through a press-fit and clamped thereby, wherein when said circuit board is clamped by said two retaining arms, said retaining hooks extend into a respective one of said fixing holes provided in said circuit board, thereby positioning said circuit board.

5. A stacked type connector for insertion of at least four mating electrical connectors, said connector comprising:

an insulating housing having two spaced-apart side walls, which are formed integrally therebetween with at least two left and right plug seat units, each of said plug seat units having two upper and lower stacked plug seats, each of said plug seats being formed with a plurality of terminal receiving slots, said housing defining an insert direction, each of said side walls being formed with a first retaining notch that extends oppositely of said insert direction, an intermediate wall being provided between said two plug seat units and formed with two spaced-apart second retaining notches extending oppositely of said insert direction, said first and second retaining notches cooperating together to permit detachable insertion of a circuit board therein; and

a plurality of terminals received respectively in said terminal receiving slots, each of said terminals interferentially engaging an inner wall of a corresponding one of said terminal receiving slots, and having a contact end received in the corresponding one of said terminal receiving slots, and a soldering end projecting out of the corresponding one of said terminal receiving slots and connected electrically to said circuit board;

wherein, when each of said plug seats permits detachable insertion for a mating electrical connector, said mating electrical connector is correspondingly and electrically connected to said terminals to establish an electrical connection with said circuit board.