Electrical connector for use in coupling two printed boards

Claim 2

An electric connector assembly according to claim 1 wherein said female housing includes a bottom surface 18 having a recess 19 adjacent the junction 17 of the transition 15 and the soldering tail 16 of each female terminal 9a, 9b.

Claim 3

An electric connector assembly according to claim 1 wherein said male housing having opposiste side walls connected by end walls, said sidewalls and endwalls extending from a housing base each of said male terminals 39a, 39b includes a base 40, a contact beam 43 from one end 41 of said base 40 and having a first catch 42 at an end thereof a second catch 45 extending from an other end of said base 40, and a soldering tail 46 extending from said second catch 45, each said male terminals 39a, 39b being mounted to on of said side walls 33 and 34 of said male housing 32, said first catche 42 of each terminal being embedded in a porton of one of said side walls 33 and 34 spaced from said housing base,and said second catch of each terminal being embedded in a portion of said housing base.

Claim 4

An electric connector assembly according to claim 3 wherein said male housing includes a bottom 49 surface having a recess 50 adjacent the junction 51 of said second catch 45 and said soldering tail 46 of each male terminal 39a, 39b.

Claim 5

An electric connector assembly according to claim 1 wherein the female housing 2 has an elongated terminal mount 60 in the space defined by said opposite side walls 3 and 4 and said end walls 61 and 62, said elongated terminal mount 60 having a latch member 55 formed at an end thereof adjacent one of said end walls 58 or 59, and the male housing 32 has a catch member 53 formed at an end thereof adjacnet one of said end walls 56 or 57, thereby permitting the female housing 2 and the male housing 32 to be locked when mated together.

Claim 6

The electric connector assembly according to claim 1 wherein a portion (10b) of said horizontal base including said free end is deflectable to increase the effective beam length of the female terminal.

Claim 7

The electrical connector assembly according to claim 6 wherein said female housing includes a recess adjacent said deflectable portion of said horizontal base to permit deflection of said base without engaging said female housing.

Claim 8

The electrical connector assembly according to claim 7 wherein said recess is a hole extending through said housing to facilitate supporting of the terminal during an overmolding process.

Claim 9

The electrical connector assembly according to claim 1 wherein said soldering tail is adapted for surface mount soldering to a surface of one of said circuit members and is generally parallel to said horizontal base.

Claim 10

The electrical connector assembly according to claim 1 wherein substantially all of said transition is embedded within said housing.

Claim 11

The electrical connector assembly according to claim 1 wherein said female housing includes a central projection (7) between said side walls to define a generally rectangular channel (6) between said central projection and each said side wall, each sidewall including a securement member adjacent said horizontal base of said female terminal and extending towards said central projection, said securement projection (3', 4') engaging a portion of said horizontal base to assist in retaining said female terminal within said housing.

Claim 12

An electrical connector for mating with a complementary mating electrical connector, said electrical connector comprising: a dielectric housing (2); a plurality of terminals (9a, 9b) mounted therein; each said terminal having a cantilevered contact beam (13) extending in a first direction and having a free end and an opposite end, said contact beam having a contact area (12) adjacent said free end for contacting a mating terminal of said complementary mating electrical connector, a base member (10) generally transverse to said contact beam and from which said contact beam extends, said base member having a first deflectable portion (10b) adjacent said opposite end of said contact beam to increase the effective beam length of said female terminal and a second portion (10a) interconnected to said first deflectable portion, a length of said second portion being enclosed within a portion of said housing to retain said terminal within said housing, a tail portion (16) for interconnecting said terminal to an electrical circuit of a circuit member upon which said electrical connector is adapted to be mounted, and a transition portion (15) extending between said tail portion and said second portion of said base member.

Claim 13

The electrical connector as set forth in claim 12 wherein said housing includes a recess adjacent said deflectable portion of said horizontal base and opposite said contact beam to permit deflection of said base without engaging said female housing.

Claim 14

The electrical connector as set forth in claim 13 wherein said recess is a hole extending through a lower surface of said housing to facilitate supporting of the terminal during an overmolding process.

Claim 15

The electrical connector as set forth in claim 11 wherein said tail portion is adapted for surface mount soldering to a surface of a circuit member and is generally parallel to said base member.

Claim 16

The electrical connector as set forth in claim 11 wherein substantially all of said second portion of said transition portion is embedded within said housing.

Claim 17

The electrical connector as set forth in claim 11 wherein said housing includes a pair of spaced apart generally parallel side walls (3, 4) interconnected by spaced apart generally parallel end walls, a central projection (7) extends upward from a bottom portion of the housing between said side walls to define a generally rectangular channel (6) between said central projection and each said side wall, each side wall including a securement member (3', 4') adjacent said base member of said female terminal and extending towards said central projection, said securement projection engaging a portion of said base member to assist in retaining said female terminal within said housing.

Claim 18

The electrical connector as set forth in claim 11 wherein said housing includes a bottom surface (18) having a recess (19) adjacent the junction (17) of said transition portion (15) and said tail portion extending away from a lower surface of said tail portion.

Claim 19

An electrical connector for mating along a mating axis with a complementary mating electrical connector, said electrical connector comprising: a dielectric housing (2) including a pair of spaced apart generally parallel side walls (3, 4) interconnected by spaced apart generally parallel end walls, and a housing base including a bottom surface; a plurality of terminals (9a, 9b) mounted therein; each said terminal having a cantilevered contact beam (13) extending in a first direction generally parallel to said mating axis and having a free end and an opposite end, said contact beam having a contact area (12) adjacent said free end for contacting a mating terminal of said complementary mating electrical connector, a base member (10) extending generally perpendicular to to said mating axis and said contact beam and from which said contact beam extends, said base member having a first deflectable portion (10b) adjacent said opposite end of said contact beam to increase the effective beam length of said female terminal and a second portion (10a) interconnected to said first deflectable portion, said second portion being supported by said base and a length of said second portion being enclosed within a portion of said housing to retain said terminal within said housing, a tail portion (16) for interconnecting said terminal to an electrical circuit of a circuit member upon which said electrical connector is adapted to be mounted, and a transition portion (15) extending between said tail portion and said second portion of said base member.

Claim 20

The electrical connector as set forth in claim 19 wherein a central projection (7) extends upward from said housing base between said side walls to define a generally rectangular channel (6) between said central projection and each said side wall, each side wall including a securement member (3', 4') adjacent said base member of said female terminal and extending towards said central projection, said securement projection engaging a portion of said base member to assist in retaining said female terminal within said housing.