Electrical connector

Abstract: An electrical connector includes an insulating housing (300) has an annular recess (330) which extends rearwardly from a front end thereof and a U-shaped recess (318) extends forwardly form a rear end (317) thereof. An U-shaped hood member (100) is inserted into the U-shaped recess (318) and has a plurality of attaching members (120) with a free contact end (121) and a plurality of first cantilever contacts (110) for contact with a metal shield provided on an inside of a mating shell member (50). A shield member (10B) has a cylindrical wall fitted into the annular recess (330) and a plurality of contact lugs (11) extend outwardly in radial directions from a front edge thereof. The shield member (10B) has a plurality of second cantilever contacts (12) bent inwardly and then outwardly to form an inward projection for contact with a metal shield (52) provided on an outside of the mating shell member (50).

Description: The present invention relates to shielded electrical connectors. Japanes U.M. Patent Application Kokai No. 61-184,285 discloses an electrical connector which includes an insulating housing having an annular recess extending rearwardly form the front end for receiving the shell member of a mating connector. A shield member fitted in the annular recess has cantilever contact members with a spring free end for contact with a metal shield provided on the inside of the mating shell member and a leg member extending through the rear slit of the insulating housing for attachment to a printed circuit board. With the above electrical connector, however, it is impossible to make a shield connection when the metal shield is provided on the outside of a mating shell member. In addition, the metal from which the cantilever contacts and the shield member are formed is so thin that the contacts are liable to deformation upon plugging in or out of the mating connector. Moreover, the materials of the insulating housing and the shield member are so weak that the mating end of the insulating housing and the front end of the shield member are liable to damage upon plugging in or by an impact applied from the outside. Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an electrical connector which is able to make a shield connection with a mating connector no matter whether the metal shield is provided on the inside or outside of the mating shell member. It is another object of the invention to provide an electrical connector having contact members which are free of deformation by an excess load which can be applied upon plugging in or out. The known EP-A-0 118 168 comprising an electrical connector with an insulating housing having an annular recess extending rearwardly from a front end thereof. A shield member has a cylindrical wall fitted into the annular recess, and a plurality of contact lugs extending outwardlly in radial directions from a front edge thereof whereby the shield member has a plurality of cantilever contacts bent inwardly and then outwardly forming an inward projection for contact with a metal shield provided on an outside of a mating sell member. According to the invention, the above object is achieved with the features of claim 1. Preferred embodiments of the invention are mentioned in the subclaims. It is advantageons to provide a plurality of cantilever contacts on either side thereof having a spring free end for contact with the metal shield provided on the shell member of a mating connector, and a leg member for connection with a shield circuit of a printed circuit board; and an end face protection member made from a metal sheet to cover the front end of the insulating housing. According to the invention, the cantilever contacts on either side are able to make a shield contact with the metal shield which is provided on either the inside or outside of a mating shell member. The free end bent away form the mating shell member permits easy insertion of the mating shell member. The central opening of the end face protection member restricts radial movement of the mating shell member so that cantilever contacts are protected from deformation by excessive load which can be applied upon plugging in or out of the mating connector. Other objects, features, and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. FIG 1 is a partially cutaway, expoded perspective view of an electrical connector according to another embodiment of the invention; Fig 2 is a perspective view of a metal hood useful for the electrical connector of FIG. 1; and Fig 3 is a perspective view of a shield member useful for the electrical connector of FIG. 1. FIGS. 1 - 3 show an electrical connector according to an embodiment of the invention, in which a mating connector is plugged in a direction parallel to the printed circuit board. This electrical connector includes a shield member 10B, a metal hood member 100, an end face protection member 20B, an insulatin housing 300, and contacts 40B. As best shown in FIG. 3, the shield member 10 B is made by stamping and forming a spring metal thin sheet in the form of a cylinder. A plurality of contact lugs 11 extending outwardly in radial directions from the front edge of the shield member 10 B for engagement with radial recesses 314 (Fig. 1) which are provided on the front surface 313 of a front section 311 of the insulating housing 300. A plurality of catilever contacts 12 are provided on the circumferential surface for contact with the metal shield of a mating connector. This cantilever contact is made by punching out substantially C-shaped pieces and bending inwardly and then outwardly. A leg member (not shown) extends downwardly for connection to a grounding circuit (not shown). The metal hood member 100 is made by stamping and forming a spring metal sheet so as to have a pair of contact members 110 and a pair of attaching members 120 for securing the insulating housing 300 to a printed circuit board (not shown). The contact member 110 is bent so as to have an L-shaped longitudinal section with a free end 111 for contact with the metal shield provided on the inside of the shell member of a mating connector. A slot 112 is provided in the finger member 110 in order to improve the spring property. A projection 113 is provided on the rear inner side of the contact member 110 to engage with the insulating housing thereby preventing the hood member 100 from falling off from the insulating housing 300. A latch lance 131 is provided on the front edge of an intermediate section 130, which connects the contact member 110 and the attaching member 120, to be pushed into a latch slot (not shown) on the rear section of the insulting housing. The attaching section 120 has a contact end 121 to be inserted into a latch slot of the insulating housing 300 for contact with the contact section 23B of the latch lance 22B of an end fache protection member 20B and a projection 122 for preventing the hood member form falling off from the insulating housing. A leg member 123 extends downwardly from the attaching section 120 for insertion into the attaching slot of a printed circuit board and has a projection 124 for engagement with the inside wall fo the attaching slot. This leg member 123 is soldered to the grounding circuit of the PCB. A flange 125 extends inwardly from the lower edge of each attaching member 120 for supporting the rear section of the insulatinng housing 300. A top portion 140 of the hood member 100 connects a pair of the intermediate sections 130 to form a U-shaped rear section as a whole. The end fache protection member 20B has a square shape substantially identical with that of the front end of the insulating housing 300. The lower latch lance 22B has the contact member 23B for contact with a free end 121 of the attaching member 120 of the metal hood 100 for shielding. The end face portion member 20B is made by stamping and forming a relatively thick metal sheet. Two pairs of upper lance members 22 extend downwardly from opposite two sides of the end face portion member 20 for insertion into latch slots 37. These lance members are made so that the end face portion member 20 is detachable from the insulating housing by means of simple extracting tool.

Claims: An electrical connector comprising an insulating housing (300) having an annular recess (330) extending rearwardly from a front end (315) thereof and a U-shaped recess (318) extending forwardly from a rear end (317) thereof; a U-shaped hood member (100) which is inserted into said U-shaped recess (318) and has a plurality of attaching members (120) with a free contact end (121) and a plurality of first cantilever contacts (110) for contact with a metal shield provided on an inside of a mating shell member (50); a shield member (10B) having a cylindrical wall fitted into said annular recess (330); said shield member (10B) has a plurality of second cantilever (12) contacts bent inwardly and then outwardly forming an inward projection for contact with a metal shield (52) provided on an outside of said mating shell member; and an end face protection member (20B) to cover a front end of said insulating housing (300), a plurality of contact lugs (11) extending outwardly in radial directions from a front end of said shield member (10B), and said end face protection member (20B) coming in contact with said contact lugs (11) and said end face protection member (20B) having a plurality of first latch lances (22) for engagement with a plurality of latch slots (315) on a front end (313) of said insulating housing (300) and a plurality of second latch lances (22B) each having a contact member (23B) for contact with said free contact end (121). The electrical connector of claim 1, wherein said plurality of cantilever contacts (110, 12) having a spring free end for contact with said metal shield (52) provided on said shell member (50) of said mating connector.

Inventors: KAWAI MITSURU, SASAKI YOSHIHIRO, YOSHIDA MASARU, KAWAI, MITSURU, SASAKI, YOSHIHIRO, YOSHIDA, MASARU
Applicants: HIROSE ELECTRIC CO LTD, HIROSE ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
Application year: 1989
Main classification: H01R13
IPC codes: H01R13