Electrical connector having an insert module and a circuit board in contact with the insert module

[0002] The invention relates to an electrical connector, and especially to a modular jack electrical connector assembly which provides stable and reliable electrical communication.

[0003] As the communication industry rapidly develops, a wide variety of electrical products relating to communication networks have been introduced to the market. Current electrical instruments must process an increasing amount of information and especially, the transmission of the high frequency signals become common between electrical instruments. Thus, filter requirements are being placed on the quality of electrical products to ensure proper signal transmission. Emphasized is how to lessen the negative affects of noise signals acting on communication devices. U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,069,641; 5,587,884; and 5,647,767 disclose electrical connectors for communication devices which address the problem of noise.

[0004] The conventional connectors are usually equipped with signal transforming devices for reducing the affects of noise signals. However, a number of conductive terminals received within the electrical connector must be divided into groups for connecting with the signal transforming device to ensure proper transmission of signals. Furthermore, the conventional signal transforming device assembled within electrical connector usually lacks an electrical element to eliminate noise signals.

[0005] Alternative electrical connectors often adopt a grounding device having at least a grounding lead for grounding noise signals. However, the grounding leads must be soldered to the grounding device and to a circuit board, which results in complicating the manufacture and assembly process, as well as increasing costs. Additionally, a number of auxiliary structures or components must be provided for cooperating with the grounding leads thereby further hindering manufacture and assembly.

[0006] The main object of the present invention is to provide an electrical connector having a modular subassembly containing a plurality of conductive components of the connector to facilitate assembly with other components of the connector and promoting stable and reliable signal transmission between the connector and a mating connector.

[0007] The second object of the present invention is to provide an electrical connector having a modular subassembly having a circuit board attached to a rear surface of the insulative housing thereby providing enough space for containing predetermined electrical elements for filtering and conditioning noise signals.

[0008] The third object of the present invention is to provide an electrical connector including a modular subassembly having a coat of conductive material applied thereto in cooperation with a shell conveniently and steadily fixed to an insulative housing of the connector thereby providing the connector with shielding and grounding capabilities.

[0009] In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, the modular subassembly attached to the connector includes an insert module and a circuit board with a number of electrical elements attached thereto. The module consists of an upper insert member receiving a plurality of first contacts therein, a lower insert member receiving a plurality of second contacts therein. Thus, the modular subassembly can be conveniently assembled with the other components of the connector as a whole thereby simplifying the structure of the connector and providing enough space for containing sufficient electrical elements attached to the subassembly.

[0010] Moreover, a coat of conductive material, such as a coat of tin foil, is provided on an edge of the circuit board of the modular subassembly for completing a grounding path from electrically contacting resilient arms of a shell enclosing the insulative housing to the modular subassembly.

[0011] In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, the shell forms two inwardly extending resilient arms for electrically contacting with the conductive coating of the modular subassembly, grounding tabs and a rear cover, thereby providing the electrical connector with both the grounding and shielding capabilities.

[0012] FIG. 1 is a partially exploded view of an electrical connector assembly in accordance with the present invention;

[0013] FIG. 2 is an exploded view of a modular subassembly in accordance with the present invention;

[0014] FIG. 3 is an assembled view of FIG. 1;

[0015] FIG. 4 is a cross sectional view taken along line 4—4 of FIG. 3;

[0016] FIG. 5 is a partially magnified view of FIG. 4;

[0017] FIG. 6 is a partially assembled view of FIG. 1; and

[0018] FIG. 7 is a fully exploded view of the present invention.

[0019] Referring to FIGS. 1 and 7, an electrical connector 10 comprises an insulative housing 20, a modular subassembly 40 and a shell 72. The insulative housing 20 has a front face 21, a rear face 23, a top face 25, and a pair of side faces 29. A front mating opening 22 is defined in the front face 21 and a number of contact receiving passageways 26 are defined in the rear face 23. A chamber 27 defined between the front and rear face 21, 23. A pair of groove 24 are defined on opposite inner sides of the insulative housing 20 between the front and rear faces 21, 23. A strip 38 is formed along a periphery of the mating opening 22. Two supporting posts 36 downwardly extend from the insulative housing 20. A pair of cantilevered arms 28 extend from the rear face 23 of the insulative housing 20. Each arm 28 forms a protrusion 30 on an inner surface thereof. A space is defined between the two arms 28 for receiving a circuit board 42 of the modular subassembly 40. A pair of recesses 34 are disposed in the top face 25 of the insulative housing 20. A pair of securing slots 32 are oppositely deposited in the rear face 23 of the insulative housing 20, each securing slot 32 having an upper slot and a lower slot for alternately interferentially receiving first and second projections of upper and lower insert members 52, 62 as detailed later.

[0020] Also referring to FIG. 2, the modular subassembly 40 includes an insert modular (not labeled) and a circuit board 42, the insert modular consists of an upper insert member 52 and a lower insert member 62. The upper insert member 52 receives a plurality of first contacts 54 therein and the lower insert member 62 receives a plurality of second contacts 66 therein. In the embodiment shown, the upper insert member 52 and the lower insert member 62 are shown to be separate elements, however, they can be integrally formed if desired.

[0021] Each first contact 54 comprises a mounting section 58 vertically extending from one end of the upper insert member 52, a contact section 60 acutely extending from an opposite end of the upper insert member 52, and a securing section (not shown) received in the upper insert member 52. The contact sections 60 can electrically contact with corresponding terminals of a mating connector (not shown). Each second contact 66 comprises a soldering section 68 rearwardly extending from the lower insert member 62, and a connecting section 70 downwardly extending therefrom. The upper insert member 52 is an insulative plate forming a pair of first projection 56 extending from opposite sides thereof. The lower insert member 62 forms a pair of second projections 64 on opposite lateral ends thereof.

[0022] The circuit board 42 has a number of electrical elements 46 arranged thereon. A number of conductive pads 43 are attached to a surface of the circuit board 42 for surface mounting the corresponding mounting sections 58 of the first contacts 54 thereto. A number of electronic elements 46 are attached on a surface opposite to the surface mounted the conductive pads 43 thereon for filtering and conditioning noise signals. A number of holes 48 are defined through the circuit board 42 for receiving the soldering sections 68 of the second contacts 66 therein. A coat of conductive material 44, such as a coat of tin foil, is deposited along a top edge of the circuit board 42. A pair of cutouts 47 are defined on opposite lateral side of the circuit board 42.

[0023] Referring to FIGS. 1, 6 and 7, the shell 72 defines a cavity 74 in a front face thereof corresponding to the mating opening 22 of the insulative housing 20. A pair of inner and outer grounding tabs 76, 78 are formed on each of opposite sides of the shell 72 proximate the cavity 74. A rear cover 92 is formed opposite to the cavity 74 and two bent tabs (not labeled) extend from opposite sides of the rear cover 92 to abut against the corresponding opposite sides of the housing 20. A pair of inwardly extending resilient arms 90 are formed on a top face of the shell 72. A pair of legs 80 downwardly extend from the shell 72. A first flange 82 inwardly extend from a bottom edge of the front face of the shell 72. A pair of second flange 84 inwardly extends from a bottom edge of the opposite sides of the shell 72. Each second flange 84 defines an arcuate notch 86 for extension of the corresponding supporting posts 36 of the insulative housing 20 therethrough.

[0024] Referring to FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, in assembly, the mounting sections 58 of the first contacts 54 are surface mounted to the corresponding conductive pads 43 of the circuit board 42, and the soldering sections 68 are soldered to the corresponding holes 48 thereof. A surface of the lower insert member 62 abuts against a bottom surface of the upper insert member 52.

[0025] Referring to FIGS. 1, 4, 6 and 7, the modular subassembly 40 is assembled to the insulative housing 20 by inserting the upper insert member 52 into the chamber 27. The contact sections 60 of the first contacts 54 are received in the corresponding contact receiving passageways 26 and extend into the chamber 27 whereby bent portions of the contact sections 60 abuts against the strip 38. The circuit board 42 is received between the two cantilevered arms 28 to abut against the insulative housing 20 and whereby the protrusions 30 of the housing 20 engage with the corresponding cutouts 47 to secure the circuit board 42 to the insulative housing 20.

[0026] Referring to FIGS. 1, 3, 4 and 5, the shell 72 is fixed to the combination of the insulative housing 20 and the modular subassembly 40. The first flange 82 of the housing 20 is positioned below the strip 38 of the insulative housing 20, and the second flanges 84 are positioned below the opposite sides of the insulative housing 20 and thus, the insulative housing 20 is retained in the shell 72. The rear cover 92 encloses the circuit board 42. The resilient arms 90 extend into the corresponding recess 34 and abut against the coat of conductive material 44 for facilitating electrical connection between the shell 72 and the circuit board 42 for grounding protection.

[0027] 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.