Abstract:
An electrical connector includes a plurality of contacts to be connected to a cable, a housing for arranging and holding the contacts, a shell dividable into two shells covering the housing and having a holding device for holding the cable, and an insulating member covering the shell. One of the shells is provided with anchoring portions and the other shell is provided with engaging portions so that when both the shells are fitted with each other, the anchoring portions and the engaging portions are engaged with each other to bring both the shells into electrical continuity with each other. Therefore, the shells can be securely held together to achieve reliable electrical continuity between the shells, and at the same time grounding between the cable and the shell and between the shells themselves can be achieved.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The present invention relates to an electrical connector for use in electric and electronic appliances such as cell phones and the like, and more particularly to an electrical connector having a structure securely fixing two divided shells to each other and simultaneously achieving reliable electrical continuity between the shells. 
         [0002]    An electrical connector hitherto used in the art will be explained. Such an electrical connector includes at least a plurality of contacts to be connected to a cable, a housing for arranging and holding the contacts, a shell dividable into two shells covering the housing and having holding means for holding the cable, and an insulating member covering the shell. 
         [0003]    In order to combine the two shells in the prior art, the respective shells have been fixed to the housing, or the shells themselves are fixed to each other in a manner as disclosed in Patent Literature 1 described below. 
         [0004]    As an example of electrical connectors, incorporated herein is the Patent Literature 1, Japanese Patent Application Opened No. H10-228,944 (1998) using a shell dividable into two shells, proposed by the applicant of the present application. 
         [0005]    Patent Literature 1 
         [0006]    According to the Abstract of the Japanese Patent Application Opened No. H10-228,944, this invention has an object to provide an electrical connector comprising a main body molded from a plastic material, a plurality of metal contacts incorporated in the main body, a divided main shell being substantially U-shaped and covering a part of the main body, and a divided sub-shell being substantially U-shaped and covering the other part of the main body. Disclosed is an electrical connector comprising a main body  100  molded from a plastic material, a plurality of metal contacts incorporated in the main body, a divided main shell  300  being substantially U-shaped and covering a part of the main body, and a divided sub-shell  400  being substantially U-shaped and covering the other part of the main body, thereby intending to achieve the simplification of the main body  100 , the divided main shell  300 , and the divided sub-shell  400 . 
         [0007]    For noise countermeasure in the past, a housing of an insulating material has generally been enclosed in a metal shell. In order to cover the housing by the shell, the shell has been divided into tow shells. In combining such two divided shells, the respective shells have in the past been fixed to the housing as described above, or the method disclosed in Patent Literature 1 has been employed. With both the methods, however, clearances at fitted portions between the shells would tend to increase, making it impossible to firmly fit the shells together. This problem remains to be solved. 
         [0008]    Moreover, grounding has been frequently carried out by electrical continuity between a cable and a shell or between shells. In the case that the two shells are fixed to the housing as described above, however, it would be impossible to bring the two shells into electrical continuity. On the other hand, with the construction disclosed in the Patent Literature  1 , although the two shells come into contact with each other to achieve their electrical continuity to some extent, the clearances at fitted portions between the shells as described above would provide an impediment to stable electrical continuity between the shells. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0009]    In view of the problems of the prior art described above, the invention has been completed, and an object of the invention is to provide an electrical connector which eliminates all the disadvantages of the prior art, and achieves a strong fixation between two divided shells and a reliable electrical continuity between them, and simultaneously achieves grounding between a cable and the shells and between the shells. 
         [0010]    The above object can be achieved by the electrical connector  10  according to the invention including a plurality of contacts  14  to be connected to a cable  40 , a housing  12  for arranging and holding said contacts  14 , a shell  16  dividable into two shells covering said housing  12  and having holding means for holding said cable  40 , and an insulating member  20  covering said shell  16 , wherein one of said shells  16  is provided with at least one anchoring portion  42  and the other shell  16  is provided with at least one engaging portion  44  so that when both the shells  16  are fitted with each other, said anchoring portion  42  and said engaging portion  44  are engaged with each other to bring both said shells  16  into electrical continuity with each other. 
         [0011]    In the electrical connector  10  claimed in claim  2 , said anchoring portion  42  of the one of said shells  16  is an anchoring groove  421 , and said engaging portion  44  of the other shell  16  is an engaging protrusion  441  so that by inserting said engaging protrusion  441  into said anchoring groove  421 , both said shells  161  and  162  are brought into electrical continuity. 
         [0012]    In the electrical connector  10  claimed in claim  3 , either of said shells  16  is provided with an anchoring hole  46 , and the remaining shell  16  is provided with an engaging piece  48  so that when both the shells  16  are fitted with each other, said anchoring hole  46  and said engaging piece  48  are engaged with each other to bring both said shells  16  into electrical continuity. 
         [0013]    Moreover, the electrical connector  10  claimed in claim  4  further comprises locking means for locking the electrical connector to a mating connector. 
         [0014]    As can be seen from the above descriptions, the electrical connector  10  according to the invention can bring about the following significant effects. 
         [0015]    (1) The connector  10  as claimed in claim  1  includes a plurality of contacts  14  to be connected to a cable  40 , a housing  12  for arranging and holding said contacts  14 , a shell  16  dividable into two shells covering said housing  12  and having holding means for holding said cable  40 , and an insulating member  20  covering said shell  16 , wherein one of said shells  16  is provided with at least one anchoring portion  42  and the other shell  16  is provided with at least one engaging portion  44  so that when both the shells  16  are fitted with each other, said anchoring portion  42  and said engaging portion  44  are engaged with each other to bring both said shells  16  into electrical continuity with each other. 
         [0016]    Therefore, the invention can achieve a strong fixation between two divided shells  16  and a reliable electrical continuity between the shells, and further the invention can achieve grounding between the cable  40  and said shells  16  and between the shells  16 . 
         [0017]    (2) According to electrical connector  10  claimed in claim  2 , said anchoring portion  42  of the one of said shells  16  is an anchoring groove  421 , and said engaging portion  44  of the other shell  16  is an engaging protrusion  441  so that by inserting said engaging protrusion  441  into said anchoring groove  421 , both said shells  161  and  162  are brought into electrical continuity. Accordingly, it is possible to achieve a strong fixation between two divided shells  16  and a reliable electrical continuity between the shells, and it is further possible to achieve grounding between the cable  40  and said shells  16  and between the shells  16 . 
         [0018]    (3) According to the electrical connector  10  claimed in claim  3 , either of said shells  16  is provided with an anchoring hole  46 , and the remaining shell  16  is provided with an engaging piece  48  so that both the shells  16  are fitted with each other, said anchoring hole  46  and said engaging piece  48  are engaged with each other to bring both said shells  16  into electrical continuity. Consequently, it is possible to achieve a strong fixation between two divided shells  16  and a reliable electrical continuity between the shells, and it is further possible to achieve grounding between the cable  40  and said shells  16  and between the shells  16 . (4) The electrical connector  10  claimed in claim  4  further comprises locking means for locking the electrical connector to a mating connector. Therefore, the electrical connector  10  can be securely locked to the mating connector. 
         [0019]    The invention will be more fully understood by referring to the following detailed specification and claims taken in connection with the appended drawings. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0020]      FIG. 1A  is a perspective view of the electrical connector according to the invention, viewed from the fitting opening side; 
           [0021]      FIG. 1B  is a perspective view of the electrical connector shown in  FIG. 1A  viewed from the side of an extending cable; 
           [0022]      FIG. 2A  is a perspective view of the electrical connector with an insulating member removed, viewed from the fitting opening side; 
           [0023]      FIG. 2B  is a perspective view of the electrical connector shown in  FIG. 2A  with the insulating member removed, viewed from the side of the extending cable; 
           [0024]      FIG. 3A  is a sectional view of the electrical connector taken along a plane passing through one engaging protrusion of a shell; 
           [0025]      FIG. 3B  is a partly sectional view of the electrical connector taken along a locking member; 
           [0026]      FIG. 4A  is a perspective view of the shell in the state of a combination of two shells; 
           [0027]      FIG. 4B  is a perspective view of one of the shells; 
           [0028]      FIG. 4C  is a perspective view of the other shell; 
           [0029]      FIG. 5  is a perspective view of a housing; 
           [0030]      FIG. 6A  is a perspective view of one of contacts; 
           [0031]      FIG. 6B  is a perspective view of the other contact; and 
           [0032]      FIG. 7  is a perspective view of the locking member. 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0033]    One embodiment of the electrical connector  10  according to the invention will be explained with reference to  FIGS. 1A to 7 .  FIG. 1A  is a perspective view of the electrical connector according to the invention viewed from the fitting opening side, and  FIG. 1B  is a perspective view of the electrical connector shown in  FIG. 1A  viewed from the side of an extending cable.  FIG. 2A  is a perspective view of the electrical connector with an insulating member removed, viewed from the fitting opening side, and  FIG. 2B  is a perspective view of the electrical connector shown in  FIG. 2A  with the insulating member removed, viewed from the side of the extending cable.  FIG. 3A  is a sectional view of the electrical connector taken along a plane passing through one engaging protrusion of a shell, and  FIG. 3B  is a partly sectional view of the electrical connector taken along a locking member.  FIG. 4A  is a perspective view of the shell in the state of a combination of two shells, while  FIG. 4B  is a perspective view of one of the shells and  FIG. 4C  is a perspective view of the other shell.  FIG. 5  is a perspective view of a housing.  FIG. 6A  is a perspective view of one of contacts, and  FIG. 6B  is a perspective view of the other contact.  FIG. 7  is a perspective view of the locking member. 
         [0034]    The electrical connector  10  according to the invention comprises at least a plurality of contacts  14 , a housing  12 , a combined shell  16  dividable into two shells, locking members  18 , and an insulating member  20 . 
         [0035]    First, the shell  16  dividable into two shells (shell A  161  and shell B  162 ) will be explained, forming one important aspect of the invention. These shells  16  (shell A  161  and shell B  162 ) are made of a metal and formed by means of the press-working of the known technique. A metal from which to form the shells is suitably selected in consideration of the requirements for the shells such as dimensional stability, workability, manufacturing cost, and the like, and preferred metals for the shells generally include brass, beryllium copper, phosphor bronze, and the like. The shell A  161  and shell B  162  to be combined into the shell  16  are substantially in the form of boxes, respectively, and said housing  12  is fixed to the inside of the combined shell  16  by means of hooking, or the like. 
         [0036]    The combined shell  16  (the shell A  161  and the shell B  162 ) is provided at one end with a fitting opening  23  for fitting with a mating connector and at the other end with holding means for holding a cable  40 . At the fitting opening  23 , the shell A  161  is provided with anchoring portions  42  and the ether shell B  162  is provided with engaging portions  44 . By engaging the anchoring portions  42  with the engaging portions  44 , said shells  161  and  162  are firmly held and fixed to each other, and simultaneously brought into electrical continuity with each other with great certainty. In the illustrated embodiment, the fitting opening  23  is formed by the shell A  161 , and a clamp portion  50  is provided as said holding means for embracing said cable  40 . Said clamp portion  50  may be suitably designed taking into account a holding force required for the cable  40 , and workability and the like of the shells. Moreover, the shell A  161  is formed on the side of said fitting opening  23  with notches  34  to expose displacing portions  28  of said locking members  18  ( FIG. 2B  and  FIGS. 1A and 1B ). Each of the notches  34  is a relief or space for allowing the displacing portion  28  of said locking member  18  to move without being interfered with by the shell. The size and shape of the notches  34  may be suitably designed in consideration of the function and the strength, workability, and the like of the shell. 
         [0037]    In the illustrated embodiment, said shell  16  consists of the shell A  161  and the shell B  162  as described above. As shown in  FIG. 4C , said shell A  161  is formed with anchoring grooves  421  as said anchoring portions  42 , while as shown in  FIG. 4B , said shell B  162  is formed with engaging protrusions  441  as said engaging portions  44 . As shown in  FIG. 4B , the tips of said engaging protrusions  441  are formed in raised shapes, and when the raised tips are fitted into said anchoring grooves  421  by light-press fitting, said shell A  161  and shell B  162  are firmly held and fixed to each other, and simultaneously brought into electrical continuity with each other with great certainty. In more detail, two projections  45  are provided in each of the anchoring grooves  421  so that the engaging protrusion  441  is embraced between the two projections  45 , thereby achieving the light-press fitting of the engaging protrusion  441  in the anchoring groove  421 . The shapes and sizes of said anchoring grooves  421  and said engaging protrusions  441  may be suitably designed in consideration of such a function, strengths of these parts, miniaturization of the connector  10 , and the like. 
         [0038]    Further, either of said shell A  161  and shell B  162  is formed with anchoring holes, while the other shell is provided with engaging pieces. In the illustrated embodiment, said shell A  161  is provided on both side walls with said engaging pieces, and said shell B  162  is formed in both side walls with said anchoring holes. By engaging said engaging pieces of said shell A  161  with said anchoring holes of said shell B  162 , the shell A  161  and shell B  162  are more securely held together in more reliable electrical continuity. Said anchoring holes are formed in the side walls as through-holes by punching in the step of press-working of the shell, while said engaging pieces are formed on the side walls by forming slits and bending or raising the parts formed by the slits in the step of press-working of the shell. The engaging pieces of said shell A  161  are bent or raised in the direction of the thickness of the sidewalls. The shapes and sizes of said anchoring holes and said engaging pieces may be suitably designed taking into account their function and strengths, the miniaturization of the connector  10 , and the like. Although said engaging pieces are provided on said shell A  161  and said anchoring holes are formed in said shell B  162  in the embodiment, it is to be understood that said engaging pieces may be provided on said shell B  162  and said anchoring holes may be formed in said shell A  161 . Said engaging pieces and said anchoring holes are not shown in the drawings. 
         [0039]    The housing  12  will then be explained. The housing  12  is formed from an electrically insulating plastic material by means of the injection molding of the known technique. A material from which to form the housing is suitably selected in consideration of dimensional stability, workability, manufacturing cost and the like, and preferable materials for the housing generally include polybutylene terephthalate (PBT), polyamide (66PA or 46PA), liquid crystal polymer (LCP), polycarbonate (PC) and the like and combination thereof. Said housing  12  includes inserting holes  60  into which the contacts  14  are inserted. Said inserting holes  60  need only be able to hold said contacts  14 . The sizes and shapes of the inserting holes  60  may be suitably designed talking into account the sizes and shapes of said contacts  14 , the miniaturization of the connector  10 , and the strength of the housing  12 . Moreover, said housing  12  has inserting apertures  61  for inserting the locking members  18  therein, respectively. The inserting apertures  61  also need only be able to hold said locking members  18 , respectively. The size and shape of the inserting apertures  61  may be suitably designed talking into account the size and shape of said locking members, the miniaturization of the connector  10 , and the strength of the housing  12 . 
         [0040]    The contacts  14  will then be explained. The contacts  14  are made of a metal and formed by means of the press-working of the known technique. Preferred metals from which to form the contacts  14  generally include brass, beryllium copper, phosphor bronze, and the like because of requirements for the contacts such as dimensional stability, electric conductivity, and the like. The contact  14  mainly comprises a contact portion  52  adapted to contact a mating connector, a fixed portion  54  to be held in the housing  12 , and a connection portion  56  to be connected to the cable  40 , and is substantially in the form of a plate piece. In the illustrated embodiment, two kinds of contacts  14  are used and alternately arranged. Said contact portions  52  are adapted to contact mating objects such as contacts of the mating connector, and their shapes and sizes may be suitably designed taking into account contact stability and contact pressure with the mating objects, workability of the contacts, and the like. The contact portions are shaped into protrusions in the illustrated embodiment. Said fixed portions  54  are held in the housing  12  by press-fitting, hocking (lancing), or welding. The contacts  14  are fixed to the housing by press-fitting in the illustrated embodiment. Said connection portions  56  are adapted to be connected to the cable  40 , and their shapes may be suitably designed in consideration of specifications, the mating objects, connecting methods, and the like. The connection portions are connected to the cable  40  by soldering in the illustrated embodiment. 
         [0041]    The insulating member  20  will then be explained. There are two cases for forming the insulating member  20 . In one case, the insulating member  20  is formed integrally with said shell A  161  and said shell B  162 , and in the other case, the insulating member  20  is formed separately from the shells and these shells in this case are embraced and fixed in the insulating member. In either case, the insulating member  20  is formed from an electrically insulating plastic material by means of the injection molding of the known technique. In the case of integral molding, the material of the insulating member is suitably selected taking into account the countermeasure against static electricity, workability, manufacturing cost, and the like, and polyvinyl chloride (PVC) is generally used. In the case of forming as a separate member, a material from which to form the insulating member  20  is suitably selected in consideration of dimensional stability, workability, manufacturing cost, and the like, and preferable materials for the insulating member  20  generally include polybutylene terephthalate (PBT), polyamide (66PA or 46PA), polycarbonate (PC) and the like and combination thereof. The insulating member  20  is integrally formed with the shell taking into account the countermeasure against static electricity in the illustrated embodiment. Said insulating member  20  comprises at least a bellows portion  3   8  for restraining the cable  40 , and a main body  37 . 
         [0042]    The bellows portion  38  serves to partly restrain the cable  40  extending from said shells  16  by a metal sleeve located inside the bellows portion  38 , thereby preventing said cable  40  from positioning eccentrically. The bellows portion also serves to increase the flexibility of the cable  40 . The shape and size of said bellows portion  38  may be suitably designed taking into account the functions described above, the flexibility and workability of the insulating member  20 , and the like. 
         [0043]    Said main body  37  covers or encloses said shell  16  for the countermeasure against static electricity and is formed with recesses  22  at locations opposite from said bellows portion  38  and corresponding to the displacing portions  28  of said locking members  18 . Said recesses  22  serve to prevent the material of the insulating member  20  from flowing onto the displacing portions  28  of said locking member  18  exposed to the surface of the shell  16 . The shape and size of said recesses  22  may be any ones insofar as they fulfill their role, and may be suitably designed taking into account the countermeasure against static electricity, workability, strength, and size of the locking members  18 , and the like. Said recesses  22  are arranged at locations corresponding to said locking members  18 . 
         [0044]    Finally, the locking members  18  will be explained. The locking members  18  are made of a metal and formed by means of the press-working of the known technique. Preferred metals from which to form the locking members  18  generally include brass, beryllium copper, phosphor bronze, and the like because of the requirements for the locking members  18  such as dimensional stability, electric conductivity, and the like. Said locking member  18  mainly comprises an engaging part  30  adapted to engage the mating connector, the displacing portion  28 , and an elastic portion  36  enabling the displacing portion  28  to be elastically displaceable. The shapes and sizes of said engaging part  30 , the displacing portion  28  and the elastic portion  36  need only enable said locking members  18  to engage the mating connector and may be suitably designed taking into account the miniaturization and reduced overall height of the connector, holding force, workability, and the like. The two locking members  18  of a pair are so arranged that said displacing portions  28  are exposed to the upper surface of the fitting opening  23  of said shell  16  in the illustrated embodiment. The two locking members are arranged so as to form the pair of locking members, thereby achieving a stable fitting with the mating connector. 
         [0045]    The examples of applications of the invention are electrical connectors for use in electric and electronic appliances such as cell phones, and particularly connectors having a structure strongly fixing two divided shells to each other and simultaneously achieving reliable electrical continuity between the shells. 
         [0046]    While the invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to the preferred embodiments thereof, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that the foregoing and other changes in form and details can be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.