Electrical connector with improved grounding means

An electrical connector for mating with a mating connector includes an insulating body having a base and a tongue extending forward from the base. An upper row of terminals and a lower row of terminals are disposed in the insulating body. Each upper or lower row terminal has a contact portion exposed from an upper or a lower surface of the tongue, respectively. An upper and a lower grounding sheets are laminated to the upper and lower surfaces of the tongue respectively, and are assembled and connected to each other. A shielding case covers the periphery of the insulating body, and the upper and lower grounding sheets. The shielding case, the insulating body, and the upper and lower grounding sheets together form an insertion space for the mating connector to be inserted therein. The shielding case is respectively and electrically conducted to the upper and lower grounding sheets.

Some references, if any, which may include patents, patent applications and various publications, may be cited and discussed in the description of this invention. The citation and/or discussion of such references, if any, is provided merely to clarify the description of the present invention and is not an admission that any such reference is “prior art” to the invention described herein. All references listed, cited and/or discussed in this specification are incorporated herein by reference in their entireties and to the same extent as if each reference was individually incorporated by reference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to an electrical connector, and particularly to a thin-type electrical connector that can improve signal transmission quality.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Currently, there is an electrical connector for improving signal transmission quality, such as that in Chinese patent application No. CN200420029031.1. The electrical connector includes a plastic body10, and an upper terminal row20aand a lower terminal row20bdisposed in the plastic body10. A first grounding sheet embedding cavity12ais disposed on the plastic body10and is located above the first terminal row20aand adjacent to the first terminal row20a. A second grounding sheet embedding cavity12bis disposed on the plastic body10and is located above the second terminal row20band adjacent to the second terminal row20b. A first grounding sheet40aand a second grounding sheet40bare respectively embedded into the upper and lower embedding cavities12aand12b, and separately conducted to a shielding casing30by using a joining tongue42, so as to conduct electromagnetic waves generated by the first and second terminal rows20aand20bto a grounding circuit, thereby avoiding interference from the electromagnetic waves of the first and second terminal rows20aand20b.

This structure requires sufficient thickness of the plastic body, such that the grounding sheets can be embedded into the embedding cavities of the plastic body. However, this is contrary to the ultrathin-type development trend of the electrical connector, and this electrical connector cannot take account of both thinness and signal transmission quality.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In one aspect, the present invention is directed to an electrical connector that takes account of both thinness and signal transmission quality.

In one embodiment, an electrical connector for mating with a mating connector includes an insulating body, an upper row of terminals and a lower row of terminals disposed in the insulating body, an upper grounding sheet and a lower grounding sheet, and a shielding case. The insulating body includes a base and a tongue extending forward from the base. Each of the upper row of terminals has a contact portion exposed from an upper surface of the tongue, and each of the lower row of terminals has a contact portion exposed from a lower surface of the tongue. The upper grounding sheet and the lower grounding sheet are laminated to the upper surface and the lower surface of the tongue respectively. The upper grounding sheet and the lower grounding sheet are assembled and connected to each other. The shielding casing covers the periphery of the insulating body, the upper grounding sheet and the lower grounding sheet. The shielding case, the insulating body, the upper grounding sheet and the lower grounding sheet together form an insertion space for the mating connector to be inserted therein. The shielding case is separately and electrically conducted to the upper grounding sheet and the lower grounding sheet.

In one embodiment, the upper grounding sheet and the lower grounding sheet are in a snap-fit connection to each other. The upper grounding sheet includes a flat portion covering a rear segment of the upper surface of the tongue, and an elastic arm extending backward from the flat portion. The elastic arm is located above the base and urges against the shielding case upward elastically. Multiple depressed portions are depressed downward from the flat portion and used for snap-fitting a grounding elastic sheet in the mating connector. A snap-fit portion covering a side edge of the tongue bends downward from each of two ends of the flat portion, and a protruding block protrudes from the snap-fit portion outward. The lower grounding sheet includes a plate shaped portion covering a rear segment of a lower side of the tongue, and an urging portion extending backward from the plate shaped portion. The urging portion is located below the base and urges against the shielding case. Multiple depressed portions are depressed upward from the plate shaped portion and used for snap-fitting a grounding elastic sheet in the mating connector. A buckling portion covering a side edge of the tongue bends upward from each of two ends of the plate shaped portion, and the buckling portion is provided with a through-hole.

In one embodiment, the insulating body includes an upper body and a lower body, and the upper body and the lower body together form the tongue. The upper row of terminals is fixed to an insulating block. The insulating block and the upper row of terminals are together insert-molded into the upper body. The lower row of terminals is fixed to the lower body. The lower body and the lower row of terminals are together assembled on a lower surface of the upper body. The upper grounding sheet is laminated to an upper surface of the upper body, and the lower grounding sheet is laminated to a lower surface of the lower body.

In one embodiment, the shielding case and the lower grounding sheet are connected by means of spot welding.

Compared with the related art, in certain embodiments of the present invention, the upper grounding sheet and the lower grounding sheet are respectively laminated to the upper surface and the lower surface of the tongue, the upper grounding sheet and the lower grounding sheet are assembled and connected to each other, and it is not required to be like that in the related art to dispose embedding cavities on the insulating body to fix the upper grounding sheet and the lower grounding sheet. This may effectively reduce the thickness of the insulating body and even the thickness of the entire electrical connector. Since the upper grounding sheet and the lower grounding sheet are electrically conducted to the shielding case, and the upper grounding sheet and the lower grounding sheet are connected to each other, when one of the upper grounding sheet and the lower grounding sheet is connected to the shielding case unstably, electromagnetic interference can still be conducted to the shielding case by using the other of the upper grounding sheet and the lower grounding sheet and further conducted to a grounding line, so as to effectively ensure shielding functions of the upper grounding sheet and the lower grounding sheet, and ensure quality of signal transmission in the electrical connector.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

FIGS. 1-5show an electrical connector according to one embodiment of the present invention, used for mating with a mating connector M. The electrical connector includes an insulating body1, terminals2fixed in the insulating body1, and a shielding case3covering the insulating body1. The shielding case3surrounds the insulating body1to form an insertion space for the mating connector M to be inserted therein.

The electrical connector according to certain embodiments of the present invention is of a sinking type, and has a small thickness. The insulating body1includes a base10, and a tongue11extending forward from the base10. The thickness of the tongue11is small, and the thickness of the base10is greater than the thickness of the tongue11, so as to hold the terminals2. The tongue11includes a front segment and a rear segment. The thickness of the rear segment is slightly greater than the thickness of the front segment. In this embodiment, the insulating body1is of a two-piece type, and includes an upper body1A and a lower body1B. The upper body1A and the lower body1B snap-fit to each other along an up-down direction. The lower body1B and the upper body1A together only form a part of the base10and the rear segment of the tongue11. That is, the front segment of the tongue11is only formed by the upper body1A.

An upper row of terminals2A and a lower row of terminals2B are disposed in the insulating body1. Specifically, the upper row of terminals2A is fixed to an insulating block4in an insert molding manner. The insulating block4and the upper row of terminals2A are together insert-molded into the upper body1A. The lower row of terminals2B is fixed to the lower body1B in an insert molding manner. The lower body1B and the lower row of terminals2B are together assembled on a lower surface of the upper body1A. Each terminal2of the upper row of terminals2A has a contact portion20exposed from an upper surface of the tongue11, and each terminal2of the lower row of terminals2B has a contact portion20exposed from a lower surface of the tongue11.

The upper and lower rows of terminals2A and2B are vertically symmetrically disposed on the tongue11, and are arranged in the same manner, and therefore may be inserted in dual orientation. Specifically, each row of terminals2A or2B is sequentially from left to right as follows: a grounding terminal, a pair of USB 3.0 terminals, a power supply terminal, a reserved terminal, a pair of USB 2.0 terminals, a reserved terminal, a power supply terminal, a pair of USB 3.0 terminals, and a grounding terminal.

In one embodiment, the electrical connector further includes a middle grounding sheet5inserted in the upper body1A and located between the upper and lower rows of terminals2A and2B. At least one grounding pin extends from the middle grounding sheet5toward a circuit board, such that electromagnetic wave interference between the two rows of terminals2A and2B is conducted to a grounding circuit.

In one embodiment, the electrical connector further includes an upper grounding sheet6and a lower grounding sheet7respectively laminated to the upper surface and the lower surface of the tongue11. The upper grounding sheet6and the lower grounding sheet7are assembled and connected to each other. Specifically, the upper grounding sheet6is laminated to the upper surface of the upper body1A. The upper grounding sheet6includes a flat portion60covering the rear segment of the upper surface of the tongue11. Four elastic arms61extend backward from the flat portion60. The elastic arms61are located above the base10and urge against the shielding case3upward elastically. Moreover, two material connection portions62further extend backward from the flat portion60, so as to provide convenience for assembly of the upper grounding sheet6. Multiple depressed portions63are depressed downward from the flat portion60and are used for snap-fitting a grounding elastic sheet G in the mating connector M. A snap-fit portion64bends downward from each of two ends of the flat portion60covers a side edge of the tongue11. A protruding block640protrudes from the snap-fit portion64outward. The lower grounding sheet7is laminated to the lower surface of the lower body1B. The lower grounding sheet7includes a plate shaped portion70covering the rear segment of the lower side of the tongue11, and an urging portion71extending backward from the plate shaped portion70. The urging portion71is located below the base10and urges against the shielding case3. Likewise, multiple depressed portions72are depressed upward from the plate shaped portion70and are used for snap-fitting a grounding elastic sheet G in the mating connector M. A buckling portion73bends upward from each of two ends of the plate shaped portion70and covers a side edge of the tongue11, and the buckling portion73is provided with a through-hole730correspondingly snap-fitting the protruding block640on the upper grounding sheet6. In one embodiment, to further ensure contact between the lower grounding sheet7and the shielding case3, the shielding case3and the lower grounding sheet7are connected in a spot welding manner.

The electrical connector according to certain embodiment of the present invention, among other things, has the following beneficial advantages.

1. The upper grounding sheet6and the lower grounding sheet7are respectively laminated to the upper surface and the lower surface of the tongue11, the upper grounding sheet6and the lower grounding sheet7are assembled and connected to each other, and it is not required to be like that in the related art to dispose embedding cavities on the insulating body1to fix the upper grounding sheet6and the lower grounding sheet7, which may effectively reduce the thickness of the insulating body1and even the thickness of the entire electrical connector. The upper grounding sheet6and the lower grounding sheet7are electrically conducted to the shielding case3, and the upper grounding sheet6and the lower grounding sheet7are connected to each other. When one of the upper grounding sheet6and the lower grounding sheet7is connected to the shielding case3unstably, electromagnetic interference can still be conducted to the shielding case3by using the other of the upper grounding sheet6and the lower grounding sheet7and further conducted to a grounding line, so as to effectively ensure shielding functions of the upper grounding sheet6and the lower grounding sheet7, and ensure quality of signal transmission in the electrical connector.

2. For the insulating body1of the two-piece type, the upper grounding sheet6is laminated to the upper surface of the upper body1A, the lower grounding sheet7is laminated to the lower surface of the lower body1B, and the upper grounding sheet6and the lower grounding sheet7are in a snap-fit connection to each other, such that the upper body1A and the lower body1B can be firmly fixed together, and are not easy to separate.

3. The upper grounding sheet6and the lower grounding sheet7are respectively provided with the depressed portion63and the depressed portion72. When the mating connector M is inserted, the grounding elastic sheets G in the mating connector M may be separately snap-fitted in the depressed portions63and72. The grounding elastic sheets G not only connect the electrical connector and the grounding line of the mating connector M integrally so as to implement shielding functions thereof, but also can prevent the mating connector M from withdrawing from the insertion space of the electrical connector.

4. The upper grounding sheet6and the lower grounding sheet7are snap-fitted by using a structure of cooperation between the protruding block640and the through-hole730, and are in a stable snap-fit connection.

5. While the lower grounding sheet7urges against the shielding case3, the shielding case3and the lower grounding sheet7are connected in a spot welding manner, which can further ensure contact between the lower grounding sheet7and the shielding case3, and ensure that the lower grounding sheet7can conduct electromagnetic wave interference to the shielding case3.