Abstract:
A stacking connector including: a first port for receiving an RJ-45 plug along a front-to-back direction; a second port below the first port for receiving a USB Type-A plug, the second port and the first port being formed on a same insulative housing; and a receiving room formed below the second port for receiving an external USB Type-C connector, the receiving room has an opening running through a bottom surface of the insulative housing

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0002]    The present invention relates to a stacking connector, and in particular to a stacking connector having three connectors which are shielded from each other. 
         [0003]    2. Description of Related Art 
         [0004]    U.S. Pat. No. 7,762,840, issued on Jul. 27, 2010, discloses an upper connector stacked above a lower connector. The upper connector has a housing that defines an open bottomed cavity defining a cavity envelope. The lower connector is separately mountable to a circuit board and has an outer envelope adapted for fitting in the cavity envelope of the upper connector housing. 
         [0005]    U.S. Pat. No. 6,162,089, issued on Dec. 19, 2000, discloses a stacking connector mounted on a mainboard. The stacking connector includes one RJ-45 port and two USB 2.0 ports. The USB 2.0 port includes a tongue portion, a plurality of terminals being insert molded with the tongue portion, and a shielding shell surrounding the tongue portion. An upper plate section of the shielding shell includes a pair of spring tabs which form a hole that leaks electromagnetic ray into the RJ-45 port. 
         [0006]    China Patent No. 204144593, issued on Feb. 4, 2015, discloses an individual USB 3.1 Type-C connector including an integrated metal shell. However, when motherboard manufacturers upgrade a stacking connector with one RJ-45 connector and two USB connectors, they will not provide a stacking connector having two USB 3.1 Type-C connectors because the USB 3.1 Type-C connector in not compatible with a USB 2.0 port or a USB 3.0 port. In order to allow mobile and tablet computers to use USB 3.1 Type-C port, the mobile and tablet computers need to be provided with a USB 3.1 Type-C connector. 
         [0007]    A stacking connector having an improved configuration is desired. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0008]    Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a stacking connector that efficiently arranges multi-ports. 
         [0009]    In order to achieve the object set forth, the invention provides a stacking connector comprising: a first port for receiving an RJ-45 plug along a front-to-back direction; a second port below the first port for receiving a USB Type-A plug, the second port and the first port being formed on a same insulative housing; and a receiving room formed below the second port for receiving an external USB Type-C connector, the receiving room has an opening running through a bottom surface of the insulative housing 
         [0010]    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. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0011]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a USB Type-C connector pre-assembled upon a mainboard; 
           [0012]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of a stacking connector, which set on the USB 3.1 type C connector; 
           [0013]      FIG. 3  is an exploded view of the stacking connector shown in  FIG. 2 ; 
           [0014]      FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the stacking connector shown in  FIG. 2 , which exclude a front shell; 
           [0015]      FIG. 5  is a further exploded view of the stacking connector shown in  FIG. 3 ; 
           [0016]      FIG. 6  is another exploded view of the stacking connector shown in  FIG. 5 ; and 
           [0017]      FIG. 7  is a cross-sectional view of the stacking connector seen in  FIG. 2 , taken along line  7 - 7 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
       [0018]    Reference will now be made in detail to the preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
         [0019]    Referring to  FIGS. 1-7 , a stacking connector assembly comprises a mainboard  200  and a stacking connector  100  mounted on said mainboard  200 , said mainboard  200  pre-set a USB receptacle connector  500 . The stacking connector  100  comprises a first port  11 , a second port  12  located below the first port  11 , and a receiving room  13  opening downward which located below the second port  12 . The first port is used for inserting with a network plug (not shown) in a front-to-back direction, in other words, the first port  11  is a RJ-45 port. The second port  12  is used for inserting with a USB plug (not shown). Preferably, the second port  12  is a USB 3.1 Type-A port, but also can be a USB 3.0 or USB 2.0 Type-A port. For convenience, the following example only describes the second port  12  is the USB 2.0 Type-A port. 
         [0020]    The USB receptacle connector  500  which pre-set on the mainboard  200  is a USB 3.1 Type-C connector. When the stacking connector  100  mounted on the mainboard  200 , the USB receptacle connector  500  received in the receiving room  13 . This setting overcomes the technical problem of the USB Type-C connector and the USB Type-A connector can not stack together due to the different sizes. The stacking connector  100  and the USB 3.1 Type-C connector are manufactured separately, the USB 3.1 Type-C connector is mounted on the mainboard  200 , and then the stacking connector  100  mounted above the USB 3.1 Type-C. It is convenient to manufacture and assemble the stacking connector  100  and the USB 3.1 Type-C connector. 
         [0021]    Referring to  FIGS. 5-6 , the stacking connector  100  further comprises a shielding member  14  which can shield signal interference between the first port  11  and the second port  12 . The shielding member  14  comprises an upper plate section  141 , a pair of side plate sections  142  extends downwardly from opposite sides of the upper plate section  141 , and a rear plate section  143  connected with the upper plate section  141  and the pair of side plate sections  142 . An upper side, a left side and a right side of the second port  12  are surrounded by the upper plate section  141  and the pair of side plate sections  142  respectively. The side plate section  142  includes a protruding portion  1421  used for the shielding member  14  retaining with the second port  12  stably. We should note that a bottom side of the second port  12  is not surrounded by the shielding member  14 . Due to the USB 3.1 Type-C connector which received in the receiving room  13  having a shielding case by its self, the signal interference between the USB 3.1 Type-A connector and the USB 3.1 Type-C connector is shield by the shielding case of the USB 3.1 Type-C connector. Thus, the shielding member  14  should not provide a bottom plate section. 
         [0022]    The upper plate section  141  comprises a pair of spring tabs  1411  stamping in a pair of holes  1412  respectively, said spring tabs  1411  is used for locking with a USB plug. The stacking connector  100  comprises a shielding plate  16  located between the first port  11  and the shielding member, the shielding plate  16  is used for shielding the signal leaked out from the hole  1412  and reducing the signal interference between the first port  11  and the second port  12 . 
         [0023]    The rear plate section  142  sets in a vertical state and has a spacing section  144  extending backward in its bottom surface. The stacking connector  100  comprises a RJ-45 transmission module  20 , said RJ-45 transmission module  20  includes an inner circuit board  201  sets in a vertical state in an up-to-down direction, eight network mating terminals  202  each connecting the inner circuit board  201  in a front side, a number of mainboard connecting terminals  203  each connecting the inner circuit board  201  in a rear side, and a insulative bracket  204  which is used for holding the mainboard connecting terminals  203 . A plurality of transformers  205  mounted on the rear side of the inner circuit board  201  which locates above the mainboard connecting terminals  203 , and a plurality of common mode chokes (not shown) mounted on the front side of the inner circuit board  201  which locates under the network mating terminals  202 . The spacing section  144  is used for limiting the installation location of the RJ-45 transmission module  20  in the front-to-back direction, and thus, the common mode chokes (not shown) have enough pre-set receiving space. 
         [0024]    The network mating terminals  202  connected to the mainboard connecting terminals  203  through the inner circuit board  201 , the transformer  205  and the common mode chokes (not shown), the transformer  205  and the common mode chokes is used for filtering irrelevant signals of the network signal. The transformer  205  can be an isolated transformer or self coupling transformer. A form of the transformer  205  can be a magnetic ring winding with coil, a surface-mounted transformer or a multilayer transformer. The front side of the inner circuit board  201  further comprises a coupling capacitors (not shown) series between the network mating terminals  202  and the mainboard connecting terminals  203 . The inner circuit board  201  can set up Bob-smith terminal (not shown) suitable for grounding. The Bob-smith terminal (not shown) comprises a resistor (not shown) and the capacitor (not shown), the resistor (not shown), the capacitor (not shown) and the coupling capacitor are all surface-mounted structure. 
         [0025]    Referring to  FIGS. 4-5 , the stacking connector  100  comprises an insulative housing  15 , the insulative housing  15  includes an interval wall  151  setting between the first port  11  and the second port  12 . The shielding plate  16  located between the interval wall  151  and the shielding member  14 , the shielding plate  16  could take out forward from the insulative housing  15  in the front-to-back direction. The first port  11  and the second port  12  are consist of the same insulative housing  15 , of course the USB 3.1 Type-A connector also can be made solely which have a receiving room  13  for receiving the USB 3.1 Type-C connector, and then the USB 3.1 Type-A connector is assembled to the insulative housing of the RJ-45. The first port  11  and the second port  12  consist of the same insulative housing  15  means the RJ-45 connector and the USB 3.1 Type-A connector have the same insulative housing  15 , and the receiving room  13  also formed by the insulative housing  15 . Thus, that can reduce the processing assembly processes and reduce production costs. 
         [0026]    The shielding plate  16  comprises a horizontal section  161  extending in the front-to-back direction and a pair of side arm sections  162  extending downwardly form opposite sides of the horizontal section  161  respectively. The horizontal section  161  comprises at least one first bump  163  cooperating with the interval wall  151  for enhancing the binding force between the horizontal section  161  and the insulative housing  15 . 
         [0027]    Referring to  FIGS. 5-6  and  FIG. 1 , the stacking connector  100  further comprises a metal shell  17  covering the insulative housing  15 , the metal shell  17  comprises a front shell  171  and a rear shell  172  locking with the front shell  171 . The front shell  171  comprises three spring sheets, said three spring sheets includes two locking sheets  1711  locked with the USB plug and one enhancing sheet  1712  located between the two locking sheets  1711  increasing the retaining force between the front shell  171  and the USB plug. The rear shell  172  comprises two opposite side sheets  1721  and a rear sheet  1722  located between the two side sheets  1721  connecting with said two side sheets  1721 . The inner circuit board  201  includes two opposite electric notches  2011 , each side sheet  1721  includes a grounding section  1723  that project inward to connect with the electric notches  2011 . The inner circuit board  201  includes a electric pad  2012  located on the rear side, the rear sheet  1722  comprises a rear grounding section  1724  extending inward to connect with the electric pad  2012 . The front shell  171  further comprises a pair of spring arms  1713  extending into the receiving room  13 , the USB receptacle connector  500  comprises a shell  501  having a pair of tabs  5011  connecting with the spring arm  1713 . Said spring arm  1713  located inside of the tab  5011  and elastic abuts on the tab  5011  for grounding reliably. 
         [0028]    Referring to  FIGS. 4-7 , the side arm section  162  of the shielding plate  16  comprises a second bump  164  cooperating with the side sheet  1721  of the rear shell  172  for earth connecting. The USB 3.1 Type-C connector which inserted in the second port  12  comprising a tongue portion  181  and nine terminals  182  received in the tongue portion by injection molding. The stacking connector  100  further comprises a LED which used for indicating the communication status of the RJ-45 connector. 
         [0029]    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 members in which the appended claims are expressed.