# US 9,039,457 B2 · Connecting system with locking structure

> Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt

- Number: US 9,039,457 B2
- Document ID: US9039457B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 14/098,196
- Filed: 2013-12-05
- Published: 2014-06-26
- Granted: 2015-05-26
- Earliest claimed: 2012-12-10
- Assignees: Molex Incorporated
- Applicants: Molex Incorporated
- Inventors: Xue-Hai Zhang
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9039457B2

## CPC

- H01R 13/6275: {Latching arms not integral with the housing (H01R13/6276, H01R13/6277, H01R13/6278 take precedence)}
- H01R 13/6582: with resilient means for engaging mating connector
- H01R 24/60: Contacts spaced along planar side wall transverse to longitudinal axis of engagement
- H01R: ELECTRICALLY-CONDUCTIVE CONNECTIONS; STRUCTURAL ASSOCIATIONS OF A PLURALITY OF MUTUALLY-INSULATED ELECTRICAL CONNECTING ELEMENTS; COUPLING DEVICES; CURRENT COLLECTORS

## Abstract

A receptacle connector and a plug connector are disclosed. The receptacle comprises a housing, a plurality of first terminals and a cage; a front end of the housing is formed with a mating cavity and a receiving cavity positioned above and communicated to the mating cavity, the first housing is further penetratingly opened with a receiving groove above the receiving cavity; the cage is provided with a locking portion protruding downwardly into the receiving groove. The plug connector comprises a housing, a plurality of terminals, a cage and a hook, the cage comprises a main body portion and a protruding portion positioned above the main body portion and having a smaller width; the hook protrudes upwardly out from the protruding portion of the second cage. The locking portion of the receptacle can correspondingly engage the hook of the plug.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An receptacle connector, which can mate with an plug connector having a hook, comprising:
a housing with a front end and a tongue extends forwardly from the housing, wherein a first mating cavity is provided around the tongue and a receiving cavity is positioned above and communication to the first mating cavity, wherein a width of the receiving cavity is smaller than a width of the first mating cavity; the first housing being further penetratingly opened with a receiving groove above the receiving cavity;
a plurality of terminals, each of the plurality of terminals having a mating portion and a tail, the mating portions of the plurality of terminals being respectively provided at an upper side and a lower side of the tongue, the plurality of terminals comprising two current terminals and a plurality of differential signal terminals, the mating portion of one of the two current terminals being provided on the upper side and the mating portion of the other of the two current terminals being provided on the lower side of the tongue, wherein width of the mating portions of the two current terminals is greater than width of the mating portions of the differential signal terminals; and
a first cage which is mounted to an outer periphery of the housing, the first cage being provided with a locking portion for engaging, in operation, a hook of an plug connector, the locking portion protruding downwardly into the receiving groove of the first housing.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The receptacle connector according to claim 1, wherein the first cage comprises a front plate provided at a front end of the receptacle connector, a top end of the front plate is bent rearwardly to form a fold edge and then a center of a front edge of the fold edge is firstly bent downwardly and then bent rearwardly and extends to form the locking portion.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The receptacle connector according to claim 1, wherein the first cage comprises a front plate provided at a front end of the receptacle connector and a leaf spring latch piece, the front plate extends toward inside of the first mating cavity to form a plurality of first resilient arms, the leaf spring latch piece comprises a latching portion latching on the first housing and a second resilient arm extending into the first mating cavity.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The receptacle connector according to claim 1, wherein the first housing comprises a first main body and a second main body stacked up-down together, and a first outer housing installed to outer peripheries of the first main body and the second main body, these first terminals are embedded into the first main body and the second main body respectively.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The receptacle connector according to claim 4, wherein the tongue extends forwardly out from the first main body, the upper side and the lower side of the tongue are provided with a plurality of terminal grooves, the mating portion of the first terminal embedded into the second main body are correspondingly received in the terminal grooves at the lower side of the tongue; the first mating cavity and the receiving cavity are recessed at a front end of the first outer housing, the receiving groove is opened at a top of the first outer housing.