Modular electrical connector

Abstract: The present invention provides a modular electrical connector (12) having a shield assembly surrounding the connector, comprising a base (38) and a pair of opposing side walls (40), each one of said side walls being situated along a lateral edge of the base (38) between the front wall (30) and the opened rear end of the shield assembly, a top wall (34), a rear wall section (44, 46), foldable into a closed position wherein the top wall (34) is hingedly connected to the front wall (30) and movable from an open position to a closed position and includes an integral grounding clip (50) extending from a rearward distal end of the top wall (34), and the rear wall section (44, 46) extends from a rear end of at least one opposing side wall. To stack and to mount such connectors to a faceplate by means of latching arms the top wall (34) has an opening (62) for allowing a latching arm access to the connector (12) and a sloped portion (70) downwardly angled extending from the shield opening (62) towards a rear end of the connector.

Description: The present invention relates to a modular electrical connector as defined in claim 1 of the parent application 97 104 294.0-2308. This shield assembly solves the problem to provide a modular electrical connector which is simple to securely assemble in the field. Connectors of this type are often to be stacked and mounted to a face plate by means of latching arms. Document EP-A-0 524 426, on which the preamble of claim 1 is based, discloses a connector having a shield 6 with a cantilever beam 82 to be secured to a housing 4. This problem is solved by a modular connector as defined in claim 1. Brief Description of the Drawings Fig. 1 is a front perspective view of a terminated shielded modular connector of the parent application; Fig. 2 is a rear perspective view of the terminated shielded modular connector of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is an exploded view of the shielded modular connector of Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is a partially assembled view of the shielded modular connector of Fig. 1; Fig. 5 is a rear perspective view of a partially assembled modular connector; Fig. 6 - 9 are partial rear views of a terminated modular connector; and Fig. 10 is a side view of the shielded modular connector according to the invention latchingly engaged to a faceplate. Description of the Preferred Embodiment A shield assembly embodying the concept of the present invention is designated generally by the reference numeral 10 in the accompanying drawings. As can be seen in Figs. 1 and 2, shield assembly 10 is a one-piece stamped and formed housing that substantially surrounds a modular electrical connector 12 which has terminated an electrical cable 14 to provide RFI and EMI shielding. As best seen in Figs. 3 and 4, shield housing 10 is integrally formed to have a front wall 30 with an opening configured to surround a plug receiving opening 18 of an electrical connector 12, a base wall 38 and a pair of opposing side walls 40 positioned on the lateral edges of base 38 between the front wall 30 and the opened rear end of the shield assembly 10 and having upper extensions 42. The front wall 30 of the shield housing includes a pair of wiping tabs 32 which extend to the plug receiving opening 18 of the connector in order to create a continuous ground with the mated plug (not shown). Shield housing 10 further includes a hingedly connected top wall 34 having opposing side walls 36 and a front wall 48 that includes a grounding clip 50 having a pair of crimp tabs 52 at the end of a clip arm 54 extending from the rearward distal end of top wall 34 for engagement with a foil shield sheath 60 of the electrical cable 14 that has been terminated to the modular connector 12. The top wall 34 is movable from an open position to an enclosed position in which grounding clip 50 is bent down adjacent cable 14. The crimping of grounding clip 50 to the foil shield sheath 60 provides continuous common grounding. Shield housing 10 also includes front and rear latch openings 66, 68 that correspond to latching areas on the modular connector 12 for latching the connector to a communication box (not shown) or other assembly. Similarly, shield housing 10 includes top and bottom latch openings 62, 64 which provides access to the means on connector 12 for mounting to latches 74, 76 and 78 on a panel or faceplate as shown in Fig. 10. As best seen in Fig. 3, a standard modular electrical connector has a front end 16 that includes a plug receiving opening 18, a top 20, a pair of opposing sides 24, and a rear end 26 at which an electrical cable 14 is terminated. The modular connector utilized with the present invention terminates the cable 14 by a termination cap 28. As best seen in Fig. 4, shield assembly 10 is preformed into a box-like housing assembly that has a rear opening which in conjunction with the hingedly connected top wall 34 allows for the insertion of modular connector 12 such that the plug receiving opening 18 of connector 12 will correspond to an opening in the front shield wall 30. The method of securing the shield housing 10 to a modular connector 12 is best shown in Figs. 5-9. Fig. 5 shows the connector 12 inserted into the open rear end of shield housing 10 until the front end 16 of connector 12 abuts front wall 30 of shield 10. After the modular connector 12 has been inserted within the shield housing 10, the rear wall sections 44, 46 are folded over the rear end 26 of the modular connector 12. Rear wall section 44 includes a cable support bar 58 which is disposed perpendicularly away from rear wall section 44 and situated such that the folding over of rear wall section 44 behind the inserted connector 12 positions support bar 58 adjacently underneath the terminated cable 14. The grounding clip 50 is then folded down adjacent the foil shield sheath 60 of the electrical cable 14 and crimped around the cable and the cable support bar 58. Finally a crimp ring 56 is inserted around the grounding clip 50 and crimp tabs 52 and crimped thereto. The engagement of the grounding clip 50 to the electrical cable 14 closes the top wall 34 and secures the top wall 34 in an enclosed position around the connector 12. Thus it is seen that in the field the installer merely needs to insert the connector 12 fold over the rear walls to secure the connector within and bring down the grounding clip 50 and crimp it to the cable 14 to securely enclose shield housing 10 around connector 12. The support bar 58 enhances the integrity of the enclosed shield housing 10 by adding protection from the top wall 34 pulling away from the connector 12. As can be seen in Fig. 10, shield housing 10 also includes an angled top wall portion 70 extending from the front of the top latch opening 62 downward towards the front end such that when shielded electrical connectors 12 are mounted to panels such a faceplates 72 in which multiple connectors are mounted on top of each other, angled surface 70 allows for easier insertion and removal of adjacent shielded connectors 12, as well as providing access to the latch 74, 76 by a screwdriver or other prying device (not shown).

Claims: Modular electrical connector (12) having a shield assembly surrounding the connector, comprising a one piece metal housing (10) having a front wall (30), a base (38) and a pair of opposing side walls (40), each one of said side walls being situated along a lateral edge of the base (38) between the front wall (30) and the opened rear end of the shield assembly, a top wall (34), a rear wall section (44, 46), foldable into a closed position wherein the top wall (34) is hingedly connected to the front wall (30) and movable from an open position to a closed position and includes an integral grounding clip (50) extending from a rearward distal end of the top wall (34), and the rear wall section (44, 46) extends from a rear end of at least one opposing side wall, characterized in that the top wall (34) has an opening (62) for allowing a latching arm access to the connector (12) and a sloped portion (70) downwardly angled extending from the shield opening (62) towards a front end of the connector. A shield assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that the sloped portion (70) extends from the front side of the shield opening (62). A shield assembly according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the shield housing (10) has a bottom latch opening (64).

Inventors: BLOCK DALE A, BLOCK, DALE A.
Applicants: PANDUIT CORP, PANDUIT CORPORATION
Application year: 1997
Main classification: H01R13
IPC codes: H01R13