Abstract:
An electrical connector ( 1 ) has an insulative housing ( 10 ), a plurality of contacts ( 20 ) received in the housing, an inner shell ( 30 ) surrounding the housing and an outer shell ( 40 ) surrounding the inner shell. The connector has a plurality of tabs ( 251, 263 ) extending inwardly therefrom. The tabs are constructed in the cover and bottom of the inner shell and can be latched to a mating connector. The out shell is conjoint to and overlaps the inner shell.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   1. Field of the Invention 
   The present invention generally relates to an electrical connector, and particularly relates to a power connector mounting on a printed circuit board. 
   2. Description of Prior Arts 
   U.S. Pat. No. 6,139,350 discloses a shelled plug-in connector has an insulative housing, which, in the plug-in region, is constructed as a plastic tongue with an essentially rectangular cross-section. The connector has a shroud surrounding the tongue. The connector has two pairs of latching hooks with the hooks of each pair being alongside each other and being offset inwards, which hooks are constructed in the cover and bottom of the shroud and can be latched into recesses of a screening housing of a plugged-in mating connector. The upper side of the plastic tongue has two depressions, into which in each case one of the two upper latching hooks penetrates from above. 
   Obviously, the latching hooks of the shroud result in two pairs of openings opened therein, which not only weaken the shroud integrity but further make the electrical connector fragile. 
   Hence, it is desirable to have an improved electrical connector to overcome the above-mentioned disadvantages of the prior art. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   It is an object of the present invention to provide an electrical connector having an enhanced shroud. 
   In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, an electrical connector in accordance with the present invention has an insulative housing, a plurality of contacts received in the housing, an inner shell surrounding the housing and an outer shell surrounding the inner shell. The connector has a plurality of tabs extending inwardly, which are constructed in the cover and bottom of the inner shell and can be latched to a mating connector. The outer shell is conjoint to the inner shell. 
   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 DRAWING 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an electrical connector in accordance with the present invention; 
       FIG. 2  is a view similar to  FIG. 1 , but taken from a different perspective; 
       FIG. 3  is an exploded, perspective view of the electrical connector of  FIG. 1 ; and 
       FIG. 4  is a view similar to  FIG. 3 , but taken from a different perspective. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
   Reference will now be made to the drawing figures to describe the present invention in detail. 
   With reference to  FIGS. 1 to 4 , an electrical connector in accordance with the present invention is a power jack connector  1  mounting on a printed circuit board (not shown) and comprises an insulating housing  10 , a plurality of contacts  20 , an inner shell  30  and an outer shell  40 . 
   The insulative housing  10  comprises a base portion  11  with an approximately elliptic cross-section, a tongue portion  12  with an approximately elliptic cross-section extending forwardly from the base portion  11  and a mounting portion  13  extending downwardly from the base portion  11 . A plurality of passageways  14  extend through the base portion  11  along a longitudinal direction, and through the tongue portion  12  and the mounting portion  13  along a vertical direction. The mounting portion  13  comprises a recess  15  defined on a front end thereof, a pair of engaging portions  17  defined on opposite sides of a rear end thereof, two board retaining posts  16  extending downwardly therefrom, and a pair of step-shaped retaining sections  19  defined on opposite sides of the recess  15 . A groove  18  is defined between the base portion  11  and the mounting portion  13 . 
   The contacts  20  are L-shaped and received in the passageways  14  of the housing  10 . Each contact  20  defines a mating portion  21  and a terminating portion  22 . 
   The inner shell  30  surrounds the housing  10  and conjoints to the base portion  11  of the housing  10 , and comprises a cover  31 , a bottom  32  and a pair of sides  33  connecting the cover  31  and the bottom  32 . A receiving space  34  is defined between the inner shell  30  and the received tongue portion  12 . A plurality of first tabs  35  extend from the cover  31  and bottom  32  into the receiving space  34 . Each first tab  35  defines a contacting section  351  on a free end thereof. A pair of S-shaped second tabs  36  extend from the sides  33  into the receiving space  34 . Each second tab  36  comprises a first curved section  361  extending inwardly, a second curved section  362  extending outwardly and a contacting section  363  defined on a free end thereof. The bottom  32  further comprises a board retaining leg  37  extending downwardly and a recess  38  defined on a front end thereof. 
   The outer shell  40  substantially encloses and conjoints to the inner shell  30  and comprises a cover  41 , a bottom  42 , a pair of sides  43  connecting with the cover  41  and the bottom  42 , and a rear  44  connecting the cover  41 . A plurality of openings  45  are defined on the outer shell at the corresponding positions of the first and second tabs  35 ,  36 . A pair of engaging arms  48  are formed on opposite sides of the lower edge of the rear  44  and abut against inner sides of the outer shell  40 . A plurality of board retaining legs  47  extend downwardly from the sides  43 . A recess  46  is defined on a front end of the bottom  42 . 
   In assembly, the contacts  20  are inserted into the passageways  14  from the rear end of the housing  10  with the terminating portions  22  extending out of the housing  10 . The base portion  11  of the housing  10  is assembled into the inner shell  30  in a rear-to-front direction. The edge of the recess  38  of the inner shell  30  is received in the groove  18 , and the board retaining leg  37  is received in the recess  15 . The first curved sections  361  of the second tabs  36  abut against the base portion  11  of the housing  10 . The outer shell  40  is assembled to the inner shell  30 , with the edge of the recess  46  being retained between the bottom  32  of the inner shell  30  and the step-shaped retaining sections  19  of the housing  10 . The rear  44  covers the rear end of the housing  10  and the inner shell  30 . The engaging arms  48  mate with the engaging portions  17  for retaining the out shell  40 . The board retaining posts  16 , the terminating portions  22  of the contacts and the board retaining legs  37 ,  47  of the inner and out shells  30 ,  40  all connect with the printed circuit board. 
   In use, the mating complementary connecter (not shown) is received in the receiving space  34  and the contacting sections  351 ,  363  of the first and second tabs  35 ,  36  are respectively latched to the complementary connector for providing a retaining force, which are deformed and extend into the openings  45  of the outer shell  40 . 
   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.