Patent Publication Number: US-7905750-B2

Title: Electric connector with a bluetooth device therein

Description:
This application claims the priority benefit of Taiwan patent application number 098206478 filed on Apr. 17, 2009. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to electric connectors and more particularly, to an electric connector, which has vertically spaced insertion slots for the insertion of external electric connectors into respective connector receiving chambers to contact respective metal terminals for wired signal transmission, and a Bluetooth device mounted in an accommodation space at the top side of the connector receiving chambers for receiving an external wireless signal. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     Following the step of technology era, many consumer electric and electronic products and home electric appliances are computerized. When using a computerized product, a user may need to input signals for startup, shutoff, setting control. For example, when operating an old design of TV, stereo system, video recorder/player, MOD (multimedia on demand) device, multimedia player, air-conditioner, intelligent refrigerator, computer, mobile telephone, notebook computer or any of a variety of other electric devices, a user need to click the buttons on the housing or an extension operating bar of the electric device directly. However, advanced electric devices commonly provide a remote control function. By means of RF (radio frequency), infrared or Bluetooth transmission technology, a user can control the operation of an electric device at a remote site. 
     Further, many electric connectors, such as USB connectors, SATA connectors, eSATA connectors, RJ connectors, Mini USB connectors are created and intensively used for the connection of peripheral apparatus to a master unit. For example, different electric connectors may be used for the connection of video recorder/player, MOD device, speakers, stereo system, computer and/or digital camera to a digital TV, or for the connection of keyboard, mouse, printer, TV signal receiver and/or modem to a computer. By means of connectors, multiple slave devices can be connected to a master device for transmitting data signal or storing data. 
     Further, signal transmission through electric/electronic devices can be done by means of wired or wireless techniques. Either providing a wired transmission function or wireless transmission function, linking of electric connectors allows two-way signal transmission between two parties. Therefore, electric/electronic devices generally have a number of electric connectors and/or a wireless transmitter and receiver module for communication with external electric/electronic devices. However, in actual practice, conventional designs still have drawbacks as follows: 
     1. Installation of electric connectors and/or signal transmission devices in the internal circuit board of an electric/electronic device occupies much circuit board space, interfering with circuit layout of the circuit board. 
     2. For enabling an electric/electronic device to receive an external wireless signal, an attached antenna or attached signal transducer means is necessary. The installation of such an attached antenna or attached signal transducer means requires much installation space. Further, when an attached antenna or attached signal transducer means is used, the internal circuit board of the electric/electronic device must have a signal adapter means to convert external wireless signal into a specific format for reading or storage. The installation of such a signal adapter means requires an extra circuit board space. 
     Accordingly, there is a need for an electric connector that provides wired and wireless signal transmission functions and, that has the characteristic of small size. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention has been accomplished under the circumstances in view. It is one object of the present invention to provide an electric connector, which is practical for wired signal transmission as well as wireless signal transmission. It is another object of the present invention to provide an electric connector for wired and wireless signal transmission, which has the characteristic of small size 
     To achieve these and other objects of the present invention, the electric connector comprises an electrically insulative housing, which has multiple connector receiving chambers arranged at different elevations, an accommodation space disposed at the top side relative to the connector receiving chamber, and an insertion slot located on the front side of each connector receiving chamber for the insertion of an external electric connector into the associating connector receiving chambers, metal terminals respectively mounted in the connector receiving chambers for the contact of metal terminals of an external electric connector, a Bluetooth device mounted in the accommodation space and having a signal receiving portion protruding over the front side of the electrically insulative housing for receiving an external wireless signal, and a metal shield capped on the electrically insulative housing for EMI (electromagnetic interference) protection. 
     Further, the connector receiving chambers and the respective insertion slots and metal terminals can be configured to fit USB connectors, SATA connectors, eSATA connectors or RJ connectors for wired signal transmission. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is an elevational view of an electric connector in accordance with the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is an exploded view of the electric connector in accordance with the present invention. 
         FIG. 3  corresponds to  FIG. 2  when viewed from the rear side. 
         FIG. 4  is a sectional side view of the electric connector in accordance with the present invention. 
         FIG. 5  is a schematic sectional view of the present invention, showing a status of use of the electric connector. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1˜4 , an electric connector is shown comprising an electrically insulative housing  1 , multiple metal terminal sets  2 , a Bluetooth device  3  and a metal shield  4 . 
     The electrically insulative housing  1  has a plurality of connector receiving chambers  10  defined therein at different elevations, insertion slots  101  respectively formed in the front side thereof in communication with the connector receiving chambers  10 , terminal holes  102  respectively disposed at a rear side relative to the connector receiving chambers  10 , a locating block  11  mounted in the bottom side thereof below the terminal holes  102  and having multiple rows of vertical through holes  110 , an accommodation space  12  defined above the connector receiving chambers  10 , two retaining lugs  122  respectively protruded from two opposite sidewalls  121  of the accommodation space  12  and bilaterally disposed at the front side  124  of the accommodation space  12  near the top, and two locating grooves  123  bilaterally formed in the top side of the accommodation space  12  at an elevation above the retaining lugs  122 . 
     The metal terminal sets  2  include a first metal terminal set  21  formed of a plurality of first metal terminals  211 , and a second metal terminal set  22  formed of a plurality of second metal terminals  221 . Each first metal terminal  211  or second metal terminal  221  has a contact portion  212  or  222  at one end and a bonding portion  213  or  223  at the other end. 
     The Bluetooth device  3  comprises a casing  31 , a circuit module  32  mounted inside the casing  31 , and an adapter terminal set  34 . The casing  31  is formed of a top shell  311  and a bottom shell  312 . The top shell  311  has a plurality of retaining grooves  3111 . The bottom shell  312  has a plurality of retaining grooves  3121 . The circuit module  32  is a circuit board having a circuit layout thereon. Further, the circuit module  32  comprises a wireless antenna  321  disposed near the front side thereof, and a set of via holes  322  arranged along the rear side thereof. The adapter terminal set  34  comprises a plurality of metal adapter terminals  341 , each having a connection portion  342  at one end and a bonding portion  343  at the other end. The connection portions  342  of the metal adapter terminals  341  are respectively electrically bonded to the via holes  322  of the circuit module  32 . Further, the wireless antenna  321  and the front part of the casing  31  form a signal receiving portion  33 . 
     The metal shield  4  comprises a substantially  -shaped main shielding frame  41  and two lateral shielding panels  42  and  43 . The  -shaped main shielding frame  41  has a plurality of openings  410  cut through a front wall  411  thereof. 
     During the assembly process of the electric connector, the first metal terminals  211  of the first metal terminal set  21  and the second metal terminals  221  of the second metal terminal set  22  are respectively mounted in the connector receiving chambers  10  of the electrically insulative housing  1  to have the respective contact portions  212  and  222  be extended to the insertion slots  101  and the respective bonding portions  213  and  223  be respectively extended through the terminal holes  102  and then bent downwards and inserted through corresponding rows of through holes  110  of the locating block  11  for bonding to an external circuit board (not shown), and then the Bluetooth device  3  is inserted into the accommodation space  12  of the electrically insulative housing  1  to force the retaining grooves  3111  and  3121  into engagement with the retaining lugs  122  of the electrically insulative housing  1  for enabling the signal receiving portion  33  of the Bluetooth device  3  to extend out of the front side  124  of the accommodation space  12  and the bonding portions  343  of the metal adapter terminals  341  of the adapter terminal set  34  be inserted through a corresponding row of through holes  110  of the locating block  11  for bonding to the same external circuit board to which the bonding portions  213  and  223  are bonded. Thereafter, the metal shield  4  is capped on the electrically insulative housing  1  to let the signal receiving portion  33  be inserted through one opening  410  on the front wall  411  of the  -shaped main shielding frame  41  and each insertion slot  101  be aimed at one respective opening  410  of the  -shaped main shielding frame  41 . When assembled, the  -shaped main shielding frame  41  shields the top, front and rear sides of the electrically insulative housing  1 , and the two lateral shielding panels  42  and  43  shield the two opposite lateral sides of the electrically insulative housing  1 . 
     The accommodation space  12  of the electrically insulative housing  1  is an open space having an open top side. Before installation of the metal shield  4 , an electrically insulative top cover plate  13  is mounted in the electrically insulative housing  1  to cover the open top side of the accommodation space  12 . The electrically insulative top cover plate  13  has two rails  131  symmetrically disposed at two opposite lateral sides thereof and respectively engaged into the locating grooves  123  of the electrically insulative housing  1 . After installation of the electrically insulative top cover plate  13  in the electrically insulative housing  1 , the electrically insulative top cover plate  13  stops the Bluetooth device  3  from upward displacement. Further, because the retaining grooves  3111  and  3121  of the Bluetooth device  3  are respectively forced into engagement with the retaining lugs  122  of the electrically insulative housing  1 , the Bluetooth device  3  is prohibited from horizontal displacement. Therefore, the Bluetooth device  3  is prohibited from movement in horizontal or vertical direction after its installation in the electrically insulative housing  1 . Further, as an alternate form of the present invention, the electrically insulative top cover plate  13  can be formed integrally with the top side of the accommodation space  12  of the electrically insulative housing  1  for enabling the Bluetooth device  3  be positively accommodated in the accommodation space  12  with the signal receiving portion  33  extended out of out of the front side  124  of the accommodation space  12  of the electrically insulative housing  1  for receiving an external wireless signal. 
     Referring to  FIG. 5  and  FIGS. 2˜4  again, the accommodation space  12  and the connector receiving chambers  10  are arranged in a stack so that the dimension of the electric connector can be minimized. Further, the insertion slots  101  and the connector receiving chambers  10  may be configured for receiving a USB connector, a Mini USB connector, a SATA connector or an eSATA connector respectively. Further, the electrically insulative housing  1  can be made having a tongue plate  103  horizontally suspending in each slot  101 . The tongue plate  103  has a plurality of terminal holes  104  for the passing of the contact portions  212  or  222  of the metal terminals  211  or  221 . When an external electric connector  5  is inserted through one opening  410  of the meta shield  4  and the slot  101  of the one connector receiving chamber  10  of the electrically insulative housing  1 , the signal terminals  51  of the external electric connector  5  are respectively forced into contact with the contact portions  212  or  222  of the corresponding metal terminals  211  or  221  for signal transmission. Further, the signal receiving portion  33  of the Bluetooth device  3  extends out of the accommodation space  12  of the electrically insulative housing  1  for receiving an external signal wirelessly. Thus, the electric connector of the present invention is practical for wired and wireless signal transmission. 
     Further the connector receiving chambers  10  of the electrically insulative housing  1  can be configured to receive a RJ standard connector, an Ethernet connector, or a coaxial cable connector. 
     The aforesaid description simply describes one simple of the present invention but not intended as a limitation of the present invention By means of defining a plurality of connector receiving chambers  10  and an accommodation space  12  in the electrically insulative housing  1  at different elevations and mounting a Bluetooth device  3  in the accommodation space  12  to have the signal receiving portion  33  of the Bluetooth device  3  be exposed to the outside of the electrically insulative housing, the electric connector is practical for wired and wireless signal transmission. Further, the connector receiving chambers  10  can be configured to fit any of a variety of electric connectors. Further, by means of arranging the connector receiving chambers  10  and an accommodation space  12  in a stack, the dimension of the electric connector is minimized. 
     In conclusion, the invention provides an electric connector with a Bluetooth device therein, which has the following advantages and features: 
     1. The electrically insulative housing  1  has a plurality of connector receiving chambers  10  arranged at different elevations and configured to fit different connector standards for receiving different electric connectors, and an accommodation space  12  arranged on the top side of the connector receiving chambers  10  for accommodating a Bluetooth device  3 . This stacked design of the connector receiving chambers  10  and the accommodation space  12  facilitates circuit board arrangement, saving much circuit board installation space. 
     2. The connector receiving chambers  10  of the electrically insulative housing  1  are adapted for receiving different stands of electric connectors. Further, because the Bluetooth device  3  is mounted in the accommodation space  12  above the connector receiving chambers  10 , the installation of the Bluetooth device  3  does not occupy any connector receiving chamber  10  and, the Bluetooth device  3  can receive an external wireless signal directly without through any signal adapter means. 
     As stated above, the electric connector in accordance with the present invention has a Bluetooth device and electric connector receiving structures arranged in a stack to minimize the size and to achieve wired and wireless signal transmission. 
     A prototype of electric connector has been constructed with the features of  FIGS. 1˜5 . The electric connector has a Bluetooth device and electric connector receiving structures arranged in a stack to minimize the size and to achieve wired and wireless signal transmission. 
     Although a particular embodiment of the invention has been described in detail for purposes of illustration, various modifications and enhancements may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the invention is not to be limited except as by the appended claims.