Patent Publication Number: US-2010112871-A1

Title: Audio plug connector

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention generally relates to an audio connector, and more particularly to an audio plug connector. 
     2. The Related Art 
     A conventional audio electronic product such as an earphone and a microphone usually includes an audio plug connector. The audio plug connector is inserted in a matching audio receptacle connector so as to make audio signals transmitted therebetween. The audio plug connector has a substantially pillared connector body and a housing for receiving a rear of the connector body therein. However, as the rear of the connector body is generally pillared, as a result, the connector body is difficult to be right located and firmly fixed in the housing during being manufactured that causes the manufacturing efficiency and quality to be reduced. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     An object of the present invention is to provide an audio plug connector which includes a substantially pillared insulating body defining a fixing portion at one end thereof, a plurality of terminals formed in the insulating body, and a housing having a lower housing and an upper housing mated with each other to define a cylindrical receiving space therebetween for receiving the one end of the insulating body therein. The fixing portion defines at least one fixing hole passing therethrough. A portion of an inner surface of the lower housing protrudes corresponding to the fixing hole to form at least one locating portion inserted in the corresponding fixing hole. A portion of an inner surface of the upper housing protrudes corresponding to the locating portion to form at least one propping projection which defines a locating hole. A free end of the locating portion is further inserted in the corresponding locating hole. 
     As described above, the locating portion of the lower housing is inserted into the corresponding fixing hole of the fixing portion and the corresponding locating hole of the upper housing, so the insulating body can be right located and firmly fixed in the housing during being manufactured that further improves the manufacturing efficiency and quality. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The present invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art by reading the following description of a preferred embodiment thereof, with reference to the attached drawings, in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an audio plug connector according to the present invention, wherein an upper housing is partially cut open; 
         FIG. 2  is an exploded perspective view of the audio plug connector of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective sectional view of an insulating body of the audio plug connector of  FIG. 1 ; and 
         FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the upper housing of the audio plug connector of  FIG. 1 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     With reference to  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 2 , an audio plug connector of the present invention includes a connector body and a housing for receiving a rear of the connector body therein. The connector body includes an insulating body  10 , a connecting terminal  20 , a first terminal  30 , a second terminal  40 , a third terminal  50  and a fourth terminal  60 . 
     Referring to  FIGS. 2 and 3 , the insulating body  10  has a substantially pillared base portion  111  extending longitudinally. An outside of the base portion  111  protrudes therearound to form four preventing portions  112  apart from each other. The preventing portions  112  are sequentially defined as a first preventing portion  1121 , a second preventing portion  1122 , a third preventing portion  1123  and a fourth preventing portion  1124  from front to rear. The base portion  111  defines a pillared first receiving recess  113  in a middle thereof penetrating from front to rear, a cylindrical second receiving recess  114  around the first receiving recess  113  having a front end passing through the base portion  111  and adjacent to a front of the second preventing portion  1122 , and a cylindrical third receiving recess  115  around the second receiving recess  114  having a front end passing through the base portion  111  and adjacent to a front of the third preventing portion  1123 . The receiving recesses  113 ,  114 ,  115  are coaxial with the base portion  111 . A rear of the second receiving recess  114  communicates with the outside through a first gap  1141  at bottom and a first aperture  1142  at top. A rear of the third receiving recess  115  communicates with the outside through a second gap  1151  at top and a second aperture  1152  at bottom. The second gap  1151  and the second aperture  1152  are located behind the fourth preventing portion  1124  and in front of the first aperture  1142  and the first gap  1141 . 
     The insulating body  10  further has a substantially rectangular fixing portion  120  disposed levelly and having a front connected with a rear of the base portion  111  at bottom. A middle of a top of the fixing portion  120  defines a receiving cavity  121  extending longitudinally and communicating with the first receiving recess  113 . A rear of the fixing portion  120  protrudes upward into the receiving cavity  121  to form a preventing block  122 . The fixing portion  120  further defines two pillared fixing holes  123  vertically passing therethrough and respectively located at two sides of the receiving cavity  121 . Two opposite sides of the fixing portion  120  respectively defines an arc-shaped propping surface  124 . 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1-3 , the terminals are integrally formed with the insulating body  10  to form the connector body. The connecting terminal  20  is integrally formed in the first receiving recess  113  and has a first connecting portion  21  at rear partially received in the receiving cavity  121  to be connected with external elements (not shown) and abutting against the preventing block  122 . The first terminal  30  abuts against a front of the insulating body  10  via a front of the connecting terminal  20  integrally formed therein and has a conical first contacting portion  31 . The second terminal  40  has a cylindrical second connecting portion  41  integrally formed in the second receiving recess  114  and a cylindrical second contacting portion  42  connected with a front of the second connecting portion  41  and wrapping the base portion  111  between the first preventing portion  1121  and the second preventing portion  1122 . The third terminal  50  has a cylindrical third connecting portion  51  integrally formed in the third receiving recess  115  and a cylindrical third contacting portion  52  connected with a front of the third connecting portion  51  and wrapping the base portion  111  between the second preventing portion  1122  and the third preventing portion  1123 . The fourth terminal  60  is cylindrical to wrap the base portion  111  between the third preventing portion  1123  and the fourth preventing portion  1124 , and has a fourth contacting portion  61  at front. A rear of the second connecting portion  41  is exposed via the first gap  1141  and the first aperture  1142  so as to be connected with the external elements. A rear of the third connecting portion  51  is exposed via the second gap  1151  and the second aperture  1152  so as to be connected with the external elements. 
     Referring to  FIG. 1 ,  FIG. 2  and  FIG. 4 , the housing includes a semi-cylindrical lower housing  70  and a semi-cylindrical upper housing  80  mating with each other to define a cylindrical receiving space  90  therebetween. An inside of the lower housing  70  protrudes upward to form two pillared propping portions  72 . A top of each of the propping portions  72  protrudes upward to form a pillared locating portion  73  corresponding to the respective fixing hole  123  of the insulating body  10 . An inside of the upper housing  80  protrudes downward to form two pillared propping projections  82  facing to the corresponding propping portions  72 . Each of the propping projections  82  defines a pillared locating hole  83  mating with the corresponding locating portion  73 . The rear of the connector body is received in the receiving space  90  of the housing. The locating portions  73  of the lower housing  70  are inserted into the corresponding fixing holes  123  of the fixing portion  120  and a top of each of the locating portions  73  is further inserted in the corresponding locating hole  83  of the upper housing  80 . The propping portions  72  and the propping projections  82  respectively abut against a bottom and a top of the fixing portion  120  to firmly clip the fixing portion  120  therebetween. The propping surfaces  124  of the fixing portion  120  abut against the inside of the housing. 
     As described above, the locating portions  73  of the lower housing  70  are inserted into the corresponding fixing holes  123  of the fixing portion  120  and the corresponding locating holes  83  of the upper housing  80 , and the fixing portion  120  is clipped between the propping portions  72  and the propping projections  82 , so the connector body can be right located and firmly fixed in the housing during being manufactured that further improves the manufacturing efficiency and quality.