US6319033B1
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Electrical connector with improved actuator
Assignee: Hon Hai Precision Industry Co Ltd
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Filing: 2001-03-20
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Granted: 2001-11-20
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Expires: 2021-03-20
Abstract
Abstract An electrical connector ( 100 ) includes an insulative housing ( 102 ), a number of contacts ( 104 ) received in the housing and an actuator ( 106 ) pivotably engaging with the housing for driving a flexible printed circuit (FPC) received in a mating port ( 116 ) of the connector to electrically contact the contacts. The housing has a top wall ( 108 ), a bottom wall ( 110 ) and two opposite side walls ( 112 ) and defines a chamber ( 114 ) between the top, the bottom and the side walls. The side walls each define a guiding slot( 120 ) near the mating port for slidably receiving pivots ( 130 ) of the actuator therein. The guiding slot has an upper segment ( 123 ) and a lower segment ( 125 ) separated by a rib ( 117 ) therebetween. When the pivots of the actuator slide along the guiding slot from the upper segment to the lower segment, the actuator downwardly moves to securely press conductive trails of the FPC to contact the electrical contacts of the housing, thereby establishing electrical connection therebetween.
Inventors
- 👤 Hao-Yun Ma
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-31 05:10
CPC Classifications
H; H01; H01R; H01R12/00; H01R12/70; H01R12/77; H01R12/79; H01R12/82; H01R12/85; H01R12/88
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 10
Claim 1
Independent Claim
250 words
An electrical connector comprising: an insulative housing having a top wall, a bottom wall and two side walls and defining a chamber between the top wall, the bottom wall and the side walls, the bottom wall defining a plurality of cavities communicating the chamber, each side wall defining a U-shaped guiding slot at a front end thereof, the guiding slot including an upper segment and a lower segment; a plurality of contacts each including an engaging portion and a tail portion, each engaging portion being fixedly received in a corresponding cavity and having a ridge extending into the chamber of the housing, each tail portion rearwardly extending beyond a rear face of the housing; and an actuator having an elongated bar, two engaging arms rearwardly extending from opposite ends of the elongated bar and a tongue portion rearwardly extending from the elongated bar and being located between the two engaging arms, each engaging arm having a pivot confronting the tongue portion, the pivot being slidably received in the guiding slot of the housing to be located either in the upper segment of the guiding slot in which the tongue portion is spaced a first distance from the ridges of the contacts as measured along a direction perpendicular to the bottom wall of the housing or in the lower segment of the guiding slot in which the tongue portion is spaced a second distance from the ridges of the contacts in the same direction which is smaller than the first distance.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
250 words
An electrical connector comprising: an insulative housing having a top wall, a bottom wall and two side walls and defining a chamber between the top wall, the bottom wall and the side walls, the bottom wall defining a plurality of cavities communicating the chamber, each side wall defining a U-shaped guiding slot at a front end thereof, the guiding slot including an upper segment and a lower segment; a plurality of contacts each including an engaging portion and a tail portion, each engaging portion being fixedly received in a corresponding cavity and having a ridge extending into the chamber of the housing, each tail portion rearwardly extending beyond a rear face of the housing; and an actuator having an elongated bar, two engaging arms rearwardly extending from opposite ends of the elongated bar and a tongue portion rearwardly extending from the elongated bar and being located between the two engaging arms, each engaging arm having a pivot confronting the tongue portion, the pivot being slidably received in the guiding slot of the housing to be located either in the upper segment of the guiding slot in which the tongue portion is spaced a first distance from the ridges of the contacts as measured along a direction perpendicular to the bottom wall of the housing or in the lower segment of the guiding slot in which the tongue portion is spaced a second distance from the ridges of the contacts in the same direction which is smaller than the first distance.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
50 words
The electrical connector as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the housing has a rib between the upper segment and the lower segment of each guiding slot, the rib bearing against a corresponding pivot of the actuator when the pivot is located in the lower segment of the guiding slot.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
48 words
The electrical connector as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the housing has an elastic arm above each rib, the elastic arm having a hook permitting insertion of a corresponding pivot into a corresponding guiding slot but preventing disengagement of the corresponding pivot from the corresponding guiding slot.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
29 words
The electrical connector as claimed in claim 3 , wherein the engaging arms of the actuator are rigid and are unmovable relative to the tongue portion of the actuator.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
25 words
The electrical connector as claimed in claim 1 , wherein a slit is defined between each engaging arm and the tongue portion of the housing.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
32 words
The electrical connector as claimed in claim 1 , wherein each side wall defines a recess at the front end thereof and wherein the engaging arms are moveably received in corresponding recesses.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
172 words
An electrical connector comprising: an insulative housing having a top wall, a bottom wall and two side walls commonly defining a horizontal chamber, each side wall defining a laterally opened guiding slot therein, the guiding slot including an upper segment and a lower segment; a plurality of contacts disposed in corresponding cavities and communicating with the chamber, an actuator having an elongated bar with two engaging arms extending from opposite ends thereof and a tongue portion between and extending along a same direction of said two engaging arms, each engaging arm having a pivot facing toward the tongue portion, the pivot being slidably received in the guiding slot of the housing to be located either in the upper segment of the guiding slot where the tongue portion is an upper position in the chamber, or in the lower segment of the guiding slot where the tongue portion is in a lower position in the chamber; and means for restricting upward movement of said pivot from the lower segment to the upper segment.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
172 words
An electrical connector comprising: an insulative housing having a top wall, a bottom wall and two side walls commonly defining a horizontal chamber, each side wall defining a laterally opened guiding slot therein, the guiding slot including an upper segment and a lower segment; a plurality of contacts disposed in corresponding cavities and communicating with the chamber, an actuator having an elongated bar with two engaging arms extending from opposite ends thereof and a tongue portion between and extending along a same direction of said two engaging arms, each engaging arm having a pivot facing toward the tongue portion, the pivot being slidably received in the guiding slot of the housing to be located either in the upper segment of the guiding slot where the tongue portion is an upper position in the chamber, or in the lower segment of the guiding slot where the tongue portion is in a lower position in the chamber; and means for restricting upward movement of said pivot from the lower segment to the upper segment.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
23 words
The connector as claimed in claim 7 , wherein said means includes a rib to define the corresponding guiding slot with a U-shape.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2004-11-19 | 2005-05-21 | 2005-11-20 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2008-11-19 | 2009-05-21 | 2009-11-20 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2012-11-19 | 2013-05-21 | 2013-11-20 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |