Patent Publication Number: US-6663397-B1

Title: Electrical connector

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention generally relates to an electrical connector, and more particularly to an electrical connector permanently mating with a complementary connector. 
     2. Description of Prior Art 
     Microminiature coaxial (MCX) connectors generally act as antenna connectors to connect antennas with transmitters. A conventional MCX connector mates with a complementary connector by snap-on or screw. U.S. Pat. No. 5,611,707, issued to Meynier on Mar. 18, 1997, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,074,809, issued to Rousseau on Dec. 24, 1991, each discloses a MCX connector having a locking portion to mate with a complementary connector. Each locking portion includes orbicular or incline configuration for easily inserting into, pulling out and engaging in the complementary connector. Therefore, these conventional MCX connectors can repeatedly mate with the complementary connectors. 
     According to Title 47 of Code of Federal Regulation (CFR) 15.203 and a public notice DA 00-1087 issued by Federal Communications Commission (FCC) on May 22, 2000, an intentional radiator shall be designed to ensure that no antenna other than that furnished by the responsible party shall be used with the transmitter. Typically, a manufacturer will either design a unique antenna connector or modify a commonly available connector to satisfy this requirement. 
     However, to a manufacturer, a unique antenna connector design may be expensive or unacceptable in the market, so a commonly available antenna connector for permanent mating will be a better way. 
     Hence, an improved MCX connector is needed to eliminate the above-mentioned defects of the conventional MCX connectors. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     A main object of the present invention is to provide an electrical connector with a locking portion for permanently mating with a complementary connector. 
     Another object of the present invention is to provide an electrical connector with a relative flimsy portion preventing the electrical connector being mated again. 
     An electrical connector according to the present invention mates with a complementary connector for transmitting signals. The electrical connector includes a first shell, a first conductive contact and a first insulative housing sandwiched between the first shell and the first contact for retaining the first contact. An engaging portion protrudes from the first shell for engaging with the complementary connector. The engaging portion has an engaging surface perpendicular to an outer surface of the first shell. The first shell includes a slot defined therein and around the axes of the first shell. 
    
    
     Other objects, advantages and novel features of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an electrical connector of the present invention and a complementary connector, before mating with each other. 
     FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along a line  2 — 2  of FIG.  1 . 
     FIG. 3 is perspective view of the electrical connector and the complementary connector of FIG. 1 in a mated state. 
     FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along a line  4 — 4  of FIG.  3 . 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, an electrical connector  1  of the present invention for mating with a complementary connector  2 , comprises a hollow cylindrical first shell  10 , a first contact  12  received in the first shell  10  and an insulative first housing  11  between the first shell  10  and the first contact  12  for holding the first contact  12 . 
     The first shell  10  is metallic and includes a first base portion  100  and a mating portion  101  extending from the base portion  100 . A plurality of grooves  104  are defined through the mating portion  101 , each groove  104  parallel to the axes of the first shell  10 . A slot  103  is defined in an outer surface of a medial portion of the mating portion  101  and in a circle around the axes of the first shell  10 . An engaging portion  102  protrudes outwardly from a free end of the mating portion  101 . The engaging portion  102  has an engaging surface  106  adjacent to the slot  103  and a declining leading surface  105  away from the slot  103 . The engaging surface  106  is perpendicular to the out surface of the mating portion  101 . 
     The first housing  11  is fixed in the first shell  10  and defines a first receiving cavity  110 . The first housing  11  has a body portion  111  engaging with the first base portion  100  and retaining the first contact  12 . An aperture  13  is defined between the mating portion  101  and the first housing  11 . 
     The first contact  12  includes a first mounting portion  120  retained by the body portion  111  of the first housing  11  and a first contacting portion  121  extending from the first mounting portion  120  into the first receiving cavity  110 . 
     The complementary connector  2  comprises a hollow cylindrical second shell  20 , a second contact  22  received in the second shell  20  and an insulative second housing  21  between the second shell  20  and the second contact  22  for holding the second contact  22 . 
     The second shell  20  is metallic and includes a second base portion  200  and a sleeve portion  201  partially retained in the second base portion  200 . The sleeve portion  201  defines a second receiving cavity  202  and has a tail portion  203  retained by the second base portion  200  and engaging with the second housing  21 . A holding slot  204  is defined in an inner surface of the sleeve portion  201  adjacent to the tail portion  203 , and a holding plane  205  is formed in the holding slot  204  and perpendicular to the inner surface of the sleeve portion  201 . The sleeve portion  201  includes a declining recess  206  in a free end thereof away from the tail portion  203 . The inside diameter of the sleeve portion  201  is slightly less that the outside diameter of the engaging portion  102 . 
     The second housing  21  engaging with the tail portion  203  extends into the second receiving cavity  202  and retains the second contact  22  therein. The second contact  22  includes a second mounting portion  220  and a tuning-fork shaped second contacting portion  221  engaging with the second housing  21 . 
     Referring to FIGS. 1-4, in mating process, the mating portion  101  of the electrical connector  1  is inserted into the second receiving cavity  202  of the complementary connector  2 . Under the leading of the declining leading surface  105  and the declining recess  206 , the mating portion  101  is slightly bent inwardly by the inner surface of the sleeve portion  201 . After the electrical connector  1  is entirely inserted into the complementary connector  2 , the first contact  12  mechanically and electrically connects with the second contact  22 , and the engaging portion  102  is received in the holding slot  204 . The engaging surface  106  is retained by the holding plane  205 , thereby ensuring the electrical connector  1  cannot be pulled out. 
     The retention force between the engaging surface  106  and the holding plane  205  is larger than the crack force at the slot  103  of the electrical connector  1  and the retention force between the tail portion  203  and the second base portion  200  of the complementary connector  2 . When a user intends to pull out the electrical connector  1  from the complementary connector  2  with a strong hand, the first shell  10  of the electrical connector  1  will break along the slot  103 , or the sleeve portion  201  will be pulled out of the second base portion  200  of the complementary connector  2 , thereby destroying the structure of the electrical connector  1  or the complementary connector  2  to prevent the connectors  1  and  2  being used again. 
     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 disclosed 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.