Patent Publication Number: US-7717744-B2

Title: Shielded connector for reducing the deflection of the terminal

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   1. Field of the Invention 
   The present invention relates to a shielded connector, and more particularly to an electronic module connector for interconnecting an electronic module such as a camera module for use with a cellular phone or the like to an electrical member such as a printed circuit board. The connector includes a terminal featured with an enlarged retaining portion thereby effectively reducing deflection during mating with an inserted element. 
   2. Description of the Related Art 
   Conventionally, electronic modules such as a camera module for use with a cellular phone are securely maintained in electrical connection with an electronic member such as a printed circuit board. Therefore, an electrical connector for the camera module, formed in a shape that allows for secure insertion of the camera module, is pre-installed on the printed circuit board. Then, the camera module is inserted into the electrical connector to electrically engage therewith. Consequently, the camera module is electrically connected with the printed circuit board via the shielded connector. 
   For example, known as an example of the aforementioned conventional technique is a camera module connector which is described in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2006-0216996. This connector comprises a metal shell defining a receiving space and mounted onto the printed circuit board, a pair of insulating housings attached to the two opposite sidewalls of the metal shell, a plurality of terminals attached to the insulating housings, and a pair of shielding shells covering on the insulating housings, respectively. Each terminal comprises a retaining section, a soldering section, and a contact section. The retaining section is partly insert-molded with the insulating housing and extends uprightly. The soldering section extends upwardly and outwardly from an end of the retaining section so as to connect to the printed circuit board. The contact section extends downwardly and slantly from the other end of the retaining section toward to the receiving space. When the camera module is inserted into the receiving space from above, the pads formed on the bottom face thereof are bought into the contact section of the terminals, and the terminals are pushed toward the sidewall of the metal shell because of the pressure of the camera module. Therefore, the camera module is electrically connected with the printed circuit board via the terminals of the electrical connector. 
   However, all of the terminals and metal shell are made of metal, when the terminals are pushed toward the sidewall of the metal shell in the action of the pressure of the camera module, it is possible that the retaining section, which is out of the insulating housing, connected to the sidewall of the metal shell, if the deflection is excess. Consequently, a short circuit is formed in said circuit. 
   Thus, there is a need to provide an improved shielded connector that overcomes the above-mentioned problems. 
   BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   It is an object of the present invention to provide an electrical connector with a better electrical connection. 
   In order to achieve the objective above, a shielded connector in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention comprises a metal housing defining a receiving space upwardly and at least having a first wall, a terminal insert securely attached to the first wall. The terminal insert includes a plurality of terminals molded with an insulating material, each terminal having a retaining section, which is covered by the insulating material, an enlarged portion, which extends from one end of the retaining section and is out of the insulating material, a contact section with a base portion extending from the end of the enlarged portion toward to the receiving space. And the retaining section defines a plane extending therethrough, from which the base portion is away. As a result, the strength of the retaining section is increased. When the camera module presses the contact section of the terminals, it is not easy that the retaining sections of the terminals, which is out of the insulating material, contacted to the metal housing. Therefore, a better electrical connection is provided between the camera module and printed circuit board. 
   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 
     The features of this invention which are believed to be novel are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. The invention, together with its objects and the advantages thereof, may be best understood by reference to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference numerals identify like members in the figures and in which: 
       FIG. 1  is an exploded view of a shielded connector of the present invention, wherein the terminals are attached to the insulating housing; 
       FIG. 2  is a partly assembled perspective view of the shielded connector of the present invention; 
       FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the shielded connector of the present invention; 
       FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the shielded connector of the present invention, wherein the shielded connector have soldered on the printed circuit board and the camera module have not engaged with the shielded connector; 
       FIG. 5  is a perspective view of the shielded connector of the present invention, wherein the shielded connector have soldered on the printed circuit board and the camera module have engaged with the shielded connector; and 
       FIG. 6  is a perspective view of the terminal of the shielded connector of the present invention. 
   

   DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION 
   In the following detailed description, for purposes of explanation, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the present invention. 
   A shielded connector according to the present invention is applicable to an electronic apparatus such as digital cameras, PDAs (Personal Digital Assistants), PCs (Personal Computers), mobile phones or the like. In the preferred embodiment illustrated in  FIGS. 1-6 , the shielded connector  1  is used in a mobile handset (not shown) for connecting a camera module  3  to a PCB  2 . 
     FIG. 1  is an exploded perspective view of the shielded connector  1  for receiving a camera module  3  in the embodiment of this invention. In the figure, the reference numeral  10  denotes a metal housing made of a metal material. The reference numeral  20  denotes a pair of insulating housings made of insulating material and the reference numeral  40  denotes a pair of metal shield made of metal material. 
   The metal housing  10  is made of metal material and configured by first  102 , second  101 , third  103 , and fourth  100  sidewall defining a receiving space  104  therebetween. The metal housing  10  further includes a bottom wall (not labeled) connecting the first  102 , second  101 , third  103 , and fourth  100  sidewalls. Wherein the second  101  and fourth  100  sidewalls have a section higher than the first  102  and third  103  sidewalls. 
   A window  1014  is provided on a second sidewall  101  for engaging with a corresponding portion of the camera module  3  in order to prevent the camera module  3  from being wrongly received in the receiving space  104 . A plurality of locking fingers  1002 ,  1012  extend from the second and fourth sidewalls  101 ,  100  inward to the receiving space  104  to contact with and retain the camera module  3 . The first and third sidewall  102 ,  103 , separately, has a number of first holes  1022  and first retaining holes  1024 , which are arranged in two rows and run through the metal housing  10 . A retaining portion  1026  is formed on the two ends of the first and third sidewalls  102 ,  103  in order to resist the end portion of the insulating housing  20 . A plurality of soldering portions  1004 ,  1028 , extend outwardly from the first, second, third, and fourth sidewalls  102 ,  101 ,  103 ,  100  along the horizontal direction in order to mount on the printed circuit board  2 . Moreover, a slip  106  is formed between the sidewalls  102 ,  101 ,  103 ,  100  and the bottom wall in order to provide a better verticality therebetween. 
   Referring again to  FIG. 1 , each insulating housing  20  is made of insulating material and configured as a flat plate. The insulating housings  20  are attached on the first and third sidewalls  102 ,  103  of the metal housing  10 , respectively, by a number of second holes  200  corresponding with the first holes  1022 , and a plurality of retaining sections  204  on a side thereof corresponding with the first retaining holes  1024  and also on an opposite side thereof. 
   Referring to  FIG. 6 , a plurality of terminals  30  are configured in a “Z”-shape, each comprising a vertical/retaining section  300  covered by the insulating housing  20 , a soldering section  302  extending upwardly and outwardly from one end of the vertical section in order to mount on the printed circuit board, and a contact section  304  extending downwardly and slantly from the other end of the vertical section with a contact portion  306  to contact with electrical pads formed on a bottom surface of the camera module  3 . And an enlarged portion  306  is formed on the end of vertical section  300  and out of the insulating housing  20 . The contact section  304  has a base portion  308 , extending from the end of the enlarged portion  306  and being closer to the receiving space  104  of the metal housing  10  than the vertical section  300 . Moreover, the vertical section  300  defines a plane extending therethrough, from which the base portion  308  is away. 
   Each metal shield  40  attached on the first and third sidewalls  102 ,  103  of the metal housing  10  comprises a vertical body portion  404  and a horizontal portion  402  extending laterally from an upper edge of the vertical body portion  404 . The vertical body portion  404  has a flexible finger  4046  and a pair of resilient fingers  4048  located on two sides of the flexible finger  4046 , all protruding inwardly for pressing the camera module  3 . The vertical body portion  404  further comprises a pair of skirt portion  4040  to connect with the metal housing  10  by spot welding. The horizontal portion  402  has a plurality of soldering pads  4020  on the end thereof so as to connect to the printed circuit board  2 . Furthermore, the vertical body portion  404  has a pair of third holes  4042  corresponding with the first holes  1022  of the metal housing  10  and the second holes  200  of the insulating housing  20 , and a pair of second retaining holes  4044  corresponding with the first retaining holes  1024  of the metal housing  10  and the retaining section  204  of the insulating housing  20 . 
   The shielded connector  1  further comprises a plurality of fastening means, such as a retaining stick  50 , which penetrates the first holes  1022  of the metal housing  10 , the second holes  200  of the insulating housing  20 , and the third holes  4042  of the metal shield  40  in turn so as to provide a steady connection therebetween via interference engagement. 
   Referring to  FIGS. 2 to 5 , in assembling the shielded connector  1 , firstly, the terminals  30  are assembled with the insulating housing  20  by insert molding, with the vertical section  300  being covered by the insulating housing  20 , the enlarged portion  306  being out of the insulating housing  20  downwardly, and the soldering section  302  being out of the insulating housing  20  upwardly. Secondly, the insulating housings  20  with the terminals  30  and the metal shield  40  are attached to the first and third sidewalls  102 ,  103  of the metal housing  10 , with the retaining sections  204  of the insulating housing being inserted into the first retaining holes  1024  of the metal housing  10  and the second retaining holes  4044  of the metal shield  40  and with the retaining portions  1026  of the metal housing  10  bearing against the two ends of the insulating housings  20  and the skirt portion  4040  of the metal shield  40  bearing against the second and fourth sidewalls  100 ,  101  of the metal housing  10  and being connected with the metal housing  10  by spot welding. The contact sections  304  of the terminals  30  extend into the receiving space  104  of the metal housing  10  so as to contact with the electrical pads formed on the bottom face of the camera module  3  and the soldering sections  302  extend outwardly of the insulating housings  20  so as to connect to the printed circuit board  2 . Then, the retaining sticks  50  penetrate the first holes  1022  of the metal housing  10 , the second holes  200  of the insulating housing  20 , and the third holes  4042  of the metal shield  40  in turn by interference fit. 
   When the camera module  3  is inserted into the receiving space  104  from above, the contact pads on the bottom faces thereof are brought into contact with the contact sections  304  of the terminals  30 , and the locking fingers  1002 ,  1012  of the metal housing  10 , the flexible finger  4046  and the resilient fingers  4048  of the metal shield  40  contact with the outer periphery of the camera module  3  so as to hold the camera module  3  in the receiving space  104  steadily. Therefore, the camera module  3  is electrically connected to the printed circuit board  2  via the terminals  30 . Finally, the shielded connector  1  with the camera module  3  is connected to the printed circuit board  2  by the soldering portions  1004 ,  1028 , of the metal housing  10 , the soldering sections  302  of the terminals  30 , and the soldering pads  4020  of the metal shield  40 . 
   In the above description of the preferred embodiment, each terminal including at least a vertical section defining a plane extending therethrough and a contact section with a base portion being away from the plane defined by the vertical section. Moreover, an enlarged portion is formed in the end of the vertical section which is out of the insulating housing. Therefore, the deflection of the terminal is reduced and it is impossible that the terminal connected to the metal housing when the camera module presses the terminal excessively. 
   It is to be understood, however, that even though numerous, characteristics and advantages of the present invention have been set fourth in the foregoing description, together with details of the structure and function of the invention, the disclosed is illustrative only, and changes may be made in detail, especially in matters of number, 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.