Electrical connector with self-retaining board locks

Claim 2

An electrical connector for being mounted to a printed circuit board (PCB), comprising: an insulative housing defining a mounting surface and comprising a crossbeam, two arms extending from two opposite ends of the crossbeam and a post extending downwardly from the mounting surface, and at least one of the arms defining a receiving slit therein; a plurality of terminals assembled to the crossbeam of the insulative housing; and a retention member assembled to at least one of the arms, the retention member comprising a main body retained in the receiving slit of the at least one of the arm, a retention section extending downwards beyond a bottom surface of the post adapted for attaching the electrical connector to the PCB, and a plurality of bent tabs, the bent tabs comprising an upper tab and a lower tab, the upper tab extending sideward from a top of a middle portion of the main body, the lower tab extending sideward from a bottom of a rear end of the main body.

Claim 3

The electrical connector as described in claim 1 , wherein the at least one of the arms of the insulative housing defining an upper and a lower receiving channels communicating with the receiving slit, and wherein the upper and lower tabs are received in the upper and lower receiving channels.

Claim 4

An electrical connector comprising: an insulative housing defining a receiving slit and a plurality of receiving channels communicating with the receiving slit; a plurality of terminals being assembled in the insulative housing; and a retention member comprising a main body received in the receiving slit, a pair of legs extending beyond the insulative housing and a plurality of bent tabs extending sideward from a middle portion of the main body and engaging in corresponding receiving channels.

Claim 5

An electrical connector comprising: an insulative housing defining a receiving slit and a plurality of receiving channels communicating with the receiving slit; a plurality of terminals being assembled in the insulative housing; and a retention member comprising a main body received in the receiving slit, a pair of legs extending beyond the insulative housing and a plurality of bent tabs extending sideward from a middle portion of the main body and engaging in corresponding receiving channels.

Claim 6

The electrical connector described in claim 3 , wherein the terminals and the retention member are inserted into the insulative housing along a same direction.

Claim 7

The electrical connector described in claim 3 , wherein the receiving channels comprise an upper receiving channel and a lower receiving channel, and the bent tabs comprise an upper tab and a lower tab respectively received in the upper and lower receiving channels.

Claim 8

The electrical connector as described in claim 5 , wherein the insulative housing provides a front wall in front of the receiving channel engaged by the upper tab.

Claim 9

An electrical connector assembly comprising: a printed circuit board defining opposite upper and bottom surface thereof and a through hole therein; an insulative housing mounted on the upper surface of the printed circuit board and defining a mounting surface with a post integrally extending downwardly therefrom, said post extending into the through hole while not beyond the bottom surface of the printed circuit board; an elongated slit forwardly extending from a rear face of the housing and through said mounting surface including said post vertically; at least a longitudinal channel extending from the rear face of the housing in communication with the slit; and a retention member inserted into the slit from the rear face, said retention member including a pair of legs downwardly extending along and further beyond the post under a condition that said pair of legs extend through the through hole with protrusions thereof engaged with the bottom surface of the printed circuit board, and at least a tab engaged within said at least a channel; wherein said mounting surface is different from said rear face.

Claim 10

An electrical connector assembly comprising: a printed circuit board defining opposite upper and bottom surface thereof and a through hole therein; an insulative housing mounted on the upper surface of the printed circuit board and defining a mounting surface with a post integrally extending downwardly therefrom, said post extending into the through hole while not beyond the bottom surface of the printed circuit board; an elongated slit forwardly extending from a rear face of the housing and through said mounting surface including said post vertically; at least a longitudinal channel extending from the rear face of the housing in communication with the slit; and a retention member inserted into the slit from the rear face, said retention member including a pair of legs downwardly extending along and further beyond the post under a condition that said pair of legs extend through the through hole with protrusions thereof engaged with the bottom surface of the printed circuit board, and at least a tab engaged within said at least a channel; wherein said mounting surface is different from said rear face.

Claim 11

The assembly as described in claim 7 , wherein said mounting surface and said rear face are perpendicular to each other.