CN215681062U

CN215681062U - Wire-to-board connector assembly

Info

Publication number: CN215681062U
Application number: CN202121315564.6U
Authority: CN
Inventors: 张巍; 师明; 付小智; 范定兵; 王树志
Original assignee: Tyco Electronics Shanghai Co Ltd
Current assignee: Tyco Electronics Shanghai Co Ltd
Priority date: 2021-06-11
Filing date: 2021-06-11
Publication date: 2022-01-28
Anticipated expiration: 2031-06-11
Also published as: DE102022114704A1

Abstract

A wire-to-board connector assembly is provided for electrically connecting a cable (1) to a circuit board (2) disposed within a housing (3) of an electrical device. The wire-to-board connector assembly includes: a first connector (100) adapted to be arranged at least partially outside the housing for electrically connecting a cable (1), at least a portion of the first connector being adapted to be inserted into an opening (301) formed through the housing; a second connector (200) adapted to be disposed inside the housing and configured to electrically connect with the first connector; and a sealing ring (130) arranged to establish a seal between the at least a portion of the first connector and the opening.

Description

Wire-to-board connector assembly

Technical Field

Embodiments of the present disclosure relate generally to electrical connectors and, more particularly, to connector assemblies for electrically connecting cables to circuit boards of electrical devices.

Background

Electrical connectors are commonly used to establish electrical connections between electronic components, such as cables, and circuit boards. The conventional wire pair board electric connector usually adopts a male head and a female head which are fixedly matched, a shell of the electric device cannot exist between the male head and the female head, the installation is limited, and the existing electric connector only can realize the sealing and the water prevention between the male head and the female head of the electric connector and cannot establish the sealing or the water prevention function between the electric connector and the shell of the electric device.

SUMMERY OF THE UTILITY MODEL

The present disclosure is directed to overcoming at least one of the above-mentioned and other problems and disadvantages of the prior art.

According to one aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a wire-to-board connector assembly for electrically connecting a cable to a circuit board disposed in a housing of an electrical device, the wire-to-board connector assembly including: a first connector adapted to be disposed at least partially outside the housing to electrically connect the cable, at least a portion of the first connector being adapted to be inserted into an opening formed through the housing; a second connector adapted to be disposed inside the housing and configured to be electrically connected with the first connector; and a sealing ring establishing a seal between the at least a portion of the first connector and the opening.

In some embodiments, a first connector includes a first housing and a plurality of first conductive terminals disposed at least partially within the first housing, the plurality of first conductive terminals adapted to electrically connect to a core wire of a cable; the first housing includes a first housing portion adapted to be disposed outside of the housing and defining a cavity to receive the core wire, and a second housing portion extending from the first housing portion and configured to be partially inserted into the opening.

In some embodiments, a sealing ring is disposed on an outer wall of the second housing portion.

In some embodiments, the cavity of the first housing part housing the core wire is adapted to be filled with a potting material.

In some embodiments, the first connector further comprises a cover covering the cavity.

In some embodiments, the cover is provided with a downwardly extending arm provided with a first engagement formation adapted to engage with a second engagement formation provided on the housing to secure the first connector to the housing.

In some embodiments, the bottom portion of the first connector is provided with a third engagement structure and the top portion of the second connector is provided with a fourth engagement structure adapted to engage with the third engagement structure.

In some embodiments, the second connector includes a second housing adapted to be connected to the first housing and a plurality of second conductive terminals partially disposed within the second housing, the second conductive terminals adapted to be electrically connected with the first conductive terminals.

Drawings

The foregoing and other aspects, features, and advantages of various embodiments of the present disclosure will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

fig. 1 is a perspective view schematically illustrating the structure of a wire-to-board electrical connector assembly mounted to a housing of an electrical device, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure;

fig. 2 is an exploded view schematically illustrating the structure of a wire-to-board electrical connector assembly mounted to a housing of an electrical device, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure;

fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view schematically illustrating the structure of a wire-to-board electrical connector assembly mounted to a housing of an electrical device, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure; and

fig. 4 is a side view schematically illustrating a first connector of a wire-to-board electrical connector assembly according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

Detailed Description

Embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the present specification, the same or similar components are denoted by the same or similar reference numerals. The following description of the embodiments of the present disclosure with reference to the accompanying drawings is intended to illustrate the general concept of the present disclosure, and should not be construed as limiting the present disclosure.

Furthermore, in the following detailed description, for purposes of explanation, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the embodiments of the disclosure. It may be evident, however, that one or more embodiments may be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, well-known structures and devices are shown in schematic form in order to simplify the drawing.

An exemplary embodiment according to the present disclosure provides a wire-to-board connector assembly for electrically connecting a cable 1 to a circuit board 2, such as a circuit board disposed within a housing 3 of an electrical device by electrically connecting the cable 1 to the circuit board from outside the housing 3. Such wire-to-board connector assemblies, for example comprising IDCs (insulation displacement connectors), may be used as automotive connectors, e.g. for electrical connection of lighting devices.

In the illustrated embodiment, as shown in fig. 1-4, the wire-to-board connector assembly includes a first connector 100 and a second connector 200 adapted to mate with and electrically connect to each other. The first connector 100 is adapted to be arranged at least partially, e.g. mostly, outside a housing 3 of an electrical apparatus (not shown) for electrically connecting an external cable 1, at least a portion of the first connector 100 being adapted to be inserted into an opening 301 formed through the housing 3; the second connector 200 is adapted to be disposed inside the housing 3 for electrical connection to the circuit board 2 inside the housing 3. Thus, a wire-to-board connector assembly is provided having two mating connectors adapted to sandwich a housing of an electrical device, the first and second connectors of the split body may be conveniently mounted to housings of different electrical devices to connect external cables to a circuit board within the housing.

In an exemplary embodiment according to the present disclosure, as shown in fig. 2 to 4, the wire-to-board connector assembly further includes a sealing member, such as a sealing ring 130, for establishing a seal between the portion of the first connector 100 inserted into the opening 301 of the housing 3 and the opening 301 to seal the inside of the housing 3 from the outside, achieving water-tightness of the seal between the electrical connector and the housing.

Referring to fig. 2-4, the first connector 100 includes a first housing 110 and a plurality of first conductive terminals (also may be referred to as contacts) 120 disposed at least partially within the first housing 110, the first conductive terminals 120 being adapted to electrically connect the core wires 11 of the cable 1, which may be IDC terminals, for example, and may include signal terminals for signal connection and/or power terminals for power transmission, for example.

The second connector 200 includes a second housing 210 and a plurality of second conductive terminals 220 partially disposed within the second housing 210, the second housing 210 being adapted to be connected to the first housing 110 to assemble the first and second connectors at both the inside and outside of the housing 3 of the electrical device. The second conductive terminals 220 are adapted to be electrically connected to the corresponding first conductive terminals 120 and the circuit board 2, respectively.

In the illustrated embodiment, as shown in fig. 1-4, the first housing 110 may comprise a first housing part 111 and a second housing part 112, the first housing part 111 being adapted to be arranged outside the housing 3 of the electrical device, a cavity being defined in the first housing part 111 for accommodating the core wire 11, the second housing part 112 extending, e.g. integrally, from the first housing part 111. The second housing part 112 is adapted to be partly inserted into an opening 301 of the housing 3 of the electrical device, as shown in fig. 2 and 3.

As shown in fig. 2-4, the sealing ring 130 is sealingly or snugly fitted over the outer wall surface or the outer peripheral surface of the second housing part 112 and abuts against the inner wall surface of the opening 301, so as to establish a seal or achieve a waterproof function between the second housing part 112 and the opening 301 of the housing 3, thereby preventing the components inside the housing 3 from being adversely affected by the external environment outside the opening 301.

In the exemplary embodiment as illustrated in fig. 2 and 3, the housing 3 of the electrical apparatus is provided on the outside with an outwardly protruding flange 310, the opening 301 penetrating the flange 310, for example in the illustrated vertical direction, i.e. the flange 310 is in the form of an annular frame. The second housing portion 112 is inserted through the opening in the flange 310 and the sealing ring 130 is disposed between the outer or peripheral surface of the second housing portion 112 and the inner wall surface of the flange 310 to achieve a sealing or waterproofing effect therebetween.

In an exemplary embodiment, as shown in fig. 1 and 2, the first housing 110 may have a substantially L-shaped or right-angled profile, for example, the first housing part 111 is adapted to receive the core wires 11 of the cable 1 in a first direction (a horizontal direction as illustrated), and the second housing part 112 extends from the first housing part 111 in a second direction (a vertical direction as illustrated) perpendicular to the first direction, thereby realizing a connector assembly having a compact structure and saving an installation space on the device housing.

In some embodiments, the cavity of the first housing part 111, which accommodates the core wire 11, may be filled with a potting material 160. For example, at the installation site, the second connector 200 is disposed within the housing of the electrical apparatus to be electrically connected to the circuit board 2, the first housing 110 of the first connector 100 is partially inserted into the opening 301 of the housing 3 outside the housing 3, and the core wire 11 of the cable 1 is connected to the first connector 100, and then the potting material 160 may be filled in the cavity of the first housing part 111 accommodating the core wire 11, filling the space or gap between the core wire 11, the first conductive terminal 120, and the first housing part 111, thereby achieving a sealing or waterproof function in the first connector.

As shown in fig. 1-4, the first connector 100 may further include a cover 140 covering the cavity of the first housing part 111, thereby further improving the sealing or waterproofing effect.

The cover 140 may be provided with downwardly extending arms 141, while the arms 141 are provided with first engagement structures 143, the first engagement structures 143 being adapted to engage with second engagement structures 313 provided on the housing 3 to secure the first connector 100 to the housing 3.

As an example, the first engagement structure may comprise a hole or a groove, and the second engagement structure may be a protrusion adapted to engage in the hole or groove, or vice versa. As shown in fig. 1-4, arms 141 may be provided on opposite sides of the cover 140. In the illustrated embodiment, the second engagement structure 313 is provided on an outer wall surface or outer peripheral surface of the flange 310; it will be appreciated that in other embodiments, the second engagement structure may be provided at any suitable location on the housing of the electrical device.

Further, as shown in fig. 1 to 4, the first housing 110, such as the first housing part 111, may be provided with a boss having a through hole 113 formed therein, and the arm part 141 of the cover 140 may be inserted through the through hole 113 to engage with the housing 3, thereby more firmly holding the first housing 110 on the housing 3. Such lugs may be provided on opposite sides of the first housing part 111, respectively.

The bottom of the first connector 100 may be provided with the third engagement structure 114, and the top of the second connector 200 may be provided with the fourth engagement structure 224 adapted to engage with the third engagement structure 114, so that the first connector 100 and the second connector 200 located at both the inside and outside of the housing 3 of the electric apparatus are assembled together by the engagement between the third engagement structure 114 and the fourth engagement structure 224.

In the illustrated embodiment, as shown in fig. 3, the third engagement structure 114 is formed at the bottom of the second housing portion 112 of the first housing 110, and the fourth engagement structure 224 is formed at the top of the second housing 210. As an example, the third engagement structure may comprise a socket or a groove, and the dead first engagement structure may be a protrusion adapted to engage in the socket or groove, or vice versa.

Although embodiments of the present disclosure have been shown and described, it would be appreciated by those skilled in the art that changes may be made in these embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of the disclosure, the scope of which is defined in the claims and their equivalents. It should also be noted that the terms "comprising," "including," and "having," as used herein, do not exclude other elements or steps, unless otherwise indicated. Additionally, any element numbers of the claims should not be construed as limiting the scope of the disclosure.

Claims

1. A wire-to-board connector assembly for electrically connecting a cable (1) to a circuit board (2) arranged in a housing (3) of an electrical device, characterized in that the wire-to-board connector assembly comprises:

a first connector (100) adapted to be arranged at least partially outside the housing for electrically connecting a cable (1), at least a portion of the first connector being adapted to be inserted into an opening (301) formed through the housing;

a second connector (200) adapted to be disposed inside the housing and configured to electrically connect with the first connector; and

a sealing ring (130) arranged to establish a seal between the at least a portion of the first connector and the opening.

2. The wire-to-board connector assembly of claim 1,

the first connector comprises a first housing (110) and a plurality of first conductive terminals (120) arranged at least partially within the first housing, the plurality of first conductive terminals being adapted to electrically connect core wires (11) of the cable (1), and

the first housing comprises a first housing part (111) and a second housing part (112), the first housing part (111) being adapted to be arranged outside said housing (3) and defining a cavity for accommodating said core wire, the second housing part (112) extending from the first housing part and being configured to be partially inserted into said opening (301).

3. The wire-to-board connector assembly according to claim 2, wherein a sealing ring (130) is fitted over the outer wall surface of the second housing part (112).

4. The wire-to-board connector assembly according to claim 2, wherein the housing (3) is provided with an outwardly protruding flange (310) at the outer side, the opening (301) penetrating the flange in a vertical direction, and a sealing ring (130) being provided between an outer wall surface of the second housing part and an inner wall surface of the flange.

5. The wire-to-board connector assembly according to claim 2, wherein the first housing part (111) is adapted to receive the core wire in a horizontal direction, and the second housing part (112) extends perpendicular to the first housing part (111).

6. The wire-to-board connector assembly according to claim 2, wherein the cavity accommodating the core wire in the first housing part (111) is adapted to be filled with a potting material (160).

7. The wire-to-board connector assembly according to claim 2, wherein the first connector further comprises a cover (140) covering the cavity.

8. The wire-to-board connector assembly according to claim 7, wherein the cover is provided with downwardly extending arms (141) provided with first engagement structures (143) adapted to engage with second engagement structures (313) provided on the housing (3) to secure the first connector to the housing (3).

9. The wire-to-board connector assembly according to any one of claims 1-8, wherein the bottom of the first connector is provided with third engagement structures (114) and the top of the second connector is provided with fourth engagement structures (224) adapted to engage with the third engagement structures.

10. The wire-to-board connector assembly according to any one of claims 2-8, wherein the second connector comprises a second housing (210) and a plurality of second conductive terminals (220) partially disposed within the second housing, the second housing adapted to be connected to the first housing, the second conductive terminals adapted to be electrically connected with the first conductive terminals.