This application claims the priority benefit of Taiwan patent application serial no. 106214679, filed on Oct. 2, 2017. The entirety of the above-mentioned patent application is hereby incorporated by reference herein and made a part of the specification.
[Field of the Invention]
The invention relates to an electrical connector, and in particular, to a plug electrical connector.
[Description of Related Art]
Electrical connectors are common components in electronic devices. An electrical connector is connected with a matching electrical connector on another electronic device to serve as a signal and power transmission medium between the two electronic devices. An example of the existing electrical connectors is the Universal Serial Bus (USB) electrical connector. Currently, the USB protocol additionally includes the specification of Type C electrical connectors, which not only provide a super speed data transmission rate at 10 Gbps, but are also extensively applicable to various electronic devices (e.g., laptops) thanks to their symmetrical connector ports allowing plugging with either side up.
Due to its high-frequency transmission performance, USB Type-C has a higher requirement for the performance of electromagnetic shielding covers. Otherwise, it will cause electromagnetic interference to the surrounding equipment. Generally, taking a plug electrical connector as an example, it is usually required to dispose a shielding shell outside an insulator which accommodates elastic terminals to achieve the desired shielding effect. Moreover, as a plug electrical connector, the USB Type-C further includes a pair of side-latches configured to provide a locking force when the plug electrical connector and a receptacle electrical connector are mated with each other, such that the two can be securely locked together. However, the pair of side-latches and the shielding shell are structurally independent from each other and electrically cannot achieve collective grounding effect.
The invention provides a plug electrical connector having both electromagnetic shielding and electrical grounding effects.
A plug electrical connector of the invention includes an insulator, a pair of side-latches, a terminal set, and a shielding shell, wherein the pair of side-latches and a plurality of terminals of the terminal set are arranged along a first axis and each of them extends along a second axis. The pair of side-latches and the terminal set are respectively disposed in the insulator, and the pair of side-latches are respectively located on two sides of the terminal set. The shielding shell covers the insulator along the second axis. Each of side-latches includes at least one protrusion exposed out of the insulator along a third axis and structurally leaning against the shielding shell, such that the shielding shell is electrically connected with the side-latches. The first axis, the second axis, and the third axis are orthogonal to each other.
A plug electrical connector of the invention includes an insulator, a terminal set, a pair of pair of side-latches, and a shielding shell. The insulator has a pair of first slots and a plurality of second slots arranged along a first axis, wherein the second slots are located between the pair of first slots. The terminal set includes a plurality of terminals respectively disposed in the second slots. The pair of side-latches are respectively disposed in the first slots. The shielding shell covers the insulator along the second axis. The insulator has a pair of first notches respectively connected with the pair of first slots. The first notches expose a portion of the pair of side-latches along a third axis. The first axis, the second axis, and the third axis are orthogonal to each other.
In an embodiment of the invention, the pair of side-latches and the terminal set are respectively soldered to an electronic member, and the pair of side-latches and at least one grounding terminal of the terminal set form electrical grounding through the electronic member.
In an embodiment of the invention, each side-latch is a plate-shaped structure, and the protrusion extends from a side edge of the plate-shaped structure, wherein each side-latch has a hollow portion, such that the protrusion hangs from the side edge and is deformable along the third axis, and an extension direction of the protrusion is tilted from the third axis.
In an embodiment of the invention, a primary surface of the plate-shaped structure is parallel to a plane formed by the second axis and the third axis.
In an embodiment of the invention, the insulator has at least one slot to accommodate the side-latch, and the side-latch further includes a stop protrusion protruding from the primary surface of the plate-shaped structure and leaning against an inner wall of the slot to close the slot.
In an embodiment of the invention, the side-latch further includes an engaging structure located on the side edge, and the side-latch is assembled to the insulator through the engaging structure.
In an embodiment of the invention, the side-latch is divided into a holding segment, a leaning segment, and a locking segment along the second axis. The holding segment is assembled in the insulator. The protrusion is located on the leaning segment. The locking segment penetrates through the insulator and extends towards internal space in the insulator.
In an embodiment of the invention, the plug electrical connector is a USB type C plug electrical connector and is adapted to be connected with a receptacle electrical connector. The pair of side-latches are arranged on two opposite sides of the terminal set, and the two sides of a mid-plate of the receptacle electrical connector is adapted to be locked by the pair of side-latches to make ground connections to reduce Electromagnetic Compatibility (EMC).
In an embodiment of the invention, the plug electrical connector further includes two Electromagnetic Compatibility (EMC) shielding springs disposed outside the insulator, wherein spring portions of each shielding spring penetrate through the insulator and protrude into internal space of the insulator.
In an embodiment of the invention, the shielding spring and the pair of side-latches are an integral structure.
In an embodiment of the invention, the insulator includes a base portion and a butting portion. The butting portion extends from the base portion along the second axis. The terminal set and the pair of side-latches are assembled at the base portion and extend towards the butting portion. The pair of first notches are located on two opposite sides of the butting portion along the first axis.
In an embodiment of the invention, the insulator further includes a pair of connection portions and a pair of second notches disposed on the butting portion. The pair of connection portions are respectively located on the two opposite sides of the butting portion along the first axis. The pair of second notches are respectively located on the two opposite sides of the butting portion along the first axis. The first notches and the second notches disposed along the second axis are separated from each other by the connection portions.
In an embodiment of the invention, each of the pair of side-latches includes a holding segment and a leaning segment. The holding segment is inserted into the first slot. The leaning segment is located in the first notch and structurally leans against the shielding shell, such that the pair of side-latches are electrically connected with the shielding shell.
In an embodiment of the invention, each of the pair of side-latches includes a protrusion located on the leaning segment and exposed from the first notch along the third axis, and the protrusion structurally leans against an inner edge of the shielding shell.
In an embodiment of the invention, each of the pair of side-latches further includes a locking segment. The leaning segment is located between the holding segment and the locking segment. The pair of locking segments penetrate through the insulator and extend towards internal space in the insulator.
In an embodiment of the invention, each of the pair of side-latches further includes an engaging structure located on the holding segment. Each of the pair of side-latches is assembled to the first slot of the insulator through the engaging structure.
In an embodiment of the invention, the pair of side-latches and the terminal set are respectively soldered to an electronic member, and the pair of side-latches and at least one grounding terminal of the terminal set are electrically grounded through the electronic member.
In an embodiment of the invention, the plug electrical connector is a USB type C plug electrical connector and is adapted to be connected with a receptacle electrical connector. The pair of side-latches are arranged on two opposite sides of the terminal set, and a grounding portion of the receptacle electrical connector is adapted to be locked by the pair of side-latches to provide grounding.
In an embodiment of the invention, the plug electrical connector further includes a EMC shielding sheet disposed outside the insulator. A portion of the EMC shielding sheet penetrates through the insulator and protrudes into internal space of the insulator to lean against the receptacle electrical connector when the plug electrical connector and the receptacle electrical connector are connected with each other.
In an embodiment of the invention, the EMC shielding sheet and the pair of pair of side-latches are an integral structure, and the EMC shielding sheet is connected between the pair of side-latches.
In light of the above, by forming the notches on the insulator of the plug electrical connector of the invention, a portion of the pair of side-latches is exposed out of the insulator when the pair of side-latches penetrates through the insulator. Therefore, when the shielding shell covers the insulator, the portion of the pair of side-latches exposed out of the insulator structurally leans against an inner edge surface of the shielding shell, such that the shielding shell and the pair of side-latches can be electrically connected with each other. Such configuration allows the shielding shell and the pair of side-latches to be collectively electrically grounded, which contributes to discharging a shielding current generated on the shielding shell due to electromagnetic shielding and thereby provides a more desirable use environment of the plug electrical connector.
To provide a further understanding of the aforementioned and other features and advantages of the disclosure, exemplary embodiments, together with the reference drawings, are described in detail below.
As an example, the instant embodiment provides a USB Type C plug electrical connector, including a pair of side-latches 130A, 130B respectively inserted into the insulator 110 along with the terminal set 120. Moreover, the pair of side-latches 130A, 130B are respectively arranged on two opposite sides of the terminal set 120. Specifically, the pair of side-latches 130A, 130B and terminals of the terminal set 120 are arranged along a first axis (X-axis), and each of them extends along a second axis (Y-axis). Meanwhile, since the plug electrical connector 100 of the instant embodiment is applicable to a cable, the pair of side-latches 130A, 130B and the terminals of the terminal set 120 are assembled with the insulator 110 in an upright manner.
Referring to
Moreover, the insulator 110 is further divided into a base portion B1 and a butting portion B2. The shielding shell 150 covers the insulator 110 along Y-axis and covers all of the butting portion B2 and part of the base portion B1, wherein the butting portion B2 is configured to be connected with a receptacle electrical connector. The butting portion B2 extends from the base portion B1 along Y-axis, the terminal set 120 and the pair of side-latches 130A, 130B are assembled at the base portion B1 and extend towards the butting portion B2, and the pair of first notches 112 are located on two opposite sides of the butting portion B2 along X-axis.
In addition, in another unillustrated embodiment, since the terminal set is constituted by different upper and lower terminal sets that are aligned, the insulator may also be divided into vertically assembled upper and lower parts corresponding to the upper and lower terminal sets. Namely, the different terminal sets are respectively covered by different parts formed of plastic by injection molding, and then the upper and lower parts, along with the upper and lower terminal sets covered therein, are assembled to form the complete insulator and terminal set. In this state, the pair of side-latches may also be correspondingly divided into upper and lower locking portions covered by the upper and lower parts, or may be directly formed in the upper part or the lower part.
Referring to
More specifically, the pair of side-latches 130A, 130B of the instant embodiment are plate-shaped structures. A primary surface M1 of the plate-shaped structure is parallel to a plane (Y-Z plane) formed by the second axis (Y-axis) and the third axis (Z-axis). The protrusion 131 is regarded as extending from a side edge of the plate-shaped structure, and the pair of side-latches 130A, 130B further have the hollow portion 132, such that the protrusion 131 hangs from the side edge along the third axis (Z-axis) and is deformable along Z-axis. In the instant embodiment, an extending direction of the protrusion 131 is tilted from Z-axis.
Moreover, the pair of side-latches 130A, 130B respectively further include a locking segment L3. The leaning segment L2 is substantially located between the locking segment L3 and the holding segment L1, and, as shown in
Referring to
Referring to
In summary of the above, in the plug electrical connector of the foregoing embodiments of the invention, the pair of side-latches are configured to structurally lean against the shielding shell to thereby achieve electrical connection between the two. Accordingly, when the pair of side-latches and the grounding terminals of an electronic member are electrically grounded through the electronic member, it means that the shielding shell is also electrically grounded, and such configuration contributes to discharging the shielding current on the shielding shell and enhancing the electromagnetic shielding effect.
Meanwhile, the EMC shielding sheets disposed on the insulator not only lean against the shielding shell through the protrusion, but a portion of them also penetrates through the insulator and extends into the internal space of the insulator, such that the portion can clip the tongue portion and the grounding portion of the receptacle electrical connector when the plug electrical connector and the receptacle electrical connector are connected with each other. Due to this configuration, the effect of collective grounding of the plug electrical connector and the receptacle electrical connector can thereby be achieved.
Although the invention is disclosed as the embodiments above, the embodiments are not meant to limit the invention. Any person skilled in the art may make slight modifications and variations without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Therefore, the protection scope of the invention shall be defined by the claims attached below.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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106214679 U | Oct 2017 | TW | national |
Number | Name | Date | Kind |
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6786755 | Dambach | Sep 2004 | B2 |
6997733 | Peng | Feb 2006 | B2 |
10193280 | Sutter | Jan 2019 | B2 |
20100062642 | Zhang | Mar 2010 | A1 |
20140113487 | Chen | Apr 2014 | A1 |
20180090892 | Little | Mar 2018 | A1 |
Number | Date | Country | |
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20190103711 A1 | Apr 2019 | US |