Abstract:
An electrical connector comprises an insulative housing with a base portion and a tongue portion extending forwardly form the base portion, a plurality of contacts retained in the insulative housing and a shell surrounding the tongue portion to form a mating port. The shell has two side walls located at two sides of the mating port, and at least one side walls forming a detecting pad. A detecting contact is retained in the insulative housing and aligned with the detecting pad, and the detecting contact has a detecting arm extending forwardly. The side wall further has a bridge behind the detecting pad, the bridge and the detecting pad both protrude beyond the side wall to form a room therebetween, the room is beside the mating port and communicates with the mating port, and the detecting arm is received in the room and partly protrudes into the mating port.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0002]    The present invention relates to an electrical connector, more particularly to an electrical connector with detecting terminals for detecting different plugs inserted therein. 
         [0003]    2. Description of Related Art 
         [0004]    China patent issue No. CN202231226U, issued on May, 23, 2012, discloses a conventional electrical connector including an insulative housing, a plurality of contacts retained in the insulative housing, a shell attached to the insulative housing, an insulative arm insert-molding on a side of the insulative housing and a detecting contact retained in the insulative arm. The insulative housing has a tongue portion. The shell surrounds the tongue portion to form a mating cavity. The shell has two side walls. One of the side walls has a detecting arm tore from the side wall. The detecting arm has a resilient arm extending forwardly and an engaging portion at a free end of the resilient arm. The detecting contact retained in the insulative arm, has a contacting portion cantilevered outside of the side wall of the shell. To form such structure, more materials is needed to make the electrical connector and the detecting contact located outside of the side wall makes a much more big size of the electrical connector. 
         [0005]    Hence, an improved electrical connector with improved structure is needed to solve the problem above. 
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0006]    An electrical connector comprises an insulative housing having a base portion and a tongue portion extending forwardly form the base portion. A plurality of contacts are retained in the insulative housing; A shell surrounds the tongue portion to form a mating port and has two side walls located at two sides of the mating port, at least one of the side walls forming a detecting pad. A detecting contact is retained in the insulative housing and located corresponding to the detecting pad, each of the detecting contact has a detecting arm extending forwardly. wherein the side wall further has a bridge behind the detecting pad, the bridge and the detecting pad both protrude beyond the side wall to form a room therebetween, and the room is located beside the mating port and communicates with the mating port, the detecting arm is received in the room and partly protrudes into the mating port. 
         [0007]    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 
         [0008]    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: 
           [0009]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an electrical connector according to the present invention; 
           [0010]      FIG. 2  is a partially exploded, perspective view of the electrical connector; 
           [0011]      FIG. 3  is a similar view to  FIG. 2 , but taken from another aspect; 
           [0012]      FIG. 4  is a view of the electrical connector with its shell removed and two detecting terminals separated from an insulactive housing; 
           [0013]      FIG. 5  is an exploded, perspective view of the electrical connector; 
           [0014]      FIG. 6  is a similar view to  FIG. 5 , but taken from another aspect; 
           [0015]      FIG. 7  is a cross-sectional view of the electrical connector taken along line  7 - 7  of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0016]      FIG. 8  is a similar view to  FIG. 7  to show a state when an USB PD (Power Deliver) plug is inserted into; 
           [0017]      FIG. 9  is a similar view to  FIG. 8  but show a Standard USB plug is inserted into. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
       [0018]    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. In other instances, well-known circuits have been shown in block diagram form in order not to obscure the present invention in unnecessary detail. For the most part, details concerning timing considerations and the like have been omitted inasmuch as such details are not necessary to obtain a complete understanding of the present invention and are within the skills of persons of ordinary skill in the relevant art. 
         [0019]    Please referring to  FIGS. 1-9 , an electrical connector  100  with a mating port same as the standard USB 3.0 receptacle, can mate with a standard USB 3.0 plug or a USB Power Delivery plug which can deliver a big power beyond  2 A. The electrical connector  100  can detect said two plugs respectively as their insertion into thereof The electrical connector  100  includes an insulative housing  1 , a plurality of contacts  2  retained in the insulative housing  1 , a shell  3  enclosing the insulative housing  1  and a plurality of detecting contacts  4  assembled to the insulative housing  1 . 
         [0020]    Please reference to  FIGS. 1-6 , the insulative housing  1  includes a base portion  11 , a tongue portion  12  assembled to the base portion  11  along a front-to-back direction and a spacer  13  retained in a back side of the base portion  11 . The base portion  11 , the tongue portion  12  and the shell  3  form a mating port  10  together. The base portion  11  includes a main body  110  and a supporting plate  111  extending forwardly from a bottom side of the main body  110 . The main body  110  has a front face  112 , a rear face  113  opposite to the front face  112 , a first receiving slot  114  partly extending backwardly through the main body  110  from the front face  112  in a transverse direction, two second receiving slots  115  extending downwardly and laterally from two sides of the first receiving slot  114  and communicating with the first receiving slot  114 , two side portions  116  located outside of the two second receiving slots  115 , respectively, and a top portion  117  located above the first receiving slot  114 . The base portion  11  further defines a plurality of first retaining slots  118  extending through the main body  110  and communicating with the first receiving slot  114  and a plurality of second retaining slots  119  sandwich between the two second receiving slots  115 . 
         [0021]    The side portions  116  extend beyond the rear face  113  and a receiving cavity  1130  is formed therebetween. An inner wall of the side portion  116  has a block  1161 , a locking slot  1162  depressing thereon and communicating with the second receiving slot  115 , and a protrusion  1163  protruding into the receiving cavity  1130 . The base portion  11  further has two addition portions  1164  located outside of the two side portions  116  respectively for retaining the detecting contacts  4 . Two T-shaped slots (not labeled) formed between the two side portions  116  and the two addition portions  1164  for positing the detecting contacts  4 , and each of the T shaped slots includes a first slot  1165  extending transversely and a second slot  1166  extending vertically and communicating with the first slot  1165 . 
         [0022]    The tongue portion  12  has a plate  121  and a retaining portion  122  retained in the second receiving slot  115 . A rear end of the plate  121  is received in the first receiving slot  114 . The tongue portion  12  has a top surface  123 , a bottom surface  124  opposite to the top surface  123 , a mating face  125  located in a front end of the plate  121  and two side surfaces  126 . The plate  121  has a plurality of first receiving grooves  127  extending in a front-to-back direction and a plurality of second receiving grooves  128  located in front of the first receiving grooves  127 . The retaining portion  122  has a pair of locking arms  1221  extending from a rear end thereof to lock with the locking slot  1162  and two locking portions  1222  set at a free end of the locking arms  1221  respectively. 
         [0023]    The plate  121  further comprises a first notch  1261  depressing from one side surface  126  and a second notch  1262  depressing from another side surface  126 . The first notch  1261  is closed to the front face  112  of the base portion  11  while the second notch  1262  is closed to the mating face  15  of the plate  121 . 
         [0024]    Please reference to  FIGS. 5-6 , the contacts  2  include a plurality of first contacts  21  and a plurality of second contacts  22  positioned in the insulative housing  1 . Each of the first contacts  21  has a first connecting portion  212  received in the first receiving groove  127 , a first contacting portion  211  resiliently extending into the mating port  10 , a first positioning portion  213  retained in the second retaining slot  119  and a first soldering portion  214  extending vertically from the first positioning portion  213 . 
         [0025]    The second contacts  22  are inserting-molded in the tongue portion  12 . Each of the second contacts  22  includes a second positioning portion (not labeled) inserting-molded in the tongue portion  12 , a second contacting portion  221  shaped as a flat piece extending from a front end of the second positioning portion and received in the second receiving groove  128 , a second posting portion  223  extending backwardly from another end of the second posting portion  223  to be received in the first retaining slot  118  and a second soldering portion  224  extending vertically from the second positioning portion  223 . The first contacting portions  211  and the second contacting portions  221  are arranged in two lines respectively along a front-to-back direction. 
         [0026]    Please refer to  FIGS. 2-3  and  5 - 6 , the detecting contacts  4  include a first detecting terminal  41  retained in the T shaped slot of the base portion  11  and a second detecting terminal  42  retained in another T shaped slot of the base portion  11 . The first detecting terminal  41  is used for detecting whether an USB PD plug for transmitting a big power of  2 A is inserted into, while the second detecting terminal  42  is used for detecting whether a standard USB plug is inserted into. Refer to  FIG. 5 , the first detecting terminal  41  has a first retaining portion  412  vertically received in the second slot  1166  at one side of the side portion  116 , a first horizontal portion  411  retained in the first slot  1165 , a first soldering leg  413  extending from the first retaining portion  412  and beyond the second slot  1166 , and a first detecting arm  410  extending into the mating port  10  from the first horizontal portion  411 . The second detecting terminal  42  has a second retaining portion  422  vertically received in the second slot  1166  at another side of the other side portion  116 , a second horizontal portion  421  retained in the first slot  1165 , a second soldering leg  423  extending from the second retaining portion  422  and beyond the second slot  1166 , and a second detecting arm  420  extending into the mating port  10  from the second horizontal portion  421 . 
         [0027]    Please refer to  FIG. 4 , the first detecting arm  410  includes a first extending portion  4101  forwardly extending from the horizontal portion  411 , an inclined portion  4102  forwardly and outwardly extending from the first extending portion  4101 , a first engaging portion  4104  protruding into the mating port  10 , an U-shaped connecting part  4103  disposed at a front end thereof and connecting with the first engaging portion  4104  and the inclined portion  4102  upon the first engaging portion  4104 , and a first end portion  4105  extending backwardly from the first engaging portion  4104  and located at a free end thereof The detecting arm  410  has the first extending portion  4101 , the inclined portion  4102 , the connecting part  4103 , the first engaging portion  4104  and the first end portion  4105 , in this arrangement, the structure can enhance the resilience of the first detecting arm  410 . Please refer to  FIGS. 3-7 , the first detecting arm  410  is set vertically, the first extending portion  4101  is located outside of the base portion  11 , the connecting part  4103  is located outside of the first extending portion  4101 , the first engaging portion  4104  inwardly protrudes to engage with an inner wall of the first notch  1261  in a left side of the tongue portion  12 . 
         [0028]    The second detecting arm  42  includes a second extending portion  4201  extending forwardly from the second horizontal portion  421  located outside of the mating port  10 , a second engaging portion  4202  extending forwardly from the second horizontal portion  421  and protruding into the mating port  10 , and a second end portion  4203  at a free end thereof The second extending portion  4201  engages with an inner wall of the second notch  1260  at right side of the tongue portion  12 . The second extending portion  4201  is closer to the mating face  125  than the first extending portion  4101 . Please reference to  FIGS. 2-3 , a bottom edge of the second engaging portion  4202  extends beyond the bottom surface  124  of the tongue portion  12 , the first engaging portion  4104  and the first end portion  4105  are located between the top surface  123  and the bottom surface  124 . Please refer to  FIGS. 4-6 , the spacer  13  is assembled to the receiving cavity  1130  of the base portion  11  along a down-to-upper direction. The spacer  13  defines a plurality of passageways  131  for receiving the second soldering legs  224  and two islands  132  protruding outside from two side of the spacer  11  and abutting against with the block  1161  to positioning the spacer  13  to the insulative housing  1 . 
         [0029]    Please refer to  FIGS. 3 ,  5  and  6 , the shell  3  has a top wall  31  located over the mating port  10 , a bottom wall  32  opposite to the top wall  31 , a first side wall  33  located at a left side of the tongue portion  12 , a second side wall  34  located at a right side of the tongue portion  12  and a rear wall  35  bending downwardly from a rear end of the top wall  31 . The first side wall  33  has a first detecting pad or tang  331  tore from the first side wall  33  and extending beyond a plane of the first side wall located therein, a first room  101  is formed between the first detecting pad  331  and the first side wall  33  for receiving the first detecting contact  41 . The second side wall  34  has a second detecting pad  341  tore from the second side wall  34  and extending beyond a plane of the second side wall located therein, a second room  102  is formed between the second detecting pad  341  and the second side wall  34  for receiving the second detecting contact  42 . 
         [0030]    The first side wall  33  further has a bridge  332  protruding outwardly, a first additional wall  333  extending from an end of the first side wall  33  and located outside of the first side wall  33  for covering the additional portion  1164  of the base portion  11 , and a retaining leg  334  extending downwardly from a bottom edge of the first side wall  33 . The first additional wall  333  is located behind the bridge  332 . A top edge and a bottom edge of the bridge  332  connects with the first side wall, and a front edge and a rear edge of the bridge  332  is separated from the first side wall  33 , by this arrangement, the bridge  332  can enhance the strength of the first side wall  33 . The first detecting pad  331  has a bending part  330  slant outwardly of the first side wall  33 , a first extending arm  3310  extending forwardly from the bending part  330  and a first contacting point  3311  located at a free end of the first extending arm  3310 . The first contacting point  3311  is separated with the bridge  332  and would engage with the first engaging portion  4104  as a plug is inserted into the electrical connector  100 . An outside surface of the first extending arm  3310  is coplanar with an outside surface of the bridge  332 . Partly of the second side wall  34  at a rear end protrudes outside of the second side wall  34  to form an emboss  342 , and the second detecting pad  341  extends forwardly from a front middle of the emboss  342 , the second side wall  34  further has a second additional wall  343  covering over the additional portion  1164  of the right side portion  116 . The second detecting pad  341  has a second contacting point  344  located at a free end thereof The second contacting point  344  would engage with the second end portion  4203  of the second detecting terminal  42 . The top wall  31  and the bottom wall  32  have a plurality of fingers  36  for positioning the plug. 
         [0031]    Please refer to  FIGS. 7-9 ,  FIG. 7  and  FIG. 9  show different plugs are inserted into the electrical connector  100 . As shown in  FIG. 7 , in original state, the first and second end portion  4105 ,  4203  are separated from the shell  3 . As shown in  FIG. 8 , when an USB PD plug with a longer mating body is inserted into the electrical connector  100 , the mating body of the plug presses the first and second detecting terminals  41 ,  42  respectively, then the first engaging portion  4104  and the second engaging portion  4202  move outside and make the first and second end portions  4105 ,  4203  connect with the first and second contacting points  3311 ,  344  respectively. As an Thin Card (not shown) is inserted into the electrical connector  100 , although the Thin card has a longer body and can reach the back end of the mating port  10 , but, the Thin Card has a thin body which just needs a bottom side part of the mating port under the tongue portion  12 , the first engaging portion  4104  of the first detecting terminal  41  does not extend beyond the bottom surface  124  of the tongue portion  12 , so the Thin Card just can engage with the second engaging portion  4202  of the second detecting terminal  42  and make the second end portion  4203  move outside and connect with the second contacting point  344 . As shown in  FIG. 9 , when the standard USB plug is inserted into the electrical connector  100 , for the standard USB has a shorter mating body that can not reach the end of the mating port  10 , so the USB plug can not engage with the first detecting terminal  41  and just can engage with the second engaging portion  4202  of the second detecting terminal  42 , the second end portion  4203  would move outside and touch with the second contacting point  344 . 
         [0032]    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.