JP2969314B2 - Electrical connector - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an electrical connector, and more particularly to an electrical connector having a holding member for temporarily holding a connector on a printed circuit board (hereinafter simply referred to as a board) prior to soldering.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Various structures are known for a solder tail portion for fixing a connector at a predetermined position on a substrate before soldering the solder tail portion of a contact of the connector to the substrate. U.S. Pat.
There is a structure disclosed in 958,063. This US patent discloses a plurality of solder tails integral with a coil support inserted into a hole in the substrate. Note that the solder tail snaps into holes in the board and is partially fixed to the board until soldering is complete. The shape is such that the bend 32 engages the corner of the hole under the substrate and co-centers with the bend 32 on the opposite side of the diameter.
Having. Thereby, the two bent portions effectively hold the coil supporting portion with respect to the substrate. In this configuration, each lead engages only one side of the hole, requiring a large force from the opposing lead to obtain sufficient retention.

[0003] A similar structure is also disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open No. 57-86270. This publication discloses a pin header connector in which some of the posts have bends in order to hold the connector to the board prior to soldering.

US Pat. No. 2,754,486 discloses a lead structure of an electronic component having a round wire lead made of annealed copper. The leads are bent 90 ° with respect to the axis of the electronic component, and each of the leads has a dimple or kink formed in the opposite direction. When the two leads are inserted into the hole in the substrate, the round portion of the kink engages one side of the hole and the free end of the lead is pressed against the other side of the hole. Upon further engagement, the free end extends through the hole and hooks under the corner of the substrate. Such structures can easily deform beyond the elastic limit, in part due to lack of shape retention of the annealed copper wire, and in part due to the shape of the structure, when tolerances vary extremely. Would.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to allow a solder tail of a connector to be easily inserted into a hole in a board, and a selected solder tail can be reliably engaged with two opposing side surfaces of each hole. Snap-fitting into place, thereby positively abutting the connector housing against the substrate surface.

[0006]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An electrical connector according to the present invention includes a connector housing and a contact having a solder tail mounted on the connector housing and mounted on a circuit board protruding from one side of the connector housing. Wherein the solder tail portion extends downward from the one surface of the connector housing substantially perpendicularly to the circuit board.
A beam, a second beam outwardly bent from the first beam substantially perpendicular to the first beam, and a second beam bent downward from the second beam substantially perpendicular to the second beam. A third beam, the third beam being below the first surface and being separated from the first surface by the first beam.
A first bend that is bent inward toward the beam and extends to the apex, and a second bend that is bent downward and outward from the apex of the first bend and extends to an end point near the free end And the terminal point of the second bent portion is located outside the outer end of the second beam, and when the solder tail is inserted into a through hole of the circuit board, The apex engages an inner surface of an inner wall of the through hole, and the terminal point engages a lower corner intersecting an outer surface of the inner wall of the through hole opposite to the inner surface. And

[0007]

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a preferred embodiment of a connector with a holding portion according to the present invention. FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view showing the plug connector. FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view showing a receptacle connector having a holding portion according to the present invention. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing a fitted state of the connectors of FIGS. 1 and 2. 4 to 6 are cross-sectional views showing a process in which the connector of FIG. 2 is incorporated into a board.

Referring to FIG. 1, the plug connector 8 includes an insulative connector housing 10 having a main body 12, side walls (shrouds) 14, and a bottom surface 16 for mounting to a substrate. Two rows of parallel cavities to receive male signal contacts 20
18 is formed along the longitudinal direction of the housing 10.
Each contact 20 has a contact portion 22 for making electrical contact with the receptacle contact, and a post or solder tail portion 24 extending from the bottom surface 16 and inserted into a plated through hole in the substrate. Housing 10 has a plurality of openings 26 for receiving posts or solder tails 28 of ground busbar 30.
This solder tail 28 also extends from the bottom surface 16 and is inserted into a through hole in the board. The plug connector 8 mates with a receptacle connector 40 having an insulative connector housing 42 (FIG. 2).

In FIG. 2, a plurality of signal receptacle contacts 44 are disposed in two rows of parallel cavities 46 corresponding to and matching the cavities 18 of the plug connector 8. The receptacle connector 40 has a receptacle bus bar 48 composed of two opposing halves 50 and 52. Each half has a plurality of solder tails 54. The bus bar halves 50, 52 are disposed in the grooves 56 of the connector housing. Solder tail
54 protrudes from the bottom surface 60 of the housing and is inserted into a plated through hole 58 in the substrate 59. Further, each signal receptacle contact 44 projects from the bottom surface 60 and
, Or a solder tail portion 45 to be inserted into the through holes 62 and 64. Substrate 59 has first and second surfaces 61,63. The through holes 62 cross these surfaces at the upper and lower corners 65, 67 shown in FIG. For more information on plug connector 8 and receptacle connector 40, see U.S. Pat. No. 4,762,500, issued Aug. 9, 1988.

FIG. 3 shows a cross section of the mated connectors 8, 40 with the solder tail 45 inserted into the plated through hole 62 of the substrate 59. The connector housing 42 contacts the first surface 61 of the board 59 and
Projection (stand-off) 69 that supports the bottom surface 60 almost parallel to 61
Having. The solder tail is soldered in the through hole, but the solder is omitted from FIG. 3 for clarity.

FIG. 4 shows that the solder tail portion 45 has a through hole 62.
Receptacle connector 40 before fully inserted into
Is shown. Solder tails 45 and 54 have 6 through holes each
Note that the solder tails 45 are being inserted into 2, 58 but are not in contact with each other and the solder tail 45 is unloaded. As best shown in FIG. 4, the signal contact 44 has a tail 45 extending linearly from the bottom surface 60 of the connector housing 42 and having a center line 72 extending generally orthogonally downward with respect to the substrate 59. A first beam (beam) 70 is formed. The tail 45 is substantially perpendicular to the first beam and bent in a first direction away from the tail 54 of the ground bus 48,
A beam 74 is formed. This second beam 74 is substantially parallel to the surface 61 of the substrate. The tail 45 is then bent away from the bottom surface 60 to form a third beam 76. The third beam is substantially orthogonal to the second beam and substantially parallel to the first beam and terminates at a free end 78.

The third beam 76 is separated from the bottom surface 60 and extends in a direction approaching the extension of the center line 72 to reach the first vertex 82.
It has a bent portion 80. The second bent portion 84 extends away from both the extension of the center line 72 and the bottom surface 60 by the vertex 82 and reaches a terminal point 86 near the free end 78. In other words, it is bent in a substantially “C” shape having a vertex 82 and a bent portion 86.
A reinforcing rib 88 shown in FIG. 4 may be additionally provided on the third beam 76 for the purpose described below. First bending portion 80,
The second bent portion 84 and the apex 82 form a depression or kink in the third beam 76 and project outward with a dimension larger than the diameter of the through hole 62. Therefore, when the third beam is inserted into the through hole 62, the first bent portion 80, the second bent portion 84, the vertex 82, the third
The straight part of the beam deforms and extends slightly linearly. This condition is shown in FIG. 5 with the solder tails 45, 54 further inserted into the respective through holes 62, 58. In this insertion process, the second bent portion 84 is engaged with the upper corner 65 on one surface of the through hole, and the cam 82 is moved away from the center line 72 so that the vertex 82 can enter the through hole 62. Combine.
This causes the free end 78 to be pressed against the wall opposite the through hole and the kink is slightly stretched to accommodate the small dimensions of the through hole. Further, the angle A at the connecting portion between the second beam and the third beam also becomes slightly larger. However, this elongation is within the elastic limit of the tail 45. As the insertion proceeds, the free end 78 is substantially below the second surface 63 and the bend 84 engages the lower corner 67 of the through hole, as best shown in FIG. The vertex 82 engages the wall of the through hole. Since the kink elastically deforms while passing through the through hole 62, the bent portion 84 and the free end 78 rotate counterclockwise about the vertex 82 as an axis. Thus, when the free end 78 emerges from beneath the surface 63, the lower corner 67 becomes bent.
The cam engages along the sloped surface of 84 to create a downward force on the tail 76. This force causes the connector housing 42 to snap engage the first surface 61 in turn. Connector 40
And the accumulation of tolerances of various portions of the substrate 59 may prevent the lower corner 67 from camming with the free end 78 and camming with the bend 84. In such a case, the standoff 69 abuts the first surface 61 while the lower corner 67 is engaged with the free end 78. Even in this case, the substantially downward force applied to the tail portion 76 causes the connector housing to snap into place.

[0013] As shown in FIG.
When the second beam and the third beam are in contact with the surface 61 of 59, the angle A formed by the second beam and the third beam is slightly larger than the angle shown in FIG. First
Since the deformation of the beam, the second beam and the third beam are all within the limits of the respective elastic limits, no plastic deformation occurs. Connector 40 is board 59
Is slightly raised, the angle A tends to be somewhat larger. This is because the second beam tends to rotate together with the first beam and the third beam at the connecting portion, and as a result, the third beam tends to rotate further counterclockwise around the vertex 82 so that the bending portion 84
Is pressed more strongly by the lower corners 67, thereby trying to prevent the connector from being lifted further.

If the connector 4 is to be removed before soldering, the substrate 59 is placed on a flat hard surface with the free end 78 facing downward and brought into contact. Next, the substrate 59 is strongly pressed toward the hard surface, and the apex 82 of each tail portion is
The free end is moved above the through hole 62 until it comes out. In this embodiment, the solder tail portion 78 is formed of beryllium copper or another suitable spring material, and has a cross section of about 0.18 mm in length,
It is an approximately rectangle about 0.46 mm wide. For beryllium copper, 0.
Since the size of 18mm is relatively thin and flexible,
As shown, a reinforcing rib 88 is formed on the third beam to increase the force pressing the bent portion 84 against the lower corner portion 67.

It will be understood that the kink structure comprising the first bend 80, the second bend 84, the apex 82 and the optional reinforcing rib 88 is a selected example of the solder tail 45. The number of solder tails where kinks are formed depends on the magnitude of the connector holding force required in each case. In the 100-pin microstrip connector of the present embodiment,
Kinks are formed on the three solder tails at both ends of each row,
As a result, there are twelve solder tails having a kink structure. On the other hand, a kink is not shown in the solder tail portion 28 of the plug connector 8, but a kink may be provided as described above.

[0016]

According to the electric connector of the present invention, the solder tail portion extends downward from one surface of the connector housing substantially perpendicular to the circuit board, and the first beam extends outward from the first beam. A second beam bent substantially perpendicular to the second beam, and a third beam bent substantially perpendicularly to the second beam downward from the second beam, the crank structure comprising: A beam bent downwardly away from the one surface and inward toward the first beam and extending to a vertex; and a beam bent downward and outward from the vertex of the first bent portion to be free. And a second bent portion extending to the terminal point near the end, thereby forming a kink structure. Therefore, the spring length from the first beam of the crank structure to the kink structure is long, and the kink structure is formed. When the snap engagement of the It will be increased further. For this reason,
It is possible to positively know whether or not the electric connector and the circuit board are properly fitted. Further, the terminal point of the second bent portion engaging with the lower corner of the through hole of the circuit board for reinforcing the friction holding by the apex of the first bent portion of the solder tail portion is related to the inner surface of the inner wall of the through hole. Since it is located outside the apex of the first bent portion and the outer end of the second beam that forms the crank structure, the length from the center line of the first beam that forms the crank structure to the end point is the first beam. Is longer than the length from the center line to the apex and the length from the center line of the first beam to the outer end of the second beam. When the electrical connector is held on the circuit board, the holding by the solder tail is more stable. It has the effect of doing.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view showing a plug connector.

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view showing a receptacle connector with a holding section according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing a fitted state of the connector of FIGS. 1 and 2;

4 is a cross-sectional view showing a state before the connector of FIG. 2 is sufficiently inserted into a board.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view showing a state where insertion has progressed from FIG.

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view showing a state where insertion is further advanced than in FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

 40 Connector 42 Connector housing 44 Contact 45 Solder tail 62, 64 Through hole 67 Corner 78 Free end 80, 84 Holder 82 Apex 86 Bent

Continuation of the front page (56) References JP-A-56-114078 (JP, U) (58) Fields investigated (Int. Cl. ⁶ , DB name) H01R 9/09

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. An electrical connector comprising: a connector housing; and a contact mounted on the connector housing and having a solder tail for mounting on a circuit board protruding from one surface of the connector housing. A first beam extending downward from the one surface of the connector housing substantially perpendicular to the circuit board; and a first beam outwardly bent from the first beam substantially perpendicular to the first beam. A second beam, and a third beam bent downward from the second beam substantially orthogonally to the second beam, wherein the third beam is located below the first beam and separated from the one surface. The first that is bent inward toward and extends to the top
A bent portion and a second bent portion bent downward and outward from the apex of the first bent portion and extending to a terminal point near a free end, wherein the terminal point of the second bent portion is Positioned outside the outer end of the second beam, and when the solder tail is inserted into the through hole of the circuit board, the apex engages with the inner surface of the inner wall of the through hole, The electrical connector of claim 1, wherein the termination point engages a lower corner of the inner wall of the through hole that intersects an outer surface of the inner wall opposite to the inner surface.