Abstract:
A hybrid plug connector including an insulative housing defining a cavity to receive an optical fiber assembly therein, and a plurality of passageways to receive a plurality of terminals therein. A printed circuit board is located behind the terminals and connected to the terminals. An electrical cable is mounted to a rear portion of the circuit board. The whole optical fiber assembly is received within the housing and is somewhat back and forth moveable along a front-to-back direction for buffering for compliantly coupling with another optical fiber assembly built within the complementary receptacle connector when the plug connector is inserted into the complementary receptacle connector. An attachment shows the manufacturing process.

Description:
[0001]    This application claims the benefit of, and priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/137,829 filed 03/25/2015 and No. 62/141,259, filed Mar. 31, 2015, the contents of which are incorporated entirely herein by reference. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0003]    The present invention relates to a hybrid connector, and more particularly to a connector with the RJ45 configuration while further equipped with MPO (Multi-fiber Push On) device therewith so as to transmit both electrical and optical signals therein. 2. Description of Related Art 
         [0004]    U.S. Pat. No. 7,326,087 discloses a hybrid connector with the regular RJ45 configuration. The hybrid connector has an insulative housing and two light transmission conductors mounted between a deflectable latch and a plurality of passageways formed on two opposite sides of the housing. 
         [0005]    U.S. Pat. No. 8,708,754 discloses a hybrid connector with the regular RJ45 configuration to transmit both electrical and optical signals. Anyhow, only two optic fibers are available in such a design and no resilient force is provided for assuring coupling between the coupled optical fibers of the mated plug connector and the RJ connector. Therefore, a hybrid connector having the regular RJ45 configuration and further equipped with the MPO device for both electrical and optical transmission is desired. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0006]    Accordingly, the object of the present invention is to provide a hybrid plug connector including an insulative housing defining a cavity to receive an optical fiber assembly therein, and a plurality of passageways to receive a plurality of terminals therein. A printed circuit board is located behind the terminals and connected to the terminals. An electrical cable is mounted to a rear portion of the circuit board. The optical fiber assembly includes a base block with a plurality of upward grooves therein. A cap is pivotally mounted to the base block with a pair of resilient latches on two lateral sides and with a plurality of downward grooves aligned with the corresponding upward grooves in a vertical direction, respectively, so as to cooperate with such upward grooves to commonly form a plurality of through holes after the cap is fastened to the base block. A plurality of ferrules are retained in the corresponding through holes, respectively. A plurality of optical fibers are retained within the corresponding ferrules, respectively. The whole optical fiber assembly is received within the housing and is somewhat back and forth moveable along a front-to-back direction for buffering for compliantly coupling with another optical fiber assembly built within the complementary receptacle connector when the plug connector is inserted into the complementary receptacle connector. 
         [0007]    Another object of the invention is to provide the individual ferrule and the associated optical fiber with buffering instead of the whole optical fiber assembly so as to have the self-adjustment for each individual optical fiber during coupling to the complementary receptacle connector. 
         [0008]    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 
         [0009]      FIG. 1  is a front perspective view of the plug connector according to a first embodiment of the invention. 
           [0010]      FIG. 2  is a front exploded perspective view of the plug connector of  FIG. 1  with the retention clip removed therefrom. 
           [0011]      FIG. 3(A)  is a front exploded perspective view of the plug connector of  FIG. 2  with the optical fiber assembly removed therefrom further. 
           [0012]      FIG. 3(B)  is a rear exploded perspective view of the plug connector of  FIG. 3(A) . 
           [0013]      FIG. 4(A)  is a further front exploded perspective view of the plug connector of  FIG. 3(A)  to expose the electrical contact assembly. 
           [0014]      FIG. 4(B)  is a further rear exploded perspective view of the receptacle connector of  FIG. 3(B) . 
           [0015]      FIG. 5  is a rear perspective view of the optical fiber assembly of the plug connector of  FIG. 4 . 
           [0016]      FIG. 6(A)  is a front exploded perspective view of the optical fiber assembly of  FIG. 5 . 
           [0017]      FIG. 6(B)  is a rear exploded perspective view of the optical fiber assembly of  FIG. 5 . 
           [0018]      FIG. 7  is a rear perspective view of the optical fiber assembly of  FIG. 5  with the cap is pivotally moved away from the base block. 
           [0019]      FIG. 8  is a rear exploded perspective view of the optical fiber assembly of  FIG. 7 . 
           [0020]      FIG. 9  is a vertical cross-sectional view of the plug connector of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0021]      FIG. 10  is another vertical cross-sectional view of the plug connector of  FIG. 1   
           [0022]      FIG. 11  is a horizontal cross-sectional view of the optical fiber assembly of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0023]      FIG. 12  is a front perspective view of the plug connector according to a second embodiment of the invention. 
           [0024]      FIG. 13  is a front exploded perspective view of the plug connector of  FIG. 12  with the retention clip removed therefrom. 
           [0025]      FIG. 14(A)  is a front exploded perspective view of the plug connector of  FIG. 13  with the optical fiber assembly removed therefrom further. 
           [0026]      FIG. 14(B)  is a rear exploded perspective view of the plug connector of  FIG. 13 . 
           [0027]      FIG. 15(A)  is a further front exploded perspective view of the plug connector of  FIG. 14(A)  to expose the electrical contact assembly. 
           [0028]      FIG. 15(B)  is a further rear exploded perspective view of the plug connector of  FIG. 14  (B). 
           [0029]      FIG. 16  is a rear perspective view of the optical fiber assembly of  FIG. 12 . 
           [0030]      FIG. 17  is a rear perspective view of the optical fiber assembly of  FIG. 12  with the cap is pivotally opened. 
           [0031]      FIG. 18  is a rear perspective view of the optical fiber assembly of  FIG. 12  with the opened cap and detached fibers. 
           [0032]      FIG. 19  is a rear perspective view of the detached fibers of  FIG. 18 . 
           [0033]      FIG. 20(A)  is a rear exploded perspective view of the optical fiber assembly of  FIG. 16 . 
           [0034]      FIG. 20(B)  is a rear exploded perspective view of the optical fiber assembly of  FIG. 16  wherein the cap is fully upside-down exposed to an exterior. 
           [0035]      FIG. 20(C)  is a front exploded perspective view of the optical fiber assembly of  FIG. 16 . 
           [0036]      FIG. 21  is a rear perspective view of ferrule the optical fiber assembly of  FIG. 16 . 
           [0037]      FIG. 22  is a cross-sectional view of the optical fiber assembly of  FIG. 16  wherein the cap is slightly pivotally raised upward to show how the cap restrains the spring. 
           [0038]      FIG. 23  is a vertical cross-sectional view of the plug connector of  FIG. 12 . 
           [0039]      FIG. 24  is another vertical cross-sectional view of the plug connector of  FIG. 12 . 
           [0040]      FIG. 25  is a horizontal cross-sectional view of the plug connector of  FIG. 12 . 
           [0041]      FIG. 26  is a vertical cross-sectional view of the plug connector of  FIG. 12  to show how the ferrule is sandwiched between the cap and the base block. 
           [0042]      FIG. 27  is another vertical cross-sectional view of the plug connector of  FIG. 12  to show how the coil springs are retained between the cap and the base block. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
       [0043]    Reference will now be made in detail to the preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
         [0044]      FIGS. 1-11  show a plug connector  10  of the first embodiment for mating with a receptacle connector. The plug connector  10  includes an insulative housing  12  forming an optical mating port  14  and an electrical mating port  16  stacked with each other in a vertical direction. A receiving cavity  15  is formed in the housing  12  and communicates with the optical mating port  14  and the electrical mating port  16 . A resilient latch  18  is unitarily formed on the housing  12  beside the optical mating port  14  and opposite to the electrical mating port  16  in the vertical direction. A plurality of passageways  20  extending along a front-to-back direction, are formed in the housing  12  around the electrical mating port  16 . The contour of the housing  12  is compliant with the RJ-45 receptacle connector. 
         [0045]    An optical fiber assembly  30  includes a base block  32  forming a plurality of through hole  34  extending along the front-to-back direction therein and a plurality of grooves  36  located behind and communicatively aligned with the corresponding through holes  34 . A raised platform  38  is located behind the grooves  36 . A pair of locking pegs  40  are formed on two opposite lateral sides of the base block  32 . A cap  42  is pivotally mounted to the base block  32  and rotatable about the pivotal axis  44 . A pair of deflectable latches  46  are formed on two opposite lateral sides of the cap  42  for locking into the corresponding locking openings  13  in the housing  12 . A pair of locking holes  48  are formed within two opposite lateral sides for engagement with the locking pegs  40  of the base block  32 . A pressing protrusion  50  is formed on an interior surface of the cap  42  for cooperating with platform  38  to forwardly, in the front-to-back direction, abut against a rear ends of the corresponding ferrules  56  which receive the corresponding optical fibers  58  therein. (illustrated later). A metallic plate  52  is attached to a rear end face of the cap  42  with a pair of kicker springs  54  thereon. 
         [0046]    A plurality of ferrules  56  are side by side arranged with one another in a transverse direction wherein each ferrule  56  has a front half portion  561  received within the corresponding through hole  34  while a rear half portion  562  received within the corresponding groove  36 . Notably, as shown in  FIG. 9 , a shoulder structure is formed at a front end portion of each through hole  34  to comply with the similar structure formed on a tip portion of the corresponding ferrule  56  so as to prevent forward movement of the ferrule  56 . On the other hand, the rear end of each ferrule  56  abuts rearwardly against the platform  38  and the protrusion  50  in the front-to-back direction so as to prevent rearward movement of the ferrule  56 . Therefore, the ferrule  56  is retained in the base block  32  in position without relative movement therebetween in the front-to-back direction. A plurality of optical fibers  58  are inserted into the corresponding ferrules  56 , respectively, and further fixed thereto without relative movement therebetween in the front-to-back direction wherein the front tip of the optical fiber  58  is essentially flush with a front tip of the corresponding ferrule  56 . 
         [0047]    An electrical assembly  60  is located below the optical fiber assembly  30  in the vertical direction and includes a printed circuit board  62  with a plurality of terminals  64  connected to a front region and a plurality of wires  66  connected to the rear region. A retaining clip  70  is adapted to be inserted into a corresponding slot  68  in the housing  12  along the vertical direction. 
         [0048]    During assembling, the electrical assembly  60  is forwardly inserted into the receiving cavity  15  from a rear side of the housing  12  to have the corresponding terminals  64  exposed in the electrical mating port  16 , and the optical fiber assembly  30  is forwardly inserted into the receiving cavity  15  from the rear side of the housing  12  to have the front end of the base block  32  slightly protruding out of the front face of the housing  12  so as to have the front tip of the optical fibers  58  exposed to an exterior in the front-to-back direction. At the same time, the deflectable latches  46  are locked within the corresponding locking opening  13  to prevent backward movement of the optical fiber assembly  30  in the receiving cavity  15 . On the other hand, the kicker spring  54  rearwardly abuts against the retainer clip  70  so as to urge the whole optical fiber assembly  30  forwardly. Understandably, the base block  32  and the associated cap  42  are adapted to be back and forth slightly moveable along the front-to-back direction due to the kicker spring  54 , thus resulting in buffering thereof. Notably, as shown in  FIG. 11 , the housing  12  forms a pair of steps  17  rearwardly abutting against the corresponding edge of the side arm  41  of the cap  42  so as to restrict further forward movement of the optical fiber assembly  30  with regard to the housing  12 . Therefore, the optical fiber assembly  30  is allowed to be slightly back and forth moveable along the front-to-back direction in the housing  12  during coupling to the corresponding complementary connector. 
         [0049]    Referring to  FIGS. 12-27 , the plug connector  110  of the second embodiment includes the similar basic structure with the first embodiment disclosed in  FIGS. 1-11  except the additional individual springs are provided for the optical fibers, respectively, for enhancing the respect buffering effect during mating. The plug connector  110  includes an insulative housing  112  forming an optical mating port  114  and an electrical mating port  16  stacked with each other in a vertical direction. A receiving cavity  115  is formed in the housing  112  and communicates with the optical mating port  114  and the electrical mating port  116 . A resilient latch  118  is unitarily formed on the housing  112  beside the optical mating port  114  and opposite to the electrical mating port  16  in the vertical direction. A plurality of passageways  120  extending along a front-to-back direction, are formed in the housing  112  around the electrical mating port  16 . The contour of the housing  112  is compliant with the RJ-45 receptacle connector. 
         [0050]    An optical fiber assembly  130  includes a base block  132  forming a plurality of through hole  134  extending along the front-to-back direction therein and a plurality of upward grooves  136  located behind and communicatively aligned with the corresponding through holes  134 . A plurality of spring receiving slots  138  are located behind and aligned with the corresponding grooves  136  along the front-to-back direction, respectively, for receiving the lower parts of the corresponding coil springs  151  which are associated with the optical fibers  158  illustrate later. A pair of locking pegs  140  are formed on two opposite lateral sides of the base block  132 . A cap  142  is pivotally mounted to the base block  132  and rotatable about the pivotal axis  144 . A pair of deflectable latches  146  are formed on two opposite lateral sides of the cap  142  for locking into the corresponding locking openings  113  in the housing  112 . A pair of locking holes  148  are formed within two opposite lateral sides for engagement with the locking pegs  140  of the base block  132 . A plurality of downward grooves  143  are formed in an undersurface of the cap  132  and aligned with the corresponding upward grooves  136  so as to cooperate with each other to sandwich the corresponding ferrules  156  therebetween (illustrated later). A plurality of partitions  150  are formed behind the downward grooves  143  to provide not only the stopper forwardly abutting against rear ends of the corresponding coil springs  151  but also the space through which the corresponding optical fibers  158  extend, respectively. Notably, a space  145  is formed between the grooves  143  and the partitions  150  in the front-to-back direction for receiving the upper parts of the corresponding coil springs  151 . A metallic plate  152  is attached to a rear end face of the cap  42  with a pair of kicker springs  154  thereon. 
         [0051]    A plurality of ferrules  156  are side by side arranged with one another in a transverse direction wherein each ferrule  156  has a front half portion  1561  received within the corresponding through hole  134  while a rear half portion  1562  received within the corresponding groove  136  wherein a cutout  1563  is formed between the front half portion  1561  and the rear half  1562  for gluing the corresponding optical fiber  158  (illustrated later). Notably, as shown in  FIGS. 23 and 25 , a shoulder structure is formed at a front end portion of each through hole  134  to comply with the similar structure formed on a tip portion of the corresponding ferrule  156  so as to prevent forward movement of the ferrule  156 . On the other hand, the rear end of each ferrule  156  abuts rearwardly against the front end of the coil spring  151  and the rear end of the coil spring  151  abuts against the partitions  150  of the cap  142  in the front-to-back direction so as to prevent rearward movement of the ferrule  156 . Therefore, the ferrule  156  is retained in the base block  132  in position with a slight relative movement therebetween in the front-to-back direction due to the coil spring  151 . A plurality of optical fibers  158  is inserted through the corresponding coil spring  151  and into the corresponding ferrules  156 , respectively, and further fixed thereto, via glues in the cutout  1563 , without relative movement therebetween in the front-to-back direction wherein the front tip of the optical fiber  158  is essentially flush with a front tip of the corresponding ferrule  156 . 
         [0052]    An electrical assembly  160  is located below the optical fiber assembly  130  in the vertical direction and includes a printed circuit board  162  with a plurality of terminals  164  connected to a front region and a plurality of wires  166  connected to the rear region. A retaining clip  170  is adapted to be inserted into a corresponding slot  168  in the housing  112  along the vertical direction. 
         [0053]    During assembling, the electrical assembly  160  is forwardly inserted into the receiving cavity  115  from a rear side of the housing  112  to have the corresponding terminals  164  exposed in the electrical mating port  116 , and the optical fiber assembly  130  is forwardly inserted into the receiving cavity  115  from the rear side of the housing  112  to have the front end of the base block  132  slightly protruding out of the front face of the housing  112  so as to have the front tip of the optical fibers  158  exposed to an exterior in the front-to-back direction. At the same time, the deflectable latches  146  are locked within the corresponding locking opening  113  to prevent backward movement of the optical fiber assembly  30  in the receiving cavity  115 . On the other hand, the kicker spring  154  rearwardly abuts against the retainer clip  170  so as to urge the whole optical fiber assembly  30  forwardly. Understandably, the base block  132  and the associated cap  142  are adapted to be back and forth slightly moveable along the front-to-back direction due to the kicker spring  154 , thus resulting in buffering thereof. Notably, as shown in  FIG. 25 , the housing  112  forms a pair of steps  117  rearwardly abutting against the corresponding edge of the side arm  141  of the cap  142  so as to restrict further forward movement of the optical fiber assembly  130  with regard to the housing  112 . Therefore, the optical fiber assembly  130  is allowed to be slightly back and forth moveable along the front-to-back direction in and with regard to the housing  112  due to the kicker spring  154  during coupling to the corresponding complementary connector. Anyhow, as mentioned before, the optical fibers  158  may further slightly back and forth moveable relative to the base block  132  and the cap  142  due to the individual spring  151 . In brief, in the second embodiment, there are two buffering effects for the optical fiber assembly  130  during coupling to the corresponding receptacle connector.