Electrical connector

• US 8,986,049 B2
• Filed: 03/29/2011
• Issued: 03/24/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/29/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Molex LLC (KOCH Industries Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Molex Incorporated
• Inventors: Kamarauskas, Michael R., Kestur Nagarajan, Nagesh, Chua, Jessie
• Primary Examiner(s): PAUMEN, GARY F
• Application Number:
  US13/637,380
• Publication Number:
  US 20130237093A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,456 Days
• Field of Search: 439/660, 439/607.41
• US Class Current: 439/660
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/2442 with a single cantilevered beam
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/506 assembled by snap action of the parts
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/648 Protective earth or shield arrangements on coupling devices , e.g. anti-static shielding coaxially arranged shields H01R24/38
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6581 Shield structure

Abstract

An electrical connector includes an insulator body, a number of terminals arranged on the insulator body, and a shell surrounding the insulator body. The insulator body comprises a main body and a mating portion extending forward from the main body, the front end of the mating portion has a mating aperture, and the top and bottom sides of the mating aperture have a number of terminal grooves. Each terminal includes an elastic portion, a contact portion extending from the elastic portion, and an abutting portion located at the end of the contact portion. The terminals can be configured as to become gradually thinner toward the abutting portion.

Claims

1. An electrical connector, comprising:

at least one insulator body, the insulator body comprises a main body and a mating portion extending forward from the main body, the mating portion including a front end with a mating aperture, the mating aperture having a top and a bottom side and each of the sides includes a number of terminal grooves that extend vertically through the sides, each ending in an abutting wall that extends between the front end and the terminal groove;

a plurality of terminals supported by the insulator body and arranged in two rows and positioned partially in the terminal grooves, each terminal comprising a base portion, a soldering portion extending backward from the base portion, an elastic portion extending forward from the base portion, an arched contact portion extending forward from the elastic portion, and an abutting portion located at a forward end of the arched contact portion; and

a shell surrounding the insulator body, wherein the mating aperture is in communication with the shield via the terminal grooves and wherein the abutting portion of the terminals is elastically supported in the respective terminal grooves between the abutting wall and the shell.

2. The electrical connector of claim 1, wherein the abutting portion has a first thickness and the elastic portion has a second thickness greater than the first thickness.

3. The electrical connector of claim 2, further comprising a top row frame and a bottom row frame;

wherein the terminals are fixed within the top row frame and the bottom row frame.

4. The electrical connector of claim 3, wherein one of the top row frame and the bottom row frame has a number of positioning holes and the other has a number of corresponding positioning posts, the positioning posts configured to be inserted into the positioning holes.

5. The electrical connector of claim 3, wherein one of the top row frame and the bottom row frame has a number of protruding steps and the other has a number of grooves that are aligned with the steps so as to form an anti-slip structure.

6. The electrical connector of claim 1, wherein the insulator body further comprises two flanges extending backward from the main body;

each flange having a fixing hole;

the electrical connector further including a top row frame and a bottom row frame contained within these two flanges, the upper surface of the top row frame and the bottom surface of the bottom row frame each have a wedge that is lower in front and higher in back, wherein the wedges are contained correspondingly within the fixing holes of these two flanges.

7. The electrical connector of claim 1, wherein the main body of the insulator has a reinforcement portion protruding forward on each of the two sides of the mating portion.

8. The electrical connector of claim 1, wherein the shell has a main shell and mating shell corresponding to the main body and mating portion of the insulator body, and the main shell has at least two protruding portions protruding inward;

wherein the protruding portions are bent and fastened to the main body.

9. An electrical connector of claim 1, wherein starting from the junction of the elastic portion and the contact portion the thickness of the terminals is gradually reduced from a first thickness to a second thickness as the abutting portion.

10. An electrical connector of claims 9, wherein the abutting portion of the terminals is configured to exert a preloaded force against the abutting wall of the insulator body prior to being engaged by a mating connector.