Abstract:
A stacked electrical connector assembly ( 100 ) mounted on a main printed circuit board (PCB not shown) includes an insulative housing ( 1 ) defining at least two cavities ( 101, 111 ), a first and second array of conductive contacts ( 42, 2 ) received in the housing, a ground plate ( 3 ) disposed between the first and the second contacts, an internal PCB ( 41 ) arranged in a rear portion of the housing and an outer shell ( 5 ) substantially surrounding the insulative housing. The internal PCB includes a ground trace and a number of signal traces in a galvanic connection with the first array contacts. The ground plate includes a grounding claw ( 32 ) electrical connection with the outer shell and a grounding leg ( 31 ) coupling to the ground trace of the internal PCB.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to electrical connectors and more particularly, to a stacked LAN connector assembly mounted to an apparatus such as a notebook type personal computer, a game machine or the like and mated with a modular plug corresponding thereto. 
     2. Description of the Prior Art 
     Modular jack receptacle connectors and Universal Serial Bus (USB) connectors are commonly used the computers or network appliance as input/output ports for transmitting data or signals. An example of such a connector is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,162,089 issued to Costello et al. on Dec. 19, 2000 which describes a stacked LAN connector. The Costello connector includes a stacked USB component and a modular jack component secured in respective portions of main housing, an outer shield around the main housing and an inner shield surrounding the stacked USB component. The inner shield includes a front shield having a plurality of grounding legs and a rear shield attached to the front shield. 
     However, high frequency transmission requires EMI shielding and crosstalk protection be formed between modular jack and USB connectors in order to improve quality of transmission. Moreover, the structure of the Costello connector is obviously complicated and the cost of the connector is thus relatively high. Furthermore, the inner shield is relatively large for forming the grounding legs in addition when used in stacked modular jack application and the assemble process is complicated. The mounting process and ground connection become more complicated when more ports are integrally made as an assembly. 
     Hence, an improved electrical connector incorporating electrical connectors of different types and providing good signal transmitting quality is desired to overcome the foregoing shortcomings. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     A main object of the present invention is to provide a stacked connector assembly with reliably EMI shielding. 
     Another object of the present invention is to provide a stacked connector assembly having a ground plate for simplifying the manufacture and reducing cost. 
     A stacked electrical connector assembly mounted on a main printed circuit board (PCB) includes an insulative housing defining at least two cavities, a first and second array of conductive contacts received in the housing, a ground plate disposed between the first and the second contacts, an internal PCB arranged in a rear portion of the housing and an outer shell substantially surrounding the insulative housing. The internal PCB includes a ground trace and a number of signal traces in a galvanic connection with the first array contacts. The ground plate includes a grounding claw electrical connection with the outer shell and a grounding leg coupling to the ground trace of the internal PCB. 
     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 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a stacked connector assembly according to the present invention; 
     FIG. 2 is an exploded view of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 3 is another exploded view of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the stacked connector assembly taken along line  4 — 4  of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 5 is a partially assembled view of FIG. 2, wherein a plurality of contacts, a ground plate and an insert module are assembled within an insulative 
     FIG. 6 is a partially assembled view of FIG. 3, wherein a plurality of contacts, a ground plate and an insert module are assembled within an insulative housing; and 
     FIG. 7 is another assembled view of FIG. 6 taken from a bottom aspect. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Referring to FIGS. 1,  2  and  3 , a stacked connector assembly  100  of the present invention mounted on a main printed circuit board (PCB, not shown) has a mating face (not labeled) provided with a first plug-receiving cavity and a second plug-receiving cavity stacked over the first plug-receiving cavity. In the embodiment illustrated, the first plug-receiving cavity includes two USB plug-receiving cavities  111  for receiving USB type connectors, while the second plug-receiving cavity is a modular plug-receiving cavity  101  for receiving an RJ type connector. However, it is noted that the present invention can be applied to connectors other than these type. The stacked connector  100  includes an insulative housing  1 , a plurality of USB contacts  2  received in the housing  1 , a ground plate  3 , an insert modules  4  and an outer shell  5  substantially surrounding and shielding the housing  1 . 
     The housing  1  includes a front face  15 , an upper section  10  shared a panel  14  with a lower section  11 , and an extending section  12  extending rearwardly from the upper section  10  thereby providing a space (not labeled) for partially receiving the insert module  4 . 
     The modular plug-receiving cavity  101  is defined in the upper section  10  for receiving the modular plug type connector (not shown) thereinto, a plurality of passages  105  extending forwardly in communication with the modular plug-receiving cavity  101  and a pair of apertures  103  besides the modular plug-receiving cavity  101 . The modular plug-receiving cavity  101  defines a pair of recesses  102  on opposite sides thereof. A pair of guiding slots  106  is defined on opposite sides of the passage  105  for guiding the insert module  4 . The upper section  10  defines a slot  104  extending forwardly throughout the housing  1  between the passage  105  and the panel  14 . The upper section  10  further includes two sidewalls  13  each having a plurality of through holes  131  extending inwardly therethrough and communicating with the slot  104 . 
     Said two stacked USB plug-receiving cavities  111  is defined in the lower section  11  and extends rearwardly thereinto from the front face  15  for receiving the USB type connectors (not shown) therein. Each USB plug-receiving cavity  111  defines a pair of first grooves  112  on opposite side thereof and a second groove  113  on the bottom face thereof. The lower section  11  further defines a plurality of passageways  114  extending forwardly in communicating with the corresponding USB plug-receiving cavities  111  for receiving the USB contacts  2  therein. 
     Each USB contact  2  includes a vertical portion  21  and a contact portion  22  extending form an upper portion of the vertical portion  21 . 
     The ground plate  3  is stamped from one metal sheet and includes a planar body  30 , a plurality of grounding legs  31  extending downwardly from one side of the planar body  30  and a plurality of grounding claws  32  extending upwardly from opposite side of the planar body  30 . 
     The insert module  4  includes an internal PCB  41  having a first and second faces  411 ,  412 , a plurality of conductive terminals  42  soldered on the internal PCB  41 , an unitarily molded insulator  43  receiving the terminals therein and stabilized on the first face  411  of the internal PCB  41 , a pair of LEDs (light-emitting devices)  44  attached to the first face  411  of the internal PCB  41  for visual indication and signal conditioning components  45 , such as a magnetic module, arranged on the second face  412  of the internal PCB  41  for reducing or eliminating noise. A plurality of cutouts  46  are defined on the conditioning component  45 . The insulator  43  includes a horizontal base  431  having a pair of guiding rails  432  on opposite sides. Each terminal  42  includes a retention portion (not shown) secured within the base  431  and a mating portion  421  extending upwardly and being angled inwardly toward the base  431 . It should be noted that the signal conditioning components  45  electrically connect with the terminals  42  through traces (not shown) of the internal PCB  41  for signal conditioning. 
     The outer shell  5  is stamped from a sheet of conductive material and includes a front shell  51  and a rear shell  50  attached to the front shell  51 . The rear shell  50  includes a rear plate  501  and a pair of flaps  502  extending forwardly from opposite sides of the rear plate  501  each having a number of locking holes  503  therein. The rear plate  501  has a plurality of barbs  504  projecting forwardly from a top end thereof and generally perpendicular thereto. 
     The front shell  51  includes an upper plate  52 , a front plate  53  and two side plates  54 . The upper plate  52  defines a plurality of locking slots  521  on an rear portion thereof for engaging with the locking holes  503 . The front plate  53  defines a modular plug-opening  531  and two USB plug-openings  532  corresponding to the modular and USB plug-receiving cavities  101 ,  111  of the housing  1  respectively, and also a pair of LED-receiving holes  538 . The front plate  53  includes a pair of spring arms  533  extending inwardly along opposite sides of the modular plug-opening  531  for interference fitting with the recesses  102 . Further, the front plate  53  includes engaging fingers  534 ,  535 ,  536  extending inwardly around each USB plug-opening  532  that provide for insertion of the USB type connectors. A depression  537  is defined in an inner face of the front plate  53  between the modular and USB plug-openings  531 ,  532  for receiving the grounding claws  32  of the ground plate  3 . Each side plate  54  includes a plurality of first or horizontal tabs  541  extending inwardly that arranged in a horizontal row and a plurality of second or vertical tabs  542  projecting inwardly that arranged in a vertical row below the first or horizontal tabs  541 . Each side plate  54  forms a number of embossments  543  on a rear portion thereof for engaging with respective one of the locking holes  503 , a plurality of grounding tail  544  extending downwardly therefrom and a plurality of retention tabs  545  for securely capturing the housing  1 . 
     In assembly, as shown in FIGS. 3 through 7, the USB contacts  2  are installed into respective one of the passageways  114  with contact portions  22  being exposed in the USB plug-receiving cavities  111  for electrically connecting with contacts of the USB type connectors (not shown). The ground plate  3  is held in the slot  104  by the grounding claws  32  extending along the panel  14  and abutting against the front face  15  of the housing  1 . The insert module  4  is assembled to the housing  1  thereafter. The LEDs  44  extend forwardly through the respective apertures  103  and beyond the front face  15  of the housing  1 . The guiding rails  432  of the insulator  43  are inserted into the extending section  12  of the housing  1  and into guiding slots  106  along side surfaces thereof with the mating portions  421  of the terminals  42  being exposed in the modular plug-receiving cavity  101  for being mated. The grounding legs  31  of the ground plate  3  abut against the first face  411  of the internal PCB  41  and in electrical connection with the grounding trace (not shown) thereof. 
     The rear shell  50  is attached to the front shell  51  after the front shell  51  substantially surrounds the housing  1 . The front shell  51  envelops the housing with the front plate  53  along the front face  15 , and the modular and USB plug-openings  531 ,  532  are appropriately apertured to expose the modular and USB plug-receiving cavities  101 ,  111 , as such the LEDs  44  extend forwardly through the LED-receiving holes  538 . The grounding claws  32  bear against the depression  537 . The spring arms  533  extend inwardly and interferentially fit with the recesses  102 . The engage fingers  534 ,  535  engage with the respective first and second grooves  112 ,  113 . The first or horizontal tabs  541  of the side plates  54  extend through respective one of the through holes  131  of the sidewalls  13  and securely abut against the planar body  30 , while the second or vertical tabs  542  extend through the corresponding cutouts  46  and bear against the second face  412  and electrically connect with the grounding trace (not shown) of the internal PCB  41 . The retention tabs  545  are attached to a bottom wall (not labeled) of the housing  1  for securely capturing the housing  1 . The rear shell  50  is assembled to the front shell  51  with the embossments  543  received in the locking holes  503  and the barbs  504  engaged with the locking slots  521 . The stacked connector assembly  100  may then be shielded in every routeway and formed an integral ground plane system that establishes the signal integrity characteristic of the connector assembly, whereby EMI from outer environment and crosstalk between the high-speed signals of the terminals and contacts of the stacked connector assembly can be eliminated rapidly and efficiently. 
     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 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.