BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention generally relates to a guide post of an electrical connector for guiding the connector into mating engagement with a mating connector, and in particular to an electrical connector guide post having a buffering element for reducing an impact force between the connectors.

2. The Prior Art

Electrical connectors that engage with mating connectors to establish electrical connection and transfer signals therebetween are well known in the electronics field. A mating force is required to physically connect the connectors together. To ensure proper connection and to maintain secure engagement between the connectors, guiding means is often adapted in the connectors. Related examples are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,446,171 and 5,478,253. The guiding means of the conventional connector comprises an elongate post which is inserted into a hole defined in the mating connector. In the conventional connectors, the mating force required to physically attach the connector to the mating connector directly acts upon the connectors whereby an unintentionally excessive mating force may damage the connectors when inserting the post into the hole.

It is thus desirable to provide a guide post which has a buffering spring for reducing a mating force thereby decreasing the likelihood of damaging the connectors.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide an electrical connector having a guide post with a buffering element for reducing an impact force acting upon the connector.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an electrical connector having a guide post with a buffering spring which electrically engages with the mating connector for providing EMI (Electro-Magnetic Interference) protection.

A further object of the present invention is to provide an electrical connector having a guide post with a buffering element for reducing the risk of damage incurred on the connectors when engaging the connectors.

To achieve the above objects, a guide post in accordance with the present invention is adapted to be mounted to a first electrical connector for being received in a receptacle hole defined in a mating second connector to guide the mating operation of the connectors. The guide post has a threaded section threadingly engaging with an inner-threaded hole defined in the first connector and a post section extending beyond the first connector and insertable into the receptacle hole of the second connector. A hexagonal intermediate section is formed between the threaded section and the post section. A helical spring having a first end supported on the intermediate section surrounds the post section and is retained thereon by a washer which is movably fit over the post section and engages with a second end of the spring. A cap is fixed to a free end of the post section to retain the washer thereon. The washer has a size greater than the receptacle hole thereby abutting against the second connector for compressing the spring which in turn provides a buffering force between the two connectors.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art by reading the following description of a preferred embodiment thereof, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is an exploded view of a guide post in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an assembled view of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of an electrical connector having two guide posts of the present invention mounted therein; and

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing the engagement between two connectors guided by the guide post of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to the drawings and in particular to FIGS. 1 and 2, a guide post 80 in accordance with the present invention comprises an elongate post body 10 having a front section 102 and a rear section 101 extending from an expanded intermediate section 104 in opposite directions. The rear section 101 is externally threaded and the front section 102 has a threaded free end 103.

Preferably, the intermediate section 104 has a polygonal cross section, such as a hexagon as shown in the drawings, for facilitating engagement with an external tool such as a wrench (not shown).

A cap 40 has an inner-threaded hole 403 for engaging with and securing to the threaded free end 103 of the front section 102 of the post body 10. The cap 40 has a rounded end 401.

A helical spring 20 is fit over the front section 102 of the post body 10 with a first end 202 supported on the expanded intermediate section 104 and a second end 201 abutting against the cap 40 via a washer 30 positioned therebetween. The washer 30 has a central bore 301 which is greater in diameter than the front section 102 of the post body 10 and is thus movable with respect to the post body 10. The washer 30 has a first face 302 engaging with the cap 40 and a second face 304 engaging with and supported by the second end 201 of the spring 20.

Preferably, the helical spring 20 has a conical configuration whereby the second end 201 has a diameter greater than the first end 202 thereby allowing the spring 20 to be compressed into a flat coil for promoting an efficient use of space.

FIG. 3 shows the electrical connector 90 having two guide posts 80 of the present invention mounted therein. The electrical connector 90 comprises an insulative housing 91 receiving and retaining a plurality of contact elements 93 therein. A shielding member 94 is mounted to the housing 91 for grounding and EMI (Electro-Magnetic Interference) protection purposes. The housing 91 has two inner-threaded holes 92 (FIG. 4) with which the threaded sections 101 of the post bodies 10 of the guide posts 80 engage whereby the front sections 102 of the guide posts 80 extend beyond the connector 90.

Although the helical spring 20 is described to have the first end 202 thereof supported on the expanded intermediate section 104, it is apparent that the first end 202 of the spring 20 may be directly supported on the housing 91 of the connector 90 and the expanded intermediate section 104 may be removed.

Also referring to FIG. 4, the connector 90 is mateable with a mating connector 95 for electrically engaging the contact elements 93 with counterpart contacts (not shown) of the mating connector 95. The mating connector 95 defines receptacle holes 96 therein for receiving the front sections 102 of the guide posts 80. When inserting the guide post 80 into the corresponding receptacle hole 96 for mating the two connectors 90, 95, the cap 40 is disposed in the hole 96 and the washer 30 abuts against the mating connector 95. In this respect, the washer 30 has a size greater than the hole 96. The rounded end 401 of the cap 40 facilitates the insertion of the cap 40 into the receptacle hole 96. A mating force is applied to the connectors 90, 95 to compress the spring 20 which brings the connectors 90, 95 toward each other and the contact elements 93 electrically engage with the counterpart contacts of the mating connector 95.

The compression of the spring 20 provides a buffering force between the two mating connectors 90, 95 thereby reducing the likelihood of damage incurred on the connectors 90, 95 by means of an excessive mating force. In addition, the mating connector 95 generally is also covered by a shield (not shown) on the corresponding mating face, and thus under this situation, the compression of the spring 20 biases the washer 30 firmly against such a shield of the mating connector 95 thereby forming a secure electrical engagement therewith for providing EMI/ESD protection between the connectors 90, 95.

Although the present invention has been described with reference to a preferred embodiment, it is apparent to those skilled in the art that a variety of modifications and changes may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention which is intended to be defined by the appended claims.