Electrical connector having improved retention structure
First Claim
1. An electrical connector comprising:
- an insulative housing comprising a plurality of passageways, a pair of support portions extending from an end thereof in a longitudinal direction and spaced apart from each other, a pair of plates extending outwardly from two opposite side faces thereof in a direction which is perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, and a pair of depressed portions under the pair of plates and adjacent to the pair of support portions, each support portion having an upper side, a lower side opposite to the upper side and an outer side;
a plurality of electrical terminals received in the passageways of the insulative housing; and
a retention structure comprising a body portion and a pair of extensions extending from the body portion and engaging with the pair of depressed portions of the insulative housing, the body portion comprising a main plate, a pair of side portions extending from two opposite sides of the main plate, a pair of upper portions extending toward each other from the pair of side portions, the two upper portions and the main plate clamping the upper and lower sides of the two support portions, the two side portions clamping the outer sides of the two support portions.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An electrical connector (1) includes an insulative housing (10), a number of electrical terminals (20) received in the insulative housing, and a retention structure (40). The insulative housing includes a pair of support portions (13). Each support portion has an upper side, a lower side opposite to the upper side and an outer side. The retention structure includes a body portion (45), a pair of extensions (430) extending from the body portion and engaging with the insulative housing. The body portion includes a main plate (41), a pair of side portions (43) extending upwardly from two opposite sides of the main plate, a pair of upper portions (44) extending toward each other from the two side portions. The two upper portions and the main plate clamp the upper and lower sides of the support portions. The two side portions clamp the outer sides of the two support portions.
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Citations
19 Claims
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1. An electrical connector comprising:
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an insulative housing comprising a plurality of passageways, a pair of support portions extending from an end thereof in a longitudinal direction and spaced apart from each other, a pair of plates extending outwardly from two opposite side faces thereof in a direction which is perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, and a pair of depressed portions under the pair of plates and adjacent to the pair of support portions, each support portion having an upper side, a lower side opposite to the upper side and an outer side;
a plurality of electrical terminals received in the passageways of the insulative housing; and
a retention structure comprising a body portion and a pair of extensions extending from the body portion and engaging with the pair of depressed portions of the insulative housing, the body portion comprising a main plate, a pair of side portions extending from two opposite sides of the main plate, a pair of upper portions extending toward each other from the pair of side portions, the two upper portions and the main plate clamping the upper and lower sides of the two support portions, the two side portions clamping the outer sides of the two support portions. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. An electrical connector comprising:
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an insulative housing defining an elongated base with two pairs of support portions at two opposite ends thereof;
a plurality of terminals disposed in the housing;
a pair of retention structures respectively attached to the corresponding pair of support portions, each of said retention structures defining a main plate abutting against an underside of the corresponding pair of support portions, two side portions extending from the main plate and abutting against two opposite exterior sides of the corresponding pair of support portions, and two upper portions extending from the two side portions and abutting against an upper side of the corresponding pair of support portions, such that each of said retention structures securely grasps the corresponding pair of support portions; and
a folded plate reversely extending from and located under the main plate;
whereinthe main plate defines a first through hole, and the folded plate defines a second through hole in vertical alignment with said first hole. - View Dependent Claims (18)
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19. A method of assembling an electrical connector, comprising steps of:
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providing an insulative housing with an elongated base along a longitudinal direction and two pairs of support portions at two opposite ends thereof;
disposing a plurality of terminals in the housing;
attaching a pair of retention structures respectively to the corresponding pairs of support portions along said longitudinal direction, each of said retention structures defining a main plate with two side portions extending therefrom, and two upper portions extending from the two side portions, respectively, such that each of said retention structures securely grasps the corresponding pair of support portions with movement in said longitudinal direction relative to the housing; and
bending a pair of extensions to be engaged within depressed portions in the housing for preventing movement of the retention structures relative to the housing along said longitudinal direction, wherein said pair of extensions are respectively integrally formed with the corresponding retention structures and are originally not inwardly bent for casing assembling.
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Specification