Connector assembly having fixed unitary fasteners for mounting to a panel
AssigneeMaxconn Incorporated
InventorTeh-Sou Lien
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An electrical connector assembly and method includes a connector body and at least one unitary fastening member that is deformed at a central region of the fastening member after insertion through a mounting hole in the connector body. Projecting integrally from the deformed region of the fastening member is an internally threaded post which may receive cable screws of a cable mated with the connector assembly. In a preferred embodiment, the fastening member secures a ground strap and a faceplate to the connector body, and the internally threaded post is inserted through a panel of a computer system component.
Claims18
An electrical connector assembly comprising,
- a connector body having a face surface and a rear surface and having an array of contact elements, said connector body having a mounting hole extending to said face surface, and
- a unitary fastening member passing through said mounting hole, said unitary fastening member having an expanded portion at said rear surface of said connector body and having a deformed portion at said face surface, said unitary fastening member having an internally threaded section projecting outwardly beyond said deformed portion for coupling to an externally threaded fastener of a second connector, said expanded portion and said deformed portion each being larger than said mounting hole so that said unitary fastening member is fixed to said connector body.
An electrical connector assembly comprising,
- a dielectric connector body having a front surface and a rear surface and having a plurality of conductive contacts, said connector body having a mounting hole extending from said front surface to said rear surface,
- a faceplate coupled to said front surface of said connector body, and
- a single-piece fastener extending through said faceplate and said mounting hole, said fastener having a first end at said rear surface of said connector body, said first end having a flange to prevent entry into said mounting hole, said fastener having an external shoulder, a portion of said external shoulder being compressed to abut said faceplate, thereby securing said faceplate and said fastener to said connector body, said fastener having an internally threaded post integrally extending outwardly from said compressed portion.
A method of forming an electrical connector assembly for mounting in a panel comprising,
- providing a connector body having mounting holes on opposed sides of an array of contact elements,
- inserting unitary fasteners through said mounting holes such that a first end of each unitary fastener is prevented from entering the respective mounting hole and a second internally threaded end projects outwardly from said mounting hole, and
- deforming an intermediate region of each unitary fastener such that said deformed intermediate region combines with said first end to sandwich said connector body therebetween, thereby securing said unitary fasteners to said connector body in a position in which said second internally threaded ends project outwardly from a panel for receiving externally threaded fastening members.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.