JPH01667A - electrical connection assembly - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] This bulletin contains application data before electronic filing, so abstract data is not recorded.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION TECHNICAL FIELD This invention relates generally to electrical connectors and, more particularly, to automotive connectors and connector applications, including those required for interconnecting electrical circuits to vehicle parent equipment.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION In many electrical connection devices, electrical circuits are installed or circuit connections are completed through a parent device. For example, it has long been common practice in simple automotive electrical connection systems to connect one of the terminals of a battery to the metal frame or chassis of the vehicle. circuits with individual functions,
For example, a circuit that energizes a starting motor can be constructed by connecting one terminal of a battery floating with respect to the chassis to a user device, and electrically connecting the user device as a load between such connection and the chassis. used.

This latter connection is currently typically accomplished by mechanically connecting the housing of the user equipment directly to the chassis. For example, in the case of a tail lamp, a conductive attachment in electrical continuity with the return side of the lamp filament is removably attached to an opening in the housing by means of a spring. On the other side, if the user equipment has a return terminal that is isolated to its housing (e.g. starting motor, radio, etc.), an accessory connected between that terminal and the chassis, typically A conductive strap is required.

In modern automobiles, different connections exist for devices where printed wiring is used to handle various inputs such as radio, power supply, equalization, etc., including antenna input connections. In certain prior art connectors used for this purpose, there are four separate chambers on the front of the plastic (and therefore electrically insulated) housing for making the various manual connections. In each isolation chamber, a housing retains a row of male contacts arranged to correspond to a receiving row of female contacts. The male contact is the first one facing the front.
and an opposite second end that extends out of the housing and into an opening in the printed wiring board and is soldered therein. The ground connection or return power connection is made in the male contact. As is well known, this connection must be made by conductive straps from the printed wiring board to the chassis.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION It is a primary object of the invention to provide an improved electrical connector for making the connections described above.

A more particular object of the invention is to provide an electrical connector for an automobile that eliminates the need for conventional conductive straps for the return connection to the chassis.

To accomplish these objectives, the present invention provides an improved male connector for terminating an associated female connector to a printed wiring board. This male connector is for general use.
a housing including a plurality of male contacts and a conductive portion defining at least a preselected one of the male contacts;
The remainder of the male contacts (
and an insulative insert supporting the electrically isolated and preselected contacts.

In a preferred embodiment, the housing is formed entirely of electrically conductive material and has a passageway for retaining the insert. The insert holds the contacts in a straight line, and the housing itself aligns and spaces the preselected contacts with the passageways to provide a uniform linear arrangement between all male contacts. Let it be done. The housing includes a member in electrical communication with the preselected male contacts and electrically connecting the housing and a parent device spaced apart from the tread.

In certain automotive equipment described for radio use,
The housing has a front surface defined with a plurality of isolated chambers for respectively receiving female connectors with different functions. Passages are formed through the housing, each passageway holding an insert associated with one of the female connectors. The housing forms a preselected male contact proximate one of the inserts with one end at the opening of the isolation chamber. The opposite end of this contact extends outside the housing and
It is inserted into the associated printed wiring board together with other male contacts.

The housing of the radio device includes a member integral with itself and thus electrically connected to a preselected male contact. This member extends outside the housing for proper connection with the vehicle chassis. The preselected male contacts, when soldered to the ground or return pad of the printed circuit board, can be connected to both the board and the connector inserted into the housing, without the use of conductive straps known as conventional automotive connections. Complete the configuration of related circuits.

The features and objectives of the above description will be better understood from the following detailed description and drawings of the preferred embodiments for general and radio use. Like reference numbers are used in the drawings to refer to like parts.

DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS In FIG. 1, an electrical connector 10 includes a female connector 12, which is a flat multiconductor cable 1 having a conductor (e.g. 16, 18) enclosed in an insulating enclosure.
4 includes an insulative housing 13 for receiving 4. The female connector 12 has an insulated deflection connection (
↓n5lation displacement C
! Terminate each conductor to a female contact using IDC:) or other well known techniques.

A portion of the printed wiring board, designated by reference numeral 20, to which cable 14 is interconnected. Printed wiring board 20 includes an insulating substrate 22 having conductive traces (eg, 24, 26) disposed on at least one side. In the example of FIG. 1, six traces are shown, each terminating in a pad having an opening for receiving a conductive vial. Openings 24a and 26a are shown for wiring traces 24 and 26.

Conductive housing 28 includes a bottle-shaped male contact 30 integrally formed therewith. A portion 30a of this contact extends forward and a portion 30b extends rearward. A passageway 32 is formed in the housing 28 centered on the horizontal centerline of the male contact 30 for the purposes described below.

A lateral extension 34 is also integrally formed with the housing 28 and the mounting, not shown, includes a through opening 36 for receiving a bolt. This attachment is secured to the parent device by bolts and is thus connected to the parent device as indicated by the ground symbol.

Insert 38 is formed of an insulating material and has a contour that corresponds to the boundaries of passageway 32 so that it can be inserted into passageway 32 and retained by friction. Insert 38 further includes bottle contacts, one of which is indicated at 40 and has a forwardly extending portion 40a and a rearwardly extending portion 40b. insert body 38
is received in the passageway 32, its front surface is connected to the housing 28.
and such that the contact portions 30a and 40a extend an equal distance across the surface and are equally spaced horizontally from each other. Thus, the housing and the insert have at least one electrically conductive housing 28.
defining a plurality of linearly aligned contacts integral with and the remainder retained by an insulative insert.

Insert 38 is deeper than passage 32 and also serves as a depth spacer between housing 28 and traces on printed wiring board 20 during assembly. The rearwardly extending portions 30b of the contacts 30 are longer than the rearwardly extending portions 40b so that all of the rearwardly extending portions are received at a similar depth in the printed wiring board 20 during assembly of the components of FIG. .

During assembly of the components of FIG.
is connected to the contact portion 30a. The conductor 16 is also electrically connected to the installed parent device via the housing 28 and the lateral extensions 34. Furthermore, the conductor 18 of the cable 14
is electrically connected to the female contact 40. Ultimately, conductor 16 and trace 24 are connected to connect trace 24 to the installed parent device without using a conventional strap connection, and conductor 18 and trace 26 are connected.

2 to 5 show examples in which the connector shown in FIG. 1 is applied to automobile radios. Housing insert assembly 42 is shown without associated cable termination connectors. Also, the printed wiring board is omitted.

Housing 44 is formed entirely of an electrically conductive material such as metal (preferably zinc) and has a front surface 46 and a rear surface 48. For installation, the members 50, 52 and 54 are attached to the L of the housing 44.
It is located in the department. As shown in FIG. 4, member 56 is attached and spaced apart from member 54 to form a slot 58.

This slot 58 is for receiving an observation panel device, and the attachment is similarly configured for members 50 and 52. Attached to the bottom of the housing 44 is a member 60.
62 and 64 are provided. The mounting member 64 has a rearwardly spaced member 66 forming a mounting slot 68. Slot 68 is for receiving an observation panel device, and the attachment is similarly configured for members 60 and 62. The restriction panel device is held by a flange 70 that is integral with the housing 44. Attachment grooves are provided at 72 and 74 at the top of the housing 44 and at 76 and 78 at the bottom.

A leftwardly extending flange 80 is also integral with the housing 44 and includes an aperture 82 for mounting to secure the housing 44 to the vehicle chassis.

Key apertures are shown at 84 and 86 and cooperate with panel side keys, not shown. A printed wiring board key 88 is provided at the rearmost portion of the housing 44 . For attachment, a heat sink (not shown) may be provided between the flange 80 and the automobile chassis. This heat sink helps dissipate the heat associated with this type of component connection. Another feature of the present invention is that the housing 44 itself is made of metal so that it acts as a heat sink.

The front face 46 of the housing 44 has four isolation chambers 90,92.
．． 94 and 96 are formed. This isolation chamber is intended to receive the corresponding connectors for terminating cables associated with radio speakers, equalizers, power from batteries, etc. Such associated cables have positioning keys on the outside to ensure correct insertion into the isolation chamber. The housing defines a complementary key, such as the key shown at 98.

Insert 100 is formed entirely of insulative material and is insertable into rear surface 48 of housing 44 .
An isolation chamber 90.92.9 formed within and extending from the rear surface
4 and 96 (103.105. in Figure 5).
107 and 109) are provided with protrusions 102, 104, 106 and 108, respectively.

Male contacts 110 are supported by insert 100 and extend toward the front and rear of insert 100. Protrusions 102 and 10
8, they are grouped together as a linear row of four. The insert 100 also has a spacer protrusion 112 on the rear surface.
114 and 116, and space the housing 44 apart to avoid shorting with a printed wiring board, not shown in FIGS. 2-5.

Details of the insert 100 are shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, shown separately from the housing 44. Note that contacts 118 reach the printed wiring board through openings 119.

In isolation chamber 92, housing 44 is located adjacent to and aligned with the passage 105 of FIG.
It has 18. The contacts 118 are integral with the housing 4″4, so that the mounting is in electrical continuity with the flange 80. The contacts 118 extend forwardly with the contacts 110 of the projection 104 equally to form a row of contacts equally spaced from each other. do.

Additionally, contact 118 has a rearward extension that terminates rearwardly at or beyond contact 110. Contact 118 is formed in a similar configuration to contact 110. Therefore, when the female connector 12 of FIG. 1 is inserted into the isolation chamber 92, the contacts 110
A connection similar to that made to contact 118 is made to contact 118 .

Although contact 118 is shown as an end contact in isolation chamber 92, it will be appreciated that it may be formed anywhere in the array of contacts depending on the electrical design.

As will be apparent from the foregoing description, one feature of the present invention is to provide a first electrical connector for terminating an associated second electrical connector to a printed wiring board. The second electrical connector has a plurality of contacts arranged in a predetermined row. The first electrical connector has a plurality of contacts substantially equal to each other, arranged in the predetermined row, and complementary to the contacts of the second electrical connector. The housing has a conductive portion defining at least a preselected one of the contacts of the first electrical connector. A dielectric insert is supported by the housing and supports the remainder of the contacts of the first electrical connector.

The housing is formed entirely of electrically conductive material and defines a passageway therethrough for retaining the insert. The predetermined row is a linear row, the insert holds the remaining contacts of the first electrical connector in linear alignment, and the housing aligns the preselected contacts with the remaining contacts of the first electrical connector. To support. The housing has a member in electrically coupled relationship with the preselected contacts and arranged to electrically connect the housing to a parent device spaced therefrom.

According to another feature, the invention provides a plurality of contacts that are substantially equal to each other and at least a preselected one of these contacts.
An electrical connector is provided that includes a housing including a conductive portion defining one of the contacts, and an insulative insert supported by the housing and supporting the remainder of the contacts.
In summary, the present invention provides a printed wiring board that includes a substrate and a predetermined number of conductive traces disposed on a surface thereof. Each trace has a through opening for receiving a contact, and the openings are arranged in a predetermined row. An insulating member supports a first number of contacts with respective ends extending outside the member. The conductive housing together defines a second number of contacts (this number is l in the example). The sum of the first number and the second number is equal to the predetermined number. The ends of the second number of contacts extend outwardly of the member.

The housing further has a passageway therethrough, and the insulating member is received in the passageway. All contacts are individually received in one of the openings in the trace and electrically connected.

Various modifications and improvements may be made to the structure described without departing from the invention. Accordingly, the described embodiments are intended to be illustrative and not limiting.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

Figure 1 is an exploded perspective view of the components of the general electrical connector of the present invention, Figure 7J2 is a front view of the electrical connector for automobile radio of the present invention, Figure 3 is a plan view of the electrical connector of Figure 2, Figure 4 is the second
5 is a front view of the housing of the electrical connector of FIG. 2, FIG. 6 is a front view of the insert of the electrical connector of FIG. 2, and FIG. 7 is a front view of the insert of the electrical connector of FIG. 6. FIG. 3 is a right side view of the insert of FIG. [Explanation of symbols of main parts] Multiple contacts...30.40 Pre-selected contacts...30 Housing...28 Insert...・・・・・・・・・・・・38 drawings 1 sheet (Pikkyo = no χ) FIG, 5 FIG, 6 FIG, 7 procedure −
? City IE document (method) % formula % 1, Indication of the case 1988 Patent Application No. 67464 2, Name of the invention Electrical connector 3, Relationship with the person making the amendment Case Patent applicant name Title Thomas Ant Petz Corporation 4, Agent (1) As shown in the attached document, we will submit one copy of the power of attorney and one translation. (2) As shown in the attached document, we will submit one official drawing.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A housing including: a plurality of contacts that are substantially equal to each other; and a conductive portion defining at least a preselected one of the plurality of contacts; and an insulating insert supporting the rest of the contacts. 2. The electrical connector of claim 1, wherein said housing is formed entirely of electrically conductive material and defines an opening therethrough for supporting said insert. 3. The electrical connector of claim 2, wherein the insert supports the remaining contacts in a linear row, and the housing supports the preselected contacts in alignment with the remaining contacts. An electrical connector characterized by: 4. The electrical connector of claim 3, wherein there is uniform linear spacing between all of the contacts. 5. The electrical connector of claim 4, wherein the housing includes a member in electrical continuity with the preselected contacts and for electrically connecting the housing to a parent device spaced therefrom. An electrical connector characterized by: 6. The electrical connector of claim 1, wherein the housing is formed entirely of conductive material and has a front surface and a rear surface, and the housing further comprises a plurality of separate connectors each including a plurality of contacts. An electrical connector having a plurality of isolation chambers extending from the front face toward an inner surface for receiving. 7. The electrical connector of claim 6, wherein the housing includes a passageway extending through the housing from each isolation chamber. 8. The electrical connector of claim 6, wherein the insert includes a projection for being separately received within the passageway, and the contacts extend from the projection into the isolation chamber. connector. 9. The electrical connector of claim 8, wherein the insert includes an aperture therethrough, and the preselected contacts are received within and extend out from the aperture. 10. The electrical connector of claim 9, wherein the insert includes a spacer projection that extends outwardly by an amount less than the amount by which the preselected contacts extend outwardly. .