1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to an electrical connector, and more particularly to an electrical connector with improved contacts.
2. Description of Related Art
Nowadays, miniaturization of electronic devices, such as notebooks, PDA, etc has become a trend such that the dimension and size of electronic connectors used therein have to be modified and reduced so as to meet the requirements.
CN Patent No. 1049072C issued to Tian on Feb. 2, 2000 discloses a mini USB connector. The mini USB connector comprises an insulative housing, a group of contacts received in the housing and a metallic shielding assembled to the housing. Each contact defines a tail portion with a pair of wings extending laterally, the wings are bent toward each other to receive one of wires therein, to prevent solder from flowing. However, it's difficult to bend the wings when the contact becomes thicker.
Said contacts are received in passages of the housing, but tips of the contacts will sprout upwards as mating time increases. Typically, the tip of the contact is bent down and pressed into the housing to prevent the tip from sprouting upwards. U.S. Pat. No. 5,725,386 issued to Davis on Mar. 10, 1998 discloses an electrical connector with this typical design. The electrical connector comprises an insulative housing, a group of contacts received in the housing and a metallic shielding assembled to the housing, contacting portions of the contacts are bent downwards to merge into a front part of the housing. However, when the contacts are insert-molded within the housing, it's difficult to make tips of the contacts and main bodies of the contacts locate on a same plane.
Hence, it is desirable to have an improved structure to overcome the above-mentioned disadvantages of the prior art.
Accordingly, the object of the present invention is to provide an electrical connector with improved contacts for soldering conveniently and preventing jumping outwards thereof from an insulative housing.
In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, an electrical connector in accordance with the present invention comprises an insulative housing, a shell encapsulating the insulative housing and a plurality of contacts received in the housing abreast. The insulative housing defines a tongue, a plurality of passageways and receiving grooves, the passageways extending to the tongue, the tongue has a stopping portion in the front of each passageway. A cavity is defined below each stopping portion and communicated with the passageway. Each contact has a contacting portion and a tail portion wider than the contacting portion, the contacting portions are received in a corresponding passageways with the tail portions received in a corresponding receiving grooves. Each contacting portion defines a tab protruding forwardly from a bottom surface thereof, the tab is received in the cavity and protected by the stopping portion; each tail portion is stamped downwards to form a notch receiving wires and soldering with the wires.
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.
Reference will now be made to the drawing figures to describe the present invention in detail.
Referring to
Referring to
The contact set 20 is insert-molded within the insulative housing 10, and comprises five contacts arranged side-by-side on a same plane. Each contact comprises a contacting portion 21 for electrically connected with a complementary connector, a retention portion 22 extending rearwards from the contacting portion 21, and a flat tail portion 23 extending rearwardly from the retention portion 22. The contacting portions 21, the retention portions 22 and the tail portions 23 of the contact set 20 are on a same plane. The contacting portion 21 extends forwardly to form a tab 210, the contacting portion 21 is received in the passageway 121. The tab 210 is received in the cavity and kept in thereof by the stopping portion 126. The contacts located at opposite sides of the contact set 20 have longer contacting portions 21. During manufacturing, a holding mechanism (not shown) is located in the opening 123 to retain the contact set 20, a supporting mechanism (not shown) is located in the slit 125 and the aperture 132 to support the contact set 20. The retention portion 22 is received in the base portion 11 and becomes wider from the connecting area with the contacting portion 21 to the connecting area with the tail portion 23. The two contacts located on left side have the conjunct retention portion 22 and tail portion 23, the retention portion 22 on left is connected with the contacting portion 21 of the first contact on left, part of the retention portion 22 is removed away to form a cutout (not numbered) and make the second contact on left not connect with the tail portion thereof, the cutout is aligning with the hole 114 of the insulative housing 10. Operator can cut off the second contact from the hole 114 to form the cutout. The tail portions 22 of the contact set 20 have the same configuration as each other, and are received in the narrower segment of the receiving groove 131. A rectangular notch 231 is stamped on the tail portion 23 of each contact, the notch 231 extends downwards beyond the bottom surface of the contact, and locates above the aperture 132.
The bottom shell 30 comprises a convex main body 31, an extension portion 32 and a sustaining portion 34 extending from the extension portion 32. The main body 31 is bending upwards to form a locking tab 310, both sides of the main body 31 are connected with first lateral walls 320 of the extension portion 32 by irregular conjoint portions 312. A gap 314 is arranged between upper side of the conjoint portion 312 and upper wall of the main body 31. The extension portion 32 is of U-shaped, the first lateral wall 320 defines a pair of receiving holes 321 with different width and in the same height.
The top shell 40 comprises a U-shaped casing portion 41 and a wrapping portion 42 located behind the casing portion 41, the casing portion 41 defines a locking hole 410 along a transversal direction and a pair of second lateral walls 412, the locking hole 410 is in front end of the casing portion 41. The second lateral wall 412 defines a first flange 413 and a second flange 415 behind the first flange 413, a plurality of protrusions 414 are arranged on the second lateral walls 412 and corresponding to the receiving holes 321.
Referring to
Then, a cover (not shown) is over-molded on the above-mentioned component. Therefore, the electrical connector 100 is assembled.
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.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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2008 2 300686 | May 2008 | CN | national |
Number | Name | Date | Kind |
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5273459 | Davis | Dec 1993 | A |
5725386 | Davis et al. | Mar 1998 | A |
6004160 | Korsunsky et al. | Dec 1999 | A |
6083051 | Chang | Jul 2000 | A |
6390852 | Wang | May 2002 | B1 |
6527592 | Mochizuki et al. | Mar 2003 | B2 |
6659801 | Nishio et al. | Dec 2003 | B2 |
7217158 | Shimizu | May 2007 | B2 |
7618293 | Wu | Nov 2009 | B2 |
20020045385 | Wang | Apr 2002 | A1 |
20020142676 | Hosaka et al. | Oct 2002 | A1 |
20030232539 | Chen et al. | Dec 2003 | A1 |
Number | Date | Country | |
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20090280663 A1 | Nov 2009 | US |