Audio plug

An audio plug includes an insulating housing of substantial column shape, a plurality of cylindrical audio contacts made up of a tip contact, a first contact and second contact, a fixing element with two indention areas symmetrically formed at an outer surface thereof and spaced away from each other, and two isolated grounding contacts of arc shape. Each of the grounding contacts has an arc contact slice received in the indention area of the fixing element, conforming to an outer periphery of the fixing element. The tip contact, the first contact, the second contact, and the fixing element with the grounding contacts attached thereto are arranged in turn and molded to the insulating housing in once, forming as a single piece.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to an audio plug, and particularly to an audio plug having an excellent transmitting effect in use.

2. The Related Art

Audio plugs and jacks are frequently and widely used in consumer audio and telecommunication products. The audio plug, which is familiar to most people, typically comprises an insulating housing of substantially column shape, and a series of electrically isolated cylindrical contacts mounted to the insulating housing, ending in a “tip” contact. The contacts are electrically connected with terminals of the jack to transmit electrical signals, when the audio plug is inserted into the jack, thereby achieving multiple functions. Generally speaking, the audio plug is provided with one cylindrical grounding contact, serving as the common grounding end of the contacts. However, in process of the audio plug being inserted into the jack to transmit the electrical signals, plural circuits formed between the audio plug and the jack use only one grounding end, which makes the transmitted signals intermix with much mixed wave. As a result, the sound heard by the user has noise, or even being distorted. So, it is desirable and necessary to design a structure to reduce the mixed wave in transmitting process.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide an audio plug. The audio plug includes an insulating housing of substantial column shape, a plurality of cylindrical audio contacts made up of a tip contact, a first contact and second contact, a fixing element with two indention areas symmetrically formed at an outer surface thereof and spaced away from each other, and two isolated grounding contacts of arc shape. Each of the grounding contacts has an arc contact slice received in the indention area of the fixing element, conforming to an outer periphery of the fixing element. The tip contact, the first contact, the second contact, and the fixing element with the spaced grounding contacts attached thereto are arranged in turn and molded to fix to the insulating housing in once, forming as a single piece.

As described above, the fixing element has two spaced indention areas to receive the two isolated grounding contacts. When the audio plug is inserted into a jack, the two grounding contacts are functioned as two grounding ends and applied in the circuits formed between the audio plug and the jack, which improves the grounding property, and accordingly reduces the mixed wave in process of transmitting audio signals and prevents from signal distortion.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENT

Referring to the drawings in greater detail, and first toFIGS. 1-2, the embodiment of the invention is shown as an audio plug100. The audio plug100comprises an insulating housing10, a tip contact30, a first contact40, a second contact50, a pair of grounding contacts60, and a fixing element70.

With reference toFIGS. 2-3, the insulating housing10has a body111of column shape. The body111has a center groove114extending along an axis thereof and defines a front end116which is firstly inserted into a mating jack (not shown). The center groove114has an inner side concaved radially to form a ladder recess115at a front end thereof. The front end116is protruded circumferentially to form a first flange112and a second flange113frontward of the first flange112. The first flange112and the second flange113are both ring-shaped. The second flange113has an outer diameter larger than that of the first flange112. A rear end of the body111is protruded circumferentially to form a blocking flange121. The blocking flange121is ring-shaped. A connecting segment130is connected to a portion of an outer side of the blocking flange121and extends frontward.

The connecting segment130is spaced away from the body111and has a first connecting flange131adjacent to the blocking flange121and a second connecting flange132spaced away from the first connecting flange131, with a second slot162formed therebetween. The first connecting flange131extends around the body111circumferentially and separately, and is spaced away from the blocking flange121, with a first slot161formed therebetween. A front side of the first connecting flange131is prolonged frontward to form a first barrel141. The first barrel141encircles and separates from the body111and the first flange112, having an outer diameter smaller than that of the first connecting flange131. A first receiving groove171is defined among the body111, the first flange112and the first barrel141, and communicates with the first opening161. The second connecting flange132surrounds and is spaced away from the first barrel141. A front side of the second connecting flange132is elongated frontward to form a second barrel151and two positioning strips152above the second barrel151. The second barrel151encircles and separates from the first barrel141, having an outer diameter smaller than that of the second connecting flange132. The positioning strips152are symmetrically arranged and attached to an outer side of the second barrel151and extend frontward beyond the second barrel151. A front end of the first barrel141is protruded circumferentially to form a ring-shaped first support142and a ring-shaped second support143frontward of the first support142. The first support142is spaced away from the second barrel151with a long distance. The second support143has an outer diameter larger than that of the first support142and the first flange112. A second receiving groove172is defined among the first support142, the first barrel141and the second barrel151, and communicates with the second slot162.

Please refer toFIGS. 1-3, The first contact40is cylindrical and has a first tube41. Two opposite ends of the first tube41are respectively connected with a second tube42and a third tube43. The second tube42has a diameter larger that that of the first tube41and smaller than that of the third tube43. The first tube41is received in the first receiving groove171. The second tube42is located in the first slot161and exposes for being soldered with a corresponding cable (not shown). The third tube43wraps around first flange112and is restrained between the second flange113and the second support143for electrically connecting with terminals of the mating jack. The structure of the second contact50is analogous to that of the first contact40and comprises a first tube51, a second tube52and a third tube53. The first tube51is received in the second receiving groove172and surrounds the first barrel141. The third tube53rings the first support142for electrically connecting with corresponding terminals of the mating jack. The second tube52is located in the second slot162and exposes for being soldered with a corresponding cable (not shown).

Please refer toFIG. 2andFIG. 4, the cylindrical fixing element70may be molded with plastic material and has a third barrel71. The third barrel71wraps around the first tube51of the second contact50. An outer surface of the third barrel71has two indention areas76disposed symmetrically and defines a front wall73, a rear wall74, and two stopping walls72extending frontward and rearwards to surround each indention area76. The rear wall74has two symmetrical positioning recesses75in alignment with the respective stopping walls72for receiving the positioning strips152. The grounding contact60has an arc contact slice61and an arc soldering slice62. The soldering slice62is bent outwardly and radially from a rear end of the contact slice61and stretched rearwards. The soldering slice62has an arc radius larger than that of the contact slice61, with a drop formed therebetween. The contact slice61is received in the indention area76. The soldering slice62wraps around the rear wall74and the second barrel151. A fixing ring80is molded to hoop connection parts between the contact slices61and the soldering slices62for fixing the grounding contacts60to the fixing element70.

Please refer toFIG. 2andFIG. 5, the tip contact30has a contact end31of cylinder shape, with an outer diameter gradually decreasing from a front end to a rear end thereof, and a circular contact plate32connected with the rear end of the contact end31. The contact plate32has an outer peripheral dimension substantially same as that of the second flange113. A center of the contact plate32is projected opposite to the contact end31to form a positioning cylinder33. The positioning cylinder33surrounds to form a positioning hole331, and has a ring34connected with a rear end thereof. The ring34has an outer diameter larger than that of the positioning cylinder33to form an outer surface of ladder shape for engaging with the ladder recess115. A conductive rod20is provided to connect with the tip contact30. The conductive rod20is a thin and long rod, and received in the center groove114, with a free end thereof inserted into the positioning hole331for realizing the electrical connection therebetween.

When the audio plug100is manufactured, the grounding contacts60are assembled to the fixing element70. The conductive rod20, the first contact40, the second contact50and the fixing element70with the grounding contacts60attached thereto are arranged into a mold (not shown) by some assistant jigs (not shown) in accordance with the assembling process, and fixed together by the insulating housing10and the fixing ring80, which are both formed by the means of injection molding in once, forming as a single piece. Herein, it should be noted that the manufacture process of the audio plug can be changed for meeting different demands and should not be limited.

As described above, the fixing element70has two spaced indention areas76to receive the two isolated grounding contacts60. When the audio plug100is inserted into the jack, the two grounding contacts60are functioned as two grounding ends and applied in the circuits formed between the audio plug100and the jack, which improves the grounding property, and accordingly reduces the mixed wave in process of transmitting audio signals and prevents signal distortion.