US 11,894,635 B2 · Electrical connector

Abstract

An electrical connector includes an insulating body, a plurality of terminals fastened in the insulating body, an elastic element mounted to a surface of the insulating body, a camshaft and a shell. The elastic element has a body portion, at least one elastic arm slantwise extended frontward and outward, and then extended frontward from one end of the body portion, at least one extension arm slantwise extended outward and rearward from at least one side of the body portion, and a tail portion slantwise extended upward and rearward from the other end of the body portion. The camshaft is arranged at a rear end of the insulating body. The camshaft has a rotating shaft and a cam portion. The cam portion is arranged corresponding to the tail portion. The shell surrounds the insulating body, the plurality of the terminals, the elastic element and the camshaft.

Drawings

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Drawings

Claims15

Dependent claims

An electrical connector, comprising:

an insulating body;
a plurality of terminals fastened in the insulating body;
an elastic element mounted to a surface of the insulating body, the elastic element having a body portion, at least one elastic arm slantwise extended frontward and outward, and then extended frontward from one end of the body portion, at least one extension arm slantwise extended outward and rearward from at least one side of the body portion, and a tail portion slantwise extended upward and rearward from the other end of the body portion, a free end of the at least one elastic arm being bent downward to form a snap hook;
a camshaft arranged at a rear end of the insulating body, the camshaft having a rotating shaft and a cam portion, the cam portion being arranged corresponding to the tail portion of the elastic element;
and
a shell surrounding the insulating body, the plurality of the terminals, the elastic element and the camshaft, the shell having a through hole vertically penetrating through the shell, the through hole being corresponding to the snap hook;
wherein when the rotating shaft rotates, the cam portion pushes the tail portion to twist the at least one extension arm, so the at least one elastic arm moves outward, and the snap hook passes through the through hole.

4 more elements

An electrical connector, comprising:

an insulating body having a base portion, and an extension portion extended rearward from a rear end of the base portion, the extension portion extending upward or downward to form at least one positioning portion, the at least one positioning portion having a front clamping section and a rear clamping section, the front clamping section and the rear clamping section being longitudinally separated from each other to form a clamping groove between the front clamping section and the rear clamping section;
a plurality of terminals fastened in the base portion of the insulating body;
an elastic element mounted to a bottom surface of the insulating body, the elastic element having a body portion, at least one elastic arm slantwise extended frontward from one end of the body portion, at least one extension arm extended laterally from at least one side of the body portion, and a tail portion slantwise extended upward and rearward from the other end of the body portion, the at least one elastic arm being slightly inclined upward, a front end of the at least one elastic arm being bent downward to form a snap hook;
a camshaft having a rotating shaft and a cam portion, the cam portion being arranged corresponding to the tail portion of the elastic element, the rotating shaft being accommodated in the clamping groove of the at least one positioning portion;
and
a shell surrounding the insulating body, the plurality of the terminals and the elastic element, a bottom of the shell having a through hole vertically penetrating through the bottom of the shell, the through hole being corresponding to the snap hook;
wherein when the rotating shaft rotates in a forward direction, the rotating shaft drives the cam portion to rotate, the cam portion pushes the tail portion to twist the at least one extension arm, the at least one extension arm drives the at least one elastic arm to twist downward, the snap hook passes through the through hole;
and
wherein when the rotating shaft rotates in a reverse direction, the cam portion gradually breaks away from the tail portion to make the at least one extension arm elastically return to an original position, the at least one extension arm drives the at least one elastic arm to move to an initial position, the snap hook is receded from the through hole.

6 more elements

An electrical connector cooperated with a docking connector, the docking connector including an outer shell, two sides of a bottom wall of the outer shell defining two openings, the electrical connector comprising:

an insulating body;
a plurality of terminals fastened in the insulating body;
an elastic element mounted to a surface of the insulating body, the elastic element having a body portion, two elastic arms slantwise extended frontward and outward, and then extended frontward from two sides of one end of the body portion, two extension arms slantwise extended outward and rearward from two front ends of two sides of the body portion, and a tail portion slantwise extended upward and rearward from the other end of the body portion, the two elastic arms being slightly inclined upward, a front end of each elastic arm being bent downward to form a snap hook;
a camshaft arranged at a rear end of the insulating body, the camshaft having a rotating shaft and a cam portion, a front of the cam portion being outwardly arched along a radial direction of the rotating shaft to form a cam surface, the cam portion being arranged corresponding to the tail portion of the elastic element;
and
a shell surrounding the insulating body, the plurality of the terminals, the elastic element and the camshaft, a bottom of the shell having two through holes vertically penetrating through the bottom of the shell, the two through holes being corresponding to the two snap hooks;
wherein when the rotating shaft rotates in a forward direction, the rotating shaft drives the cam portion to rotate, the cam surface of the cam portion slides frontward and upward to a tip of the tail portion along a rear surface of the tail portion, the cam surface of the cam portion pushes the tail portion to twist the two extension arms, the two extension arms drive the two elastic arms to twist downward to abut against an inner surface of the shell, the two snap hooks are buckled to the two through holes, the two snap hooks project out of the shell through the two through holes, and the two snap hooks are buckled to the two openings of the docking connector, the electrical connector is locked to the docking connector;
and
wherein when the rotating shaft rotates in a reverse direction, the rotating shaft drives the cam surface of the cam portion to rotate to slide downward from the tip of the tail portion, the cam surface of the cam portion gradually breaks away from the tip of the tail portion to make the two extension arms elastically return to two original positions, the two extension arms drive the two elastic arms to move to two initial positions, the two snap hooks are receded from the two openings and the two through holes, so the electrical connector is unlocked with the docking connector.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Description6,730 words

Summary1,743 words

#The present application is based on, and claims priority from, China Patent Application No. 202121751453.X, filed Jul. 29, 2021, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.

#The present invention generally relates to an electrical connector, and more particularly to an electrical connector with a bolt-lock function.

#A Universal Serial Bus (USB) connector is the most widely used connector among connectors which are frequently used in various electronic products. With the development of sciences and technologies, more and more kinds of the USB connectors are developed, such as USB 2.0, USB 3.0, Micro USB, Mini USB or USB Type-C. The above-mentioned kinds of the USB connectors are appropriate for different usage situations. The USB connector is an electrical connector.

Brief description of the drawings7 figures

#The present invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art by reading the following description, with reference to the attached drawings, in which:

#FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an electrical connector in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, wherein the electrical connector is connected to a docking connector;

#FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the electrical connector in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention, wherein the electrical connector is separated from the docking connector;

Detailed description4,785 words

#Referring to FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, an electrical connector 100 in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention is shown. The electrical connector 100 is cooperated with a docking connector 200. The electrical connector 100 is connected with the docking connector 200. In the preferred embodiment, the electrical connector 100 is a male USB (Universal Serial Bus) connector, and the electrical connector 100 is a USB cable connector. The docking connector 200 is a female USB connector, and the docking connector 200 is a USB board end connector. The docking connector 200 is able to be marked in an appropriate way. A type of the electrical connector 100 in accordance with the present invention is without being limited. The electrical connector 100 is also able to be a HDMI (High-Definition Multimedia Interface) connector, a D-Sub connector or a X-SFP (Small Form-Factor Pluggable) connector, etc.

#Referring to FIG. 3 to FIG. 5, the electrical connector 100 includes an insulating body 1, a plurality of terminals 2, an elastic element 3, a camshaft 4 and a shell 5. The plurality of the terminals 2 are fastened in the insulating body 1. The elastic element 3 is mounted to a surface of the insulating body 1. The elastic element 3 is mounted to a bottom surface of the insulating body 1. The camshaft 4 is arranged at a rear end of the insulating body 1, and the camshaft 4 contacts with a rear end of the elastic element 3. The shell 5 surrounds the insulating body 1, the plurality of the terminals 2, the elastic element 3 and the camshaft 4.

#Referring to FIG. 2, the docking connector 200 includes an outer shell 201. A top wall, a bottom wall and two side walls of the outer shell 201 define a plurality of openings 203. Specifically, two sides of the top wall of the outer shell 201 define two openings 203. Two sides of the bottom wall of the outer shell 201 define two openings 203. Each side wall of the outer shell 201 defines one opening 203. A front inner wall of each opening 203 of the top wall and the bottom wall of the outer shell 201 extends rearward and towards a front end of the electrical connector 100, and then is arched inward to form a spring arm 202. A rear inner wall of each opening 203 of the two side walls extends frontward and then is arched inward to form another spring arm 202. Each spring arm 202 of the docking connector 200 is buckled with a corresponding structure of the shell 5 of the electrical connector 100 for electrically contacting with the electrical connector 100 and increasing a friction force between the electrical connector 100 and the docking connector 200.

Facts

Application

17/855,759Filed 30 Jun 2022

Priority

CN 202121751453.X29 Jul 2021

Published

US 2023/0029582 A12 Feb 2023

Granted

6 Feb 2024

Term ends

20 Sep 2042

Estimated · how

20 years from earliest known nonprovisional domestic filing plus recorded patent term adjustment, including 82 days of adjustment. Maintenance-fee lapses, terminal disclaimers and statutory extensions have not been checked. The continuity chain may be incomplete; this is not an enforceability determination.

Classification8 codes

H01R 13/639
Means for facilitating engagement or disengagement of coupling parts or for holding them in engagement: additional means for holding or locking…
H01R 24/62
Contacts spaced along planar side wall transverse to longitudinal axis of engagement: sliding engagements with one side only, e.g. modular jack…
H01R 13/6215
Bolt, set screw or screw clamp: using one or more bolts
H01R 13/6275
Snap or like fastening: latching arms not integral with the housing

Timeline

29 Jul 2021Priority claimedCN 202121751453.X
30 Jun 2022Application filedUS 17/855,759
30 Jun 2022Assigned to Cheng Uei Precision Industry Co., Ltd.assignment of assignor's interest
2 Feb 2023PublishedUS 2023/0029582 A1
6 Feb 2024GrantedUS 11,894,635 B2
12 Oct 2026TodayWithin its term
20 Sep 2042Term endsEstimated, includes 82 days of adjustment

Electrical connector

Life of this patent

Electrical connector

Life of this patent

Life of this patent

Abstract

Drawings

Drawings

Claims15

Description6,730 words

Drawings

Classification8 codes

Life of this patent

Description6,730 words