Patent Publication Number: US-6210235-B1

Title: Modular jack type electrical connector

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention generally relates to an electrical connector, and in particular, to a modular jack having a simplified structure for facilitating manufacture and assembly thereof. 
     2. The Prior Art 
     Modular jacks are widely used in telecommunication systems for facilitating connection of components thereof. Conventional modular jacks are disclosed in Taiwan Patent Application Nos. 78207828, 82201698, 83212694 and 84101576. The conventional modular jack comprises a number of contact elements each being bent and then individually mounted into an insulative member, which hinders the manufacturing process of the modular jack and increases manufacturing costs. Furthermore, the contact elements may not be securely retained in position which may lead to undesired short-circuiting therebetween, causing deterioration of signal transmission quality. 
     The modular jack is often encased in and shielded by a shielding member for EMI (electromagnetic interference) protection. Conventionally, the shielding member is formed with extensions for grounding to and positioning on a circuit board. Such extensions have a poor mechanical strength which often leads to deformation thereof due to misalignment during insertion into holes defined in the circuit board. In addition, since the extensions are portions of the shielding member which is usually made of a metal plate, the positioning pins have a thin flat configuration which wears away inner surfaces of the holes during insertion into the circuit board thereby damaging the circuit board. 
     It is thus desirable to provide a modular jack type electrical connector for overcoming the above problems of the prior art connectors. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a modular jack type electrical connector including a spacer for securely retaining the contact elements before insertion into an insulative housing thereby simplifying the manufacturing process. 
     Another object of the present invention is to provide an electrical connector comprising a unitary shielding member substantially enclosing an insulative housing for EMI protection and having extensions for mounting to a circuit board whereby the extensions are soundly supported by corresponding portions of the housing. 
     To achieve the above objects, a modular jack electrical connector in accordance with the present invention comprises an insulative housing defining an interior space for receiving and mechanically engaging with a mating connector. A plurality of contact elements are insert-molded in and retained by first and second spacers which are separated from each other. The contact elements are bent whereby the first and second spacers are substantially normal to each other. The housing further defines a slot in communication with the interior space for receiving and retaining the first spacer therein and the second spacer is attached to an outer face of the housing. A shielding member substantially encloses the housing and the spacers. The shielding member has grounding tabs extending therefrom. The housing has a post extending therefrom corresponding to each of the grounding tabs. The post has an outer face having a flat section abutting against and supporting the grounding tab for providing mechanical strength during insertion thereof into a hole defined in a circuit board. The outer face of the post further has an arcuate section which provides a smooth and substantially non-abrasive engagement with an inside surface of the hole of the circuit board. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The present invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art by reading the following description of a preferred embodiment thereof, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: 
     FIG. 1 is an exploded view of an electrical connector constructed in accordance with the present invention; 
     FIG. 2 is similar to FIG. 1 but taken from a different perspective; 
     FIG. 3 is an assembled view of FIG. 1; and 
     FIG. 4 is a side elevational view of FIG.  3 . 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring to the drawings and in particular to FIGS. 1,  2  and  3 , an electrical connector in accordance with the present invention comprises an insulative housing  2  enclosed in a shielding member  1 . A plurality of contact elements  4  are retained in first and second spacers  31 ,  32 . The spacers  31 ,  32  are fixed to the housing  2  and enclosed by the shielding member  1 . Preferably, the contact elements  4  are insert-molded in the spacers  31 ,  32  thereby being integrally formed therewith. 
     Each contact element  4  comprises an elongate body extending through the first and second spacers  31 ,  32  and the spacers  31 ,  32  are separated from each other. The contact elements  4  have mating ends  41  extending beyond the first spacer  31  and mounting ends  42  extending beyond the second spacer  32 . The contact elements  4  are then bent at a location between the spacers  31 ,  32  to form a right-angled configuration. The mating ends  41  of the contact elements  4  are further bent to form a sharp angle. 
     The housing  2  has a mating face  200  and an opposite mounting face  201 . An interior space  202  is defined in the housing  2  and exposed to an opening formed in the mating face  200  for reception of a mating connector (not shown). The housing  2  also defines a slot  206  in communication with the interior space  202  and exposed to the mounting face  201 . A partition (not labeled, best shown in FIG. 2) is formed between the slot  206  and the interior space  202 . The mounting face  201  forms a pair of spaced barbed arms  207 ,  208 . 
     The first spacer  31  is inserted into the slot  206  whereby the mating ends  41  of the contact elements  4  are located in the interior space  202  of the housing  2 . The housing  2  defines a plurality of positioning grooves  203  therein corresponding to and partially receiving the mating ends  41  of the contact elements  4  for further securing the mating ends  41  of the contact elements  4  in position. 
     The second spacer  32  defines two recesses  321 ,  322  corresponding to and engaged with the barbed arms  207 ,  208  of the housing  2  for being securely positioned therebetween and thus fixed to the mounting face  201  of the housing  2 . The mounting ends  42  of the contact elements  4  are dimensioned to extend beyond a bottom face  213  of the housing  2 . 
     The shielding member  1  has a front wall  100  defining an opening  105  therein corresponding to the opening of the mating face  200  of the housing  2 . A top wall  103 , a bottom wall  104  and two front lateral walls  101 ,  102  extend from edges of the front wall  100  to define an interior space (not labeled) therebetween for receiving the housing  2  whereby the front wall  100  of the shielding member  1  abuts against the mating face  200  of the housing  2 . The shielding member  1  further comprises a rear wall  112  extending from the top wall  103  for covering and shielding the mounting face  201  of the housing  2  and the spacers  31 ,  32 . Two rear lateral walls  113 ,  114  extend from the rear wall  112  and are partially overlapped by the front lateral walls  101 ,  102 . The rear lateral walls  113 ,  114  have barbs  115  formed thereon and the front lateral walls  101 ,  102  define openings  108  therein for engaging with the barbs  115  thereby securing the rear lateral walls  113 ,  114  to the front lateral walls  101 ,  102 . Thus, the housing  2  is securely enclosed within the shielding member  1 . The housing  2  is provided with a step  209 ,  210  on each side face thereof for supporting and accommodating the corresponding rear lateral wall  113 ,  114  of the shielding member  1 . 
     Furthermore, the shielding member  1  is provided with resilient arms  106 ,  107  extending into the interior space  202  of the housing  2  from opposite lateral edges of the opening  105 . The resilient arms  106 ,  107  are received in grooves  204 ,  205  defined in the housing  2  in communication with the interior space  202 . The arms  106 ,  107  fix the shielding member  1  to the housing  2  and electrically engage with a grounding member of the mating connector. 
     Also referring to FIG. 4, the housing  2  has a pair of posts  211 ,  212  extending from the bottom face  213  thereof. Each post  211  has an outer face comprising a flat section  2111 ,  2121  and an arcuate section  2112 ,  2122 . A pair of grounding tabs  110 ,  111  extends from the shielding member  1  and is positioned against the flat sections  2111 ,  2121  of the outer faces of the corresponding posts  211 ,  212  of the housing  2 . The posts  211 ,  212  and the grounding tabs  110 ,  111  are inserted into holes defined in a circuit board (not shown) for fixing and grounding the connector thereto. 
     Although the present invention has been described with reference to a preferred embodiment, it is apparent to those skilled in the art that a variety of modifications and changes may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention which is intended to be defined by the appended claims.