Electrical connector assembly having signal and power terminals

• US 6,746,284 B1
• Filed: 10/02/2003
• Issued: 06/08/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 10/02/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Spink, William E. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): PAUMEN, GARY F
• Application Number:
  US10/678,988
• Time in Patent Office: 250 Days
• Field of Search: 439/740, 439/733.1, 439/354, 439/353, 439/357, 439/638, 439/651, 439/680
• US Class Current: 439/740
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/115 U-shaped sockets having inwardly bent legs, e.g. spade type
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/432 by stamped-out resilient tongue snapping behind shoulder in base or case
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/58 Means for relieving strain on wire connection, e.g. cord grip , for avoiding loosening of connections between wires and terminals within a coupling device terminating a cable for flat or ribbon cables H01R12/771

Abstract

A cable connector (2) includes a number of signal and power cables (26, 28), a dielectric housing (20) defining a number of passageways (204), a number of signal contacts (22) received in the housing and electrically connecting with the signal cables, and a number of power contacts (24) received in the passageways. Each passageway has a guiding channel (2041) and a receiving space (2043). Each power contact includes a contact portion (242) for mating with a complementary contact, a tail portion (244) electrically connecting with a corresponding power cable and a middle portion (240) connected between the contact portion and the tail portion. The contact portion has a projection (246) formed adjacent the middle portion. Each power contact is assembled to a corresponding passageway by moving the projection into the guiding channel and then rotating the projection into the receiving space.

Claims

1. A cable connector comprising:

a plurality of signal and power cables;

a dielectric housing defining a plurality of slots and passageways, each passageway comprising a guiding channel and a receiving space;

a plurality of signal contacts received in the slots and electrically connecting with the signal cables; and

a plurality of power contacts each comprising a contact portion for mating with a complementary contact, a tail portion electrically connecting with a corresponding power cable and a middle portion connected between the contact portion and the tail portion, the contact portion having a projection formed adjacent the middle portion, each power contact being assembled to a corresponding passageway by moving the projection into the guiding channel and then rotating the projection into the receiving space;

wherein the housing defines a receiving cavity in a mating surface thereof receiving the contact portions of the power contacts;

wherein the passageway and a corresponding power contact together define a gap therebetween, the gap extending through an inner surface of the receiving cavity and a connecting surface of the housing which is opposi8te to the mating surface to allow airflow therethrough;

wherein the passageway includes a first and a second section respectively with the guiding channel and the receiving space defined therein, and wherein the housing has a transition portion between the first and the second sections, the middle portion and the projection forwardly and rearwardly abutting against the transition portion, respectively;

wherein the housing comprises a support extending rearwardly from a connecting surface thereof, and wherein the power cables extend rearwardly beyond the connecting surface to be positioned on the support;

wherein the support comprises a connecting portion extending perpendicularly to the connecting surface and an exit extending downwardly and rearwardly from the connecting portion;

further comprising a strain relief attached to the exit and bonding the power cables together;

wherein the tail portion of the power contact defines a semi-cylindrical recess, and wherein the power cable comprises an exposed conductor received in the semi-cylindrical recess;

wherein each signal contact is stamped from a metal sheet and comprises an elongate plate, a pair of resilient arms extending upwardly and rearwardly from opposite sides adjacent a first end of the elongate plate for mating with the complementary contact, and a pair of retention wings extending upwardly from the opposite sides of the elongate plate and interferentially fixed in a corresponding slot.

2. An electrical connector comprising:

a dielectric housing defining a plurality of through slots and apertures, the housing being formed with a plurality of ribs in the aperture;

a plurality of signal contacts received in the through slots; and

a plurality of power contacts received in the apertures, each power contact comprising an engaging portion for engaging with a complementary contact, a tail portion projecting beyond a mounting surface of the housing for electrically connecting to a printed circuit board and an intermediate portion connecting the engaging portion with the tail portion, the ribs tightly pressing against the intermediate portion to retain the power contact in the aperture;

wherein the engaging portion is a hollow cylindrical post and comprises a plurality of elastic arms;

wherein the aperture includes a first large-dimensioned section and a second small-dimensioned section, the ribs being formed on inner circumferential faces of the first large-dimensioned section;

wherein the engaging portion comprises a plurality of elastic arms received in the second small-dimensioned section.

3. An electrical connector assembly comprising:

a cable connector comprising;

a first dielectric housing defining a receiving cavity in a mating surface thereof and forming a signal block in the receiving cavity;

a plurality of first signal contacts and first power contacts retained in the first housing, each first signal contact comprising a first mating portion received in the signal block, each first power contact comprising a first contact portion extend into the receiving cavity; and

a plurality of signal and power cables electrically connecting with the first signal contacts and the first power contacts, respectively; and

an electrical connector received in the receiving cavity of the cable connector, comprising;

a second dielectric housing defining a chamber in a mating surface thereof with the signal block received therein;

a plurality of second signal contacts received in the second housing and each comprising a second mating portion extending into the chamber and engaging with the first mating portion of a corresponding first signal contact; and

a plurality of second power contacts received in the second housing and each comprising a second contact portion engaging with the first contact portion of a corresponding first power contact;

wherein the first and the second housings are generally of a hexahedral configuration;

wherein the first housing defines an alignment slot communicating with the receiving cavity, and wherein the second housing has an alignment key received in the alignment slot;

wherein the first housing defines a latching slot communicating with the receiving cavity and has a latching portion beside the latching slot, and wherein the second housing has a retention latch received in the latching slot and latching with the latching portion;

wherein the second mating portion of the second signal contact is a hollow cylindrical post with the first mating portion of the first signal contact received therein.

4. An electrical connector assembly comprising:

an insulative housing including;

a small signal contact area close to a middle portion and a large power contact area by one side of said signal contact area;

an alignment slot formed in a periphery wall of the housing and close to said signal contact area;

a latch slot formed in the periphery wall of the housing and located by the other side of the signal contact area; and

a receiving cavity formed in a mating face of the housing except in the signal contact area;

wherein

said receiving cavity communicates with both said alignment slot and said latch slot;

further including another insulative housing assembled to the mating face and defining another power contact area and another signal contact area respectively coupled to the power contact area and the signal contact area, and further defining a deflectable latch and an undeflectable key respectively coupled to the latch slot and the alignment slot, wherein only said another signal contact area is provide with a chamber for receivably engaging said signal contact area under a condition that said chamber communicates with said latch.