# US 9,039,428 B2 · Board-to-board connector > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,039,428 B2 - Document ID: US9039428B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 13/819,362 - Filed: 2011-09-08 - Published: 2013-12-12 - Granted: 2015-05-26 - Earliest claimed: 2010-09-08 - Assignees: Molex Incorporated - Applicants: Kenta Sasaki; Masami Sasao; Toru Suzuki; Kenta Amino; Jesse Darja; Taichi Taniguchi - Inventors: Kenta Sasaki; Masami Sasao; Toru Suzuki; Kenta Amino; Jesse Darja; Taichi Taniguchi - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9039428B2 ## CPC - H01R 12/716: {Coupling device provided on the PCB} - H01R 13/631: for engagement only - H01R 12/721: {cooperating directly with the edge of the rigid printed circuits} - H01R 12/73: connecting to other rigid printed circuits or like structures - H01R 13/20: Pins, blades, or sockets shaped, or provided with separate member, to retain co-operating parts together - H01R 2107/00: Four or more poles - H01R: ELECTRICALLY-CONDUCTIVE CONNECTIONS; STRUCTURAL ASSOCIATIONS OF A PLURALITY OF MUTUALLY-INSULATED ELECTRICAL CONNECTING ELEMENTS; COUPLING DEVICES; CURRENT COLLECTORS ## Abstract A board-to-board connector is disclosed. The board-to-board connector comprises a first connector and a second connector. The first connector has first terminals and a first housing which has first fitting guide portions formed at both ends in the longitudinal direction of the first housing. The second connector has second terminals configured to make contact with the first terminals, and a second housing which has second fitting guide portions formed at both ends in the longitudinal direction of the second housing and configured to engage with the first fitting guide portions. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A board-to-board connector, the board-to-board connector comprising: a first connector, the first connector including first terminals, a first housing and first reinforcing brackets, the first housing including first fitting guide portions, the first fitting guide portions being formed at both ends in the longitudinal direction of the first housing, one first reinforcing bracket being attached to each first fitting guide portion; and a second connector, the second connector including second terminals and a second housing, the second connectors configured to contact the first terminals, the second housing including second fitting guide portions, the second fitting guide portions being formed at both ends in the longitudinal direction of the second housing and configured to engage the first fitting guide portions. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The board-to-board connector of claim 1, wherein the first fitting guide portions include concave portions, into which the second fitting guide portion are inserted, and end wall portions, extending in the thickness direction of the first housing, inside surfaces of the end wall portions defining outside ends in the longitudinal direction of the first housing in the concave portions. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The board-to-board connector of claim 2, wherein the first reinforcing brackets are metallic. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The board-to-board connector of claim 3, wherein each first reinforcing bracket includes a body portion, extending in the width direction of the first housing, and board connection portions, connected to the body portion and fixed to a board at a free end, the body portion including a central portion, covering at least a part of fitting side face of the end wall portion, and a tongue piece portion, connected to the central portion and covering at least a part of inside surface of the end wall portion. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The board-to-board connector of claim 4, wherein the central portion and the tongue piece portion extend in mutually perpendicular directions. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The board-to-board connector of claim 5, wherein the body portion has modulus of section of an approximate L-shape. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The board-to-board connector of claim 6, wherein the first reinforcing bracket includes holding portions, the holding portions being connected to the body portion via corner portions, the corner portions extending aslant toward the center in the longitudinal direction of the first housing from the central portion. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The board-to-board connector of claim 7, wherein the holding portions extend in the thickness direction of the first housing, and are held by the first housing. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The board-to-board connector of claim 8, wherein the board connection portions are connected to one end of the holding portions. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The board-to-board connector of claim 9, wherein each first terminal includes a tail portion, the tail portion being connected to a conductive trace of the board. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The board-to-board connector of claim 10, wherein each board connection portion is aligned in a straight line with the tail portions. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The board-to-board connector of claim 11, wherein each first reinforcing bracket further includes a slope portion, the slope portion being formed in connection section between the central section and the tongue piece portion. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The board-to-board connector of claim 12, wherein each first reinforcing bracket further includes a first locking portion, the first locking portion being formed in the tongue piece portion. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The board-to-board connector of claim 13, further including second reinforcing brackets, each second reinforcing bracket being attached to one second fitting guide portion. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The board-to-board connector of claim 14, wherein each second reinforcing bracket includes a tongue piece portion, covering at least a part of outside surfaces of the second fitting guide portion, and a second locking portion, formed on the tongue piece portion. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The board-to-board connector of claim 15, wherein, when the first connector engages the second connector, the first locking portion engages the second locking portion. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The board-to-board connector of claim 16, wherein, when the first connector engages the second connector, clearance exists between the first reinforcing bracket and the second reinforcing bracket. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The board-to-board connector of claim 17, wherein one of the first locking portion and the second locking portion is convex, and the other is concave. ### Claim 19 (depends on 16) The board-to-board connector of claim 16, wherein, when the first connector engages the second connector, the first locking portion and the second locking portion abut each other. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The board-to-board connector of claim 19, wherein one of the first locking portion and the second locking portion is convex, and the other is concave.