electrical connector with board locking means

• US 5,971,803 A
• Filed: 12/23/1997
• Issued: 10/26/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: McHugh, Bob, Pei, Wen-Chun
• Primary Examiner(s): Paumen, Gary F.
• Application Number:
  US08/997,294
• Time in Patent Office: 672 Days
• Field of Search: 439/567, 439/571-573
• US Class Current: 439/567
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 12/7029 not integral with the coupling device

Abstract

An electrical connector for use with a circuit board mainly comprises an insulative housing having a bottom wall which integrally defines therein a receiving portion consisting of a first cavity and a second cavity. A board locking means received within the receiving portion of the housing, includes a base which is integrally formed with a plurality of first attachment portions for retaining the base in the second cavity in a basic status. A pair of retention portions extend downward from the base for elastically latching with the circuit board. A pair of spaced extensive arms each extending downward from the base, integrally form thereon a second attachment portion for retention within the first cavity thereby orienting and retaining the board locking means in the receiving portion of the housing in an enhancement status. A second space further separates the extensive arms from the retention portions thereby reducing a mutual effect in the spatial relationship therebetween.

Claims

1. An electrical connector for use with a circuit board, comprising:

an insulative housing having a bottom wall facing the circuit board and defining a receiving portion therein which consists of a first cavity and a second cavity having a width less than that of first cavity;

a board locking means received within the receiving portion of the housing, including a base which is received within said second cavity and integrally formed with at least a cantilevered flexible retention portion extending downward beyond the receiving portion for latching with a corresponding through hole defined in the circuit board, at least a cantilevered flexible extensive arm extending downward from said base and having an attachment portion thereon for orienting and retaining the board locking means in the receiving portion of the housing in an enhancement status wherein a space separates the cantilevered flexible extensive arm from the cantilevered flexible retention portion.

2. The electrical connector as described in claim 1, wherein the base further forms a plurality of attachment portions on opposite lateral sides thereof for latchingly engaging opposite lateral walls in the second cavity.

3. The electrical connector as described in claim 1, wherein the cantilevered flexible retention portion further forms an engaging section and an inclined acting section.

4. An electrical connector for use with a circuit board, comprising:

an insulative housing having a bottom wall facing the circuit board and defining a receiving portion thereon,;

a board locking means received within the receiving portion of the housing, including a base which is integrally formed with a pair of cantilevered flexible retention portions extending downward beyond the receiving portion and separated from each other by a first space for elastically latching with a corresponding through hole defined in the circuit board, and with at least a cantilevered flexible extensive arm extending downward from said base wherein a second space separates the cantilevered flexible extensive arm from the cantilevered flexible retention portions;

a plurality of attachment portions arranged from a corresponding lateral side of the base to a corresponding edge of the cantilevered flexible extensive arm for orienting and retaining the board locking means in the receiving portion of the housing in an enhancement status.

5. The electrical connector as described in claim 4, wherein the attachment portions each consist of at least a barb formed on the lateral side of the base, and a triangular fin formed on the edge of the cantilevered flexible extensive arm.

6. The electrical connector as described in claim 4, wherein the attachment portions are arranged in alignment with each other.

7. A method for assembling a board locking means into a receiving portion of a housing of the connector, the steps comprising:

providing said receiving portion with a first lower cavity and a second upper cavity wherein said second upper cavity is smaller than said first lower cavity;

providing said board locking means with a base from which at least a cantilevered flexible retention portion extends downward beyond a receiving portion of the housing, a first attachment portion formed on the base, and a second attachment portion formed on a cantilevered flexible extensive arm extending downward from the base beside and spaced from the cantilevered flexible retention portion;

inserting the board locking means into said receiving portion wherein said first attachment portion attachment portion first engages within the second upper cavity of the housing for providing an initial retention thereof, thus said board locking means being in a basic status, and said second attachment portion successively engages within the first lower cavity of the housing for providing an additional retention, thus said board locking means being in an enhancement status.

8. An electrical connector for use with a circuit board, comprising:

an insulative housing having a bottom wall facing the circuit board and defining a receiving portion therein which consists of a first cavity and a second cavity having a width less than that of first cavity;

a board locking means received within the receiving portion of the housing, including a base which is received within said second cavity and integrally formed with at least a cantilevered flexible retention portion extending downward beyond the receiving portion for latching with a corresponding through hole defined in the circuit board, and cantilevered flexible extensive arms extending downward from said base and each having an attachment portion thereon to latchingly engage with a respective lateral wall in the first cavity for orienting and retaining the board locking means in the receiving portion of the housing in an enhancement status wherein a space separates the cantilevered flexible extensive arm from the cantilevered flexible retention portion.