Connecting module

A connecting module includes a single housing including a front end, a first receiving hole and at least one second receiving hole. The first receiving hole is formed on the front end. The profile of the first receiving hole is used to receive a first external connecting plug. The second receiving hole is formed on the front end. The profile of the second receiving hole differs from that of the first receiving hole and is used to receive a second external connecting plug. The first and second receiving holes are arranged in a horizontal array.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The invention relates to a connecting module, ad in particular relates to a connecting module providing two receiving holes with different profiles and arranged in a horizontal array.

2. Description of the Related Art

With the rapid progress in information technology and the popularity of electronic devices, various computing systems, such as computers and the Internet, and related peripheral devices have been correspondingly developed, to facilitate the speed of retrieving data acquired from other places in the world.

Connectors, such as a RJ-45 connector, and a Universal Serial Bus (USB) are conventionally considered as the requirements for a computer to connect to the Internet and electronic devices, in particular, USB provides a better solution to easily connect several different electronic devices at the same time. In other devices such as X-Box or PS2, modem, Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line (ADSL), Very High Data Rate Digital Subscriber Line (VDSL), or other Digital Subscriber Line (DSL), connectors and USB are also essential requirements for data transmission.

InFIG. 1, a RJ-45 connector10and a USB20are two individual elements disposed on a circuit board30. The RJ-45 connector10and the USB20, however, are spaced from each other at an undesired distance and needed to be installed on the circuit board30by different processes. Thus, time and cost cannot be decreased and volume of the electronic device cannot be reduced.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention provides a connecting module for receiving a first external connecting plug and a second external connecting plug. The connecting module includes a first external connecting plug, a second external connecting plug, a single molded housing with a front end, and a first receiving hole and at least one second receiving hole, a first port disposed in the single molded housing and exposed by the first receiving hole to connect to the first external connecting plug, and at least one second port disposed in the single molded housing and exposed by the second receiving hole to connect to the second external connecting plug. The first and second receiving holes are formed on the front end. The profile of the first receiving hole is used to receive the first external connecting plug. The profile of the second receiving hole is different from that of the first receiving hole. The second receiving hole is used to receive the second external connecting plug. The first and second receiving holes are arranged in a horizontal array.

The first port is disposed in the single molded housing by embedding, engaging, bonding, welding, clicking, contacting, or integrally formed on the single molded housing. The first external connecting plug can be a RJ-11, RJ-12 or RJ-45 connector. The second port is disposed in the single molded housing by embedding, engaging, bonding, welding, clicking, contacting, or integrally formed with the single molded housing. The second external connecting plug can be a Universal Serial Bus (USB) plug with different structure or type.

In comparison with the related art, distance between the first and the second receiving holes of the invention can be narrowed, and the different receiving holes of the connecting module can be applied to a portable computer, X-Box or PS2, modem, Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line (ADSL), Very High Data Rate Digital Subscriber Line (VDSL), or other Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) in a single step during the production process, to decrease required labor and time.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

InFIG. 2, a connecting module100A of the first embodiment includes a single molded housing101a, a plurality of legs100g1disposed on the single molded housing101aand utilized to connect to an external circuit board (not shown), a first port102pis disposed in the single molded housing101a, and a second port103pis disposed in the single molded housing101a. The single molded housing101aincludes a front end1010a, a first receiving hole102aformed on the front end1010a, and a second receiving hole103aformed on the front end1010a. The profiles of the first and second receiving holes120aand103aare continuous and closed. The first port102pis disposed in the single molded housing101aand is exposed to outside by the first receiving hole102a, and the second port103pis disposed in the single molded housing101aand is exposed to outside by the second receiving hole103a. That is, the first port102pand the second ports103pare integrally formed in the single molded housing101a. The profile of the first receiving hole102ais used to receive a first external connecting plug C1when the first external connecting plug C1is connected to the first port102p. The profile of the second receiving hole103ais different from that of the first receiving hole102a. The profile of the second receiving hole103ais used to receive a second external connecting plug C2when the second external connecting plug C2is connected to the second port103p. Thus, the received first and second external connecting plugs C1and C2are connected to the external circuit board via the legs100g1.

The first port102pis disposed in the single molded housing101aby embedding, engaging, bonding, welding, clicking, contacting, or integrally formed on the single molded housing101a. In this embodiment, the first port102pis a RJ port and the second port103pis a Universal Serial Bus (USB) port, the first external connecting plug C1can be a RJ-11, RJ-12 or RJ-45 connector, and the second external connecting plug C2is a Universal Serial Bus (USB) plug. The second receiving hole103ais formed in the single molded housing101aby embedding, engaging, bonding, welding, clicking, contacting, or integrally formed with the single molded housing101a. The material of the single molded housing101ais selected from plastic, metal, alloy, stainless or ceramic.

InFIG. 3, a connecting module100B of the second embodiment is used for receiving a first external connecting plug C1and a second external connecting plug C3to an external circuit board (not shown). The connecting module100B includes a single molded housing101b, a plurality of legs100g2disposed on the single molded housing101bto connect to the external circuit board, a first port102p1disposed in the single molded housing101b, and two second ports103p1disposed in the single molded housing101b. The single molded housing101bincludes a front end1010b, a first receiving hole102bformed on the front end1010bfor receiving the first external connecting plug C1, and two second receiving holes103bformed on the front end1010bfor receiving the second external connecting plug C3. The profiles of the first and second receiving holes120band103bare continuous and closed.

The first port102p1is disposed in the single molded housing101band is exposed to outside by the first receiving hole102b, and the second ports103p1are disposed in the single molded housing101band are exposed to outside by the second receiving holes103b. That is, the first port102p1and the second ports103p1are integrally formed in the single molded housing101b. The first receiving hole102bof the connecting module100B has the same structure as the first receiving hole102aof the connecting module100A of the first embodiment. In this embodiment, the first port102p1is a RJ port and the second ports103p1are Universal Serial Bus (USB) ports. The profile of the first receiving hole102bis different from that of the second receiving hole103b, and the first and second receiving holes102band103bare arranged in a horizontal array. The adjacent second receiving holes103bare arranged in a perpendicular array. The material of the single molded housing101bis selected from plastic, metal, alloy, stainless or ceramic. When a RJ plug and a USB plug are received by the first port102p1and the second ports103p1, respectively, the received RJ plug and the USB plug are thus connected to the external circuit board via the legs100g2.

In comparison with the related art, the distance between the first and the second receiving holes of the invention can be narrowed, and the different receiving holes of the connecting module can be applied to a portable computer, X-Box or PS2, modem, Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line (ADSL), Very High Data Rate Digital Subscriber Line (VDSL), or other Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) in a single step during the production process, to decrease required labor and time. Particularly, the connecting module of the invention is suitable for small-size and thin electronic devices, as it can help to decrease volume and weight of the electronic device.