Patent Publication Number: US-7591688-B2

Title: Electrical connector with anti-mismating device for preventing incorrect insertion of a smaller sized mating connector

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   1. Field of the Invention 
   The present invention relates to an electrical connector, more particularly to a modular jack preventing from insertion of an un-mating connector, such as a smaller mating connector. 
   2. Description of the Related Art 
   An anti-mismating device is commonly used in a receptacle connector, such as RJ-45, to prevent an insertion of a smaller side plug connector, such as RJ-11. A type of an anti-mismating device is disclosed in Chinese Patent Issued No. 2842797Y issued to ALLTOP TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD., which is formed by a sheet of metal and includes an arc guiding portion and a stopping portion. The stopping portion is urged to lift up to allow a complete insertion of the RJ-45 plug by the guiding portion when the RJ-45 plug is inserted into the RJ-45 receptacle and urge the guiding portion, but not lift up and stop the RJ-11 plug&#39;s complete insertion when the RJ-11 plug is inserted into the RJ-45 receptacle since the RJ-11 plug is smaller than the RJ-45 receptacle so as to not urge the guiding portion. The metal device is assembled in the housing. 
   Another type of an anti-mismating device is disclosed in Taiwan Patent Issued No. I253795 issued to ALLTOP TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD., which use the terminals to function as the anti-mismating device. The front portion of the upwardly slantwise contacting portion of the conductive terminal extends downwards and bents inwards. As a result, the front portion will abut against the inside bottom of the housing when the RJ-11 plug is inserted into the RJ-45 receptacle, the user feel and stop the insertion in time so as to the conductive terminals don&#39;t distort. The terminals sometimes still have the damage of distortion. 
   Third type of an anti-mismating device is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,416,364 issued to Hon Hai, a same assignee of the invention, which use the terminal module to function as an anti-mismating device. The terminal module includes a plurality of upward ribs aligned with the contacting portions of the terminals. The ribs will prevent the contacting portion from over shift downwards when the RJ-11 plug is inserted the RJ-45 receptacle. The type is complicated and not widely used in other type module jacks, especial to other type of the terminals. 
   Hence, a new design which can prevent incorrect insertion of a smaller sized mating connector is required. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide an electrical connector with simple anti-mismating mechanism for preventing an improper insertion of an undersized mating connector. 
   In order to achieve the object set forth, an electrical connector comprises an insulating housing defining a receiving cavity opening through a front face thereof for receiving a mating connector, a plurality of conductive terminals comprising an elastic contacting portion slantwise extending into the receiving cavity and a discrete limiting member being inserted into the cavity through a inserting opening and positioned under the contacting portion so as to prevent the contacting portions from over moving when an un-mating connector is inserted into the receiving cavity. 
   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 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an electrical connector in accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention; 
       FIG. 2  is an exploded perspective view of the electrical connector shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the conductive terminals of the electrical connector; 
       FIG. 4  is a cutaway view of the electrical connector 
       FIG. 5  is a perspective view of an electrical connector without a shell in accordance with a second embodiment of the present invention; 
       FIG. 6  is a perspective view of the limiting member; 
       FIG. 7  is an exploded perspective view of the electrical connector; and 
       FIG. 8  is a cutaway view of the electrical connector. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
   Reference will now be made to the drawing figures to describe two embodiments of the present invention in detail. 
     FIGS. 1 through 4  show a first embodiment and  FIGS. 5 through 9  show a second embodiment of the present embodiment. Referring to  FIG. 1 , an electrical connector  100  of the first embodiment is composed of two connector body to receive different electrical plugs and mainly comprises an insulating housing  1 , conductive terminals  2 ,  3 , limiting members  4 ,  5  and a metallic shell  6 . 
   The insulating housing  1  defines a first and second receiving cavities  101 ,  102  opening through a front face, i.e. a mating face. Eight first terminals  2  are arranged in the first cavity and two second terminals are in the second cavity. As known, the first cavity  101  is RJ-45 receptacle adapted for a RJ-45 plug while the second cavity  102  is RJ-11 receptacle adapted for a RJ-11 plug, RJ-45 being larger than RJ-11. An anti-mismating device is usually used in the RJ-45 cavity  101  for preventing a smaller sided RJ-11 plug from being inserted thereto, which will be described hereinafter. 
   Referring to  FIG. 2 , the top of housing  1  opens downward to define a slot  11  corresponding and communicating to each cavity. A pair of lighting devices  7  are mounted in a pair of grooves  12  in a mating direction at sides of the slot  11  wherein the lighting device includes a LED portion  71  and a solder leg  72  extending rearwards and then upward bent. The terminal  2 ,  3  are retained in passages  13  defined in the inner bottom of the housing and the soldering legs  23 ,  33  are extending out of the rear wall of the housing and upwards bent to run through corresponding through holes of a space  76  retained on the rear wall of the housing. One outer side wall  14  of the housing defines an inserting opening  15 . 
   The limiting member  4  is made from insulating material and comprises a board-shaped main body  41 . Eight ribs  42 , side by side and spaced at intervals project upwardly from the main body. Top faces  420  of the ribs slant at a sharp angle to form supporting faces. The front portion  411  of the main body is slant downwards at a same angle as the rib  42  to form a guiding face. A retaining portion  43  is defined at one end of the main body. The limiting member  4  is inserted into the receiving cavity  101  through the inserting hole  15  to function as an anti-mismating device and the retaining portion  43  is fixed in the inserting opening  15 . The shell covers the housing and has corresponding openings  61 ,  62 ,  63  to the cavities  101 ,  102 , channel  11  and the LED portion. 
   Referring to  FIGS. 3 and 4 , each first terminal  2  includes a horizontal fixing portion  21  with fixing projection  211  adjacent to ends thereof, an elastic contacting portion  22  extending rearwards at a sharp angle from a front end of the fixing portion  21  and a soldering portion  23  extending vertically and upwardly from a rear end of the fixing portion  21 . The terminals are inserted into the passages  13  through a hole  16  defined in the rear wall of the housing. The contacting portions  22  expose in the cavity  101  with its distal free end abutting against the ceiling of the opening  16 . Then the limiting member  4  is inserted under the contacting portion  22  as shown in  FIG. 4 . The bottom of the limiting member  4  is over the fixing portions  21  of the terminals. The supporting face  420  is just under the contacting portion, which can protect the contacting portion. When a smaller sized plug, such as RJ-11 plug is inserted into the cavity  101 , the front housing portion of the plug will press the contacting portion towards the supporting face  420  until abuts against the supporting face, which will be felt by the user. As a result the user knows an occurrence of mis-mating and stop the insertion in time. The contacting portions  22  are still in their spring extend and don&#39;t distort. Since the contacting portions  22  are parallel to the supporting face  420  while the contacting portions are against the supporting face, possibility of damage of the contacting portion is less compared with that terminals of which only front point abut against the housing point by point in conventional invention. 
   The second terminals  3  are similar to the first terminals  2  and a second limiting member  5  is in the second cavity  102 . But in other embodiment, there is no limiting member  6  in the second connector body since RJ-11 receptacle can&#39;t be inserted by a RJ-45 plug. If the embodiment only has a RJ45 receptacle, the inserting opening  15  may be defined at either side wall of the insulating housing. 
   Referring to  FIG. 5  showing the second embodiment of the invention, a connector  200  is similar to the connector  100  of the first embodiment except the limiting member, wherein the shell and the lighting device is not figured. As  FIG. 6  shown, the limiting member  8  is in board shape and has a plurality of rib  81  extending forwards, which form a combo front portion. The combo front portion is slantwise downwards with a sharp angle regard to the bottom thereof. A strengthen portion  82  is integrally formed between every ribs  81  and lower than the supporting face. A pair of retaining portions  83  with rearward hooks are defined at two opposite ends of the rear portion of the limiting member  8 . As  FIG. 7  shown, the bottom of the limiting member  8  defines a plurality of positioning portion  84  extending downwards and substantially corresponding to the ribs to pressingly position the fixing portions  21  of the terminals. The limiting member  8  is inserted into the cavity through an inserting opening  17  defined at the rear wall of the housing, the inserting opening being through the terminal-inserted opening  16  arranged along a horizontal direction. The retaining portions  18  are retained in the retaining holes  18  at two ends of the inserting opening  17 . Referring to  FIG. 8 , the terminals are inserted into the cavity first wherein the solder legs  23  are not bent as broken lines shown, then the limiting member  8  is inserted between the contacting portion  222  and the fixing portions bent last. 
   The limiting members  4 ,  5 ,  8  are also adapted for terminal module, which can be inserted between the contacting portion and a top of the module. The limiting member is formed separately from the terminals so as to simple manufacture. Moreover, the limiting member can form a standard to widely use, which is most importance to die in cost down and mass product connector&#39;s manufactures. 
   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.