Electrical connector having improved performance regarding resistance to high voltage penetration

[0002] 1. Field of the Invention

[0003] The present invention relates to an electrical connector, and particularly to an electrical connector with improved high voltage penetration resisting performance.

[0004] 2. Description of Related Art

[0005] Referring to FIG. 5, a conventional electrical connector comprises an insulating housing 60 defining first and second receiving slots 62 and 64 to receive first and second terminal inserts 70 and 72 therein, respectively. A plurality of terminals 71 and 73 are insert molded with the terminal inserts 70 and 72, respectively. Two board locks 66 are secured to the housing 60 to fix the connector to a printed circuit board. A shield 90 is attached on the housing 60 to shield the housing 60 and the terminals 71 and 73. However, to such a mini-type connector, a minimum distance between a top wall 92 of the shield 90 and exposed arcuate portions 71aof the terminals 71 is only about 0.3 mm which does not fit the industry standard (not less than 2.5 mm). It is well known that a good performance in resisting high voltage penetration is essential to the reliability of the connector. However, such a conventional design is apt to cause electrical current flowing from the shield 90 to the terminals 71 when a high voltage (1500 V) is applied to the shield 90, resulting in a failure of the connector. To resolve the problem, the shield is relocated to be far away from the terminals to increase the distance therebetween. However, this causes the connector to be too bulky to be accepted by the industry.

[0006] Accordingly, the object of the present invention is to provide an electrical connector having improved high voltage penetration resisting performance.

[0007] To fulfill the above-mentioned object, an electrical connector of the present invention comprises an insulating housing and a shield having a top wall shielding a top surface of the housing. The housing defines first and second receiving slots receiving first and second terminal inserts therein, respectively. A plurality of first and second terminals are insert molded with the first and second terminal inserts, respectively. The terminals include contact portions, solder portions and arcuate portions between the contact portions and the solder portions. The arcuate portions of the terminals are directly exposed to the top wall of the shield. The top wall of the shield defines an opening at a position below which the arcuate portions of the terminals are arranged, thereby increasing a minimum distance between the top wall of the shield and the arcuate portions of the terminals to prevent the terminals from being damaged by high electrostatic charge.

[0008] Other objects, advantages and novel features of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

[0009] FIG. 1 is an exploded view of an electrical connector of the present invention;

[0010] FIG. 2 is an assembled view of the electrical connector of FIG. 1;

[0011] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a shield of a second embodiment of the present invention;

[0012] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a shield of a third embodiment of the present invention; and

[0013] FIG. 5 is an exploded view of a conventional electrical connector.

[0014] Reference will now be made to the drawing figures to describe the present invention in detail.

[0015] Referring to FIG. 1, an electrical connector 1 of the present invention includes an elongated insulating housing 10 receiving first and second terminal inserts 23 and 25 therein, a pair of slits 16 beside the terminal inserts 23 and 25 receiving a pair of board locks 30 therein, and a shield 40 shielding the housing 10.

[0016] The housing 10 defines first and second receiving slots 12 and 14, and two pair of guide channels 12aand 14ain the receiving slots 12 and 14. The terminal inserts 23 and 25 define two pair of guide posts 23aand 25acorresponding to guide channels 12aand 14aof the housing 10.

[0017] A plurality of first and second terminals 22 and 24 are insert molded with the terminal inserts 23 and 25, respectively. The terminals 22 and 24 include solder portions 22cand 24cto be soldered to a printed circuit board (not shown), contact portions 22band 24bfor contacting mating terminals (not shown), and arcuate portions 22aand 24abetween the solder portions 22c, 24cand the contact portions 22b, 24b. The arcuate portions 22aand 24aextend beyond front ends of the terminal inserts 23 and 25 and exposed to the shield 40.

[0018] The shield 40 comprises a top wall 42 enclosing a top surface 10cof the housing 10 and a plurality of securing portions 40aengaged to the housing 10. The top wall 42 defines an opening 42aat a position below which the arcuate portions 22aof the first terminals 22 are arranged. The opening 42aallows a minimum distance between the arcuate portions 22aand the top wall 42 of the shield 40 to be not less than 2.5 mm which is required by certain industry standard, thereby preventing the first terminals 22 from being damaged by high electrostatic charge.

[0019] Also referring to FIG. 2, in assembly, the terminal inserts 23 and 25 with the terminals 22 and 24 are respectively inserted into corresponding receiving slots 12 and 14 from a rear surface 10bof the housing 10 by guiding the guide posts 23aand 25ainto guide channels 12aand 14aof the housing 10. The pair of locks 30 are inserted into the slits 16 from the top surface 10cof the housing 10. The shield 40 is then assembled to the housing 10 from a front surface 10aby properly positioning the opening 42aof the top wall 42 over the arcuate portions 22aof the first terminals 22.

[0020] FIG. 3 shows a shield of a second embodiment of the present invention. It differs from the first embodiment in that the top wall 42 of the shield 40 also defines an opening 42bover the arcuate portions 24aof the second terminals 24. The opening 42bperforms similar function to the opening 42aso that it will not be detailed here.

[0021] Referring to FIG. 4, a shield of the third embodiment of the present invention defines a large opening 42cencompassing otherwise present openings 42aand 42bto benefit a manufacturing process.

[0022] An advantage of the present invention is that the distance between the arcuate portions of the terminals and the shield is not less than 2.5 mm thereby meeting the industry standard.

[0023] 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.