KR100403532B1 - Electrical connector with secure outer shield - Google Patents

Abstract

The electrical connector includes an insulating housing and a conductive outer shield for holding a plurality of conductive terminals. The shield has at least one locking tab bent inwardly in a ramp shape such that the distal edges of the plurality of panels and tabs surrounding the housing can engage the corresponding recesses of the housing to secure the shield to the housing. Preferably, the locking tab can be bent to the locked position by a simple axial movement pressing operation. In one embodiment where the housing is insertable into the shield along the insertion direction during assembly, the shield comprises a plurality of locking tabs, at least two of which take the ramp shape in opposite directions along the insertion direction. In one embodiment, the tab is formed by a U-shaped cutout at the center inside each panel of the shield.

Description

Electrical connector with rugged outer shield {ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR WITH SECURE OUTER SHIELD}

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to the field of electrical connectors, and more particularly, to a connector having an insulating housing and a shield that surrounds and securely fastens the housing as a whole.

Socket connectors are known for mating with mating plug connectors. For example, Universal Serial Bus (USB) connectors are widely used to connect computer peripherals. Conventional socket connectors, including multiple USB sockets, include an insulating inner housing and a conductive outer shield to hold a plurality of conductive terminals. The shield surrounds the housing to provide a robust outer structure and reduce electromagnetic interference.

The shield in a conventional connector includes various panels with a number of protruding bendable locking tabs or flanges. The panel is disposed over the outside of the housing. In order to mount the shield to the housing, the tabs must be folded in a complex multiple folding press operation over and around portions of the housing. This pressurization adds to the complexity and cost of assembly. Therefore, there is a need for a connector having a structure that can easily mount the shield to the housing while the assembly of the housing and the shield is simple.

The present invention provides a connector having an improved structure that overcomes the drawbacks of the prior art. The connector according to the invention is simpler to assemble because it has at least one locking tab that is fasteningly bendable in a simple axial pressurized actuation.

For example, in one embodiment, an electrical connector is provided that includes an insulating housing and a conductive outer shield to hold a plurality of conductive terminals. The shield has a number of panels to enclose the housing. Typically, in one embodiment the shield forms an internal cavity with openings in the rear and front so that the housing can be inserted into the shield during the assembly process. In order to fasten the shield against the inserted housing, the shield has at least one locking tab that is bent inwardly in the form of a lamp. The tab is received in a corresponding recess in the housing. The tab also has a distal edge that engages against the ledge of the corresponding recess to hold the shield securely in place. Preferably, the tab can be bent to a locked position on a single bend line by simple axial pressurization operation.

In one embodiment, the shield comprises a plurality of locking tabs, at least two of which take the shape of a lamp in generally opposite directions along the direction in which the housing is inserted into the shield. This securely mounts the shield forward and backward relative to the housing.

In one embodiment, each tab is formed by a U-shaped cutout that is usually centered within each panel of the shield. Preferably, since the tabs do not protrude from the peripheral edge of the shield panel, the shields according to the invention are not entangled or damaged with each other during manufacture. In addition, the shield blanks require a smaller overall area, thus saving metal.

An advantage of the present invention is that it provides an improved electrical connector.

Another advantage of the present invention is that it provides a simple, low cost electrical connector in assembly.

Another advantage of the present invention is that the shield tab provides an electrical connector that can be easily bent into a locked position by performing a simple pressing operation.

Another advantage of the present invention is that it provides a connector through which the housing can be slidably inserted into the shield during assembly of the part.

Another advantage of the present invention is that it provides an electrical connector having a conductive shield that is rigidly mounted to the housing in a locked manner.

Additional features and advantages of the invention are set forth below and are apparent from the following detailed description, claims, and drawings.

1 is a perspective view of a conventional USB socket connector.

2 is a perspective view of a prefabricated socket connector made in accordance with the teachings of the present invention.

3 is a perspective view of the connector as seen from an angle different from that of FIG.

4 is an exploded perspective view of the connector of FIGS. 2 and 3;

<Explanation of symbols for the main parts of the drawings>

32: insulated housing

36: conductive outer shield

50: top panel

52, 54: side panel

56, 58: floor panel

57: spring leg

60, 62: locking tab

66, 68: recess

70, 72: single bend line

The same components will be described with reference to the drawings with like reference numerals, and the conventional USB socket connector 10 is shown in FIG. Conventional connectors 10 typically include an internal insulative housing 12 that holds a plurality of conductive terminals 14, which are partially surrounded by a conductive shield 16. The front 18 of the connector 10 is configured to cooperatively receive a mating plug connector (not shown), and the shield 16 includes a plurality of inwardly projecting protrusions to elastically bias the mating plug connector. Elastic spring legs.

As shown in FIG. 1, the shield 16 of a conventional connector includes a plurality of rear locking tabs 20 formed around the rear edge of the housing 12. During assembly of the conventional connector 10 the tab 20 must be carefully formed by bending or pressing operation. This bending or pressing operation is undesirable by adding complexity and cost to the assembly process.

2-4, a socket connector 30 in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention is shown. As shown, the connector 30 is a USB type connector, but the present invention is not limited to the USB configuration. The illustrated connector 30 typically includes an insulating housing 32, a plurality of conductive terminals 34 mounted on the housing 32, and a conductive shield 36 surrounding the housing 32. The shield 36 defines a front opening 38 shaped to receive a mating plug connector (not shown). In addition, in the illustrated embodiment, the connector 30 is configured to be mounted to a circuit board (not shown).

Referring to FIG. 4, the housing 32 typically includes a base 40 and a terminal platform 42 protruding forward from the base 40. Terminal platform 42 is configured to hold terminals 34 for corresponding contact with mating plug connectors. More specifically, a plurality of terminal cavities 44 are formed in the housing 32 in which the conductive terminals 34 are fixed. Each terminal 34 has a contact portion 46 which is typically located on the terminal platform 42 to contact the mating plug connector. Each terminal 34 also has a tail 48 that projects back downward from the housing 32 to contact other elements such as a circuit board.

To reduce electromagnetic interference, shield 36 surrounds housing 32. As shown in Figures 2-4, the shield typically includes an upper panel 50 and side panels 52, 54 extending downward from the upper panel 50. In the illustrated embodiment, the shield further includes a pair of bottom panels 56 and 58, each bottom panel 56 and 58 extending inwardly from the bottom edge of each side panel 52, 54. Although the bottom panel of the shield need not be a two-piece structure, in the illustrated embodiment the bottom panels 56, 58 meet in the center. Referring to FIG. 4, the shield 36 forms an internal cavity typically shaped to receive the housing 32. In one embodiment, the housing 32 is insertable into the shield 36 in the insertion direction. For example, as shown, the housing 32 is insertable forward into the assembled position through the rear opening of the shield 36. If desired, the shield 36 is a member such as a spring leg 57 for contact biasing against an inserted mating plug connector and a downwardly protruding mounting leg 59 for mounting the connector 30 to the circuit board. It may include.

In order to mount the housing 32 on the shield 36, the shield 36 includes a plurality of locking tabs 60, 62. Each tab 60, 62 is formed by a U-shaped cutout, usually centrally inside each of the panels 50, 52, 54. 4 shows a number of corresponding recesses 66, 68 in the base 40 of the housing 32. Each locking tab 60, 62 is bent inwardly in the form of a lamp and received in a corresponding one of the recesses 66, 68 of the housing 32. Preferably, the at least one tab 62 typically takes the shape of a ramp inwardly inwardly and the at least one tab 60 takes the shape of a ramp in the opposite direction, ie backward inwardly. This is particularly useful in the illustrated embodiment in which the housing 32 is insertable along the front insertion direction and the tabs 60, 62 secure the shield 36 in the forward and rearward directions. Each forward facing tab 62 has a distal edge that abuts or engages with the rear facing ledge of the recess 68 (FIG. 4), and the rear facing tab 60 faces forward of the recess 66. Has a distal edge adjacent or engaging the ledge (FIG. 4).

Preferably, each tab 60, 62 is bendable on a single bend line 70 into a ramp-shaped fastening position inward by a simple axial pressurization operation. This is far less complicated to manufacture than the wrapover bending of edge protruding tabs of conventional connectors.

Although the present invention has been described with reference to the preferred embodiments, the invention is not limited to the specific shapes of the described embodiments. Many alternatives and modifications to the present invention are possible to those skilled in the art. Such substitutions and changes are possible within the scope of the inventive concept. Accordingly, all such substitutions and changes are intended to be included within the scope of this invention as defined in the appended claims.

According to the present invention, there is provided a connector which is simple and inexpensive in assembling the housing and the shield, but has a structure capable of firmly mounting the shield in the housing.

Claims (5)

In the electrical connector, With an insulating housing, A conductive outer shield surrounding the housing and having a plurality of panels defining an interior cavity for receiving the housing and a plurality of locking tabs received within the corresponding recesses of the housing, At least one of the locking tabs is received forward in the housing recess and the remaining tabs are received rearward facing the housing recess. The electrical connector of claim 1 wherein the housing is insertable into the shield in the insertion direction and the tab engages the housing recess to prevent the housing from moving along an axis parallel to the insertion direction. The electrical connector as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least one tab is formed by a U-shaped cutout at the center in each panel. The electrical connector of claim 1 wherein each tab has a distal edge that is adjacent to a ledge formed by a recess in the housing. The electrical connector as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one tab is bendable in a locked position on a single bend line by simple axial pressurization operation.