Patent Application
20160276781
The present application claims the benefit of priority to Chinese patent application No. 201520159935.4, which was filed on Mar. 20, 2015 and is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.
The present invention generally relates to a shell and a connector thereof, and more particularly to a shielding shell and an electrical connector thereof.
It is common in data connection systems to provide an electrical connector of a reversible configuration where the electrical connector includes a shielding shell surrounding electrical contacts, where the shielding shell is provided for EMI/RFI protection and must be connected to the shielding wires of a cable to be terminated to the electrical connector. Typically, the electrical connector is placed within a stamped and formed metal or a cast metal housing comprised of front and rear shielding shells.
It is desirable to make a strong structure and have an effective electrical contact between the shielding shells and both the individual shield on the connector as well as to the shielding wires. These shielding shells are typically used as the common link between the shielding wires and the individual shield on the electrical connector. However, it is difficult to provide such an electrical connection with the presently available technology, and at the same time provide an easily installable connection assembly.
According to one aspect of the present invention, a rear shielding shell for surrounding a cable and holding a retention feature of a front shielding shell, wherein the front shielding shell is fitted over a dielectric module in which a plurality of contacts are embedded and the cable are electrically connected to the plurality of contacts via a paddle card, is provided. The rear shielding shell is comprised of two halves and each half comprises a base portion, two opposite side portions, two shoulder portions, a collar portion, a retaining portion, a first rear abutment and a second rear abutment. The two opposite side portions smoothly extend away from both sides of the base portion, wherein the two halves are combined with each other by hermaphroditic features inside outer surfaces thereof. The two shoulder portions extend away from rear ends of both the base portion and the two opposite side portions. The collar portion by which the cable is surrounded outwardly protrudes from and between the two shoulder portions. The first rear abutment and the second rear abutment are formed at somewhere adjacent to the two shoulder portions by inwardly protruding from inner surfaces at the two opposite side portions respectively, wherein the base portion, the two opposite side portions, the first rear abutment and the second rear abutment are shaped as a curved arch on the whole. The retaining portion engages with the retention feature of the front shielding shell.
According to the rear shielding shell mentioned above, each half the rear shielding shell further comprises a first notch and a second notch, wherein the first notch and the second notch are respectively cut in the first rear abutment and the second rear abutment and through the two opposite side portions.
According to the rear shielding shell mentioned above, each half the rear shielding shell further comprising a first rear recess and a second rear recess, wherein the first rear recess and the second rear recess are provided by reducing the thickness of the two opposite side portions from the outer surfaces at the first rear abutment and the second rear abutment.
According to the rear shielding shell mentioned above, the second rear recess is provided with a rear slit by further removing the opposite side portion at the second rear abutment.
According to the rear shielding shell mentioned above, each half the rear shielding shell further comprises a first front recess and a second front recess, wherein the first front recess and the second front recess are provided by reducing the thickness of the two opposite side portions from the outer surfaces at the retaining portion.
According to the rear shielding shell mentioned above, the second front recess is provided with a front slit by further removing the opposite side portion.
According to the rear shielding shell mentioned above, the rear shielding shell are two substantially identical halves and each half includes the hermaphroditic features.
According to the rear shielding shell mentioned above, the hermaphroditic features include an alignment pin and an alignment hole, wherein the alignment pin and the alignment hole are interchangeably formed at the first rear abutment and the second rear abutment.
According to the rear shielding shell mentioned above, the hermaphroditic features include an alignment rib and an alignment groove, wherein the alignment rib protrudes from the coupling surfaces on one of the two opposite side portions while the alignment groove is correspondingly provided on the coupling surfaces on the other of the two opposite side portions.
According to the rear shielding shell mentioned above, the alignment rib leans against the first rear abutment or the second rear abutment of other half the rear shielding shell.
According to another aspect of the present invention, an electrical connector is provided. The electrical connector comprises a dielectric module, a plurality of contacts, a front shielding shell, a cable and a rear shielding shell. The plurality of contacts are embedded in the dielectric module. The plurality of contacts are embedded in the dielectric module. The front shielding shell is fitted over the dielectric module. The cable is electrically connected to the plurality of contacts via a paddle card. The rear shielding shell is comprised of two halves and each half comprises a base portion, two opposite side portions, two shoulder portions, a collar portion, a retaining portion, a first rear abutment and a second rear abutment. The two opposite side portions smoothly extends away from both sides of the base portion, wherein the two halves are combined with each other by hermaphroditic features inside outer surfaces thereof. The two shoulder portions extend away from rear ends of both the base portion and the two opposite side portions. The collar portion by which the cable is surrounded outwardly protrudes from and between the two shoulder portions. The first rear abutment and the second rear abutment are formed at somewhere adjacent to the two shoulder portions by inwardly protruding from inner surfaces at the two opposite side portions respectively, wherein the base portion, the two opposite side portions, the first rear abutment and the second rear abutment are shaped as a curved arch on the whole. The retaining portion engages with the retention feature of the front shielding shell.
According to the electrical connector mentioned above, each half the rear shielding shell further comprises a first notch and a second notch, wherein the first notch and the second notch are respectively cut in the first rear abutment and the second rear abutment and through the two opposite side portions.
According to the electrical connector mentioned above, each half the rear shielding shell further comprising a first rear recess and a second rear recess, wherein the first rear recess and the second rear recess are provided by reducing the thickness of the two opposite side portions from the outer surfaces at the first rear abutment and the second rear abutment.
According to the electrical connector mentioned above, the second rear recess is provided with a rear slit by further removing the opposite side portion at the second rear abutment.
According to the electrical connector mentioned above, each half the rear shielding shell further comprises a first front recess and a second front recess, wherein the first front recess and the second front recess are provided by reducing the thickness of the two opposite side portions from the outer surfaces at the retaining portion.
According to the electrical connector mentioned above, the second front recess is provided with a front slit by further removing the opposite side portion.
According to the electrical connector mentioned above, the rear shielding shell are two substantially identical halves and each half includes the hermaphroditic features.
According to the electrical connector mentioned above, the hermaphroditic features include an alignment pin and an alignment hole, wherein the alignment pin and the alignment hole are interchangeably formed at the first rear abutment and the second rear abutment.
According to the electrical connector mentioned above, the hermaphroditic features include an alignment rib and an alignment groove, wherein the alignment rib protrudes from the coupling surfaces on one of the two opposite side portions while the alignment groove is correspondingly provided on the coupling surfaces on the other of the two opposite side portions.
According to the electrical connector mentioned above, the alignment rib leans against the first rear abutment or the second rear abutment of other half the rear shielding shell.
Other advantages and novel features of the invention will become readily apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
The present invention will now be described in detail with reference to embodiments thereof as illustrated in the accompanying drawings. While same or similar reference numerals or characters designate like parts or elements in different figures, doing so does not mean figures including same or similar reference numerals or characters constitute a single or same embodiment.
In order to better appreciate and understand the present invention, reference is first made to
The electrical connector 100 further includes a plurality of contacts 70 and a paddle card 80. The plurality of contacts 70 are embedded in the dielectric module 10 while forward wires 41 of a cable 40 are terminated to the paddle card 80. Via the paddle card 80, the forward wires 41 of the cable 40 are electrically connected to the plurality of contacts 70. The front shielding shell 20 is fitted over and attached to the dielectric module 10.
Reference is then made to
When the two halves 30 & 90 are assembled, a coupling plane in which seams 50 between the two substantially identical halves lie is defined. Half the rear shielding shell 30 further possesses coupling surfaces 303 which will substantially lie on the coupling plane when the two halves 30 & 90 are assembled. A first rear abutment 35 and a second rear abutment 37 are formed at somewhere adjacent to the two shoulder portions 33 by inwardly protruding from the inner surfaces 301 at the two opposite side portions 32 respectively. In this embodiment, both the first rear abutment 35 and the second rear abutment 37 are cornered. Moreover, the base portion 31, the two opposite side portions 32, the first rear abutment 35 and the second rear abutment 37 are shaped as a curved arch on the whole. Consequently, pinching or even treading forces from a user in the rear shielding shell are carried to the base, that is, the coupling surfaces 303. The rear shielding shell comprised of two halves 30 & 90 will push outward at the base, called thrust.
A retaining portion 39 which engages with retention features 22 of the front shielding shell 20 is provided. In this embodiment, the retaining portion 39 is a trough 39 as the retention features 22 are two flanges 22 at the rear of the front shielding shell 20. The two halves 30 & 90 are combined with each other such that the two flanges 22 is hold in the trough 39. In this embodiment, the hermaphroditic features include, as by molding, an alignment rib 61, an alignment groove 62, an alignment pin 63 and an alignment hole 64. The alignment rib 61 protrudes from the coupling surfaces 303 on one of the two opposite side portions 32, while the alignment groove 62 is correspondingly provided on the opposite side, that is, the coupling surfaces 303 on the other of the two opposite side portions 32. The alignment rib 61 will engage with the alignment rib 61 of other half the rear shielding shell 90 when assembled. Subsequently, the thrust at the coupling surfaces 303 will be restrained by the alignment rib 61 and the alignment groove 62 inside the outer surfaces 302. Half the rear shielding shell 30 with hermaphroditic features integrated into itself by molding makes it possible to secure the two halves 30 & 90 in perfect alignment and in secure relation against relative lateral or endwise shift there-between. In other words, the two halves 30 & 90 are combined with each other by hermaphroditic features inside the outer surfaces 302.
As best seen in
Reference is now made to
Reference is then made to
The hermaphroditic features include, as by molding, alignment ribs 61, an alignment groove 62, two alignment pins 63 and two alignment holes 64 in this embodiment. The alignment ribs 61 protrudes from and extends across most of the coupling surfaces 303 on one of the two opposite side portions 32 and the shoulder portion on the same side, while the alignment groove 62 is correspondingly provided on the opposite side. When the two halves 30 & 90 are brought together, part of the alignment ribs 61 will be positioned inside the alignment groove 62 of other half the rear shielding shell 90.
Furthermore, the alignment ribs 61 can further lean against both the second rear abutment 37 and the second middle abutment 38 of other half the rear shielding shell 90. In other words, the alignment ribs 61 can further lie on both the top surface 371 and the top surface 381 of other half the rear shielding shell 90. Additionally, outer surfaces 612 of the alignment ribs 61 will lie inside the inner surfaces 301 of other half the rear shielding shell 90 and, in turn, most of the alignment ribs 61 will be hidden in the rear shielding shell when the two halves 30 & 90 are combined with each other. Also noteworthy is that a front end 611 of the alignment ribs 61 retreats from a front end 304 of half the rear shielding shell 30, as best seen in
Moreover, a retaining portion 39 with a bump 391 which engages with one retention feature 22 of the front shielding shell 20 is provided by increasing the thickness of half the rear shielding shell 30 at the forepart thereof from the inner surfaces 301. In this embodiment, the retention features 22 are two apertures 22 on top and bottom of the front shielding shell 20. The bump 391 on the retaining portion 39 is shaped to fill the aperture 22 and can further lean against the rear edge 11 or the recessed latch tab 21.
Additionally, a first rear recess 321 and a second rear recess 322 are provided by reducing the thickness of the two opposite side portions 32 from the outer surfaces 302 at the first rear abutment 35 and the second rear abutment 37. Similarly, a first front recess 325 and a second front recess 326 are provided by reducing the thickness of the two opposite side portions 32 from the outer surfaces 302 at the retaining portion 39. Moreover, both the second rear recess 322 and the second front recess 326 are respectively provided with a rear slit 3221 and a front slit 3261 by further removing the opposite side portion 32 respectively at the second rear abutment 37 and the alignment groove 62 from the level of the coupling surfaces 303. It is worthwhile mentioning that the alignment ribs 61 will be exposed to solder via the rear slit 3221 and the front slit 3261 when the two halves 30 & 90 are soldered to each other at the first rear recess 321, the second rear recess 322, the first front recess 325, and the second front recess 326.
Reference is still made to
The two alignment pins 63 respectively protrude from the first rear abutment 35 and the first middle abutment 36 to a level above a height of the alignment ribs 61. Correspondingly, the two alignment holes 64 are respectively provided in the second rear abutment 37 and the second middle abutment 38. When the two halves 30 & 90 are brought together, the two alignment pins 63 and the two alignment holes 64 of other half the rear shielding shell 90 will be inter-related into a fitting relationship and at the same time prevent relative movement between the coupling sections either laterally or endwise. In this embodiment, the two alignment holes 64 are buried holes and the two alignment pins 63 slightly intersect the alignment ribs 61.
Reference is last made to
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. All directional references (e.g., front, rear, side, top, bottom) are only used for identification purposes to aid the reader's understanding of the embodiments of the present invention, and do not create limitations, particularly as to the position, orientation, or use of the invention unless specifically set forth in the claims. Joinder references (that is, coupled, connected and the like) are to be construed broadly and may include relative movement between elements and intermediate members between a connection of elements. As such, joinder references do not necessarily infer that two elements are directly connected and in fixed relation to each other.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 201520159935.4 | Mar 2015 | CN | national |
