Patent Publication Number: US-2007111601-A1

Title: Connector and connecting module

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
      1. Field of Invention  
      The invention relates to a connector and a connecting module and, in particular, to a connector and a connecting module applied in a communication system.  
      2. Related Art  
      As shown in  FIG. 1 , a conventional connector  1  includes a capacitor  11 , a circuit board  12 , a front steel case (not shown), and a back steel case  13 . The capacitor  11  has a first pin  111  and a second pin  112 . The first pin  111  of the capacitor  11  is usually welded to the circuit board  12 , and the second pin  112  passes through a hole  131  formed on the back steel case  13  of the connector  1 . The second pin  112  is welded to the back steel case  13  for grounding. In general, the second pin  112  is protruded from the surface of the back steel case  13  by about 0.4 mm to 0.6 mm. After the welding process, a hemispherical solder ball  132  is formed on the hole  131  of the back steel case  13 , as shown in  FIG. 2 . In this case, two manual welding processes are needed for the second pin  112  which passes through the hole  131  of the back steel case  13  to connect with the back steel case  13 . Besides, it is difficult for the second pin  112  to pass through the back steel case  13 . Therefore, this kind of connector needs complex manufacturing processes and thus increases the labor and time cost.  
      As shown in  FIG. 3 , another conventional connector  2  includes a capacitor  21 , a circuit board  22 , and a steel case  23 . The capacitor  21  is mounted on the circuit board  22  by surface mount technology (SMT). The steel case  23  of the connector  2  is punched to form a holding member  231  for holding a grounding terminal  221  of the circuit board  22 , whereby the circuit board  22  can be grounded. However, since the thickness of the steel case  23  is about 0.2 mm to 0.3 mm and is made of stainless steel or copper, the holding member  231  has poor elasticity to hold the circuit board  22 . Thus, it can not strongly hold the circuit board  22 . Besides, the contact area of the circuit board  22  and the holding member  231  is easily rusted. If the holding member  231  can not strongly hold the circuit board  22 , the grounding function will be serious affected, which will result in the poor reliability and efficiency.  
      It is therefore an important subject of the invention to provide a connector and a connecting module that can be simply manufactured and has good grounding function.  
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
      In view of the foregoing, the invention is to provide a connector and a connecting module that can be simply manufactured, and has good grounding function.  
      To achieve the above, a connecting module of the invention includes a case, at least one circuit board, and at least one capacitor. The case has at least one grounding portion, and the circuit board is disposed in the case. The capacitor has a first pin and a second pin, which are electrically connected with the circuit board and the grounding portion, respectively.  
      To achieve the above, a connector of the invention includes a case, a circuit board, and a capacitor. The case has at least one grounding portion, and the circuit board is disposed in the case. The capacitor has a first pin and a second pin, which are electrically connected with the circuit board and the grounding portion, respectively.  
      Specifically, the second pin of the capacitor can be strongly fixed to and electrically connected with the grounding portion by welding or winding. Compared with the prior art, the capacitor of the invention is unnecessary to pass through the case for welding but still strongly fixed to the ground portion. Thus, the manufacturing processes become simpler. Also, since the contact portion of the second pin and grounding portion is inside the case, the exterior usable space is increased. Moreover, the pin of the capacitor may be electrically connected with the grounding portion by winding and, then, welding so as to ensure the grounding function. Accordingly, the reliability of the connector and the connecting module is further enhanced. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
      The invention will become more fully understood from the detailed description given herein below illustration only, and thus is not limitative of the present invention, and wherein:  
       FIG. 1  is a schematic view of a conventional connector;  
       FIG. 2  is an assembling diagram of the conventional connector in  FIG. 1 ;  
       FIG. 3  is a schematic view of another conventional connector;  
       FIG. 4  is a schematic view of a connector according to a preferred embodiment of the invention; and  
       FIG. 5  is a schematic view of a connecting module according to a preferred embodiment of the invention.  
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
      The present invention will be apparent from the following detailed description, which proceeds with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein the same references relate to the same elements.  
      With reference to  FIG. 4 , a connector  3  according to a preferred embodiment of the. invention includes a case  31 , a circuit board  32 , and a capacitor  33 . Herein, an RJ-45 connector is taken as an example. Of course, the connector can also be any kind of connector in a communication system, such as an RJ-11 connector or an RJ-12 connector.  
      The case  31  has a grounding portion  311 , which is, for example but not limited to, an elastic member. The case  31  and the grounding portion  311  can be integrally formed as a single unit by punching or stamping. The case  31  and the grounding portion  311  are made of an electrically conductive material such as a metal or an alloy. Besides, the case  31  can also be made of a rigid material. In the embodiment, the circuit board  32  is disposed in the case  31 .  
      The capacitor  33  has a first pin  331  and a second pin  332 . In this embodiment, the capacitor  33  is, for example but not limited to, a high-voltage capacitor. The first pin  331  and the second pin  332  are electrically connected with the circuit board  32  and the grounding portion  311 , respectively, by any possible connecting method. The first pin  331  can be electrically connected with the circuit board  32  by surface mount technology (SMT), and the second pin  332  can be electrically connect with the grounding portion  311  by winding or welding (not shown).  
      Referring to  FIG. 5 , a connecting module  4  of the present invention includes a case  41 , at least one circuit board  43 , and at least one capacitor  44 . Herein, an RJ-45 connecting module is taken as an example. Of course, the connecting module can also be an RJ-11 connecting module or an RJ-12 connecting module.  
      The case  41  has at least one grounding portion  42  such as an elastic member. The case  41  and the grounding portion  42  are connected with each other by any available connection method and they can be integrally formed as a single unit by punching or stamping. The case  41  and the grounding portion  42  are made of, but are not limited to, an electrically conductive material such as a metal or an alloy. Besides, the case  41  can also be made of a rigid material. In the embodiment, the circuit board  43  is disposed in the case  41 .  
      The capacitor  44  has a first pin  441  and a second pin  442 . In this embodiment, the capacitor  44  is a high-voltage capacitor. The first pin  441  and the second pin  442  are electrically connected with the circuit board  43  and the grounding portion  42 , respectively. The first pin  441  can be electrically connected with the circuit board  43  by surface mount technology (SMT), and the second pin  442  can be electrically connected with the grounding portion  42  by welding or winding (not shown).  
      As mentioned above, the connector and connecting module of the invention has a grounding portion formed on the case, and the pin of the capacitor is strongly fixed to the grounding portion by welding or winding. Compared with the prior art, the capacitor of the invention is unnecessary to pass through the case for welding but still is strongly fixed to and electrically connected with the ground portion. Thus, the manufacturing processes become simpler. Also, since the contact portion of the second pin and grounding portion is inside the case, the exterior usable space is increased. Moreover, the pin of the capacitor can be electrically connected with the grounding portion by winding and soldering or welding so as to ensure the grounding function. Accordingly, the reliability of the connector and the connecting module is further enhanced.  
      Although the invention has been described with reference to specific embodiments, this description is not meant to be construed in a limiting sense. Various modifications of the disclosed embodiments, as well as alternative embodiments, will be apparent to persons skilled in the art. It is, therefore, contemplated that the appended claims will cover all modifications that fall within the true scope of the invention.