Electrical connector with middle shielding plate contacting upper and lower contacts

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention generally relates to an electrical connector having a metallic shielding plate that contacts upper and lower grounding contacts thereof.

2. Description of the Related Art

Universal Serial Bus (USB) and USB connectors are well known in the art. China Patent No. 203859328 discloses a reversible electrical connector including an insulative housing defining a base portion and a tongue portion extending forwardly from the base portion. The tongue portion defines opposite first and second surfaces and forms a slot. A plurality of first contacts are retained in the insulative housing and partially exposed on the first surface and a plurality of second contacts are retained in the insulative housing and partially exposed on the second surface. A metallic shielding plate includes a body portion and is located between the first contacts and the second contacts. A pair of grounding arms extend from opposite sides of the body portion, passing through the slot, to contact first and second grounding contact.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide an electrical connector having a shielding plate securely contacts upper and lower grounding contacts thereof.

To fulfill the above-mentioned object, an electrical connector comprises: an insulative housing comprising an upper contact module and a lower contact module; a row of upper contacts retained in the upper contact module and a row of lower contacts retained in the lower contact module, the row of upper contacts including a plurality of first conductive contacts and at least one first grounding contact located at one side of the plurality of first conductive contacts, the row of lower contacts including a plurality of second conductive contacts and at least one second grounding contact located at one side of the plurality of second conductive contacts; a metallic shielding plate located between the upper contact module and the lower contact module; wherein each first conductive contact defines a first bottom surface covered by the upper contact module and the at least one first grounding contact defines a second bottom surface exposed on a lower surface of the upper contact module; each second conductive contact defines a first upper surface covered by the lower contact module and the at least one second grounding contact defines a second upper surface exposed on an upper surface of the lower contact module; and the metallic shielding plate contacts the second bottom surface of the at least one first grounding contact and the second upper surface of the at least one second grounding contact.

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

The foregoing summary, as well as the following detailed description of the embodiments of the present invention, will be better understood when read in conjunction with the appended drawings. For the purpose of illustrating the invention, there are shown in the drawings embodiments which are presently preferred. As should be understood, however, the invention is not limited to the precise arrangements and instrumentalities shown. In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an electrical connector assembly in accordance with the present invention mounted to a printed circuit board;

FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the electrical connector and the printed circuit board of the electrical connector;

FIG. 3 is another perspective, exploded view of FIG. 1 ;

FIG. 4 is a partly exploded perspective view showing the electrical connector;

FIG. 5 is another view similar to FIG. 4 , taken from another aspect;

FIG. 6 is a perspective, exploded view of the electrical connector without an inner metallic shell, an outer shell and a glue plate;

FIG. 7 is another view similar to FIG. 6 , taken from another aspect;

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a row of upper contacts and a row of lower contacts;

FIG. 9 is a side view of the electrical connector assembly of FIG. 1 ;

FIG. 9(A) is a side view of the electrical connector assembly of FIG. 1 without the printed circuit board;

FIG. 10(A) is a cross-sectional view of the electrical connector assembly along line 10 (A)- 10 (A) in FIG. 1 ;

FIG. 10(B) is a cross-sectional view of the electrical connector assembly along line 10 (B)- 10 (B) in FIG. 1 ; and

FIG. 10(C) is a cross-sectional view of the electrical connector assembly along line 10 (C)- 10 (C) in FIG. 1 .

Reference will now be made in detail to the preferred embodiment of the present invention.

Please referring to FIGS. 1-10 (C), an electrical connector 100 is intended to be mounted on a printed circuit board 200 . The electrical connector 100 comprises an insulative housing 1 , a glue plate 2 , a seamlessly inner metallic shell 3 , an outer shell 4 , a plurality of contacts retained in the insulative housing 1 , and a metallic shielding plate 16 .

Please referring to FIGS. 4-10 , the insulative housing defines a base portion 11 and a tongue portion 12 extending forwardly from the base portion 11 . The base portion 11 defines a front face 111 and a rear face 112 opposite to the front face 111 , the tongue portion defines a first body 121 and a second body 122 extending forwardly from the front face 111 in turn. The insulative housing 1 is made of insulating material and defines an upper contact module 13 , a lower contact module 14 , and an insulator 15 . The upper contact module 13 includes a first base portion 131 and a first tongue 132 extending forwardly from the first base portion 131 , the lower contact module 14 includes a second base portion 141 and a second tongue portion 142 extending forwardly from the second base portion 141 , The insulator 15 includes a third base portion 151 and a third tongue portion 152 extending forwardly from the third base portion 151 . The first base portion 131 , the second base portion 141 , and the third base portion 151 are jointly form the base portion 11 . The first tongue portion 132 , the second tongue portion 142 , and the third tongue portion 152 are jointly form the tongue portion 12 .

The plurality of contacts include a row of upper contacts 51 retained in the upper contact module 13 and a row of lower contacts 52 retained in the lower contact module 14 , the row of upper contacts 51 and the row of lower contacts 52 have the same number, the thickness of each contact is 0.25 millimeter for transmitting high current. The row of upper contacts 51 and the row of lower contacts 52 are positioned to have 180 degree symmetry such that the corresponding plug connector (not figured) can be inserted and operatively coupled to the electrical connector 100 in either of two orientations.

The row of upper contacts 51 include a plurality of first conductive contacts 512 and a pair of first grounding contacts 511 located at opposite sides of the plurality of first conductive contacts 512 . Each upper contact 51 defines a first contacting section or portion 513 , a first connecting portion 515 extending backwardly from the first contacting portion 513 , and a first soldering portion 514 extending backwardly from the first connecting portion 515 . The first contacting portion 513 defines a front thin portion 5131 , the first connecting portion 515 of the first grounding contact 512 defines a first abutting portion 5110 projecting downwardly from an outer side edge thereof. The upper contact module 13 defines a first projecting portion 1331 located at a front region corresponding the first grounding contact 511 for retaining the first grounding contact 511 .

The row of lower contacts 52 include a plurality of second conductive contacts 522 and a pair of second grounding contacts 521 located at opposite sides of the plurality of first conductive contacts 522 . Each lower contact 52 defines a second contacting section or portion 523 , a second connecting portion 525 extending backwardly from the second contacting portion 523 , and a second soldering portion 524 extending backwardly from the second connecting portion 525 . The second contacting portion 523 defines a front thin portion 5231 , the second connecting portion 525 of the second grounding contact 522 defines a second abutting portion 5210 projecting upwardly from an outer side edge thereof. The lower contact module 14 defines a second projecting portion 1332 located at a front region corresponding the second grounding contact 521 for retaining the second grounding contact 521 .

The inner metallic shell 3 is a one-piece shell and having an inserting space 31 with a stopping portion 32 therein, a pair of retaining feet 33 formed on opposite outer sides of the inner metallic shell 3 . The stopping portion 32 divides the inserting space 31 into a front space 311 and a rear space 312 . The outer shell 4 defines a pair of first soldering feet 41 mounting on the printed circuit board 200 . The metallic shielding plate 16 defines a 0.2 millimeter thickness and including a pair of shielding plates 160 separated from each other, each shielding plate 160 defines a hole 161 for receiving the first projecting portion 1331 and the second projecting portion 1332 respectively, and a second soldering foot 162 corresponding each first soldering foot 41 for mounting on the printed circuit board 200 . The printed circuit board 200 defines a pair of soldering grooves 201 for soldering the pair of retaining feet 33 , a pair of soldering holes 202 for soldering the pair of first soldering feet 41 and two second soldering feet 162 , and a plurality of soldering pads 203 for soldering the first soldering contacts 514 and the second soldering contacts 524 . Each shielding plate 160 defines a groove 163 for giving way to the first abutting portion 5110 and the second abutting portion 5210 in an up-to-down direction.

The steps of making the electrical connector 100 are as follows. Step 1: the row of upper contacts 51 are integrally assembled with the upper contact module 13 to form a contact unit 80 ( FIG. 6 ) and the row of lower contacts 52 are integrally assembled with the lower contact module 14 to form a contact unit 90 ( FIG. 6 ), via a first stage insert-molding process. Then, a first bottom surface of the first conductive contacts 512 and a first upper surface of the second conductive contacts 522 are covered with the upper contact module 13 and the lower contact module 14 respectively, and a second bottom surface of the first grounding contacts 511 and a second upper surface of the second grounding contacts 521 are exposed on a lower surface of the upper contact module 13 and an upper surface of the lower contact module 14 respectively.

Step 2: the metallic shielding plate 16 is clamp between the upper contact module 13 and the lower contact module 14 . Then, each shielding plate 160 directly contacts the second bottom surface and the second upper surface of each first grounding contact 521 and corresponding second grounding contact 522 in the up-to-down direction, and the first conductive contacts 512 and the second conductive contacts 522 are separated from each other by insulating material. The first projecting portion 1331 and the second projecting portion 1332 pass through the hole 161 of each shielding plate 160 for retaining the shielding plate 160 . The first abutting portion 5110 solders with the second abutting portion 5210 for combining the upper contact module 13 together with the lower contact module 14 stably.

Step 3: the combining upper contact module 13 and lower contact module 14 are integrally assembled with the insulator 15 , via a second stage insert-molding process. The front thin portion 5131 of the first contacting portion 513 and the front thin portion 5231 of the second contacting portion 523 are embedded in the insulator 1 .

Step 4: the insulative housing 1 is inserted into the inner metallic shell 3 . Then, the base portion 11 rests on the stopping portion 32 from a rear-to-front direction with the tongue portion 12 protruding into the front space 311 . The first body 121 of the tongue portion 12 is received in the front space 311 and the second body 122 extends beyond the front space 311 . Glue is then injected into a rear face of the base portion for forming the glue plate 2 to seal the rear space 312 .

Step 5: the outer shell 4 cover on a top surface of the inner metallic shell 3 by spot welding process, with each first soldering foot 41 of the outer shell 4 and the second soldering foot 162 abut against each other.

Step 6: the electrical connector 100 is mounted on the printed circuit board 200 . Then, the pair of retaining feet 33 are soldered in the pair of soldering grooves 201 , the plurality of first soldering portions 514 and second soldering portions 524 are soldered on the plurality of soldering pads 203 , each second soldering foot 162 is soldered on top surface of the soldering hole 202 , and each first soldering foot 41 passes through the soldering hole 202 and is soldered in the soldering hole 202 .

The invention includes several features. The contact 51 , 52 has a thickness of 0.25 mm and the shielding plate 16 has a thickness of 0.2 mm so that the first grounding contact 511 and the second grounding contact 521 not only commonly directly and intimately sandwich the shielding plate 16 therebetween in the vertical direction but also directly intimately mechanically connect to each other via the corresponding first abutting portion 5110 and second abutting portion 5210 in the vertical direction. In addition, the first abutting portion 5110 and the second abutting portion 5210 are welded together so as to fasten together the first contact module 13 , which is associated with the first contacts 51 as a first contact unit, and the second contact module 14 , which is associated with the second contacts 52 as a second contact unit, with the shielding plates 16 therebetween in the vertical direction so as to further be applied with the insulator 15 to form a complete terminal module. The metallic inner shell forms a pair of notches 35 to receive a front edge region of the second base portion 141 so as to stabilize the whole terminal module in the inner shell 3 wherein the stopping portion 32 prevents further movement of the whole terminal module, and the first soldering foot 41 of the outer shell 4 abuts against the second soldering foot 162 of the shielding plate 16 to prevent the backward movement of the whole terminal module. Notably, because each of the first grounding contact 511 and the second grounding contact 521 requires to expose its inner side to contact the corresponding shielding plate 16 , it lacks the support from the corresponding first/second contact module 13 / 14 in the vertical direction. Therefore, the first/second contact module 13 / 14 forms the corresponding first/second projecting portion 1331 / 1332 to retain the corresponding first/second grounding contact 511 / 512 wherein the first/second projecting portion 1331 / 1332 is further received within the corresponding opening of the corresponding shielding plate 16 . It is also noted that on one hand, the insulator 15 is, at the second stage insert-molding process, insert-molded upon the contact module 13 , the second contact module 14 and the shielding plates 16 therebetween, to secure those three parts together. On the other hand, the pair of mounting posts 17 are also, at the second insert-molding stage, insert-molded to those three parts to extend through the corresponding three through holes in those three parts wherein the center axes of those three through holes are not aligned in the vertical direction, so such the mounting post 17 may provide the securing effect to retain those three parts together, in addition to the original mounting effect.

It is to be understood, however, that even though numerous, characteristics and advantages of the present invention have been set fourth in the foregoing description, together with details of the structure and function of the invention, the disclosed 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.