Connector assembly with connector having electrical spring plate

1. Technical Field

The present disclosure relates to connector assemblies, and particularly, to a connector assembly for electrically connecting a hard disk to a motherboard.

2. Description of Related Art

Hard disk drives are one of the main elements of computers, and need a connector assembly (e.g. male connector and female connector) to be electrically coupled to the motherboard.

However, after a substantial number of connect and disconnect cycles, the connection between the male connector and the female connector becomes very loose, and the integrity of the electrical connection can be reduced, causing non-recognition of, and other malfunctions in, the hard disk.

Therefore, what is needed is a new connector assembly that can overcome the described limitations.

FIG. 1 is an isometric view of a connector assembly according to an exemplary embodiment.

FIG. 2 is an exploded isometric view of the connector assembly of FIG. 1 .

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of the connector assembly of FIG. 1 .

The embodiments will now be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

Referring to FIGS. 1 , 2 , and 3 , a connector assembly 100 , in accordance with an exemplary embodiment, is shown. The connector assembly 100 is configured for electrically connecting a hard disk drive (hard disk 200 ) to a motherboard 300 .

The connector assembly 100 includes a first connector 10 electrically coupled to the hard disk 200 , and a second connector 30 arranged on the motherboard 300 and electrically coupled to the first connector 10 .

The first connector 10 includes a first insulation main body 101 , a plurality of electrical pins 103 arranged in the first insulation main body 101 , a locking member 105 positioned lengthwise on a lateral surface 1011 of the first insulation main body 101 . The electrical pins 103 are electrically coupled to the hard disk 200 via a plurality of electrical wires 104 .

The locking member 105 includes a main portion 1051 , a connection portion 1053 connected between the main portion 1051 and the lateral surface 1011 , and a stop portion 1055 .

The main portion 1051 is a bar-shaped structure operating like a teeterboard, and when at rest is parallel with the first insulation main body 101 .

The connection portion 1053 is a fulcrum, and is perpendicular to the lateral surface 1011 . The two ends of the connection portion 1053 are respectively connected to a middle of the main portion 1051 and the first insulation main body 101 , such that the main portion 1051 is connected to the first insulation main body 101 . In other embodiments, the connection portion 1053 may be other than perpendicular to the lateral surface 1011 .

The stop portion 1055 extends from a first end of the main portion 1051 adjacent to the motherboard 300 , towards the first insulation main body 101 . The stop portion 1055 is configured for locking the first connector 10 onto the second connector 30 . The stop portion 1055 includes a first abutting surface 1057 facing the connection portion 1053 , and a second abutting surface 1059 adjacent to the first abutting surface 1057 . In the present embodiment, the first abutting surface 1057 is perpendicular to the main portion 1051 , and the second abutting surface 1059 is perpendicular to the first abutting surface 1057 . In other embodiments, and subject to the limits of effectiveness, the first abutting surface 1057 may be other than perpendicular to the main portion 1051 , and the second abutting surface 1059 may be other than perpendicular to the first abutting surface 1057 .

The second connector 30 is fixed on and electrically coupled to the mother board 300 . The second connector 30 includes a second insulation main body 301 , a plurality of electrical spring plates 303 partially embedded in the second insulation main body 301 , and a protruding locking block 305 arranged on a side surface 3011 of the second insulation main body 301 .

The electrical spring plates 303 are electrically coupled to the motherboard 300 . Each one of the electrical spring plates 303 connects with a respective one of the electrical pins 103 when the first and second connectors 10 , 30 are coupled with each other, such that the hard disk 200 is correctly coupled electrically to the motherboard 300 . Each one of the electrical spring plates 303 includes a contacting portion 3031 , a connection portion 3032 , a fixing portion 3033 , and an electrical connection portion 3034 . The contacting portion 3031 contacts and is electrically coupled to a corresponding one of the electrical pins 103 . The connection portion 3032 is substantially parallel to the motherboard 300 , and is configured for connecting the contacting portion 3031 and the fixing portion 3033 . The fixing portion 3033 stands on the motherboard 300 and extends perpendicularly though the motherboard 300 to fix the electrical spring plate 303 to the motherboard 300 . The electrical connection portion 3034 extends through the motherboard 300 and is electrically coupled to a contact at a rear surface of the motherboard 300 , to enable the hard disk 200 to communicate with the motherboard 300 .

The protruding locking block 305 protrudes from the side surface 3011 and is intended to be engaged by, and to lock in place, the main portion 1051 . The protruding locking block 305 includes a third abutting surface 3051 which allows the locking member 105 to function as a latch. In the present embodiment, the third abutting surface 3051 is perpendicular to the side surface 3011 . In other embodiments, the third abutting surface 3051 may be other than perpendicular to the side surface 3011 .

When the first connector 10 is inserted into the second connector 30 , the protruding locking block 305 is securely locked to the locking member 105 with the third abutting surface 3051 contacting the first abutting surface 1057 and the second abutting surface 1059 contacting the side surface 3011 , such that the first connector 10 is securely connected to the second connector 30 .

For conveniently separating the first connector 10 from the second connector 10 , the locking member 105 also includes a pressing portion 1058 . The pressing portion 1058 extends from a second end of the main portion 1051 in a direction away from the first insulation main body 101 . The pressing portion 1058 is positioned away from the second connector 30 . When the pressing portion 1058 is pressed toward the first connector 10 with finger pressure, the stop portion 1055 is separated from the protruding locking block 305 , such that the first connector 10 is easily separated from the second connector 30 .

In the present embodiment, the protruding locking block 305 engages with the locking member 105 , such that each of the electrical pins 103 is in complete contact with its correct electrical spring plate 303 of the electrical spring plates 303 . Accordingly, the electrical connection between the hard disk 200 and the motherboard 300 is more reliable and stable, and non-recognition or other problems with the hard disk 200 are avoided.

While certain embodiments have been described and exemplified above, various other embodiments will be apparent from the foregoing disclosure to those skilled in the art. The disclosure is not limited to the particular embodiments described and exemplified but is capable of considerable variation and modification without departure from the scope and spirit of the appended claims.