Abstract:
A dustproof cover ( 1, 3 ) for covering an electrical connector ( 2, 4 ) includes an upper wall ( 10, 30 ), a bottom wall ( 12, 32 ), a back wall ( 13, 33 ) associated with lateral walls ( 11, 31 ), all of which define a connector receiving room ( 14, 34 ) with an opening. A plurality of ribs ( 15, 16  and  35 ) are arranged on inner surfaces of one or more of walls and protrude into the connector receiving room. The electrical connector is inserted into the connector receiving room through the opening.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates generally to a dustproof cover, and particularly to a dustproof cover protecting an electrical connector effectively. 
     2. Description of Related Arts 
     Docking plug connectors are suitable for the transmission of a signal in case a VTR, TV, CD player, tuner, amplifier, etc. Such a docking plug connector is conventionally equipped with a dustproof structure for preventing dust particles or the like from entering the housing thereof when it is not in use. The prior art has discloses a device comprising a protective cap. The protective cap is a hollow chamber that has a single opening, which fits to cover a connector for preventing the connector from contacting with external members that may damage the connector, and furthermore, preventing the connector from being dirtied by dust particles. However, this dustproof cover becomes looser after a number of push-and-pull of the docking plug connector, for the dustproof cover just enwraps the connector, or another saying: there is small resistance located between the dustproof cover and the connector that the dustproof cover may fall off after a number of push-and-pull of the docking plug connector and it can&#39;t protect the docking plug connector effectively. 
     Hence, an improved dustproof cover is desired. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a dustproof cover for an electrical connector, which protects the electrical connector effectively. 
     To achieve the above object, a dustproof cover for covering an electrical connector includes an upper wall, a bottom wall, a back wall associated with lateral walls, all of which define a connector receiving room with an opening. A plurality of ribs are arranged on inner surfaces of one or more of walls and protrude into the connector receiving room. The electrical connector is inserted into the connector receiving room through the opening. 
     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 DRAWING 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective, assembled view of a dustproof cover and an electrical connector in a first embodiment in accordance with the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the dustproof cover removed from the electrical connector of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective, assembled view of the dustproof cover and the electrical connector in a second embodiment; 
         FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the dustproof cover removed from the electrical connector of  FIG. 3 ; 
         FIG. 5  is a cross-section view of the dustproof cover of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 6  is another cross-section view of the dustproof cover of  FIG. 1 ; and 
         FIG. 7  is a cross-section view of the dustproof cover of  FIG. 3 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
       FIGS. 1-2  and  5 - 6  illustrate a dustproof cover  1  and an electrical connector  2  mating with the dustproof cover  1  according to one embodiment of the present invention. The dustproof cover  1  comprises an upper wall  10 , a bottom wall  12 , a back wall  13  and a pair of lateral walls  11  being vertical to and respectively connecting with the upper, bottom and back walls  10 ,  12 ,  13 . All of the upper wall  10 , the lateral walls  11 , the bottom wall  12  and the back wall  13  are smooth surfaces and especially, junction corners of the lateral walls  11  and the back wall  13  are smooth corners. The upper wall  10 , the lateral walls  11 , the bottom wall  12  associate with the back wall  13  for defining a connector receiving room  14  and defining a connector push-and-pull direction (an end the connector inserted is defined as a back end and the other end the connector pulled out is defined as a front end). The connector receiving room  14  defines a rectangular opening for the electrical connector  2  inserted therethrough. Two first ribs  15  are arranged on the inner surface of the upper wall  10  as well as the inner surface of the bottom wall  12 ; two second ribs  16  are also arranged on each inner surface of the lateral walls  11 . Each first rib  15  comprises a tapered portion  150  having an inclined surface (not labeled) at the front end thereof and a flat portion  151  extending from the tapered portion  150 , along a front-to-back direction, to the back wall  13 . Each second rib  16  comprises an inclined portion  160  at a front part thereof and an engaged portion  161 , shaped in a flat piece, at a back side of the inclined portion  160 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 2 , the electrical connector  2  comprises an insulating housing  20  and a plug end  21  which is partly received in the insulating housing  20  and partly extends out of the insulating housing  20 . The plug end  21  forms a pair of hooks  210  on both sides thereof and guiding slots  211  recessed inward on the upper and lower surfaces thereof. When the plug end  21  of the electrical connector  2  is inserted into the dustproof cover  1 , the first ribs  15  are moveably received in the guiding slots  211 ; the plug end  21  of the electrical connector  2  goes deeper into the dustproof cover  1 , the combination between the first ribs  15  and the guiding slots  211  becomes more and more closely; and finally, the hooks  210  arrive at the engaged portions  162  along a trace formed by the second ribs  16  and engage with the engaged portions  162  for preventing the dustproof cover  1  from falling off from the electrical connector  2 . The dustproof cover  1  effectively prevents the plug end  21  of the electrical connector  2  from contacting with external members that may damage the plug end  21 , and furthermore, prevents the plug end  21  from being dirtied by dust particles. 
       FIGS. 3-4  and  7  indicate another embodiment of a dustproof cover  3  and an electrical connector  4  mating with the dustproof cover  3 . The dustproof cover  3  comprises an upper wall  30 , a bottom wall  32 , a back wall  33  and a pair of lateral walls  31  being vertical to and respectively connecting with the upper, bottom and back walls  30 ,  32 ,  33 . All of the upper wall  30 , the lateral walls  31 , the bottom wall  32  and the back wall  33  are smooth surfaces. The upper wall  30 , the lateral walls  31  and the bottom wall  32  associate with the back wall  33  for defining a connector receiving room  34 . At least a pair of ribs  35  is formed on the inner surfaces of the lateral walls  31 , one facing towards the other. Each of the ribs  35  protrudes therefrom at a same height from one end to the other, which is different from the ribs  15 ,  16 . The height of the rib  35  is also a small height for allowing the electrical connector  4  inserted smoothly therein. The electrical connector  4  comprises an insulating housing  40  and a plug end  41 . The plug end  41  is fixedly received in the dustproof cover  3  in an interference fit manner thereby the ribs  35 , and accordingly, the dustproof  3  is prevented from falling off the plug end  41 . 
     In the two embodiments of this invention, the inner surfaces of the walls form a plurality of ribs  15 ,  16 ,  35 . The dustproof covers  1 ,  3  shield over the plug ends  21 ,  41  of the electrical connectors  2 ,  4  when the electrical connectors  2 ,  4  are not in use. The dustproof covers  1 ,  3  are prevented from dropping off from the plug ends  21 ,  41  of the electrical connectors  2 ,  4  because of the plurality of ribs  15 ,  16 ,  35  formed thereon. The dustproof covers  1 ,  3  prevent the plug ends  21 ,  41  of the connectors  2 ,  4  from being damaged by external members, and furthermore, prevent the plug ends  21 ,  41  thereof from being dirtied by dust particles. 
     While a preferred embodiment in accordance with the present invention has been shown and described, equivalent modifications and changes known to persons skilled in the art according to the spirit of the present invention are considered within the scope of the present invention as described in the appended claims.