Electrical connectors with air-circulation features

• US 7,726,982 B2
• Filed: 05/04/2007
• Issued: 06/01/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/15/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: FCI Americas Technology LLC (Amphenol Corporation)
• Original Assignee: FCI Americas Technology Incorporated (FCI)
• Inventors: Ngo, Hung Viet
• Primary Examiner(s): Leon; Edwin A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): GIRARDI, VANESSA MARY
• Application Number:
  US11/744,428
• Publication Number:
  US 20070293084A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,124 Days
• Field of Search: 439/79, 439/101, 439/190, 439/206, 439/485, 439/637
• US Class Current: 439/79
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 12/7088 Arrangements for power supply
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 12/712 co-operating with the surface of the printed circuit or with a coupling device exclusively provided on the surface of the printed circuit H01R12/72 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 12/716 Coupling device provided on the PCB
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 12/724 containing contact members forming a right angle
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 12/737 Printed circuits being substantially perpendicular to each other for printed connections H05K3/366
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/42 Securing in a demountable manner
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/642 by position or shape of contact members

Abstract

Embodiments of electrical connectors include features that facilitate circulation of air through and around the electrical connectors. The air can cool the power contacts of the electrical connectors, thereby allowing the power contacts to operate at higher currents that would otherwise be possible.

Claims

1. An electrical connector system for mounting on a substrate comprising:

a first electrical connector comprising a first power contact and a first electrically insulative housing that receives the first power contact, wherein;

a first aperture is formed in the first housing;

the first aperture is aligned with a mating portion of the first power contact whereby air heated by the first power contact can exit the first power contact by way of the first aperture;

a first recess is formed in the first housing;

the first recess is positioned to face the substrate so that the first recess and the substrate define a first passage extending from a side portion of the first housing when the first electrical connector is mounted on the substrate; and

a portion of the first power contact extends through the first recess;

whereby air from the environment around the first electrical connector can pass between the first housing and substrate and over the first power contact when the first electrical connector is mounted on the substrate;

a second electrical connector that mates with the first electrical connector, the second electrical connector comprising a second power contact and a second electrically insulative housing that receives the second power contact, wherein a second aperture is formed in the second housing, the second aperture is aligned with a mating portion of the second power contact whereby air heated by the second power contact can exit the second power contact by way of the second aperture;

a second recess is formed in the second housing;

wherein the first recess, the first aperture, the second recess and the second aperture are interconnected when the first and second electrical connectors are mated; and

a third power contact, wherein (i) the first and third power contacts each comprises a tab, (ii) the first housing comprises a first and a second cavity formed therein that receive the respective first and third power contacts, and (iii) the tab of the first power contact interferedly contacts the first housing when the first power contact is partially inserted into the second cavity thereby preventing installation of the first power contact in the second cavity, and the tab of the third power contact interferedly contacts the first housing when the third power contact is partially inserted into the first cavity thereby preventing installation of the third power contact in the first cavity.

2. The connector system of claim 1, wherein a another aperture is formed in the first housing and is aligned with the first aperture and the mating portion of the first power contact, whereby air heated by the first power contact can circulate over the mating portion of the first power contact by way of the apertures.

3. The electrical connector system of claim 1, wherein the first aperture of the first electrical connector overlaps with the second aperture of the second electrical connector when the first and second electrical connectors are mated together.

4. The electrical connector system of claim 1, wherein the first electrical connector further comprises the third power contact.

5. The connector system of claim 1, wherein the first power contact comprises a terminal pin that engages the substrate, and a portion of the terminal pin is located within the first recess formed in the bottom portion of the first housing.

6. The connector system of claim 5, wherein the first power contact further comprises a plate-like body member and a substantially S-shaped portion that adjoins the body member and the terminal pin, wherein the a portion of the S-shaped portion is located within the first recess.

7. The connector system of claim 1, wherein the first power contact comprises a plurality of contact beams and the first aperture is aligned with the contact beams.

8. The connector system of claim 7, wherein the contact beams are located in a cavity defined by the first housing and the first aperture places the cavity in fluid communication with the environment around the first electrical connector.

9. The connector system of claim 8, wherein the first aperture is located above the contact beams, and another aperture is formed in the first housing below the contact beams whereby air can circulate through the cavity and over the contact beams by way of the apertures.

10. The connector system of claim 8, wherein the first aperture facilitates air circulation in a first direction, and the first recess facilitates air circulation in a second direction substantially perpendicular to the first direction.

11. The connector system of claim 10, wherein an end of the cavity is in fluid communication with the environment around the first electrical connector, and the cavity extends substantially in a third direction substantially perpendicular to the first and second directions whereby the cavity facilitates air circulation in the third direction.

12. An electrical connector, comprising:

an electrically insulative housing; and

a first power contact mounted in the housing and having a mating portion, wherein the housing has an aperture formed therein and aligned with the mating portion of the first contact whereby air heated by the power contact can exit the power contact by way of the aperture; and

a second power contact, wherein (i) each power contact comprises a tab, (ii) the housing comprises a first and a second cavity formed therein that receive the respective first and second power contacts, and (iii) the tab of the first power contact interferedly contacts the housing when the first power contact is partially inserted into the second cavity thereby preventing installation of the first power contact in the second cavity, and the tab of the second power contact interferedly contacts the housing when the second power contact is partially inserted into the first cavity thereby preventing installation of the second power contact in the first cavity.

13. The electrical connector of claim 12, configured to mate with a corresponding connector such that the aperture overlaps with a complementary aperture of the corresponding connector.

14. The electrical connector of claim 12, wherein (i) a passage is defined by the housing and a substrate when the electrical connector is mounted on the substrate, (ii) the passage extends from a first side of the housing to an opposite second side of the housing, (iii) a portion of the power contact extends into the passage, (iv) at least a portion of the aperture terminates at the passage, and (v) whereby air from the environment around the electrical connector can pass between the housing and substrate and over the power contact.

15. The electrical connector of claim 12, wherein the housing has a top portion having the aperture formed therein, and a bottom portion having another aperture formed therein and aligned with the mating portion of the contact.

16. The electrical connector of claim 15, wherein the bottom portion of the housing has a recess formed therein, and the power contact extends through the recess.

17. An electrical connector, comprising:

a first power contact comprising a tab;

a second power contact comprising a tab; and

a housing having a first and a second cavity formed therein that receive the respective first and second power contacts, wherein the tab of the first power contact interferedly contacts the housing when the first power contact is partially inserted into the second cavity thereby preventing installation of the first power contact in the second cavity, and the tab of the second power contact interferedly contacts the housing when the second power contact is partially inserted into the first cavity thereby preventing installation of the second power contact in the first cavity.

18. The electrical connector of claim 17, wherein:

the first power contact includes a first and a second half, the first half having a first and a second projection formed thereon, and the second half having a first and a second hole formed therein that each receive an associated one of the projections when the first half is stacked against the second half, the projections being spaced apart on the first half by a first distance; and

the second power contact includes a first and a second half, the first half of the second power contact having a first and a second projection formed thereon, and the second half of the second power contact having a first and a second hole formed therein that each receive an associated one of the projections of the second power contact when the first half of the second power contact is stacked against the second half of the second power contact, the projections formed on the first half of the second power contact being spaced apart by a second distance different that the first distance.

19. The electrical connector of claim 17, wherein the first power contact and the second power contact are of different sizes.

20. The electrical connector of claim 17, wherein the tab of the first power contact is disposed at a first location relative to an upper surface of the first power contact, and the tab of the second power contact is disposed at a second location relative to an upper surface of the second power contact, and the second location is different than the first location.

21. The electrical connector of claim 17, wherein the first cavity includes a window that receives the tab of the first power contact, and the second cavity includes a window that receives the tab of the second power contact.

22. The electrical connector of claim 21, wherein the window of the first cavity and the tab of the second power contact are misaligned when the second power contact is partially inserted into the first cavity;

and the window of the second cavity and the tab of the first power contact are misaligned when the first power contact is partially inserted into the second cavity.

23. The electrical connector of claim 17, configured to be mounted on a substrate, wherein an aperture is formed in the housing;

the aperture is aligned with a mating portion of the first power contact whereby air heated by the first power contact can exit the first power contact by way of the aperture;

a recess is formed in the housing;

the first recess is positioned to face the substrate so that the recess and the substrate define a passage extending from a side portion of the first housing when the electrical connector is mounted on the substrate; and

a portion of the first power contact extends through the recess such that air from the environment around the first electrical connector can pass between the first housing and the substrate and over the first power contact when the first electrical connector is mounted on the substrate.

24. The electrical connector of claim 23, wherein the recess and the aperture are configured to interconnect with a corresponding recess and aperture of a complementary connector when the electrical connector is mated with the complementary connector.