Patent Publication Number: US-9413119-B2

Title: Electrical connector with an improved mating plate

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates generally to an electrical connector, and more specifically, to a method for producing an electrical connector with an improved mating plate. This application relates to the copending application Ser. No. 14/531,978 filed Nov. 3, 2014 and another application with an unassigned serial number filed on Sep. 15, 2015 with a title of “ELECTRIC CONNECTOR ASSEMBLY WITH A RELIABLE LOCKING DEVICE”, both having the same applicant and the same assignee with the instant invention. 
     2. Description of Related Arts 
     An electrical connector is disclosed in TW Pat. No. M394,623 issued to Zhang et al. on Dec. 11, 2010. Said electrical connector includes a base body, a terminal module assembles to the base body and a metal shell covering around the base body and the terminal modules. A pair of first locking portions are protrude from opposite sides of the terminal module, the base body defines a pair of second locking portions lock with the pairs of the first locking portions. Thus, said terminal module can be retained to the base body. However, assembling the electrical connector by this way generally causes the terminal module fall off the base body. 
     Hence, an electrical connector having a good bind force is desired. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide an electrical connector with an improved mating plate. 
     To achieve the above object, a electrical connector comprises a base plate and a pair of terminal modules, the base plate defines a tongue plate, each terminal module defines a plurality of terminals and an insulative housing inserted molding with the terminals. A pair of concave portions are formed on opposite sides of the tongue plate, said two terminal modules are received in the two concave portions respectively, an insulative shell is injection molded over outer sides of the terminal modules and commonly forms a mating plate together with the tongue plate, the terminals define contacting portions exposed to two opposite surfaces of the mating plate. 
     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 DRAWING 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an electrical connector in accordance with the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the electrical connector from another view; 
         FIG. 3  is an exploded perspective view of the electrical connector shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 4  is an exploded perspective view of the electrical connector shown in  FIG. 2 ; 
         FIG. 5  is a perspective view of a terminal module of the electrical connector; and 
         FIG. 6  is a separated view of an insulative shell, a base plate and the terminal module of the electrical connector. 
         FIG. 7  is a cross-sectional view of the electrical connector of  FIG. 1   
         FIG. 8  is another cross-sectional view of the electrical connector of  FIG. 1 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Reference will now be made to the drawing figures to describe the preferred embodiment of the present invention in detail. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1-2 , a electrical connector  100  according to the present invention is used for mating with a mating connector (no shown), said electrical connector can be put or mounted as any type. In the present invention, said electrical is mounted by a horizontal type. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 3-4 , the electrical connector defines a base plate or base  1 , a pair of terminal modules  2  and an insulative shell or cover  3 , said two terminal modules  2  are retained on opposite sides of the base plate  1 , an insulative shell  3  is injection molded over outer sides of the terminal modules  2  and the base plate  1 . The base plate  1  is a metal plate and which is made via powder metallurgy. The base plate  1  defines an elongated tongue plate  11 , a pair of mounting portions  12  locate on opposite sides of a rear side of the tongue plate  11 , each terminal module  2  comprises a plurality of terminals  21  and an insulative housing  22  inserted molding on the terminals  21 . The base plate  1  defines a pair of concave portions  111  on opposite sides of the tongue plate  11 , said two terminal modules  2  are retained in the two concave portions  111  in a upper direction and a under direction respectively. 
     The insulative housing  22  of the terminal module  2  defines a front plate  221  located at a front side and a rear plate  222  located at a rear side, a pair of protruding portions  2221  are located on opposite sides of the rear plate  222  in a lateral direction. Said protruding portions  2221  abuts on the rear side of the tongue plate  11 , said front plate  222  is retained in the concave portion  111 , said rear plate  222  are retained between the two mounting portions  12 . Each concave portion  111  defines a pair of first wall portions  1111  and a second wall portion  1112 , said two first wall portions  1112  are located on opposite sides of the concave portion  111  in the lateral direction and the second wall portion  1112  which extends between said two first wall portions  1111  is located at a front side of the concave portion  111 , said pairs of first wall portion  1111  is used for limiting the terminal module  2  moves in the lateral direction, said second wall portion  1112  cooperatively with the protruding portion  2221  limiting the terminal module  2  move forward. On opposite sides of each first wall portions  1111  define a pair of retaining slots or recesses  1113  respectively, said retaining slot  1113  is used for locking with the mating connector (no shown) and electrical connector  100 . 
     The terminal  21  includes a body portion (no shown) which covered with the front plate  221 , a contacting portion  212  located at a front side of the body portion (no shown) which defines a great thickness than the body portion (no shown), a bending portion  213  locates at a rear side of the body portion (no shown) which extends upwardly and backwardly from the body portion (no shown), and soldering portion  214  extends downwardly from the free end of the bending portion  213 . A part of said bending portion  213  is covered with the insulative housing  22 , the terminal  21  manufacturing by punch-shaping method except the contacting portion  212 . The bending portion  213  and soldering portion  214  are commonly form a U-shape, the electrical connector  100  in the present invention has a low height when said electrical connector  100  is mounted on a PCB. 
     Combining to  FIG. 5 , one of the terminal module  2  has a pair of first retaining posts  223  locates on opposite sides of a bottom surface of the insulative housing  22 , another terminal module  2  has a pair of second retaining posts  224  locates on opposite sides of the bottom surface of the insulative housing  22 , the two second retaining posts  224  are located at an outer side of the two first retaining posts  223 . The concave portion  111  defines a pair of first retaining holes  1114  and second retaining holes  1115  run through the tongue plate  11  for receiving the first retaining post  223  and second retaining posts  223  respectively. 
     Combining to  FIG. 6 , each terminal module  2  defines a row of first injection holes  225 , these injection holes  225  run through an upper and lower side of the insulative housing  22  which located between these retaining posts and the contacting portion  212  of the terminal  21 . The concave portion  111  defines a row of second injection holes  1116  run through the tongue plate  11 , at least one first injection hole  225  communicates to the second injection hole  1116  in a thickness direction of the electrical connector, said first injection hole  225  which is originally used for laterally holding the terminal  212  in position during forming the terminal module  2 , and second injection hole  1116  are filled with the insulative material during forming the insulative shell  3 . The tongue plate  11  further defines at least one third injection hole  1117  for injecting the insulative material of the insulative shell  3 , said third injection hole  1117  is located at a juncture between the concave portion  111  and second wall portion  1112 . When the outer side of the base plate  1  and the terminal modules  2  inserts molding with the insulative shell  3 , said insulative shell  3  and tongue plate  11  are commonly forms a mating plate  31 , said contacting portion  212  of the terminal  2  exposed to two opposite surfaces of the mating plate  31 . The first retaining post  223  and the second retaining post  224  are located at a rear side of the first injection holes  225  and second injection holes  1116  in a mating direction. 
     Back referring to  FIG. 4 , the first wall portions  1111  has a great height than the second wall portions  1112 , the contacting portion  212  has a same height as the first wall portion  1111  when the terminal module  2  received in the concave portion  111 . Thus, said the tongue plate  11  can preferably inserts molding with said insulative shell  3 , the terminal module  2  can be stably retained in the tongue plate  11 . 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1-6 , a method of manufacturing said electrical connector usually comprising the following steps: providing a base plate  1  and a pair of concave portions  111  are formed on opposite sides of the base plate  1  respectively; providing a pair of terminal modules  2  and each terminal module  2  comprises a plurality of terminals  21  and an insulative housing  22  which inserted molding with the terminals  21 ; assembling the terminal module  2  to the concave portions  111  of the base plate  1 ; providing insulating material and insert molding the insulating material on an outer side of the terminal module  2 , said insulating material flowing into the concave portion  111  and cladding around the terminal module  2  to form a insulative shell  3 , said insulative shell  3  and base plate  1  are commonly form a mating plate or mating tongue  31 , the terminal  21  defines a contacting portion  212  exposed to an exterior surface of the mating plate  31 . 
     While a preferred embodiment in accordance with the present invention has been shown and described, equivalent modifications and changes known to persons skilled in the art according to the spirit of the present invention are considered within the scope of the present invention as described in the appended claims.