Abstract:
An electrical connector ( 100 ) adapted for receiving a module body ( 4 ) comprises an insulative housing defining a cavity ( 10 ) for receiving the module body therein, a plurality of contacts ( 2 ) received in the insulative housing and a shielding shell ( 3 ). The shielding shell defines sidewalls ( 31,32 ) surrounding the housing and a pair of T-shaped resilient arms ( 33 ) extending upwards and towards the cavity from two opposite sidewalls. Each resilient arm has at least one pressing portion ( 333 ) extending downwards therefrom to press against the module body.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     1. Field of the Invention  
         [0002]     The present invention relates to an electrical connector, and more particularly to an electrical connector adapted for receiving a module body such as a camera module.  
         [0003]     2. Description of the Related Art  
         [0004]     U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2003/0218873 (Eromaki connector) discloses a conventional electrical connector for fastening a component such as camera module in an electronic device. The fastening structure includes a frame encasing the camera module and having one side substantially open to fit the camera module therein. As clearly shown in  FIG. 3  and described in Paragraph [0030] of the Eromaki prior art, the disclosed fastening structure has a bottom and a plurality of flexible strips close to each other. Each strip is in form of a clasp-like tongue. Some of the strips are formed with hole like openings (Paragraph [0038]) for engaging with bulges on the component for retaining the component therein.  
         [0005]     However, the fastening structure of the Eromaki connector is not firm because the flexible strip is easy to deflect, and thus the component is likely to drop out of the connector due to shock from outside, or the like. Moreover, the Eromaki connector can not achieve desired Electro-Magnet Interference (EMI) suppression because there are a plurality of slots between adjacent strips.  
         [0006]     Hence, an improved electrical connector is desired to overcome the above problems.  
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0007]     It is an object of the present invention to provide an electrical connector, which easily and securely receives a module body therein.  
         [0008]     In order to obtain the objective above, an electrical connector adapted for receiving a module body comprises an insulative housing, a plurality of contacts received in the housing and a shielding shell. The insulative housing defines a cavity for receiving the module body therein. The shielding shell defines sidewalls surrounding the housing and a pair of T-shaped resilient arms extending upwards and towards the cavity from two opposite sidewalls. Each resilient arm has at least one pressing portion extending downwards therefrom to press against the module body.  
         [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]     The features of this invention which are believed to be novel are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. The invention, together with its objects and the advantages thereof, may be best understood by reference to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference numerals identify like elements in the figures and in which:  
         [0011]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an electrical connector according to an embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0012]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the electrical connector with a module body received therein;  
         [0013]      FIG. 3  is an exploded view of the electrical connector with the module body shown in  FIG. 2 ;  
         [0014]      FIG. 4  is another exploded view of the electrical connector with the module body shown in  FIG. 2  taken from a bottom aspect;  
         [0015]      FIG. 5  is a top plan view of  FIG. 2 . 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0016]     In the following detailed description, for purposes of explanation, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the present invention. It will be apparent, however, that the present invention may be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, well-known structures and devices are schematically shown in order to simplify the drawing.  
         [0017]     An electrical connector according to the present invention is applicable to electronic apparatuses such as digital cameras, PDAs (Personal Digital Assistances), PCs (Personal Computers), mobile telephones or the like. In the preferred embodiment illustrated in  FIGS. 1-5 , the electrical connector  100  is used in a mobile handset (not shown) for connecting a camera module  4  to an internal PCB (not shown).  
         [0018]     Referring to  FIGS. 1 and 3 , the electrical connector  100  includes a housing  1  for receiving the camera module  4 , a plurality of contacts  2  received in the housing  1 , and a shielding shell  3  surrounding the housing  10 , which not only prevents the connector from EMI but also retain the module body in the connector  100 .  
         [0019]     Referring to  FIGS. 3-4 , the housing  1  is molded from insulative material and is of squareness frame including two pairs of sidewalls, namely, front and rear walls  11 , left and right walls  12  and a bottom wall  13  jointing said four sidewalls. Said five walls form a cavity  10  with upward open for receiving the camera module  4 . Each sidewall defines a plurality of upright passageways  14  thereon, each of which includes an inner portion  141  along the inner side and a corresponding outer portion  142  along the outer side. The front and rear walls  11  each has two protrusions  112  respectively on two sides therehof.  
         [0020]     Each contact  2  has an inverted-V-shaped base portion  23  retained in the passageways  14 , with an inner section received in the inner portion  141  of the passageway and an outer section having barbs  231  retained in the outer portion  142  of the passageways. Each contact portion  2  further has a contact potion  22  with cam shape on the distal end of the inner section, which slantways extends into the cavity  10 , best shown in  FIG. 1 , and a solder portion  21  extending laterally from the outer section of base portion  23  for being soldered on the PCB.  
         [0021]     Still referring to  FIGS. 3-4 , the shielding shell  3  is made of metal material, and is of squareness frame including four sidewalls, namely front and rear walls  31 , left and right walls  32 . The left and right walls  32  respectively define a T-shaped arm  33  extending upwards therefrom. The front and rear walls  31  respectively define two through slots  311  thereon and two legs  312 . The shell  3  tightly encases the housing  1  by the through slots  311  engaged with the protrusions  112 , best shown in  FIG. 1 .  
         [0022]     Best shown in  FIGS. 1 and 3 , the front and rear sidewalls  31  of the shell  3  vertically rise beyond the tops of corresponding sidewalls of the housing somewhat. Contrarily, the left and right sidewalls  32  stand lower than corresponding sidewalls of the housing, with its top edges located vertically below corresponding top edges of the sidewalls. A connecting portion  331  extends from the middle portion of the top edge of the sidewall  32  and slants inwards. A resilient portion  332  upright extends from another end of the connecting portion  331  opposite said end connected to the sidewall  32 . The resilient portion  332  consists of a central portion  3321  parallel to the sidewall  32  and two end portions  3322  curved inwards at opposite ends of the central portion  3321  for forming an embrace shape. Each end portion  3332  defines a pressing portion  333  extending downward from its bottom edge, close to the distal end thereof. The pressing portion  333  defines an arc-shaped distal end. The connecting portion  331  is approximately ⅓ width of the wall  32  in the front and back direction, and the width of the resilient portion  332  in the front and back direction approximately equals to that of the sidewall  32 , to increase resiliency of the resilient arm  33 .  
         [0023]     Still referring to  FIGS. 3-4 , the camera module  4  includes a lower base portion  42  according to the cavity  10  and a hollow column portion  41  above the base portion. A lens  43  is disposed in the hollow column portion  41 . A plurality of conductive pads  43  is disposed on lower sidewalls of the base portion  42 . A plurality of projections  423  is defined on the bottom side of the base portion  42 , which can align with the circular hole  131  on the bottom wall  13  of the housing  1  to assemble the camera body in the housing.  
         [0024]     In usage, the connector  100  is mounted on the PCB by soldering the contacts  2  and legs  312  to traces on the PCB. In assembling process of the camera module  4  to the connector  100 , the T-shaped arms  33  are deflected outwards by a tool (not shown) firstly, and then the base portion  42  of the camera module  4  is inserted into the cavity  10  until the conductive pad  43  of the camera module  4  engages with the contact portion  22  of the connector for establishing an electrical connection therebetween. Last, remove the tool to make the T-shaped arms  32  resile to have the central portions  3321  thereof resiliently pressing against the outer surface of the hollow column portion  41  and four pressing portions  333  thereof press against the top surface  421  of lower base portion  42  diagonally, best shown as  FIG. 5 . The pressing portions can prevent the camera module  4  from moving in the shell, and they also can extend from top edges of the end portions  3322 .  
         [0025]     It is to be understood, however, that even though numerous, characteristics and advantages of the present invention have been set fourth in the foregoing description, together with details of the structure and function of the invention, the disclosed is illustrative only, and changes may be made in detail, especially in matters of number, 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.