Probe connector

• US 8,241,043 B1
• Filed: 04/01/2011
• Issued: 08/14/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 04/01/2011
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Cheng UEI Precision Industry Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Cheng UEI Precision Industry Company Limited
• Inventors: Lin, Jui-Pin
• Primary Examiner(s): Paumen, Gary F.
• Application Number:
  US13/078,207
• Time in Patent Office: 501 Days
• Field of Search: 439/39
• US Class Current: 439/39
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/2421 using coil springs
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6205 Two-part coupling devices held in engagement by a magnet
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/64 Means for preventing incorrect coupling

Abstract

A probe connector adapted for electrically interconnecting with a mated connector which has two portions thereof provided with different magnetism selected from a south magnetic pole and a north magnetic pole respectively, includes an insulating housing, a plurality of probe pins and a foolproof mechanism. The insulating housing defines a plurality of inserting holes penetrating therethrough for receiving the probe pins. The foolproof mechanism is made of magnetic material and includes an upper cover and a lower cover which have different magnetism selected from a north magnetic pole and a south magnetic pole respectively. The upper cover and the lower cover are mounted to two opposite sides of the insulating housing. The probe connector can be interconnected with the mated connector based on principles of homopolar repulsion and heteropolar attraction between the upper cover and the lower cover and the two portions of the mated connector.

Claims

1. A probe connector adapted for electrically interconnecting with a mated connector which has two portions thereof provided with different magnetism selected from a south magnetic pole and a north magnetic pole respectively, the probe connector comprising:

an insulating housing having a base body, a front surface of the base body protruding frontward to form a tongue portion, the insulating housing defining a plurality of inserting holes penetrating through the base body and the tongue portion along a front-to-rear direction;

a plurality of probe pins inserted forward in the corresponding inserting holes of the insulating housing, each of the probe pins having a touching portion capable of projecting forward out of the corresponding inserting hole; and

a foolproof mechanism made of magnetic material and including an upper cover and a lower cover which have different magnetism selected from a north magnetic pole and a south magnetic pole respectively, the upper cover and the lower cover being mounted to two opposite sides of the tongue portion and further end-to-end attracted with each other to be integrated together and enclose the tongue portion therebetween, wherein the probe connector can be interconnected with the mated connector based on principles of homopolar repulsion and heteropolar attraction between the upper cover and the lower cover of the foolproof mechanism and the two portions of the mated connector.

2. The probe connector as claimed in claim 1, wherein the upper cover has a first base board of which two opposite ends are bent downward to form two upper sheltering walls and a front extends downward to form a first front wall, the lower cover has a second base board of which two opposite ends are bent upward to form two lower sheltering walls and a front extends upward to form a second front wall, the upper cover and the lower cover are integrated with each other by means of the upper sheltering walls and the lower sheltering walls end-to-end attracted with one another, and the first front wall and the second front wall end-to-end attracted with each other, a plurality of receiving grooves is opened in the front wall and longitudinally penetrates through the front wall to be aligned with the inserting holes of the insulating housing for receiving the touching portions of the probe pins therein, respectively.

3. The probe connector as claimed in claim 2, wherein a first opening and a second opening are opened in a top surface and a bottom surface of the base body of the insulating housing respectively and further penetrate through the front surface of the base body, a first fastening portion and a second fastening portion are oppositely protruded in substantial middles of the first opening and the second opening respectively, a rear of the first base board of the upper cover extends rearward to form a first fastening board with a first hole opened in a substantial middle thereof, a rear of the second base board of the lower cover extends rearward to form a second fastening board with a second hole opened in a substantial middle thereof, the fastening boards are inserted rearward in the openings, with the fastening portions being fastened in the holes, respectively.

4. The probe connector as claimed in claim 3, wherein the first fastening portion and the second fastening portion are respectively fastened in the first hole and the second hole by means of ultrasonic welding technology.

5. The probe connector as claimed in claim 3, wherein the first hole of the upper cover is different from the second hole of the lower cover in diameter so as to discriminate the upper cover from the lower cover.