Patent Publication Number: US-2012039574-A1

Title: Connector assembly for optical and electrical transmitting

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention generally relates to a connector assembly, and more particularly to a connector assembly adapted for optical and electrical transmitting. 
     DESCRIPTION OF PRIOR ART 
     In many of today&#39;s processing systems, such as personal computer (PC) systems, there exist universal serial bus (USB) ports for connecting various USB devices. Different standards of USB technology for different bandwidths have been launched by USB-IF supported by some of world largest IT companies. For instance, Universal Serial Bus Specification, revision 1.1 devices are capable of operating at 12 Mbits/second(Mbps). Universal Serial Bus Specification, revision 2.0 devices are capable of operating at 480 Mbps. Universal Serial Bus Specification, revision 3.0 devices are capable of operating at higher speed also accepted by market, gradually. However, as technology progresses engineers are constantly striving to increase operating speeds. 
     For example, CN Pub. Pat. No. 101345358 published on Jan. 14, 2009 discloses an optical USB connector assembly which has a fiber device added to a USB connector assembly. The fiber device has a number of fibers connected with lenses embedded in the USB connector. Thus, optical signal transmits along a first fiber and is expanded/magnified by a first lens terminated to the first fiber, and then shrunk by a second lens and runs through second fiber of a complementary connector. However, as the lenses are relative small and discrete from each other and not easily to be assembled to the USB connector. 
     Hence, an improved connector assembly is highly desired to overcome the aforementioned problems. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide an easily manufactured connector assembly for optical and power transmitting. 
     In order to achieve the object set forth, a connector assembly in accordance with the present invention comprises an insulative housing having a main portion and a tongue portion extending forwardly from the main portion, a cavity defined in the tongue portion; a plurality of terminals retained in the insulative housing; an optical module accommodated in the cavity, said optical module having a base portion and a plurality of lenses combined with the base portion, and the base portion having a top surface and a bottom surface, and the top surface with an identifying color. 
     Other objects, advantages and novel features of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is an assembled, perspective view of the connector assembly; 
         FIG. 2  is an exploded, perspective view of  FIG. 2 ; 
         FIG. 3  is similar to  FIG. 2 , but viewed from another aspect; and 
         FIG. 4  is a partially assembled view of the connector assembly. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Reference will now be made in detail to the preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1-4 , a connector assembly  100  in accordance with the present invention comprises an insulative housing  1 , a plurality of terminals  2  retained in or supported by the insulative housing  1 , an optical module  3  mounted to the insulative housing  1 , an elastic member  4  sandwiched between the insulative housing  1  and the optical module  3  so as to forwardly bias the optical module  3 , a terminal seat  5 , a spacer  6 , a metallic shell  7  shrouding the insulative housing  1 , a number of fibers  8  connecting with the optical module  3 . 
     The insulative housing  1  includes a main portion  11  and a tongue portion  12  extending forwardly from the main portion  11 . 
     There are two fiber passages  111  located in a top side of a back segment of the tongue portion  12  and a front segment of the main portion  11 . Each fiber passage  111  is tapered shape along front-to-back direction. A front part is wider than a back part of the fiber passage  111 . There is a longitudinal rib  1111  formed in a middle part of the fiber passage  111  and the rib  1111  also extends along the front-to-back direction. There are two retaining slots  112  located in a back segment of the main portion  11 . The retaining slot  112  is also configured to be tapered shape along the front-to-back segment. Furthermore, the retaining slot  112  communicates with the fiber passage  111 . The fiber passage  111  is deeper than the retaining slot  112 . There is a recess  113  located in a bottom side of the main portion  11 . The terminal seat  5  is accommodated in the recess  113 . There is a cavity  121  defined in a top side of a front segment of the tongue portion  12 . The cavity  121  is deeper than the fiber passage  111 . Also, there is a groove  122  defined in the tongue portion  12  and disposed behind the cavity  121 . The groove  122  communicates with the cavity  121  too. A positioning member  1221  is located in the groove  122  and projects forwardly. The positioning member  1221  may be a post or a protrusion. 
     The elastic member  4  may be a coil spring. A rear segment of the elastic member  4  is accommodated in the groove  122 , with the positioning member  1221  inserted therein. There is a V-shaped stopper  124  located in middle segment of a front end of the tongue portion  12 . A set of first terminal grooves  127  and a set of second terminal grooves  128  defined in a bottom side of the tongue portion  12 . The first terminal grooves  127  are disposed in front of the second terminal grooves  128 . 
     An arrangement of the terminals  2  is in accordance with USB 3.0 standard. The terminals  2  are divided into a set of first terminals  21  and a set of second terminals  22 . The first terminals  21  and the second terminals  22  are separated into two distinct rows along the front-to-back direction. 
     The set of first terminals  21  have four contact members arranged in a row along the transversal direction. Each first terminal  21  substantially includes a planar retention portion  212  supported by a bottom surface of the recess  113 , a mating portion  211  raised upwardly and extending forwardly from the retention portion  212  and received in the corresponding first terminal groove  127 , and a tail portion  213  extending rearward from the retention portion  212 . Furthermore, the mating portion  211  and the tail portion  213  are disposed at opposite sides (bottom side and top side) of the insulative housing  1 . 
     The set of second terminals  22  have five contact members arranged in a row along the transversal direction and combined with the terminal seat  5 . The set of second terminals  22  are separated into two pairs of signal terminal for transmitting differential signals and a grounding terminals disposed between the two pair of signal terminals. Each second terminal  22  includes a planar retention portion  222  received in the terminals seat  5 , a curved mating portion  221  extending forward from the retention portion  222  and disposed beyond a front surface of the terminal seat  5 , and a tail portion  223  extending rearward from the retention portion  222  and disposed behind a back surface of the terminal seat  5 . The spacer  6  is assembled to the terminal seat  5 , with a number of ribs (not numbered) thereof inserted into the grooves (not numbered) of the terminal seat  5  to position the second terminals  22 . The mating portion  221  is deformable along a upper-to-down direction and can enter the corresponding second terminal groove  128  while pressed by its counterpart of a complementary connector. 
     The optical module  3  includes four lens members  33  arranged in juxtaposed manner and combined with a base portion  30 . The base portion  30  further defines a cutout  32  in middle segment of a front side thereof A mounting post  36  protrudes backwardly from a middle of a back side of the base portion  30 . The base portion  30  is made of transparent material, such as plastic material. The base portion  30  has a top surface (first surface)  301  and an opposite bottom surface (second surface)  302 . The top surface  301  is painted with a relative dark color or other indentifying color distinct from the bottom surface  302 , so as to identify itself from the bottom surface  302 . A marker or other instrument may be used for painting or coloring the top surface  301  of the base portion  30 . 
     The optical module  3  is accommodated in the cavity  121 , with the top side  301  of the base portion  30  facing upwardly. The mounting post  36  is inserted into a front segment of the elastic member  4 , and the optical module  3  is pushed forwardly and floatable within the cavity  121 . The stopper  124  is accommodated in the cutout  32  to prevent the optical module  3  escaping from the insulative housing  1 . 
     The fibers  8  extend into fiber passages  111  via the retaining slots  112  and are respectively coupled to the lenses  33  of the optical module  3 . As the fiber passages  111  are configured to be tapered shape, thus there is enough space for the fibers  8  to move therein. In addition, the fibers  8  are properly inhibited within the fiber passages  111 . There are two fibers  8  received in one of the fiber passages  111 , and the two fibers  8  are spaced apart from each other by the rib  1111 , therefore, they do not twist together. There is also a cap  13  mounted to the insulative housing  1  to shield the fiber passages  111  and the fibers  8  are positioned in the fiber passages  111 . The cap  13  has two positioning members  131  formed at a bottom surface thereof and inserted into positioning holes  125  defined in the insulative housing  1 . As the optical module  3  and the terminals  2  are arranged at opposite sides of the insulative housing  1 , hence it facilitates manufacturing proceed. 
     The metallic shell  7  includes a frame  71  and a U-shaped portion  72  connected to the frame  71 . The frame  71  has a rectangular shaped hollow  710 . 
     The insulative housing  1  is assembled to the metallic shell  7 , with the tongue portion  12  received in the hollow  710  of the frame  71 , the main portion  11  accommodated in the U-shaped portion  72 . 
     It will be understood that the invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or central characteristics thereof. The present examples and embodiments, therefore, are to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, and the invention is not to be limited to the details given herein.