Electrical connector with releasable pick-up device

[0002] 1. Field of the Invention

[0003] The present invention relates to an electrical connector to be placed on a surface of a circuit board by a conventional, vacuum-suction tool, and particularly to a surface mount electrical connector with a releasable pick-up device.

[0004] 2. Description of Related Art

[0005] In order to answer for the requirement of automatic operation, the use of vacuum-suction tools to pick up and place electrical connectors or other electrical articles on circuit boards is well known in the art. The related art, referring to U.S. Pat. No. 5,249,977, discloses a conventional plug connector having a cap member releasably attached thereto for carrying to a circuit board by a vacuum-suction tool so as to implement soldering procedure. The conventional plug connector has an elongate mating cavity opening to a mating face and a mating rib projecting, centrally of the mating cavity, from a base wall of the connector. The mating rib defines a plurality of passageways in opposite sides thereof for receiving corresponding conductive contacts, wherein top ends of the contacts are exposed to the mating cavity. The cap member forms two legs depending from a lower surface thereof and defining a receiving space therebetween to engage with the mating rib. However, when the cap member is press-fitted into or is pulled out from the mating cavity of the connector, the conductive contacts would scratch inner surfaces of the legs of the cap member.

[0006] Hence, it is desirable to provide an electrical connector with an improved pick-up device to overcome the above-mentioned disadvantages.

[0007] Accordingly, one object of the present invention is to provide an electrical connector with an improved releasable pick-up device.

[0008] Another object of the present invention is to provide an electrical connector with a releasable pick-up device to precisely position the electrical connector on a circuit board.

[0009] In order to achieve the above-mentioned objects, an electrical connector with a releasable pick-up device for carrying to a circuit board by a vacuum-suction tool comprises an insulating housing having an elongated base wall and side walls extending from the base wall with a mating cavity defined therebetween. A mating rib projects from the base wall and extends along a lengthwise direction. A plurality of passageways are defined in opposite sides of the mating rib for receiving a plurality of conductive pins. The releasable pick-up device includes a rectangular plate which has a flat upper surface for being suctioned by the vacuum-suction tool and an opposite lower surface, and a pair of retaining portions extending from opposite transverse sides of the plate. Each retaining portion forms a pair of legs each forming a retaining foot at a free end thereof. The retaining feet of the same pair of legs protrude oppositely to each other. The rectangular plate also defines a longitudinal exposed depressed area in the lower surface thereof, and forms an inclined first face between the depressed area and the lower surface. The plate further defines an inclined second face on a longitudinal side thereof opposite to the first face. The first face and the second face respectively engage with a topside of a longitudinal side wall of the connector and a topside of a shielding plate covering an opposite longitudinal side wall to ensure a precise positioning of the connector.

[0010] 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.

[0011] FIG. 1 is a partly exploded, perspective view of an electrical connector with a pick-up device in accordance with the present invention;

[0012] FIG. 2 is an assembled view of the electrical connector with the pick-up device shown in FIG. 1;

[0013] FIG. 3 is a bottom, perspective view of the pick-up device shown in FIG. 1; and

[0014] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the electrical connector with the pick-up device attached thereto.

[0015] Reference will now be made to the drawing figures to describe the present invention in detail.

[0016] Referring to FIGS. 1 through 4, a pick-up device 30 made of resilient insulating material in accordance with the present invention, attachable to an electrical connector 1, comprises a rectangular plate 31 and a pair of U-shaped retaining portions 32 extending from opposite transverse side edges of the rectangular plate 31. Each U-shaped retaining portion 32 comprises a pair of downwardly projecting legs 320, between which an engaging space 322 is defined. Retaining feet 321 are formed respectively on outer surfaces of the pair of legs 320 at lower ends and protrude in directions opposite to each other. The rectangular plate 31 has a flat, upper surface 311 for suction by a vacuum-suction nozzle and a lower surface 312 opposite to the upper surface 311. A longitudinally depressed area 313 is defined in the lower surface 312. Between the depressed area 313 and the lower surface 312, an inclined first face 314 is formed. Opposite to the first face 314, an inclined, second face 315 is formed on a longitudinal side of the plate 31.

[0017] As shown in FIG. 1, the electrical connector 1 includes an insulating housing 10, which has an elongated base wall 11 and four side walls 13 extending upwardly from respective edges of the base wall 11. The base wall 11 and the side walls 13 together define a mating cavity 15 therebetween for receiving a mating receptacle connector (not shown). A mating rib 12 projects upwardly from the base wall 11 and extends along a center line of the base wall 11. A plurality of passageways 121 are defined in opposite sides of the mating rib 12 and contacting portions 21 of conductive pins 20 of the electrical connector 1 are received therein for electrical connection to corresponding terminals of the mating receptacle connector. Opposite to the contacting portions 21 of the conductive pins 20 are soldering portions 22 which are bent and then extend outward from a bottom of the housing 10 for soldering to a circuit board (not shown). A longitudinal side wall 131 forms an inner inclined edge 130 at the top thereof for engaging with the first face 314 of the pick-up device 30.

[0018] The electrical connector 1 further includes a shielding plate 4, which encloses inner surfaces of the side walls 13 except for the longitudinal side wall 131, for shielding and grounding purposes. Top edges of the shielding plate 4 are bent to cover topsides of the other side walls 13, and form a smoothly curved surface 41.

[0019] In use, when the pick-up device 30 is inserted into the mating cavity 15 of the electrical connector 1, the retaining feet 321 of the pick-up device 30 abut against the inner surfaces of the longitudinal side wall 131 and the shielding plate 4 with the mating rib 12 being situated in the engaging space 322 of the pick-up device 30. The inclined first face 314 of the pick-up device 30 mates with the inclined edge 130 of the longitudinal side wall 131 and the second face 315 engages with the curved surface 41 of the shielding plate 4, thereby ensuring a precise positioning between the pick-up device 30 and the electrical connector 1. Thus, the soldering portions 22 of the conductive pins 20 could be soldered to the circuit board accurately.

[0020] 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.