Electrical connector having latches for reducing warpage thereof

Claim 2

An electrical device, comprising: an electrical connector having an elongated insulative housing and a plurality of terminals received in the insulative housing, the insulative housing comprising a front mating surface adapted to mate with a complementary connector, an opposite rear terminating surface and a pair of latches at a middle portion of the housing, the latches integrally formed and extending rearwardly from the terminating surface, each of the latches having a hook at a free end thereof; and a printed circuit board (PCB) attached to the rear terminating surface of the insulative housing, the PCB having a plurality of solder pads thereon electrically connecting to corresponding terminals of the electrical connector, the PCB defining two voids receiving the hooks of the latches to secure the PCB to the rear terminating surface of the insulative housing; wherein the middle portion of the housing is the thinnest portion of the housing; wherein the latches are arranged in stagger along a longwise direction of the housing; wherein the housing of the connector further comprises at least a pair of mounting ears clamping the PCB.

Claim 3

The electrical device as described in claim 1 , wherein each of the hooks have an inclined guiding surface for facilitating attaching the PCB to the rear terminating surface of the insulative housing.

Claim 4

The electrical device as described in claim 1 , wherein the electrical connector comprises three connector portions for different functions.

Claim 5

The electrical device as described in claim 3 , wherein one of the connector portions is a serial Advanced Technology Attachment (ATA) connector portion.

Claim 6

The electrical device as described in claim 1 , wherein the voids are holes through the PCB.

Claim 7

An electrical connector assembly comprising: an electrical connector including: a one-piece insulative housing; at least one pair of clamping mounting ears integrally formed and extending rearwardly from a rear face of the housing and defining a board receiving space therebetween; a printed circuit board assembled to a rear portion of the housing with a front portion thereof located in said space and sandwiched between said pair of clamping mounting ears; a plurality of terminals disposed in the housing, said terminals defining tails surface mounted on the front portion of the printed circuit board; and at least one resilient latch integrally formed and extending rearwardly from a middle of the rear face of the housing and substantially located on one side of said printed circuit board in a direction perpendicular to said printed circuit board; wherein said latch forms a hook extending in said direction and received in a hole in said front portion of said printed circuit board; wherein said hook defines a rearward chamfer so as to allow the front edge of the printed circuit board to abut against and further deflect outwardly the latch during assembling until the hook is received in the hole.

Claim 8

An electrical connector assembly comprising: an electrical connector including: a one-piece insulative housing; at least one pair of clamping mounting ears integrally formed and extending rearwardly from a rear face of the housing and defining a board receiving space therebetween; a printed circuit board assembled to a rear portion of the housing with a front portion thereof located in said space and sandwiched between said pair of clamping mounting ears; a plurality of terminals disposed in the housing, said terminals defining tails surface mounted on the front portion of the printed circuit board; and at least one resilient latch integrally formed and extending rearwardly from a middle of the rear face of the housing and substantially located on one side of said printed circuit board in a direction perpendicular to said printed circuit board; wherein said latch forms a hook extending in said direction and received in a hole in said front portion of said printed circuit board; wherein said hook defines a rearward chamfer so as to allow the front edge of the printed circuit board to abut against and further deflect outwardly the latch during assembling until the hook is received in the hole.

Claim 9

The assembly as described in claim 6 , wherein said housing defines a through aperture in a front-to-back direction aligned with the hook for easing molding.