Electrical connector having a tongue portion extending beyond a metallic shell

An electrical connector, for mounting to an electrical device which has a mating hole and a stepped portion located at a rear end of the mating hole to form a receiving space therebetween, includes: an insulative housing having a base portion and a tongue portion extending forwardly from the base portion; plural conductive contacts affixed to the insulative housing; a shielding plate affixed to the insulative housing; a shell attached to the insulative housing to form a mating room and adapted for assembling to the receiving space; and a sealer enclosing a front end of the shell and adapted for resisting against the stepped portion; wherein the tongue portion extends out of the mating room and stretches into the mating hole.

BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE

1. Field of the Disclosure

The present disclosure relates to a waterproof electrical connector.

2. Description of Related Arts

U.S. Pat. No. 9,391,391 discloses an electrical connector including a waterproof rubber ring or sealer at a front end of a metal shell. A tongue portion is received within a receiving room of the metal shell. A length of the metal shell is too long. The sealer engages a flange of the metal shell.

An improved electrical connector is desired.

SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE

Accordingly, an object of the present disclosure is to provide an electrical connector ensuring the waterproof of the electrical connector.

To achieve the above object, an electrical connector, for mounting to an electrical device which has a mating hole and a stepped portion located at a rear end of the mating hole to form a receiving space therebetween, comprises: an insulative housing having a base portion and a tongue portion extending forwardly from the base portion; a plurality of conductive contacts affixed to the insulative housing; a shielding plate affixed to the insulative housing; a shell attached to the insulative housing to form a mating room and adapted for assembling to the receiving space; and a sealer enclosing a front end of the shell and adapted for resisting against the stepped portion; wherein the tongue portion extends out of the mating room and stretches into the mating hole.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Reference will now be made in detail to the first and second embodiments of the present disclosure.

The first embodiment is shown fromFIGS. 1 to 8. The second embodiment is shown inFIG. 9. Referring toFIGS. 1 to 9, an electrical connector100(100′) of the present disclosure is connected with a printed circuit board. The electrical connector100(100′) is mounted to an electrical device700(700′) including a wall (not labeled) with a mating hole71(71′), a pair of receiving spaces73(73′) around the interior face (not labeled) of the wall (not labeled), and a stepped portion72(72′) formed between the mating hole71(71′) and the receiving spaces73(73′). The electrical connector100(100′) is connected with the corresponded connector by the mating hole100(100′).

Referring toFIGS. 1 to 8, the electrical connector100in the first embodiment includes an insulative housing1, a number of conductive contacts2affixed to the insulative housing1, a shielding plate3affixed to the insulative housing1, and a shell enclosing the insulative housing1.

The insulative housing1includes a base portion11and a tongue portion12extending forwardly from the base portion11. The insulative housing1further includes an upper module14, a lower module15, and an insulator16overlapping the upper module14and the lower module15. The upper module14includes a first base portion141, and a first tongue portion142extending forwardly from the first base portion141. The lower module15includes a second base portion151and a second tongue portion152extending forwardly from the second base portion151. The insulator16includes a third base portion161and a third tongue portion162extending forwardly from the third base portion161. The lower module15is assembled to the upper module14in a vertical direction and located below the upper module14. The first base portion141, the second base portion151, and the third base portion161form the base portion11. The first tongue portion142, the second tongue portion152and the third tongue portion162forms the tongue portion The upper module14, the lower module15and the insulator16are injection molded to forms the insulative housing1. Referring toFIGS. 1 to 8, the insulative housing1further includes a circle channel17located at the base portion11. The circle channel17is formed around a rear end of the first base portion141, a rear end of the second base portion151, and a rear end of the third base portion161.

Referring toFIGS. 1 to 8, each conductive contact2includes a contacting portion23, a soldering portion24, and a fixing portion25connecting the contacting portion23and the soldering portion24. The conductive contacts2include a number of upper terminals21affixed to the upper module14and a number of lower terminals22affixed to the lower module15. The contacting portions23of the lower terminals22are exposed to a lower surface of the second tongue portion152. The soldering portions24of the lower terminals22protrude out of the second base portion151and extend rearward. Each of the upper terminals21is associated with a respective one of the lower terminals22and is positioned in reverse symmetry with respect to the lower terminals22. The soldering portions24of the upper terminals21and the lower terminals22are located in the same plane and arranged in two rows in a transverse direction perpendicular to the vertical direction. The soldering portions24of the upper terminals21are staggered to the soldering portions24of the lower terminals22in an inserting direction perpendicular to the vertical direction and the transverse direction making it easy for the electrical connector100to solder to the PCB.

Referring again toFIGS. 1 to 8, the shielding plate3includes a main portion31, a board portion32, and a pair of soldering pins33extending from the board portion32and bent downwardly.

The upper module14with the upper terminals21, the lower module15with the lower terminals22, and the shielding plate3form an insulative module.

Referring toFIGS. 1 to 5andFIG. 8, the shell includes a shielding shell4and a sealer5.

The shielding shell4includes a main body43and a rear portion44extending rearward from the main body43. The main body43encloses the insulative housing1to form a mating room400. The main body43further includes a circle convex portion or circumferential outward protrusion46on an outer surface of a front end of the main body43, a front edge47located at an opening of the mating room400and in front of the circle convex portion46and four tubers48protruding into the mating room400and installing in symmetrical and resisting an outer shell of the corresponded connector. The rear portion44and the main body43form a step structure.

Referring toFIGS. 1 to 5andFIG. 8, the sealer5includes a circle groove54puncturing an inner surface53of the sealer5and an inclining portion55located at a front end of the inner surface53.

There exists a filling groove45between the circle channel17and an inner surface of the shielding shell4. The electrical connector100further includes a waterproof board6filling the filling groove45to seal up gaps between the insulative housing1and the shielding shell4.

During the process of making the electrical connector100in the first embodiment, first step: insert-molding the upper terminals21with the upper module14and insert-molding the lower terminals22with the lower module15. The contacting portions23of the upper terminals21are exposed to an upper surface of the first tongue portion142. The soldering portions24protrude from a rear end of the first base portion141and extend rearward. The fixing portions25of the upper terminals21are fixed to the first base portion141. Second step: assembling the shielding plate3sandwiched between the upper module14retaining the upper terminals21and the lower module15retaining the lower terminals22along a vertical direction. Fix the main portion31and the board portion32to the insulative housing1between the first tongue portion142and the second tongue portion152. Two sides of the main portion31are exposed to a pair of lateral sides of the tongue portion12. The soldering pins33extend from the rear ends of the first base portion141and the second base portion142and are bent downwardly to connect with the PCB. The shielding plate is used to ground to ensure the stability of the signals. The insulator16is over-molding with the upper module14affixing the upper terminals21. The lower module15is affixed to the lower terminals22to form an insulative module. The insulative module includes a circle ring17. Third step: Providing a mating room400receiving the shielding shell4formed by metal injection molding. Forth step: providing a sealer5, assembling the sealer to the shielding shell4. Make the sealer5cover an outer surface of a front end of the main body43and a front edge47. The sealer5has a character of elasticity making the sealer5attach to the shielding shell4firmly. In other embodiments the sealer5is attached to the shielding shell4and the electrical device700by adhesive to enforcing the fixing force. The sealer5is formed by solidification of plastic material. Make the circle convex portion46stuck in the circle groove54. The rear end of the inner surface53of the sealer is connected smoothly with the inner surface of the shielding shell4so that the corresponded electrical connector slides smoothly into the mating room400. Make the sealer5and the outer surface of the shielding shell form a stepped shape. The rear portion44covers the rear end of the base portion11partially making a good effect of shielding and preventing the damage of the insulative housing1. Form a filling groove45between the circle channel17and the inner surface of the shielding shell4. Pour the liquid glue in the filling groove45and a waterproof board6is formed after solidification.

In the third step, the electrical connector100is affixed to the electrical device700. The front end of the sealer5is located between the shielding shell4and the stepped portion72. The outer surface of the sealer5is attached to the inner surface of the receiving space73. The front surface of the sealer5resists the stepped portion72preventing water or other liquid substance going into the electrical device700through the gap between the electrical connector100and the electrical device. The receiving space73of the electrical device700resists the sealer5in priority making a better effect of waterproof. The tongue portion12extends forwardly out of the mating room400and stretches into the mating hole71.

The length of the sealer5could be shorter as usual making the front edge47in the same plane with the front surface of the sealer5along a vertical direction. The front edge47and the front surface of the sealer5resist against the stepped portion72. The arrangement could achieve miniaturization.

Referring toFIG. 9, the second embodiment is shown. The electrical connector100′ includes an insulative module and an outer shell enclosing the insulative housing. The insulative module includes an insulative housing1′, a number of upper terminals21′ and lower terminals22′ and a shielding plate3′. The insulative housing1′ includes a base portion11′ and a tongue portion12′ extending forwardly from the base portion11′. The base portion11′ includes a circle channel17′. In the second embodiment, the outer shell is a shielding shell4′ not including a sealer5. The shielding shell4′ in the second embodiment is as same as the shielding shell4in the first embodiment except the circle convex portion46. The shielding shell4′ defines a mating room400′. The circle channel17′ forms a filling groove45′ with an inner surface of the shielding shell4′ therebetween. The liquid glue is poured in the filling groove45′ and forms a waterproof board6′ after solidification.

The differences of making method between the first embodiment and the second embodiment are that the outer shell in the second embodiment is only a shielding shell4′ without a sealer5. The shielding shell4′ has no circle convex portion46.

Referring toFIGS. 8 to 9, the mating hole71(71′) penetrates the mating room400(400′). The tongue portion12(12′) in the first embodiment and the second embodiment extends partially out of the mating room400(400′) and stretches into the mating hole71(71′). The arrangements could achieve the miniaturization of the electrical connector100(100′). When the electrical connectors100(100′) are installed in the electronic devices700(700′), the length occupied in the insertion direction is shortened to facilitate the layout and installation of the other parts, thereby facilitating miniaturization and thinning of the electronic device.

Compared with prior arts, the electrical connector100(100′) has better effects as follows. The outer shell includes the shielding shell4and the sealer5. The circle convex portion46of the shielding shell4is inserted into the circle groove54of the sealer5enhancing the force between the shielding shell4and the waterproof5for preventing the sealer5falling of the shielding shell4. It is also noted that with reference toFIGS. 8 and 9, in this embodiment the front end of the tongue portion12defines a vertical line L1, the rear end of the tongue portion12, i.e., the boundary between the tongue portion12and the base portion11, defines a vertical line L2. The tongue portion12forms a front thinner section12A and a rear thicker section12B with therebetween a boundary defining a vertical line L3wherein a dimension ratio between the front thinner section12A and the rear thicker section12B along the front-to-back direction is around 7:4 roughly following the specification regulated by the related committee standard. Correspondingly, a front end of the shielding shell4extends forwardly slightly beyond the vertical line L3while with referring toFIG. 8, the sealer5attached upon the front end of the shielding shell4forms a front end face located at a vertical line L4which essentially divides the whole tongue portion12with two equal parts in the front-to-back direction. Anyhow, in the first embodiment shown inFIG. 8, the electronic device700should forms a thickness covering the front end of the tongue portion12along the front-to-back direction. In other words, the thickness of the electronic device700is expected not to be less than 9/11 of the whole tongue portion12. With this arrangement, the tongue portion12could be efficiently protected in the mating hole71. Similarly, in the second embodiment shown inFIG. 9, the thickness of the electronic device700′ is expected not to be less than 9/11 of the whole tongue portion12for efficiently protecting the tongue portion12′ in the mating hole71′.

While a preferred embodiment in accordance with the present disclosure has been shown and described, equivalent modifications and changes known to persons skilled in the art according to the spirit of the present disclosure are considered within the scope of the present disclosure as described in the appended claims.