Abstract:
A connector assembly ( 100 ) adapted for mounting to a front panel ( 6 ) of a cage includes an insulative cover ( 4 ) having an upper cover and a lower cover extending along a front-to-back direction, at least one locating cavity ( 44 ) defined in a front segment of the lower cover, the locating cavity extending along a direction offsetting the front-to-back direction; a connector ( 2 ) accommodated in the locating cavity and held by the upper cover and the lower cover; and the connector ( 2 ) disposed perpendicular to the sloped front panel ( 6 ) and the cover ( 4 ) disposed oblique to the front panel.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The present invention generally relates to a connector assembly, and more particularly to a connector assembly adapted to be mounted onto a panel. 
       DESCRIPTION OF PRIOR ART 
       [0002]    Commonly used input/output ports of a computer includes a USB connector, an Audio Jack, etc. Some of earlier produced computers are equipped with these ports which are mounted to a back panel of a cage thereof U.S. Pat. No. 5,637,015 issued to Tian et al. on Jun. 10, 1997 discloses an electrical connector assembly, and the electrical connector assembly includes two stacked USB connectors mounted to a back panel of a compute cage. However, such arrangement of the connectors is not friendly and convenient for a user, if a peripheral devices is to be connected/disconnected with the connectors. 
         [0003]    Recently, efforts has been made to overcome aforementioned problem, for example, an improved connector assembly, which includes mostly used input/output ports being integrated together and is mounted to a front panel of a cage of a computer. U.S. Pat. No. 6,494,744 issued to Lee on Dec. 17, 2002 discloses a connector assembly mounted to a front panel, and the connector assembly has two connectors supported by a board located behind the front panel, and a front portion of the two connectors project outwardly via openings defined in the front panel and further supported by the front panel. The front panel is parallel to the board. 
         [0004]    Nowadays, beautiful and unique ornamental design of an external cage of the computer becomes more and more important, and a front side of some computer is configured to be sloped structure instead of regular style. In addition, a board inside the external cage may disposed nonparallel to a front panel of the external cage. Therefore, the aforementioned connector is not suitable to be mounted to the front side which is sloped or the board inside the external cage. 
         [0005]    Hence, an improved connector assembly is highly desired to overcome the aforementioned problems. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0006]    Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a connector assembly adapted to be mounted to a sloped front panel or a board nonparallel to a front panel of a computer. 
         [0007]    In order to achieve the object set forth, a connector assembly adapted for mounting to a front panel of a cage in accordance with the present invention comprises an insulative cover having an upper cover and a lower cover extending along a front-to-back direction, at least one locating cavity defined in a front segment of the lower cover, the locating cavity extending along a direction offsetting the front-to-back direction; a connector accommodated in the locating cavity and held by the upper cover and the lower cover; and the connector disposed perpendicular to the sloped front panel and the insulative cover disposed oblique to the front panel. 
         [0008]    Other objects, advantages and novel features of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0009]      FIG. 1  is an exploded, perspective view of a connector assembly; 
           [0010]      FIG. 2  is similar to  FIG. 1 , but viewed from another aspect; 
           [0011]      FIG. 3  is an assembled view of the connector assembly; 
           [0012]      FIG. 4  is similar to  FIG. 3 , but viewed from other direction; and 
           [0013]      FIG. 5  shows the connector assembly mounted to a board and a sloped front panel. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0014]    Reference will now be made in detail to the preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
         [0015]    Referring to  FIGS. 1-4 , a connector assembly  100  in accordance with the present invention comprises a metallic shell  1 , a connector  2 , an electrically conductive foam  3  and an insulative cover  4 . 
         [0016]    The metallic shell  1  forms a hollow  120  to accommodate the connector  2  and the insulative cover  4  therein. The metallic shell  1  has two lateral sides  11 , and each lateral sides  11  has a tab  111  extending into the hollow  120 . Accordingly, a depression  4104  is defined in a lateral wall  410  of an upper cover  41  of the insulative cover  4 . The tab  111  is engaged with the depression  4104  when the insulative cover  4  is assembled to the metallic shell  1 . Two locking members  131 ,  141  are respectively formed with a top side  13  and a bottom side  14  and protrude into the hollow  120 . Two positioning slots  4105 ,  4202  are defined in front corners of the upper cover  41  and the lower cover  42  to receive the two locking members  131 ,  141 . A blocking member  122  is formed with the metallic shell  1  and located in front of a front opening  121  of the metallic shell  1 . The blocking member  122  prevents the connector  2 , the electrically conductive foam  3  and the insulative cover  4  sliding outward of the metallic shell  1 . A number of retaining members  15  extend rearwardly from back edge of the metallic shell  1 . 
         [0017]    The connector  2  is a USB connector and includes an insulated housing  21  and a metal shell  22  enclosing the insulated housing  21 . The insulated housing  21  has two tongue portions  211  spaced apart from each other along a vertical direction, and each tongue portion  211  supporting a number of terminals (not shown) to form a mating portion  23 . Rear portions of the terminals are connected to corresponding wires (not shown) and the wires are further connected to a motherboard of the computer. A positioning rib  212  is formed at a back edge of the insulative housing  21  and further extends along a vertical direction. The metal shell  22  has a forward opening  220  to expose the mating portion  23  outward. 
         [0018]    The lower cover  42  of the insulative cover  4  has a pair of lateral walls  420 , and each lateral wall  420  forms a first positioning post  4201  projected upwardly from a top edge thereof. Two second positioning posts  4211  are arranged in the lower cover  42  and adjacent to a back wall  421  of the lower cover  42 . The upper cover  41  defines two first positioning cavities  4101  to receive the first positioning post  4201 . Each positioning cavity  4101  further has crushable ribs  4102  therein to increase engagement between the first positioning cavity  4101  and the first positioning post  4201 . Two second receiving slots  4111  are defined proximate to a back wall  411  of the upper cover  41  to accommodate the second positioning posts  4211 . The upper cover  41  and the lower cover  42  cooperate a roomage therebetween. A latching member  4213  projects rearwardly from the back wall  421  of the lower cover  42 . An aligning beam  4113  protrudes rearwardly from the back wall  411  of the upper cover  41 . The insulative cover  4  is securely fixed to the mounting board  5  by the latching member  4213  and the aligning beam  4113 . Two cable holders  4112 ,  4212  is projected rearwardly from back walls  411 ,  421 , and the two cable holders  4112 ,  4212  cooperate together to grip the cable therebetween. The lower cover  42  further has a locating cavity  44  which is defined in a front segment thereof. The locating cavity  44  extends along a direction offsetting a front-to-back direction. A positioning passage  4221  is defined in a bottom wall  422  of the lower cover  42  and communicates with the locating cavity  44 . A flange  4103  formed on an inner side of a front segment of the lateral wall  410  of the upper cover  41 . 
         [0019]    When assembly, the connector  2  is mounted to the locating cavity  44  of the lower cover  42 , and the positioning rib  212  is inserted into the positioning passage  4221 , and the upper cover  41  is mounted to the lower cover  42 , with a back edge of the connector  2  against the flange  4103 . Therefore, the connector  2  is retained/held by the upper cover  41  and the lower cover  42  reliably. The electrically conductive foam  3  is put into a cutout  45  which is defined in a front end of the lateral wall  420  and contacts with metal shell  22 . The connector  2  and the insulative cover  4  is assembled to the metallic shell  1 , with the electrically conductive foam  3  contacts the metallic shell  1 , therefore a grounding line is formed between the metal shell  22 , the electrically conductive foam  3  and the metallic shell  1 . 
         [0020]    Referring to  FIG. 5  in conjunction with  FIGS. 1-4 , showing the connector assembly  100  mounted inside a cage of a computer or other electronic device. In order to clearly illustrate a relationship between the connector  2  and the cage, only a sloped front panel  6  of the cage and a mounting board  5  inside the cage are shown, other elements of and inside the cage is omitted. The mounting board  5  is located behind the front panel  6 , with the connector assembly  100  is arranged therebetwwen. The front panel  6  is disposed oblique to the mounting board  5 , rather than arranged in parallel to the mounting board  5 . The metallic shell  1  and the insulative cover  4  is fixed to the mounting board  5  and perpendicular to/orthogonally with the mounting board  5 . The connector  2  is oblique to the mounting board  5  but perpendicular to the front panel  6 , with the mating portion  23  thereof protruding into a port defined in the front panel  6 . By this configuration, the connector assembly  100  can be mounted to the front panel  6 , even the front panel  6  is sloped. 
         [0021]    It will be understood that the invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or central characteristics thereof. The present examples and embodiments, therefore, are to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, and the invention is not to be limited to the details given herein.