Abstract:
An electrical connector includes a metallic shell defining a mating frame and a shielding portion, a bracket assembled to the shielding portion of the shell and defining an opening therethrough, and a mating member securely assembled to the bracket and having a front portion accessible from the opening. The mating member includes a first housing having opposite first and second surfaces and defined with first and second receiving grooves respectively, and a plurality of first contacts attached to the first receiving grooves, and a plurality of second contacts attached to the second receiving grooves, before the first housing is inserted into the bracket.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0002]    The present invention relates to an electrical connector, and more particularly to an electrical connector having a mating member configured with a contact-terminal-attached first housing assembled to a bracket, and which is later assembled to a shell. The assembling processes and steps are therefore simplified. 
         [0003]    2. Description of the Related Art 
         [0004]    A conventional electrical connector for high data transmission rates such as disclosed in Taiwan Patent No. M359100 issued to Sun et al. on Jun. 11, 2009, defines an insulative housing and two contact modules received in the housing. The housing defines a base portion and a tongue portion extending forwardly from the base portion, and the contact modules each defines a main portion and a plurality of contacting portions forwardly projecting beyond the main portion. During assemblage, the contact modules are assembled to the housing with the contacting portions inserted into the corresponding receiving grooves arranged on the tongue portion and exposed upon the opposite surfaces of the tongue portion. 
         [0005]    However, the contacting portions should be aligned with the corresponding receiving grooves accurately. Furthermore, in recent years, the pitch of the connector become smaller and smaller, i.e. each electrical connector is requested to provide more and more contacts for meeting high data transmission rate requirement and the large numbers of contacts are hardly to be aligned with the corresponding receiving grooves while assemblage. The large numbers of contacts also may be deformed while inserted into the corresponding receiving grooves. 
         [0006]    Therefore, an improved electrical connector with simple assemblage and steady configuration is highly desired. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0007]    An object of the present invention is to provide an electrical connector with simplified assemblage and robust configuration. 
         [0008]    In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, an electrical connector includes a metallic shell defining a mating frame and a shielding portion, a bracket assembled to the shielding portion of the shell and defining an opening therethrough, and a mating member securely assembled to the bracket and having a front portion accessible from the opening. The mating member includes a first housing having opposite first and second surfaces and defined with first and second receiving grooves respectively, and a plurality of first contacts attached to the first receiving grooves, and a plurality of second contacts attached to the second receiving grooves, before the first housing is inserted into the bracket. 
         [0009]    Other objects, advantages and novel features of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of the present embodiment when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0010]      FIG. 1  is an assembled, perspective view of an electrical connector in accordance with the present invention; 
           [0011]      FIG. 2  is another assembled, perspective view of the electrical connector shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0012]      FIG. 3  is an exploded perspective view of the electrical connector shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0013]      FIG. 4  is another exploded perspective view of the electrical connector shown in  FIG. 3 ; 
           [0014]      FIG. 5  is a perspective view of a mating member retaining a spacer at a bottom portion thereof with two first contacts separated from a first housing shown in  FIG. 3 ; 
           [0015]      FIG. 6  is a perspective view of the mating member retaining a spacer at a bottom portion thereof and separated from a bracket shown in  FIG. 3 ; 
           [0016]      FIG. 7  is a partly exploded perspective view of the electrical connector with the shell separated from the first housing and the bracket; and 
           [0017]      FIG. 8  is a cross-sectional view taken along line  8 - 8  of  FIG. 1 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0018]    Reference will now be made to the drawing figures to describe the preferred embodiments of the present invention in detail. 
         [0019]    Referring to  FIG. 1  to  FIG. 3 , disclosed here is an electrical connector  100  made in accordance with the present invention. The electrical connector  100  includes a first insulative housing  1 , contacts retained to the first housing  1 , a spacer  4  disposed at a bottom portion of the first housing  1 , a bracket  5  retained to the first housing  1  and a metallic shell surrounding the first housing  1  and the bracket  5 . 
         [0020]    Referring to  FIG. 3  to  FIG. 7 , the first housing  1  defines a base portion  11  and a mating portion  12  extending forward from a front face  110  of the base portion  11 . The base portion  11  defines opposite first and second supporting faces  111 ,  112 , and the mating portion  12  defines opposite first and second mating faces  121 ,  122 . The first supporting face  111  and the first mating face  121  are parallel to each other and disposed at an upper side of the mating portion  12 , and the second supporting face  112  and the second mating face  122  are parallel to each other and disposed at a lower side of the mating portion  12 . The first supporting face  111  and the first mating face  121  respectively connect with the front face  110  to define a first surface  130  of the first housing  1 , and the second supporting face  112  and the second mating face  122  respectively connect with the front face  110  to define a second surface  140  of the first housing  1  opposite to the first surface  130 . A plurality of first receiving grooves  13  downwardly recess towards the second surface  140  from the first surface  130  and each provides a first opening  131  at the first surface  130  thereof. A plurality of second receiving grooves  14  upwardly recess towards the first surface  130  from the second surface  140  and each provides a second opening  141  at the second surface  140  thereof. Each of the first receiving grooves  13  defines a first retaining slot  132  at a front end thereof and provides a restricting slot  151  at a rear face  15  of the base portion  11 . Each of the second receiving grooves  14  defines a second retaining slot  142  at a front end thereof. The base portion  11  defines a receiving room  16  recessed upwardly from the first supporting face  111  at a rear portion thereof. 
         [0021]    The contacts include a plurality of first contacts  2  retained to the first receiving grooves  13 , and a plurality of second contacts  3  retained to the second receiving grooves  14 . Each of the first contact  2  defines a board-shaped first connecting portion  21 , a stiff first contacting portion  22  bending downwardly and then extending forwardly from a front end of the connecting portion  21 , and a locking tail  24  bending downwardly from a rear end of the connecting portion  21 , and a soldering portion  23  bending rearwards from the locking tail  24 . The first contacting portion  22  defines a first locking portion  221  at a front end thereof. Each of the second contact  3  defines a stiff second contacting portion  31 , a second connecting portion  33  bending upwardly and extending rearwards from a rear end of the second contacting portion  31 , and a soldering portion  32  bending downwardly from a rear end of the second connecting portion  33 . The second contacting portion  31  defines a second locking portion  311  at a front end thereof. The soldering portions  32  of the second contacts  3  are arranged in two rows in a front-to-rear direction. 
         [0022]    Referring to  FIGS. 3 ,  4 ,  5  and  FIG. 8 , the first contacts  2  are downwardly assembled into the corresponding first receiving grooves  13  from the first opening  131  disposed at the first surface  130  thereof. The first locking portion  221  locks into the corresponding first retaining slot  132  to make the first contacting portion  22  attach to the mating portion  12  and exposed upon the first mating face  121 . The locking tail  24  is received in the restricting slot  151  with the retaining protrusion  241  abutting against the restricting portion  152  to restrict the movement of the locking tail  24 , and the connecting portion  21  is exposed upon the first supporting face  111 . The second contacts  3  are upwardly assembled into the corresponding second receiving grooves  14  from the second opening  141  disposed at the second surface  140  thereof. The second locking portion  321  locks into the corresponding second retaining slot  142  to make the second contacting portion  31  attach to the mating portion  12  and exposed upon the second surface  140 . The second connecting portion  33  is received in the receiving room  16  and attach to a top face of the receiving room  16 , and the soldering portion  32  extends out of the receiving room  16 . The first housing  1  retaining the plurality of first and second contacts  2 ,  3  therein is defined as a mating member. 
         [0023]    Referring to  FIG. 3  to  FIG. 6 , and  FIG. 8 , the spacer  4  defines a rectangular mainly body portion  41 , two girders  42  each projecting outwards from a side face of the mainly body portion  41 , and a retaining portion  43  upwardly rose from a rear portion of the mainly body portion  41 . The spacer  4  is upwardly retained in the receiving room  16  by the retaining portion  43  running into and retained in a retaining slot  161  disposed in the receiving room  16  thereof. The girders  42  project out of the receiving room  16  and further extend beyond the side face of the base portion  11 . The second connecting portions  33  are sandwiched between the base portion  11  and the spacer  4 , and the soldering portions  32  run through the corresponding retaining holes  411  disposed in the mainly body portion  41  to extend out of the spacer  4 . 
         [0024]    Referring to  FIG. 3  to  FIG. 7 , the bracket  5  defines a front face  51 , a rear face  52  opposite to the front face  51 , a bottom face  53  defined as a fixing face, a top face  54  facing to the bottom face  53 , and a pair of sidewalls  55  connecting with the bottom and top faces  53 ,  54 . A receiving portion  56  is recessed rearwards from the front face  51  to run through the rear face  52  and a rear portion of the bottom face  53 , and the receiving portion  56  provides an opening  561  at the front face  51  thereof. The sidewalls  55  each defines a locking hole  551  at a rear portion thereof for communicating with the receiving portion  56 , a supporting portion  552  extending towards the receiving portion  56  from an inner face of the sidewall  55 , and a receiving slot  553  disposed under the supporting portion  552 . 
         [0025]    The mating member retaining with the spacer  4  is inserted into the receiving portion  56  from the rear face  52  of the bracket  5 , and the hooking portions  17  extending outwards from the side face of the base portion  11  are supported by the corresponding supporting portions  552 , the girders  42  are received in the receiving slots  553 . For further assemblage, the girders  42  slide forwardly along the receiving slots  553  until the hooking portions  17  run into the locking holes  551  and lock with the corresponding locking holes  551  to securely retain the base portion  11  in the receiving portion  56 , and the mating portion  12  forwardly extends out of the receiving portion  56  from the opening  561  thereof. The bracket  5  provides a smaller retaining frame  50  at a front portion thereof, and the sidewalls  55  each provides a locking arm  554  extending forwardly to dispose outside the retaining frame  50 . The locking arm  554  is spaced from the retaining frame  50  to provide a clipping slot  58  therebetween. 
         [0026]    Referring to  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 7 , the metallic shell includes a first shell  61  and a second shell  62  connecting with the first shell  61 . The first shell  61  defines a shielding portion  611  surrounding the bracket  5 , and a mating frame  612  connecting with the shielding portion  611 . The second shell  62  defines a shielding plate  621 , two fixing legs  622  each extending from a side edge of the shielding plate  621  and a pair of T-shaped locking parts  623  bending forward from a top edge of the shielding plate  621 . The second shell  62  is downwardly assembled from the top face  54  and retained to the bracket  5  by the locking parts  623  locking into the corresponding T-shaped locking slots  541  disposed in the top face  54 , and the fixing legs  622  fixed in the corresponding slots  57  each disposed at a rear portion of the sidewall  55 , and the shielding plate  621  shields the rear face  15  of the first housing  1 . The first shell  61  is assembled rearwards from the front face  51  of the bracket  5 , the shielding portion  611  surrounds the bracket  5  and contacts with the contacting points  624  of the second shell  62 , the rear portion of the mating frame  612  runs into the clipping slot  58  and abuts against the locking arm  554  to be restricted in the clipping slot  58 . The mating portion  12  and the retaining frame  50  are disposed in the mating frame  612 . The electrical connector  100  is provided after the assembling or manufacturing processes and steps mentioned above, and the method for manufacturing the electrical connector  100  is simplified. 
         [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.