Abstract:
An electrical connector ( 1 ) includes an insulative housing ( 10 ), a terminal insert ( 20 ), an anti-mismating device ( 40 ) and a shell ( 30 ). The insulative housing defines a receiving space ( 11 ) for receiving a complementary plug connector therein. A plurality of terminals ( 21 ) is fixed to the insulative housing. The anti-mismating device is mounted in the housing at an entrance ( 11   a ) of the receiving space, and comprises first and second push portions located adjacent two lateral side walls of the housing, forming, respectively, first and second stop portions ( 43   a   , 44   a ) transversely extending towards each other without touching each other. The first and second push portions are independently and recoverably depressable by the complementary connector. A noncomplementary connector is blocked from insertion into the receiving space because it can depress one, but not both, push portions, and will thus be blocked by one stop portion.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to an electrical connector, and more particularly to an RJ-receptacle connector with an anti-mismating device therein for blocking insertion of any connectors other than a complementary connector. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     RJ-45 plug and receptacle connectors have larger dimensions than RJ-11 plug and receptacle connectors. As a matter of fact, an RJ-11 plug connector can be mistakenly inserted into an RJ-45 receptacle connector. The erroneous insertion of an RJ-11 plug connector into an RJ-45 receptacle connector can damage the terminals in the RJ-45 receptacle connector. Copending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/536,165, assigned to the same assignee of the present application, discloses an RJ-45 receptacle connector with an anti-mismating device that is assembled in an entrance of a receiving space thereof. When an RJ-45 plug connector is inserted into the RJ-45 receptacle connector, the RJ-45 plug connector pushes a pair of spring arms formed on opposite ends of the anti-mismating device to move a beam formed between the pair of spring arms downwardly, thereby allowing the RJ-45 plug connector to enter the receptacle. An RJ-11 plug connector cannot simultaneously push the pair of spring arms on opposite ends of the anti-mismating device of the receptacle connector and is thus stopped by the beam from being fully inserted. This design, however, cannot always prevent the RJ-11 plug connector from entering the receptacle of the RJ-45 receptacle connector since it is possible that the RJ-11 plug connector will succeed in depressing one of the spring arms to downwardly move the beam, since the beam is integral with both of the spring arms. 
     Hence, an RJ-45 receptacle connector with an improved anti-mismating device is required to overcome the disadvantages of the prior art. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     An object of the present invention is to provide an RJ-45 receptacle connector having an anti-mismating device therein for blocking insertion of any connectors other than a complementary RJ-45 plug connector. 
     To fulfill the above-mentioned object, an RJ-45 receptacle connector with an anti-mismating device in accordance with the present invention comprises an insulative housing, a terminal insert and an anti-mismating device. The insulative housing defines a receiving space for receiving a complementary plug connector therein. A plurality of terminals is fixed in the terminal insert, which is inserted into the insulative housing. Each terminal comprises a contact portion extending into the receiving space and a solder tail extending downward from a bottom face of the insulative housing. The anti-mismating device is mounted in the housing and is located at an entrance of the receiving space. It comprises first and second push portions located adjacent two lateral side walls of the housing for being pushed by the complementary connector. A first and second stop portions are formed on the first and second push portions, respectively, for preventing a noncomplementary connector from being fully inserted into the receiving space, and the first stop portion and the second stop portion are separated from each other. A distance between the first and the second push portions is greater than a width of the noncomplementary connector, a distance between the first stop portion and the lateral side wall of the housing adjacent the second push portion is less than the width of the noncomplementary connector, and a distance between the second stop portion and the lateral side wall of the housing adjacent the first push portion is less than the width of the noncomplementary connector. 
     These and additional objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will become apparent after reading the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment of the invention taken in conjunction with the appended drawings. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is an exploded view of an RJ-45 receptacle connector in accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention; 
     FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an insulative housing of the receptacle connector of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 3 is a perspective view of an anti-mismating device of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 4 is an assembled view of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 5 is a cross sectional view taken along line  5 — 5  of FIG. 4; 
     FIG. 6 is an exploded view of an RJ-45 receptacle connector in accordance with a second embodiment of the present invention; 
     FIG. 7 is a perspective view of an anti-mismating device of FIG. 6; and 
     FIG. 8 is a cross sectional view taken along line  8 — 8  of FIG.  6 . 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Referring to FIG. 1, an RJ-45 receptacle connector  1  in accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention comprises an insulative housing  10 , a pair of light emitting diodes  13 , a terminal insert  20 , a conductive shell  30  and an anti-mismating device  40 . 
     Referring to FIG. 2, the insulative housing  10  defines a receiving space  11  for receiving a complementary RJ-45 plug connector therein (not shown). The insulative housing  10  further defines a pair of slots  12  in a top face thereof for detachably receiving the pair of light emitting diodes  13  therein. The insulative housing  10  further defines a pair of retaining recesses  14  (only one shown) in opposite lateral ends of a bottom wall (not labeled) thereof and in a front, lower portion of inner faces of a pair of side walls  16  of the housing. A pair of cutouts  15  is further defined in a front, lowermost edges of the side walls and in communication with the recesses  14 . 
     The terminal insert  20  is insertable into the insulative housing  10  and includes a plurality of terminals  21  integrally formed therein. Each terminal  21  comprises a contact portion  21   a  extending into the receiving space  11  when the insert  20  is assembled to the insulative housing  10 . Each terminal  21  further includes a solder tail  21   b  extending downward from a bottom face of the terminal insert  20  for soldering to a printed circuit board (not shown). 
     The anti-mismating device  40  is insertable into the receiving space  11  adjacent to an entrance  11   a  thereof to block an insertion of connectors other than the complementary RJ-45 plug connector into the receiving space  11 . 
     Referring to FIG. 3, the anti-mismating device  40  comprises a pair of first and second spring arms  41 ,  42  formed at opposite ends of a connection plate  47  respectively. The first and second spring arms  41 ,  42  are elastically deformable, either by being made from resiliently deformable material or by mechanical design (with hinges, for instance). Each spring arm  41 ,  42  extends upwardly and rearwardly from a forward edge of the connection plate  47 . A distance between the first spring arm  41  and the second spring arm  42  is greater than a width of a noncomplementary RJ-11 plug connector (not shown). A first beam  43  transversely extends from an inner side of the first spring arm  41  and a second beam  44  transversely extends from an inner side of the second spring arm  42  toward the first beam  43 ; the first and second beams  43 ,  44  have free ends (not labeled) facing each other. The first and second beams  43 ,  44  are used for preventing an insertion of the RJ-11 plug connector into the receiving space  11 . A pair of retaining portions  45  integrally extends rearwardly from the connection plate  47  parallel to each other. The pair of retaining portions  45  is received in the recesses  14  of the insulative housing  10  thereby securing the anti-mismating device  40  in the housing  10 . A pair of blocks  46  extends outwardly from two lateral ends of the connection plate  47 . Each block  46  is received in a corresponding cutout  15  of the housing  10 . The first and second spring arms  41 ,  42  each form a horizontal pad  48  at a free end thereof. The pad  48  is used for receiving a depressing force from the inserted RJ-45 plug connector. 
     A front surface of the first spring arm  41  is defined as a first push portion  41   a , and a front surface of the second spring arm  42  is defined as a second push portion  42   a . A front surface of the first beam  43  forms a first stop portion  43   a  and a front surface of the second beam  44  forms a second stop portion  44   a . A distance between the free end of the first beam  43  and the side wall of the housing  10  adjacent to the second spring arm  42  is defined as a first width, which is less the width of the noncomplementary RJ-11 plug connector. A distance between the free end of the second beam  44  and the other side wall of the housing  10  adjacent to the first spring arm  41  is defined as a second width, which is also less than the width of the noncomplementary RJ-11 plug connector. 
     Referring to FIG.  4  and FIG. 5, the insulative housing  10  is further enclosed by the shell  30 . When the shell  30  is assembled to the insulative housing  10 , a lower portion of a front wall  31  of the shell  30  abuts against a lower portion of a front face of the anti-mismating device  40 , thereby preventing the anti-mismating device  40  from sliding out of the receiving space  11 . 
     When the anti-mismating device  40  is assembled in the receiving space  11 , the first and the second spring arms  41 ,  42  of the anti-mismating device  40  are located on both sides of the receiving space  11 . The first and second beams  43 ,  44  are located between the first spring arm  41  and the second spring arm  42 . When the noncomplementary RJ-11 plug connector is inserted into the receiving space  11  from a middle thereof, the RJ-11 plug connector cannot simultaneously press against both the first spring arm  41  and the second spring arm  42  because a distance between the inner sides of the first and second spring arms  41 ,  42  is greater than the width of the RJ-11 plug connector, and the plug connector is blocked from entering the receiving space  11  by the first and second stop portions  43   a ,  44   a  of the first and second beams  43 ,  44 . In addition, when the RJ-11 plug connector is inserted into the left side of the receiving space  11 , the RJ-11 plug connector can only press against the first spring arm  41 . Because the width of the RJ-11 plug connector is greater than the second width, the RJ-11 plug connector is blocked from entering the receiving space  11  by the second stop portion  44   a  of the second beam  44 . Alternatively, when the RJ-11 plug connector is inserted into the right side of the receiving space  11 , because the width of the RJ-11 plug connector is greater than the first width, it is blocked from entering the receiving space  11  by the first stop portion  43   a  of the first beam  43 . 
     However, when the RJ-45 plug connector is inserted into the receiving space  11 , because the width of the RJ-45 plug connector is the same as the width of the receiving space  11 , a bottom edge of the RJ-45 plug connector will simultaneously press against the first and second push portions  41   a ,  42   a  and then the pads  48  of the first and second spring arms  41 ,  42 . The first and second stop portions  43   a ,  44   a  of the first and second beams  43 ,  44  will then be driven by the spring arms  41 ,  42  to move downwardly. The bottom edge of the RJ-45 plug connector will slide over the anti-mismating device  40 , enabling the RJ-45 plug connector to enter the receiving space  11 . 
     Referring to FIG. 6 to FIG. 8, a second embodiment of the present invention comprises an insulative housing  10 ′, a terminal insert  20 ′, a conductive shell  30 ′ and an anti-mismating device  40 ′. Comparing with the first embodiment of the invention, the critical differences therebetween are in the anti-mismating device and the structure of the housing for receiving the anti-mismating device. The anti-mismating device  40 ′ in accordance with the second embodiment comprises two push pads  51 ,  52  having similar structures and being separately assembled in two opposite sides of a top wall  12 ′ of the housing  10 ′. 
     The push pad  51  is L-shaped and includes a first stop portion  53   a  for stopping insertion of the noncomplementary plug connector, an arcuate first push portion  51   a  extending forwardly from one end of the first stop portion  53   a  and a pair of baffles  53  extending forwardly and rearwardly from a top edge (not labeled) of the first stop portion  53   a . The arcuate first push portion  51   a  is perpendicular to the first stop portion  53   a . Both of the baffles  53  are in a plane perpendicular to the plane of the first stop portion  53   a  and also perpendicular to the plane of the arcuate first push portion  51   a.    
     The push pad  52  includes a second stop portion  54   a  for stopping the insertion of the noncomplementary plug connector and an arcuate second push portion  52   a  extending from one end of the second stop portion  54   a  opposite the arcuate first push portion  51  a and a pair of baffles  53  extending forwardly and rearwardly from a top edge (not labeled) of the second stop portion  54   a . The arcuate second push portion  52   a  is perpendicular to the second stop portion  54   a . The baffles  53  are perpendicular to the second stop portion  54   a  and to the arcuate second push portion  52   a.    
     The top wall  12 ′ of the insulative housing  10 ′ of the second embodiment defines two identical recesses  61  therein equally spaced from and at opposite sides of a longitudinal centerline (not labeled) thereof. A first slit  61   a  is defined through the top wall  12 ′ in a bottom of each recess  61 , near a corresponding side wall of the housing  10 ′ and oriented along a front-to-rear direction of the housing  10 ′ for receiving the first and second push portions  51   a ,  52   a  of push pads  51 ,  52 , respectively. A pair of second slits  62  is defined through the top wall  12 ′, one in each recess  61 , aligned with one another in a direction perpendicular to the corresponding first slits  61   a . Each second slit  62  communicates with its corresponding first slit  61   a.    
     The push pads  51  and  52  are assembled in the insulative housing  10 ′ with the baffles  53  of the push pads  51 ,  52  located against the top wall  12 ′ in the recesses  61 . The first and second push portions  51   a ,  52   a  are received in the first slits  61   a  with arcuate lower edges thereof protruding into the receiving space  11 ′. The first and second stop portions  53   a ,  54   a  are received in the second slits  62  with lower edges thereof protruding into the receiving space  11 ′. When the push pads  51 ,  52  are pushed upwardly by the complementary plug connector, the push pads  51 ,  52  can only move in the notches  61  and are prevented from escaping from the notches  61  because the shell  30 ′ surrounds the insulative housing  10 ′. 
     A distance between the first and second push portions  51   a ,  52   a  is greater than the width of the noncomplementary RJ-11 plug connector. A distance between one of inner ends of the first and second stop portions  53   a ,  54   a  and an inner side wall of the housing  10 ′ close to the other push pad is less than the width of the noncomplementary plug connector. Therefore, regardless of the location at which the noncomplementary plug connector is inserted into the RJ-45 receptacle connector, an upper portion thereof will be stopped by the first or second stop portions  53   a ,  54   a  of push pads  51  or  52 ; thus the noncomplementary plug connector cannot be inserted into the RJ-45 receptacle connector in accordance with the second embodiment of the present invention. 
     When a complementary RJ-45 plug connector is inserted into the RJ-45 receptacle connector, the anti-mismating device  40 ′ is pushed upward due to an engagement of a top, front edge of the plug connector with the first and second push portions  51   a ,  52   a . When the mating connector is pulled out, the anti-mismating device  40 ′ returns to its downward position due to gravity. 
     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 device 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.