Abstract:
An electrical connector having a metallic base insert-molded with an insulative base to initially form a basic unit and successively with an internal PCB inserted in a frame structure of the metallic base to form an intermediate assembly with the reinforced mating portion thereof. An insulator is applied upon a front region of the intermediate assembly to secure the internal PCB and the basic unit together and commonly form a sub-assembly. A die-casting metallic shield encloses the sub-assembly and secured to the metallic base to commonly form the final receptacle connector.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to an electrical connector, and particularly to a USB (Universal Serial Bus) type C connector with a reinforced structure thereof. 
     2. Description of Related Art 
     USB type C specification was issue on Aug. 11, 2014, which and hundreds of designs are made based upon. CN 204179284 issued on May 25, 2015 discloses the type C receptacle connector of which the corresponding tongue portion is made by an internal printed circuit board (PCB) for simplifying the complicated insert-molding process of the tiny terminals. Anyhow, attaching an internal PCB to the insulative housing with the mating portion, in a cantilevered manner, having interior strength during mating, compared with the traditional insert-molded terminal module unitarily formed with the tongue portion. 
     An improved electrical connector having an internal PCB as the tongue portion while having the relatively superior strength thereof, is desired. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Accordingly, the object of the present invention is to provide an electrical connector having a metallic base insert-molded with an insulative base to initially form a basic unit and successively with an internal PCB inserted in a frame structure of the metallic base to form an intermediate assembly with the reinforced mating portion thereof. An insulator is applied upon a front region of the intermediate assembly to secure the internal PCB and the basic unit and commonly form a sub-assembly. A die-casting metallic shield encloses the sub-assembly and secured to the metallic base to commonly form the final receptacle connector. 
     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, assembled view of an electrical connector assembly including an electrical connector mounted on the external PCB; 
         FIG. 2  is another perspective, assembled view of the electrical connector assembly  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the basic unit of the electrical connector of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the intermediate assembly of the electrical connect of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 5  is another perspective view of the intermediate assembly of the electrical connector  FIG. 4 ; 
         FIG. 6  is a perspective view of the sub-assembly of the electrical connector of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 7  is an exploded perspective of the electrical connector of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 8  is a further exploded perspective of the electrical connector of  FIG. 7 ; 
         FIG. 9  is an exploded perspective of the electrical connector of  FIG. 8 ; 
         FIG. 10  is a cross-sectional view of the electrical connector of  FIG. 1 ; and 
         FIG. 11  is another cross-sectional view of the electrical connector of  FIG. 1 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Reference will now be made in detail to the preferred embodiment of the present invention. Referring to  FIGS. 1 to 11 , an electrical connector assembly includes an electrical connector  100  mounted upon an external PCB  200 . The electrical connector includes a basic unit  10 , an internal PCB  3  with contacting sections  31  on two opposite top and bottom surfaces, an insulator  4 , a sealer  5  and a metallic shield  6  enclosing the basic unit  10 . 
     The basic unit  10  includes a metal basic insert-molded with an insulative base  2 . The metal base  1  includes a vertical main part  11  and a horizontal holding part  12  forwardly extending from the main part  11  and defining a frame structure thereof. The holding part  12  includes a pair of side arms  121  and a transverse bar  122  linked between front ends of the pair of side arms  121 . 
     The insulative base  2  includes a vertical rear part  21 , an extending part  23  forwardly extending from the rear part  21 , and an insertion slot  22  extending through the extension part  23  and the rear part  21 . As shown in  FIG. 11 , the main part  11  and the rear portion of the holding part  12  of the metal base  1  are sandwiched by the rear part  21  and the extending part  23 . The internal PCB  3  has a shielding layer  32  inside and a plurality of conductive pads  31  on the opposite top and bottom surfaces. The conductive pads  31  on the top surface is reversely symmetrically arranged with regard to those on the bottom surface so as to have the corresponding electrical connector  100  to be mated under a flippable manner. The conductive pad  31  includes a contacting section  311  and a tail section  312 . The conductive pad  31  may be replaced with the contact structure or the blade structure. 
     Referring to  FIG. 3 , a method of making the electrical connector  100  are as follows. In the molding process, the metal base  1  is formed by the so-call metal injection molding process or the die-casting process, and the insulative base  2  is insert-molded with the metal base  1  to commonly form a basic unit  10 . The rear part  21  of the insulative base  2  is insert-molded within the main part  11  of the metal base  1 . The extension part  23  of the insulative base  2  and the side arms  121  of the metal base  1  are joined together. Further referring to  FIGS. 4 and 5 , in forming the PCB  3 , the conductive pads  31  are formed on the PCB  3 . Further referring to  FIGS. 9 and 10 , a plurality of through holes  33  extend through the opposite top and bottom surfaces of the PCB with a gold or copper layer coated therein. The conductive pads  31  on the bottom surface result in a group of solder sections on the bottom surface, and the conductive pads on the top result in another group of solder sections on the bottom surface too via said through holes  33 . In the insertion process, the PCB  3  is inserted into the insertion slot  22  to form an intermediate assembly wherein the middle portion of the PCB  3  is received within the insertion slot  22  after assembled, the front portion of the PCB  3  is held within the holding part  12  among the two side arms  121  and the transverse bar  122 , and a rear portion of the PCB  3  extends rearwardly out of the insertion slot  22 . The contacting sections  311  of conductive pads  31  are exposed in front of the insertion slot  22 , and the tail sections  312  of the conductive pads  31  are rearwardly exposed outside of the insertion slot  22 . 
     The insulator  4  is insert-molded upon a front edge portion of the intermediate assembly including a front region of the PCB  3 , the transverse bar  122  and optionally the front ends of the side arms  121  to form a sub-assembly. Referring to  FIG. 7 , the die-casting metallic shield  6  is assembled upon the metal base  1  of the basic unit  10  of the sub-assembly via welding. A sealing process is performed by applying the sealer  5  upon the rear region of the shield  6  and behind the basic unit  10  so as to seal the gaps between the basic unit  10  and the shield  6 , the gaps between the PCB  3  and the insulative base  2 . In the soldering process, the tail sections  312  are soldered upon the external PCB  200 . 
     In brief, in the invention on one hand, the basic unit  10  is made by insert-molding the insulative base  2  upon the metal base  1 , thus being relatively stronger compared with the traditional simple insulative housing. On the other hand, the holding part  12  forms a frame structure to intimately contact the corresponding edges of the PCB  3  wherein the PCB is further integrally formed with the basic unit  10  via the insulator  4 , thus being relative stronger to resist the forces upon mating. Through the through holes  33  cooperating with the tail sections  312  on the top surface of the PCB  3 , the bottom surface may form two rows of soldering regions for soldering to the external PCB  200  conveniently. Notably, in this embodiment, the front edge region of the PCB e forms a plurality of notches (not labeled) in which the insulator  4  is filled. Alternately, such curved notches may be replaced with the dovetailed notches for better retention between the PCB  3  and the basic unit  10  in the front-to-back direction. Similarly, the notch may be formed in the lateral sides of the PCB  3  and the front ends of the side arms are thinned like the transverse bar  122  to allow the insulator  4  to enter the notch in the lateral side for better retention between the PCB  3  and the basic unit  10 . Another feasible way to retain the internal PCB  3  with regard to the basic unit  10  along the front-to-back direction is to provide a resilient latch around a rear portion of the insulative base to latch within a corresponding notch in a rear section of the lateral side of the PCB  3 . Notably, the aforementioned soldering regions on the rear portion of the internal PCB  3  is also adapted to be connected to the wires rather than to the external PCB. 
     However, the disclosure is illustrative only, changes may be made in detail, especially in matter of shape, size, and arrangement of sections within the principles of the invention.