Information
-
Patent Grant
-
6508665
-
Patent Number
6,508,665
-
Date Filed
Thursday, November 29, 200122 years ago
-
Date Issued
Tuesday, January 21, 200321 years ago
-
Inventors
-
Original Assignees
-
Examiners
- Paumen; Gary
- Figueroa; Felix O.
Agents
-
CPC
-
US Classifications
Field of Search
US
- 439 5415
- 439 620
- 439 79
- 439 63
-
International Classifications
-
Abstract
An electrical connector (1) includes a first electrical connector subassembly (2), a second electrical connector subassembly (3), a dielectric holder (4), a special-purpose printed circuit board (5), an insulative retainer (6) and a conductive outer shield (7). The first and the second electrical connector subassemblies respectively have electrical terminals (22) and electrical contacts (32) electrically connecting with the printed circuit board. The dielectric holder retains the second electrical connector subassembly and is assembled to the first electrical connector subassembly and the conductive outer shield. The insulative retainer retains the printed circuit board and is latched with the first electrical connector subassembly, the dielectric holder and the conductive outer shield.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electrical connector, and particularly to an electrical connector having a printed circuit board mounted therein.
2. Description of the Related Art
Electrical contacts of electrical connectors are generally arranged in upper and lower rows and tail portions, through which the electrical contacts are mounted to a printed circuit board, of the upper row of electrical contacts need to extend vertically a longer distance than those of the lower row of electrical contacts. As a result, the electrical contacts in the upper and the lower rows must be separately manufactured, thereby complicating the manufacturing of the electrical contacts and the cost therefor.
A printed circuit board (so-called daughter board) performing a specialized function, for example a sound card, is electrically connected to another printed circuit board (so-called mother board) and connects with an electrical connector, for example an audio jack connector, through the mother board. In this way, the audio jack connector and the sound card respectively occupy ‘real estate’ on the mother board and unavoidably consume precious and limited space of the mother board.
Therefore, a solution to the above problems is desired.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A first object of the present invention is to provide an electrical connector having easily manufactured electrical contacts.
A second object of the present invention is to provide an electrical connector incorporating therein a printed circuit board performing a specialized function to save the space of a mother board.
An electrical connector in accordance with the present invention comprises a first electrical connector subassembly, a second electrical connector subassembly, a dielectric holder, a printed circuit board, an insulative retainer and a conductive outer shield. The first and the second electrical connector subassemblies respectively have electrical terminals and electrical contacts electrically connected with the printed circuit board. The dielectric holder holds the second electrical connector subassembly and is assembled to the first electrical connector subassembly and the conductive outer shield. The insulative retainer retains an upper end of the printed circuit board and is latched with the first electrical connector subassembly, the dielectric holder and the conductive outer shield.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of the present embodiment when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1
is a perspective view of an electrical connector in accordance with the present invention;
FIG. 2
is a rear plan view of the electrical connector of
FIG. 1
;
FIG. 3
is a cross sectional view of the electrical connector of
FIG. 1
;
FIG. 4
is another cross sectional view of the electrical connector of
FIG. 1
;
FIG. 5
is a perspective view of a first electrical connector subassembly of the electrical connector of
FIG. 1
;
FIG. 6
is a view similar to
FIG. 5
but taken from another perspective wherein the first electrical connector subassembly has been assembled to a second electrical connector subassembly, a dielectric holder and a printed circuit board;
FIG. 7
is a perspective view of the second electrical connector subassembly of the electrical connector of
FIG. 1
;
FIG. 8
is a perspective view of the dielectric holder;
FIG. 9
is an assembled perspective view of the second electrical connector subassembly, the dielectric holder and the printed circuit board;
FIG. 10
is a view similar to
FIG. 6
but taken from a different perspective;
FIG. 11
is a view similar to
FIG. 9
but an insulative retainer has been added thereto; and
FIG. 12
is a perspective of the insulative retainer.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Referring to
FIGS. 1-4
, an electrical connector
1
in accordance with the present invention comprises a first electrical connector subassembly
2
, a second electrical connector subassembly
3
, a dielectric holder
4
, a printed circuit board
5
, an insulative retainer
6
and a conductive outer shield
7
.
Referring also to
FIGS. 5 and 6
, the first electrical connector subassembly
2
is a stacked audio jack connector and comprises a dielectric housing group
20
including a bottom, a middle and a top housings
200
,
201
,
202
arranged in a stacked relationship, a set of conductive terminal groups
22
which comprises a bottom, a middle and a top terminal rows
220
,
221
and
222
, and a one-piece grounding contact
24
.
The middle and the top housings
201
and
202
have an identical structure, so only the top housing
202
will be detailed hereinafter. The top housing
202
is rectangular shaped and comprises a front cylindrical neck
203
which extends forward from a front face thereof and defines a through hole
204
for receiving a plug of a plug connector (not shown). A dove-tail recess
205
is defined in a front end of a top potion of the top housing
202
. A dove-tail protrusion
206
, corresponding to a dove-tail recess
205
on the middle housing
201
, depends downwardly from a bottom surface of the top housing
202
. A slit
207
is defined in a rear end of the top portion of the top housing
202
. The bottom housing
200
has a structure similar to that of the housing
201
or
202
with the exception that the dove-tail protrusion is eliminated and in its place is an enlarged recess
208
defined in the bottom surface of the bottom housing
200
and a pair of top channels
2080
and a pair of side channels
2081
in communication with the enlarged recess
208
.
The conductive terminal rows
220
,
221
and
222
each comprise four longitudinal conductive terminals
224
parallel to one another. The conductive terminal rows
220
,
221
and
222
have the same structure and each comprises a plug contact portion
225
received in a receiving cavity
209
of the housing
200
,
201
or
202
in communication with the through hole
204
, and a mounting portion
226
extending rearwardly and horizontally beyond the housing.
The one-piece grounding contact
24
comprises a vertical body strip
240
, three arms
241
horizontally extending forward from the body strip
240
and three tails
242
horizontally extending rearward from the body strip
240
. The arms
241
are spaced apart and parallel to one another for inserting into the receiving cavities
209
of the housings
200
,
201
and
202
and between the four terminals
224
of each terminal row
220
,
221
or
223
. The tails
242
are also spaced apart and parallel to one another to be align in the terminal rows
220
,
221
and
223
with and between the mounting portions
226
of the terminals
224
. A pair of projections
243
extend forwardly from the body strip
240
, one adjacent to the top and the other to the middle arms
241
respectively, for inserting in the slits
207
of the middle and the bottom housings
201
,
200
.
Referring also to
FIG. 7
, the second electrical connector subassembly
3
comprises an insulative housing
30
and a plurality of electrical contacts
32
. The insulative housing
30
has an intermediate portion
300
, a pair of front blocks
302
extending forwardly from two opposite sides of the intermediate portion
300
and each having a finger
302
extending forwardly from a front and lower portion thereof; and a step portion
304
extending upwardly at a rear end of the intermediate portion
300
.
The electrical contacts
32
are insert molded in the intermediate portion
300
of the insulative housing
30
and each has a printed circuit board contacting portion
320
protruding outwardly from one surface of the insulative housing
30
and a printed circuit board mounting portion
322
extending outwardly from another opposite surface of the insulative housing
30
. The printed circuit board contacting portions
320
are arranged in two rows and the printed circuit board mounting portions
322
are arranged in four rows.
Referring also to
FIGS. 8
to
10
, the dielectric holder
4
includes a pair of side walls
40
, a rear wall
42
connecting rear ends of the side walls
40
, a plate wall
44
extending between the rear wall
42
and the side walls
40
. One of the side walls
40
has a barb
400
in an outer surface thereof. Each side wall
40
comprises a standoff
401
extending downwardly from a bottom face of a front portion thereof and a rear portion
402
extending rearwardly beyond the rear wall
42
. The rear portions
402
are relatively higher than other portions of the side walls and flush with the rear wall
42
in the height thereof. Each rear portion
402
includes a step portion
403
in an inner surface thereof and a rear standoff
404
at a lower portion thereof. The plate wall
44
has a pair of blocks
440
protruding upwardly from a center portion thereof and separated by a block slit
441
therebetween, and a forward tongue
442
extending forwardly beyond the side walls
40
and the blocks
440
. The forward tongue
46
corresponds in shape to the enlarged recess
208
of the bottom insulative housing
200
of the first electrical connector subassembly
2
. The forward tongue
442
defines a forward slit
443
in a center portion thereof in communication with the block slit
441
and has a pair of side wings
444
(only one shown) extending at rear portions of opposite sides thereof and a generally cylindrical post
445
depending downwardly from a bottom surface of a center and front portion thereof. A rear portion of the plate wall
44
defines a plurality of through holes
446
extending vertically therethrough and corresponding in the number to the electrical contacts
32
of the second electrical connector subassembly
3
.
The printed circuit board
5
is generally rectangular and defines three rows of solder holes
50
in an upper portion thereof and two rows of solder pads
52
at opposite side surfaces of a lower portion thereof. The solder holes
50
and the solder pads
52
could, as known to persons of ordinary skill in the pertinent art, also be solder pads and solder holes, respectively, if desired.
Referring also to
FIGS. 11 and 12
, the insulative retainer
6
comprises a horizontal portion
60
and a vertical portion
62
extending perpendicularly from a rear end of the horizontal portion
60
. The horizontal portion
60
is formed with a retention rib
600
extending forwardly from a front center section thereof, a front platform
601
extending downwardly from a front and center section of a bottom surface thereof and a pair of opposite rear platforms
602
extending downwardly from a rear portion of the bottom surface thereof. The front and the rear platforms
601
,
602
define a channel
61
therebetween. The vertical portion
62
comprises a plate section
620
, a pair of tabs
622
extending inwardly and downwardly from an inner surface of the plate section
620
, a top beam
627
protruding from a top portion of the plate section
620
and a pair of side beams
621
protruding from opposite sides of the plate section
620
. Each tab
622
has a head section
623
extending downwardly beyond a lower end of the plate section
620
and having an inclined guiding face. Each side beam
621
has a protrusion
624
at an outer surface of an upper portion thereof, a step portion
625
adjacent to a lower portion thereof and a retaining tab
626
extending downwardly beyond the tabs
622
and the plate section
620
. An aperture
628
is defined in an upper portion of the plate section
620
starting from the top beam
627
.
Referring also to
FIGS. 1 and 2
, the conductive outer shield
7
is rectangular shaped and comprises a front wall
70
, a pair of side walls
72
and a top wall
74
. The front wall
70
defines three openings
700
corresponding to the cylindrical necks
203
of the housings
200
,
201
,
202
and has a front flange
701
extending perpendicularly from a top end thereof. Each side wall
72
includes a window
720
in an upper and rear portion thereof, a hole
721
adjacent to a rear and lower portion thereof, a pair of grounding tabs
722
extending downwardly from a lower end thereof and a side flange
723
extending perpendicularly from a lower and rear end thereof. The top wall
74
comprises two parts extending respectively perpendicular from top ends of the side walls
72
and has a top flange
740
extending perpendicularly from a rear end thereof.
In assembly, the two rows of printed circuit board contacting portions
320
of the electrical contacts
32
of the second electrical connector subassembly
3
are electrically soldered to the solder pads
52
of the printed circuit board
5
. The second electrical connector subassembly
3
with the printed circuit board
5
is assembled with the dielectric holder
4
with the step portion
304
abutting against the rear wall
42
and the printed circuit mounting portions
322
extending through the plate wall
44
. The blocks
440
press fit between and align with the front blocks
301
of the insulative housing
30
of the second electrical connector subassembly
3
and the fingers
302
rest on an upper surface of a rear end of the forward tongue
442
.
The forward tongue
442
is then inserted into the enlarged recess
208
of the bottom housing
200
of the first electrical connector subassembly
2
and the side wings
444
engage with the side channels
2081
. The fingers
302
engage with the top channels
2080
, respectively. A lower end of the one-piece grounding contact
24
is received in the block slit
441
and the forward slit
443
of the dielectric holder
4
. The mounting portions
226
of the terminals
22
and the tails
242
of the one-piece grounding contact
24
of the first electrical connector subassembly
2
soldered to the solder holes
50
of the printed circuit board
5
.
The retention rib
600
of the insulative retainer
6
extends into the slit
207
of the top housing
202
of the first electrical connector subassembly
2
. The channel
61
of the insulative retainer
6
receives and retains a top end of the printed circuit board
5
. The step portions
625
of the side beams
621
engage with the rear wall
42
of the dielectric holder
4
while the head sections
623
of the tabs
622
abut against an inner face of the rear wall
42
and the retaining tabs
626
engage with the step portions
403
of the rear portions
402
of the side walls
40
of the holder
4
.
The conductive outer shield
7
is then assembled to enclose the first and the second electrical connector subassemblies
2
,
3
, the dielectric holder
4
, the printed circuit board
5
and the insulative retainer
6
. The necks
203
of the housings
200
,
201
,
202
protrude through the openings
700
of the front wall
70
. The front flange
701
overlaps and presses front ends of the two parts of the top wall
74
. The windows
720
receivably engage with protrusions
624
of the insulative retainer
6
while the holes
721
mate with the barbs
400
of the dielectric holder
4
. The top flange
740
of the top wall
74
and the side flanges
723
of the side walls
72
latch with the aperture
628
of the top beam
627
and the retaining tabs
626
, respectively. Thus, the electrical connector I is securely assembled.
The electrical terminal rows
220
,
221
,
222
all have identical structures and need not be separately manufactured, thereby the manufacturing of the terminals
224
is relatively simple. The printed circuit board
5
, which is dimensioned vertically large/long enough to provide sufficient space thereof for mounting a plurality of electronic components (not shown) thereon, is capable of performing functions as ordinary sound card which is originally an add-on card located outside of the audio jack connector and connected to the mother board via an additional edge card connector. Thus, in the invention the electrical connector
1
incorporating both the first electrical connector subassembly
2
, (i.e., the stacked audio jack connector) and the printed circuit board
5
therein performs an integrated function of the conventional audio jack connectors and sound cards and thus saves the precious space on a so-called mother board to which the conventional audio jack connectors and the sound cards are originally designedly respectively mounted and to which the unitary electrical connector
1
of the invention is now solely mounted instead.
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 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.
Claims
- 1. An electrical connector device comprising:a first connector subassembly including an insulative housing defining at least three ports stacked one another; each of said three ports including a plurality of terminals each with a rearwardly extending board-mounting portion; a grounding contact positioned behind the first housing with three arms forwardly extending respectively into the corresponding port and at least one rearwardly extending tails; a printed circuit board vertically disposed behind the three ports and perpendicular to said grounding contact, said board-mounting portion of each of said terminals and said tail being mechanically and electrically connected to said printed circuit board; and a second connector subassembly positioned under the printed circuit board with a plurality of contacts mechanically and electrically connected to a lower edge of the printed circuit board; wherein said printed circuit board is dimensioned to be substantially long enough to vertically extend along all three ports to provide sufficient space thereof for mounting thereon a plurality of electronic components performing a sound card; wherein a holder is provided on a rear portion of the device to hold the second subassembly and the first subassembly together; wherein said grounding contact is a unitary piece with an elongated strip vertically extending all three ports; wherein said strip defines a plane perpendicular to said printed circuit board.
- 2. An electrical connector for mounting to a mother board, comprising:a first connector subassembly comprising an insulative housing comprising a cylindrical neck protruding forwardly and a plurality of electrical terminals accommodated in the insulative housing, each electrical terminal comprising a mounting portion extending rearwardly with respect to the cylindrical neck beyond the insulative housing; a printed circuit board being electrically connected with the mounting portions of the electrical terminals; and a second electrical connector subassembly assembled to the first electrical connector subassembly and comprising a plurality of electrical contacts each comprising a printed circuit board contacting portion electrically connected with the printed circuit board and a printed circuit board mounting portion adapted for mounting to a mother board; wherein the insulative housing of the first electrical connector subassembly comprises a bottom, a middle and a top housings stacked with each other, and the electrical terminals of the first electrical connector subassembly comprise a bottom, a middle and a top terminal rows respectively received in the bottom, the middle and the top housings and electrically connected with the printed circuit board; wherein the bottom and the middle housings each comprise a dove-tall recess in an upper portion thereof and the middle and the top housings each comprise a dove-tail protrusion respectively engaging with the dove-tail recesses of the bottom and the middle housings; wherein the bottom housing of the first electrical connector subassembly defines an enlarged recess in a bottom thereof, a pair of top channels and a pair of side channels in communication with the enlarged recess and wherein the second electrical connector subassembly comprises an insulative housing comprising a pair of fingers engaged with the top channels; a dielectric holder accommodating the insulative housing of the second electrical connector subassembly and receiving the printed circuit board mounting portions of the electrical contacts of the second electrical connector subassembly to extend therethrough, the dielectric holder comprising a forward tongue extending into the enlarged recess; wherein the forward tongue comprises a pair of side wings extending into the side channels of the bottom housing and a forward slit, the first electrical connector subassembly comprising a one-piece grounding contact having a lower portion received in the forward slit; an insulative retainer comprising a vertical portion comprising a pair of first tabs, a pair of first step portions and a pair of second tabs, wherein the holder comprises a rear wall engaging with the first tabs and the first step portions and a pair of second step portions retaining the second tabs; wherein the retainer comprises a horizontal portion extending perpendicularly from the vertical portion and defining a channel for receiving an upper end of the printed circuit board; a conductive outer shield defining three openings, and wherein each of the bottom, the middle and the top housings comprises a cylindrical neck extending through the openings of the conductive outer shield; wherein the conductive outer shield defines a pair of windows in opposite side walls thereof and the vertical portion of the insulative retainer comprises a pair of protrusions corresponding to the windows; wherein the conductive outer shield defines a pair of holes in opposite side walls thereof and the dielectric holder comprises a pair of barbs corresponding to the holes.
US Referenced Citations (7)