Shielded connector and shielding shell

A shielding shell (30) of a male housing (10M) and a shielding shell (30) of a female housing (10F) have the same shape, touching portions (35) of the shielding shells (30) are such that outer touching pieces (32) having contact points at the inner sides and inner touching pieces (31) having contact points at the outer sides are arranged in circumferential direction, and the inner touching pieces (31) of one shielding shell (30) and the outer touching pieces (32) of the other shielding shell (30) correspond to and come into contacting with each other in radial directions. Since the shielding shell (30) of the male housing (10M) and that of the female housing (10F) have the same shape, cost can be reduced.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The invention relates to a shielded connector and to a shielding shell.

2. Description of the Related Art

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. H11-265754 discloses a shielded connector in which shielding shells are provided in a male housing and a female housing that are connectable with each other. The shielding shells connect when the housings are connected with each other to shield an electrically conducting path in the housings. However, the shielding shell of the male housing is configured differently than the shielding shell of the female housing. Thus, the above-described connector requires two kinds of shielding shells, leading to increased production costs.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. H08-88050 discloses a shielded connector with a female housing that has a terminal accommodating portion and a male housing that has a receptacle. A tubular shielding shell is mounted on the outer peripheral surface of the terminal accommodating portion of the female housing and a mating shell is provided in the male housing. The shielding shell of the female housing is connected with the mating shell by fitting the receptacle of the male housing on the terminal accommodating portion. More particularly, the mating shell of the male housing is inserted into a clearance between the outer peripheral surface of the terminal accommodating portion and the inner peripheral surface of the shielding shell. However, the leading end of the shielding shell is distanced from the outer peripheral surface of the terminal accommodating portion in this construction. Thus, the leading end of the receptacle might interfere with the leading end of the shielding shell if the axial lines of the male and female housings are inclined during connection. This interference could inadvertently deform the shielding shell.

The invention was developed in view of the above situation and an object thereof is to improve operability.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to a shielded connector with male and female housings that are connectable with each other. A tubular shielding shell is provided in each of the housings. Touching portions at the leading ends of the shielding shells connect when the male and female housings are connected, and thereby shield an electrically conducting path in the male and female housings. The touching portion of the shielding shell of the male housing has at least one outer touching piece with a contact point at the inner side and at least one inner touching piece with a contact point at the outer side. The shielding shell of the female housing has the same shape as the shielding shell of the male housing and the outer and inner touching pieces thereof are positioned circumferentially to contact the inner and outer touching pieces of the shielding shell of the male housing substantially in directions substantially normal to the connecting direction of the two housings.

Efficiency is improved and production and handling costs are reduced because the shielding shells of the male and female housings have the same shape.

Two outer touching pieces and two inner touching pieces preferably are arranged alternately at intervals of about 90°. Thus, the shielding shells can be oriented so that the two outer touching pieces of a first of the shielding shells engage and radially press the two inner touching pieces of a second of the shielding shells. Simultaneously, the two outer touching pieces of the second shielding shell engage and radially press the two inner touching pieces of the first shielding shell. Additionally, the pressing directions of the touching pieces are shifted by about 90°. Thus, there is no likelihood that the touching portions of the male and female housings are displaced in radial directions, and a contact state of the touching portions of the shielding shells is stabilized.

The touching portion of the shielding shell of the male housing preferably projects forward from a surface of the male housing substantially facing the female housing and is at least partly surrounded by a receptacle of the male housing.

Ribs preferably are formed on the inner circumferential surface of the receptacle and extend along the outer surfaces of the outer touching pieces. The ribs support the outer touching pieces of the male housing against radially outward reaction forces exerted by the inner touching pieces of the female housing. Thus, sufficient contact pressure can be ensured for the touching pieces.

Slits preferably are provided to make the inner touching pieces resiliently deformable in radial directions independently of the outer touching pieces.

The shielded connector preferably has a substantially tubular female shielding shell that extends along the outer circumferential surface of a terminal accommodating portion. The male housing preferably has a receptacle configured to fit on the terminal accommodating portion. A male shielding shell is provided in the receptacle and is inserted in a clearance between the outer circumferential surface of the terminal accommodating portion and the inner circumferential surface of the female shielding shell to connect with the female shielding shell. The terminal accommodating portion preferably has at least one protection wall located before the front end of the female shielding shell. The protection wall is formed with at least one insertion hole for permitting entry of the male shielding shell. The protection wall prevents the female shielding shell from being deformed by the receptacle.

The outer circumferential surface of the protection wall preferably slides in contact with the inner circumferential surface of the receptacle in the process of connecting the male and female housings to prevent the housings from shaking in radial directions.

The inner circumferential surface of the receptacle and the outer circumferential surface of the female shielding shell preferably are held in contact in substantially radial directions when the male and female housings are connected. Thus, the receptacle prevents a radially outward displacement of the female shielding shell when the two housings are connected and ensures a sufficient contact pressure between the male and female shielding shells.

At least one seal preferably is mounted on the terminal accommodating portion behind a contact position of the female and male shielding shells and more radially outward than the outer circumferential surface of the protection wall. At least one rib is formed at a position of the inner circumferential surface of the receptacle behind a close contact position with the seal and can slide in contact with the outer circumferential surface of the protection wall. The inner circumferential surface of the receptacle closely contacts the seal arranged more radially outward than the outer circumferential surface of the protection wall. Thus, a contact area of the inner circumferential surface of the receptacle with the protection wall is radially more inward than the close contact position with the seal. However, the rib is formed on the contact area with the protection wall. Therefore, the inner circumferential surface of the receptacle is held in contact with the outer circumferential surface of the protection wall via the rib. Further, there is no likelihood of causing deformations called sinks in the receptacle during the molding since the rib is formed instead of increasing the thickness of the receptacle to hold the inner circumferential surface of the receptacle in contact with the outer circumferential surface of the protection wall.

A front end portion of the female shielding shell preferably serves as a contact portion with the male shielding shell, and the protection wall is formed with at least one pushing portion for contacting the outer circumferential surface of the front end portion of the female shielding shell. The contact portion of the female shielding shell is displaced by the pushing portion to escape radially outward. Thus, a sufficient contact pressure can be ensured between the female and male shielding shells.

The inner touching pieces and the outer touching pieces preferably are arranged substantially symmetrically with respect to an axis of symmetry normal to the connecting direction of the two housings so that outer and inner touching pieces of the female housing can be positioned in circumferential direction to contact with the inner and outer touching pieces of the shielding shell of the male housing substantially in radial directions.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

A shielded connector according to a first embodiment of the invention is described with reference toFIGS. 1 to 8. The shielded connector of this embodiment has a male housing10M and a female housing10F. The male housing10M is made e.g. of a synthetic resin and includes an inner housing11M and an outer housing12M at least partly surrounding the inner housing11M. The inner and outer housings11M and12M have substantially circular cross sections and are arranged so that the outer circumferential surface of the inner housing11M and the inner circumferential surface of the outer housing12M are connected by four connecting portions13M that are spaced circumferentially apart at substantially equal intervals of about 90°. A substantially cylindrical mount space14M is formed in a clearance between the outer circumferential surface of the inner housing11M and the inner circumferential surface of the outer housing12M. The four connecting portions13M are arranged at 45° positions with respect to vertical and transverse lines, i.e. at right upper, left upper, right lower and left lower positions.

A main portion16M of a male terminal fitting15M is inserted into the inner housing11M from behind and is retained by a lock17M. A cable18M is connected with the rear end of the male terminal fitting15M and passes through a back space19M of the outer housing12M behind the inner housing11M to be drawn out of male housing10M.

A substantially cylindrical receptacle is defined in an area of the outer housing12M before the inner housing11M. A long narrow tab21at the front end of the male terminal fitting15M projects into the receptacle20from the front end surface of the inner housing11M. Ribs22are formed on the inner circumferential surface of the receptacle20. The ribs22extend forward from the back end of the receptacle20to a longitudinal intermediate position thereof and are aligned parallel to a connecting direction CD of the two housings10M,10F. Additionally, the ribs22are spaced apart circumferentially at substantially even intervals.

A shielding shell30is to be mounted into the male housing10M. The shielding shell30is formed by bending, folding and/or embossing a conductive metal plate material punched or cut into a specified shape and has a substantially tubular shape as a whole. A rear end portion of the shielding shell30is substantially cylindrical over the entire circumference. However, approximately the front two-thirds of the shielding shell30, excluding the rear end portion, is formed with two substantially vertically symmetrical inner touching pieces31in the form of horizontal flat plates and two substantially bilaterally symmetrical arcuate outer touching pieces32. The inner touching pieces31and the outer touching pieces32are arranged alternately in the circumferential direction at substantially even intervals of about 90°. Thus, even if the shielding shell30of the male housing10M is turned 180° about a vertical axis or a transverse axis, the two inner touching pieces31will be arranged at the upper and lower sides and the two outer touching pieces32are arranged at the left and right sides. In other words, the inner touching pieces31and the outer touching pieces32are arranged substantially symmetrically with respect to an axis of symmetry normal to the connecting direction CD of the two housings10M,10F and connecting two diagonally arranged connecting portions13M.

The leading end of the horizontal outer surface of each inner touching piece31defines a contact point for contacting the shielding shell30of the female housing10F. On the other hand, cantilevered parts extend from the front edge of each outer touching piece32and are folded back and in to form resilient touching pieces34. The inner surface of each resilient touching piece34serves as a contact point with the shielding shell30of the female housing10F. The leading front ends of the two inner touching pieces31and the leading ends of the two outer touching pieces32form a touching portion35for contacting the shielding shell30of the female housing10F. The adjacent inner and outer touching pieces31,32are separated by slits36that extend straight back from the front end of the shielding shell30. The slits36are formed along the opposite lateral edges of the inner touching pieces31. Thus, the inner touching pieces31are resiliently deformable in radial directions independently of the outer touching pieces32.

The shielding shell30is inserted into the outer housing12M from behind so that the slits36engage the connecting portions13M, and areas of the inner and outer touching pieces31,32, excluding front end portions, are accommodated in the mount space14M. The rear end portion of the shielding shell30closely contacts the inner circumferential surface of the rear space19M in the outer housing12M behind the inner housing11M. Additionally, the touching portion35is located before the inner housing11M in the receptacle20. The outer touching pieces32have their outer circumferential surfaces held in contact with the ribs22in radial directions, to prevent radially outward displacements thereof.

The female housing10F is made e.g. of a synthetic resin and includes an inner housing11F and an outer housing12F surrounding the inner housing11F. The outer circumferential surface of the inner housing11F and the inner circumferential surface of the outer housing12F have substantially circular cross sections and are connected by four connecting portions13F that are spaced apart at substantially even intervals of about 90°. A substantially cylindrical mount space14F is formed in a clearance between the outer circumferential surface of the inner housing11F and the inner circumferential surface of the outer housing12F. Further, the four connecting portions13F are at positions spaced about 45° from vertical and transverse lines, i.e. at right upper, left upper, right lower and left lower positions.

A main portion16F of a male terminal fitting15F is inserted into the inner housing11F from behind and is retained by a lock17F in the inner housing11F. A cable18F connected with the rear end of the male terminal fitting15F passes through a back space19F of the outer housing12F behind the inner housing11F and is drawn out of the female housing10F. A substantially tubular fitting24surrounds an area of the outer housing12F corresponding to the inner housing11F and has an open front end. The receptacle20of the male housing10M is insertable into a clearance between the tubular fitting24and the outer housing12F.

The shielding shell30of the female housing10F has the same shape as the shielding shell30of the male housing10M. The shielding shell30is mounted in the female housing10F so that almost the entireties of the inner and outer touching pieces31,32including front end portions are accommodated in the mount space14F between the inner and outer11F and housings12F. Further, radially outward displacements of the outer touching pieces32are prevented by the contact of the outer circumferential surfaces of the touching pieces32with the inner circumferential surface of the outer housing12F.

The two inner touching pieces31are arranged in the male housing10M at the upper and lower sides and the two outer touching pieces32are arranged in the male housing10M at the left and right sides in the shielding shell30. However, the shielding shell30of the female housing10F is mounted so that the two inner touching pieces31are arranged at the left and right sides and the two outer touching pieces32are arranged at the upper and lower sides. Specifically, the shielding shell30in the orientation of the shielding shell30of the male housing10M is rotated 180° about a vertical axis and then is rotated about 90° in the circumferential direction to achieve the proper orientation for the shielding shell30of the female housing10F.

The inner and outer touching pieces31,32are arranged so that an axis of symmetry33of the shielding shell30of the female housing10F is substantially coaxial to the axis of symmetry33of the shielding shell30of the male housing10M. If the touching portions35at the front ends are opposed to each other that the both axes of symmetry33are substantially coaxial in this way, the inner touching pieces31of one shielding shell30correspond to the outer touching pieces32of the other shielding shell30, and the outer touching pieces32of the one shielding shell30correspond to the outer touching pieces31of the other shielding shell30.

The two housings10M,10F are connected by operating a lever40or other such movable member on one of the housings10M,10F. Connection by means of a movable member, such as the lever40, is well known construction and is not described in detail. In the process of connecting the two housings10M,10F, the receptacle20enters the tubular fitting24and the front end portion of the shielding shell30of the male housing10M enters the mount space14F of the female housing10F. The tab21of the male terminal fitting15M enters the main portion16F of the female terminal fitting15F when the two housings10M,10F are connected properly and the two terminal fittings15M,15F are connected electrically. Further, the outer surfaces of the inner touching pieces31of the male housing10M resiliently contact the inner surfaces of the resilient touching pieces34of the outer touching pieces32of the female housing10F. Additionally, the inner surfaces of the resilient touching pieces34of the outer touching pieces32of the male housing10M resiliently contact the outer surfaces of the inner touching pieces31of the female housing10F. As a result, the touching portions35at the front ends of the both shielding shells30are connected electrically. In this way, the electrically conducting path41formed by the male terminal fitting15M in the male housing10M, the female terminal fitting15F in the female housing10F, an area of the cables18M and18F accommodated respectively in the male and female housings10M and10F is substantially surrounded and shielded by the shielding shell30of the male housing10M and the shielding shell30of the female housing10F.

The shielding shells30are formed so that the outer touching pieces32, with their contact points at the inner sides, and the inner touching pieces31, with their contact points at the outer sides, are arranged circumferentially. Additionally, the outer and inner touching pieces32,31of the shielding shell30of the female housing10F respectively contact the inner and outer touching pieces31,32of the shielding shell30of the male housing10M in substantially radial directions and substantially normal to the connecting direction CD.

The shielding shells30are formed so that the outer and inner touching pieces32,31are substantially symmetrically arranged with respect to the axes of symmetry33normal to the connecting direction CD of the two housings10M,10F, and the shielding shell30of the female housing10F and the shielding shell30of the male housing10M are arranged so that the axes of symmetry33thereof are substantially parallel to each other. Thus, the shielding shell30of the male housing10M and the shielding shell30of the female housing10F can have the same shape, and the cost for parts is reduced.

The two outer touching pieces32and the two inner touching pieces31are arranged alternately at intervals of about 90°. Thus, a positional relationship can be established in which the two outer touching pieces32of the one shielding shell30engage the two inner touching pieces31of the other shielding shell30while pressing them in radial directions and substantially normal to the connecting direction CD. Additionally, the two outer touching pieces32of the other shielding shell30engage the two inner touching pieces31of the one shielding shell30while pressing them in radial directions and substantially normal to the connecting direction CD. Further, the pressing directions are shifted circumferentially by about 90°. Thus, there is no likelihood that the touching portion35of the male housing10M and that of the female housing10F are displaced radially in vertical or transverse directions, and a contact state of the touching portions35of the shielding shells30is stabilized. Further, contact reliability is high since the four contact positions are ensured by the touching portions35.

The touching portion35of the shielding shell30of the male housing10M projects forward from a. back end surface of the receptacle20of the male housing10M facing the female housing10F, and is surrounded by the receptacle20. Radially outward reaction forces acting on the outer touching pieces32of the male housing10M from the inner touching pieces31of the female housing10F are supported by the ribs22to ensure sufficient contact pressures for the touching pieces31,32.

A second embodiment of the invention is described with reference toFIGS. 9 to 16. A shielded connector of this embodiment is comprised of a male housing110and a female housing120connectable with and separable from each other along a connecting direction CD.

The male housing110is made e.g. of a synthetic resin, and has a substantially cylindrical housing main body111with an axial line that extends in forward and backward directions parallel to the connecting direction CD of the two housings110,120. A terminal main portion112aof a male terminal fitting112is accommodated in the housing main body111and a shielded cable113connected with the rear end of the male terminal fitting112is drawn out backward from the housing main body111. A substantially cylindrical receptacle114projects forward on the housing main body111and a tab112bat the front end of the male terminal fitting112is accommodated in the receptacle114. Circumferentially spaced mount holes115penetrate the housing main body111in forward and backward directions and a substantially cylindrical metallic male shielding shell116is mounted in the mount holes115. A braided wire113aof the shielded cable113is connected electrically with the rear end of the male shielding shell116via a tubular connecting member117.

Upper and lower male touching pieces116aare cantilevered forward on the male shielding shell116. Each male touching piece116ahas a long narrow shape with a substantially constant width, and the extending direction of each male touching piece116ais substantially parallel to connecting and separating directions of the two housings110,120. A touching portion is defined at the outer surface of the front end of each male touching piece116aand projects into the receptacle114from the front end of the housing main body111. The touching portion contacts a female shielding shell128as explained herein.

Ribs118are formed on the inner circumferential surface of the receptacle114and extend substantially straight in forward and backward directions. The ribs118are formed only in a rear portion of the receptacle114, and neither the ribs118nor other protuberances are formed in a front portion of the receptacle114.

The female housing120is an integral assembly made e.g. of a synthetic resin and includes a substantially cylindrical terminal accommodating portion121with an axis that extends in forward and backward directions and a substantially cylindrical tubular fitting122concentrically surrounding a front part of the terminal accommodating portion121. The rear end of the tubular fitting122is connected with the outer circumferential surface of the terminal accommodating portion121, while the front end of the tubular fitting122projects forward of the terminal accommodating portion121. A female terminal fitting123is accommodated in the terminal accommodating portion121, and a shielded cable124connected with the rear end of the female terminal fitting123is drawn backward from the terminal accommodating portion121.

A tubular surrounding portion125is formed at the back end of the tubular fitting122, and a ring-shaped seal126is to be mounted on the outer circumferential surface of the surrounding portion125. The seal126is located radially more outward than the outer circumferential surface of the female shielding shell128.

Circumferentially spaced mount holes127penetrate the terminal accommodating portion121in substantially forward and backward directions and the substantially cylindrical metallic female shielding shell128is mounted in the mount holes127. A braided wire or shield film124aof the shielded cable124is connected electrically connected with the rear end of the female shielding shell128via a tubular connecting member129.

Upper and lower female touching pieces128aare formed as cantilevers on the female shielding shell128and are curved plates with an arcuate shape substantially concentric with the terminal accommodating portion121. The female touching pieces128aextend forward along the outer circumferential surface of the terminal accommodating portion121substantially parallel to the connecting and separating directions of the two housings110,120, but are spaced from the outer circumferential surface of the terminal accommodating portion121. A resiliently deformable contact portion128bis folded back and inward from the front end of each female touching piece128a. The contact portion128bis narrower than the female touching piece128aand is located substantially in the widthwise center of the female touching piece128a. The width of the contact portion128bpreferably is substantially equal to the width of the male touching piece116a. The inner surfaces of the contact portions128bresiliently contact the outer circumferential surface of the terminal accommodating portion121when the two housings110,120are separated. However, front end portions of the male touching pieces116aare inserted into clearances between the contact portions128band the terminal accommodating portion121and the outer surfaces of the male touching pieces116aand the inner surfaces of the contact portions128bare electrically and resiliently in contact when the two housings110,120are connected.

Upper and lower protection walls130are formed unitarily at the front end of the outer circumferential surface of the terminal accommodating portion121. The protection walls130extend in a circumferential direction along the outer circumference of the front end of the terminal accommodating portion21to define substantially fan-shapes substantially concentric with the terminal accommodating portion121. Additionally, the protection walls130are more forward than the contact portions128bat the front ends of the female touching pieces128a, and the front surfaces of the protection walls130are substantially continuous and flush with the front surface of the terminal accommodating portion121. The protection walls130are circumferentially wider than the contact portions128band cover the contact portions128bfrom front over substantially their entire widths. However, the female touching pieces128aare wider than the protection walls130so that the opposite left and right edges of the female contact portions128aprotrude from the protection walls130(seeFIG. 13).

The outer circumferential surfaces of these arcuate protection walls130have substantially the same radius of curvature as the outer circumferential surfaces of the arcuate female touching pieces128a, and the outer circumferential surfaces of the protection walls130and those of the female touching pieces128aoverlap and are substantially flush with each other when viewed from the front. Specifically, a distance from the outer circumferential surface of the terminal accommodating portion121to those of the protection walls130substantially equals a distance from the outer circumferential surface of the terminal accommodating portion121to those of the female touching pieces128a. Further, slit-like insertion holes131penetrate the protection walls130in forward and backward directions and can receive the male touching pieces116a. Further, a guiding slant132is formed at the front opening edge of each insertion hole131where the male touching piece116ais inserted.

To connect the male and females housing110and120, the receptacle114is fit lightly into a cylindrical space between the terminal accommodating portion121and the tubular fitting122. Cam followers (not shown) of known form project from the outer circumferential surface of the male housing110and are inserted into the entrances of cam grooves134of a lever133or other movable member mounted on the outer circumferential surface of the female housing120. The lever133is rotated and the two housings110,120are pulled towards each other and into a connected state by a cam action resulting from the engagement of the cam grooves134and the cam followers.

The receptacle114could enter the tubular fitting122obliquely in the process of connecting the two housings110,120. The female shielding shell128could be deformed inadvertently if the leading end of the receptacle114contacted the front end of the female shielding shell128(female touching pieces128and contact portions128b). However, the protection walls130are provided before the female shielding shell128. Thus, the receptacle114contacts the protection walls130, but does not contact the front end of the female shielding shell128even if the leading end thereof heads toward the female shielding shell128from the front. The protection walls130prevent the deformation of the female shielding shell128caused not only by the receptacle114, but also by external matter that might enter the tubular fitting122.

The insertion holes131are formed in the protection walls130and the guiding slants132are formed at the opening edges of the insertion holes131. Thus, there is no hindrance to an entering movement of the male shielding shell116into the clearance between the outer circumferential surface of the terminal accommodating portion121and the inner circumferential surface of the female shielding shell128. Radial displacements of the male shielding shell116that has entered the insertion holes131are prevented. Hence, the male shielding shell116cannot contact the front end of the female shielding shell128.

The ribs118formed on the inner circumferential surface of the receptacle114slide on the outer circumferential surfaces of the protection walls130in the process of connecting the two housings110,120. Thus, the two housings110,120will not shake in radial directions.

The ribs118of the receptacle114and the outer circumferential surface of the front end of the female shielding shell128contact each other in radial directions when the male and female housings110and120are connected. Radially outward displacements of the contact portions128bat the front end of the female shielding shell128are prevented by the contact with the receptacle114. Thus, sufficient contact pressures is ensured between the contact portions128bof the female shielding shell128and the male shielding shell116held in contact with the inner circumferential surfaces of the contact portions128b.

The seal126is provided on the terminal accommodating portion121behind the contact position of the female shielding shell128and the male shielding shell116and more radially outward than the outer circumferential surfaces of the protection walls130. Additionally, the inner circumferential surface of the leading end of the receptacle114closely contacts the outer circumferential surface of the seal126. Thus, areas of the inner circumferential surface of the receptacle114in contact with the protection walls130(i.e. areas at the back end of the receptacle114) are more radially inward than the close contact position of the receptacle114with the seal126(i.e. leading end of the receptacle114). Accordingly, the ribs118are formed in the contact area with the protection walls130on the inner circumferential surface of the receptacle114, and the inner circumferential surface of the receptacle114is held in contact with the outer circumferential surface of the protection walls130via the ribs118.

It may be thought to increase the thickness of the receptacle114to hold the inner circumferential surface of the receptacle114in contact with the outer circumferential surfaces of the protection walls130. However, this might cause the receptacle114to be deformed due to sinks in the process of molding the male housing110. The ribs118avoid the need to thicken the receptacle114. Thus, sinks will not be created during molding of the receptacle114.

A third embodiment of the invention is described with reference toFIGS. 17 and 18. In the third embodiment, each protection wall130of the second embodiment is formed with a pushing portion135. Other elements are the same as or similar to the second embodiment. These same or similar elements are identified by the same reference numerals, but are not described again.

Each pushing portion135projects back in an overhanging or undercut manner from the outer circumferential end edge of the protection wall130over substantially the entire width of the protection wall130to form an arcuate rib concentric with the outer circumferential surface of the terminal accommodating portion121. The outer circumferential surface of the front end portion of the female shielding shell128(i.e. part formed with the contact portions128bwith the male shielding shell116) contacts the inner circumferential surfaces of the pushing portions135substantially in radial directions. The pressing portions135contact the contact portions128bof the female shielding shell128to prevent radially outward escaping displacements. Thus, a sufficient contact pressure can be ensured between the inner circumferential surface of the female shielding shell128and the male shielding shell116. Further, the ribs118of the receptacle114can slide in contact with the outer circumferential surfaces of the pushing portions135.

A fourth embodiment of the invention is described with reference toFIG. 19. Pushing portions136of the fourth embodiment are extended more backward than the pushing portions135of the third embodiment so that the outer circumferential surfaces thereof become substantially continuous and flush with outer circumferential surfaces of the surrounding portion125on which the seal126is to be mounted. Other elements are the same as or similar to the third embodiment. Those identical or similar elements are not described again, but merely are identified by the same reference numerals.

Areas of the female touching pieces128aof the female shielding shell128corresponding to the terminal accommodating portion121in forward and backward directions are covered in the fourth embodiment. Thus, the interference of the receptacle114and the female touching pieces128ais prevented reliably.

A fifth embodiment of the invention is described with reference toFIGS. 20 and 21. Contact portions128cof the fifth embodiment differ from the contact portions128bof the female touching pieces128aof the fourth embodiment in shape. Other elements are the same as or similar to the fourth embodiment. Those identical or similar elements are not described again, but merely are identified by the same reference numerals.

A contact portion128cis formed at the front end of the female contact portion128a. The contact portion128cextends forward from the inner circumferential surface of the pushing portion136and in towards the outer circumferential surface of the terminal accommodating portion121. Further, a substantially semispherical support137projects from the inner circumferential surface of each pushing portion136slightly behind the rear end of the contact portion128c. The outer circumferential surface of the corresponding female touching piece128acontacts the support137. The contact portions128cresiliently contact the outer circumferential surface of the terminal accommodating portion121unless the female shielding shell128is in contact with the male shielding shell116.

The male shielding shell116can be inserted beyond the protection walls130and into the clearance between the female shielding shell128and the terminal accommodating portion121. Thus, areas of the female touching pieces128before the supports137(i.e. including the contact portions128c) are deformed resiliently about the supports137and incline towards the outer circumferential surface of the terminal accommodating portion121. A distance from the supports137of resilient deformations to the contact portions128cwith the male shielding shell116is stable when the female touching pieces128aare deformed. Thus, the amounts of resilient deformation of the female touching pieces128a, i.e. resilient contact pressures of the contact portions128cagainst the male shielding shell116is stable.

A sixth embodiment of the invention is described with reference toFIG. 22. Supports138of the sixth embodiment differ from those of the fifth embodiment in their form. Other elements are the same as or similar to the fifth embodiment. Those identical or similar elements are not described again, but merely are identified by the same reference numerals.

The supports137are formed on the inner circumferential surfaces of the pushing portions136in the fifth embodiment. However, the supports138of the sixth embodiment project out on the female touching pieces128a. The supports138are substantially semispherical projections arranged behind the rear ends of the contact portions128c. The supports138contact the inner circumferential surfaces of the pushing portions136and the front ends of the contact portions128cresiliently contact the outer circumferential surface of the terminal accommodating portion121unless the female shielding shell128is in contact with the male shielding shell116.

The invention is not limited to the above described and illustrated embodiments. For example, the following embodiments are also embraced by the technical scope of the present invention as defined by the claims.

Two outer touching pieces and two inner touching pieces are provided in the first embodiment. However, more or fewer touching pieces may be provided.

Only the outer touching pieces have the resilient touching pieces in the first embodiment. However, the resilient touching pieces may be provided only on the inner touching pieces or on both the outer and inner touching pieces.

Although the outer touching pieces are arcuate in the first embodiment, they may be plate-like according to the invention.

Although the inner touching pieces are plate-like in the first embodiment, they may be curved according to the invention.

The protection walls may be formed so that their front surfaces are more backward than the front end surface of the terminal accommodating portion.

The protection walls may be parts separate from the terminal accommodating portion.

The outer surfaces of the protection walls and the inner surface of the receptacle may not be in contact during the connection process.

The inner surface of the receptacle and the outer surface of the female shielding shell may not be in contact when the housings are connected.

The thickness of the receptacle may be increased for contacting the protection walls instead of forming the ribs.