Electrical connector having long circuit boards

Claim 2

An electrical connector comprising: a dielectric housing comprising opposite first and second mating sections which are identical in structure; and a plurality of elongate circuit boards retained in the housing, each circuit board comprising first and second mating edges respectively received in the first and the second mating sections of the housing for mating with complementary components; wherein the housing defines a plurality of juxtaposed channels in the first and the second mating sections, the channels being arranged alone a first direction of the housing, and the circuit boards are side by side received in the channels, the circuit boards extending along a second direction perpendicular to the first direction.

Claim 3

The electrical connector as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the housing defines a plurality of notches communicating with corresponding channels, and each circuit board comprises a plurality of projections received in the notches of the housing.

Claim 4

The electrical connector as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the dielectric housing comprises front and rear housing portions respectively receiving therein the first and the second mating edges of the circuit boards.

Claim 5

The electrical connector as claimed in claim 3 , wherein the front and the rear housing portions are identical in structure.

Claim 6

The electrical connector as claimed in claim 3 , further comprising a first fastening element, and wherein the front and the rear housing portions define a plurality of apertures extending in the second direction, and the circuit boards define a plurality of through holes aligned with corresponding apertures, the first fastening element inserting through a corresponding aperture of the housing and corresponding through holes of the circuit boards.

Claim 7

The electrical connector as claimed in claim 3 , wherein the housing comprises an intermediate housing portion interconnecting the front and the rear housing portions.

Claim 8

The electrical connector as claimed in claim 6 , further comprising a second fastening element, and wherein the intermediate housing defines a bore extending in the second direction, the second fastening element inserting through the bore.

Claim 9

The electrical connector as claimed in claim 6 , wherein the intermediate housing portion comprises first and second halves joined together intermediate housing portion comprises first and second halves joined together.

Claim 10

The electrical connector as claimed in claim 8 , wherein each of the first and the second halves of the intermediate housing portion comprises a plurality of latches, and the front and the rear housing portions define a plurality of recesses fittingly receiving the latches.

Claim 11

An extender for use with electrical connection, comprising: opposite front and rear housings spaced away from each other by an intermediate housing, each of said front and rear housings defining juxtaposed channels extending along a front-to-back direction; and a plurality of juxtaposed printed circuit boards positioned in said intermediate housing with opposite edge sections respectively inserted into the corresponding channels of said front and rear housings; wherein the intermediate housing comprises two halves assembled to each other along a transverse direction perpendicular to said front-to-back direction.

Claim 12

An extender for use with electrical connection, comprising: opposite front and rear housings spaced away from each other by an intermediate housing, each of said front and rear housings defining juxtaposed channels extending along a front-to-back direction; and a plurality of juxtaposed printed circuit boards positioned in said intermediate housing with opposite edge sections respectively inserted into the corresponding channels of said front and rear housings; wherein the intermediate housing comprises two halves assembled to each other along a transverse direction perpendicular to said front-to-back direction.

Claim 13

The extender as claimed in claim 10 , wherein a fastening bar extending along said transverse direction, to combine the printed circuit boards and one of said front and rear housing.

Claim 14

The extender as claimed in claim 10 , wherein said two halves are assembled to the corresponding front and rear housings in said front-to-back direction.

Claim 15

An electrical connection device, comprising: an insulative first housing defining juxtaposed channels extending along a front-to-back direction; an insulative second housing latchably forwardly assembled to a rear portion of the first housing and a plurality of juxtaposed printed circuit boards positioned in the second housing with front edge sections respectively extending into the first housing; a plurality of notches formed in the first housing and aligned with one another in a transverse direction perpendicular to said front-to-back direction; a plurality of holes formed in said printed circuit boards and aligned with one another in said transverse direction; and a fastening bar extending through all said notches and said holes, which are alternately arranged with one another, so as to retain the printed circuit boards in position relative to the first housing without movement along a vertical direction perpendicular to both said front-to-back direction and said transverse direction.

Claim 16

An electrical connection device, comprising: an insulative first housing defining juxtaposed channels extending along a front-to-back direction; an insulative second housing latchably forwardly assembled to a rear portion of the first housing and a plurality of juxtaposed printed circuit boards positioned in the second housing with front edge sections respectively extending into the first housing; a plurality of notches formed in the first housing and aligned with one another in a transverse direction perpendicular to said front-to-back direction; a plurality of holes formed in said printed circuit boards and aligned with one another in said transverse direction; and a fastening bar extending through all said notches and said holes, which are alternately arranged with one another, so as to retain the printed circuit boards in position relative to the first housing without movement along a vertical direction perpendicular to both said front-to-back direction and said transverse direction.

Claim 17

The connection device as claimed in claim 13 , wherein said notches forwardly communicate with an exterior.