Electrical connector

An electrical connector comprises an insulating case, a plurality of electrical contacts received in the insulating case, a shutter member mounted on the insulating case and an elastic piece. The insulating case defines a longitudinal direction and comprises a receiving space, a plug fitting section locate beside the receiving space. The shutter member is mounted on the insulating case and comprises a base section movable with respect to the insulating case to close and open the plug fitting section of the insulating case and a mating section extending from the base section into the receiving space to secure with a second mating section. The elastic piece provided in the receiving space and connected with the shutter member to drive the shutter member to elastically close and open the plug fitting section of the insulating case.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to an electrical connector, more particular, to an electrical connector that has means for preventing dust and dirt from entering into it.

2. Description of Related Art

In order to achieve power or signal transmission, various kinds of electrical connectors are generally used to connect internal components within electrical devices and connect an electrical device with other devices. However, in untidy condition, especially when electrical connectors are not fitted, dust and dirt may enter into the electrical connector to adversely effect against power or signal transmission.

At present, in order to solve the above-mentioned problem, a shutter member is designed on a plug fitting section of a connector. U.S. patent application Pub. No. 2004/0092145 discloses a receptacle connector with a shutter member. A locking portion of the shutter member, a spring member and shafts are formed outside of the longitudinal length of a housing of the receptacle connector and are easily destroyed before the receptacle connector is soldered on a printed circuit board. Moreover, the shutter member is rotatably supported by shafts provided on side walls of a housing of the receptacle connector. However, repeated rotation of the shutter member about the shafts may result in abrasion of the shafts, because the shafts are made of insulating material and the shutter member is made of metal, thereby, decreasing a using lifetime of the receptacle connector.

Therefore, it is desirable to provide an electrical connector to overcome the above problems.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The object of the present invention is to provide an electrical connector with shafts of metal which have well abrasion resistance, so as to increase lifetime of the electrical connector.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an electrical connector comprising mating arms formed on a shutter member, an elastic piece and a shaft and which are formed within the longitudinal length of an insulating case of the electrical connector, so as to protect the electrical connector form damage.

In order to achieve the object set forth, the electrical connector according to the present invention comprises an insulating case, a plurality of electrical contacts received in the plug fitting section of the insulating case, a shutter member mounted on the insulating case and an elastic piece. The insulating case defines a longitudinal direction and comprises a receiving space, and a plug fitting section located beside the receiving space along the longitudinal direction. The shutter member is mounted on the insulating case and comprises a base section movable with respect to the insulating case to close and open the plug fitting section of the insulating case and a mating section extending from the base section into the receiving space to secure with a second mating section. The elastic piece provided in the receiving space and connected with the shutter member to elastically drive the shutter member to close the plug fitting section of the insulating case.

The detailed features of the present invention will be apparent in the detailed description with appropriate reference to the accompanying drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is now described in detail.

InFIGS. 1–9, an electrical connector assembly1comprises a receptacle connector2according to the present invention and a plug connector3to be connected to the receptacle connector2. As shown inFIG. 1, the receptacle connector2provides a shutter member21in order to prevent dust and dirt from entering into the receptacle connector2.

As shown inFIGS. 2 and 4, the receptacle connector2comprises a first insulating unitary elongate case4, a pair of first shielding covers22mounted on the outer periphery of the first insulating case4and a shutter member21. The first insulating case4comprises a first base portion41, a pair of neck portions42extending from opposite ends of the first base portion41and a pair of wall portions43extending from the pair of neck portions42. The first base portion41is provided with a first bottom board24mounted thereon and has a groove along the longitudinal direction of the insulating case4. The groove has a pair of side walls412at opposite sides thereof and a pair of first plug fitting section411protrude into the groove accommodating a plurality of first electrical contacts23at opposite sides thereof. Two separate through-holes413are set on ends of the groove. The plurality of first electrical contacts23extends downwards through the first bottom board24to connect with a printed circuit board. A plurality of first convexities414and a plurality of second convexities415are alternatly arranged at intervals along an outer periphery of the pair of side walls412. The first convexties414further comprise blocks4141and the second convexities514further comprise slots4154. A gap416and a passage417are provided on an upper surface of the side walls412at intervals along the longitudinal direction. In addition, a top of the neck portion42is flanked by a pair of guide planes421. A spring25is mounted on a concave422provided between the neck portion42and the wall portion43and connected with the shutter member21to elastically drive the shutter member21to close the plug fitting section411of the insulating case4. The wall portion43is a board perpendicular to the longitudinal direction. For a width of the neck portion42perpendicular to the longitudinal direction is smaller than a corresponding width of the first base portion41, there is a receiving space423defined between the first base portion41and the wall portion43and adjacent to the neck portion42. A pair of sliding faces432respectively extends downwards from the top of the wall portion43. Otherwise, step portion433is formed on the top of the sliding face432and symmetrically arranged about the central line of the shutter member21. Two shafts431are provided on the wall portion43to extend into the receiving space423so as to mount the shutter member21.

Referring toFIGS. 6 and 7, the shafts431are column-shaped and made of metal. A securing portion4311is provided on a surface of one end of the shaft431and the securing portion4311is a convex rib with guidable side, on the other hand, a rolling portion4312is formed on the spare surface of the shaft431. When the securing portion4311is secured into the holes44, the rolling portion4312is exposed out of the receiving space423.

Then, referring toFIGS. 2 and 4, the pair of first shielding covers22is formed and stamped from a metal sheet and configured in an elongated shape. Each of the first shielding covers22comprises a plurality of fixing pieces221and a plurality of first grounding pieces222extending downwards from a lower edge thereof arranging at intervals, a plurality of contact pieces223and elastic contact pieces224curving upwards from an upper edge thereof at intervals. When the pair of first shielding covers22are mounted on the first base portion41, the fixing pieces221are inserted into a space between the first convexities414and the second convexities415and are secured by the blocks4141. At the same time, the first grounding pieces222are inserted into the slots4151and extend downward to connect with the grounding wire of a printed circuit board, also, the contact pieces223are fixed into the gap416and the forepart of the elastic contact pieces224are received into the passage417.

The shutter member21comprises a pair of shutter member halves21a,21bof metal. As the halves21a,21bare substantially symmetrical, a description will be given of the first half21awith the understanding that the second half21bis of substantially similar configuration. The first half21acomprises a base section. Two separate recesses214are provided on opposite ends of the base section of the first half21aand two smaller recesses213are adjacent to the recesses214. For the two separate recesses214are the same, one recess214is described. A curving piece2141curves downwards from one side to the opening of the recess214(FIG. 1). A mating arm215is extending downwardly from a distal end216which is perpendicular to a surface of the base section of the first half21a. Further, a locking portion2151protrudes from an edge of the mating arm215to the curving piece2141and a pivot hole2152is provided in free end of the mating arm215. Otherwise, guide pieces211extend downwardly from one edge of the base section of the first half21a. Specially, the opening direction of the recesses214,213is different from the protruding direction of the guide pieces211. As shown inFIG. 1, when the pivot hole2152of the first half21ais secured on the shaft431of the first insulating case4, the spring25is secured with the responding locking portion2151. Under certain force, the shutter member21is able to close and open the first plug fitting section411of the receptacle connector2. When the shutter member21is closed, the opening formed by the two smaller recesses213of the shutter member halves21a,21bcommunicates with the through-hole413, the opening formed by the two recesses214of the shutter member halves21a,21bcommunicates with the receiving space423. Simultaneously, the distal ends216abut against the step portions433and the guide pieces211meet the contact pieces223of the first shielding covers22. As a result, dust and dirt can not enter into the first plug fitting section411to contaminate the first electrical contacts23. On the other hand, while the shutter members21open the first plug fitting section411, the guide pieces211are sliding along the contact pieces223.

Then, referring toFIG. 3, the plug connector3consists of a second insulating unitary elongate case6, a pair of second shielding covers31mounted on an outer periphery of the second insulating case6and grounding contacts32. The second insulating case6comprise a second base portion61, a second plug fitting section62extending upwardly from the second base portion61and a pair of separate guide devices63. A plurality of slots6111is located on a pair of ribs611extruding from opposite sides of the second base portion61. The second plug fitting section62is provided with a second bottom board34mounted thereon and has a groove along the longitudinal direction. The second plug fitting section62protrudes into the groove accommodating a plurality of second electrical contacts33at two sides thereof. The plurality of second electrical contacts33extends downwardly through the second base portion61and the second bottom board34to connect with a printed circuit board. Furthermore, a pair of separate guide tapers621extends upwardly from opposite ends of the second plug fitting section62to connect with the first plug fitting section411of the receptacle connector2. In addition, the guide devices63extended from the second base portion61are adjacent to the guide tapers621at the same direction of the second plug fitting section62and the guide tapers621. On the other hand, a plurality of second grounding pieces311extends downwards from the low edge of the second shielding covers31and is inserted into the slots6111of ribs611of the second base portion61so as to connect to the ground.

As shown inFIGS. 3 and 5, each of the guide devices63has a pair of guide columns. The guide columns are saddle shape and extend perpendicularly to the direction of the arrow A and arranges symmetrically at a distance. Because the pair of guide columns is the same structure, so one of the guide columns is described. The guide column comprises a peak632, a slant631, a long groove634and an inner surface633. The slant631is located in flank of the guide column and slopes up to form the peak632. Furthermore, the long groove634extends from the peak632to a bottom of the second base portion61and a longitudinal securing portion613of the second base portion61is provided on the free end of the long groove634and the width of which is more than that of the long groove634. Both the peak632and the slant631are located in the long groove634. When the grounding contact32of metal material is fitted on the second base portion61, the grounding contact32is secured in the long groove634and a bender321is provided at the free end of the grounding contact32and is secured in the longitudinal securing portion613of the second base portion61. On the other hand, the inner surface633of the guide column matches with the surface of the neck portion42of the first insulating case4.

Referring toFIGS. 8–11, when the plug connector3is plugged into the receptacle connector2, firstly, the peak623of the guide device63enters into the recess214and contacts the curving piece2141at the point of B. At the moment, static electricity of the plug connector3and the receptacle connector2is released through the grounding contact32, the curving piece2141, the guide piece211and the contact piece223of the first shielding cover22. However, in this moment the second plug fitting section62does not contact with the first plug fitting section411and the second electrical contacts33also does not contact with the first electrical contacts23. Secondly, the slant631of the guide device63slides on the curving piece2141to the point of C to drive the mating arm215to rotate about the shaft431and the spring25is elongated at the same time. Meanwhile, the guide piece211slides on the contact piece223so that the second plug fitting section62is entirely connected to the first plug fitting section411. Especially, when the guide column of the guide device63moves to the point of C, the transverse width of the guide column accelerates so as to open the shutter members21rapidly. To disconnect the first plug fitting section411from the second plug fitting section62, the receptacle connector2is disconnected from the plug connector3. That is to say, when the plug connector3is lifted up from the receptacle connector2, the guide pins63come out of the receiving space423and the shutter member21is closed to be driven by the spring25. Especially, the step portions433can prevent the shutter sheet21afrom coming into collision with the shutter sheet21band resulting in suffering destruction as a result of release of the spring25. Otherwise, the guide pieces211can cushion the collision between the shutter sheets21a,21bfor sliding on the contact pieces223.