Patent Publication Number: US-7588458-B2

Title: Electrical connector assembly

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   1. Field of the Invention 
   The present invention generally relates to an electrical connector assembly and more particularly to an electrical connector assembly having different types of interfaces. 
   2. Description of Related Art 
   A conventional electrical connector assembly having different types of interfaces, comprises an insulative housing having a first mating portion for mating with a USB plug connector and a second housing having a second mating portion for mating with a SATA plug connector. A plurality of first terminals received in the first mating portion. A plurality of second terminals received in the second mating portion. The first mating portion and the second mating portion which have different types of interfaces integrally formed on the insulative housing will complicates the manufacturing process and increase the manufacturing costs. Furthermore, the insulative housing is a one-piece structure unitarily molded of dielectric material such as plastic or the like, the first mating portion and the second mating portion which look like the same color could not be identified easily, and it possible to mismate the plugs with the interfaces. 
   Hence, an improvement over the prior art is required to overcome the problems thereof. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   According to one aspect of the present invention, an electrical connector assembly combining at least two different types of interfaces comprises a first housing having a first mating portion at a front surface and a protrusion extending from a bottom surface thereof. The protrusion has an upper portion and a lower portion wider than the upper portion. A plurality of first terminals are mounted on the first housing and extend into the first mating portion thereof. A second housing is assembled to the first housing. The second housing has a second mating portion at a front surface and a recess at a top surface thereof to retain the protrusion therein. The recess has an upper portion and a lower portion wider than the upper portion. A plurality of second terminals are mounted on the second housing and extend into the second mating portion thereof. A second inner shell encloses the second mating portion of the second housing. The second inner shell has a top surface abutted against by the protrusion. 
   According to another aspect of the present invention, an electrical connector assembly comprises a first housing having a pair of first mating portions for mating with USB plug connectors and a protrusion extending from a bottom surface thereof. The protrusion has an upper portion and a lower portion wider than the upper portion. A plurality of first terminals are mounted on said first housing and extend into the first mating portion thereof. A second housing assembled to the first housing. The second housing has a second mating portion for mating with a SATA plug connector and a pair of retaining posts extending from a top surface thereof. The retaining posts engage with opposite sides of the protrusion and have an upper portion and a lower portion narrower than the upper portion. A plurality of second terminals are mounted on the second housing and extend into the second mating portion thereof. A second inner shell encloses the second mating portion of the second housing. The second inner shell has a top surface abutted against by the protrusion. 
   These and additional objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will become apparent after reading the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment of the invention taken in conjunction with the appended drawings. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is a front perspective view of an electrical connector assembly in accordance with the present invention; 
       FIG. 2  is a front partially exploded view of the electrical connector assembly shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIG. 3  is a rear perspective view of the electrical connector assembly with the rear shell removed shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIG. 4  is a front exploded view of the electrical connector assembly shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIG. 5  is a rear exploded view of the electrical connector assembly shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIG. 6  is an enlarged view of the first and second housing shown in  FIG. 1 ; and 
       FIG. 7  is a rear elevational view of the electrical connector assembly without the outer shell and the rear shell shown in  FIG. 1 . 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
   Reference will now be made to the drawing figures to describe the preferred embodiment of the present invention in detail. 
   Referring to  FIGS. 3 and 4 , the electrical connector assembly  100  according to the present invention, comprises a first housing  1 , a plurality of first terminals  3  mounted on the first housing  1 , a second housing  2  assembled to the first housing  1 , a plurality of second terminals  4  mounted on the second housing  2 , a pair of first inner shells  5  coupled to the first housing  1 , a second inner shell  6  coupled to the second housing  2 , a spacer  7  coupled to the second housing  2 , an outer shell  8  enclosing the first housing  1  and the second housing  2 , and a rear shell  9  coupled to the outer shell  8 . 
   Referring to  FIGS. 4-6 , the first housing  1  defines a pair of first mating portions  11  both for mating with USB (Universal Serial Bus) plug connectors (not shown). The first housing  1  has a receiving space  15  in a rear end and a plurality of first retaining slots  17  communicating with the receiving space  15 , a dove-tail protrusion  12  extending from a bottom surface thereof and a pair of first locking projections  13  formed on opposite sides thereof. The protrusion  12  has an upper portion and a lower portion wider than the upper portion. The protrusion  12  has a pair of stopping portions  14  forwardly at opposite sides thereof to limit a forward movement of the second housing  2  and a pair of grooves  125  in a bottom surface thereof. The second housing  2  defines a second mating portion  21  for mating with a SATA (Serial ATA) plug connector (not shown). The second housing  2  has a pair of second locking projections  23  at opposite sides thereof and a receiving chamber  24  in a rear end thereof. A pair of notches  25  are defined at opposite side walls of the receiving chamber  24 . The second housing  2  has a plurality of second retaining slots  27  rearwardly and communicating with the receiving chamber  24 . The second housing  2  has a pair of retaining posts  22  having a upper portion and a lower portion being narrower than the upper portion and extending from a top surface thereof. A dove-tail recess  26  is formed between the retaining posts  22  to retain the protrusion  12  therein and communicates with the receiving chamber  24 . Thereby the recess  26  has an upper portion and a lower portion wider than the upper portion. The first housing  1  can be coupled to the second housing  2  reliably via the locking engagement between the protrusion  12  and the recess  26 . The stopping portions  14  abutting against the front end of the retaining posts  22  to limit a forward movement of the second housing  2 . The recess  26  communicates with the receiving space  15 . The first housing  1  and the second housing  2  which have two different types of interfaces could be different in color so as to be identified easily and could be manufactured respectively so as to be molded easily. 
   Referring to  FIGS. 4 and 5 , each first terminal  3  includes a first contacting portion  31  for engaging with an appropriate terminal of the USB plug connector, a first tail portion  33  for electrical connection to an appropriate circuit trace on a printed circuit board (not shown), and a first jointing portion  32  connecting the first contacting portion  31  and the first tail portion  33 . The first contacting portion  31  extends into the first mating portion  11 . The first jointing portion  32  extends downwardly from the first contacting portion  31  to be retained in the appropriate first retaining slot  17  and go through the receiving space  15  of the first housing  1 . 
   Each second terminal  4  includes a second contacting portion  41  for engaging with an appropriate terminal of the SATA plug connector, a second tail portion  43  for electrical connection to an appropriate circuit trace on the printed circuit board, and a second jointing portion  42  connecting the second contacting portion  41  and the second tail portion  43 . The second jointing portion  42  extends downwardly from the second contacting portion  41  to be retained in the appropriate second slot  27  of the second housing  2 . 
   The first inner shells  5  are received in the first mating portions  11 . Each first inner shell  5  has a plurality of first fingers  51  formed at a top surface, a bottom surface and opposite sides thereof for engaging with an appropriate shell of the complementary USB plug connector. Each first inner shell  5  has a pair of first legs  52  projecting rearwardly thereof and coupled to opposite outsides of the first housing  1 . The first legs  52  have a pair of first perforations  53  for engaging with the first locking projections  13 . 
   The second inner shell  6  encloses the second mating portion  21  of the second housing  2 . The protrusion  12  of the first housing  1  abuts against a top surface of the second inner shell  6  to prevent the second inner shell  6  from deformation. The second inner shell  6  has a pair of second fingers  61  formed at the top surface and received in the grooves  125  of the protrusion  12  and a pair of second fingers  61  formed at a bottom surface thereof. The second inner shell  6  has a pair of second legs  62  projecting rearwardly thereof and coupled to opposite outsides of the second housing  2 . The second legs  62  have a pair of second perforations  63  for engaging with the second locking projections  23 . 
   The spacer  7  is received in the receiving chamber  24  and has a plurality of holes  71  for retaining the first terminals  3  and the second terminals  4 . The spacer  7  has a pair of bulking arms  72  for engaging with the notches  25 . 
   The outer shell  8  has a plurality of contacting tabs  81  bent inwardly for electrically contacting the first legs  52  and the second legs  62  so as to eliminate the static electricity on the first shell  5  and the second shell  6 . The outer shell  8  has a plurality of apertures  82  and latching barbs  83  at a rear end thereof. The latching barbs  83  are bent inwardly to latch the first housing  1  and the second housing  2 . The rear shell  9  has a plurality of latching tabs  92  for engaging with the apertures  82 . 
   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.