Abstract:
A conductive enclosure for a connector mounted to a circuit board is disclosed, and the enclosure is made in the form of a shroud having an enclosure portion that receives one connector therein and a receptacle portion for receiving a second connector therein that is mateable with the one connector. The enclosure portion includes an internal cavity that is defined by a plurality of walls, two of the walls have retaining members formed thereon that engage the one connector and fix a position of the one connector within the internal cavity, while a third wall of the enclosure portion includes a press member that is biased to exert a force upon the one connector when enclosed in the shroud. The retaining members provide reaction surfaces that at least partially resist the force exerted on the one connector by the press member.

Description:
This application claims the benefit of Provisional Application No. 60/346,570, filed Jan. 7, 2002. 

   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention relates generally to electronic connectors and more particularly to electronic connectors used in automotive applications that have improved retention capabilities. 
   Input-output (“I/O”) connectors have been used for years in the consumer electronic industry for providing connections, for example, between computers and peripheral devices, such as CD and DVD players, scanners, printers and the like. These connector applications may include either parallel connections that utilize a plurality of conductive pins which are received within press-fit terminals or universal serial bus (“USB”) connections that utilize flat terminals with contacts that slidingly engage each other. This sliding engagement is acceptable in home and business computer applications where the connections are typically located at the rear of the computer and peripheral, out of the way of the user. 
   Recently, there has been a tremendous increase in the incorporation of electronic entertainment and computer systems in automotive applications. Vehicles are being provided with videotape and DVD players, MP3 music systems, and personal entertainment, such as those manufactured by Sony, Nintendo and Microsoft. The automotive industry, as well as other transport industries, such as the aircraft industry have indicated that they shall be equipping their vehicles and aircraft with other types of electronic devices, such as computers, facsimile machines, etc. 
   In many of these applications, the automobile or aircraft will have an electronics center that will include various circuit boards that support the player, device or game system. One or more connectors will be mounted to the circuit board to offer a socket or receptacle into which a user or passenger can insert a plug connector in order to connect an enabling device to the player, system etc. The passengers will insert and remove these plug connectors on a repeated basis, and often more than 2 to 4 times for each vehicle trip. The trips done by a vehicle are many so that the insertion and removal cycles of the plug connector will add up over the days, weeks and months in which the vehicle is in use. 
   These insertion and removal cycle will impose a great deal of stress on the socket/receptacles and their means of attachment to their associated circuit boards. The present invention is therefore directed to an improved connector assembly for vehicular applications that is robust and capable of enduring repeated insertion and withdrawal cycles. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   It is therefore a general object of the present invention to provide an improved connector assembly for automotive and aircraft applications with improved retention capabilities that retain the socket or receptacle in place firmly upon an associated circuit board and which has a structure that more effectively secures the connector to the circuit board while resisting stresses imposed thereupon during insertion and withdrawal. 
   Another object of the present invention is to provide a connector system for vehicular applications including a circuit board, a connector attached to the circuit board and a shroud member that encloses the connector and maintains the connector in its desired position on the circuit board. 
   Still another object of the present invention is to provide a robust I/O connector assembly for automotive applications in which the connector assembly is subject to repeated insertion and removal cycles, and wherein the connector assembly includes a female socket-style connector that receives a plug connector therein, the connector assembly further including a protective shroud that is attached to the circuit board and which at least partially encloses the female connector, the shroud having a press arm that engages an exterior surface of the female connector, and exerting a retention force thereupon to maintain the shroud in a position on the circuit board. 
   Another object of the present invention is to provide a shielded housing for a high-speed electrical connector, the housing having the form of a hollow shroud with an insulative body portion that is divided into two sections, one that houses a socket connector and the other that receives an opposing plug connector, the housing body portion further including a wall portion that divides the housing body portion and which provides a means for attaching the housing to a wall or mounting bulkhead of a vehicle, the housing portion of the shroud including a hollow cavity with two retention members extending into the cavity and engaging portions of the socket connector, the housing portion further including a press member formed in an exterior wall of the housing, the press member being oriented on the housing portion to exert a force on the socket connector that opposes forces applied to the socket connector by the inner retention members. 
   Still another object of the present invention is to provide the aforementioned shroud with a shield component, the shield component including the plating of the exterior surfaces of the shroud with a conductive metal, such that the shroud encompasses the connector from the circuit board up to and through a bulkhead or other support to which the shroud penetrates, the exterior plated surface of the shroud providing a measure of electromagnetic interference (“EMI”) protection. 
   Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a conductive enclosure for a connector mounted to a circuit board, the enclosure taking the form of a shroud having an enclosure portion that receives one connector therein and a receptacle portion for receiving a second connector therein that is mateable with the one connector, the enclosure portion having an internal cavity that is defined by a plurality of walls, two of the walls have retaining members formed thereon that engage the one connector and fix a position of the one connector within the internal cavity, while a third wall of the enclosure portion includes a press member that is biased to exert a force upon the one connector when enclosed in the shroud, the retaining members providing reaction surfaces that at least partially resist the force exerted on the one connector by the press member. 
   The present invention accomplishes the aforementioned objects by way of its novel and unique structure. Accordingly, in one principal aspect of the present invention, a female-style socket connector is provided for mounting to a circuit board. A larger shroud member is provided and has an internal cavity that receives almost all of the socket connector therein such that the shroud extends around most of the socket connector and the shroud member mates with a surface of the circuit board. The shroud includes a press arm that contacts an exterior surface of the socket connector in order to exert a force upon the socket connector, typically a downward force, that maintains the socket connector in a designated position on the circuit board so that it may be reliably soldered or otherwise attached thereto. This downward force is in opposition to reaction forces exerted on the socket connector by internal retention arms of the shroud member. 
   In another principal aspect of the present invention, the press arm of the shroud is formed integrally therewith and extends in a cantilevered fashion within a slot formed in an exterior wall of the shroud. Preferably, the press arm extends in a horizontal fashion within a top wall of the shroud and includes a free end that is located intermediate two opposing ends of the socket connector. The socket connector may itself have an outer conductive shield, and thus it is desired that the press arm be plated with a conductive material so that an electrical, or grounding, connection may be established from the shroud to the exterior grounding shell, or shield, of the socket connector. 
   In still another principal aspect of the present invention, the shroud is provided with one or more retaining tabs formed therewith and disposed within the internal cavity of the shroud. These retaining tabs engage other exterior surfaces of the socket connector and preferably these surfaces will be oriented opposite the exterior surface which the shroud press arm contacts. These retaining tabs serve not only to retain the socket connector in place within the shroud, but also provide additional points of electrical connection between the shroud and the socket connector. The retaining tabs serve to provide reaction surfaces that are oriented opposite the press arm and serve to at least partially resist forces applied to the socket connector by the press arm. 
   In yet another principal aspect of the present invention, the socket connector includes a series of mounting feet that are received within corresponding mounting holes formed in the circuit board, and the socket connector includes one or more extensions that extend from near the mounting feet and which serve as a means to limit the distance which the shroud may press the socket connector down into contact with the circuit board so as to give the connector system an anti-overstress measure. 
   These and other objects; features with advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     In the course of this detailed description, the reference will be frequently made to the attached drawings in which: 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a connector assembly that utilizes a protective retention shroud constructed in accordance with the principles of the present inventions and with a cable plug connector aligned therewith; 
       FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the connector assembly of  FIG. 1  with the plug connector fully inserted into the connector assembly; 
       FIG. 3  is an exploded view of the connector assembly of  FIG. 1 , illustrating the interrelationship among the assembly components; 
       FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the shroud component of the connector assembly of  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIG. 5  is a perspective view of the shroud component of  FIG. 4  taken from the bottom thereof; 
       FIG. 6  is a perspective view of the shroud component of  FIG. 4  taken from the rear and shown in place over a socket connector; 
       FIG. 7  is a sectional view of  FIG. 6  taken along lines  7 — 7  thereof and only through the shroud component of  FIG. 6 ; 
       FIG. 8  is a sectional view of the connector assembly of  FIG. 1  taken along lines  8 — 8  thereof. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     FIG. 1  illustrates an overall electronic system portal  20  that may be used in a vehicular application. In this description the term “vehicle” is to be given its broadest interpretation and is not to be limited to conventional land vehicles, but will include aircraft and watercraft as well as other craft. 
   The portal  20  will typically be formed in a bulkhead or wall  21  illustrated in phantom that faces into the interior of the vehicle. In the space behind the bulkhead or wall  21 , a circuit board  23  is supported and extends to an electronic device (not shown) and further includes on the surface(s) thereof, a plurality of conductive traces  24  that form circuit paths from the device to a connector  25  supported on the circuit board  23  (FIG.  3 ). 
   Turning to  FIG. 3 , it can be seen that the connector  25  is a socket, or receptacle-style connector, preferably of the IEEE 1394, 1394a or 1394b variety, where the dimensions are very small and the connectors must be mounted to and supported by the circuit board at a particular mounting distance. Such a connector and its structure are described in detail in U.S. Pat. No. 6,280,209, owned by the assignee of this invention. The connector  25  may include an inner contact cavity  26  in which a plurality of contacts  27  are supported by way of an insulative housing  28 . This housing  28  may be partially enclosed by a first, or inner conductive shield  29 , which in turn is partially enclosed by a second, or outer conductive shield  30 . 
   The two shields  29 ,  30  are spaced apart from each other a predetermined distance to form an annular cavity  32  as shown that preferably receives the outer walls  35  of a correspondingly opposing plug connector  36  (FIG.  1 ). The two shields  29 ,  30  preferably include one or more spring arms  38  formed therewith that serve to exert a retention force on the plug connector  36  when it is inserted into the socket connector  25 . 
   The socket connector  25 , as shown in  FIG. 6 , includes a plurality of terminal tails  40  that extend out of the connector from the terminals  27  and which serve to connect the terminals  27  of the connector  25  to the traces  24  on the circuit board  23 . Although shown as surface mount tails  40 , the tails of the socket connector may also be of the through hole type which are received within plated mating holes on the circuit board. The inner and outer shields  29 ,  30  may also have grounding tabs  42  for connecting to the circuit board  23 . ( FIG. 3. ) The socket connector receives a plug connector  36  as shown in  FIGS. 1 &amp; 2 , that is attached to a cable  19 . The plug connector  36  is shown inverted from its ordinary orientation. 
   The present invention is directed to an improved connector assembly  50  that in its broadest sense includes the circuit board  23 , the connector  25  mounted thereto and a protective shroud  51  that protects and at least partially encloses the connector  25 . The shroud  51  serves as a protective housing for the connector  25  and it has been noted by applicant that it is difficult to manufacture a housing for a small connector such as that of the USB or 1394a and 1394b varieties that is fastened and must be supported a specific distance from the circuit board  23  because manufacturing tolerances are very tight. Connectors  25  such as of the style shown have dimensions of about 0.375 by 0.5 by 0.28 inches, for example. With such small dimensions, it is desired to protect the connector, yet hold it in place on the circuit board. Furthermore, in such a small dimensional environment, the connection areas of the socket connector to the circuit board are also very small and are susceptible to high stresses that are caused by the insertion and removal of a plug connector. 
     FIG. 3  illustrates the shroud  51  and as shown it includes a front face  52  and a rear face  53  that may be separated by an intervening mounting wall  55 . The front face  52  is hollow, with a passage  54  formed therein, that is preferably sized to receive the mating end  39  and body portion  38  of the opposing plug connector  36 . The shroud passage  54  is seen as defined by a plurality of walls  60 , the bottom one of which may be provided with a slot  61  for engagement by a latch (not shown) that is formed on the opposing connector body portion  38 . The front face  52  is preferably continuous, even across the slot  61  so as to provide, if needed, means for engaging a latch on the opposing connector  36 . 
   In  FIG. 5 , the bottom sides, or surfaces of the shroud  51  are depicted, and the shroud  51  can be seen to include on the opposite side of the mounting wall  55 , another internal cavity  65  into which the connector  25  fits. The insertion of the connector  25  is achieved from the bottom of the shroud  51  as shown in  FIG. 3  to form an assembly that may then be mounted to the circuit board  23 . In this regard, the shroud  51  is preferably provided with mounting flanges  66  and holes  67  by which the shroud  51  may be mounted and attached to the circuit board  23  by way of screws, rivets, solder board locks or the like. 
   As shown in  FIG. 5 , the shroud rear cavity  65  is preferably provided with one or more retainers  68 , shown in the form of a pair of vertical arms  69 , with each arm having a free end  70  that terminates with an offset (shown as inwardly-extending) catch, or shoulder  71 . These catches  71  engage the outer shield  30  of the connector  25  by fitting in a pair of corresponding notches  80  formed therein, illustrated as disposed at the outer and lower edges with the connector  25 . The catches will bear against the upper faces  81  of these notches  80  and will retain the connector  25  in place in the shroud  51 . The catches serve as reaction surfaces to resist forces that may be exerted on the socket connector  25  by the spring, or press arm  90 . In this regard, as seen in  FIG. 5 , it is desired to have the flat ends of the catches lie in a common plane so that any reaction forces will be equal. It can be seen that the catches engage the bottom edges of the socket connector while the spring arm engages the top surface of the socket connector. IN this manner, and in cooperation with the mounting flanges  66  of the shroud, the shroud serves to protect the socket connector from detrimental stresses that may be generated due to insertion and removal of an plug connector from the socket connector  25 . 
   In an important aspect of the present invention, the shroud  51  includes a spring arm  90  that is preferably formed integral with the shroud  51 . As best seen in  FIGS. 6 and 7 , the spring arm extends within a slot  91  formed in the rear half of the shroud and which communicates with the rear internal cavity  65  thereof. The spring arm  90  can be seen to extend in a cantilevered fashion extending first vertically within the rear face  53  of the shroud and then horizontally within the top wall  92  of the rear half of the shroud  51 . The spring arm  90  terminates in a free end  95  that has a press member  96  which extends downwardly therefrom into the rear internal cavity  65 . 
   The top of the press member  96  contacts the exterior surface of the outer shield  90  of the connector  25  and in this regard, it is desired to cast, or plate some or all of the exterior surfaces of the shroud  51  with a conductive material. This can be easily done by molding the shroud from a material, such as plastic, and then plating it. With the plating, an electrical connection between the circuit board  23  and the shroud  51  can be established with the point of connection occurring in or along the mounting flange  66 . An electrical connection is also established between the shroud  51  and the connector at the tip of the press member  96  and if desired, at the ends of the retaining catches  71 . 
   In operation, the cantilevered spring arm  90  pushes the connector  25  into contact with and positions on the circuit board  23 , so that the connector  25  especially the terminal tails  40  thereof, may be soldered in a re-flow type of soldering operation. The shroud  51  serves as a means to protect the covered connector  25  from loads incurred in cycles of insertion and removal of the plug connector  36  as well as vibrations that might be transmitted through the connecting cable  19  and plug connector  36  by the user. 
   The intermediate mounting wall  55  permits the shroud  51  and the circuit board  23  to be supported on a bulkhead or mounting wall  21 . The shroud rear face  53  preferably does not extend down to the surface of the circuit board  23  and may include a recessed portion  98  (FIG.  6 ). That permits entrance to the terminal tail area during the reflow solder process. 
   In order to prevent the connector terminal tails  40  from being overstressed or bent, the outer shield  30  of the connector  25  may be provided with over-travel feet  99  ( FIGS. 7 &amp; 8 ) that have stop surfaces  100  in opposition to the circuit board  23  and will limit the downward travel of the connector  25  through its terminal tails  40  and grounding tails  42 . 
   Although the present invention has been described in terms of an insulative body with a conductive coating, it will be understood that other structures may be suitable. For example, conductive surfaces of the shroud may be formed with inserts, or the shroud may be die cast from a conductive material. The shroud not only substantially encloses the socket connector (on at least three sides thereof), but it also provides a means of holding the socket connector in place within the shroud and attached to the circuit board in a manner that relieves insertion and removal stress from being transferred to the solder connections between the socket connector and the circuit board. 
   While the preferred embodiment of the invention have been shown and described, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention, the scope of which is defined by the appended claims.