Connector locking of terminal pins and header

[0002] This invention relates generally to connection of wire and wire terminal components to terminal pins connectable to a circuit board; and more particularly the invention concerns interconnection and interfitting of terminal and header structures to connector structures, and to locking interconnection of a wire connector to the terminal and header structures.

[0003] There is need for apparatus of the type referred to, and in particular there is need for such apparatus in which the components are easily assembled and remain assembled due to interlocking, and in which they may be easily assembled to a circuit board.

[0004] It is a major object of the invention to provide simple, effective and highly useful apparatus meeting the above needs. Basically, and in one form, the invention comprises

[0005] a) at least one row of mounting terminals to be received in openings in the board,

[0006] b) header structure associated with the row of terminals,

[0007] c) support structure having openings to pass the terminals and support the header structure,

[0008] d) and connector structure to interfit the terminals and interlock to the support structure,

[0009] e) the connector structure adapted to carry wire terminals electrically connectable to the mounting terminals.

[0010] As will be seen, a projection may be provided on the support structure to interlock to said connector structure; and the projection and connector structure may have interengagable camming surfaces to deflect the projection in response to fitting of the connector structure on the mounting terminals.

[0011] It is another object to provide two longitudinally parallel rows of such mounting terminals, and in which the header structure is associated with the two rows. Typically, the mounting terminals in each of the rows extend laterally of mounting terminals in the other of the rows. Also, the header structure may include multiple heads respectively associated with the mounting terminals, certain pairs of heads extending in adjacent relation and defining break-away structure.

[0012] A further object is to provide such heads or headers so that selective break-away of groups of headers and associated mounting terminals is enabled.

[0013] Yet another object is to position the support structure for mounting on a circuit board, between the board and the header structure so that the mounting terminals may pass through interlock notches in the support structure.

[0014] These and other objects and advantages of the invention, as well as the details of an illustrative embodiment, will be more fully understood from the following specification and drawings, in which:

[0015] FIG. 1 is an elevation showing terminal and header structures;

[0016] FIG. 2 is an elevation taken on lines 2—2 of FIG. 1;

[0017] FIG. 3 is a top plan view taken on lines 3—3 of FIG. 1;

[0018] FIG. 4 is a bottom plan view taken on lines 4-4 of FIG. 1;

[0019] FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the FIGS. 1-4 terminal and header structures;

[0020] FIG. 6 is an elevation showing support structure;

[0021] FIG. 7 is a top plan view of the FIG. 6 support structure, and taken on lines 7—7 of FIG. 6;

[0022] FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the FIG. 6 and FIG. 7 support structure;

[0023] FIG. 9 is an elevation view showing the support structure assembled to the terminal and header structures, and on a circuit board;

[0024] FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the support structure assembled to the terminal and header structures;

[0025] FIG. 11 is a view like FIG. 9, but showing a connector partially assembled to the terminals, header and support structure;

[0026] FIG. 12 is a perspective view of the connector seen in FIG. 11;

[0027] FIG. 13 is a view like FIG. 11, but showing the connector completely assembled to the terminals, header and lifter structures;

[0028] FIG. 14 is another perspective view of the connector seen in FIGS. 12 and 13; and

[0029] FIG. 15 is a perspective view of wire and wire terminal components to be assembled to the connector referred to above.

[0030] In FIGS. 1-5, header structure 10 includes a longitudinal row of heads or headers 10a, of which sequential headers are interconnected at reduced dimension zones 10b. The latter may have reduced thickness, or width, or height, to enable selective break-away so as to provide a reduced number of headers in a row. Mounting electrical terminals or pins 11 are associated with these headers, for use with a particular circuit, as on a circuit board 12 as seen in FIG. 9. The headers may consist of molded plastic material.

[0031] The mounting terminals associated with the headers may be located in two longitudinally parallel rows, as shown. Each header 10ais associated with, i.e. for example carries, two laterally spaced, upright mounting terminals, seen at 11aand 11bin FIGS. 3 and 4. For example, the terminals pass through openings in the headers, to extend above and below the headers, as seen in FIGS. 1 and 2. The terminals pass through certain portions 10dof the headers that are laterally intermediate other portions 10eand 10fof the headers. Portions 10eand 10fhave greater vertical dimensions than portion 10d, for reinforcement.

[0032] Also provided is support structure 13 that extends longitudinally to receive and pass the lower extents of the terminals 11, as through openings 13ain the support structure. Also, as seen in FIG. 9, the support structure is configured to extend beneath the headers 10a, and to support them, in sandwiched relation between the headers and the top 12aof the circuit board 12. FIG. 9 also shows the lowermost extents 11bof the terminals 11 projecting from and below openings 12bof board 12, and electrically connected at 15, to circuitry 16, at the underside of the board.

[0033] FIG. 7 shows openings 13ain the form of edge notches in the support structure, for receiving and passing the mounting terminals 11, whereby the support structure is closely integrated with the heads or headers, and the terminals, as seen in FIG. 9, to provide a firm, stable interfitting structure. Such notches accommodate slight sideward deviation of terminals 11.

[0034] Also provided is connector structure to interfit the mounting terminals, and interlock to the support structure. In this regard, the connector structure is adapted to carry wire terminals electrically connectable to said mounting terminals.

[0035] In the preferred embodiment, as illustrated, a representative connector structure is seen at 40 in FIGS. 11-13 as comprising a body 41 having sides 42-45. It also has two rows of through openings 48 that extend between upper and lower surfaces 46 and 47 of the body. Lower portions of openings 48 receive upper portions of the mounting terminals, above the header structure 13, when the connector is pressed downwardly at P, as shown in FIG. 13.

[0036] An upwardly extending projection 49 at the end of the support structure 13 has a shoulder 49athat interferes with shoulders 40aon tangs 40bon the connector, to initially block further downward movement of the connector on the mounting terminals, whereby the connector is in FIG. 11 stopped position preventing insertion completion downwardly. When the connector 40 is endwise reversed, as shown in FIG. 13, the connector is then and thereby enabled to be completely pressed downwardly on terminals 11, so that the lower surface 47 of the connector body engages the tops of the headers 10a, to lock or hold the header structure 10 and support structure 13, in layered, assembled, sandwiched relation, between the connector 40 and the circuit board 12. At this time, the projection 49 has been allowed to bend or return resiliently rightwardly to FIG. 13 position, in which a shoulder 49bon projection 49 extends over a stop shoulder 50bon the connector, to lock the connector in position. Tapered or angled cam surface 60 on the connector acts to initially deflect projection 49 leftwardly in direction 50, and then to return rightwardly to FIG. 13 locking position.

[0037] Preferably, the shoulders 50aand 50bare at opposite ends of the connector, whereby the connector must be endwise positioned with shoulder 50bin aligned relation with shoulder 49bin order to achieve the interlock. Accordingly, the FIG. 11 position of the connector is a stopped position of the connector, which is blocked against further downward travel, by interengagement of shoulders 49aand 40a. A turned end portion 49cof the projection or lever 49 can be manually pushed downwardly to resiliently pivot the projection leftwardly, in FIG. 13, to release the interlock of shoulders 49band 50b, enabling upward pulling of the connector off the terminals, for disassembly. Cams or lugs 54 and 55 which carry the shoulders at opposite ends of the connector, may be considered as polarizing i.e. endwise orienting cams, in that they pass or block downward travel of the connector to FIG. 13 position, depending upon which end of the connector is presented to cam element 56 on the projection.

[0038] FIG. 15 shows a wire 65 which is terminated at 66 for downward reception into the top of an opening 48 in the connector. Multiple such wires may thereby be connected with the upper ends of the mounting terminals 11 received in the connector. Note the polygonal opening formed at 67 in metallic female terminal 66a, to receive the polygonal cross section mounting terminal 11. A resiliently bendable metallic spring finger 68 on the terminal 66ais engagable with or into a window or opening 62 in the connector to provide a retention i.e. locking interfit.