Patent Publication Number: US-9893459-B2

Title: Electrical connector having a tongue portion extending beyond a metallic shell

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE 
     1. Field of the Disclosure 
     The present disclosure relates to a waterproof electrical connector. 
     2. Description of Related Arts 
     U.S. Pat. No. 9,391,391 discloses an electrical connector including a waterproof rubber ring or sealer at a front end of a metal shell. A tongue portion is received within a receiving room of the metal shell. A length of the metal shell is too long. The sealer engages a flange of the metal shell. 
     An improved electrical connector is desired. 
     SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE 
     Accordingly, an object of the present disclosure is to provide an electrical connector ensuring the waterproof of the electrical connector. 
     To achieve the above object, an electrical connector, for mounting to an electrical device which has a mating hole and a stepped portion located at a rear end of the mating hole to form a receiving space therebetween, comprises: an insulative housing having a base portion and a tongue portion extending forwardly from the base portion; a plurality of conductive contacts affixed to the insulative housing; a shielding plate affixed to the insulative housing; a shell attached to the insulative housing to form a mating room and adapted for assembling to the receiving space; and a sealer enclosing a front end of the shell and adapted for resisting against the stepped portion; wherein the tongue portion extends out of the mating room and stretches into the mating hole. 
     Other objects, advantages and novel features of the disclosure will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective, assembled view of an electrical connector in a first embodiment; 
         FIG. 2  is another perspective, assembled view of the electrical connector taken from  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  is an exploded view of a sealer and the other parts of the electrical connector in the first embodiment; 
         FIG. 4  is a further exploded view of the electrical connector taken from  FIG. 3 ; 
         FIG. 5  is another perspective, exploded view of the electrical connector taken from  FIG. 4 ; 
         FIG. 6  is an exploded view of an insulative housing, a plurality of conductive contacts and a shielding plate of the electrical connector in the first embodiment; 
         FIG. 7  is another perspective, exploded view of the electrical connector taken from  FIG. 6 ; 
         FIG. 8  is a cross-sectional view of the electrical connector mounting to an outer shell of an electrical device in the first embodiment; and 
         FIG. 9  is a cross-sectional view of the electrical connector mounting to an outer shell of an electrical device in a second embodiment. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Reference will now be made in detail to the first and second embodiments of the present disclosure. 
     The first embodiment is shown from  FIGS. 1 to 8 . The second embodiment is shown in  FIG. 9 . Referring to  FIGS. 1 to 9 , an electrical connector  100  ( 100 ′) of the present disclosure is connected with a printed circuit board. The electrical connector  100  ( 100 ′) is mounted to an electrical device  700  ( 700 ′) including a wall (not labeled) with a mating hole  71  ( 71 ′), a pair of receiving spaces  73  ( 73 ′) around the interior face (not labeled) of the wall (not labeled), and a stepped portion  72 ( 72 ′) formed between the mating hole  71 ( 71 ′) and the receiving spaces  73  ( 73 ′). The electrical connector  100  ( 100 ′) is connected with the corresponded connector by the mating hole  100 ( 100 ′). 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1 to 8 , the electrical connector  100  in the first embodiment includes an insulative housing  1 , a number of conductive contacts  2  affixed to the insulative housing  1 , a shielding plate  3  affixed to the insulative housing  1 , and a shell enclosing the insulative housing  1 . 
     The insulative housing  1  includes a base portion  11  and a tongue portion  12  extending forwardly from the base portion  11 . The insulative housing  1  further includes an upper module  14 , a lower module  15 , and an insulator  16  overlapping the upper module  14  and the lower module  15 . The upper module  14  includes a first base portion  141 , and a first tongue portion  142  extending forwardly from the first base portion  141 . The lower module  15  includes a second base portion  151  and a second tongue portion  152  extending forwardly from the second base portion  151 . The insulator  16  includes a third base portion  161  and a third tongue portion  162  extending forwardly from the third base portion  161 . The lower module  15  is assembled to the upper module  14  in a vertical direction and located below the upper module  14 . The first base portion  141 , the second base portion  151 , and the third base portion  161  form the base portion  11 . The first tongue portion  142 , the second tongue portion  152  and the third tongue portion  162  forms the tongue portion The upper module  14 , the lower module  15  and the insulator  16  are injection molded to forms the insulative housing  1 . Referring to  FIGS. 1 to 8 , the insulative housing  1  further includes a circle channel  17  located at the base portion  11 . The circle channel  17  is formed around a rear end of the first base portion  141 , a rear end of the second base portion  151 , and a rear end of the third base portion  161 . 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1 to 8 , each conductive contact  2  includes a contacting portion  23 , a soldering portion  24 , and a fixing portion  25  connecting the contacting portion  23  and the soldering portion  24 . The conductive contacts  2  include a number of upper terminals  21  affixed to the upper module  14  and a number of lower terminals  22  affixed to the lower module  15 . The contacting portions  23  of the lower terminals  22  are exposed to a lower surface of the second tongue portion  152 . The soldering portions  24  of the lower terminals  22  protrude out of the second base portion  151  and extend rearward. Each of the upper terminals  21  is associated with a respective one of the lower terminals  22  and is positioned in reverse symmetry with respect to the lower terminals  22 . The soldering portions  24  of the upper terminals  21  and the lower terminals  22  are located in the same plane and arranged in two rows in a transverse direction perpendicular to the vertical direction. The soldering portions  24  of the upper terminals  21  are staggered to the soldering portions  24  of the lower terminals  22  in an inserting direction perpendicular to the vertical direction and the transverse direction making it easy for the electrical connector  100  to solder to the PCB. 
     Referring again to  FIGS. 1 to 8 , the shielding plate  3  includes a main portion  31 , a board portion  32 , and a pair of soldering pins  33  extending from the board portion  32  and bent downwardly. 
     The upper module  14  with the upper terminals  21 , the lower module  15  with the lower terminals  22 , and the shielding plate  3  form an insulative module. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1 to 5  and  FIG. 8 , the shell includes a shielding shell  4  and a sealer  5 . 
     The shielding shell  4  includes a main body  43  and a rear portion  44  extending rearward from the main body  43 . The main body  43  encloses the insulative housing  1  to form a mating room  400 . The main body  43  further includes a circle convex portion or circumferential outward protrusion  46  on an outer surface of a front end of the main body  43 , a front edge  47  located at an opening of the mating room  400  and in front of the circle convex portion  46  and four tubers  48  protruding into the mating room  400  and installing in symmetrical and resisting an outer shell of the corresponded connector. The rear portion  44  and the main body  43  form a step structure. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1 to 5  and  FIG. 8 , the sealer  5  includes a circle groove  54  puncturing an inner surface  53  of the sealer  5  and an inclining portion  55  located at a front end of the inner surface  53 . 
     There exists a filling groove  45  between the circle channel  17  and an inner surface of the shielding shell  4 . The electrical connector  100  further includes a waterproof board  6  filling the filling groove  45  to seal up gaps between the insulative housing  1  and the shielding shell  4 . 
     During the process of making the electrical connector  100  in the first embodiment, first step: insert-molding the upper terminals  21  with the upper module  14  and insert-molding the lower terminals  22  with the lower module  15 . The contacting portions  23  of the upper terminals  21  are exposed to an upper surface of the first tongue portion  142 . The soldering portions  24  protrude from a rear end of the first base portion  141  and extend rearward. The fixing portions  25  of the upper terminals  21  are fixed to the first base portion  141 . Second step: assembling the shielding plate  3  sandwiched between the upper module  14  retaining the upper terminals  21  and the lower module  15  retaining the lower terminals  22  along a vertical direction. Fix the main portion  31  and the board portion  32  to the insulative housing  1  between the first tongue portion  142  and the second tongue portion  152 . Two sides of the main portion  31  are exposed to a pair of lateral sides of the tongue portion  12 . The soldering pins  33  extend from the rear ends of the first base portion  141  and the second base portion  142  and are bent downwardly to connect with the PCB. The shielding plate is used to ground to ensure the stability of the signals. The insulator  16  is over-molding with the upper module  14  affixing the upper terminals  21 . The lower module  15  is affixed to the lower terminals  22  to form an insulative module. The insulative module includes a circle ring  17 . Third step: Providing a mating room  400  receiving the shielding shell  4  formed by metal injection molding. Forth step: providing a sealer  5 , assembling the sealer to the shielding shell  4 . Make the sealer  5  cover an outer surface of a front end of the main body  43  and a front edge  47 . The sealer  5  has a character of elasticity making the sealer  5  attach to the shielding shell  4  firmly. In other embodiments the sealer  5  is attached to the shielding shell  4  and the electrical device  700  by adhesive to enforcing the fixing force. The sealer  5  is formed by solidification of plastic material. Make the circle convex portion  46  stuck in the circle groove  54 . The rear end of the inner surface  53  of the sealer is connected smoothly with the inner surface of the shielding shell  4  so that the corresponded electrical connector slides smoothly into the mating room  400 . Make the sealer  5  and the outer surface of the shielding shell form a stepped shape. The rear portion  44  covers the rear end of the base portion  11  partially making a good effect of shielding and preventing the damage of the insulative housing  1 . Form a filling groove  45  between the circle channel  17  and the inner surface of the shielding shell  4 . Pour the liquid glue in the filling groove  45  and a waterproof board  6  is formed after solidification. 
     In the third step, the electrical connector  100  is affixed to the electrical device  700 . The front end of the sealer  5  is located between the shielding shell  4  and the stepped portion  72 . The outer surface of the sealer  5  is attached to the inner surface of the receiving space  73 . The front surface of the sealer  5  resists the stepped portion  72  preventing water or other liquid substance going into the electrical device  700  through the gap between the electrical connector  100  and the electrical device. The receiving space  73  of the electrical device  700  resists the sealer  5  in priority making a better effect of waterproof. The tongue portion  12  extends forwardly out of the mating room  400  and stretches into the mating hole  71 . 
     The length of the sealer  5  could be shorter as usual making the front edge  47  in the same plane with the front surface of the sealer  5  along a vertical direction. The front edge  47  and the front surface of the sealer  5  resist against the stepped portion  72 . The arrangement could achieve miniaturization. 
     Referring to  FIG. 9 , the second embodiment is shown. The electrical connector  100 ′ includes an insulative module and an outer shell enclosing the insulative housing. The insulative module includes an insulative housing  1 ′, a number of upper terminals  21 ′ and lower terminals  22 ′ and a shielding plate  3 ′. The insulative housing  1 ′ includes a base portion  11 ′ and a tongue portion  12 ′ extending forwardly from the base portion  11 ′. The base portion  11 ′ includes a circle channel  17 ′. In the second embodiment, the outer shell is a shielding shell  4 ′ not including a sealer  5 . The shielding shell  4 ′ in the second embodiment is as same as the shielding shell  4  in the first embodiment except the circle convex portion  46 . The shielding shell  4 ′ defines a mating room  400 ′. The circle channel  17 ′ forms a filling groove  45 ′ with an inner surface of the shielding shell  4 ′ therebetween. The liquid glue is poured in the filling groove  45 ′ and forms a waterproof board  6 ′ after solidification. 
     The differences of making method between the first embodiment and the second embodiment are that the outer shell in the second embodiment is only a shielding shell  4 ′ without a sealer  5 . The shielding shell  4 ′ has no circle convex portion  46 . 
     Referring to  FIGS. 8 to 9 , the mating hole  71 ( 71 ′) penetrates the mating room  400 ( 400 ′). The tongue portion  12 ( 12 ′) in the first embodiment and the second embodiment extends partially out of the mating room  400 ( 400 ′) and stretches into the mating hole  71 ( 71 ′). The arrangements could achieve the miniaturization of the electrical connector  100 ( 100 ′). When the electrical connectors  100 ( 100 ′) are installed in the electronic devices  700 ( 700 ′), the length occupied in the insertion direction is shortened to facilitate the layout and installation of the other parts, thereby facilitating miniaturization and thinning of the electronic device. 
     Compared with prior arts, the electrical connector  100 ( 100 ′) has better effects as follows. The outer shell includes the shielding shell  4  and the sealer  5 . The circle convex portion  46  of the shielding shell  4  is inserted into the circle groove  54  of the sealer  5  enhancing the force between the shielding shell  4  and the waterproof  5  for preventing the sealer  5  falling of the shielding shell  4 . It is also noted that with reference to  FIGS. 8 and 9 , in this embodiment the front end of the tongue portion  12  defines a vertical line L 1 , the rear end of the tongue portion  12 , i.e., the boundary between the tongue portion  12  and the base portion  11 , defines a vertical line L 2 . The tongue portion  12  forms a front thinner section  12 A and a rear thicker section  12 B with therebetween a boundary defining a vertical line L 3  wherein a dimension ratio between the front thinner section  12 A and the rear thicker section  12 B along the front-to-back direction is around 7:4 roughly following the specification regulated by the related committee standard. Correspondingly, a front end of the shielding shell  4  extends forwardly slightly beyond the vertical line L 3  while with referring to  FIG. 8 , the sealer  5  attached upon the front end of the shielding shell  4  forms a front end face located at a vertical line L 4  which essentially divides the whole tongue portion  12  with two equal parts in the front-to-back direction. Anyhow, in the first embodiment shown in  FIG. 8 , the electronic device  700  should forms a thickness covering the front end of the tongue portion  12  along the front-to-back direction. In other words, the thickness of the electronic device  700  is expected not to be less than 9/11 of the whole tongue portion  12 . With this arrangement, the tongue portion  12  could be efficiently protected in the mating hole  71 . Similarly, in the second embodiment shown in  FIG. 9 , the thickness of the electronic device  700 ′ is expected not to be less than 9/11 of the whole tongue portion  12  for efficiently protecting the tongue portion  12 ′ in the mating hole  71 ′. 
     While a preferred embodiment in accordance with the present disclosure has been shown and described, equivalent modifications and changes known to persons skilled in the art according to the spirit of the present disclosure are considered within the scope of the present disclosure as described in the appended claims.