Abstract:
A connector assembly ( 100 ) includes an insulative cover ( 11, 12 ) defining an interior and an exterior, and the insulative cover having at least one platform ( 18 ) disposed outside of the interior thereof; a printed circuit board ( 3 ) located in the interior of the insulative cover; at least one connector ( 2 ) mounted to the printed circuit board; and a conductive member ( 4 ) fixed to the insulative cover, said conductive member ( 4 ) including a main body ( 41 ), an arm ( 42 ) extending forwardly from the main body and a spring finger ( 43 ) formed at a front edge of the arm, the main body supported by the platform, the spring finger contacting the printed circuit board.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0002]    The present invention relates to a connector assembly, more particularly to a connector assembly with improved grounding means. 
         [0003]    2. Description of Related Art 
         [0004]    Nowadays, an electronic device is lower profile and multifunctional. So accessories are attached to the electronic device, such as connector assembly should be transmitting fast, smaller contour, simplified and friendly usage. USB and Audio jack are commonly input/output interfaces for a computer or other consumer device, and those interfaces are commonly mounted to a cage of a computer or other electronic devices and to link with other peripheral devices. CN Pat. No. 1144326 issued on Mar. 31, 2004 to Ko et al. discloses a connector assembly adapted for mounting to a cage of a computer. The connector assembly includes an external cover and two USB connector enclosed in the external cover. Two bolts are assembled to lateral sides of a front side of the external cover, and a conductive pad with a hole therein is threaded and assembled to each bolt and further contacts a metallic shell of the corresponding USB connector to achieve better grounding function. However, relation between the conductive pad and the metallic shell may loose, after the USB connector mates again and again with its counterpart. 
         [0005]    Hence, a connector assembly with improved grounding device is desired. 
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0006]    Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a connector assembly which has reliable grounding means. 
         [0007]    In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, a connector assembly in accordance with present invention comprises an insulative cover defining an interior and an exterior, and the insulative cover having at least one platform disposed outside of the interior; a printed circuit board located in the interior of the insulative cover; at least one connector mounted to the printed circuit board; and a conductive member fixed to the insulative cover, said conductive member including a main body, an arm extending forwardly from the main body and a spring finger formed at a front edge of the arm, the main body supported by the platform, the spring finger contacting the printed circuit board. 
         [0008]    The foregoing has outlined rather broadly the features and technical advantages of the present invention in order that the detailed description of the invention that follows may be better understood. Additional features and advantages of the invention will be described hereinafter which form the subject of the claims of the invention. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0009]    For a more complete understanding of the present invention, and the advantages thereof, reference is now made to the following descriptions taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which: 
           [0010]      FIG. 1  is an exploded, perspective view of a connector assembly; 
           [0011]      FIG. 2  is similar to  FIG. 1 , with a top cover is removed upwardly. 
           [0012]      FIG. 3  is a partially assembled, perspective view of the connector assembly; 
           [0013]      FIG. 4  is an assembled, perspective view of the connector assembly; 
           [0014]      FIG. 5  is top side view of  FIG. 3 , after the top cover is removed away; and 
           [0015]      FIG. 6  is an enlarged view of a conductive member. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0016]    In the following description, numerous specific details are set forth to provide a thorough understanding of the present invention. However, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that the present invention may be practiced without such specific details. 
         [0017]    Reference will be made to the drawing figures to describe the present invention in detail, wherein depicted elements are not necessarily shown to scale and wherein like or similar elements are designated by same or similar reference numeral through the several views and same or similar terminology. 
         [0018]    Referring to  FIGS. 1-6 , a connector assembly  100  in accordance with the present invention comprises an insulative cover, a number of connectors  2 , a printed circuit board  3 , two conductive members  4  and a number of cables  5 . Detail description of these elements and their relationship and other elements formed thereon will be detailed below. 
         [0019]    The insulative cover includes a top cover  11  and a bottom cover  12 . The top cover  11  and the bottom cover  12  together to define an interior and an exterior. There are four grooves  13  located in front segment of the interior of the insulative cover. Every two adjacent grooves  13  are separated by a spacer  16 . Each of the grooves  13  has a front opening  14  which is defined in a front wall (not numbered) of the insulative cover, and a cable outlet  15  is defined in a back side of the insulative cover. Thus, the interior of the insulative cover may ventilate/communicate with the exterior via the front opening  14  and the cable outlet  15 . Inside an interior of the bottom cover  12 , there is a transversal beam  17  formed on a middle segment of an lower wall (not numbered) of the bottom cover  12 , and two latching portions  19  project upwardly from the lower wall of the bottom cover  12  and are arranged in front of the lateral sides of the transversal beam  17 . There are also two bars  121  formed on the lower wall of the bottom cover  12  and disposed behind the two latching portions  19 . Outside the interior of the bottom cover  12 , there are two platforms  18  respectively arranged at two corners of the bottom cover  12 . A notch  181  is located in a back end of a lower portion of each platform  18 . There is a first through hole  182  defined in a middle section of each platform  18 . The platform  18  are disposed outward of a back wall (not numbered) and side walls (not numbered) of the bottom cover  12 , with two passages  120  respectively defined in lateral sides of the back wall. The top cover  11  has similar contour with the bottom cover  12 , and there are two doors  110  extending downwardly from lateral sides of a back wall (not numbered) of the top cover  11  and accommodated in the two passages  120 , respectively. There are also a number of aligning posts  122  formed on the bottom cover  12 . Two locking tabs  111  are arranged on the side walls of the top cover  11  and two clasps  123  extend upwardly from the two side walls of the bottom cover  12 . The clasps  123  engage with the locking tabs  111  so as to keep the top cover  11  and the bottom cover  12  together. 
         [0020]    The connectors  2  are accommodated in the grooves  13 . The connectors  2  includes two audio jacks  26  disposed in juxtaposed manner and two USB connectors  20  respectively arranged at lateral sides of the two audio jacks  26 . Each USB connector  20  includes a terminal module  21  and a metallic shell  22  enclosing the terminal module  21 . The terminal module  21  and the metallic shell  22  together define a mating port  25  exposed in the exterior of the insulative cover via the front opening  14 . The metallic shell  22  has an expanded front end  220  and two rearwardly extended legs  221  apart from each other along a transversal direction. The terminal module  21  has a dielectric body  211  and a plurality of terminals  212  supported by the dielectric body  211 . 
         [0021]    The printed circuit board  3  has a plurality of holes  31  to allow tail portions  2121  of the terminals  212  and legs  221  of the metallic shells  22  passing through. The printed circuit board  3  is erectly disposed and sandwiched between the spacers  16  and the transversal beam  17 . There are two cutouts  32  defined in lateral corners of the printed circuit board  3 . 
         [0022]    Each of the two conductive members  4  is made of metal sheet and includes a main body  41 , an arm  42  extending forwardly from the main body  41  and a spring finger  43  formed at a front edge of the arm  42 . There is an engaging portion  410  protrudes downwardly from a back edge of the main body  41 . Furthermore, there is second through hole  411  defined in the main body  41 . There is positioning cavity  420  defined in the arm  42 . In addition, there are two spring tabs  421  formed at lateral sides of the arm  42 . The spring tabs  421  extend downwardly and rearwardly. 
         [0023]    Each cable  5  has a number of wires (not shown) and are respectively soldered to the tail portions  2121  of the terminals  212 . The cables  5  exit the insulative cover  5  via the cable outlet  15 . 
         [0024]    When assembling, the conductive members  4  are fixed to the bottom cover  12 , with the main body  41  supported by the platform  18 , the engaging portion  410  latching with the notch  181  of the platform  18 , the second through hole  411  aligning with the first through hole  182 . The arm  42  is supported by the bar  121 , the latching portion  19  locked into the positioning cavity  420  of the arm  42 , and the two spring tabs  421  disposed in front of and abutting against the bar  121 . The connectors  2  are mounted to the printed circuit board  3 , with tail portions  2121  of the terminals  212  and legs  221  of the metallic shell  22  passing through the holes  31  of the printed circuit board  3 , therefore, the connectors  2  electrically connected with the printed circuit board  3 . The printed circuit board  3  is mounted to the bottom cover  12 , with the spring finger  43  extending into the cutout  32  of the printed circuit board  3  and contacting an inner side of the cutout  32  so as to form an electrical connection therebetween. In order to achieve better electrical connection, the cutout  32  may be plated with a copper layer. The top cover  11  is assembled to the bottom cover  12 , with the connectors  2  held between the top cover and the bottom cover  12 , the arm  42  sandwiched between the platform  18  and the door  110 . 
         [0025]    The connector assembly  100  is mounted to a cage of a computer, with a corresponding metallic bolt (not shown) threaded the first through hole  182  and the second through hole  411 . Thus, the connector assembly  100  and the cage of the computer forms a grounding line therebetween. 
         [0026]    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 terms in which the appended claims are expressed. For example, the tongue portion is extended in its length or is arranged on a reverse side thereof opposite to the supporting side with other contacts but still holding the contacts with an arrangement indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed.