1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electric connector and more particularly, to a network connector, which has incorporated therein a control circuit module and a filter module to simultaneously perform signal processing and filtering works, and uses a zigzag transmission route for signal transmission to reduce the dimensions of the whole assembly.
2. Description of the Related Art
Following fast development of computer technology, desktop and mobile computers have become popular everywhere in the society. It is the computer market tendency toward the characteristics of sophisticated function, high operation speed, and small size. Further, current network communication technology has been rapidly developed, bringing our living, learning, working and entertainment to a new field. Under this new information era, people frequently communicate each other through the Internet to transmit the desired real-time information, advertisement or e-mail. Through the Internet, we can search the desired information, talk to each other or one another on the line, or play on-line games. Many people cannot work without the Internet. The demand for network communication is more and more heavy. Further, when connecting a computer to an external network, a network connector must be used. Regular network connectors, such as RJ45 connectors and the like, commonly adopt digital communication. Following the market tendency toward light, thin, short and small characteristics, computer internal space has been greatly reduced, and signal interference problem may follow. This signal interference problem may occur due to the presence of surrounding electromagnetic interference or connector internal interference. A network connector may produce a high-frequency wave that interferes with external electric devices. The connector signal may also be easily interfered by the noises produced in the surrounding transmission lines. Therefore, connector manufacturers commonly cover the network connector with a metal shielding shell to protect against electromagnetic interference and install a filter module in the network connector to filter noises from the signal, for enabling the network signal to be transmitted to an external control circuit interface (for example, PCI-Express interface), so that the network signal can be converted into a series data transmission signal for further processing by a data processing system.
However, according to conventional designs, a network connector and the corresponding control circuit interface are separately prepared and then respectively installed in the computer. This separated design requires much computer inside space, and complicates the installation procedure.
Therefore, it is desirable to provide a network connector that eliminates the aforesaid problems.
The present invention has been accomplished under the circumstances in view. It is therefore the main object of the present invention to provide a network connector, which has incorporated therein a control circuit module and a filter module to simultaneously perform signal processing and filtering works, and uses a zigzag transmission route for signal transmission to reduce the dimensions of the whole assembly. It is another object of the present invention to provide a network connector, which is easy and inexpensive to manufacture. It is still another object of the present invention to provide a network connector, which provides a satisfactory EMI (electromagnetic interference) protective effect. To achieve these and other objects of the present invention, the network connector comprises an electrically insulative housing, the electrically insulative housing comprising an accommodating chamber, a base disposed at one side of the accommodating chamber, the base having a plurality of through holes, a plurality of terminals respectively mounted in the through holes of the base and bonded to an external circuit board, a adapter slot disposed at one side of the accommodating chamber opposite to the base and adapted to receive a connector from a network; an adapter circuit board mounted in the accommodating chamber inside the electrically insulative housing, the adapter circuit board comprising a plurality of curved adapter terminals respectively suspending in the adapter slot of the electrically insulative housing; a filter module; and a control circuit module; wherein the adapter circuit board comprises a plurality of contact holes near a rear side thereof; the filter module comprises a plurality of rear contact holes respectively electrically connected to the contact holes of the adapter circuit board and a plurality of front contact holes; the control circuit module comprises a plurality of front contact holes respectively electrically connected to the front contact holes of the filter module and a plurality of rear contact holes respectively electrically connected to the terminals of the electrically insulative housing. Further, a metal shielding shell surrounds the electrically insulative housing to protect against EMI.
Referring to
The housing 1 is a hollow member defining an accommodating chamber 10 adapted to accommodate the adapter circuit board 2, the filter module 3 and the control circuit module 4. The housing 1 has a base 11 at one side. The base 11 has a plurality of through holes 111. Terminals 112 are respectively mounted in the through holes 111 of the base 11, each having a bonding end 1121 extending out of the bottom side of the base 111 for bonding to an external circuit board (not shown) and a contact end 1122 extending out of the top side of the base 11. A cover plate 113 is provided above the contact ends 1122 of the terminals 112. A adapter slot 12 is provided at a remote side opposite to the accommodating chamber 10, and two front lamp holes 13 adjacent to the adapter slot 12. Two metal grounding spring plates 14 are bilaterally mounted in the adapter slot 12.
The adapter circuit board 2 is mounted in the accommodating chamber 10 of the housing 1, having a plurality of curved adapter terminals 21 arranged at the front side thereof and suspending in the connector slot 12 of the housing 1, a plurality of contact holes 22 arranged near the rear side thereof, and a bottom grounding contact 23. Further, a grounding terminal 24 is installed in the accommodating chamber 10 of the housing 1 and fastened to the base 11 for the contact of the bottom grounding contact 23.
The filter module 3 is mounted in the accommodating chamber 10 of the housing 1 at one side (the top side) of the adapter circuit board 2, comprising a filter holder 31, a filter circuit 311 comprised of resistors, capacitors and filters and mounted in the filter holder 31, a plurality of rear contact holes 32 arranged near the rear side, a plurality of front contact holes 33 arranged near the front side, a plurality of rear terminals 321 respectively mounted in the rear contact holes 32, and a plurality of front terminals 331 respectively mounted in the front contact holes 33. The rear terminals 321 each have a neck 3211 respectively fastened to rear-side coils (not shown) of the filter circuit 311. The front terminals 331 each have a neck 3311 respectively fastened to front-side coils (not shown) of the filter circuit 311.
The control circuit module 4 is mounted in the accommodating chamber 10 of the housing 1 at one side (the top side) of the filter module 3 opposite to the adapter circuit board 2, comprising a circuit board 41, which has a plurality of front contact holes 42 respectively connected to the front terminals 331 in the front contact holes 33 of the filter module 3 and a plurality of rear contact holes 43 respectively connected to the terminals 112 in the through holes 111 of the base 11, a plurality of electronic devices 44 (including microprocessor, control chip and IC) installed in the circuit board 41, and two light emitting elements 45 provided at the front side of the circuit board 41 and respectively positioned in the front lamp holes 13 of the housing 1.
Further, the housing 1 is covered with a metal shielding shell 5, which has air vents 51 for ventilation.
During assembly process, the contact holes 22 of the adapter circuit board 2 are respectively electrically connected to the rear contact holes 32 of the filter module 3 through the rear terminals 321, and then the front contact holes 33 of the filter module 3 are respectively electrically connected to the front contact holes 42 of the control circuit module 4 through the front terminals 331, and then the adapter circuit board 2 with the filter module 3 and the control circuit module 4 are mounted in the accommodating chamber 10 of the housing 1 to force the rear contact holes 43 of the control circuit module 4 into engagement with the contact ends 1122 of the terminals 112 in the through holes 111 of the base 11 and simultaneously to force the bottom grounding contact 23 into contact with the grounding terminal 24, and then the cover plate 113 is covered on the control circuit module 4 over the rear contact holes 43 to block the contact ends 1122 of the terminals 112 and to prohibit contact of the contact ends 1122 of the terminals 112 with the metal shielding shell 5 after covering of the metal shielding shell 5 on the housing 1, and then the metal shielding shell 5 is covered on the housing 1 and connected to the grounding terminal 24.
Referring to
Referring to
As indicated above, the network connector according to the present invention has incorporated therein a control circuit module and a filter module to simultaneously perform signal processing and filtering works, and uses a zigzag transmission route for signal transmission to reduce the dimensions of the whole assembly. This design simplifies the fabrication and the assembly process.
A prototype of network connector has been constructed with the features of
Although particular embodiments of the invention have been described in detail for purposes of illustration, various modifications and enhancements may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the invention is not to be limited except as by the appended claims.
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