Patent Publication Number: US-11652323-B2

Title: Connector assembly comprising a connector encolsed by a shell and a mating connector enclosed by a mating shell

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present invention relates to a connector assembly in which a connector and a mating connector are opposed and fitted to each other. 
     BACKGROUND ART 
       FIGS.  1 A and  1 B  illustrate a connector (referred to as a receptacle in Japanese Patent Application Laid Open No. 2019-121439 which will be referred to as Patent Literature 1 below)  10  described in Patent Literature 1 and  FIG.  2    illustrates a mating connector (referred to as a plug in Patent Literature 1)  20  also described in Patent Literature 1 as conventional examples of a connector and a mating connector that are fitted to each other to constitute a connector assembly. 
     The connector  10  has a structure in which signal terminals  12 ,  13 , and  14  and ground terminals  15  and  16  are attached to a connector housing  11  and a shell-like conductor  17  is further attached. The shell-like conductor  17  is attached to the connector housing  11  in a manner such that the shell-like conductor  17  is integrally formed with the connector housing  11  by insert-molding. Also, the shell-like conductor  17  has a substantially rounded rectangular shape which continues on the circumferential side of the connector housing  11  in a circumferential direction and surrounds the upper surface circumference and lateral surface upper portion of the connector housing  11 . 
     The signal terminals  12  to  14  are disposed so that the ground terminal  15  is interposed between the signal terminals  12  and  13  and the ground terminal  16  is interposed between the signal terminals  13  and  14 . Thus, the signal terminals  12  to  14  are spaced apart from each other by the ground terminals  15  and  16 . The ground terminals  15  and  16  are formed through punching processing for plate material and have a shape illustrated in  FIG.  1 B . 
     The connector housing  11  has a fitting portion insertion hole  11   a  on the center thereof and the signal terminals  12  to  14  and the ground terminals  15  and  16  are exposed on the fitting portion insertion hole  11   a . The reference characters  12   a  to  16   a  in  FIGS.  1 A and  1 B  denote connection end portions, which are to be connected to a mounting board, of respective signal terminals  12  to  14  and ground terminals  15  and  16 . 
     The mating connector  20  has a structure in which signal terminals  22 ,  23 , and  24  are attached to a connector housing  21  and a shell-like conductor  25  is further attached. The signal terminals  22  to  24  are held by projection portions  26   a  to  26   c  which are aligned on the central portion of an insert-molded resin portion  26  of the connector housing  21 . The shell-like conductor  25  has a shape following a circumferential wall portion  27  of the connector housing  21  and is insert-molded as a part of the connector housing  21  to be integrated with the insert-molded resin portion  26 . 
     As described above, the connector  10  and mating connector  20  of the related art respectively include the shell-like conductor  17  and shell-like conductor  25  which serve as outer shields and the connector  10  further includes the ground terminals  15  and  16  which serve as inner shields and shield between the signal terminals  12  to  14 . 
     However, the mating connector  20  includes no ground terminals and thus, Patent Literature 1 does not employ a structure in which ground terminals of connectors, which are fitted to each other, are connected with each other. On this point, the ground terminals  15  and  16  of the connector  10  are merely flat plate parts used as the shields between the signal terminals  12  to  14 . 
     Further, the ground terminals  15  and  16  serving as the inner shields and the shell-like conductor  17  serving as the outer shield are separate bodies (separate components) in the connector  10 , and the ground terminal  15  and the ground terminal  16  are also separate bodies. Thus, the higher number of components and the higher number of assembly steps have been required. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The object of the present invention is to provide a connector assembly in which reduction in the number of components is realized by integrally forming a shell, which serves as an outer shield, with a ground terminal, in a structure in which both of a connector and a mating connector, constituting the connector assembly, include the ground terminal and the shell. Further, this connector assembly realizes easy and favorable disposition of the ground terminal, thus integrated, on an insulator even though the ground terminal elastically deforms to enable favorable connection with a mating ground terminal. 
     In a connector assembly in which one connector and another connector are fitted to each other, the one connector includes an insulator on which a signal terminal is fixed and a one-piece metal component. A part of the metal component is all or a part of a shell, and all or a part of the rest of the metal component is all or a part of an extension portion which is extended from the shell. The extension portion includes a ground terminal which is elastically deformable. The extension portion is pressed into the insulator and consequently, the insulator is fixed in the shell. 
     Effects of the Invention 
     According to the present invention, in a connector assembly in which a connector and a mating connector are fitted to each other, a ground terminal is integrally formed with a shell in the connector and thus, the number of components can be reduced. 
     Further, the ground terminal elastically deforms to realize favorable connection with a mating ground terminal of the mating connector. Even though the ground terminal elastically deforms, the shell integrated with the ground terminal is pressed into and fixed on an insulator, thus being able to easily and favorably dispose the ground terminal on the insulator. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG.  1 A  is a perspective view illustrating a connector constituting a connector assembly of a related art. 
         FIG.  1 B  is a sectional view of the connector illustrated in  FIG.  1 A . 
         FIG.  2    is a perspective view illustrating a mating connector constituting the connector assembly of the related art. 
         FIG.  3 A  is an upper perspective view illustrating one connector constituting a connector assembly according to a first embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG.  3 B  is a lower perspective view illustrating the connector illustrated in  FIG.  3 A . 
         FIG.  4 A  is a front elevational view illustrating the connector illustrated in  FIG.  3 A . 
         FIG.  4 B  is a sectional view taken along the C-C line in  FIG.  4 A . 
         FIG.  5    is a perspective view illustrating ground terminals integrated with a shell illustrated in  FIG.  3 A . 
         FIG.  6    is a perspective view illustrating an insulator and terminals held by the insulator illustrated in  FIG.  3 A . 
         FIG.  7 A  is an upper perspective view illustrating a mating connector constituting the connector assembly according to the first embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG.  7 B  is a lower perspective view illustrating the mating connector illustrated in  FIG.  7 A . 
         FIG.  8 A  is a front elevational view illustrating the mating connector illustrated in  FIG.  7 A . 
         FIG.  8 B  is a sectional view taken along the C-C line in  FIG.  8 A . 
         FIG.  9    is a perspective view illustrating a mating shell illustrated in  FIG.  7 A . 
         FIG.  10    is a perspective view illustrating a mating insulator and mating terminals held by the mating insulator illustrated in  FIG.  7 A . 
         FIG.  11 A  is a plan view illustrating the connector assembly according to the first embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG.  11 B  is a front elevational view illustrating the connector assembly according to the first embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG.  11 C  is a sectional view taken along the E-E line in  FIG.  11 B . 
         FIG.  11 D  is a sectional view taken along the F-F line in  FIG.  11 B . 
         FIG.  12 A  is an upper perspective view illustrating one connector constituting a connector assembly according to a second embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG.  12 B  is a lower perspective view illustrating the connector illustrated in  FIG.  12 A . 
         FIG.  13    is a perspective view illustrating ground terminals integrated with a shell illustrated in  FIG.  12 A . 
         FIG.  14 A  is an upper perspective view illustrating a mating connector constituting the connector assembly according to the second embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG.  14 B  is a lower perspective view illustrating the mating connector illustrated in  FIG.  14 A . 
         FIG.  15 A  is a front elevational view illustrating the mating connector illustrated in  FIG.  14 A . 
         FIG.  15 B  is a sectional view taken along the C-C line in  FIG.  15 A . 
         FIG.  16 A  is a plan view illustrating the connector assembly according to the second embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG.  16 B  is a sectional view taken along the C-C line in  FIG.  16 A . 
     
    
    
     LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS 
     
         
         
           
               10 : connector 
               11 : connector housing 
               11   a : fitting portion insertion hole 
               12  to  14 : signal terminal 
               12   a  to  14   a : connection end portion 
               15 ,  16 : ground terminal 
               15   a ,  16   a : connection end portion 
               17 : shell-like conductor 
               20 : mating connector 
               21 : connector housing 
               22  to  24 : signal terminal 
               25 : shell-like conductor 
               26 : insert-molded resin portion 
               26   a  to  26   c : projection portion 
               27 : circumferential wall portion 
               40 ,  40 ′: ground terminal 
               41 : first terminal 
               41   a : contact piece 
               41   b : connection portion 
               42 : second terminal 
               42   a : contact piece 
               42   b : connection portion 
               43 : U-shaped portion 
               43   a : leg portion 
               43   b : protrusion portion 
               43   c : leg portion 
               44 : plate portion 
               48 : U-shaped portion 
               48   a : plate surface 
               48   b : leg portion 
               49 : contact portion 
               50 : shell 
               51 : frame-like portion 
               52 ,  53 : outer wall portion 
               52   a ,  53   a : curved portion 
               54 : extension portion 
               55 : coupling portion 
               56 : press-fitting portion 
               56   a : protrusion 
               57 : supporting portion 
               58 : cutout 
               60 : insulator 
               61 : press-fitted portion 
               62 : slit 
               70 ,  70 ′: mating ground terminal 
               71 : first mating terminal 
               71   a : connection portion 
               72 : second mating terminal 
               72   a : connection portion 
               73 : mating plate portion 
               74 : concave portion 
               75 : projection portion 
               76 : coupling portion 
               77 : extension portion 
               78 : flat plate portion 
               78   a : plate surface 
               80 : mating shell 
               81 ,  82 : outer wall portion 
               81   a ,  82   a : convex portion 
               81   b : extension portion 
               82   b : protrusion 
               83 : coupling portion 
               84 ,  85 : cutout 
               90 : mating insulator 
               91 : bottom plate portion 
               92 : side wall 
               93 : concave portion 
               100 ,  100 ′: connector 
               200 ,  200 ′: mating connector 
           
         
       
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Embodiments of the present invention will be described based on examples with reference to the accompanying drawings. 
     First Embodiment 
       FIGS.  3 A,  3 B,  4 A, and  4 B  illustrate one connector  100  constituting a connector assembly according to a first embodiment of the present invention. The connector  100  is composed of first terminals  41 , second terminals  42 , ground terminals  40 , a shell  50 , and an insulator  60 . The ground terminals  40  are integrally formed with the shell  50  which is the outer shell of the connector  100  in this example.  FIG.  5    illustrates details of the ground terminals  40  and the shell  50  that are mutually integrally formed, and  FIG.  6    illustrates the insulator  60  and the first and second terminals  41  and  42  that are held by the insulator  60 . 
     The insulator  60  is made of resin and has a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape as a whole. The first terminals  41  are respectively attached to both longitudinal end portions of the insulator  60 , and two second terminals  42  for each of two columns, that is, four second terminals  42  in total are attached to the central portion of the insulator  60 . 
     The first terminal  41  includes a pair of contact pieces  41   a  which face each other, and the second terminal  42  also includes a pair of contact pieces  42   a  which face each other. These first terminals  41  and second terminals  42  are signal terminals, and connection portions  41   b  and  42   b  thereof which are to be connected with a board are positioned on the bottom surface side of the insulator  60 . The two first terminals  41  are used for high frequency signals (high speed transmission) and the four second terminals  42  are used for low frequency signals (low speed transmission) in this example. 
     The shell  50  having conductivity is formed through bending processing for metal plate and a frame-like portion  51  thereof which has a rectangular shape is composed of two bodies having U-shaped outer walls. The frame-like portion  51  is composed of outer wall portions  52  positioned on two opposed long sides of the rectangle and outer wall portions  53  positioned on two opposed short sides of the rectangle. On upper ends of the outer wall portions  52  and upper ends of the outer wall portions  53 , curved portions  52   a  and curved portions  53   a  are formed respectively so that the curved portions  52   a  and  53   a  are curved to slightly protrude toward the inside of the frame. 
     The shell  50  includes the frame-like portion  51  which is an outer shell of the connector  100  and extension portions  54  which are formed to be extended from the frame-like portion  51  toward the inside of the frame. The extension portions  54  are formed in a manner such that the extension portions  54  are extended from opposed positions on the opposed outer wall portions  52  in a mutually-approaching direction. The extension portions  54  are formed on two spots on each outer wall portion  52  in the longitudinal direction of the outer wall portion  52 . 
     The extension portion  54  is composed of a coupling portion  55 , a press-fitting portion  56 , and a supporting portion  57 . The coupling portion  55  has a shape bent and extended from the lower end of the outer wall portion  52 . The press-fitting portion  56  is bent and raised from the coupling portion  55 . The supporting portion  57  is extended from the upper end of the press-fitting portion  56 . The ground terminal  40  is formed between the supporting portions  57  of a pair of extension portions  54 , which are extended in the mutually-approaching direction, in a manner to be extended from both supporting portions  57 . In addition, a pair of protrusions  56   a  are formed on the press-fitting portion  56  in a manner to respectively protrude in the width direction. 
     The ground terminal  40  is composed of a plate portion  44  including a pair of U-shaped portions  43 . The U-shaped portions  43  have a U shape opening upward and are positioned side by side on the same plane. On end sides of leg portions  43   a  of mutually-adjacent U shapes in a pair of U-shaped portions  43 , protrusion portions  43   b  are formed in a manner to protrude mutually outward. The ground terminals  40  are formed on two spots in the longitudinal direction of the shell  50  in an elastically deformable manner. Leg portions  43   c  positioned on the mutual outer sides of a pair of U-shaped portions  43  are coupled to and supported by the supporting portions  57  of the extension portions  54  respectively. 
     Two small cutouts  58  are formed on part between two coupling portions  55  on the lower end of each outer wall portion  52 . The cutouts  58  are formed to respectively correspond to the positions of the connection portions  42   b  of the second terminals  42 . The connection portions  42   b  are exposed to the bottom surface side of the insulator  60  in a manner to be held by the insulator  60 . 
     The shell  50  with which the ground terminals  40  are integrally formed as described above is attached to the insulator  60  holding the first terminals  41  and the second terminals  42 . The attachment of the shell  50  is performed by putting the shell  50  over the insulator  60  and forcing the shell  50  into the insulator  60 . At this time, the four press-fitting portions  56 , having the protrusions  56   a , of the shell  50  are respectively pressed into press-fitted portions  61  formed on four spots of the insulator  60 , and the insulator  60  is thus fixed and held in the shell  50 . In addition, each of the plate portions  44 , each composed of a pair of U-shaped portions  43 , of two ground terminals  40  is inserted into a slit  62  of the insulator  60  and positioned between the first terminal  41  and the second terminals  42 , thus serving as a shielding portion. Thus, the connector  100  illustrated in  FIGS.  3 A,  3 B,  4 A , and  4 B is completed. 
     A mating connector  200  that is fitted to the above-described connector  100  to constitute the connector assembly will now be described. 
       FIGS.  7 A,  7 B,  8 A, and  8 B  illustrate the mating connector  200 . The mating connector  200  is composed of first mating terminals  71 , second mating terminals  72 , mating ground terminals  70 , a mating shell  80 , and a mating insulator  90 . The first mating terminals  71  and the second mating terminals  72  serve as mating signal terminals.  FIG.  9    illustrates details of the mating shell  80 , and  FIG.  10    illustrates a state in which the mating shell  80  is detached from the mating connector  200 . 
     The mating insulator  90  is made of resin and includes a bottom plate portion  91  and side walls  92  which are respectively provided on four corner portions of the bottom plate portion  91 . The first mating terminals  71  are respectively attached to both longitudinal end portions of the bottom plate portion  91 , and two second mating terminals  72  for each of two columns, that is, four second mating terminals  72  in total are attached to the central portion of the bottom plate portion  91 . Further, the mating ground terminal  70  is attached between each of the two first mating terminals  71  and the four second mating terminals  72 . 
     The first mating terminal  71  has a columnar shape and includes a connection portion  71   a , which is to be connected with a board, on the lower end thereof. The second mating terminal  72  has a plate-like shape and includes a connection portion  72   a , which is to be connected with the board, on the lower end thereof. The two first mating terminals  71  are used for high frequency signals and the four second mating terminals  72  are used for low frequency signals. 
     As illustrated in  FIG.  8 B , the mating ground terminal  70  includes a mating plate portion  73  on the center in the longitudinal direction. The mating plate portion  73  is shaped to have a pair of projection portions  75  forming a concave portion  74 , which opens upward, therebetween. The pair of projection portions  75  protrude from the bottom plate portion  91  of the mating insulator  90 . In the mating plate portion  73 , a coupling portion  76  coupling the lower ends of the pair of projection portions  75  is positioned and exposed on the bottom surface side of the mating insulator  90 . The mating ground terminal  70  is composed of the mating plate portion  73  having the above-described structure and extension portions  77  which are respectively extended from both ends of the coupling portion  76  of the mating plate portion  73 . Each of the mating plate portions  73  of the two mating ground terminals  70  is positioned between the first mating terminal  71  and the second mating terminals  72 , thus serving as a mating shielding portion. 
     The mating shell  80  which has a rectangular frame-like shape and has conductivity is formed through bending processing for metal plate. As illustrated in  FIG.  9   , the mating shell  80  includes outer wall portions  81 , outer wall portions  82 , and a pair of coupling portions  83 . The outer wall portions  81  are respectively positioned on two opposed long sides of the rectangle. The outer wall portions  82  are respectively positioned on two opposed short sides of the rectangle. The coupling portions  83  couple the upper ends of the outer wall portions  81  and the upper ends of the outer wall portions  82  to each other. The pair of coupling portions  83  include plate surfaces that partially close both longitudinal ends of the rectangular frame. 
     Elongated convex portions  81   a  are respectively formed on the outer surfaces of the pair of outer wall portions  81  in a manner to be extended in the side direction, and elongated convex portions  82   a  are also respectively formed on the outer surfaces of the pair of outer wall portions  82  in a manner to be extended in the side direction. Extension portions  81   b  are formed on both ends in the side direction of the pair of outer wall portions  81  in a manner to be bent and extended toward the outer wall portion  82 . 
     Two cutouts  84  are formed on the lower end of each outer wall portion  81 , and cutouts  85  are further formed on both outer sides in the side direction of the two cutouts  84 . The cutouts  84  are formed to correspond to the positions of the connection portions  72   a  of the second mating terminals  72 . The connection portions  72   a  are exposed on the bottom surface side of the mating insulator  90  in a manner to be held by the mating insulator  90 . The cutouts  85  are formed to correspond to the positions of the extension portions  77  of the mating ground terminals  70 . The extension portions  77  are exposed on the bottom surface side of the mating insulator  90  in a manner to be held by the mating insulator  90 . Protrusions  82   b  are formed in a manner to protrude outward from both ends in the side direction of each outer wall portion  82 . 
     The mating shell  80  having the above-described structure is attached to the mating insulator  90  that holds the first mating terminals  71 , the second mating terminals  72 , and the mating ground terminals  70 . The attachment of the mating shell  80  is performed by putting the mating shell  80  over the mating insulator  90  and forcing the mating shell  80  into the mating insulator  90 . Each of the outer wall portions  82  including the protrusions  82   b  is pressed into a concave portion  93  which is formed on the outer sides of side walls  92  of the mating insulator  90  in a manner to straddle two side walls  92 . As a result, the mating connector  200  illustrated in  FIGS.  7 A,  7 B,  8 A , and  8 B is completed. 
     The above-described connector  100  and mating connector  200  constitute a board-to-board connector in which the connector  100  and the mating connector  200  are respectively mounted on opposing surfaces of boards, which are opposed to each other, and fitted and connected to each other. In the connector  100 , the connection portions  41   b  and  42   b  of the first terminals  41  and second terminals  42 , portions, which are exposed on the bottom surface of the insulator  60 , of the plate portions  44  of the ground terminals  40  (intermediate portions of the U shape of the pair of U-shaped portions  43 ), and the shell  50  are soldered and connected to corresponding pad or pattern of the boards. 
     On the other hand, in the mating connector  200 , the connection portions  71   a  and  72   a  of the first mating terminals  71  and second mating terminals  72 , the coupling portions  76  of the mating plate portion  73  and the extension portions  77  of the mating ground terminals  70 , and further, the mating shell  80  are soldered and connected to corresponding pad or pattern of the boards. 
       FIGS.  11 A,  11 B,  11 C, and  11 D  illustrate a connector assembly according to the present invention in which the connector  100  and the mating connector  200  are fitted to each other, and the drawings omit illustration of boards. 
     Through the fitting of the mating connector  200  to the connector  100 , the first terminals  41  and the second terminals  42  are respectively fitted and connected to the first mating terminals  71  and the second mating terminals  72 . Further, the convex portions  81   a  and  82   a  formed on the mating shell  80  ride over and fit in the curved portions  52   a  and  53   a  of the shell  50  respectively and thus, the mating shell  80  is fitted in the inside of the shell  50 . 
     On the other hand, the plate portion  44  of the ground terminal  40  and the mating plate portion  73  of the mating ground terminal  70  have plate surfaces that are parallel to each other and are parallel to the mating direction of the connector  100  and the mating connector  200 . As illustrated in  FIG.  11 D , the pair of projection portions  75  of the mating plate portion  73  is positioned so that the projection portions  75  are respectively inserted into U shapes of the pair of U-shaped portions  43  in the plate portion  44 . Further, both of the leg portions  43   a  of mutually-adjacent U shapes in the pair of U-shaped portions  43  are inserted and positioned in the concave portion  74  of the mating plate portion  73 . The leg portions  43   a  of mutually-adjacent U shapes elastically deform toward the mutually-approaching direction when inserted into the concave portion  74 , and the protrusion portions  43   b , which are formed on the end sides of the leg portions  43   a , are respectively brought into elastic contact with the inner surfaces of the pair of projection portions  75  by elastic restoring force of the leg portions  43   a . Accordingly, the plate portion  44 , which serves as the shielding portion between the first terminal  41  and the second terminals  42 , and the mating plate portion  73 , which serves as the mating shielding portion between the first mating terminal  71  and the second mating terminals  72 , are mutually conducted. 
     The plate portion  44  and the mating plate portion  73  are thus combined with each other to constitute a shield between a couple of the first terminal  41  and first mating terminal  71  for high frequency signals and a couple of the second terminals  42  and the second mating terminals  72  for low frequency signals, in this example. Part a surrounded by a dotted line in  FIG.  1    ID represents the part in which the shield is constituted, and this shield blocks electromagnetic interference between terminals (between terminals for high frequency signals and terminals for low frequency signals, and between terminals for both high frequency signals). 
     The plate portion  44  and the mating plate portion  73  mutually have the same thickness (plate thickness) in this example, and the range of the thickness position of the plate portion  44  is accorded with the range of the thickness position of the mating plate portion  73 . That is, the plate portion  44  and the mating plate portion  73  are combined with each other as they form one plate. A gap between the plate portion  44  and the mating plate portion  73  and a gap between the leg portions  43   a , which are inserted and positioned in the concave portion  74  of the mating plate portion  73 , of adjacent U shapes of the plate portions  44  are set to be smaller than the thicknesses of the plate portion  44  and the mating plate portion  73 . Accordingly, favorable shielding performance is secured in this example. 
     It is to be noted that the thickness of the plate portion  44  and the thickness of the mating plate portion  73  do not have to be always the same as each other. When having the mutually different thicknesses, the plate portion  44  and the mating plate portion  73  are combined with each other so that the range of the thickness position of one of the plate portion  44  and the mating plate portion  73  is within the range of the thickness position of the other. Thus, if the thickness of the plate portion  44  and the thickness of the mating plate portion  73  are different from each other, the gap between the plate portion  44  and the mating plate portion  73  and the gap between the leg portions  43   a , positioned in the concave portion  74 , of the U shapes are set smaller than the thickness of the plate portion  44  or the mating plate portion  73  which has the smaller thickness. 
     Second Embodiment 
     In the above-described first embodiment, the shielding portion of the ground terminal  40  positioned between the first terminal  41  and the second terminals  42  of the connector  100  is the plate portion  44  composed of a pair of U-shaped portions  43 , and the mating shielding portion of the mating ground terminal  70  positioned between the first mating terminal  71  and the second mating terminals  72  of the mating connector  200  is the mating plate portion  73  having the shape including a pair of projection portions  75  which form the concave portion  74  therebetween. However, these shielding portions may employ another structure. 
     A second embodiment describes another structure of shielding portions included in a ground terminal and a mating ground terminal in a connector and a mating connector.  FIGS.  12 A and  12 B  illustrate a connector  100 ′ according to the second embodiment, and  FIG.  13    illustrates ground terminals  40 ′ integrated with a shell  50  in the connector  100 ′. Further,  FIGS.  14 A,  14 B,  15 A, and  15 B  illustrate a mating connector  200 ′, and  FIGS.  16 A and  16 B  illustrate a state in which the connector  100 ′ and the mating connector  200 ′ are fitted to each other. In  FIGS.  12 A,  12 B,  13 ,  14 A,  14 B,  15 A,  15 B ,  16 A, and  16 B, components corresponding to the structure of the first embodiment illustrated in  FIGS.  3 A,  3 B,  4 A,  4 B,  5 ,  6 ,  7 A,  7 B,  8 A,  8 B,  9 ,  10 ,  11 A,  11 B,  11 C, and  11 D  will be provided with the same reference characters, and detailed description thereof will be omitted. 
     As illustrated in  FIG.  15 B , a mating shielding portion included in a mating ground terminal  70 ′ is composed of a flat plate portion  78  having a substantially rectangular shape, and the mating ground terminal  70 ′ is composed of the flat plate portion  78  and extension portions  77  which are extended from both ends of a lower side of the flat plate portion  78 , in this example. The flat plate portion  78  protrudes on a bottom plate portion  91  of a mating insulator  90  and are positioned between a first mating terminal  71  and second mating terminals  72 , and the lower side of the flat plate portion  78  and the extension portions  77  are positioned and exposed on the bottom surface side of the mating insulator  90 . 
     On the other hand, a shielding portion constituted by the ground terminal  40 ′ is composed of a pair of U-shaped portions  48  which are adjacent to each other, as illustrated in  FIG.  13   . Leg portions of the mutually-adjacent U shapes in the pair of U-shaped portions  48  are contact portions  49  that are elastically displaced in a contact direction which is orthogonal to plate surfaces  48   a  of the U-shaped portions  48 . The contact portion  49  has a shape bent in an L shape. As is the case with the ground terminal  40  in the first embodiment, the ground terminal  40 ′ is integrally formed with the shell  50 , and leg portions  48   b  positioned on the mutual outer sides of a pair of U-shaped portions  48  are formed to be extended from the extension portions  54  of the shell  50  respectively. 
     Each pair of U-shaped portions  48  of two ground terminals  40 ′ is inserted into a slit  62  of an insulator  60  and positioned between a first terminal  41  and second terminals  42 . 
     As illustrated in  FIG.  16 B , in the connector assembly in which the connector  100 ′ and the mating connector  200 ′ are fitted and connected to each other, the contact portion  49  comes into elastic contact with a plate surface  78   a  of the flat plate portion  78  in this example, where the flat plate portion  78  has the plate surface (mating plate surface) which is parallel to the mating direction, the contact direction between the contact portion  49  and the flat plate portion  78  is orthogonal to the plate surface  78   a , and the contact portion  49  is elastically displaceable in the contact direction which is orthogonal to the mating direction. Accordingly, the pair of U-shaped portions  48  serving as the shielding portion of the ground terminal  40 ′ and the flat plate portion  78  serving as the mating shielding portion of the mating ground terminal  70 ′ are conducted and combined with each other, structuring a shield for blocking electromagnetic interference between a couple of the first terminal  41  and the first mating terminal  71  and a couple of the second terminals  42  and the second mating terminals  72 , as is the case with the first embodiment. 
     The embodiments of the present invention have been described thus far. In one connector constituting the connector assembly according to the present invention, the ground terminals which elastically deform are integrally formed with the extension portions of the shell. Further, the press-fitting portions provided on the extension portions are pressed into the press-fitted portions of the insulator so as to attach the shell to the insulator and dispose the ground terminals on required positions in the insulator. 
     Here, in terms of attachment of a shell to an insulator, a shell is generally attached to an insulator by insert molding (integral molding) as employed by the connector  10  and the mating connector  20  of Patent Literature 1 described above. In order to integrally form ground terminals, which are to be disposed on an insulator, with a shell, which is to be attached to the insulator by integral molding as mentioned above, and to make the ground terminals elastically deformable, rooms in which the ground terminals elastically deform are required to be blocked with a mold for preventing resin from entering the rooms. This blocking with a mold requires space for putting the mold therein in the insulator and the presence of the space causes the problem in that down-sizing of the insulator (connector) is interfered and elastic deformation of the ground terminals becomes unstable. 
     In contrast, the shell with which the ground terminals are integrally formed is pressed into and attached to the insulator in the present invention and thus, the above-mentioned problem does not arise. 
     The foregoing description of the embodiments of the invention has been presented for the purpose of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive and to limit the invention to the precise form disclosed. Modifications or variations are possible in light of the above teaching. The embodiment was chosen and described to provide the best illustration of the principles of the invention and its practical application, and to enable one of ordinary skill in the art to utilize the invention in various embodiments and with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. All such modifications and variations are within the scope of the invention as determined by the appended claims when interpreted in accordance with the breadth to which they are fairly, legally, and equitably entitled.