U.S. patent application number 11/038556 was filed with the patent office on 2006-07-20 for electrical connector assembly having board hold down.
This patent application is currently assigned to HON HAI PRECISION IND. CO(.,LTD.. Invention is credited to Robert W. Brown, Iosif R. Korsunsky, Joanne E. Shipe.
Application Number | 20060160394 11/038556 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 36659035 |
Filed Date | 2006-07-20 |
United States Patent
Application |
20060160394 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Korsunsky; Iosif R. ; et
al. |
July 20, 2006 |
ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR ASSEMBLY HAVING BOARD HOLD DOWN
Abstract
An electrical connector assembly (1) includes a mother board
(10) defining a pair of retention holes (13), a card edge connector
(20) mounted on the mother board, a daughter card (30) including a
mating edge (31) inserted into the card edge connector and a rear
edge (32) defining a pair of engaging holes (320) vertically
aligned with the pair of retention holes of the mother board, and a
board hold down (40). The board hold down includes a pair of
supporting portions (44) supporting the rear edge of the daughter
card, a pair of retaining portions (42), and an operating portion
(43) between the pair of retaining portions and having a spring tab
(434) locking the rear edge of the daughter card. Each of the
retaining portions includes a mounting portion (422) soldered in a
corresponding retention hole and a positioning portion (421)
engaged with a corresponding engaging hole.
Inventors: |
Korsunsky; Iosif R.;
(Harrisburg, PA) ; Brown; Robert W.; (Harrisburg,
PA) ; Shipe; Joanne E.; (Harrisburg, PA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
WEI TE CHUNG;FOXCONN INTERNATIONAL, INC.
1650 MEMOREX DRIVE
SANTA CLARA
CA
95050
US
|
Assignee: |
HON HAI PRECISION IND.
CO(.,LTD.
|
Family ID: |
36659035 |
Appl. No.: |
11/038556 |
Filed: |
January 18, 2005 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
439/326 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H01R 12/7005 20130101;
H05K 1/141 20130101; H05K 3/301 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
439/326 |
International
Class: |
H01R 13/62 20060101
H01R013/62 |
Claims
1. An electrical connector assembly, comprising: a mother board
defining a pair of retention holes; a card edge connector mounted
on the mother board; a daughter card comprising a mating edge
inserted into the card edge connector, and a rear edge opposite to
the mating edge and defining a pair of engaging holes; and a board
hold down comprising a pair of retaining portions and an operating
portion between the pair of retaining portions, each of the
retaining portions including a mounting portion soldered in a
corresponding retention hole of the mother board and a positioning
portion engaged with a corresponding engaging hole of the daughter
card, the operating portion including a latch portion having a
spring tab abutting against an upper face of the rear edge of the
daughter card.
2. The electrical connector assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein
the daughter card is parallel to the mother board and is spaced a
predetermined distance from the mother board.
3. The electrical connector assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein
the engaging holes of the daughter card are vertical aligned with
the retention holes of the mother board.
4. The electrical connector assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein
the operating portion of the board hold down comprises a pair of
lever portions under the lower face of the rear edge of the
daughter card.
5. The electrical connector assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein
the board hold down comprises a body portion, a pair of deflectable
supporting portions bent from opposite ends of the body portion and
supporting the rear edge of the daughter card and wherein the pair
of retaining portions are formed at free ends of the pair of
supporting portions.
6. The electrical connector assembly as claimed in claim 5, wherein
the operating portion of the board hold down comprises a pair of
connect portions connecting with the body portion.
7. The electrical connector assembly as claimed in claim 6, wherein
the operating portion of the board hold down comprises a beam
portion which is substantially parallel to the body portion of the
board hold down.
8. The electrical connector assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein
the mounting portions and the positioning portions of the board
hold down are respectively formed with lead-ins at distal ends
thereof.
9. An electrical connector assembly, comprising: a printed circuit
board; a card edge connector located on a first position of said
printed circuit board; a board hold-down secured on second position
of the printed circuit board far from said connector in a
lengthwise direction, said board hold-down defining thereof a pair
of immovable upwardly extending securing tags on two sides and a
moveable operation portion between said securing tags in a lateral
direction perpendicular to said lengthwise direction: and a
daughter board located between said connector and said board
hold-down and having thereof a first end received in the connector
and a second end, opposite to said first end in said lengthwise
direction, retained downwardly by a latching portion of said
operation portion.
10. The assembly as claimed in claim 9, wherein said board
hold-down further includes a supporting portion to upwardly support
the second end of the daughter board in vertical direction
perpendicular to both said lengthwise direction and said lateral
direction.
11. The assembly as claimed in claim 10, wherein said supporting
portion is formed on said operation portion.
12. The assembly as claimed in claim 9, wherein said pair of
securing tags engage the daughter board to prevent said daughter
board from moving in a horizontal plane defined by said lengthwise
direction and said lateral direction.
13. The assembly as claimed in claim 11, wherein said daughter
board defines a pair of through holes through which said pair of
securing tags.
14. The assembly as claimed in claim 9, wherein said board
hold-down includes a body portion extending in said lateral
direction to connect said pair of securing tags.
15. The assembly as claimed in claim 14, wherein said operation
portion is linked to a side edge of said body portion via a join
portion.
16. The assembly as claimed in claim 9, wherein said operation
portion is movable in the lengthwise direction.
17. The assembly as claimed in claim 9, wherein said bottom ends of
said pair of securing tags extend into corresponding holes in said
printed circuit board.
18. The assembly as claimed in claim 9, wherein said operation
portion imposes a force upon the second end of the daughter board
to urge said daughter board toward said connector in said
lengthwise direction.
19. An electrical connector assembly, comprising: a printed circuit
board; a card edge connector located on a first position of said
printed circuit board; a board hold-own secured on second position
of the printed circuit board far from said connector in a
lengthwise direction, said board hold-down defining a moveable
operation portion with a supporting portion thereon; and a daughter
board located between said connector and said board hold-down, and
having thereof a first end received in the connector and a second
end, opposite to said first end in said lengthwise direction,
retained downwardly by a latching portion of said operation portion
and upwardly supported by said supporting portion in a vertical
direction perpendicular to said lengthwise direction.
20. The assembly as claimed in claim 19, wherein said operation
portion imposes a force against the second end of the daughter
board to urge said daughter board toward said connector in said
lengthwise direction.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] Relevant subject matter is disclosed in U.S. Patent
application Ser. No. 10/766,158 filed on 01/27/2004 and entitled
"ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR ASSEMBLY HAVING BOARD HOLD DOWN", which is
invented by the same inventor and assigned to the same assignee as
this application.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] 1. Field of the Invention
[0003] The present invention relates to an electrical connector
assembly, and particularly to an assembly having a board hold down
for detachably holding a circuit board to another circuit board
thereof.
[0004] 2. Description of Related Art
[0005] Card edge connectors, such as PCI (Peripheral Component
Interconnect) and PCI Express connectors, are widely used to
connect daughter cards and mother boards. Typically, each of the
card edge connectors generally comprises an elongate housing
defining an elongate slot for receiving a mating edge of the
daughter card, a plurality of terminals disposed along one or both
sides of the slot for engaging conductive pads disposed on the
mating edge of the daughter card, and a pair of latch members
attached to opposite ends of the housing. For example, U.S. Pat.
No. 5,484,302 (the '302 patent) shows such a card edge
connector.
[0006] The card edge connector of the '302 patent is arranged to be
mounted on a mother board and to hold a daughter card in an
orientation which is parallel to the mother board. The card edge
connector has discrete metal latches held in guide frames which
extend outwardly from opposite ends of a housing. A plurality of
terminals are received in the housing and have solder tails which
are electrically connected to the mother board by surface mount
soldering. The latches have integral solder tabs which are also
attached to the mother board by surface mounting soldering to
increase the retention of the card edge connector to the mother
board and to reduce stresses imposed on the solder connections of
the terminals. The solder tails of the terminals and the solder
tabs of the latches must be coplanar so that good solder joints can
be produced, but it is difficult to ensure a close coplanarity
tolerance on these parts. Also, the latches should extend precisely
perpendicular to the housing for effective latching of the daughter
card and for proper alignment with solder pads on the mother board.
There is a need for the card edge connector having improved means
for accurate positioning of the latches. Further, the guide frames
increase a longitudinal dimension of the housing, so large space of
the mother board is occupied by the card edge connector. This
problem is especially critical in some applications where several
card edge connectors are arranged on the mother board side by
side.
[0007] Hence, an electrical connector assembly having an improved
board hold down to solve the above problems is desired.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0008] An object of the present invention is to provide an
electrical connector assembly having a daughter card which can
accurately and reliably engage with a card edge connector
thereof.
[0009] Another object of the present invention is to provide an
electrical connector assembly having a card edge connector which
occupies small space of a mother board thereof.
[0010] To achieve the above objects, an electrical connector
assembly in accordance with the present invention comprises a
mother board defining a pair of retention holes, a card edge
connector mounted on the mother board, a daughter card including a
mating edge inserted into the card edge connector and a rear edge
defining a pair of engaging holes, and a board hold down. The board
hold down includes a pair of retaining portions and an operating
portion between the pair of retaining portions. Each of the
retaining portions includes a mounting portion soldered in a
corresponding retention hole of the mother board and a positioning
portion engaged with a corresponding engaging hole of the daughter
card. The operating portion includes a latch portion having a
spring tab abutting against an upper face of the rear edge of the
daughter card.
[0011] Other objects, advantages and novel features of the
invention will become more apparent from the following detailed
description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying
drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0012] FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of an electrical
connector assembly in accordance with the present invention;
[0013] FIG. 2 is an enlarged perspective view of a board hold down
of the electrical connector assembly of FIG. 1;
[0014] FIG. 3 is an assembled perspective view of the electrical
connector assembly of FIG. 1;
[0015] FIG. 4 is a side elevational and partially cross-sectional
view of the electrical connector assembly of FIG. 3; and
[0016] FIG. 5 is an enlarged view taken from a circle of FIG.
4.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0017] Referring to FIG. 1, an electrical connector assembly 1 in
accordance with the present invention comprises a mother board 10,
a card edge connector 20, a daughter card 30, and a board hold down
40.
[0018] The mother board 10 comprises two rows of solder pads 11
arranged on an upper surface 12 thereof and adjacent to a front end
thereof. A pair of retention holes 13 are defined adjacent to a
rear end of the mother board 10. The card edge connector 20
comprises an elongate housing 21 and a plurality of contacts 22
received in the housing 21. The daughter card 30 comprises a mating
edge 31 at a front end thereof and a rear edge 32 opposite to the
mating edge 31. The rear edge 32 defines a pair of engaging holes
320 adjacent to opposite side edges thereof. A plurality of
conductive pads 33 are provided on opposite sides of the mating
edge 31 of the daughter card 30.
[0019] Referring to FIG. 2, the board hold down 40 is stamped and
formed from a sheet of metal and comprises an elongate body portion
41, a pair of supporting portions 44 forwardly and inwardly bent
from opposite ends of the body portion 41, a pair of retaining
portions 42, and an operating portion 43. The retaining portions 42
are vertical enlarged pieces upwardly and downwardly extending from
free ends of the pair of supporting portions 44. An upper half of
each of the retaining portions 42 functions as a positioning
portion 421 and a lower half of each of the retaining portions 42
functions as a mounting portion 422. The positioning portion 421
and the mounting portion 422 are respectively formed with lead-ins
423, 424 at distal ends thereof. The supporting portions 44 are
delectable for aligning the mounting portions 422 with the
retention holes 13 of the mother board 10. The operating portion 43
includes a pair of U-shaped connect portions 430 at opposite ends
thereof and connecting with a lower edge of the body portion 41, a
beam portion 431 extending between the pair of connect portions 430
and substantially parallel to the body portion 41, and a latch
portion 432 extending upwardly from a middle portion of the beam
portion 431. A pair of lever portions 433 project forwardly from
the beam portion 431 adjacent to opposite ends thereof. The latch
portion 432 includes a spring tab 434 stamped therefrom.
[0020] Referring to FIGS. 3-5, in assembly, the card edge connector
20 is mounted on the upper surface 12 of the mother board 10 with
tail portions (not labeled) of the contacts 22 being soldered to
the solder pads 11 of the mother board 10. The mounting portions
422 of the board hold down 40 are inserted into the retention holes
13 of the mother board 10 by the leading of the lead-ins 424 and
soldered in the retention holes 13 for retaining the board hold
down 40 to the mother board 10. The mating edge 31 of the daughter
card 30 is inclinedly inserted into a corresponding slot (not
shown) of the housing 21 to establish an electrical connection
between the conductive pads 33 of the daughter card 30 and the
contacts 22 of the card edge connector 20. The rear edge 32 of the
daughter card 30 is then pivoted downwardly. The spring tab 434 of
the latch portion 432 of the board hold down 40 is rearwardly
pressed by the rear edge 32. When the rear edge 32 of the daughter
card 30 is pivoted to its final position, the spring tab 434
resumes to its original state and tightly abuts against an upper
face the rear edge 32 of the daughter card 30 to prevent the rear
edge 32 from upwardly moving. Simultaneously, the positioning
portions 421 of the board hold down 40 engage with the engaging
holes 320 of the daughter card 30 by the guiding of the lead-ins
423 to accurately position the daughter card 30, thereby achieving
a correct engagement between the daughter card 30 and the card edge
connector 20. The supporting portions 44 of the board hold down 40
support a lower face of the rear edge 32 of the daughter card 30 to
keep the daughter card 30 parallel to the mother board 10 and to
space a predetermined distance from the mother board 10. When the
latch portion 432 is pushed rearwardly to withdraw the spring tab
434 from the upper face of the rear edge 32 of the daughter card
30, the rear edge 32 rises up automatically with the action of the
lever portions 433 of the board hold down 40, whereby the daughter
card 30 is easily removed from the card edge connector 20. The body
portion 41 can prevent the latch portion 432 from being
over-pushed.
[0021] It is to be understood, however, that even though numerous
characteristics and advantages of the present invention have been
set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of
the structure and function of the invention, the disclosure is
illustrative only, and changes may be made in detail, especially in
matters of shape, size, and arrangement of parts within the
principles of the invention to the full extent indicated by the
broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are
expressed.
* * * * *