Electrical connector with locking structures for assembling contact modules

摘要

An electrical connector includes an insulative housing, a number of first contact modules, a number of second contact modules and a number of third contacts all assembled into the insulative housing. Each first contact module includes a first wafer and first contacts insert-molded in the first wafer. Each second contact module includes a second wafer and second contacts insert-molded in the second wafer. The first contact modules, the second contact modules and the third contacts are arranged side by side after being inserted into the insulative housing. The adjacent first wafer and the second wafer cooperatively include mutual locking structures so that they can be inserted into the insulative housing in turn under a predetermined sequence.

主权项

1. An electrical connector comprising:
an insulative housing comprising a mounting portion and a mating portion extending forwardly from the mounting portion along a longitudinal direction, the mating portion comprising a mating surface and a plurality of contact-receiving slots extending through the mating surface, the mounting portion comprising a mounting surface and a mounting space extending through the mounting surface; a plurality of first contact modules each comprising a first wafer and a plurality of first contacts fixed in the first wafer, each first contact comprising a first contact portion extending forwardly beyond the first wafer, a first mounting leg extending downwardly beyond the first wafer and a first connecting portion insert-molded in the first wafer; a plurality of second contact modules each comprising a second wafer and a plurality of second contacts fixed in the second wafer, each second contact comprising a second contact portion extending forwardly beyond the second wafer, a second mounting leg extending downwardly beyond the second wafer and a second connecting portion insert-molded in the second wafer; a plurality of third contacts each comprising a flat main portion, a plurality of third contact portions extending forwardly from the main portion and a plurality of third mounting legs extending downwardly from the main portion; wherein the first contact modules, the second contact modules and the third contacts are accommodated in the mounting space with the first contact portions, the second contact portions and the third contact portions extending into corresponding contact-receiving slots; and wherein one of the first contact modules, one of the second contact modules and one of the third contacts are arranged side by side along a transverse direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction; and wherein one of the first wafers and one of the second wafers cooperatively comprise mutual locking structures so that the one of the first wafers and the one of the second wafers can be inserted into the mounting space in turn under a predetermined sequence; and wherein the mounting portion comprises a top wall which comprises a plurality of guiding slots in communication with the mounting space to position the second contact modules and the third contacts, the one of the second wafers comprising an upper protrusion which is received in corresponding guiding slot, the upper protrusion being positioned nearer to the one of the first wafers than to an adjacent main portion of the third contacts.