Patent Publication Number: US-2013244473-A1

Title: Electrical connector equipped with detection switch

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to an electrical connector, and more particular to an electrical connector having a detection switch properly and accurately indicating insertion and removal of a mating plug therein. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     Chinese Pat. No. 200920302251 issued on Mar. 24, 2010 discloses an electrical connector equipped with a detective switch for detecting insertion and removal of a mating plug therein. This electrical connector comprises a rectangular housing and a metallic shell surrounding the housing. The rectangular housing defines a recess in a middle of a front portion thereof, in which a mating tongue is formed with a plurality of contacts disposed at opposite sides thereof. A gap is defined between one side of the mating tongue and the housing, in which a detective switch is arranged for detecting whether a mating plug is inserted or unplugged. The detective switch extend into the gap so as to intercept with a displacement of the inserted plug or disengagement with the inserted plug. Other solutions of the detective switch may be provided according to varies demand. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide an electrical connector having a detective switch. 
     In order to achieve the object set forth, an electrical connector comprises an insulative housing with a plurality of conductive terminals mounted thereon. A metallic shell surrounds the insulative housing thereby defining a mating cavity therein for receiving a mating plug. A spring plate is formed on one side wall of the metallic shell and projects into the mating cavity. A terminal module is attached to said side wall of the metallic shell and separated from the insulative housing by said side wall. The terminal module comprises a body section and a conductive terminal. The spring plate together with the conductive terminal form a detection switch under condition that the spring plate is separated from the conductive terminal before the mating plug is inserted into the mating cavity, while the spring plate will move outwardly to get into contact with the conductive terminal when the mating plug is inserted into the mating cavity. 
     Other objects, advantages and novel features of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of the present embodiment when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an electrical connector in accordance with the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is another perspective view of the electrical connector shown in  FIG. 1 , seen from a bottom side; 
         FIG. 3  is a partly exploded perspective view of the electrical connector shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 4  is another partly exploded view of the electrical connector shown in  FIG. 3 ; 
         FIG. 5  is a cross sectional view of the electrical connector shown in  FIG. 1  along line  5 - 5 ; 
         FIG. 6  is a cross sectional view of the electrical connector shown in  FIG. 2  along line  6 - 6 , which shows status of a switch when a mating plug is not inserted; and 
         FIG. 7  is similar to  FIG. 6  and shows status of the switch when the mating plug is inserted. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Reference will now be made to the drawing figures to describe a preferred embodiment of the present invention in detail. 
     Referring to  FIG. 1  to  FIG. 4 , an electrical connector  100  in accordance with the present invention is provided and comprises a metallic shell  1 , an insulative housing  2 , a terminal module  3  and a plurality of contacts  4 . 
     In this embodiment, the electrical connector  100  is configured as a standard USB 3.0 connector, it should be pointed out that the other similar electrical connectors with a metallic shell surrounded outside, such as USB 2.0 connector, eSATA connector, Display Port connector and et al, are also suitable for incorporation of the present invention. As the structure of the USB 3.0 connector is not the key points of the present invention, for simplification, the detail description of the USB 3.0 connector which can be referred and best illustrated by U.S. Pat. No. 7,670,191 is omitted here. 
     The metallic shell  1  is made by stamping of a metal sheet and is configured with a top wall  11 , a bottom wall  12 , a first side wall  13 , a second side wall  14  and a rear wall  15 . The metallic shell  1  surrounds the insulative housing  2  and defines a mating cavity  10  therein for receiving a mating plug  200  therein. The rear wall  15  is formed by extending rearwardly from a rear edge of the top wall  11  and then bending downwardly. The rear wall  15  comprises a base section  151 , a first wing section  153  and a second wing section  152  extending from longitudinal ends of the base section  151 . The first and second wing sections  153 ,  152  extend forwardly and keep closer to the corresponding first and second side walls  13 ,  14 . The first wing section  153  attaches to the first side wall  13  by a soldering method, which could keep the metallic shell  1  stably and reliably. The second wing section  152  is spaced to the second side wall  14  and leaves a gap  150  therebetween for accommodating the terminal module  3  therein. The second side wall  14  has an elongated passageway or slot  143  extending forwardly from a rear edge thereof, and at a front edge of the second side wall  14 , an opening  144  is also defined and faces to the second wing sections  152 . A board lock section  142  extends downwardly from a bottom edge of the second side wall  14  for retaining the electrical connector  100  onto the printed circuit board. Further, a spring plate  141  is formed on the second side wall  14  and projects inwardly until it is exposed in the mating cavity  10 . The spring plate  141  could move outwardly or inwardly with the insertion or withdrawn of the mating plug  200 . 
     Referring to  FIG.3  to  FIG. 5 , the terminal module  3  comprises a rectangular body section  31  made of insulative material, i.e., the insulator, and a conductive terminal or detect pin  32  insert-molded in the body section  31 . The body section  31  is configured as an L-shaped contour as seen from a top side, which comprises a plate section  311  and an ending section  315  perpendicular to the plate section  311 . The plate section  311  defines an elongated opening  312  at a front section, in which the conductive terminal  32  is exposed. A retaining bar  314  extends forwardly and horizontally from the ending section  315 . A locking portion  313  protrudes forwardly from a front edge of the plate section  311 . The conductive terminal  32  comprises a contacting portion  322  and a soldering portion  321  extending downwardly from the contacting portion  322  and projecting out of the plate section  311 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 3  to  FIG. 7 , the terminal module  3  is assembled on the second side wall  14  along a rear-to-front direction. Firstly, the retaining bar  314  is inserted into the elongated passageway  143  until the locking portion  313  retained in the opening  144  at the front edge of the second side wall  14 . Secondly, the rear wall  15  is bending downwardly with the first and second wing sections  151 ,  152  projecting forwardly. The second wing section  152  is located at an outer side of the body section  31  of the terminal module  3 , therefore the body section  31  could be sandwiched within the gap  150  defined by the second side wall  14  and the second wing section  152 . Finally, the first wing section  151  is soldered onto the first side wall  13 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 5  to  FIG. 7 , as the terminal module  3  is adjacent to the second side wall  14 , the spring plate  141  could get in touch with the contacting section  322  of the terminal module  3  when the spring plate  141  is biased by the inserted mating plug  200 . That is to say, the spring plate  141  and the conductive terminal  32  could form a detection switch for the electrical connector  100  to detect whether the mating plug  200  is inserted. The conductive terminal  32  acts as a stationary contact while the spring plate  141  of the metallic shell  1  acts as a movably contact. When the mating plug  200  is not inserted into the mating cavity  10 , the spring plate  141  is separated from the conductive terminal  32 . When the mating plug  200  is inserted into the mating cavity  10 , the spring plate  141  is biased to move outwardly and engages with the contacting section  322  of the conductive terminal  32 . 
     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 disclosure 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.