Stacked connector assembly

[0002] 1. Field of the Invention

[0003] The present invention relates generally to a stacked connector assembly, and in particular to a stacked connector assembly having components with simplified structure.

[0004] 2. Related Arts

[0005] Electrical connectors are widely used in a variety of electronic or electrical devices for providing electrical connection between separate electrical components. The current trend of miniaturization of electrical/electronic appliances requires the footprints of the electrical connectors on a printed circuit board (PCB) to be minimized. A solution to the minimization of footprint is to stack a number of connectors in an upright pile. An example is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,162,089 wherein a “Modular Jack” type connector is stacked over two “USB (Universal Serial Bus)” type connectors. A common housing to both the Modular Jack and the USB connectors is formed and cavities are defined in the common housing for receiving and retaining contacts of the Modular Jack and USB connectors. A disadvantage associated with the common housing configuration is that the structure and manufacture of the housing is inevitably sophisticated.

[0006] Furthermore, since the housing is common to both Modular Jack and USB connectors, the housing must be entirely disposed even only one of the Modular Jack and the USB connectors is damaged. This inevitably increases the manufacturing costs.

[0007] In addition, high frequency transmission requires EMI shielding be formed between Modular Jack and USB connectors in order to enhance quality of transmission.

[0008] It is thus desired to have a stacked connector assembly having separate housings for overcoming the above problems.

[0009] Thus, it is a primary object of the present invention to provide a stacked connector assembly comprising two connector devices having separate housings for simplifying the manufacture thereof.

[0010] Another object of the present invention is to provide a stacked connector assembly comprising two connector devices having individual housings for enhancing manufacturing process and lowering down costs.

[0011] A further object of the present invention is to provide a stacked connector assembly comprising two connector devices electromagnetically shielded with respect to each other in order to reduce electromagnetic interference therebetween.

[0012] To achieve the above objects, in accordance with the present invention, there is provided a stacked connector assembly comprising a first connector device and a second connector device stacked on the first connector device. The first connector device comprises an insulative housing retaining first conductive contacts therein. The second connector device comprises a second insulative housing retaining second conductive contacts therein. An inner shielding member encompasses the first connector device and is partially sandwiched between the first and second housings. The first housing has a top face in which two slots are defined. The slots are spaced from each other a predetermined distance and each has a side wall opposite to each other. The second housing has a bottom face positioned on the top face of the first housing with the inner shielding member partially sandwiched therebetween. Two sets of retention projections are formed on the bottom face of the second housing for extending through holes defined in the inner shielding member and frictionally engaging the side walls of the slots of the first housing, forming interferential engagement therebetween to retain the housings together. Light beam guiding strips are mounted to a top face of the second housing for guiding and projecting light beam emitting from light emitting diodes mounted to a rear face of the second housing. An outer shielding member encompasses both the first and second connector devices.

[0013] The above and other objects and advantages of the present invention can be better understood by reading the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment thereof with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

[0014] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a stacked connector assembly in accordance with the present invention;

[0015] FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the stacked connector assembly of the present invention;

[0016] FIG. 3 is a rear view of the stacked connector assembly of the present invention;

[0017] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of a first connector device of the stacked connector assembly; and

[0018] FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of a second connector device of the stacked connector assembly of the present invention.

[0019] With reference to the drawings and in particular to FIGS. 1 and 2, a stacked connector assembly constructed in accordance with the present invention, generally designated with reference numeral 10, comprises a first connector device 12 and a second connector device 14 stacked over the first connector device 12. In the embodiment illustrated, the first connector device 12 comprises two USB (Universal Serial Bus) type connectors, while the second connector device 14 comprises an RJ modular jack type connector. However, it is noted that the present invention can be applied to connectors other than these types.

[0020] Further referring to FIG. 4, the first connector device 12 comprises a first insulation housing 16 which is substantially parallelepiped in the embodiment illustrated, having top, bottom, front, rear, left side and right side faces. Two cavities 18 are defined in the front face of the first housing 16 arranged in a vertical stack fashion for receiving and retaining a plurality of conductive contacts 24, 26 therein, thus forming two USB connectors. A pair of opposite walls 22 is formed on the rear face of the first housing 16, defining a recess 20. The contacts 24, 26 have tails 28, 30 extending beyond the rear face of the first housing 16 and into the recess 20. The tails 28, 30 further extend beyond the bottom face of the first housing 16 for engaging with a printed circuit board (not shown). Contact spacing structures 32, 34 are formed in the recess 20 and each defines a plurality of grooves 36 for receiving and retaining the tails 28, 30. This is known to those having ordinary skills in the arts and thus no further details are needed herein.

[0021] Two slots 40, 42 are defined in the top face of the first housing 12 forming a land 44 therebetween. The land 44 forms a wall 46, 48 with respect to each slot 40, 42. Preferably the walls 46, 48 extend in a direction substantially normal to the top face of the first housing 16. The slots 40, 42 are spaced from each other a predetermined distance which corresponds to width of the land 44.

[0022] In the embodiment illustrated, the first connector device 12 is surrounded by an inner shielding member 50 made of a sheet of conductive material. The inner shielding member 50 has a top panel, left side panel, right side pane and front panel respectively covering the top face, left side face, right side face and the front face of the first housing 16. The front panel of the inner shielding member 50 defines two openings 52 corresponding to the cavities 18 of the first housing 16. Projecting tabs 54 are formed along a bottom edge of the inner shielding member 50 and extend inwards for engaging the bottom face of the first housing 16 thereby securing the inner shielding member 50 to the first housing 16. Furthermore, at least a sideways raised portion 51 is formed on each of the left and right side faces of the first housing 16 for engaging openings 56 defined in the left and right side panels of the inner shielding member 50 to more securely attach the inner shielding member 50 to the first housing 16.

[0023] Two openings 58 (only one visible in FIG. 2) are defined in the top panel of the inner shielding member 50 in correspondence to the slots 40, 42 of the first housing 16.

[0024] The second connector device 14 comprises a second housing 62 made of insulative materials and having a substantially parallelepiped configuration having front, rear, bottom, top, left side and right side faces. The second connector device 14 is stacked on the first connector device 12 by positioning the bottom face of the second connector device 14 on the top face of the first connector device 12 with the top panel of the inner shielding member 50 sandwiched therebetween.

[0025] Two sets of retention projections 64, 66 are formed on the bottom face of the second housing 62, each forming a side surface 68, 70. The surfaces 68, 70 are spaced from each other a distance slightly smaller than the width of the land 44. The retentions projections 64, 66 are received in the slots 40, 42 by extending through the openings 58 of the inner shielding member 50. Due to the smaller distance between the side surfaces 68, 70, an interferential engagement is formed between each side surface 68, 70 and the corresponding wall 46, 48 of the land 44 thereby effectively retaining the second connector device 14 on the first connector device 12. In this respect, preferably, the side surfaces 68, 70 are substantially perpendicular to the bottom face of the second housing 62.

[0026] In the embodiment illustrated, each set of retention projections 64, 66 comprises two spaced segments for more effectively and securely attaching the second connector device 14 to the first connector device 12. It is apparent to those having ordinary skills to increase the number of the segments of each retention projection 64, 66.

[0027] A cavity 72 is defined in the front face of the second housing 62 and receives and retains a plurality of conductive contacts 74 therein. Each contact 74 has a tail 76 extending beyond the bottom face of the second housing 62 for engaging with the printed circuit board. In the embodiment illustrated, a support 78 is formed on the bottom face of the second housing 62 and defines a plurality of grooves (not labeled) for receiving and retaining the tails 76 of the contacts 74.

[0028] A pair of light beam guiders 80 in the form of elongate strips is disposed on the top face of the second housing 62, extending from the rear face of the second housing 62 to the front face. The guiders 80 are made of light transmitting material and each has a front end located in proximity of the front face of the second housing 62 and forming a beam output port 82 and a rear end located in proximity of the rear face of the second housing 62 forming a reflection surface 84 which in the embodiment illustrated is an inclined surface of a predetermined angle, such as 45 degrees.

[0029] The second connector device 14 comprises two light sources 86, such as light emitting diodes (LEDs), each having two leads 88 extending beyond the bottom face of the first housing 16 for engaging with the printed circuit board. Two retaining members 90 are formed on the rear face of the second housing 62, each defining two grooves 91 (FIG. 3) for receiving and retaining the leads 88 thereby securing the light sources 86 on the rear face of the second housing 62 substantially in alignment with the rear ends of the light bea guiders 80 whereby light beams emitting from the light sources 86 run incident onto the reflection surfaces 84 of the guiders 80 and are reflected thereby and guided by the guiders 80 toward the front beam output ports 82. Thus, light is projected from the ports 82.

[0030] To effectively and electrically connect the contacts 74 of the second connector device 14 to the printed circuit board, an additional spacer 92 is provided, comprising a third insulative housing 94 defining a plurality of bores 96 for receiving and retaining conductive strips 98 therein. Each strip 98 has a first end extending beyond the bottom face of the first housing 16 to be directly connected to the printed circuit board and a second end forming an engaging section 100. A slot 102 is defined in the third housing 94 in communication with the bores 96 with the engaging sections 100 located in the slot 102. The slot 102 is positioned and dimensioned to interferentially receive the support 78 of the second housing 62 therein with the tails 76 of the contacts 74 of the second connector device 14 forming physical engagement with the corresponding engaging sections 100 of the conductive strips 98. The contacts 74 of the second connector device 14 are thus effectively connected to the printed circuit board.

[0031] A sideways extension 104 is formed on a front face of the third housing 94 and is received in the recess 20 between the side walls 22. Two bosses 105 are formed on opposite sides of the extension 104 for engaging dimples (not labeled) defined in the corresponding side walls 22 to attach the third housing 94 to the first housing 16. In required, guiding ribs (not shown) may be formed on the extension 104 for movably engaging guiding slots (not labeled) defined in the side walls 22 for enhancing attachment of the third housing 94 to the first housing 16.

[0032] An outer shielding member 106 made of a sheet of conductive material and having top, front, left side and right side panels, encloses the first connector device 12, the second connector device 14 and the additional spacer 92. The outer shielding member 106 comprises projecting tabs 108 extending from a bottom edge thereof for engaging the bottom face of the first housing 16 to attach the outer shielding member 106 to the stacked connector assembly 10. Inwardly projecting portions 110 are formed on the left and right side panels of outer shielding member 106 for engaging with recessed portions 112 formed on the left and right side faces of the first housing 16 by extending through corresponding openings 111 defined in the inner shielding member 50 thereby more securely attaching the outer shielding member 106 to the stacked connector assembly 10.

[0033] At least a groove 114 is defined in the third housing 94 of the additional spacer 92 for receiving and retaining leads 88 of the light sources 86 thereby more securely retaining the light sources 86.

[0034] The present invention provides a stacked connection device comprising first and second connector devices 12, 14 having individual housings. The housings are then releasably attached to each other. This allows manufacturers of the stacked connector not to make a common housing having a sophisticated structure. In addition, the inner shielding member 50 disposed between the first and second connector devices 12, 14 effectively prevents the connectors 12, 14 from electromagnetically interfering with each other. This is of particular importance in high frequency transmission applications.

[0035] Although the present invention has been described and illustrated with the preferred embodiment thereof, it is understood to those having ordinary skills in the arts that variation and modification can be achieved without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention which is defined by the appended claims.