Abstract:
An electrical connector assembly includes an adapter connector ( 10 ), a plug connector ( 20 ), and a pivoting member assembly ( 30 ) assembled between the adapter connector and the plug connector. The adapter connector includes a first connector ( 110 ), a second connector ( 120 ), and a first shell ( 140 ) enclosing on the first connector and the second connector. The plug connector includes a third connector ( 220 ) and a second shell ( 210 ) enclosing the third connector. The pivoting member assembly includes a first pivoting member ( 310 ) assembled on the first shell, a second pivoting member ( 320 ) assembled on the second shell and a third pivoting member ( 330 ) pivotally connected between the first pivoting member and the second pivoting member, wherein the first pivoting member and the second pivoting member are rotatable relative to the third pivoting member to connect/disconnect the adapter connector to/from the plug connector.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0002]    The present invention relates to an electrical connector assembly including an adapter connector and a plug connector, and more particularly to an electrical connector assembly having plural pivoting members connected between adapter and plug housings. 
         [0003]    2. Description of Related Art 
         [0004]    To connect a plug connector to an electronic device generally requires the plug connector to have conforming interface, such as specification and profile, with a socket connector of the electronic device; if the interface does not match, usually an additional adapter connector is needed. The adapter is usually separated from the plug connector when not in use, thus making it easy to get lost. 
         [0005]    U.S. Pat. No. 7,473,141 discloses a transfer plug for a variety of sockets, including an adapter connector and a plug connector. The adapter connector includes an insulating shell having a first and a second connectors, and two arms each having one end pivotally connected to the shell. Another end of the arm is pivotally and slidable connected to the plug connector. The signal plug is pivotable relative to the insulating shell in generally up and down directions, in contrast to a horizontal direction, within a limited range. 
         [0006]    An electrical connector assembly with improved pivoting members is desired. 
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0007]    Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide an electrical connector assembly having improved shell and pivoting members. 
         [0008]    In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, an electrical connector assembly in accordance with the present invention comprises: An electrical connector assembly comprising: an adapter connector having a first connector, a second connector electrically connected to the first connector, and a first shell enclosing the second connector and a rear end of the first connector, a plug connector having a third connector for mating with the second connector and a second shell enclosing a rear end of the third connector; and a pivoting member assembly including a first pivoting member pivotally assembled to the first shell, a second pivoting member pivotally assembled to the second shell, and a third pivoting member pivotally connected at one end thereof to the first pivoting member and at another end thereof to the second pivoting member. 
         [0009]    Other objects, advantages and novel features of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of the present embodiment when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0010]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an electrical connector assembly according to the present invention, in which an adapter connector is assembled with a plug connector; 
           [0011]      FIG. 2  is an exploded view of the electrical connector assembly shown in  FIG. 1 ; and 
           [0012]      FIGS. 3-5  are perspective views of the electrical connector assembly similar to  FIG. 1 , but in which the plug connector is not mated to the adapter connector. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
       [0013]    Referring to  FIG. 1 , a electrical connector assembly  200  in accordance with the present invention comprises a plug connector  20 , a adapter connector  10  used in conjunction with the plug connector  20 , and a pivoting member assembly  30  assembled between the plug connector  20  and the adapter connector  10 . 
         [0014]    Referring to  FIGS. 2 and 3 , the adapter connector  10  comprises a first connector  110  defined on a first end of the adapter connector  10 , a second connector  120  eclectically connected to the first connector  110  and defined on a second end of the adapter connector  10 , and a first shell  140 . The first connector  110  accordance with the present invention may be a plug type or male type connector, the second connector  120  may be a receptacle or female type connector. 
         [0015]    Referring to  FIG. 2 , the first shell  140  includes a first portion  140   a  and a second portion  140   b,  the first portion  140   a  and second portion  140   b  are engaged with each other oppositely forming a receiving space for receiving the first connector  110  and the second connector  120  therein. An end of the first connector  110  is exposed from a front end of the first shell  140 . 
         [0016]    Referring to  FIGS. 2 and 3 , the plug connector  20  includes a second shell  210 , a third connector  220  fixed in a front end of the second shell  210  and exposed from therein, and a cable  230  through a rear end of the second shell  210  and electrically connected to the third connector  220 . When the adapter connector  10  is used, the third connector  220  is electrically connected to the second connector  120 . 
         [0017]    The second shell  210  includes a first portion  210   a  and a second portion  210   b,  the first portion  210   a  and second portion  210   b  are engaged with each other oppositely forming a receiving space for receiving the third connector  220  therein. A front end of the third connector  220  exposes from the second shell  210 . 
         [0018]    Two fixing portions  150  are extended form the first shell  140  and the second shell  210  respectively. A fixing portion  150  includes a first fixing portion  150   a  extended form the first portion  140   a,  and a second fixing portion  150   b  extended form the second portion  140   b  of the first shell  140 . Another fixing portion  150  includes a first fixing portion  150   a  extended from the first portion  210   a,  and a second fixing portion  150   b  extended form the second portion  210   b  of the second shell  210 . A gap  151  is defined on each of the first fixing portion  150   a  and the second fixing portion  150   b  along a first plane which parallel to a mating direction. Each of the first fixing portions  150   a  is parallel to the corresponding second fixing portion  150   b  at intervals. A pivoting hole  152  is defined on each of the first fixing portion  150   a  and the second fixing portion  150   b  therethrough along a second direction which perpendicular to the first plane. 
         [0019]    The pivoting member assembly  30  includes a first pivoting member  310  assembled on the adapter connector  10 , a second pivoting member  320  assembled on the plug connector  20 , a third pivoting member  330  pivotally connected between the first pivoting member  310  and the second pivoting member  320 , and four connecting member  340 . The four connecting member  340  is a pivot shaft or other connecting member for providing pivotally connection. Each of the first pivoting member  310  and the second pivoting member  320  includes two connecting plates  312  parallel to each other. Two through-holes  3121  are defined on opposite ends of the connecting plates  312  respectively. An end of the connecting plates  312  of the first pivoting member  310  are inserted to the gaps  151  of the first shell  140 , each end of a connecting member  340  is passed through a through-hole  3121  of the first pivoting member  310  by inserting into the corresponding pivoting hole  152 , by this way, the connecting plates  312  of the first pivoting member  310  are pivotally connected to the fixing portion  150  of the first shell  140 . An end of the connection plates  312  of the second pivoting member  320  are inserted to the gaps  151  of the second shell  210 , each end of a connecting member  340  is passes through a through-hole  3121  of the second pivoting member  320  by inserting into the corresponding pivoting hole  152 , by this way, the two connection plates  312  of the second pivoting member  320  are pivotally connected to the fixing portion  150  of the second shell  210 . The third pivoting member  330  includes two pivoting plates  332  parallel to each other. Two though-holes  3321  are defined on opposite ends of the pivoting plate  332  respectively. Each end of a connecting member  340  is passed through a through-hole  3321  of the pivoting plates  322  and a corresponding through-hole  3121  of the connecting plates  312 , and thus the first pivoting member  310  and the second pivoting member  320  are pivotally connected by the third pivoting member  310 . 
         [0020]    In this embodiment in accordance with the present invention, the first pivoting member  310  is pivotally assembled to the first shell  140 , the second pivoting member  320  is pivotally assembled to the second shell  210 , thus, the adapter connector  10  can be rotated relative to the first pivoting member  310  in the first plane parallel to the connecting plates  312 , and the plug connector  20  can be rotated relative to the second pivoting member  320  in the first plane. Both ends of the third pivoting member  330  are pivotally connected to the first pivoting member  310  and the second pivoting member  320  respectively so that the first pivoting member  310  may be rotated relative to the second pivoting member  320  in a plane parallel to the pivoting plates  322 . In other embodiments, the first pivoting member  310  can be fixed to the adapter connector  10 , and the second pivoting member  320  can be fixed to the plug connector  20  by other means, such as riveting, screw locks, etc, and then both ends of the third pivoting member  330  are connected to the first pivoting member  310  and the second pivoting member  320  respectively, thus the adapter connector  10  together with the first pivoting member  310  can be rotated relative to the second pivoting member  320 , and the plug connector  20  together with the second pivoting member  320  can be rotated relative to the first pivoting member  310 . In this embodiment in accordance with the present invention, the pivoting connection between the first pivoting member  310  and the third pivoting member  330  and the pivoting connection between the second pivoting member  320  and the third pivoting member  330  are achieved by engagements of two opposite plates and a shaft. 
         [0021]    Referring to  FIG. 1 , when connecting the adapter connector  10  to the plug connector  20 , the second pivoting member  320  is rotated relative to the plug connector  20  to make the third connector  220  and the second pivoting member  320  on a same side of the fixing portion  150  of the plug connector  20 ; the first pivoting member  310  is rotated relative to the adapter connector  10  to make the first pivoting member  310  and the second connector  120  on a same side of the fixing portion  150  of the adapter connector  10 ; and the third pivoting member  330  is rotated relative to the first pivoting member  310  and the second pivoting member  320  respectively to make the third connector  220  on a right position ready to be connected with the second connector  120  of the adapter connector  10 . 
         [0022]    Referring to  FIGS. 3 to 5 , when dismantling the adapter connector  10  from the plug connector  20 , the third pivoting member  330  is rotated relative to the first pivoting member  310  and the second pivoting member  320  to break the adapter connector  10  away from the plug connector  10 ; the second pivoting member  320  is rotated relative to the plug connector  20  to make the second pivoting member  320  and the third connector  220  on opposite sides of the fixing portion  150  of the plug connector  20 . In order to make it easy to connect the plug connector  20  to a socket connector of a electrical device, the third pivoting member  330  can be rotated arbitrarily on the plane parallel to the pivoting plates  322 , and as a result, the adapter connector  10  can be placed on any position beside the plug connector  20 , such as side and rear, as shown in the  FIGS. 4 and 5 . Notably, the first pivoting member  310 , the second pivoting member  320  and the third pivoting member  330  might be pivotally loosely, with somewhat clearances, linked with one another so as to forgive relative displacements among them when the plug connector  20  is mated with the adapter connector  10 .