Patent Publication Number: US-10333257-B2

Title: Signal connector having grounding terminal and ground piece together to form a grounding element

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a signal connector, especially a signal connector structure having the grounding terminals and the ground piece together to form a grounding element in order to further enhance the shielding effect. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Generally, signal connectors refer to all connection elements and auxiliary accessories thereof used for the electrical signal and power applications. Signal connectors bridge all signals and their quality affects the electricity and signal transmission reliability. Furthermore, signal connectors are closely related to the operation of electronic systems. Following the ever advancing development of electronic technology, the signal connector has become an indispensable equipment for all kinds of electronic devices to transmit data and connect to other peripheral devices. Among the transmission specifications of many connectors, universal serial bus (USB) is the most popular one. 
     Currently, the USB specification will soon fully enter USB 3.1. In order to enhance the transmission speed, transmission signal type, convenience for plug and unplug, the industry further introduces “Type-C connector”. The structure of Type-C connector has a significant change that is an “up-down symmetrical structure”. Users no longer need to identify the up side and bottom side of the plug specifically and, instead, can simply insert the plug to the corresponding socket, allowing the behavior that users do by instinct. However, in order to allow the plug to be inserted without the need of flipping the up side or bottom side around, Type-C connector must be provided with two identical sets of connection terminals. In addition, in order to prevent interference between signals of two sets of terminals, a ground piece must be provided within the connector thus to separate these two sets of terminals. 
     As the current industrial trend focuses on the mainstream design of electronic devices that are light weighted, slim and small in size, such specification for Type-C connectors of USB 3.1 poses difficulty and new challenges for the production and assembly process. Especially, when the structure becomes smaller, the distance between terminals undoubtedly is shortened, resulting in the degradation of the shielding effect of the aforementioned ground piece. Therefore, how to further improve the connector structure is the important topic that the present invention intends to solve. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The first objective of the present invention is to provide a signal connector having the grounding terminals and the ground piece together to form a grounding element. The signal connector includes a metal housing, an insulating base body, a first terminal assembly, a second terminal assembly and a ground piece, wherein the first terminal assembly, the second terminal assembly and the ground piece are inserted in the insulating base body; the ground piece is located at the location between the first terminal assembly and the second terminal assembly. The front end of the first terminal assembly is exposed outside the top surface of the insulating base body; the front end of the second terminal assembly is exposed outside the bottom surface of the insulating base body. The features of the signal connector include two metal plates inserted in the insulating base body and having in contact with the ground piece separately, wherein the top portions of the two metal plates are exposed outside the top surface of the insulating base body to respectively serve as a first grounding terminal located at the outmost positions of both sides of the first terminal assembly; the bottom portions of the two metal plates are exposed outside the bottom surface of the insulating base body to respectively serve as a second grounding terminal located at the outmost positions of both sides of the second terminal assembly. Therefore, the first grounding terminals, the second grounding terminals and the ground piece together can form a grounding element to create a more complete shielding effect and interference prevention of high frequency signals between the terminal assemblies. 
     The second objective of the present invention is to provide the aforementioned signal connector without the two metal plates and, instead, having the following structure. In other words, the top surface of the ground piece is mounted with two upper metal pieces and the bottom surface of the ground piece is mounted with two lower metal pieces, wherein the top portions of the two upper metal pieces are exposed outside the top surface of the insulating base body to respectively serve as a first grounding terminal located at the outmost positions of both sides of the first terminal assembly; the bottom portions of the two metal pieces are exposed outside the bottom surface of the insulating base body to respectively serve as a second grounding terminal located at the outmost positions of both sides of the second terminal assembly. 
     The third objective of the present invention is to provide a signal connector having the grounding terminals and the ground piece together to form a grounding element. The signal connector includes a metal housing, an insulating base body, a first terminal assembly, a second terminal assembly and a ground piece, wherein the first terminal assembly, the second terminal assembly and the ground piece are inserted in the insulating base body; the ground piece is located at the location between the first terminal assembly and the second terminal assembly. The front end of the first terminal assembly is exposed outside the top surface of the insulating base body; two first terminals located at the outmost positions of both sides of the first terminal assembly respectively to serve as the first grounding terminals. The front end of the second terminal assembly is exposed outside the bottom surface of the insulating base body; two second terminals located at the outmost positions of both sides of the second terminal assembly respectively to serve as the second grounding terminals. The features of the signal connector include that the top surface of the ground piece is mounted with two upper metal pieces; the bottom surface of the ground piece is mounted with two lower metal pieces, wherein the two upper metal pieces are electrically connected to the corresponding first grounding terminals respectively; the two lower metal pieces are electrically connected to the corresponding second grounding terminals respectively. 
     The fourth objective of the present invention is to provide the aforementioned signal connector without the two upper metal pieces and the two lower metal pieces, instead, having the following structure. In other words, two metal plates are inserted in the insulating base body and in contact with the ground piece separately, wherein the top portions of the two metal plates are exposed outside the top surface of the insulating base body and respectively connected to the corresponding first grounding terminals; the bottom portions of the two metal plates are exposed outside the bottom surface of the insulating base body to respectively connected to the corresponding second grounding terminals. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The objectives, technical features, and effects of the present invention can be better understood by referring to the following detailed description of some illustrative embodiments in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a schematic diagram of the appearance of the signal connector of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a composite schematic diagram of the signal connector of the present invention; 
         FIG. 3 . is the schematic diagram of the insulating base body and the terminal assemblies of the signal connector of the present invention; 
         FIG. 4  is the explored view of partial elements of the first embodiment of the signal connector of the present invention; 
         FIG. 5  is the explored view of partial elements of the second embodiment of the signal connector of the present invention; 
         FIG. 6  is the explored view of partial elements of the third embodiment of the signal connector of the present invention; 
         FIG. 7  is the explored view of partial elements of the fourth embodiment of the signal connector of the present invention; and 
         FIG. 8  is the explored view of partial elements of the fifth embodiment of the signal connector of the present invention; 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     The present invention relates to a signal connector having the grounding terminals and the ground piece together to form a grounding element. Please refer to  FIG. 1 . The signal connector  1  can be a Type-C specification of Universal Serial Bus (USB). The signal connector  1  of USB Type-C specification has grounding terminals located at the outmost positions of both sides of all terminals. Therefore, based on the aforementioned features, the following design structures of the present invention are created. Please refer to  FIG. 1  to  FIG. 4 . In the first embodiment, the signal connector  1  includes at least a metal housing  11 , an insulating base body  13 , a first terminal assembly  15 , a second terminal assembly  16 , a ground piece  17 , and two metal plates  19 , wherein the metal housing  11  is provided with a receiving space  110  therewithin; the insulating base body  12  is assembled in the receiving space  110 . However, in other embodiments of the present invention, manufacturers can also adjust the appearance of the mental housing  11 , or add other metal item  12  on the metal housing  11  according to the requirements of production or design in order to enhance the overall structural strength, grounding effect or electromagnetic shielding effect of the signal connector  1 . 
     Please refer to  FIG. 1  to  FIG. 4  again. In the first embodiment, the insulating base body  13  can be composed of one single element or multiple elements, wherein the front end of the insulating base body  13  can extend to form a shape of a tongue piece. At the locations adjacent to the top portion and the bottom portion of the insulating base body  13  is separately provided with a plurality of terminal slots  130  ( FIG. 4  only illustrates the terminal slots  130  adjacent to the top portion of the insulating base body  13 ) for inserting the first terminal assembly  15  and the second terminal assembly  16 . However, it shall be explained in advance that in other embodiments of the present invention, manufacturers can also mount the first terminal assembly  15  and the second terminal assembly  16  to the insulating base body  13  by performing multiple injection molding manufacturing processes. In addition, the first terminal assembly  15  comprises a plurality of first terminals  151 . Each of the first terminals  151  is inserted to the corresponding terminal slot  130 . The front end of the first terminal rests at the location of the front end (i.e. tongue piece) of the insulating base body  13  and is exposed outside the top surface of the insulating base body  13 . When the user inserts the other signal connector into the signal connector  1 , the other first terminal assembly of the other signal connector can be electrically connected to the first terminal assembly  15  in order to transmit signals to each other. Furthermore, the rear end of the first terminal  151  extends outside the insulating base body  13  in order to be welded to the corresponding circuit of the circuit board (not shown in the diagram). 
     Again, please refer to  FIG. 1  to  FIG. 4 . In the first embodiment, the second terminal assembly  16  comprises a plurality of second terminals  161 , wherein the second terminal  161  is inserted to the corresponding terminal slot  130 . The front end of the second terminal rests at the location of the front end (i.e. tongue piece) of the insulating base body  13  and is exposed outside the bottom surface of the insulating base body  13 . When the user inserts the other signal connector into the signal connector  1 , the other second terminal assembly of the other signal connector can be electrically connected to the second terminal assembly  16  in order to transmit signals to each other. The rear end of the second terminal  161  extends outside the insulating base body  13  in order to be welded to the corresponding circuit of the circuit board. Furthermore, in the first embodiment, the ground piece  17  can be mounted directly in the insulating base body  13  by the injection molding manufacturing process and is located in the gap of the insulating base body  13  corresponding to the location between the first terminal assembly  15  and the second terminal assembly  16  in order to prevent interference between signals transmitted by the first terminal assembly  15  and the second terminal assembly  16 . 
     Please refer to  FIG. 1  to  FIG. 4  for the illustration of the first embodiment again. The two metal plates  19  are inserted in the insulating base body  13  and the side edges of the middle portions of the metal plates are respectively in contact with the side edges of the ground piece  17  to form an electrical connection, wherein the top portions of the two metal plates  19  are exposed outside the top surface of the insulating base body  13  to respectively serve as a first grounding terminal G 1  located at the outmost positions of both sides of the first terminal assembly  15  (as shown in  FIG. 3 ); the bottom portions of the two metal plates  19  are exposed outside the bottom surface of the insulating base body  13  to respectively serve as a second grounding terminal G 2  located at the outmost positions of both sides of the second terminal assembly  16  (as shown in  FIG. 3 ). Therefore, the first grounding terminals G 1 , the second grounding terminals G 2  and the ground piece  17  together can be electrically connected to one another and form a grounding element to create a more complete shielding effect and interference prevention of high frequency signals between the first terminal assembly  15  and the second terminal assembly  16 . However, it shall be explained in advance that even though the first grounding terminal G 1  and the second grounding terminal G 2  are illustrated in  FIG. 3  respectively, it is simply a form of illustration of how the first grounding terminal G 1  and the second grounding terminal G 2  are exposed outside the insulating base body  13 . In the case of the first embodiment, the first ground terminal G 1  and the second grounding terminal G 2  are the top portion and the bottom portion of the metal plate  19  respectively. 
     Please refer to  FIG. 1  to  FIG. 4  again. In the first embodiment, the first terminal assembly  15  also includes two first grounding soldering portions  150 , wherein each first grounding soldering portion  150  is respectively located at the outmost positions of both sides of the first terminal assembly  15 ; the front end thereof is in contact with the top portion of the corresponding metal plate  19 ; the rear end thereof extends outside the insulating base body  13  in order to be welded to the grounding circuit of the circuit board. Thus, the top portion of the metal plate  19 , the first grounding soldering portion  150  can form a first grounding terminal G 1 . Furthermore, the second terminal assembly  16  also includes two second grounding soldering portion  160 , wherein each second grounding soldering portion  160  is respectively located at the outmost positions of both sides of the second terminal assembly  16 ; the front end thereof is in contact with the bottom portion of the corresponding metal plate  19 ; the rear end thereof extends outside the insulating base body  13  in order to be welded to the grounding circuit of the circuit board. Thus, the bottom portion of the metal plate  19 , the second grounding soldering portion  160  can form a second grounding terminal G 2 . Thus, the signal connector  1  of the present invention completely meets the USB Type-C specification. 
     In additional to the aforementioned structure of the signal connector, manufacturers can also adjust some elements of the signal connector. In the following embodiments, descriptions are given only for elements that have changed; descriptions for those elements whose structures and connections with respect to other parts remain unchanged will not be repeated. For the second embodiment of the present invention, please refer to  FIG. 5 . The insulating base body  23  is assembled inside the metal housing  11 , shown in  FIG. 4 , and locations adjacent to the top portion and the bottom portion thereof are provided with a plurality of terminal slots  230  respectively. The terminal slots  230  adjacent to the top portion of the insulating base body  23  are inserted with a plurality of first terminals  251  of the first terminal assembly  25 , wherein the front end of each first terminal  251  is exposed outside the top surface of the insulating base body  23 ; the rear end of each first terminal  251  extends outside the insulating base body  23 . The terminal slots  230  adjacent to the bottom of the insulating base body  23  are inserted with a plurality of second terminals  261  of the second terminal assembly  26 , wherein the front end of each second terminal  261  is exposed outside the bottom surface of the insulating base body  23 ; the rear end of each second terminal  251  extends outside the insulating base body  23 . 
     Please refer to  FIG. 5  again. In the second embodiment, the insulating base body  23  is inserted with a ground piece  27  therein. The ground piece  27  is located between the first terminal assembly  25  and the second terminal assembly  26 ; the top surface of the ground piece  27  is mounted with two upper metal pieces  29 A, wherein the top portions of the two upper metal pieces  29 A are exposed outside the top surface of the insulating base body  23  to respectively serve as a first grounding terminal G 1  located at the outmost positions of both sides of the first terminal assembly  25  (as shown in  FIG. 3 ). The bottom surface of the ground piece  27  is mounted with two lower metal pieces  29 B, wherein the bottom portions of the two lower metal pieces  29 B are exposed outside the bottom surface of the insulating base body  23  to respectively serve as a second grounding terminal G 2  located at the outmost positions of both sides of the second terminal assembly  26  (as shown in  FIG. 3 ). Therefore, the first grounding terminals G 1 , the second grounding terminals G 2 , and the ground piece  27  are together to form a grounding element. Especially, the upper metal pieces  29 A and the lower metal pieces  29 B can be mounted fixedly to the ground piece  27  by the method of welding or clamping, or by installing on the ground piece  27  through being made as one piece, so long as that the upper metal pieces  29 A and the lower metal pieces  29 B can be electrically connected to the ground piece  27 . 
     Please refer to  FIG. 5  for the second embodiment. In the second embodiment, the first terminal assembly  25  also includes two first grounding soldering portions  250 , wherein each first grounding soldering portion  250  respectively is located at the outmost position of both sides of the first terminal assembly  25 ; the front end thereof is in contact with the corresponding upper metal piece  29 A; the rear end thereof extends outside the insulating base body  23  in order to be welded to the grounding circuit of the circuit board. The second terminal assembly  26  also includes two second grounding soldering portions  260 , wherein each second grounding soldering portion  260  respectively is located at the outmost position of both sides of the second terminal assembly  26 ; the front end thereof is in contact with the corresponding lower metal piece  29 B; the rear end thereof extends outside the insulating base body  23  in order to be welded to the grounding circuit of the circuit board. 
     For the third embodiment of the present invention, please refer to  FIG. 6 . The insulating base body  33  is assembled inside the metal housing  11 , shown in  FIG. 4 , and locations adjacent to the top portion and the bottom portion thereof are provided with a plurality of terminal slots  330  respectively. The terminal slots  330  adjacent to the top portion of the insulating base body  33  are inserted with a plurality of first terminals  351  of the first terminal assembly  35 , wherein the front end of each first terminal  351  is exposed outside the top surface of the insulating base body  33 ; the rear end of each first terminal  351  extends outside the insulating base body  33 . The terminal slots  330  adjacent to the bottom of the insulating base body  33  are inserted with a plurality of second terminals  361  of the second terminal assembly  36 , wherein the front end of each second terminal  361  is exposed outside the bottom surface of the insulating base body  33 ; the rear end of each second terminal  351  extends outside the insulating base body  33 . One difference between the third embodiment and the second embodiment is that the two first terminals  351  located at the outmost positions of both sides of the first terminal assembly  35  respectively are to serve as a first grounding terminal G 1  respectively and the rear end of each first grounding terminal G 1  can be welded to the grounding circuit of the circuit board; the two second terminals  361  located at the outmost positions of both sides of the second terminal assembly  36  respectively are to serve as a second grounding terminal G 2  respectively and the rear end of each second grounding terminal G 2  can be welded to the grounding circuit of the circuit board. 
     Please refer to  FIG. 6  again. In the third embodiment, the insulating base body  33  is inserted with a ground piece  37  therein. The ground piece  37  is located between the first terminal assembly  35  and the second terminal assembly  36 ; the top surface of the ground piece  37 , corresponding to the position of each first grounding terminal G 1 , is mounted with two upper metal pieces  39 A; the bottom surface of the ground piece  37 , corresponding to the position of each second grounding terminal G 2 , is mounted with two lower metal pieces  39 B. When the first terminal assembly  35  and the second terminal assembly  36  are inserted to the insulating base body  33 , each first grounding terminal G 1  is electrically connected to the corresponding upper metal piece  39 A; each second grounding terminal G 2  is electrically connected to the corresponding lower metal piece  39 B, so that the first grounding terminals G 1 , the second grounding terminals G 3 , and the ground piece  37  together form a grounding element. Furthermore, please refer to  FIG. 6  for the illustration of the third embodiment. Each upper metal piece  39 A and each lower metal piece  39 B are made in one piece to be provided on the ground piece  37 . However, it shall be explained in advance that in the fourth embodiment of the present invention, as illustrated in  FIG. 7 , the upper metal pieces  39 A′ and the lower metal pieces  39 B′ can be welded on to the ground piece  37 ′; the upper metal pieces  39 A′ and the lower metal pieces  39 B′ can be changed to be in a flat plate shape, without being limited to the long strip shape as shown in  FIG. 6 . 
     Please refer to  FIG. 8  for the fifth embodiment of the present invention. The insulating base body  43  is assembled inside the metal housing  11 , shown in  FIG. 4 , and locations adjacent to the top portion and the bottom portion thereof are provided with a plurality of terminal slots  430  respectively. The terminal slots  430  adjacent to the top portion of the insulating base body  43  are inserted with a plurality of first terminals  451  of the first terminal assembly  45 , wherein the two first terminals  451  located at the outmost positions of both sides of the first terminal assembly  45  respectively are to serve as a first grounding terminal G 1  respectively; the front end of each first terminal  451  is exposed outside the top surface of the insulating base body  43  and the rear end of each first terminal  451  extends outside the insulating base body  43 . The terminal slots  430  adjacent to the bottom portion of the insulating base body  43  are inserted with a plurality of second terminals  461  of the second terminal assembly  46 , wherein the two second terminals  461  located at the outmost positions of both sides of the second terminal assembly  46  respectively are to serve as a second grounding terminal G 2  respectively; the front end of each second terminal  461  is exposed outside the bottom surface of the insulating base body  43  and the rear end of each second terminal  461  extends outside the insulating base body  43 . 
     Please refer to  FIG. 8  again. In the fifth embodiment, the insulating base body  43  is inserted with a ground piece  47  therein. The ground piece  47  is located between the first terminal assembly  45  and the second terminal assembly  46 ; the ground piece  47  is assembled with two metal plates  49 . When the two metal plates  49  and the ground piece  47  are assembled together inside the insulating base body  43 , the top portions of two metal plates  49  are exposed outside the top surface of the insulating base body  43  and electrically connected to the corresponding first grounding terminals G 1  respectively. The bottom portions of two metal plates  49  are exposed outside the bottom surface of the insulating base body  43  and electrically connected to the corresponding second grounding terminals G 2  respectively. Therefore, the first grounding terminals G 1 , the second grounding terminals G 2 , and the ground piece  47  together form a grounding element. In the fifth embodiment, the rear ends of two metal plates  49  have a holding hole  490  respectively and the ground piece  47  has a protruding part  471  at the location corresponding to each holding hold  490  respectively. When the ground piece  47  and the metal plates  49  are assembled into one piece, each protruding part  471  can be inserted into the corresponding holding hole  490  respectively so that the two metal plates  49  and the ground piece  47  are electrically connected to each other. However, in other embodiments of the present invention, manufacturers may adjust or change the insertion structure between the metal plates  49  and the ground piece  47 , based on the actual requirements. 
     While the invention herein disclosed has been described by means of specific embodiments, numerous modifications and variations could be made thereto by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention set forth in the claims.