Electric connector

[0002] 1. Field of the Invention

[0003] The present invention relates to an electric connector and, more particularly, to such an electric connector, in which the terminals include signal transmission terminals and grounding terminals, the grounding terminals each having a protruding positioning portion engaged into a respective locating notch in the electrically insulative housing and maintained in contact with the metal shielding shell and forming with the metal shielding shell a grounding loop.

[0004] 2. Description of the Related Art

[0005] During signal transmission of an electric connector, signal interference may occur. The interference may come from the internal static noises or external electromagnetic noises. In order to eliminate this problem, electric connectors with EMI protective metal shielding shell are developed. FIG. 9 shows an electric connector according to the prior art. This structure of electric connector comprises a housing B defining a plurality of terminal slots B1, a plurality of terminals A respectively mounted in the terminal slots B1 and adapted for receiving respective terminals C of a matching connector, and a metal shielding shell (not shown) covered on the housing B. The terminals A each comprise a base A1, a rear mounting tail A2 backwardly extended from the base A1 and adapted for fastening to a circuit board (not shown) outside the housing B, and a cylindrical front receiving portion A3 forwardly extended from the base A1 and adapted for receiving the corresponding terminal C of the matching connector. Further, after installation of the metal shielding shell, electric wires are used and soldered to the metal shielding shell and grounding terminals selected from the terminals A, enabling the metal shielding shell and the grounding terminals to form a grounding loop. This grounding arrangement complicates the fabrication procedure of the electric connector. Further, improper soldering of the electric wires to the grounding terminals may cause a false grounding.

[0006] The present invention has been accomplished to provide an electric connector, which eliminates the aforesaid problems. According to the present invention, the electric connector comprises an electrically insulative housing, the housing comprising a plurality of terminal chambers, a plurality of insertion holes respectively disposed in communication and alignment with the terminal chambers, and locating notches disposed in communication with a number of the terminal chambers, a plurality of terminals respectively mounted in the terminal chambers, the terminals each having a protruded positioning portion, and a metal shielding shell covered on the housing. The terminals include signal transmission terminals and grounding terminals. The protruded positioning portions of the signal transmission terminals are respectively stopped at the inside walls of the corresponding terminal chambers. The protruded positioning portions of the grounding terminals are respectively engaged into the locating notches of the housing and maintained in contact with the metal shielding shell, enabling the grounding terminals form with the metal shielding shell a grounding loop.

[0007] FIG. 1 is an exploded view of an electric connector constructed according to the present invention.

[0008] FIG. 2 is an elevational view of a terminal for the electric connector according to the present invention.

[0009] FIG. 3 is a sectional elevation of a part of the present invention, showing the positioning of the terminals in the terminal chambers of the housing.

[0010] FIG. 4 is a sectional view of the present invention before insertion of the terminals of the matching plug connector.

[0011] FIG. 5 is similar to FIG. 4 but showing the terminals of the matching plug connector partially inserted into the insertion holes of the housing of the connector according to the present invention.

[0012] FIG. 6 is similar to FIG. 5 but showing the status where the terminals of the matching plug connector completely inserted into the insertion holes.

[0013] FIG. 7 is a sectional view of the present invention showing the protruded positioning portions of the terminals engaged into the locating notches of the housing before installation of the metal shielding shell.

[0014] FIG. 8 is a sectional view of the present invention after installation of the metal shielding shell in the housing.

[0015] FIG. 9 is an exploded view of an electric connector constructed according to the prior art.

[0016] Referring to FIGS. 1, 2, 3, and 8, an electric connector in accordance with the present invention is shown comprised of an electrically insulative housing 1, metal terminals 2, and a metal shielding shell 3.

[0017] The housing 1 comprises rows of terminal chambers 11 extended through the rear sidewall thereof, pairs of positioning grooves 111 respectively axially disposed in the terminal chambers 11 at two opposite lateral sides, a front receiving side 12 adapted for receiving a matching plug connector, rows of insertion holes 121 extended through the front receiving side 12 and respectively disposed in communication and axial alignment with the terminal chambers 11, and a plurality of protruding blocks 112 respectively disposed in the terminal chambers 11 adjacent the insertion holes 121. The protruding blocks 112 each have a beveled bottom guide edge 1121. Further, the housing 1 has a plurality of locating notches 13 respectively disposed near two opposite lateral sides thereof and in communication with the terminal chambers 11 two sides.

[0018] The terminals 2 are respectively mounted in the terminal chambers 11 of the housing 1, each comprising a flat base 21, an angled front locating portion 22 forwardly extended from the front side of the flat base 21, a springy contact portion 221 backwardly upwardly extended from a transversely extended front part of the angled front locating portion 22, a plurality of barbed portions 211 respectively protruded from the two opposite lateral sides of the flat base 21, a protruding positioning portion 212 backwardly upwardly extended from a middle part of the rear side of the flat base 21, and a mounting tail 23 horizontally backwardly extended from the rear side of the flat base 21.

[0019] The metal shielding shell 3 is fastened to the housing 1 and covered on the outside wall of the housing 1, keeping the terminal chambers 11 and the insertion holes 121 exposed to the outside.

[0020] The assembly process of the electric connector is outlined hereinafter. The terminals 2 are respectively inserted into the terminal chambers 11 of the housing 1 to force the barbed portions 211 into engagement with the positioning grooves 111 in the terminal chambers 11. When set into position, the angled front locating portion 22 of each terminal 2 is respectively guided by the beveled bottom guide edge 1121 of the protruding block 112 in each terminal chamber 11 into engagement with the gap between the protruding block 112 and the inside wall of the respective terminal chamber 11 (see FIGS. 3 and 4), the protruded positioning portion 212 of each terminal 2 is respectively stopped at the inside walls of the terminal chambers 11 (see FIG. 6) or engaged into the locating notches 13 of the housing 1 (see FIG. 7), and the mounting tail 23 of each terminal 2 is respectively extended out of the terminal chambers 11 of the housing 1. After installation of the metal shielding shell 3, the terminals 2 having the respective protruded positioning portions 212 engaged into the locating notches 13 of the housing 1 are positively maintained in contact with the metal shielding shell 3 and forming with the metal shielding shell 3 a grounding loop (see FIG. 8); the terminals 2 having the respective protruded positioning portions 212 stopped against the inside wall of each of the terminal chambers 11 are provided for transmitting signal.

[0021] Referring to FIGS. from 4 through 7, when in use, the mounting tails 23 of the terminals 2 are respectively soldered to respective contacts at a circuit board (not shown) for receiving a matching plug connector. After insertion of the terminals 4 of the matching plug connector into the insertion holes 121 of the housing 1 (see FIG. 5), the terminals 4 of the matching plug connector force the springy contact portions 221 of the terminals 2 inwards, and therefore the springy contact portions 221 of the terminals 2 are maintained in contact with the terminals 4 of the matching plug connector positively (see FIGS. 6 and 7).

[0022] In the aforesaid preferred embodiment of the present invention, the housing 1 has two rows of terminal chambers 11 and two rows of insertion holes 121 corresponding to the terminal chambers 11. In actual practice, the number of the terminal chambers 11 and the insertion holes 121 and their arrangement may be changed subject to actual requirement.

[0023] A prototype of electric connector has been constructed with the features of the annexed drawings of FIGS. 1˜8. The electric connector functions smoothly to provide all of the features discussed earlier.

[0024] Although particular embodiment of the invention have been described in detail for purposes of illustration, various modifications and enhancements may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the invention is not to be limited except as by the appended claims.