BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to an electrical connector and an electrical connector assembly thereof, the electrical connector assembly has two stacked mating cavities.
2. Description of Related Art
USB association published a new connector in Aug. 11, 2014. The connector comprises a pug connector and a receptacle connector mating with each other. The plug connector can insert into the receptacle connector along two opposite directions. The receptacle connector which can transmit USB 2.0 signal and USB 3.1 signal is called USB Type C connector. Nowadays, the USB Type C connector is gradually familiar with consumers. Many connector manufactories take part in the developing activities on the new connector along with the system companies. However, the strong demands of the USB 2.0 A type connectors will always last a long time in the future in respect to the present situation. It means that a long time needed as the USB Type C connectors entirely replace the USB 2.0 connectors. At the same time, the electronic devices are becoming smaller and smaller, and the connector is configured as a low profile type is also a tendency.
Therefore, an electrical connector and an electrical connector assembly thereof configured as stacked type is provided to meet the demands described aforementioned would be desirable.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide an electrical connector and an electrical connector assembly.
In order to achieve the object set forth, an electrical connector assembly comprising an insulative housing, at least a first terminal, at least a second terminal, a first metallic shell and a second metallic shell. The insulative housing has a base portion, a first tongue portion and a second tongue portion. The first tongue portion and the second tongue portion being disposed separately at a certain distance and parallel to each other. The first terminal has a first contacting portion arranged in the first tongue portion and a first connecting leg extending out of the base portion. The second terminal has a second contacting portion arranged in the second tongue portion and a second connecting leg extending out of the base portion. The first metallic shell surrounds the first tongue portion to form a first mating cavity therebetween. The second metallic shell surrounds at least a part of the second tongue portion to form a second mating cavity. The first mating cavity and the second mating cavity are independent and closely stacked along a vertical direction both perpendicular to the first tongue portion and the second tongue portion.
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.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an electrical connector assembly of a first embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a part exploded perspective view of the electrical connector assembly shown in FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is a front perspective view of the electrical connector assembly shown in FIG. 1;
FIG. 4 is a perspective view of an electrical connector of a second embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 5 is another perspective view of the electrical connector shown in FIG. 2, the second metallic shell is not shown;
FIG. 6 is a part exploded perspective view of the electrical connector shown in FIG. 5, the first metallic shell is not shown;
FIG. 7 is another perspective view of the electrical connector shown in FIG. 6.
FIG. 8 is an exploded perspective view of the first insulating housing shown in FIG. 6.
FIG. 9 is another perspective view of the first insulating housing shown in FIG. 8.
FIG. 10 is an exploded perspective view of the first insulating housing shown in FIG. 8.
FIG. 11 is another perspective view of the first insulating housing shown in FIG. 10.
FIG. 12 is a perspective view of the second terminals.
FIG. 13 is a perspective view of an independent electrical connector.
FIG. 14 is a perspective view of another embodiment wherein the first metallic shell is removed and replaced with a pair of confinement posts unitarily extending from the first base portion for restriction purpose.
FIG. 15 is a perspective view of another embodiment wherein the first metallic shell is removed and replaced with a pair of inwardly protrusions unitarily formed by the second metallic shell for restriction purpose.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Reference will now be made in detail to the preferred embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 1 to FIG. 3, the present invention provided with an electrical connector assembly 100 comprising an insulative housing 10, at least a first terminal 20, at least a second terminal 30, a first metallic shell 40 and a second metallic shell 50. The insulative housing 10 has a base portion 11, a first tongue portion 12 and a second tongue portion 13. The first tongue portion 12 and the second tongue portion 13 are disposed separately and parallel to each other. The first metallic shell 40 surrounds the first tongue portion 12 to form a first mating cavity 401 therebetween. The second metallic shell 50 at least surrounds a part of the second tongue portion 13 to form a second mating cavity 501 therebetween. The first mating cavity 401 and the second mating cavity 501 are independent and closely stacked along a vertical direction perpendicular the first and second tongue portions 12, 13. The first mating cavity 401 is disposed under the second mating cavity 501. A transverse direction is perpendicular to the vertical direction. The sizes of the first mating cavity 401 along the transverse direction and the vertical direction are both smaller than those of the second mating cavity 501. The electrical connector assembly 100 can be applied in a variety of electronic devices like vehicle system. The electrical connector assembly 100 not only can mate with a USB 2.0 plug connector, but also can mate with a USB Type C plug connector. It is benefit for reducing the size of the electrical connector assembly 100 due to the closely stacking of the first mating cavity 401 and the second mating cavity 501.
The first metallic shell 40 has a rectangular frame with four arc rounded corners. The first metallic shell 40 has two opposite long side walls 41 and two opposite short side walls 42. The second metallic shell 50 has a first section 51 surrounding the second tongue portion 13 and a second section 52 closely attached to an outer surface of the first metallic shell 40. The first section 51 and a long side wall 41 of the first metallic shell 40 together to form the second mating cavity 501 described aforementioned. The first section 51 has another long side wall 511, another two opposite short side walls 512 respectively bending from two sides of the another long side wall 511 and two connecting walls 513 respectively bending from the two short side walls 512. The two connecting walls 513 are both parallel to the long side wall 511. The second section 52 has another long side wall 521 and two another short side walls 522. The two connecting walls 513 respectively connect with the two corresponding short walls 522 of the second section 52. The second metallic shell 50 is formed by bending a metallic plate. It is clear to be seen from a front perspective view of the electrical connector 100 in FIG. 3 that the connecting walls 513 and the upper long side wall 41 of the first metallic shell 40 are together to form a lower long side wall of the second mating cavity 501. Of course, the second metallic shell 50 also can be configured as other different and comfortable structures. Such as the structure shown in FIG. 4, the second metallic shell 50′ independent and entirely surrounds the second tongue portion 13 to form said second mating cavity 501. In the specific embodiment, the first mating cavity 401 is fit for a USB Type C connector standard, the second mating cavity 501 is fit for a USB 2.0 Type A standard. The first mating cavity 401 and the second mating cavity 501 both have mating faces aligned with each other although a front side edge of the first metallic shell 40 is slightly inclined.
Mainly referring to FIG. 5 to FIG. 7, the specific structures of the electrical connectors 100 will be described here in the after. The base portion 11 of the insulative housing 10 has a first base portion 112 and a second base portion 113 assembled with each other. Said first tongue portion 12 extends forwardly from the first base portion 112, and the second tongue portion 13 extends forwardly from the second base portion 113. The first tongue portion 13 has a retaining portion 131 and a mating tongue 132 extending forwardly from the retaining portion 131. The mating tongue 132 has a stepping portion 133 disposed adjacent to the retaining portion 131 and having wider sizes than the other portion of the mating tongue 132 along both the transverse direction and the vertical direction. The first mating cavity 401 is located between the first metallic shell 40 and the mating tongue 132. Combined with FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, the first metallic shell 40 is retained to the retaining portion 131 to surround the first tongue portion 13. The second metallic shell 50 is retained to the first base portion 112 and the second base portion 113 to surround the first base portion 112 and the second base portion 113. Referring to FIG. 4, in other embodiment, the second metallic shell 50 can be only retained to the first base portion 112 and surrounds the first base portion 112. The first terminal 20 has a first contacting portion 21 arranged in the first tongue portion 12 and a first connecting leg 22 extending out of the first base portion 112. The second terminal 30 has a second contacting portion 31 arranged in the second tongue portion 13 and a second connecting leg 32 extending out of the second base portion 113. A plurality of said first terminals 20 and a plurality of the second terminals 30 are provided in the present embodiment. The first connecting legs 22 of the first terminals 20 have a row of through hole type legs extending downwardly and vertically and a row of SMT (surface mount type) legs extending horizontally. The second connecting legs 32 of the second terminals 30 bend initially and then extend horizontally. The second connecting legs 32 of the second terminals 30 are attached to a second face 1131 of the second base portion 113 which facing to the first base portion 112.
The first base portion 112 has a first face 1121 facing to the second base portion 113. The first face 1121 is lower than an upper surface of the retaining portion 131. The first terminal 20 has a first middle portion 23 connecting the first contacting portion 21 and the first connecting leg 22. A part of the first middle portion 23 of the first terminal 20 is exposed to the first face 1121 of the first base portion 112. After the first base portion 112 and the second base portion 113 are assembled with each other, each of the second connecting legs 32 of the second terminals 30 correspondingly contacts the first middle portion 23 of the first terminal 20. In the present invention, the second terminals 30 are functioned as USB 2.0 Type A terminals, the first terminals 20 are functioned as USB Type C terminals. Some terminals of the first terminals 20 are together to be functioned as USB 2.0 Type A terminals, thereby some terminals of the first terminals 20 and the second terminals 30 transmit the same signal. Referring to FIG. 12, the second contacting portions of the second terminals 30 are elastic structure, the second connecting legs 32 are offset relative to the second contacting portion 31 so as to be soldered to the corresponding first terminal 20 or press on the corresponding first terminals 20, thereby the first base portion 112 of the electrical connector assembly 100 of the present invention does not need to provide an extra portion extending through by the second connecting legs 32. Thus, it is benefit to reduce the size of the electrical connector assembly 100 along a front to back direction.
The first base portion 112 has at least a swallow-tail form rib 1122 at the first face 1121. The second base portion 113 has at least a swallow-tail form slot 1132 at the second face 1131 corresponding to the swallow-tail form rib 1122. In the present invention, two swallow-tail form ribs 1122 are respectively disposed at two sides of the first face 1121, and two swallow-tail form slots 1132 are respectively disposed at two sides of the second face 1131. After the first metallic shell 40 is assembled to the first tongue portion 12, the second base portion 113 is assembled to the first base portion 112 along with the swallow-tail form rib 1122 cooperating with the swallow-tail form slot 1132 so as to form a complete insulative housing 10. Referring to FIG. 5, the first base portion 112 and the second base portion 113 both have rear end surfaces aligned with each other so as to provide convenient for assembling the second metallic shell 50. The second metallic shell 50 has a rear wall entirely attached to the rear end surfaces of the first base portion 112 and the second base portion 113. Of course, the second metallic shell 501 is assembled to the insulative housing 10 after the first base portion 112 and the second base portion 113 assembled with each other.
Referring to FIG. 8 to FIG. 11, combined with FIG. 6, the first metallic shell 40 surrounds the first tongue portion 12 to form a complete electrical connector. The electrical connector is disposed in the lower area of the electrical connector assembly 100. Certainly, in other embodiment, the electrical connector can be used independently. Such as the electrical connector 100′ shown in FIG. 13. The specific manufacturing process of the electrical connector will be described in detail here in the after. The electrical connector has a first insulating housing 101 with a plurality of first terminals 20 received therein and a first metallic shell 40. The first insulating housing 101 has a main portion and a mating tongue 132 extending forwardly. The first base portion 112 and the retaining portion 131 are together to form the main portion. The main portion is provided mainly to fix the first metallic shell 40 and form a mounting surface to be mounted to a circuit board. The first metallic shell 40 surrounds the first insulator 101 to form the first mating cavity 401 between the mating tongue 132 and the first metallic shell 40. The first mating cavity 401 is 180 configured as 180 degree symmetric relative to the mating tongue 132. The first insulating housing 101 has an upper terminal module 16 and a lower terminal module 17. The upper terminal module 16 has an upper insulator 161, a row of upper first terminals 20a embedded in the upper insulator 161 by insert molding technology and a shielding plate 162. The shielding plate 162 also can be embedded with the upper insulator 161 along with the upper first terminals 20a by insert molding technology. The lower terminal module 17 has a lower insulator 16 and a row of lower first terminals 20b embedded in the lower insulator 16 by insert molding technology. The upper terminal module 16 and the second terminal module 17 are assembled with each other to form a complete first insulating housing 101. The upper insulator 161 has an upper main portion 1611 and an upper mating tongue 1612. The upper mating tongue 1612 has an upper stepping portion 1613 with sizes wider than those of the other part of the upper mating tongue 1612 along the transverse direction and the vertical direction and being adjacent to upper main portion 1611. The row of upper first terminals 20a have upper first contacting portions arranged on an upper surface of the upper mating tongue 1612 and upper first connecting legs extending out of the upper main portion 1611. The upper mating tongue 1612 has a plurality of terminal grooves 1614 on a lower surface of the upper mating tongue 1612. The lower insulator 171 has a lower main portion 1711 and a lower stepping portion 1713. The row of lower first terminals 20b have lower first contacting portions 21b extending out of the lower stepping portion 1713 and lower first connecting portions extending out of the lower main portion 1711. After the upper terminal module 16 and the lower terminal module 17 are assembled with each other along a vertical direction, the lower first contacting portions 21b of the lower first terminals 20b are received in the terminal grooves 1614 on the lower surface of the upper mating tongue 1612. The upper stepping portion 1613 and the lower stepping portion 1713 are together to form the complete stepping portion 133. The upper main portion 1611 and the lower main portion 1711 are together to form the complete main portion. The upper mating tongue 1612 it self configured as the complete mating tongue 131. The upper main portion 1611 has a receiving room 163 recessed from the lower surface thereof. The lower main portion 171 is received in the receiving room 163. The upper main portion 161 has two guiding slots 164 running through the lower surface thereof and disposed at two sides of the receiving room 163. The lower main portion 171 has two guiding posts 174 inserting into the corresponding guiding slots 164. The shielding plate 162 has a main body 1622 embedded in the upper insulator 161 and a rear shielding portion 1623 extending out of the upper insulator 161. The rear shielding portion 1623 is located in front of the upper first connecting legs of the upper first terminals 20a. The shielding plate 162 has two latching portion 1621 disposed at two sides and protruding out of the mating tongue 132. The manufacturing process of the electrical connector is also fit for the independent electrical connector 100′.
In another alternate embodiment, as shown in FIG. 14, the first metallic shell 40 may be omitted. Instead, a pair of confinement devices/posts 140 (shown in the dashed lines) around the interface boundary between the first mating cavity (around the first tongue portion 112) and the second mating cavity (around the second tongue portion 113) may integrally extend from the first base portion 112 so as to restrict the mated/complementary plug connector (USB type C) of the first mating cavity from upward moving into the second mating cavity. In another alternate embodiment, as shown in FIG. 15, such pair of confinement devices 540 may be replaced by inward protrusions integrally formed by or stamped from the second metallic shell 50. Understandably, the instant invention is to provide the double-deck arrangement of the dual connection units in a stacked manner wherein the first mating cavity for USB type C is smaller than the second mating cavity for USB type A in the transverse direction. Therefore, either using the pair of confinement posts unitarily forwardly extending from the first base section or a pair of inward protrusions unitarily formed by or stamped from the second metallic shell between the boundary between the first mating cavity and the second mating cavity, or using the independent metallic shell 40 within the common metallic shell 50 alternatively to efficiently divide these two mating cavities, is preferred for preventing improper relatively large forces from being imposed upon the first tongue portion 112 advantageously when the corresponding USB type C plug connector is received within the first mating cavity.
It is to be understood, however, that even though numerous characteristics and advantages of the present invention have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of the structure and function of the invention, the disclosure is illustrated 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.
Patent Application
20160329662
