Patent Publication Number: US-2010124829-A1

Title: Electrical connector with a printed circuit board mounted thereon

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to electrical connectors, more particularly to electrical connectors with a printed circuit board mounted thereon. 
     2. Description of Related Art 
     HDMI (High-Definition Multimedia Interface) is a compact audio/video interface for transmitting uncompressed digital data. HDMI is widely adopted on digital audio/video sources—such as set-top boxes, Blue-ray Disc players, personal computers (PCs), video game consoles, computer monitors, and digital televisions. The constant development of HDMI is standardized by the HDMI Founders which include Hitachi, Panasonic, Philips, Silicon Image, Sony, Thomson, and Toshiba. The initial version of HDMI specification (HDMI 1.0) was released on Dec. 9, 2002. The latest version of HDMI specification is HDMI 1.4 which was released on Jun. 5, 2009. 
     In the specification of HDMI 1.4, five types (Type A, B, C, D, E) of HDMI receptacle are defined. A HDMI receptacle typically includes an insulative housing, a plurality of electrical contacts mounted thereon and a metal shell enclosing the insulative housing and the contacts to form a plug receiving cavity. The housing defines a rear base portion and a front tongue portion extending integrally and forwardly from the base portion, the contacts each is provided with a contacting portion mounted on the tongue portion to be exposed to the receiving cavity. The contacting portions are arranged in two parallel flat planes, it is laborious to form passageways on the front tongue and insert the contacting portions to corresponding passageways on the tongue portion precisely and to detect a final position of the contacting portions. 
     As discussed above, there is a need to design an improved electrical connectors. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     According one aspect of the present invention, an electrical connector to be mounted on an outer printed circuit board, comprising: a receiving cavity to accommodate a mating plug; an insulative housing including a lower cover which is provided with a rear base portion; an inner printed circuit board being mounted onto the base portion and extending into the receiving cavity, and including a plurality of first contacting pads on a front side thereof to be exposed to the receiving cavity and a plurality of second contacting pads electrically connected to the first contacting pads respectively, the second contacting pads is to be electrically connected to the outer printed circuit board; a plurality of contacts mounted to the second contacting pads respectively and to be mounted the outer printed circuit board; a metal shell mounted onto the housing to enclose the insulative housing and the inner printed circuit board to form the receiving cavity, the metal shell being spaced apart from the inner printed circuit board. 
     According to another aspect of the present invention, an electrical connector to be mounted on an outer printed circuit board, comprising: a receiving cavity to accommodate a mating plug; an insulative housing including a rear base portion; an inner printed circuit board mounted onto the base portion, and including an upper face, a lower face opposite to the upper face, a plurality of first contacting pads on a front side thereof to be exposed to the receiving cavity and a plurality of second contacting pads electrically connected to the first contacting pads respectively, the first contacting pads are arranged in an upper row on the upper face and a lower row on the lower face, the second contacting pads are arranged merely on the lower face; a plurality of contacts mounted to the second contacting pads respectively and to be mounted the outer printed circuit board. 
     Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of the present embodiment when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       For a more complete understanding of the present invention, and the advantages thereof, reference is now made to the following descriptions taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an electrical connector according to a first preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a view similar to  FIG. 1 , while taken from a different aspect; 
         FIG. 3  is an assembled view of an inner printed circuit board and a lower cover of the electrical connector; 
         FIG. 4  is an exploded view of the electrical connector shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 5  is a view similar to  FIG. 4 , while taken from a different aspect; 
         FIG. 6  is a perspective view of an electrical connector according to a second embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 7  is an exploded view of the electrical connector shown in  FIG. 6 ; 
         FIG. 8  is a view similar to  FIG. 7 , while taken from a different aspect; 
         FIG. 9  is a view similar to  FIG. 8 , while taken from a different aspect; 
         FIG. 10  is an assembled view of a lower cover, a plurality of contact module of the electrical connector shown in  FIG. 6 ; and 
         FIG. 11  is a perspective view of an electrical connector according to a third embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 12  is an partially exploded view of the electrical connector shown in  FIG. 11 ; 
         FIG. 13  is a view similar to  FIG. 12 , while taken from a different aspect; 
         FIG. 14  is an exploded perspective view of the electrical connector shown in  FIG. 11 ; and 
         FIG. 15  is a view similar to  FIG. 14 , while taken from a different aspect. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Reference will be made to the drawing figures to describe the present invention in detail, wherein depicted elements are not necessarily shown to scale and wherein like or similar elements are designated by same or similar reference numeral through the several views and same or similar terminology. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1-5 , an electrical connector of the preferred embodiment is a HDMI A-type receptacle  100  to mate with a mating plug which is a HDMI A-type plug. The electrical receptacle  100  is surface mounted on an outer printed circuit board (PCB) and includes an insulative housing  1 , an inner printed circuit board  2  fixed onto the housing  1  to contact with the mating plug, a plurality of contacts  4  connected to the inner printed circuit board  2  and a metal shell  3  attached to the housing  1 . The metal shell  3  encloses the housing  1  and the inner printed circuit board  2  to form a receiving cavity  101  to accommodate the mating plug. 
     The insulative housing  1  including a lower cover  10  and an upper cover  11  attached to the lower cover  10 . The lower cover  10  defines a main portion  12  having a supporting face  1211  on a top side thereof to support the inner printed circuit board  2 . A pair of first posts  1213  extend vertically and upwardly from the supporting face  1211 , and the upper cover  11  is provided with a pair of first holes  116  on a bottom side thereof to retain the first posts  1213  respectively. A pair of arm portions  121  extend rearward from a rear face  123  of the main portion  12 , the arm portions  121  are spaced apart from each other along a transverse direction of the housing  1  to define a receiving space  1214  therebetween, a spacer  5  is disposed in the receiving space  1214  to position the contacts  4 . 
     The inner printed circuit board  2  is sandwiched between the upper cover  11  and the lower cover  10 , and includes a plurality of first contacting pads  23  on a front side thereof to be exposed to the receiving cavity  101  and a plurality of second contacting pads  24  electrically connected to the first contacting pads  23  respectively, the second contacting pads  24  is to be electrically connected to the outer printed circuit board via the contacts  4 . The first contacting pads  23  are arranged in two rows which are located on an upper face and a lower face of a front portion of the inner printed circuit board  2 . The second contacting pads  24  are placed in one row on the lower face of a rear portion of the inner printed circuit board  2 . 
     The spacer  5  defines a vertical plate  51  and a pair of second posts  52  extending forwardly from a front face  513  of the vertical plate  51 , a pair of second holes  1231  are recessed forwardly from the rear face  123  to secure the second posts  52  respectively. The contacts  4  are arranged in one row and each includes an upper mating portion  43  to be connected to the corresponding second contacting pad  24 , a soldering portion  41  to be surface mounted to the outer printed circuit board and a body portion  42  interconnecting the mating portion  43  and the soldering portion  41 . The spacer  5  defines a number of through holes  5111  to retain the body portions  42  respectively. 
     The inner printed circuit board  2  includes a rectangular portion  22  with the first contacting pads  23  and the second contacting pads  24  formed thereon, and a pair of ribs  211  projecting laterally and outward from opposite sides of the rectangular portion  22 . The ribs  211  each defines an abutting face  2111  in a front side thereof to abut against the first post  1213 . The upper cover  11  has a hollow  113  on a bottom side thereof to lock with the rib  211 , thereby preventing the inner printed circuit board  2  moving along a front-to-rear direction. Referring to  FIG. 2 , the inner printed circuit board  2  is retained between the upper cover  11  and the lower cover  10  along a height direction of the housing  1 . The upper cover  11  includes a pair of raised portions  115  spaced apart from each to form a slot  112  therebetween, the slot  112  extends through the upper cover  11  along a front-to-rear direction, the rectangular portion  22  of the inner printed circuit board  2  is received in the slot  112  and sandwiched between the raised portions  115 . 
     The metal shell  3  includes a top wall  31 , a bottom wall  33  opposite to the top wall  31 , and a pair of side walls  32  connected to the top wall  31  and the bottom wall  33 . The metal shell  3  is spaced apart from the inner printed circuit board  2 . A cutout  311  is provided on the top wall  31  of the shell  3 , and a protrusion  1111  extends upward from an upper wall  111  of the upper cover  11  to be retained within the cutout  311 . The bottom wall  33  defines a projection  333  extending rearward to be fixed in a slot  1241  recessed rearward from a vertical stopping face  124  of the base portion  12 , the stopping face  124  is adopted to abut against a front end of the mating plug to determine a insertion depth of the mating plug, the first contacting pads  23  are arranged in a front side of the stopping face  124 , the second contacting pads  24  are located on a rear side of the stopping face  124 . A tab  321  is bent inwardly from a rear portion of the side wall  32  to lock with a concave  117  formed on a side wall of the upper cover  11 . A pair of depressions  125  are formed on a bottom side of the main portion  12 , and a pair of hooks  322  extend laterally and inwardly form a lower side of the side wall  32  to be secured in the depressions  125  respectively. A lower plate  122  projects forwardly from a lower portion of the base portion  12 , and bottom wall  33  is supported by the lower plate  122 . 
     Referring to  FIGS. 6-10 , a second embodiment of the electrical connector  100 ′ is similar to the first embodiment shown in  FIGS. 1-5 , and differs in that the electrical connector  100 ′ is mounted onto the outer printed circuit board via through-hole technology, the second contacting pads  24 ′ are arranged in throw rows. The upper mating portion  41 ′ are also disposed in three rows. As shown in  FIG. 7 , the lower cover  12 ′ is provided with a lower plate  123 ′ on a rear side thereof to connect with the pair of arm portions  121 ′. The lower plate  123 ′ has three rows of through holes  1231 ′ to allow the soldering portions  42 ′ to penetrate therethrough. An insulative block  5 ′ is attached to a top end of the contact and be adjacent to the upper mating portion  41 ′. The insulative block  5 ′ and the corresponding contact constitute a contact module. The contacts are of right-angle. The insulative block  5 ′ is supported by the lower plate  123 ′. The upper mating portion  41 ′ and the insulative block  5 ′ is located between the supporting face  1211 ′ and the lower plate  123 ′. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 11-15 , a third embodiment of the electrical connector  100 ″ is similar to the first embodiment shown in  FIGS. 1-5 , and differs in that the electrical connector  100 ″ is a vertical connector, that is to say, the inner printed circuit board  2 ″ is vertical to the outer printed circuit board. The shell  4 ″ is provided with a projection  46 ″ extending inwardly from a side wall thereof, correspondingly, the upper cover  12 ″ is formed with a cutout  129 ″ to lock with the projection  46 ″. The shell  4 ″ has a pair of soldering legs  45 ″ vertical to a stopping face  125 ″ of the upper cover  12 ″. The stopping face  125 ″ is adopted to abut against the mating plug to determine insertion length of the mating plug. 
     It is to be understood, however, that even though numerous characteristics and advantages of the present invention have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of the structure and function of the invention, the disclosure is illustrative only, and changes may be made in detail, especially in matters of shape, size, and arrangement of parts within the principles of the invention to the full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed.