Connector having an floatable optical module

A connector (100) includes an insulative housing (1) having a receiving slot (141) formed therein; an optical module (3) for transmitting optical data and being movably received in the receiving slot; a compression coil spring (4) having a first end for biasing the optical module to move in the receiving slot; a metal shell (7) shielding the insulative housing; and a sleeve (40) encircling a second end of the compression coil spring (4) opposite to the first end for retaining the compression coil spring therein.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a connector, more particularly to a connector having an optical module for transmitting optical data.

2. Description of Related Art

At present, Universal Serial BUS (USB) is a widely used input/output interface adapted for many electronic devices, such as personal computer and related peripherals. In 1994, Intel, HP, IBM, NEC etc. together founded USB-IF to define a spec of USB. Nowadays, USB-IF has published several editions for USB, and transmitting rate of USB has became higher and higher. As development of electronic industry, higher transmitting rate of USB based connection accessory is needed.

An optical universal serial bus (OUSB) has been disclosed to be adopted for optical data transmission. The OUSB includes a USB connector with a number of lenses embedded in the USB connector and further connected with respective fibers for transmitting optical signal. Therefore, the OUSB can transmit signals up to 10 Gbps. However, as the lens are fixed to the USB connector, and they may fail to mate with counterparts if excessive clearance exits in manufacturing process.

Hence, an improved connector with a floatable optical module is desired to overcome the above problems.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to one aspect of the present invention, a connector comprises: an insulative housing having a receiving slot formed therein; an optical module for transmitting optical data and being movably received in the receiving slot; a compression coil spring having a first end for biasing the optical module to move in the receiving slot; a metal shell shielding the insulative housing; and a sleeve encircling a second end of the compression coil spring opposite to the first end for retaining the compression coil spring therein.

According to another aspect of the present invention, a connector comprises: an insulative housing having a base portion and a tongue portion extending forwardly from the base portion, the tongue portion having a receiving slot recessed downwardly from an upper surface thereof, and a cavity located behind the receiving slot and forwardly communicating with the receiving slot; an optical module for transmitting optical data and being movably received in the receiving slot along a front-to-back direction; a metal shell shielding the tongue portion and covering the receiving slot and cavity; a sleeve retained in the cavity and sandwiched between the metal shell and the tongue portion in a height direction; and a compression coil spring having a front end forwardly biasing the optical module and a rear end being encircled by the sleeve.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring toFIGS. 1-3, A connector100according to the present invention of a first embodiment is a plug of a USB connector cable assembly and comprises an insulative housing1, a set of contacts2attached to the insulative housing1, an optical module3for transmitting optical data and being coupled to the insulative housing1, a compression coil spring4for urging the optical module3moving forwardly, a circular sleeve40encircling the compression coil spring4, a spacer5retained in the insulative housing1, an insulator6for engaging with the spacer5, a shell7shielding the insulative housing1, a plastic case8surrounding shell7, and a cable9for electrical connection to the contacts2. The shell7includes a first metal shell71and a second metal shell72coupled to the first metal shell71.

Referring toFIGS. 1-5, The insulative housing1includes a base portion13and a tongue portion14extending forwardly from a front end of the base portion13. The base portion13has a depression132recessed upwardly from a lower surface thereof for retaining the spacer5and a set of retaining slots131formed on an upper surface for retaining the contacts2. The tongue portion14has a receiving slot141recessed downwardly from an upper surface thereof, a recessed portion144recessed downwardly from the upper surface and located behind the receiving slot141. The recessed portion144has a first groove1442recessed downwardly therefrom and forwardly communicating with the receiving slot141, a set of narrower second grooves143located behind the first groove1442and communicating with the first groove1442, and a cavity142recessed downwardly in the first groove1442and forwardly communicating with the receiving slot141for receiving the compression coil spring4. The sleeve40encircles a rear end of the compression coil spring4and is retained in the cavity142in a transverse direction. The recessed portion144has a resisting wall146located behind the cavity142and resist the sleeve40and the compression coil spring4forwardly to prevent the sleeve40and the compression coil spring4moving backwardly. The tongue portion14has a reception groove149located under the receiving slot141and upwardly communicating with the receiving slot141. The reception groove149is located under a front end of the compression coil spring4to provide a space for the compression coil spring4vibrating in a height direction of the connector100. The insulative housing1has a pair of third grooves140located behind the second grooves143and forwardly communicating with the second grooves143. The third groove140is wider than the second groove143and narrower than the first groove1442in the transverse direction. The tongue portion14has a V-shaped first stopping portion145located at front and midst of the receiving slot141, a pair of second stopping portions1401located at front and two sides of the receiving slot141, and a pair of protrusions147formed at two lateral sides of the first stopping portion145and between the second stopping portions1401. The V-shaped first stopping portion145gradually reduces from a widest front end to a narrowest back end. The protrusion147protrudes upwardly into the receiving slot141. A set of first passageways1481and a set of second passageways1482are formed at a lower surface of the tongue portion14in a condition that the first passageways1481are arranged in a front row along the transverse direction and the second passageways1482are arranged in a rear row parallel to the front row. The connector100further comprises a cover10retained in the recessed portion144. The cover10has a pair of cylinders101integrally extending therefrom for being retained into a pair of receiving holes1441formed on the recessed portion144, and an opening102corresponding to the cavity142for receiving the sleeve40.

Referring toFIGS. 2 to 3, the contacts2are adapted for USB 3.0 protocol, and include a number of first contacts21and a number of second contacts22. The first contacts21are adapted for USB 2.0 protocol and each includes a stiff first contacting portion211retained in the first passageway1481, a first tail portion213for electrical connection to the cable9, and a first connecting portion212connecting the first contacting portion211and the first tail portion213and being retained in the base portion11. The second contacts22include two pair of differential contacts and a grounding contact located between the two pair of differential contacts. Each second contact22includes a resilient second contacting portion221received in the second passageway1482, a second tail portion223for electrical connection to the cable9, and a second connecting portion222connecting the second contacting portion221and the second tail portion223and being retained in a corresponding through hole51of the spacer5. The insulator6is retained in the spacer5to retain the second contacts22in the spacer5firmly. In this embodiment, the first contacts21are assembled to the insulative housing1, the second contacts22are assembled to the spacer5and form as a module so as to be assembled to the insulative housing1, in other embodiment, the first contacts21could be insert molded into the insulative housing1, the second contacts22could be insert molded with the spacer5and form as a module so as to be assembled to the insulative housing1.

Referring toFIGS. 1-5, the optical module3comprises a main body30being movably received in the receiving slot141along a front-to-back direction which is perpendicular to the transverse direction, and a pair of fibers35attached to the main body30and received in the first, second, and third grooves1442,143,140. The main body30has a V-shaped slot31recessed backwardly from a front face thereof and fitted in with the V-shaped first stopping portion145, a set of lenses32attached to the main body30and located at two lateral sides of the V-shaped slot31for optically coupling with the fibers35, and a pair of retaining holes34formed thereon and located at two lateral sides of the lenses32for accommodating a pair of columniations on a complementary receptacle so as to align the lenses32with lenses on the receptacle and transmit optical data therebetween reliably. A pole36protrudes backwardly from the main body30so as to be received in a front end of the compression coil spring4. Therefore, compression coil spring4could be retained in the pole36firmly and biases the optical module3forwardly.

The fibers35have front parts received in the first slot1442, middle parts retained in the second slots143, and rear parts received in the third slots140. The middle parts are retained in the second slots143firmly along the transverse direction. The first slot and third slots1442,140which are wider than the second slots143will offer spaces for distortions of the front and rear parts.

Referring toFIGS. 2-5, the first metal shell71has a top wall73resisting the sleeve40downwardly so as to retain the sleeve40into the cavity142firmly and defining a projection75projecting downwardly therefrom for abutting against the main body30downwardly so as to retain the main body30into the receiving slot141firmly.

When the connector100is inserted into the complementary receptacle for mating with the receptacle, the optical module3is pushed backwardly by the receptacle and moves backwardly in the receiving slot141. Because the rear end of the compression coil spring4is retained in the sleeve40, when the lenses32and the corresponding lenses on the receptacle are misaligned, the optical module3will vibrate in a height direction accompanying with the front end of the compression coil spring so as to make the lenses32align with the lenses on the receptacle and transmit optical data therebetween reliably, the reception groove149will offer a space for the front end of the compression coil spring4vibrating in the height direction. There is no need other components to retain a rear end of the compression coil spring4. The sleeve40could be made of metallic materials and electrically connect the compression coil spring4and the top wall73of the first metal shell71, therefore, static electricity created on the compression coil spring4could be eliminated via the first metal shell71. When the connector100is extracted out from the complementary receptacle, the optical module3is biased forwardly by the compression coil spring4and moves forwardly in the receiving slot141, the V-shaped first stopping portion145fits in with the V-shaped slot31for resisting the optical module3backwardly and sidewardly so as to prevent the optical module3moving in the front-to-back and transverse direction, the second stopping portions1401abut against the front face of the main body30to prevent the optical module3moving forwardly, the projection75abuts against the main body30downwardly and the protrusions147abut against the main body30upwardly so as to retain the optical module3therebetween. Therefore, the first stopping portion145and the second stopping portions1401present as a stopping device for orientating the optical module3in the front-to-back and the transverse direction, the protrusions147and the projection75present as a resisting device for orientating the optical module3in a height direction of the connector100, the optical module3will be orientated on its original position firmly and accurately, and the optical data will be transmitted between the connector and the receptacle reliably.

Referring toFIGS. 6-9, a connector100′ according to a second embodiment of the present invention. The recessed portion144′ of the insulative housing1′ has a post1421′ protruding forwardly from the resisting wall146′ into the cavity142′ for retaining a rear end of the compression coil spring4′. Therefore, the rear end of the compression coil spring4′ could be retained in both the sleeve40′ and the post1421′.

In other embodiments, the sleeve4could present as other shapes such as triangular shape, rectangular shape, square shape, polygonal shape, etc.