Audio jack connector

An audio jack connector comprises an insulative housing defining a receiving space for receiving signal contacts and other elements therein. A columnar projection extends from a front mating surface of the housing and a metal bushing is received in the columnar projection. Opposite the columnar projection, a recessed space is formed at the rear side of the housing for receiving a capacitor to filter interference noise from signals transmitted through the connector. Signal contacts and a pair of springs are all received in the receiving space of the housing. A grounding contact is mounted at a front side of the receiving space and makes electrical contact with the bushing. All contacts have soldering elements extending through a bottom of the housing for soldering to a circuit board. A grounding clip comprises a fixing portion received in a corresponding fixing slot in the housing, a connecting portion interconnecting the fixing portion and a resilient arm. The resilient arm comprises a base plate slantwise extending from the connecting portion, and a grounding tip formed at a free end of the resilient arm for electrically contacting a metal panel to discharge static electricity accumulated on the audio jack connector.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
 The present invention relates to an audio jack connector, and particularly 
 to an audio jack connector having a grounding clip for electrically 
 contacting a mating plug connector to discharge static electricity 
 accumulated thereon. 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART 
 A conventional audio jack connector is mounted on a circuit board for 
 mating with an external plug for signal transmission. Related inventions 
 are disclosed in Taiwan Patent Application Nos. 82207507 and 86201643. 
 Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, a conventional audio jack connector 1 has a 
 metal shell 2 and four signal contacts 100, 102, 103, 104. The metal shell
 2 has a mating face 10 for electrically contacting a metal panel (not 
 shown) to discharge static electricity accumulated on the audio jack 
 connector 1. A mating plug 3 is inserted into the audio jack connector 1 
 for electrically contacting corresponding contacts 100 and 103 for signal 
 transmission. The grounding contact 101 is used for conducting static 
 electricity to a circuit board. The signal contact 100 is pressed downward
 after the plug 3 is inserted into the audio jack connector 1 and may 
 become deformed by the action of the inserted plug 3. The mating face 10 
 of the audio jack connector 1 is planar, and the electrical contact 
 between the mating face 10 and the metal panel is not reliable. Therefore,
 static electricity accumulated on the audio jack connector 1 may not be 
 properly discharged and signal transmission between the audio jack 
 connector 1 and the plug 3 may have static interference. 
 Thus, there is a need for an improved audio jack connector to provide 
 reliable signal transmission. 
 BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
 A main object of the present invention is to provide an audio jack 
 connector having a grounding clip for electrically contacting a metal 
 panel to discharge static electricity accumulated on the audio jack, 
 thereby providing efficient EMI shielding. 
 Another object of the present invention is to provide an audio jack 
 connector having a signal contact formed with a rib for strengthening the 
 signal contact and preventing deformation when engaging with an inserted 
 plug. 
 To fulfill the above-mentioned objects, a preferred embodiment of the 
 present invention is an audio jack connector comprising an insulative 
 housing defining a receiving space for receiving signal contacts and other
 elements therein. A columnar projection extends from a front mating 
 surface of the housing and a metal bushing is received in the columnar 
 projection. Opposite the columnar projection, a recessed space is formed 
 at the rear side of the housing for receiving a capacitor to filter 
 interference from signals transmitted through the connector. Three 
 positioning posts are respectively formed in the receiving space for 
 engaging with corresponding receiving holes of a cover. Signal contacts 
 and a pair of springs are all received in the receiving space of the 
 housing. The signal contacts are respectively designated as first contact,
 second contact, third contact, fourth contact and grounding contact. The 
 first and second contacts are mounted in the upper portion of the 
 receiving space. The first contact electrically contacts the second 
 contact by the action of the upper spring. The third contact and the 
 fourth contact are mounted in the lower portion of the receiving space. 
 The third contact has a contacting plate for electrically contacting the 
 fourth contact. The fourth contact has a bent portion and a rib connected 
 to the bent portion for strengthening the bent portion and preventing the 
 fourth contact from becoming deformed. The grounding contact comprises an 
 opening for engaging with the corresponding metal bushing, a folded 
 portion extending from a base portion for engaging with a recessed 
 platform in the front wall, a soldering portion extending from the base 
 portion for soldering on a circuit board, and a positioning tip formed 
 adjacent to the soldering portion for engaging with a receiving slot in 
 the housing. 
 A grounding clip comprises a fixing portion received in a corresponding 
 fixing slot of the housing, a connecting portion connecting the fixing 
 portion with a resilient arm. The fixing portion defines a camber portion 
 for electrically contacting the corresponding metal bushing after 
 assembly. The resilient arm comprises a base plate extending slantwise 
 from the connecting portion, and a grounding tip formed at a free end of 
 the resilient arm for electrically contacting a metal panel to discharge 
 static electricity accumulated on the audio jack connector. 
 Other objects, advantages and novel features of the invention will become 
 more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in 
 conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
 Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4, an audio jack connector 4 is used for 
 connecting with an external plug (not shown) for audio signal 
 transmission. The audio jack connector 4 comprises an insulative housing 5
 defining a receiving space 52 for receiving signal contacts and other 
 elements therein. A columnar projection 500 extends from a front mating 
 surface 50 of the housing 5 and a metal bushing 6 is received in the 
 columnar projection 500. Opposite the columnar projection 500, a recessed 
 space 51 is formed at the rear side of the housing 5 for receiving a 
 capacitor (not shown) to filter interference from signals. Positioning 
 posts 536, 537, 538 and 539 are respectively formed in the receiving space
 52 for engaging with corresponding receiving holes 70 defined in a cover 
 7. Signal contacts 53, 56, 57, 58, 59 and a pair of springs 534, 535 are 
 all received in the receiving space 52 of the housing 5. 
 Referring to FIGS. 4 and 5, the signal contacts are respectively designated
 as first contact 56, second contact 57, third contact 58, fourth contact 
 59 and grounding contact 53. The first and second contacts 56, 57 are 
 mounted in the upper portion of the receiving space 52 and the other ends 
 of the first and second contacts 56, 57 extend downwardly from the 
 receiving space 52 to be soldered to a circuit board. The first contact 56
 is fixed to a rear wall 55 and the second contact 57 is positioned by a 
 positioning post 539 and a front wall 54 of the housing 5. Before 
 insertion of the external plug, the first contact 56 contacts the second 
 contact 57 under a force exerted by the upper spring 534. After the 
 insertion of the external plug, a contacting portion 570 of the second 
 contact 57 is raised, breaking contact with the first contact and 
 electrically contacts the plug. The third contact 58 and the fourth 
 contact 59 are mounted in a lower portion of the receiving space 52. The 
 fourth contact 59 has a bent portion 591 and a solder portion 590. A rib 
 592 connects with the bent portion 591 for strengthening the bent portion 
 and preventing the fourth contact 59 from being deformed. Before the 
 insertion of the plug, the fourth contact 59 is raised by the lower spring
 535 and contacts a contacting plate 580 of the third contact 58. After the
 insertion of the plug, the bent portion 591 is pressed downwardly by the 
 plug and the fourth contact 59 separates from the contacting plate 580. 
 Referring to FIGS. 6 and 7, the grounding contact 53 comprises an opening 
 530 for engaging with the corresponding metal bushing 6, a folded portion 
 534 extending from a base portion 532 for engaging with a recessed 
 platform 540 in the front wall 54. A soldering portion 531 extends from 
 the base portion 532 for soldering on a circuit board, and a positioning 
 tip 533 is formed adjacent to the soldering portion 531 for engaging with 
 a receiving slot 501 of the housing 5. 
 The grounding clip 8 comprises a fixing portion 80 received in 
 corresponding fixing slot 502 of the housing 5, a connecting portion 82 
 interconnecting the fixing portion 80 and a resilient arm 81. The fixing 
 portion 80 defines a camber portion 800 for electrically contacting 
 corresponding bushing 6 after assembly. The resilient arm 81 comprises a 
 base plate 810 extending slantwise from the connecting portion 82, and a 
 grounding tip 811 formed at a free end of the resilient arm 81 for 
 electrically contacting a metal panel to discharge static electricity 
 accumulated on the audio jack connector 4. 
 Thus, the grounding function is reliable and signal transmission quality is
 improved. 
 It is to be understood, however, that even though numerous characteristics 
 and advantages of the present invention have been set forth in the 
 foregoing description, together with details of the structure and function
 of the invention, the disclosure is illustrative only, and changes may be 
 made in detail, especially in matters of shape, size, and arrangement of 
 parts within the principles of the invention to the full extent indicated 
 by the broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are
 expressed.