Electrical connector with protection for electrical contacts
An electrical connector (1) comprising, an insulative housing (2), conductive contacts (4, 5) within an interior of the housing (2), insulative wiping surfaces (61) on a mating end (12) of the housing (2), and conductive surface areas (60) on the contacts (4, 5) being rearward of the wiping surfaces (61) and offset laterally of the wiping surfaces (61) to engage unwiped surface areas of mating contacts (4, 5) of another, mating connector (1).
Latest The Whitaker Corporation Patents:
This is a Continuation-in-Part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/005,690 filed Jan. 19, 1993, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,295,843.
FIELD OF THE INVENTIONThe present invention relates to an electrical connector having electrical contacts, wherein the contacts are prevented from being wiped with insulation during mating connection with another, mating connector.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONAn electrical connector, known from U.S. Pat. No. 3,760,335, comprises, an insulating housing and conductive signal contacts. The contacts are grouped in pairs, with an insulative divider of the housing separating one contact of the pair from the other contact of the pair. Multiple pairs of the contacts are distributed along the insulative divider. The pairs of contacts are especially suitable for connection to twisted pair wires used in the communications industry for data and voice transmission. Each pair of the twisted pair wires are connected to one pair of the contacts. To shield the connector from ESD, electrostatic discharge, a conductive metal shell surrounds the insulative housing of the connector. For example, a shielded connector is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,158,481.
A desirable shielded connector provides ESD protection for the electrical contacts of the connector during mating connection of the connector with another, mating connector. During mating connection of two mating connectors, an electrostatic voltage charge on one or both of the connectors should be discharged to ground electrical potential via the shield on one or both of the connectors, whereby the voltage charge is shunted away from electrical contacts in the connectors.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONA feature of the invention resides in a shield covered connector with tips of electrical contacts being recessed from a mating end of the connector, and being covered by insulative material that provides ESD protection for the contacts.
Another feature of the invention resides in a connector with insulative wiping surfaces that provide ESD protection for electrical contacts, the wiping surfaces being offset from contact surfaces of the contacts, in the direction of mating insertion, to avoid insulative material being wiped onto the contact surfaces during mating connection with another, mating connector.
An embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the drawings according to which;
With reference to
The divider 7 bridges between, and is joined to side walls 10, 11 of the housing 2. The divider 7 extends from a front mating end 12 of the housing 2 and rearwardly in the interior 8 of the housing 2. Spaced apart partitions 13 in the interior 8 bridge between the divider 7 and a top wall 14 of the housing 2, and between the divider 7 and a bottom wall 15 of the housing 2. The partitions 13 join the divider 7 and the top and bottom walls 14, 15. The walls 14, 15 bridge between and join the side walls 10, 11 to form the exterior of the housing 2. Contact receiving cavities 16 in the housing 2 are defined between the partitions 13 and extend behind the divider 7 to receive the signal contacts 4, 5. With respect to the power contact 6,
With respect to
With reference to
The terminations 22 are on the signal contacts 4, 5 where they emerge from a rear of the divider 7. The terminations 22 are on the power contact 6 where it emerges from a rear of the divider 7. A series of slots 23 in the bottom wall 15 of the housing 2 have open ends communicating with a rear end 24 of the bottom wall 15. The terminations 22 project through the slots 23, with the terminations 22 of each pair 3 of the contacts 4, 5 being spaced apart along the same slot 23. The bottom wall 15 of the housing 2 provides a base from which knob shaped feet 25,
With reference to
With reference to
With reference to
With reference to
A number of folds 47 in the tubular enclosure 39 conform to an exterior shape of the housing 2 of the connector 1. The folds 47 define the circumference of the profile on the mating end 41. Folds 47 in the enclosure 40 define the circumferences of the open ends 42, 44. The folds 47 conform the shell 38 with the shape of the first shell 37. A seam 45 extends along the tubular enclosure 39. Multiple locks 48, in the form of openings, located on both sides of the seam 45, lock to the connector 1 by locking to the projecting locks 34 on the housing 2. An overmold 57,
With reference to FIGS. 2 and 5-9 both connectors 1 will be described further. Flanges 58 on the divider 7 of the housing 2 overhang the front ends of the grooves 19 and overhang both lateral sides of each of the grooves 19. The flanges 58 overlap front tips on the contacts 4, 5 and front tips of the contact fingers 9 that are in respective grooves 19. The front tips of the contacts 4, 5 and of the contact fingers 9 are recessed from the mating end 12 of the housing 2.
With reference to the circuit board connector 1 shown in
The cable connector 1 provides ESD protection, electrostatic discharge protection, for the signal contacts 4, 5. ESD protection is provided for the power contacts 6, as well. With reference to the cable connector 1 shown in
Within the passage 26 and on the mating end 12 of the housing 2, are multiple, insulative wiping surfaces 61 in the form of inclined ramps. The wiping surfaces 61 are spaced apart one from another, and appear as a castellated structure. The wiping surfaces 61 are interposed between the tips of the contacts 4, 5 and the mating end 12 of the housing 2. The wiping surfaces 61 are over the front tips of the contacts 4, 5 and of the contact fingers 9. The wiping surfaces 61 are in axial alignment with the edge margins 59 on the contacts 4, 5, and on the contact fingers 9, and are offset laterally from the contact surfaces 60 on the contacts 4, 5 and on the contact fingers 9. The wiping surfaces 61 project along paths of mating insertion of the contacts 4, 5, and the contact fingers 9, and are interposed between the mating end 12 of the housing 2 and the exposed contacts 4, 5 and the exposed contact fingers 9.
With reference to
During mating engagement of one connector 1 and the other connector 1, the contacts 4, 5 of the circuit board connector 1 will wipe, or stroke against, the contacts 4, 5 of the cable connector 1, as shown in FIG. 8. It is desired to avoid wiping of the contacts 4, 5 and the contact fingers 9 against the insulative material 61 of the housings 2, particularly at the same places where the contacts 4, 5 engage one another, and where the contact fingers 9 engage one another. Such wiping against the insulative material 61 would tend to apply insulative material on the contacts 4, 5 and on the contact fingers 9. The presence of insulative material on the contacts 4, 5 and on the contact fingers 9, where they engage one another during mating connection, would reduce electrical conductivity, undesireably. The contact surfaces 60 on respective contacts 4, 5 are rearward of the insulative wiping surfaces 61 in the passage 26. The contacts 4, 5 of the circuit board connector 1 wipe against the insulative wiping surfaces 61 prior to engagement with the contacts 4, 5 of the cable connector 1. However, the insulative wiping surfaces 61 are offset laterally from the contact surfaces 60 of the contacts 4, 5 in the cable connector 1. The mating contacts 4, 5 of the circuit board connector 1 are axially aligned in the direction of mating insertion with the contacts 4, 5 of the cable connector 1. The wiping surfaces 61 are aligned with the side margins 59 of the contacts 4, 5 and the contact fingers 9, of the circuit board connector 1, in the direction of mating insertion. The middle surface areas, between the lateral side margins 59, of the contacts 4, 5 and the contact fingers 9, of the circuit board connector 1, are offset laterally of the wiping surfaces 61, during mating insertion into the cable connector 1. These middle surface areas pass between the insulative wiping surfaces 61, and are unwiped by the insulative wiping surfaces 61 during passage of the side margins of the contacts 4, 5 and the contact fingers 9 over the wiping surfaces 61. The contact surfaces of the contacts 4, 5 and the contact fingers 9, of the cable connector 1, engage these unwiped, middle surface areas of the mating contacts 4, 5 and contact fingers 9, of the circuit board connector 1. Thereby, the presence of insulative material is avoided on the contacts 4, 5 and on the contact fingers 9, at the locations where they engage one another during mating connection of the connectors 1.
An advantage of the invention resides in a connector 1 with tips of contacts 4, 5 being recessed from a mating end 12 of the connector 1 and covered by insulative material that provides ESD protection for the contacts 4, 5.
Another advantage of the invention resides in a connector 1 with insulative wiping surfaces 61 that provide ESD protection for electrical contacts 4, 5, the wiping surfaces 61 being offset from the contacts 4, 5 in the direction of mating insertion to avoid insulative material being wiped onto contact surfaces of the contacts 4, 5 during mating connection with another, mating connector 1.
Other advantages, and other embodiments and modifications of the invention are intended to be covered by the spirit and scope of the accompanying claims.
Claims
1. An electrical connector comprising: an insulative housing, conductive contacts within an interior of the housing, wiping surfaces on a mating end of the housing, conductive surfaces on the contacts being rearward of the wiping surfaces and offset laterally of the wiping surfaces to engage unwiped surface areas of mating contacts of another, mating connector, which mating contacts wipe against the wiping surfaces prior to engagement of the unwiped surface areas of the mating contacts with the conductive surface areas of the contacts, the wiping surfaces projecting along paths of mating insertion of the contacts, and being interposed between the contacts and a front edge of the housing.
2. An electrical connector as recited in claim 1, wherein, an insulative divider separates one of the contacts from another of the contacts of each pair of the contacts.
3. An electrical connector as recited in claim 1, further comprising: an insulative divider separating one of the contacts from another of the contacts of each pair of the contacts, at least one conductive power contact having a pair of contact fingers on opposite sides of the divider, the contact fingers having a surface area sufficiently broad to radiate heat from electrical power dissipation, and the fingers extending parallel to the contacts.
4. An electrical connector as recited in claim 1, wherein, the wiping surfaces are interposed between the contacts and a front edge of the housing, and conductive shielding encircles the housing, a front edge of the shielding being closer to the front edge of the housing than the contacts.
5. An electrical connector as recited in claim 1, wherein, front tips of the contacts are recessed from a front edge of the housing, and the wiping surfaces are interposed between the tips of the contacts and the front edge of the housing.
6. An electrical connector as recited in claim 1, wherein, the wiping surfaces cover front tips of the contacts.
7. An electrical connector as recited in claim 1, wherein, the wiping surfaces are ramps.
8. An electrical connector comprising: an insulative housing, conductive contacts within an interior of the housing, wiping surfaces on a mating end of the housing, conductive surfaces on the contacts being rearward of the wiping surfaces and offset laterally of the wiping surfaces to engage unwiped surface areas of mating contacts of another, mating connector, which mating contacts wipe against the wiping surfaces prior to engagement of the unwiped surface areas of the mating contacts with the conductive surface areas of the contacts, and the conductive surfaces being raised with respect to edge margins of the contacts received in grooves in the housing.
9. An electrical connector comprising:
- an insulative housing, conductive contacts within an interior of the housing, wiping surfaces on a mating end of the housing and interposed between the contacts and a front edge of the housing, with the wiping surfaces projecting along paths of mating insertion of mating contacts of another, mating connector, conductive surfaces on the contacts being offset laterally of the wiping surfaces and being rearward of the wiping surfaces to engage said mating contacts of said another, mating connector, which mating contacts pass the wiping surfaces prior to engagement with the conductive surfaces, and a conductive shield surrounding the mating end of the housing, the wiping surfaces being closer to the shield than the contacts.
10. An electrical connector as recited in claim 9, wherein, an insulative divider separates one of the contacts from another of the contacts of each pair of the contacts.
11. An electrical connector as recited in claim 9, further comprising: an insulative divider separating one of the contacts from another of the contacts of each pair of the contacts, at least one conductive power contact having a pair of contact fingers on opposite sides of the divider, the contact fingers having a surface area sufficiently broad to radiate heat from electrical power dissipation, and the fingers extending parallel to the contacts.
12. An electrical connector as recited in claim 9, wherein, the wiping surfaces are interposed between the contacts and a front edge of the housing, and conductive shielding encircles the housing, a front edge of the shielding being closer to the front edge of the housing than the contacts.
13. An electrical connector as recited in claim 9, wherein, front tips of the contacts are recessed from a front edge of the housing, and the wiping surfaces are interposed between the tips of the contacts and the front edge of the housing.
14. An electrical connector as recited in claim 9, wherein, the wiping surfaces cover front tips of the contacts.
15. An electrical connector as recited in claim 9, wherein, the wiping surfaces are ramps.
16. An electrical connector comprising: an insulative housing, conductive contacts within an interior of the housing, wiping surfaces on a mating end of the housing, conductive surfaces on the contacts being offset laterally of the wiping surfaces and being rearward of the wiping surfaces to engage mating contacts of another, mating connector which mating contacts pass the wiping surfaces prior to engagement with the conductive surfaces, and a conductive shield surrounding the mating end of the housing, the wiping surfaces being closer to the shield than the contacts, and the conductive surfaces being raised with respect to edge margins of the contacts received in grooves in the housing.
17. An electrical connector as recited in claim 9 wherein, the conductive surfaces on each contact are between edge margins on each contact, and the wiping surfaces are offset from the conductive surface areas on the contacts, and are in alignment with the edge margins on the contacts.
18. An electrical connector as recited in claim 1 wherein, the conductive surfaces on each contact are between edge margins on each contact, and the wiping surfaces are offset from the conductive surfaces on the contacts, and are in alignment with the edge margins on the contacts.
19. Mateable electrical connectors comprising:
- a first and a second electrical connector having mateable signal contacts and at least one first power contact mateable with at least one second power contact;
- the first power contact having opposed contact fingers extending from a first body portion and the second power contact having opposed contact surfaces;
- the first electrical connector having a shrouded housing portion surrounding the at least one power contact;
- the second electrical connector having a housing complementary with said first electrical connector, thereby receiving the shrouded housing portion and the at least one power contact therein;
- wherein the opposed contact fingers of the first power contact are received between the opposed contact surfaces of the second power contact such that the contact fingers resiliently deflect inwardly and exert pressure on the opposed contact surfaces.
20. The mateable electrical connectors of claim 19, wherein the first power contact and the second power contact have a surface area sufficiently broad to radiate heat resulting from electrical power dissipation.
21. The mateable electrical connectors of claim 20, wherein the first power contact and the second power contact have a greater mass than the signal contacts in order to carry greater electrical current and thereby limit the temperature of the first power contact and the second power contact.
22. The mateable electrical connectors of claim 19, wherein the first power contact and the second power contact have lances which retain them in the first electrical connector and second electrical connector, respectively.
23. An electrical connector assembly, comprising:
- a first electrical connector comprised of an insulative housing having a front mating face with both signal contacts and power contacts positioned within the housing, the signal contacts being positioned within the housing with mating contact portions adjacent said front mating face, and said power contacts being profiled as male contacts having a contact section comprised of opposed contact arms interconnected along a side edge thereof with at least one portion extending forwardly from each of said contact arms to define contact fingers positioned adjacent said front mating face;
- a second electrical connector profiled for mating with said first electrical connector, said second electrical connector including a housing complementary with said first electrical connector, and including signal and power contacts which are complementary with respective signal and power contacts of said first electrical connector, said power contacts of said second electrical connector being profiled as female contacts having contact portions profiled for overlapping engagement with said contact fingers of said first connector; and
- wherein said first and second connectors each comprise a like plurality of rows and columns of contact receiving cavities having signal contacts positioned therein, said power contacts of said first and second connectors have greater mass than said signal contacts of said first and second connectors, and said power contacts of said first and second connectors are positioned in power contact receiving cavities which occupy the transverse envelope of a plurality of rows of signal contacts.
24. The electrical connector assembly of claim 23, wherein said signal and power contacts of said first and second connector further include termination sections for termination to further conductors.
25. The electrical connector assembly of claim 24, wherein said termination sections for said signal and power contacts of said first connector are profiled as printed circuit board contact sections.
26. The electrical connector of claim 25, wherein each power contact has a plurality of printed circuit board contact sections.
27. The electrical connector assembly of claim 24 wherein said termination sections for said signal and power contacts of said first connector are profiled as wire termination sections.
28. The electrical connector assembly of claim 23, wherein said opposed contact arms of the power contacts of said first electrical connector are formed as planar sections, substantially parallel to each other.
29. The electrical connector assembly of claim 23, wherein said female contacts of said second electrical connector are formed as planar sections, substantially parallel to each other.
30. The electrical connector assembly of claim 23, wherein said opposed contact arms of the power contacts of said first electrical connector are formed as planar sections, substantially parallel to each other.
31. The electrical connector assembly of claim 30, wherein said female contacts of said second electrical connector are formed as planar sections, substantially parallel to each other.
32. The electrical connector assembly of claim 31, wherein said planar sections of said male power contacts and said female power contacts are connected along only a portion of their length.
33. The electrical connector assembly of claim 23, wherein said power contact fingers of said first electrical connector are resiliently deformable inwardly during mating with the power contacts of said second electrical connector.
34. The electrical connector of claim 23, wherein said signal contacts and said power contacts of both said first and second connectors are recessed within said respective housings.
35. The electrical connector of claim 34, wherein said first and second electrical connectors further include shield members which substantially enclose said respective housings.
3663930 | May 1972 | Henschen |
3760335 | September 1973 | Roberts |
3868162 | February 1975 | Ammon |
4084875 | April 18, 1978 | Yamamoto |
4464832 | August 14, 1984 | Asick et al. |
4582386 | April 15, 1986 | Martens |
4653825 | March 31, 1987 | Olsson |
4687267 | August 18, 1987 | Header et al. |
4824383 | April 25, 1989 | Lemke |
5017156 | May 21, 1991 | Sugiyama |
5057028 | October 15, 1991 | Lemke et al. |
5066240 | November 19, 1991 | Verdun |
5073130 | December 17, 1991 | Nakamura |
5085601 | February 4, 1992 | Buchter et al. |
5135414 | August 4, 1992 | Van Dijk |
5158481 | October 27, 1992 | Frantz |
5190480 | March 2, 1993 | Chau et al. |
5222909 | June 29, 1993 | Nomura et al. |
Type: Grant
Filed: Jul 28, 2000
Date of Patent: Nov 7, 2006
Assignee: The Whitaker Corporation (Wilmington, DE)
Inventor: Wayne Samuel Davis (Harrisburg, PA)
Primary Examiner: Khiem Nguyen
Application Number: 09/628,669
International Classification: H01R 24/00 (20060101);