Electrical Connector Assembly

Embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to an electrical connector assembly. The electrical connector assembly includes a socket connector cable assembly and a plug connector cable assembly. The socket connector cable assembly includes a receptacle external mold, a socket connector, and a cable. The plug connector cable assembly comprises a plug external mold, a plug connector, a pad, and a plug cable. When the socket connector cable assembly is connected to the plug connector cable assembly, the circuit board of the socket connector cable assembly is connected to the plug circuit board of the plug connector cable assembly.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims priority to Taiwanese Application No. 111207992, filed on Jul. 25, 2022. The entire disclosure of the above application is incorporated herein by reference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present disclosure relates to an electrical connector assembly, more particularly, to a socket connector cable assembly and a plug connector cable assembly with a waterproof functional structure between connection interfaces.

BACKGROUND

The interface of the universal serial bus (USB) type-C electrical connector is a hardware interface of the USB. Because its upper and lower ends are completely consistent, it is widely used by the public.

However, there is no waterproof design between the socket connector and the plug connector of the general USB type-C connector assembly, which may cause a short circuit of the mated connector assembly due to water penetration when it is outdoors or in other use environments where there is a chance to be exposed to water. The equipment using the short circuit of the mated connector assembly may be damaged, or even a fire may occur to harm the user. Therefore, how to overcome the problem of conventional structure is an important issue to be solved.

In view of this, it is necessary to provide an electrical connector assembly to solve the problems of the prior art.

SUMMARY

According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, an electrical connector assembly comprises a socket connector cable assembly and a plug connector cable assembly. The socket connector cable assembly comprises a receptacle external mold, a socket connector, and a cable. The receptacle external mold has a guiding portion and an engaged portion, and the guiding portion is disposed adjacent to the engaged portion. The socket connector is covered by the receptacle external mold and provided with a circuit board. The cable is connected to the circuit board. The plug connector cable assembly comprises a plug external mold, a plug connector, a pad, and a plug cable. The plug connector is provided with a plug circuit board protruding and assembled with the plug external mold. The pad is disposed at a front edge or a side edge of the plug connector cable assembly. The plug cable is connected to the plug circuit board. When the socket connector cable assembly is connected to the plug connector cable assembly, the circuit board of the socket connector cable assembly is connected to the plug circuit board of the plug connector cable assembly.

Optionally, a width of the engaged portion is less than a width of the guiding portion.

Optionally, a length of the guiding portion is greater than a docking depth of the socket connector cable assembly.

Optionally, a front edge of the socket connector cable assembly is provided with a compressing surface.

Optionally, the socket connector cable assembly further comprises a receptacle internal mold disposed in the receptacle external mold.

According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, an electrical connector assembly comprises a socket connector cable assembly and a plug connector cable assembly. The socket connector cable assembly comprises a receptacle external mold, a receptacle front housing, a socket connector, and a cable. The receptacle front housing has a guiding portion and an engaged portion, and the guiding portion is disposed adjacent to the engaged portion and has a buckling portion. The socket connector is provided with a circuit board. The cable is connected to the circuit board. The plug connector cable assembly comprises a plug external mold, a plug connector, a pad, and a plug cable. The plug connector is provided with a plug circuit board protruding and assembled with the plug external mold. The pad is disposed at a front edge or a side edge of the plug connector cable assembly. The plug cable is connected to the plug circuit board. When the socket connector cable assembly is connected to the plug connector, the circuit board of the socket connector cable assembly is connected to the plug circuit board of the plug connector cable assembly.

Optionally, a width of the engaged portion is less than a width of the guiding portion.

Optionally, a length of the guiding portion is greater than a docking depth of the socket connector cable assembly.

Optionally, a front edge of the socket connector cable assembly is provided with a compressing surface.

Optionally, the socket connector cable assembly further comprises a receptacle internal mold disposed in the receptacle external mold having a fixed portion that is assembled with the buckling portion of the receptacle front housing.

To sum up, in the electrical connector assembly and its base of the present disclosure, the structure design of the contact interface does not have a specific direction during assembly, so that non-directional docking can be realized, which can be easily assembled without limiting the circuit layout. Furthermore, it is possible to save the material which is increased due to the provision of the fool-proofing structure, thereby achieving the purpose of reducing the production cost.

DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

In order to facilitate understanding the technical features, content and advantages of the invention and the efficacy it can achieve, the present disclosure is hereby combined with the accompanying drawings, and the expression of the embodiment is described in detail as follows, and the scheme used therein, the main purpose of which is only for illustrative and auxiliary explanation purposes, may not be the true proportion and precise configuration of the embodiment of the present disclosure, so the proportion and configuration relationship of the attached drawing should not be interpreted, limiting the scope of rights of the invention in the actual implementation.

The following will refer to the relevant drawings, illustrating various embodiments of the present disclosure, for ease of understanding, the same components in the following embodiments are illustrated by the same symbols.

Please refer toFIGS.1and2.FIG.1is a perspective view of a socket connector cable assembly according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure.FIG.2is an exploded view of the socket connector cable assembly according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure. In this embodiment, the socket connector cable assembly100comprises a receptacle external mold10, a socket connector20, and a cable30. The socket connector20is covered by the receptacle external mold10and provided with a circuit board21. The cable30is connected to the circuit board21.

The material and specifications of the cable30, the way of the circuit board21assembled in the socket connector20, the actual configuration on the circuit board21, and the connection between the cable30and the circuit board21or the entire socket connector cable assembly100, on the premise of not affecting the function of the contact interface, appropriate adjustments can be made according to the actual situation, and it is not limited thereto.

The socket connector cable assembly100further comprises a receptacle internal mold40disposed in the receptacle outer mold10. Specifically, the structure of the receptacle external mold10determines the docking manner of the socket connector cable assembly100. The receptacle internal mold40and the socket connector20are both covered by the receptacle external mold10at the same time.

Please refer toFIG.3.FIG.3is an exploded view of the socket connector cable assembly according to a second embodiment of the present disclosure. The socket connector cable assembly200comprises a receptacle external mold10, a receptacle front housing50, a socket connector20, and a cable30. The receptacle front housing50has a buckling portion53. The socket connector20is capable of being assembled with the receptacle front housing50, and the circuit board21is disposed therein. The cable30is connected to the circuit board21.

The difference between the socket connector cable assembly200and the socket connector cable assembly100of the previous embodiment lies in the arrangement of the receptacle front housing50, since the receptacle front housing50and the socket connector20are both disposed in the socket connector cable assembly200. The receptacle internal mold40has a fixed portion41for docking with the buckling portion53of the receptacle front housing50. The fixed portion41is protruded from the receptacle internal mold40, and the buckling portion53is recessed on the receptacle front housing50. The numbers of the fixed portions41and the engaged portion53are not limited to the positions of the receptacle internal mold40and the receptacle front housing50.

With the arrangement of the receptacle front housing50, the socket connector20and the circuit board21provided therein can be more protected, so as to extend the service life of the socket connector cable assembly200. It also makes it easier for users to replace parts in terms of maintenance, and the material between the receptacle front housing50and the receptacle internal mold40can also be adjusted in design to maximize benefits. In other embodiments, the receptacle internal mold40may also be integrally formed with the receptacle external mold10.

Please refer toFIGS.4to8, which are a perspective view and a cross-sectional view of an electrical connector assembly according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure.FIGS.5and6illustrate an unmated electrical connector assembly according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.FIGS.7and8are illustrate a mated electrical connector assembly according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. As shown inFIG.4, the electrical connector assembly comprises a socket connector cable assembly100and a plug connector cable assembly300. Both the socket connector cable assembly100and the plug connector cable assembly300conform to the interface of the USB Type-C electrical connector. As shown inFIGS.7and8, the plug connector cable assembly300comprises a plug external mold310, a plug connector320, a pad330, and a plug cable340. As shown inFIGS.7and8, the plug cable340is connected to a plug circuit board321. The plug connector320is provided with the plug circuit board321protruding. The pad330is disposed at a front edge or a side edge of the plug connector cable assembly300, and is used as a spacer to protect a socket connector from excessive damage caused by multiple plug connections, disperse the pressure of the plug connector cable assembly300on the socket connector, and reduce the detachment caused by external forces when it is docked with other socket connectors.

As shown inFIGS.5and6, the pad330is disposed at both the front edge and the side edge of the plug connector cable assembly300, but not limited thereto. In some embodiments, the pad330may only be disposed on the front edge or the side edge, or the pad330on the front edge and the pad330on the side are integrally formed, and the material and quantity of the pad330are not limited therein.

Please continue to refer toFIGS.7and8, the receptacle external mold10has a guiding portion11. When the socket connector cable assembly300is docked with the plug connector cable assembly100, the plug connector cable assembly300follows the guiding portion11to guide the insertion direction of the socket connector cable assembly100, so that the circuit board21in the socket connector cable assembly100is electrically connected to the plug circuit board321protruding from the plug connector cable assembly300.

A front edge of the socket connector cable assembly100is provided with a crimping surface42. In this embodiment, the crimping surface42is integrally formed with the receptacle internal mold40, but it is not limited thereto. In some embodiments, the setting of the compressing surface42may be based on the internal design of the socket connector cable assembly100, and is not integrally formed with the receptacle internal mold40. It is only necessary to effectively electrically connect with the circuit board while docking with other electrical connectors, the circuit board21in the socket connector cable assembly200is electrically connected to the plug circuit board321protruding from the plug connector cable assembly300.

In more detail, with the arrangement of the pad330and the compressing surface42, when the socket connector cable assembly100is docked with the plug connector cable assembly300, the pad330is abutted on the compressing surface42, so that a completely sealed state is formed therebetween, which can effectively prevent the immersion of water or other liquids.

Please refer toFIGS.9and10, which are respectively a perspective view and a cross-sectional view of the electrical connector assembly according to a second embodiment of the present disclosure.FIGS.9and10are the electrical connector assembly in a mating state. As shown inFIGS.9and10, the electrical connector assembly comprises a socket connector cable assembly200and a plug connector cable assembly300. Since the difference from the previous embodiment is only in the arrangement of the receptacle front housing50in the socket connector cable assembly200, the features are as described above and will not be repeated here.

The front edge of the socket connector cable assembly200is provided with a compressing surface42. In this embodiment, the compressing surface42is integrally formed with the receptacle internal mold40, but it is not limited thereto. In some embodiments, the setting of the compressing surface42can be based on the internal design of the socket connector cable assembly200, and is not integrally formed with the receptacle internal mold40. It is only necessary to effectively electrically connect with the circuit board while docking with other electrical connectors, the circuit board21in the socket connector cable assembly200is electrically connected to the plug circuit board321protruding from the plug connector cable assembly300.

In more detail, with the arrangement of the pad330and the compressing surface42, when the socket connector cable assembly200is docked with the plug connector cable assembly300, the pad330is abutted on the compressing surface42, so that a completely sealed state is formed therebetween, which can effectively prevent the immersion of water or other liquids.

Please refer toFIGS.11and12.FIGS.11and12are respectively cross-sectional views of the electrical connector assembly according to the first embodiment and the second embodiment.FIGS.11and12are the electrical connector assembly in a non-mating state, and the features of the plug connector cable assembly300are as described above, which will not be repeated here, and the reference numerals in the figures are also omitted. As shown inFIG.11, the receptacle external mold10has an engaged portion12, and the guiding portion11is disposed adjacent to the engaged portion12. In this embodiment, the size of the engaged portion12is smaller than the size of the guiding portion11, and the length of the guiding portion11is greater than the docking depth of the socket connector cable assembly100. Therefore, it can be further effectively fixed when docked with other electrical connectors. In addition, the setting of the internal compressing surface42completes the waterproof design of the socket connector cable assembly100.

Please refer toFIG.12, the receptacle front housing50has a guiding portion51and an engaged portion52, and the guiding portion51is disposed adjacent to the engaged portion52. Similarly, the width R2of the engaged portion52is smaller than the width R1of the guiding portion51, and the length of the guiding portion51is greater than the docking depth of the socket connector cable assembly200. It can be further effectively fixed when docked with other electrical connectors. In addition, the setting of the internal compressing surface42completes the waterproof design of the socket connector cable assembly200.

Compared with the prior art, in the electrical connector assembly of the present disclosure provided in this embodiment, when the socket connector cable assembly and the plug connector cable assembly are mated, the pad makes the sealing effect between the contact interfaces excellent, so that water or other liquids will not penetrate into the contact interface and cause a short circuit, which greatly improves the safety in use.