TW201803233A - Electrical connector - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention provides an electrical connector. The electrical connector includes a terminal module. The terminal module includes an insulating body 30, a plurality of first terminals 40 and a shielding plate 50. The insulating body includes a base portion 31 and a tongue 32 extending from the base portion. The tongue defines two opposite surfaces 321, two front surfaces 322 connected to the both surfaces and two side surfaces 323. The terminal includes a contact portion exposed to the surface of the tongue and a leg extending out of the base portion. The shielding plate is embedded in the insulating body and is between the two opposite surfaces of the tongue. The shielding plate includes a main portion 51 and a thickened portion 52 on both sides of the main portion. The thickness of the thickened portion is larger than the thickness of the main portion. The thickened portion is provided with a locking side edge 53. The thickened portion extends forwardly from the front surfaces and extends rearwardly to the base portion so as to enhance the strength of the electrical connector. It is also facilitate the injection molding process.

Description

Electric connector

The present invention relates to an electrical connector. More specifically, the electrical connector has better strength.

On August 11, 2014, the USB Association announced a new type of electrical connector. The plug connector can be inserted into the corresponding socket connector in both directions, and the socket connector can transmit USB2.0 and USB3.1 signals. This connector is named USB Type C connector. According to the current industry reports, this electrical connector has great development potential in the future, and various connector manufacturers are actively developing in cooperation with system manufacturers.

China Mainland Utility Model Patent No. 201420289128.X announced a new type of electrical connector, namely the USB Type C connector announced in 2014. A ground metal is clamped between the upper and lower terminal modules of this new type of electrical connector. Sheet, used to separate the upper and lower terminals in the upper and lower terminal modules from each other, and at the same time, the two sides of the ground metal sheet, that is, the cutting surface, form a buckle side sheet. Because the connector itself is small, the size of the corresponding parts is also small, in which the metal piece is thin, generally less than 0.2 mm. In this case, the metal piece wears the corresponding locking member of the plug connector like a blade, and at the same time, the locking piece The parts will also wear the butt tongue plate, especially the plastic part, which surrounds the grounding piece, thereby causing damage to the connector.

Therefore, there is a need to develop an improved electrical connector to improve the above problems.

The object to be achieved by the present invention is to provide an electrical connector whose shielding plate has sufficient strength, and at the same time, the strength of the electrical connector itself can be enhanced.

To achieve the above object, the present invention provides an electrical connector including a terminal module, the terminal module includes an insulating body, a terminal, and a shielding plate, the insulating body includes a base portion and a butt tongue plate extending from the base portion. The docking tongue plate has two opposite surfaces, a front end surface connecting the two surfaces, and two opposite side surfaces; the terminal includes a contact portion exposed on the surface of the docking tongue plate and pins extending out of the base, and the shielding plate Buried in the insulation body and located between two surfaces of the butt tongue; the shielding plate includes a main body portion and thickened portions located on both sides of the main body portion, the thickness of the thickened portion is greater than the thickness of the main body portion, so The thickened portion is provided with a laterally protruding side edge of the buckle; the thickened portion extends forward to the front end surface of the butt tongue plate, and extends backward to the base of the insulating body.

Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following effects: the thickened portion of the shielding plate of the present invention extends to the base of the insulating body, which enhances the strength of the connector and also facilitates the injection molding process.

Referring to the first to second figures, the present invention discloses a low-profile electrical connector 100. The electrical connector 100 is a socket connector installed on a circuit board (not shown), and the electrical connector 100 is installed at the same time. In the housing (not shown) of the electronic device, a plug connector of an external cable connector is inserted to realize electrical connection. The socket connector 100 includes a housing 1, a shielding sheet 2 fixed to the housing 1, and a terminal module 3 housed and fixed in the housing 1.

With reference to the third and fourth figures, the terminal module 3 includes a base portion 31 and a butt tongue plate 32 extending forward from the base portion 31. The housing 1 includes a vertical wall 11 and an end wall 12 extending forward from both ends of the vertical wall 11. The vertical wall 11 is provided with a terminal module 3 passing through and fixing the terminal module 3. The fixing groove 111 of the base 31. The vertical wall 11 is not provided with two side walls connecting the end wall 12, and the two shielding sheets 2 cover the two sides of the housing 1 and together form a docking cavity 101 (labeled in FIG. ), The docking tongue plate 32 is received in the docking cavity 101, wherein the inner wall surface 121 of the end wall 12 is arc-shaped, which conforms to the size definition of USB Type C. The shielding sheet 2 is welded to the upper and lower surfaces of the vertical wall 11 and the end wall 12 by a laser spot welding technique. In this embodiment, the casing 1 is formed by a metal powder injection molding process and has good strength. The absence of two side walls helps to reduce the overall height of the electrical connector 100 and is independent of the shielding of the casing 1 The sheet 2 can make up for the magnetic leakage phenomenon existing in the side wall of the casing 1. It is difficult to achieve a thinner sidewall during the injection molding process, and the shielding sheet 2 welded to the casing 1 can overcome the above problems. In this embodiment, the upper and lower shielding sheets 2 are welded to the casing 1 first, and then the terminal module 3 is inserted and fixed from back to front. The housing 1 is formed with shallow depressions 13 at the welded joints of the shielding sheet 2 to facilitate the preliminary positioning of the shielding sheet 2. Of course, the terminal module 3 can also be assembled in the casing 1 first, and then the shielding sheet 2 can be welded to the casing 1.

Referring to the third to fourth figures, each outer side of the end wall 11 of the housing 1 has a horizontal side 14 and two vertical sides 15 extending between the two vertical sides 15. A fixing hole 16 is provided for a fixing member (not shown) to fix the casing 1 on the casing of the electronic device. The vertical wall 11 extends rearwardly with an upper side wall 161 and two end walls 162 to form a receiving cavity 160 which is open below and rearward, and the base 31 is received in the receiving cavity 160 as shown in the second figure.

Referring to the fifth and sixth figures, the terminal module 3 includes an insulating body 30, a terminal 40, a shielding plate 50 and a shielding ring 60 embedded in the insulating body 30. The insulating body 30 includes the above-mentioned base portion 31 and a docking tongue plate 32. The docking tongue plate 32 defines an opposite surface 321, a front end surface 322 connecting the two surfaces 321, and two opposite side surfaces 323. The terminal 40 includes a contact portion 41 exposed on the surface of the butting tongue plate 321 and a pin 42 extending from the base portion 31. Referring to the ninth and tenth drawings, the shielding plate 50 includes a main body portion 51 and thickened portions 52 respectively located on both sides of the main body portion 51. The thickness of the thickened portion 52 is greater than the thickness of the main body portion 51. Each of the thickened portions 52 is provided with a lateral side 53 of the buckle protruding laterally. A notch 511 is provided at a front end of the main body portion 51, the notch 511 penetrates a front edge of the main body portion 51, and a reserved portion 512 is left between the notch 511 and the thickened portion 52. The distance between the two thickened portions 52 at the two inner edges 524 corresponding to the notch 511 is greater than the distance between the two inner edges 525 of the other portions. The main body portion 51 includes a front edge portion 514 located between the two thickened portions 52 and a rear edge portion 515 located behind the thickened portions 52.

Referring to the seventh and eighth figures, the thickened portion 52 laterally extends a side wing 54 at its rear edge. The terminal 40 includes a signal terminal, a power terminal 40P, and a ground terminal 40G. The ground terminal 40G is located at the outermost side and laterally. Two wing portions 43 that are pressed against the flank 54 of the thickened portion extend, and the ground terminal 40G laterally contacts the inner wall surfaces 524 and 525 of the thickened portion 52. The terminal 10 includes a first row of terminals 40a and a second row of terminals 40b respectively disposed on two surfaces of the butt tongue 32, and the pins 42a of the first row of terminals are bent downward from the rear of the contact portion 41. The pins 42b and the contact portions 42a of the second row of terminals are flush with each other, and the pins 42b of the second row of terminals are located inside the first row of pins 42a. The rear edge 501 of the thickened portion 52 extends to the front of the pins 42 a adjacent to the first row of terminals.

As can be seen from the sixth figure, the thickened portion 50 of the shielding plate defines two opposite surfaces 521, and the two surfaces 521 of the thickened portion 52 constitute a part of the two surfaces 321 of the butt tongue plate 32, The side surface 523 of the thickened portion 52 directly constitutes the side surface 323 of the butt tongue plate. The eleventh figure clearly shows that the thickened portion 52 extends forward to the front end surface 322 of the butt tongue plate 32 and backwards to the base portion 31 of the insulating body 30, wherein the side wings 54 project laterally from both ends of the base portion 31, At the same time, the thickened portion 52 of the shielding plate 50 protrudes laterally from the contact portion 56 of the shielding ring 60.

Continuing to refer to the fifth and sixth figures, the butt tongue 32 forms a thickened and widened step 33 near the root of the base 31, and the outside of the step 33 is covered with a shielding ring 60, The contact portion 56 contacts the shielding ring 60. The shielding ring 60 includes an upper half ring 61 and a lower half ring 62. The upper half ring 61 includes a surrounding portion 611, a rear wall 613, and a connecting portion 612 connecting the surrounding portion 611 and the rear wall 613. The rear wall 613 is shielded at the base portion. The rear end face of 31 (shown clearly in the fourth figure). The lower half ring 62 includes a surrounding portion 621 and a crimping portion 622 extending rearward from the surrounding portion 621. It can be seen from the second figure that the crimping portion 622 is exactly pressed against the fixing groove 111 of the vertical wall 11, In this way, the crimping portion 622 and the conductive housing 1 form a ground loop; the two ends of the two surrounding portions 611 and 621 are respectively provided with a holding hole 615 and a holding protrusion 625, and the step portion 33 is formed on the corresponding holding protrusion 625. A lateral protrusion 331 is partially provided. In this way, the concave inner surface of the retaining protrusion 625 is fastened to the protrusion 331, and at the same time, the protrusion is outwardly locked into the retaining hole 615 (as shown in the third figure), thereby shielding the ring. 60 is fixed to the step portion 33. With reference to the second figure, it can be seen that the pins 42a and 42b of the first and second rows of terminals are located on the same plane and are used to contact the circuit board (not shown). Restrictions for fixing. The upper surface of the abutment portion 56 is slightly lower than the upper surface of the thickened portion 52, and the lower surface is flush with the thickened portion 52. When the two ends of the surrounding portion of the shielding ring 60 are bent, there is a certain chamfered arc. The low abutment portion 56 can avoid interference with the shielding ring 60.

The manufacturing process of the terminal module 3 is described below.

As shown in FIG. 12, the shielding plate 50 and the second row of terminals 40b are first embedded in the first insulator 30a by the first injection molding method, and then the first row of terminals 40a are placed on the upper surface of the first insulator 30a. , As shown in Figure 12. Since the thickened portion 52 of the shielding plate 50 extends to a relatively rear portion, it is strong enough to support the first insulator 30a; during the first injection molding process, the glue is injected from the front and rear portions of the terminal 40, respectively. The first insulator 30a includes a front insulator 301 surrounding the front part of the terminal and a rear insulator 302 surrounding the rear part of the terminal. Many through-holes or through-grooves 57 shown by the shielding plate 50 in the ninth figure are used for insulating material (ie, the first insulator 30a) Passing therethrough forms spacer ribs or bumps 303 on the upper surface of the first insulator 30a. The front end of the rear insulator 302 is further formed with a reinforcing arm 304 that is clamped on the upper surface of the shielding plate 50. Then, the second insulator 30b is injection-molded on the first insulator 30a and the first terminal 40a by a second injection molding method to form the above-mentioned insulating body 30, as shown in the fifth figure. Finally, the shielding ring 60 is assembled on the insulating body 30 to form a complete terminal module 3, as shown in the third figure. Finally, it is assembled into the housing 1 to form an electrical connector 100.

In summary, the present invention has indeed met the requirements for an invention patent, and a patent application has been filed in accordance with the law. However, the above is only a preferred embodiment of the present invention, and the scope of rights of the present invention cannot be limited by this. For example, equivalent modifications or changes made by those with ordinary knowledge in the technical field based on the spirit of the present invention are still covered by the scope of the attached patent application.

100‧‧‧electrical connector
40a‧‧‧First row terminal
1‧‧‧ shell
40b‧‧‧Second Row Terminal
101‧‧‧ Butt cavity
40P‧‧‧Power Terminal
11‧‧‧ vertical wall
40G‧‧‧ ground terminal
12‧‧‧ end wall
41‧‧‧Contact
111‧‧‧Fixed slot
42, 42a, 42b ‧‧‧ pins
121‧‧‧Inner wall surface
43‧‧‧wing
13‧‧‧ shallow depression
50‧‧‧shield
14‧‧‧ horizontal edge
501‧‧‧ trailing edge
15‧‧‧ vertical side
51‧‧‧Main body
16‧‧‧ fixing hole
511‧‧‧ gap
160‧‧‧ Containment Chamber
512‧‧‧Reserved
161‧‧‧ Upper side wall
514‧‧‧ leading edge
162‧‧‧ end wall
515‧‧‧back edge
2‧‧‧Mask
52‧‧‧Thickened
3‧‧‧Terminal Module
521‧‧‧ surface
57‧‧‧through hole, through slot
523‧‧‧side
30‧‧‧Insulated body
524‧‧‧Inner edge
30a‧‧‧First insulator
525‧‧‧Inner edge
30b‧‧‧Second insulator
53‧‧‧Lock side edge
301‧‧‧ front insulator
54‧‧‧ flank
302‧‧‧ rear insulator
56‧‧‧ abutment department
303‧‧‧ spacer ribs, bumps
60‧‧‧shield ring
304‧‧‧ Strengthen Arm
61‧‧‧ Upper Half Ring
31‧‧‧ base
611‧‧‧ Surrounding Department
32‧‧‧ Butt tongue
612‧‧‧Connection Department
321‧‧‧ surface
613‧‧‧ rear wall
322‧‧‧front face
615‧‧‧holding hole
323‧‧‧side
62‧‧‧Lower Half Ring
33‧‧‧Step
621‧‧‧ Surrounding Department
331‧‧‧ bump
622‧‧‧ Crimping Department
40‧‧‧terminal
625‧‧‧holding convex

The first diagram is a perspective view of the electrical connector of the present invention;

The second diagram is a perspective view of the electrical connector shown in the first diagram at another angle;

The third figure is a perspective view of a part of the electrical connector shown in the second figure in disassembly;

The fourth figure is a perspective view from another angle of the third figure;

The fifth figure is a perspective view of the terminal module part disassembled in the third figure;

The sixth figure is a perspective view from another angle of the fifth figure;

The seventh figure is a perspective view of the terminal and the shielding plate of the present invention;

The eighth figure is a perspective view from another angle of the seventh figure;

The ninth figure is a perspective view of a shielding plate of the present invention;

The tenth figure is a perspective view from another angle of the ninth figure;

The eleventh figure is a cross-sectional view taken along the dashed line XI-XI of the first figure;

The twelfth figure is an exploded perspective view of the first terminal and the first insulator of the present invention;

The thirteenth figure is an exploded perspective view of the first insulator and the second insulator of the present invention; and

The fourteenth figure is a perspective view from another angle of the thirteenth figure.

no

50‧‧‧shield

51‧‧‧Main body

511‧‧‧ gap

512‧‧‧Reserved

515‧‧‧back edge

52‧‧‧Thickened

524‧‧‧Inner edge

525‧‧‧Inner edge

53‧‧‧Lock side edge

54‧‧‧ flank

56‧‧‧ abutment department

57‧‧‧through hole, through slot

Claims (10)

An electrical connector includes: a terminal module, comprising an insulating body, a terminal, and a shielding plate; the insulating body includes a base portion and a butt tongue plate extending from the base portion; the butt tongue plate has two opposite surfaces, Connecting the front end face of two surfaces and two opposite side faces; the terminal includes a contact portion exposed on the surface of the butt tongue plate and a pin extending from the base portion, and the shielding plate is embedded in the insulating body And located between two surfaces of the butt tongue plate; the shielding plate includes a main body portion and thickened portions located on both sides of the main body portion, the thickness of the thickened portion is greater than the thickness of the main body portion, the The thickened portion is provided with a laterally protruding side edge of the buckle; wherein the thickened portion extends forward from the front end surface of the butt tongue plate and backwards to the base of the insulating body. The electrical connector according to item 1 of the scope of patent application, wherein the thickened portion of the shielding plate defines two opposite surfaces and sides, and the two surfaces of the thickened portion constitute two of the butt tongue plate. A part of each surface, and a side surface of the thickened portion constitutes a side surface of the docking tongue plate. The electrical connector according to item 2 of the scope of patent application, wherein the terminals include a first row of terminals and a second row of terminals respectively disposed on two surfaces of the butt tongue plate, and the rear edge of the thickened portion extends to Adjacent to the pins of the first row of terminals. The electrical connector according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the front end of the main body portion is provided with a gap, and the gap runs through the front edge of the main body portion. A reserved portion is left between the thickened portions; the distance between the two inner edges of the two thickened portions corresponding to the notches is greater than the distance between the two inner edges of the other portions. The electrical connector according to item 4 of the scope of patent application, wherein the main body portion includes a front edge portion located between the two thickened portions and a rear edge portion located behind the thickened portion. The electrical connector according to item 5 of the scope of patent application, wherein the thickened portion extends laterally at the rear edge thereof; the terminal includes a ground terminal, and the ground terminal is located at the outermost side and extends laterally by two The wing portion presses against the flanks of the thickened portion. The electrical connector according to item 1 of the scope of patent application, wherein the terminal includes a ground terminal, and the ground terminal is located at an outermost side and contacts an inner wall surface of the thickened portion laterally. The electrical connector according to item 1 of the scope of patent application, wherein the butt tongue plate forms a thickened and widened step portion near the root of the base portion, and the outside of the step portion is covered with a shielding ring, so The thickened portion of the shielding plate is projected laterally to contact the abutting portion of the shielding ring. The electrical connector according to item 1 of the scope of patent application, wherein the terminals include a first row of terminals and a second row of terminals respectively disposed on two surfaces of the butt tongue plate, and the pins of the first row of terminals are The rear of the contact portion is bent downward, the pins of the second row of terminals and the contact portion are flush with each other, and the pins of the second row of terminals are located inside the first row of terminals. The electrical connector according to item 1 of the scope of patent application, wherein the electrical connector includes a housing and two shielding sheets, and the housing includes a vertical wall, and ends extending forward from both ends of the vertical wall. Wall, the vertical wall is provided with a fixing slot for the terminal module to pass through and fix the base of the terminal module, and the two shielding sheets cover two sides of the housing and are connected to two end walls Together, it forms a docking cavity, and the docking tongue is received in the docking cavity.