Patent Publication Number: US-9899779-B1

Title: Waterproof electric connector module

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to electric connector technology and more particularly, to a waterproof electric connector module, which includes an electrically insulative housing, an electric connector mounted in the electrically insulative housing with conducting terminal contact portions thereof extended out of a rear open chamber of the electrically insulative housing, a metal shielding cover covering a top side of a body of the electrically insulative housing, and a waterproof adhesive sealed in the rear open chamber to achieve excellent waterproofing. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     With the progress of electronic technology, many electronic and electrical products have been continuously created, bringing comfort and convenience to people&#39;s works and lives but also leading to our increased reliance on electronic and electrical products. Through a variety of electronic signal applications, we can operate and control a variety of electronic and electrical products. With continuous improvement in electronic and electrical product production, the functions of electronic and electrical products have also been greatly improved. Subject to improvements on electronic signal applications and creation of advanced electric connectors and signal transmission interfaces, electronic signal transmission speed has been significantly enhanced. There are known various electronic signal transmission interfaces and electric connectors of different kinds and sizes for different applications. An advanced electronic product has installed therein various different electronic signal transmission interfaces and electric connectors to satisfy different signal transmission requirements. In consequence, advanced electronic products must provide sufficient installation space for the installation of various different electronic signal transmission interfaces and electric connectors. 
     An electric connector generally comprises an electrically insulative core member, a plurality of conducting terminals inserted through the electrically insulative core member, and a metal shielding shell surrounding the electrically insulative core member. The metal shielding shell is a metal sheet member stamped into shape and wrapped about the electrically insulative core member. After the metal shielding shell is wrapped about the electrically insulative core member, gaps are left around the border edges of the metal shielding shell. In the application of the electric connector, external moisture can permeate through the gaps around the border edges of the metal shielding shell into the circuit board to which the conducting terminals are bonded, causing a short circuit, circuit board damage or component burnt out. 
     Therefore, how to solve the problem of moisture permeation in the outer metal shell of an electric connector that can result in a short circuit in the circuit board or circuit board failure is the direction of improvement this industry-related manufacturers need to go to. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention has been accomplished under the circumstances in view. It is therefore the main object of the present invention to provide a waterproof electric connector module, which has a gasket ring mounted on a front side thereof and a waterproof adhesive sealed in rear open chamber thereof to achieve excellent waterproofing. 
     To achieve this and other objects of the present invention, a waterproof electric connector module comprises an electrically insulative housing, a metal shielding cover, an electric connector, and a waterproof adhesive. The electrically insulative housing comprises a body, an accommodation chamber defined in the body, a front slot located in a front side of the body and disposed in communication with the accommodation chamber, an oval-shaped hollow flange protruded from a front wall of the body and defining a mounting portion on the periphery thereof, a rear open chamber vertically disposed rear side of the body, a top opening located in a top side of the rear open chamber, a plurality of plug holes symmetrically disposed in the body at two opposite lateral sides of the top opening, a plurality of through holes cut through a back wall of the body and disposed in communication with the rear open chamber, and a gasket ring mounted on the mounting portion. The metal shielding cover is mounted on the top side of the electrically insulative housing, comprising a plurality of grounding pins respectively inserted into the plug holes of the electrically insulative housing. The electric connector is mounted in the accommodation chamber of the electrically insulative housing, comprising an electrically insulative terminal block, a conducting terminal set mounted in the electrically insulative terminal block, a tongue plate forwardly extended from a front side of the electrically insulative terminal block and inserted through the front slot of the electrically insulative housing, and a plurality of grounding terminals respectively mounted at two opposite lateral sides of the electrically insulative terminal block and respectively electrically connected with the grounding pins of the metal shielding cover. The conducting terminal set comprises a plurality of conducting terminal contact portions located at a front side thereof and respectively positioned in opposing top and bottom walls of the tongue plate, and a plurality of conducting terminal bonding portions located at an opposing rear side thereof and extended out of the rear open chamber of the electrically insulative terminal block. The waterproof adhesive seals up the rear open chamber of the electrically insulative housing. Further, a back cover sheet is detachably attached to the body of the electrically insulative housing to cover the through holes. Further, the back cover sheet can be a Mylar film, plastic film or silicone film. 
     Further, the electrically insulative housing is molded on the electric connector using insert molding technology, enabling the metal shielding shell, the tongue plate and the conducting terminal contact portions of the conducting terminal set to be partially extended out of the front slot of the electrically insulative housing. The electric connector further comprises a metal shielding shell surrounding the electrically insulative terminal block and the tongue plate and defining therein an insertion chamber. Thus, the insertion chamber of the metal shielding shell, the tongue plate and the conducting terminal contact portions of the conducting terminal set constituting a plug-in unit conforming to the Universal Serial Bus (USB Type-C) specification. 
     Other advantages and features of the present invention will be fully understood by reference to the following specification in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference signs denote like components of structure. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is an oblique front elevational view of a waterproof electric connector module in accordance with the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is an exploded view of the waterproof electric connector module in accordance with the present invention. 
         FIG. 3  is another exploded view of the waterproof electric connector module in accordance with the present invention when viewed from another angle. 
         FIG. 4  is an oblique rear elevational view of the waterproof electric connector module in accordance with the present invention before sealing of the rear open chamber of the electrically insulative housing with the waterproof adhesive. 
         FIG. 5  is a schematic sectional side view of the present invention during the waterproof adhesive filling operation. 
         FIG. 6  is a schematic sectional side view of the present invention illustrating the rear open chamber the electrically insulative housing filled up with the waterproof adhesive. 
         FIG. 7  is an oblique rear elevational view of the waterproof electric connector module in accordance with the present invention after sealing of the rear open chamber of the electrically insulative housing with the waterproof adhesive. 
         FIG. 8  is a sectional side view of the present invention, illustrating the waterproof electric connector module installed in an electronic product. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1-3 , a waterproof electric connector module in accordance with the present invention is shown. The waterproof electric connector module comprises an electrically insulative housing  1 , a metal shielding cover  2  and an electric connector  3 . 
     The electrically insulative housing  1  comprises a body  11 , an oval-shaped hollow flange  12  protruded from a front wall of the body  11 , an accommodation chamber  110  defined in the body  11 , a front slot  111  cut through the front wall of the body  11  within the oval-shaped hollow flange  12  and disposed in communication with the accommodation chamber  110 , a vertically extended rear open chamber  112  defined near a rear side of the body  11  outside the accommodation chamber  110 , a top opening  113  located in a top side of the rear open chamber  112  in communication with the accommodation chamber  110 , a plurality of plug holes  114  symmetrically disposed at two opposite lateral sides of the top opening  113 , and a plurality of through holes  115  cut through a back wall of the body  11  and disposed in communication with the rear open chamber  112 . Further, the oval-shaped hollow flange  12  defines a mounting portion  121  for the mounting of a gasket ring  122 . 
     The metal shielding cover  2  comprises a flat metal shell body  21 , and a plurality of grounding pins  211  and positioning pins  212  respectively and perpendicularly extended from two opposite lateral sides of the flat metal shell body  21 . 
     The electric connector  3  comprises an electrically insulative terminal block  31 , a conducting terminal set  32  integrally mounted in the electrically insulative terminal block  31 , a plurality of grounding terminals  33  mounted at two opposite lateral sides of the electrically insulative terminal block  31 , a tongue plate  311  forwardly extended from a front side of the electrically insulative terminal block  31 , and a metal shielding shell  34  surrounding the electrically insulative terminal block  31  and the tongue plate  311 . The conducting terminal set  32  has conducting terminal contact portions  321  thereof respectively extended out of the front side of the electrically insulative terminal block  31  and respectively attached to opposing top and bottom walls of the tongue plate  311 , and opposing conducting terminal bonding portions  322  thereof respectively extended out of opposing rear side of the electrically insulative terminal block  31 . The metal shielding shell  34  defines therein an insertion chamber  340  that accommodates the electrically insulative terminal block  31  and the tongue plate  311 . Thus, the insertion chamber  340  of the metal shielding shell  34 , the tongue plate  311  and the conducting terminal contact portions  321  of the conducting terminal set  32  constitute a plug-in unit  35  conforming to the Universal Serial Bus (USB Type-C) specification. 
     When assembling the waterproof electric connector, attach the metal shielding cover  2  to the top side of the body  11  of the electrically insulative housing  1  to force the grounding pins  211  and the positioning pins  212  into the respective plug holes  114  of the body  11 , and then mount the electrically insulative terminal block  31 , tongue plate  311 , conducting terminal set  32 , grounding terminals  33  and metal shielding shell  34  of the electric connector  3  in the accommodation chamber  110  of the body  11 , enabling the plug-in unit  35  to be extended out of the accommodation chamber  110  and suspended in the front slot  111  and the conducting terminal bonding portions  322  of the conducting terminal set  32  of the electric connector  3  to be extended out of the accommodation chamber  110  and suspended in the rear open chamber  112 . At this time, the grounding terminals  33  of the conducting terminal set  32  of the electric connector  3  are respectively disposed in contact with the respective grounding pins  211  of the metal shielding cover  2 . Thus, the electrically insulative housing  1 , the metal shielding cover  2  and the electric connector  3  are assembled to form an electric connector module. In the present preferred embodiment, the electrically insulative housing  1  is molded on the electric connector  3  using insert molding technology. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 4-7  and  FIGS. 2 and 3  again, after mounting the electric connector  3  in the electrically insulative housing  1  and covering the metal shielding cover  2  over the electrically insulative housing  1  to top opening  113  with the flat metal shell body  21 , fasten a back cover sheet  4  to the back wall of the body  11  to block the through holes  115 , and then fill up the rear open chamber  112  with a waterproof adhesive  5  to seal up the rear open chamber  112 , enabling the front slot  111  in the oval-shaped hollow flange  12 , the tongue plate  311  of the electrically insulative terminal block  31  and the conducting terminal contact portions  321  of the conducting terminal set  32  of the electric connector  3  to be isolated from the rear open chamber  112  of the body  11 . After the waterproof adhesive  5  in the rear open chamber  112  is coagulated, remove the back cover sheet  4  from the through holes  115  of the body  11 . Thus, the rear open chamber  112  of the body  11  of the electrically insulative housing  1  and the area around the oval-shaped hollow flange  12  are well sealed against water permeation. 
     Referring to  FIG. 8  and  FIGS. 2, 3, 6 and 7  again, when using the waterproof electric connector module in an electronic product  6 , bond the conducting terminal bonding portions  322  of the conducting terminal set  32  to a circuit board  61  of the electronic product  6  to electrically connect the electric connector  3  to the circuit board  61 , enabling the electric connector module to be positioned in a mounting hole  620  in a housing  62  of the electronic product  6  with the gasket ring  122  which is around the mounting portion  121  of the oval-shaped hollow flange  12  of the electrically insulative housing  1  and is tightly abutted against an inside wall of the housing  62  of the electronic product  6  in the mounting hole  620  to seal the gap and the plug-in unit  35  of the electric connector  3  exposed to the outside of the housing  62  of the electronic product  6  for the connection of an external mating electric connector. After installation, the gasket ring  122  stops external moisture from passing through the mounting hole  620  of the housing  62  of the electronic product  6  through the area around the metal shielding shell  34  of the electric connector  3  and the front slot  111  in the oval-shaped hollow flange  12  into the accommodation chamber  110  in the body  11 ; the waterproof adhesive  5  stops external moisture from passing through the rear open chamber  112  into the accommodation chamber  110 , i.e., the conducting terminal bonding portions  322  of the conducting terminal set  32  and the circuit board  61  of the electronic product  6  are well sealed against moisture, avoiding damp problems. Thus, subject to the arrangement of the gasket ring  122  around the oval-shaped hollow flange  12  of the electrically insulative housing  1  of the electric connector module and the filling of the waterproof adhesive  5  in the rear open chamber  112  of the body  11 , the electric connector module provides excellent waterproof protection. 
     Further, the aforesaid back cover sheet  4  can be a Mylar film, plastic film or silicone film or any other strippable thin film. 
     As stated above, the metal shielding cover  2  of the waterproof electric connector module is covered on the top side of the body  11  of the electrically insulative housing  1 ; the electric connector  3  is mounted in the accommodation chamber  110  of the body  11 ; the conducting terminal set  32  of the electric connector  3  has the conducting terminal contact portions  321  thereof respectively arranged on the opposing top and bottom walls of the tongue plate  311  and the conducting terminal bonding portions  322  thereof extended out of the rear open chamber  112 ; the insertion chamber  340  of the metal shielding shell  34 , the tongue plate  311  and the conducting terminal contact portions  321  of the conducting terminal set  32  constitute the plug-in unit  35  that extends out of the front slot  111  of the oval-shaped hollow flange  12 ; the gasket ring  122  is mounted on the mounting portion  121  of the oval-shaped hollow flange  12 ; the waterproof adhesive  5  fills up the rear open chamber  112 . Thus, the gasket ring  122  and the waterproof adhesive  5  provide the area around the oval-shaped hollow flange  12  of the electrically insulative housing  1  and the rear open chamber  112  with a waterproof function. Further, the metal shielding cover  2  shields the top opening  113  of the rear open chamber  112  of the electrically insulative housing  1 . Further, the back cover sheet  4  is attached to the body  11  to block the through holes  115  when filling the waterproof adhesive  5  in the rear open chamber  112 , avoiding overflow of the waterproof adhesive  5  and enabling the rear open chamber  112  to be well sealed. 
     In conclusion, the invention provides a waterproof electric connector module, which comprises an electrically insulative housing that comprises an accommodation chamber, a rear open chamber and an oval-shaped hollow flange, a metal shielding cover covered on the top side of the electrically insulative housing, an electric connector mounted in the accommodation chamber with a plug-in unit thereof extended out of the oval-shaped hollow flange and the conducting terminal bonding portions of the conducting terminal set thereof extended out of the rear open chamber, a gasket ring mounted on the oval-shaped hollow flange, and a waterproof adhesive filled up the rear open chamber. Thus, the electric connector module achieves good waterproofing effect. The waterproof electric connector module enables the area around the plug-in unit and the area around the conducting terminal bonding portions of the conducting terminal set to be well protected against moisture permeation, preventing moisture damage to the bonded circuit board. 
     Although particular embodiments of the invention have been described in detail for purposes of illustration, various modifications and enhancements may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the invention is not to be limited except as by the appended claims.