Patent Publication Number: US-10326246-B2

Title: Electrical connector with filtering function

Description:
FIELD OF INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to an electrical connector, in particular to the electrical connector with a filtering function. 
     BACKGROUND OF INVENTION 
     Description of the Related Art 
     Conventional electrical connectors such as M8 connectors and M12 connectors are pure mechanical connectors formed by a plastic insulator and a plurality of terminals. In general, the connectors formed by such components can be used for the transmission of low-frequency signals only. However, the stability and quality of the signals will be affected adversely in high-frequency transmissions. In certain situations requiring a transmission of high-frequency signals between devices, a common traditional solution is to install an electronic component with a filtering function onto a circuit board of the device. Inevitably, this design has the issues of occupying much interior space of the device and affecting the circuit layout of the device. Therefore, it is a main subject for related manufacturers to integrate a feasible electronic module with a filtering function into an electrical connector to just achieve the effect of miniaturizing the electrical connector as well as simplifying the structure and facilitating the production. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is a primary objective of the present invention to overcome the aforementioned drawbacks of the prior art by providing an electrical connector with a filtering function to ensure the miniaturization, simple structure, and easy production of the electrical connector to improve the conventional electrical connector which has a complicated structure, occupies much space, and results in unreliable grounding. 
     To achieve the aforementioned and other objectives, the present invention provides an embodiment of an electrical connector with a filtering function, comprising: a high-speed interface, further comprising: an insulating body having an end with a circular cross-section, and a plurality of through holes; and a plurality of connecting terminals, installed into the through holes respectively, extended backwardly from the circular cross-section of the insulating body and bent downwardly to form a plurality of soldered ends; a filter module installed at a rear end of the circular cross-section of the insulating body, and including a lid with a plurality of output terminals and at least a grounding terminal, and a PCB electrically coupled to the output terminals and the grounding terminal and configured horizontally; and a hood covering the circular cross-section of the insulating body and the filter module. 
     Wherein, the PCB has a plurality of electronic components installed thereon; and the output terminals are extended out from a bottom surface of the hood. 
     Wherein, the grounding terminal includes a first connecting end electrically coupled to the PCB and a second connecting end integrally coupled to the first connecting end, and the second connecting end is attached onto an external surface of the lid. 
     Wherein, the hood covers the exterior of the lid and has a screw hole formed at a position of the hood and configured to be corresponsive to the second connecting end. 
     Wherein, a locking screw is screwed tightly into the screw hole to press and connect the second connecting end of the grounding terminal, and the grounding terminal is electrically coupled to the hood through the locking screw 
     Preferably, the external surface of the lid has at least a terminal slot formed thereon and configured to be corresponsive to the second connecting end of the grounding terminal, and the second connecting end is accommodated into the terminal slot 
     Preferably, the high-speed interface includes a M12 interface. 
     Preferably, the insulating body has a frame integrally formed at an edge of the circular cross-section of the insulating body. 
     Preferably, the lid of the filter module is inlaid and combined with the frame, and the output terminals are latched onto the lid; the front end of the lid has a notch formed thereon and configured to be corresponsive to the soldered ends; the soldered ends are passed through the notch and extended into the lid, and the soldered end and the output terminals are perpendicular to the bottom surface of the lid and electrically coupled to the PCB. 
     Preferably, the frame has a latch slot formed on both sides of the frame each, and the lid has a positioning portion disposed on both sides of the front end of the lid and configured to be corresponsive to the latch slot, and the positioning portion is latched into the latch slot. 
     Preferably, the output terminals include a plurality of POE terminals installed on both sides of the front end of the lid. 
     Preferably, the bottom of the lid has an accommodating cavity concavely formed on the lid for accommodating the electronic components installed on the PCB. 
     Preferably, the filter module further includes a base latched to the bottom of the lid, and the PCB is clamped between the base and the lid, and the output terminals ( 22 ) are extended out from the bottom surface of the base 
     Preferably, the hood includes a front casing and a rear cover, and the rear cover covers a rear opening of the front casing, and the front casing is fixed and coupled to the rear cover through the locking screw. 
     Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following advantages and effects. Specifically, the PCB is electrically coupled to the electronic components and horizontally installed into the electrical connector, and both of the connecting terminal and the output terminal are electrically coupled to the PCB, so as to improve the noise resisting ability, adapt the high-speed transmission, and ensure the miniaturization of the electrical connector. Therefore, the present invention has the advantages of simple and compact structure, simple manufacture, and low cost. 
     Further, the present invention arranges the first connecting end of the grounding terminal to be electrically coupled to the PCB and the second connecting end attached onto the external surface of the lid. In addition, the hood covers the lid and has the screw hole configured to be corresponsive to the second connecting end. The locking screw is screwed into the screw hole to press onto the second connecting end of the grounding terminals, and the grounding terminal is electrically coupled to the hood through the locking screw, so as to overcome the drawbacks of the conventional complicated structure for grounding electrical connectors, occupying too much space, and having unreliable electrical connections. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES 
         FIG. 1  is a schematic view of an assembly of an electrical connector with a filtering function in accordance with the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a first exploded view of an electrical connector with a filtering function in accordance with the present invention; 
         FIG. 3  is a second exploded view of an electrical connector with a filtering function in accordance with the present invention; 
         FIG. 4  is a schematic view of a partial assembly of  FIG. 3 ; 
         FIG. 5  is a schematic view of a partial assembly of  FIG. 4 ; 
         FIG. 6  is a schematic view of a partial assembly of  FIG. 5 ; 
         FIG. 7  is a schematic view of a partial assembly of  FIG. 6 ; 
         FIG. 8  is a schematic view of a partial assembly of  FIG. 7 ; 
         FIG. 9  is a first cross-sectional view of an electrical connector with a filtering function in accordance with the present invention; 
         FIG. 10  is a second cross-sectional view of an electrical connector with a filtering function in accordance with the present invention; and 
         FIG. 11  is a third cross-sectional view of an electrical connector with a filtering function in accordance with the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     To make it easier for our examiner to understand the objective, technical characteristics, structure, innovative features, and performance of the invention, we use preferred embodiments together with the attached figures for the detailed description of the invention. It is intended that the embodiments and figures disclosed herein are to be considered illustrative rather than restrictive. 
     With reference to  FIGS. 1 to 11 ,  FIG. 1  shows a schematic view of an assembly of an electrical connector with a filtering function in accordance with the present invention,  FIG. 2  shows a first exploded view of the electrical connector with a filtering function of the invention,  FIG. 3  shows a second exploded view of the electrical connector with a filtering function of the invention,  FIG. 4  shows a schematic view of a partial assembly of  FIG. 3 ,  FIG. 5  shows a schematic view of a partial assembly of  FIG. 4 ,  FIG. 6  shows a schematic view of a partial assembly of  FIG. 5 ,  FIG. 7  shows a schematic view of a partial assembly of  FIG. 6 ,  FIG. 8  shows a schematic view of a partial assembly of  FIG. 7 ,  FIG. 9  shows a first cross-sectional view of the electrical connector with a filtering function in accordance with the invention,  FIG. 10  shows a second cross-sectional view of the electrical connector with a filtering function in accordance with the invention, and  FIG. 11  shows a third cross-sectional view of the electrical connector with a filtering function in accordance with the invention. 
     In the aforementioned schematic, exploded, and cross-sectional views of the assembly of the present invention, the electrical connector with a filtering function (hereinafter referred to as an “electrical connector”) comprises: a high-speed interface  10 , a filter module  20  and a hood  30 , and the high-speed interface  10  is electrically coupled to the filter module  20 , and the hood  30  covers the exterior of the high-speed interface  10  and the filter module  20 . 
     The high-speed interface  10  comprises an insulating body  11  and a plurality of connecting terminals  12 , wherein the insulating body  11  has a plurality of through holes  111  formed thereon, and an end of the insulating body  11  has a substantially circular cross-section, and a frame  112  is integrally formed at an edge of the circular cross-section of the insulating body  11 . In addition, the connecting terminals  12  are installed and configured to be corresponsive to the through holes  111  respectively and extended backwardly from the circular cross-section of the insulating body  11  and bent downwardly to form a plurality of soldered ends  121 . In this embodiment, the high-speed interface  10  includes a M12 interface; the frame  112  is disposed at a rear end of the insulating body  11 ; and both sides of the frame  112  have a latch slot  113 . 
     The filter module  20  is installed at the rear end of the circular cross-section of the insulating body  11 , and the filter module  20  includes a horizontally configured PCB  21 , and a lid  24  with a plurality of output terminals  22  and a grounding terminal  26 , and the PCB  21  is electrically coupled to the output terminals  22  and the grounding terminal  26 , and the soldered ends  121  is also electrically coupled to the PCB  21 . 
     More specifically, the PCB  21  has a plurality of electronic components  23  installed thereon, and the lid  24  has an accommodating cavity  241  concavely formed on the bottom of the lid  24 , and the lid  24  is inlaid and combined with the frame  112 . In addition, both sides of the front end of the lid  24  have a positioning portion  242  configured to be corresponsive to the respective latch slot  113  on both sides of the frame  112 , and the positioning portion  242  is latched into the latch slot  113 . 
     In this embodiment, the electronic components  23  installed on the PCB  21  are accommodated into the accommodating cavity  241 , and the plurality of output terminals  22  are latched onto the lid  24 . In addition, the output terminals  22  include a plurality of POE terminals  221  installed on both sides of the front end of the lid  24 . More specifically, two POE terminals  221  are disposed on both sides of the front end of the lid  24  respectively. 
     In addition, a notch  243  is formed at the middle of the front end of the lid  24  and configured to be corresponsive to the soldered ends  121 , and the soldered ends  121  is passed through the notch  243  and extended into the lid  24 , and the soldered ends  121  and the output terminal  22  are perpendicular to the bottom surface of the lid  24 . Further, the filter module  20  further comprises a base  25  engaged with the bottom of the lid  24 , and the PCB  21  is clamped between the base  25  and the lid  24 , and the output terminals  22  are extended out from the bottom surface of the base  25 . 
     On the other end, the hood  30  covers the circular cross-section of the insulating body  11  and the filter module  20 , and the output terminals  22  are extended out from the bottom surface of the hood  30 , and the hood  30  includes a front casing  31  and a rear cover  32 , wherein the front casing  31  has an accommodating cavity  301 , and the front casing  31  has a penetrating hole  302  formed on the front side of the front casing  31  and communicated with the accommodating cavity  301 . In addition, the rear cover  32  covers the rear opening of the accommodating cavity  301 , and the front casing  31  is fixed and coupled to the rear cover  32  through a locking screw  33 , and the front end of the hood  30  is screwed and coupled by a nut  40 . 
     The grounding terminal  26  includes a first connecting end  261  electrically coupled to the PCB  21  and a second connecting end  262  integrally coupled to the first connecting end  261 , and attached onto the external surface of the lid  24 . In addition, the hood  30  covers the lid  24  and has a screw hole  60  configured to be corresponsive to the second connecting end  262 . In addition, the locking screw  33  is screwed into the screw hole  60  to press and connect the second connecting end  262  of the grounding terminal  26 , and the grounding terminals  26  are electrically coupled to the hood  30  through the locking screw  33 . 
     In the present invention, at least a terminal slot  244  is formed on the external surface of the lid  24  and configured to be corresponsive to the second connecting end  262  of the grounding terminal  26 , and the second connecting end  262  is accommodated into the terminal slot  244  to make the hood  30  smoother and flatter to prevent it from being warped during the process of screwing the locking screw  33 . 
     In  FIGS. 1 to 11 , the electrical connector with a filtering function of the present invention is assembled by the following process. Firstly, the output terminals  21  and the grounding terminal  26  are installed onto the lid  24 , and then the output terminals  21  and the grounding terminal  26  are soldered and conducted with the PCB  21 . After the aforementioned steps are completed, the lid  24  with the output terminals  22  is installed at a rear end of the circular cross-section of the high-speed interface  10  to latch the positioning portion  242  of the lid  24  into the latch slot  113  of the frame  112  of the high-speed interface  10 , and the soldered end  121  of the plurality of connecting terminals  12  is passed into the notch  243  of the lid  24  and extended into the lid  24 , so as to install the connecting terminals  12  to the insulating body  11  and engage and fix the insulating body  11  with the lid  24 . 
     Secondly, the PCB  21  electrically coupled to plurality of electronic components  23  is installed horizontally to the bottom of the lid  2 , and the plurality of soldered ends  121  and the plurality of output terminal  22  are electrically coupled to the PCB  21 , and the base  25  is latched to the bottom of the lid  24 , and the PCB  21  is clamped between the lid  24  and the base  25 , and the plurality of output terminals  22  are extended out from the bottom surface of the base  25 . 
     The plurality of silicone washers  50  are sheathed on the middle of the high-speed interface  10 , and the front casing  31  is installed from the front to the rear of the high-speed interface  10  to cover the circular cross-section of the high-speed interface  10 , the lid  24 , and the base  25 . The rear cover  32  is covered onto the rear end of the front casing  31  and fixed by the locking screw  33 , and the plurality of output terminals  22  are extended out from the front casing  31  and the bottom of the rear cover  32 , and the silicone washers  50  are sheathed on the front end of the high-speed interface  10 . 
     Finally, the locking screw  33  is screwed tightly into the screw hole  60  to press onto the second connecting end  262  of the grounding terminal  26 , and the grounding terminal  26  is electrically coupled to the hood  30  through the locking screw  33 , so as to complete the assembling of the electrical connector with a filtering function in accordance with the present invention. 
     The major technical characteristic of the present invention resides on that the PCB is electrically coupled to the electronic components and horizontally installed into the electrical connector, and both of the connecting terminal and the output terminal are electrically coupled to the PCB to improve noise resisting ability and adapt high-speed transmissions, and achieve the effects of ensuring the miniaturization of the electrical connector, so that the present invention has the advantages of simple and compact structure, easy manufacture and low cost. 
     In addition, another major technical characteristic of the present invention resides on that the first connecting end of the grounding terminal is electrically coupled to the PCB, and the second connecting end is attached onto the external surface of the lid, and the hood covers the lid and has the screw hole formed thereon and configured to be corresponsive to the second connecting end, and the locking screw is screwed into the screw hole to press and connect the second connecting end of the grounding terminal, and the grounding terminals are electrically coupled to the hood through the locking screw, so as to effectively overcome the drawbacks of the conventional complicated structure for grounding electrical connectors, occupying too much space, and having unreliable electrical connections. 
     While the invention has been described by means of specific embodiments, numerous modifications and variations could be made thereto by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention set forth in the claims.