Patent Publication Number: US-4925405-A

Title: DIN-type connector

Description:
The present invention relates to DIN connector, and in particular to an improved DIN connector which is shielded against external interference and which is easy to assemble. 
     A conventional DIN connector, like the one shown in FIG. 4, is formed by a main body (a) substantially in form of a metal hull (b). The main body is provided with two grounding terminals (c), below which there is respectively provided with a notch (d), into which a projection formed an each inner side of the hull (b) can be engaged to prevent the forward-rearward shift of the hull (b) on the main body (a). The hull (b) has an inverted U shape with the sites corresponding to the terminals (c) provided with recesses (f) to receive the terminals (c). After the hull (b) is mounted onto the main body, the two terminals (c) are further soldered onto the recesses (9f) to ensure their mechanical and electrical connection with the hull (b), so that the latter has the function of grounding, in order to shield the connector from the interference of external signals. 
     However, this DIN connector suffers some disadvantages. Firstly, the metallic hull provides shield only for three sides (X), (Y) and (Z), while the rear side where the recesses (f) are provided still remains exposed to the external electromagnetic waves. Secondly, the work to assemble the two parts (a), (b) together is relatively complicated, since a soldering step is required. 
     Accordingly, it is the object of this invention to provide an improved DIN connector whereby the aforesaid disadvantages are obviated. 
     According to the present invention, the first disadvantage is obviated by providing the hull with an additional shield on the rear side which is otherwise open in the coventional DIN connector and which makes a dead corner of the shielding thereof. 
     According to another feature of this invention, the aforesaid second disadvantage is obviated by providing a specially designed terminal and hull which ensure the safe connection (both mechanical and electrical) between the main body and the hull, without the necessity of soldering. According to this invention, each terminal has a notch at its free end to allow a certain degree of elastic compression of the free end so that the terminal can be easily driven into a corresponding hole in the hull of which the size is smaller than the size of the terminal. The structure of the terminal is such that the terminal, once driven into the hole, can no longer be pulled out, and the resumptive force causes the terminal to urge tightly on the edge of the hole, thus ensuring both mechanical and electrical connection between the hull and the main body. Accordingly, soldering is not necessary. 
     According to a further feature of this invention, the electrical connection between the main body and the hull is further ensured by two tongues on the sides of the hull which resiliently urges on the terminals. 
     This invention will be better understood when read in connection with the drawing, in which: 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING 
     FIG. 1 is a fragmentary view of a DIN connector of this invention; 
     FIG. 2 is a sectional view showing the hull and the main body in assembled state; 
     FIG. 3 is a modified DIN connector of this invention, and 
     FIG. 4 is a fragmentary view of a conventional DIN connector. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     With reference to FIG. 1, the DIN connector of this invention also comprises a main body (a1) and a metallic hull (b1). Like the conventional DIN connector, the main body (a1) also has two notches (d) (only one is shown) for the projections (e) of the hull (e) and two grounding terminals (c1). But unlike the conventional DIN connector, the hull (b1) is not open at its rear side. In other words, it provides a shield for the rear side (W1) in addition to the three sides (X1) (Y1) and (Z1), thus eliminating the interference from the rear side. The rear side (W1) is provided with two holes (1) through which the tip (21) of each terminal (c1) is inserted. The tip (21) is arrow-shaped, and followed by a shank (22). A notch (22) extends a distance along the axial direction of the terminal (c1). 
     Referring to FIG. 2, the normal width of the shank (22) is slightly greater than the size of the hole (1). Thus once a terminal (c1) is driven into a hole (1), the shank (22) is slightly compressed by the hole (1). Thus the shank (22) is forced by a resumptive force to contact tightly with the edge of the hole (1). 
     To further ensure the electrical connection between the main body (a1) and the hull (b1), the latter is provided with two tongues (3) which are punched out from the hull (b1) and which resiliently urge on the terminals (c1) when the terminals (c1) are driven in the holes (1). 
     FIG. 3 show s another embodiment of this invention. Like the first embodiment in FIG. 1, the DIN connector also comprises a main body (a2) and a hull (b2) which has four sides (X2), (Y2), (Z2) and (W2). The hull (b2) also has two tongues (3) to ensure its electrical connection with the two terminals (c) (only one is shown) of the main body (a2). Here the terminal (c) is the same as the conventional DIN connector in FIG. 4. The hull (b2) is not provided with holes for the terminals. However, since the electrical connection is ensured by the resilience of the tongues (3), a soldering of the terminals (c) is not necessary. The hull (b2) has two further tongues (e1) which can respective engage into two recesses (4) (only one is shown) to ensure the mechanical connection between the main body (a2) and the hull (b2).