Electrical connector assembly

[0002] 1. Field of the Invention

[0003] The present invention relates to an electrical connector assembly, and particularly to a board to board connector assembly used for a notebook computer.

[0004] 2. Description of Prior Art

[0005] Electrical board to board connectors are well known to the pertinent art and are widely used in personal computers, such as desktop computers, notebook computers and so on. Commonly, board to board connectors are used in pairs and comprise a receptacle connector mounted on a mother board and a plug connector mounted on a daughter board for vertically engaging/disengaging with/from the receptacle connector. Thus, the board to board connectors are commonly structured to fit for such a vertical engagement therebetween. However, sometimes there are some special requirements wanted by certain users, for example, especially in a notebook computer, a LED panel on which a plug connector is mounted is required to rotatably fastened to a mother board on which a receptacle connector is mounted for mating with the plug connector. Accordingly, the plug connector is rotated to mate with the receptacle connector with the rotation of the LED panel. If the receptacle and plug connectors are conventionally structured, the plug connector will not be reliable mated with the receptacle connector due to structure limitation thereof. Thus, it is desirable to provide a receptacle and plug connector assembly having a structure which is fitted for such a non-vertical engagement between the receptacle and plug connectors thereof.

[0006] A main object of the present invention is to provide an electrical connector assembly having a receptacle connector and a plug connector rotatably and reliably mated with the receptacle connector.

[0007] An electrical connector assembly in accordance with the present invention is adapted for electrically connected between a mother board and a LED panel in a notebook computer. The electrical connector assembly comprises a receptacle connector mounted on a mother board and a plug connector mounted on the LED panel which is rotatably assembled in the notebook computer. The receptacle connector includes a first insulative housing and two rows of first terminals retained in the first insulative housing. The first housing has a first body portion and a first side wall defining at least two first holes and projecting upward from a side edge of the first body portion. The plug connector is rotatable with the rotation of the LED panel to mate with the receptacle connector and includes a second insulative housing and two rows of second terminals being retained in the second insulative housing for mating with corresponding first terminals of the receptacle connector. The second housing forms at least two second embossments on a lateral side thereof for latching into the at least two first holes of the receptacle connector, thereby securely retaining the receptacle and plug connectors together.

[0008] Other objects, advantages and novel features of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of the present embodiment when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

[0009] FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of an electrical connector assembly in accordance with the present invention;

[0010] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of FIG. 1; and

[0011] FIG. 3 is an assembled view of FIG. 2.

[0012] The preferred embodiment of the present invention is detailed described below to the drawing figures.

[0013] Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, a board to board connector assembly 1 in accordance with the present invention is used for a notebook computer and comprises a receptacle connector 10 to be mounted on an underlying mother board (not shown), and a plug connector 20 to be mounted on a LED panel (not shown) for rotatably engaging with the receptacle connector 10.

[0014] The receptacle connector 10 includes a first insulative housing 12 and two rows of the first terminals 14 retained in the first housing 12 by way of insert molding. The first housing 12 has a first elongate body portion 13 and a first side wall 15 vertically projecting from a side edge of the first body portion 13. The first body portion 13 defines two rows of the first passageways 136 laterally extending in a top faces 134. In addition, a recess 135 is defined below and communicated with each first passageway 136. In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the first body portion 13 further forms a pair of embossments 138 on a lateral side thereof opposite to the first side wall 15, and the number of embossments 138 may be more if desired. Additionally, the first side wall 15 defines a pair of through holes 152 therein. The two rows of the first terminals 14 are insert molded in the first insulative housing 12 and have symmetric structures with respect to a central axis (not shown) of the first body portion 13. Each first terminal 14 has a retaining portion 140 molded in the first body portion 13, a mating portion 142 and a soldering portion 144 extending from opposite ends of the retaining portion 140, respectively. The mating portion 142 extends into a corresponding passageway 136, and forms an arc-shaped contact portion 143 and a tip end 145 extending downward from the contact portion 143. The tip end 145 is distancedly aligned with an associated recess 135 below the corresponding passageway 136, and is received in the associated recess 135 when the receptacle and plug connectors 10, 20 are fully mated with each other, The soldering portion 144 is horizontally soldered to a corresponding footprint (not shown) formed on the mother board by surface mount technology (STA).

[0015] The plug connector 20 is vertically mounted on the LED panel which is obliquely located above the mother board to be rotatably assembled with the mother board. Thus, the plug connector 20 is rotated to mate with the receptacle connector 10 with the rotation of the LED panel. The plug connector 20 has a similar structure with the receptacle connector 10 and includes a second insulative housing 22 and two rows of second terminals 24 retained in the second housing 22 by insert molding. The second housing 22 has an elongate second body portion 23 and a second side wall 25 depending downward from a side edge of the second body portion 23. Additionally, the second body portion 23 forms a pair of projections 238 (only one shown) on the other side thereof opposite to the second side wall 25 for latching into corresponding through holes 152 of the first side wall 15 of the receptacle connector 10. The second side wall 25 defines a pair of through windows 252 for receiving corresponding embossments 138 of the receptacle connector 10. The two rows of second terminals 24 have symmetric structures with respect to a central axis of the second body portion 23. Each second terminal 24 has a retaining body 240 retained in the second body portion 23, a mating beam 242 and a soldering tail 244 respectively extending from opposite ends of the retaining body 240 in opposite directions. The mating beam 242 is adapted for mating with a corresponding contact portion 142 of the first terminal 14 of the receptacle connector 10.

[0016] In assembly or in use, further referring to FIG. 3, the receptacle connector 10 is mounted onto the mother board and the soldering portions 144 of the first terminals 14 thereof are horizontally soldered to corresponding footprints formed on the mother board. The plug connector 20 is vertically fastened onto the LED panel and the soldering tails 244 of the second terminals 24 thereof are soldered to corresponding footprints formed on the LED panel. In this status, the plug connector 20 is inclinedly located above the receptacle connector 10, as shown in FIG. 2. During the LED panel is rotatably assembled with the mother board, the plug connector 10 is downwardly rotated along the clockwise direction, designated as “A”, with respect to the receptacle connector 10 until the mating beams 242 of the second terminals 24 thereof are mated with corresponding contact portions 142 of the first terminals 14 of the receptacle connector 10. Meanwhile, the projections 238 and through windows 252 of the plug connector 20 are respectively latched with corresponding embossments 138 and through holes 152 of the receptacle connector 10 for securely retaining the receptacle and plug connectors 10, 20 together. In this way, the receptacle and plug connectors 10, 20 of the present invention are securely and effectively mated with each other without destroying their first and second terminals 14, 24, or breaking off from each other under vibration condition.

[0017] 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 23, a mating beam 242 and a soldering tail 244 respectively extending from opposite ends of the retaining body 240 in opposite directions. The mating beam 242 is adapted for mating with a corresponding contact portion 142 of the first terminal 14 of the receptacle connector 10.

[0018] In assembly or in use, further referring to FIG. 3, the receptacle connector 10 is mounted onto the mother board and the soldering portions 144 of the first terminals 14 thereof are horizontally soldered to corresponding footprints formed on the mother board. The plug connector 20 is vertically fastened onto the LED panel and the soldering tails 244 of the second terminals 24 thereof are soldered to corresponding footprints formed on the LED panel. In this status, the plug connector 20 is inclinedly located above the receptacle connector 10, as shown in FIG. 2. During the LED panel is rotatably assembled with the mother board, the plug connector 10 is downwardly rotated along the clockwise direction, designated as “A”, with respect to the receptacle connector 10 until the mating beams 242 of the second terminals 24 thereof are mated with corresponding contact portions 142 of the first terminals 14 of the receptacle connector 10. Meanwhile, the projections 238 and through windows 252 of the plug connector 20 are respectively latched with corresponding embossments 138 and through holes 152 of the receptacle connector 10 for securely retaining the receptacle and plug connectors 10, 20 together. In this way, the receptacle and plug connectors 10, 20 of the present invention are securely and effectively mated with each other without destroying their first and second terminals 14, 24, or breaking off from each other under vibration condition.

[0019] 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.