Patent Publication Number: US-2010124852-A1

Title: Electrical connector having an improved switch

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to an electrical connector, and particularly to an electrical connector having an improved switch. 
     2. Description of Prior Arts 
     With the ever-increasing miniaturization of computer and other electronic equipment, it becomes increasingly difficult to design electrical circuitry for connector thereof. One area of such difficulty is electrical switches or switch assemblies. An electrical switch assembly may be used as a normally open switch with switch contacts designed to be closed upon actuating the switch, or the switch assembly may be a normally closed switch with the contacts designed to be opened when the switch is actuated. 
     An electrical connector comprising an insulative housing and an insulative separator inserted into the housing. The separator has a U-shaped base portion for receiving a mating plug and a pair of movable pieces extending forwardly from the base portion. Between the movable pieces and the side walls of the housing, leaf contact pieces and metal plate contact pieces are inserted thereinto. The plate contact pieces are adjacent to the leaf contact pieces. Each leaf contact piece is longer than the adjoining plate contact piece and projects out towards the plate contact, and the free end portion of each leaf contact piece makes contact with the free end portion of the corresponding movable piece. When no plug is inserted, each leaf contact piece resiliently contacts the corresponding plate contact piece. When a plug is inserted into this audio jack connector, the pair of movable contact pieces are displaced by the plug outwardly in opposite directions, with the result that the leaf contact pieces are displaced, disengaging their contact portions from the plate contact pieces. The separator, the leaf contact pieces and the plate contact pieces are designed as an electrical switch assembly of this audio jack connector. Furthermore, because of the resilient contact between the leaf contact pieces and the corresponding plate contact pieces, the electrical switch assembly of this audio jack connector is used as a normally closed switch. 
     However, this kind of electrical connector cannot satisfy the requirement of ever-increasing miniaturization, because the separator thereof is complex and very large in a horizontal direction. 
     Hence, it is desirable to have an improved electrical connector to overcome the above-mentioned disadvantages of the prior art. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     According to one aspect of the present invention, an electrical connector for being mounted on a printed circuit board, comprises an insulative housing defining a receiving space for receiving a mating plug; and a plurality of terminals assembled to the insulative housing and comprising at least one signal terminal, a first switch terminal moveable in roughly a radial direction, a pair of second switch terminals spaced from each other along a lateral direction of the insulative housing, the second switch terminals each having a soldering tail for being mounted on the printed circuit board; wherein the first switch terminal and the second switch terminals are arranged side by side; wherein when the mating plug is inserted into the receiving space, the first switch terminal contacts the second switch terminals respectively to allow the second switch terminals to electrically connect with each other. 
     According to another aspect of the present invention, an electrical connector for being mounted on a printed circuit board, comprises an insulative housing a receiving space for receiving a mating plug; and a plurality of terminals retained in the insulative housing and comprising at least one signal terminal, a first switch terminal being moveable relative to the insulative housing in an radial direction perpendicular to a mating direction, and a pair of second switch terminals spaced from each other and each having a soldering tail for being mounted on the printed circuit board; wherein the first switch terminal is provided without any soldering tail to be mounted on the printed circuit board; wherein when the mating plug is inserted into the receiving space, the first switch terminal is deflectable along the radial direction to simultaneously contact with or disengage from the second switch terminals. 
     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 DRAWING 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an electrical connector in accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is another perspective view of the electrical connector shown in the  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  is a partially assembled view of  FIG. 1  with a spacer and a metal shell of the electrical connector removed; 
         FIG. 4  is an exploded view of the electrical connector shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 5  is another exploded view of the electrical connector shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 6  is an exploded view of a switch of the electrical connector shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 7  is a rear view of an insulative housing of the electrical connector shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 8  is an exploded view of an electrical connector in accordance with a second embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 9  is a partially assembled view of the electrical connector shown in the  FIG. 8  and with a spacer and a metal shell of the electrical connector removed; 
         FIG. 10  is an assembled view of a first switch terminal of the electrical connector shown in the  FIG. 8 ; 
         FIG. 11  is an exploded view of the first switch terminal shown in the  FIG. 10 ; and 
         FIG. 12  is an exploded view of a switch of the electrical connector shown in the  FIG. 8 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     In the following description, numerous specific details are set forth to provide a thorough understanding of the present invention. However, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that the present invention may be practiced without such specific details. In other instances, well-known circuits have been shown in block diagram form in order not to obscure the present invention in unnecessary detail. For the most part, details concerning timing considerations and the like have been omitted inasmuch as such details are not necessary to obtain a complete understanding of the present invention and are within the skills of persons of ordinary skill in the relevant art. 
     With reference to  FIGS. 1-7 , an electrical connector  100  in accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention, which is adapted for mounting on a printed circuit board (not shown) and receiving a receiving a mating plug, comprises: an insulative housing  1 , at least one terminal unit assembled to the insulative housing  1 , a spacer  4  and a metal shell  5  enclosing the insulative housing  1 . 
     The insulative housing  1  includes a main body  10 , a circular mating portion  11  retained on a front end of the main body  10 , and a receiving space  12  extending through the mating portion  11  and the main body  10  along a front-to-back direction for receiving the mating plug. The main body  10  includes a plurality of passages  103  to retain the terminals, and an extruding arm  121  formed on an inner bottom surface of the receiving space  12  thereof. The passages  103  communicate with the receiving passages  103  and extend downwardly through the main body  10 . A bottom portion of a rear end of the extruding arm  121  defines a retaining slot  122  extending backwardly through therein. A top portion of the extruding arm  121  defines an arc depression  123  disposed in the receiving space  12  for engaging with a circular section of the mating plug. A bottom portion of the main body  10  defines a locating slot  105  for retaining the spacer  4 . 
     Each of terminal unit includes a first signal terminal  21  formed by a mating terminal  22  and a transition terminal  23  contacting the mating terminals  22 , a second signal terminal  24 , a grounding terminal  25 , and a switch  3 . The mating terminal  22  includes a locating portion  221  retained in the passage  103  of the insulative housing  1 , an arc elastic mating portion  222  slantways extending rearwardly from the locating portion  221  into the receiving space  12  of the insulative housing  1  for engaging with the mating plug, and a first engaging portion  223  disposed on a distal end of the mating portion  222 . The transition terminal  23  includes a level locating portion  231  retained in the passage  103  of the insulative housing  1 , a second engaging portion  233  bending vertically and extending upwardly from an inner side of the locating portion  231 , and a soldering tail  234  extending downwardly from a rear end of the locating portion  231  for being mounted on the printed circuit board. The first engaging portion  223  of the mating terminal  22  contacts the second engaging portion  233  of the transition terminal  23  while the mating portion  222  abuted by the mating plug. It is noted that the mating terminal  22  is rearwardly assembled into the housing  1  from a front face (not labeled) thereof with the locating portion  221  lying in a vertical plane for retaining the mating terminal  22  to the housing  1 , and with the arc elastic mating portion  222  rearward extending from the locating portion  221  and having a mating portion for engagement with the inserted plug and an engaging portion thereof, while the transition terminal  23  is forwardly assembled into the housing  1  from a rear face (not labeled) thereof with the lever locating portion  231  lying in a horizontal plane for retaining the transition terminal  23  to the housing  1 , and with another engaging portion  233  lying in a vertical plane for engagement with the engaging portion of the mating terminal  22 . Understandably, the assembling of the mating terminal  22  and of the transition terminal  23  to the housing  1  in opposite directions from opposite front and rear faces of the housing  1  with the locating portion  221  of the mating portion  22  being located in a front portion of the housing  1  while the lever locating portion  231  of the transition terminal  23  being located in a rear portion of the housing  1 , provides an efficient/convenient arrangement of the terminals  22  and  23  in the housing  23  compared with both those two terminals are assembled forwardly into the housing from the rear face of the housing. 
     The second signal terminal  24  includes a level locating portion  241  retained in the passages  103  of the insulative housing  1 , a connect portion  243  extending inwardly from the locating portion  241 , a flexible portion  245  extending forwardly from the connect portion  243 , a soldering tail  244  extending downwardly from a rear end of the locating portion  241  for connecting to the printed circuit board, and a mating portion  242  disposed on a distal end of the flexible portion  245  for engaging with the mating plug. A gap  246  is formed between the locating portion  241  and the flexible portion  245 . The gap  246  could allow the mating portion  242  to be deflectable. The locating portion  241 , the mating portion  242  and the flexible portion  245  are arranged in one level surface. 
     The grounding terminal  25  includes a vertical body strip  251 , two arms  252  horizontally extending forward from the body strip  31  into the receiving space  12  of the insulative housing  1 . The arms  252  are spaced apart and parallel to each other. A pair of protrusions  253  extends forwardly from the body strip  251  of the grounding contact  25 , and adjacent to the top two arms  252 , respectively. A soldering tail  254  extends downwardly from the bottom arm  252  for being soldered to the printed circuit board. 
     The switch  3  includes a first switch terminal  31  and a pair of second switch terminals  32  spaced from each other along a lateral direction of the insulative housing  1 . The first switch terminal  31  is disposed whole above the second switch terminals  32  and includes a first level base portion  310  abutting against the bottom portion of the extruding arm  121  of the insulative housing  1 , a pair of first contact portion  311  disposed on opposite ends of the first base portion  310 , a first retaining portion  313  retained in the retaining slot  122  of the extruding arm  121 . The first contact portions  311  each defines an emboss  314  protruding downwardly therefrom. 
     The second switch terminals  32  are symmetric with each other in a left-to-right direction. The second switch terminals  32  each has a second retaining portion  320  retained in the passages  103  of the insulative housing  1 , a connect portion  323  extending inwardly from a front end of the second retaining portion  320 , a fixing plate  322  protruding forwardly from the front end of the second retaining portion  320 , a second contact portion  321  extending rearwardly from the connect portion  323  and spaced from the second retaining portion  320 , and a soldering tail  324  bending and extending downwardly from a rear end of the second retaining portion  320  for connecting to the printed circuit board. All the second retaining portions  320 , the second contact portions  321 , the fixing plates  322 , and the connect portions  323  of the pair of second switch terminals  32  are arranged in another level surface. 
     The spacer  4  is generally step-shaped and includes an vertical panel  41  and a base  42  extending forwardly from a bottom end of the panel  41  and defining a plurality of through holes  43  extending therethrough. The base  42  is retained in the locating slot  105  of the insulative housing  1 . All the soldering tails  234 ,  244 ,  254 ,  324  of the terminals extend through the through holes  43  respectively. 
     When the mating plug is inserted into the receiving space  12  of the electrical connector  100 , the extruding arm  121  is abuted by the mating plug to move downwardly, and thus drive the first switch terminal  31  to contact the second switch terminals  32  respectively. The embosses  314  of the first switch terminal  31  contact the contact portion  321  of the second switch terminals  32  to make the second switch terminals  32  electrical connect with each other via the first switch terminal  31 . 
     Referring to  FIGS. 8 and 12 , the first switch terminal  61  of an electrical connector  200  in accordance with a second embodiment of the present invention is different from the first switch terminal  31  in accordance with the first embodiment. The second switch terminals  62  in accordance with the second embodiment are same as the second switch terminals  32  in accordance with the first embodiment. The first switch terminal  61  includes a base portion  611  retained in an insulative housing  5  of the electrical connector  200  having a receiving space  52  for receiving the mating plug, a first contact portion  612 , a spring arm  613  slantways extending reawardly from the base portion  611  to the first contact portion  612 , and an insulative separator  615  disposed in the receiving space  52 . The spring arm  613  defines a pair of opening  6130  in opposite sides thereof, a first flange  6131  splited downwardly from a front edge of the opening  6130 , and a second flange  6132  splited downwardly from a rear edge of the opening  6130 . The first contact portion  612  bends from the spring arm  613  firstly, and extends rearwardly then. The first contact portion  612  is disposed above the second switch terminals  62  and defined a pair of embosses  6120  for contacting the second switch terminals  62  while the mating plug is inserted into the receiving space  52 . 
     The separator  615  mounted only to the spring arm  613  without direct engagement with the insulative housing  5 , and essentially located in an insertion path of the mating plug. The separator  615  defines a groove  6150  engaging with the openings  6130 , and a front inclined surface  6151 . The separator  615  is sandwiched between the first flange  6131  and the second flange  6132 , and thus prevented from moving relative to the first switch terminal  61  in the front-to-back direction. 
     When the mating plug is inserted into the receiving space  52  of the electrical connector  200 , the mating plug move along the inclined surface  6151  and push the separator  615  first downwardly, so the spring arm  613  of the first switch terminal  61  rotates away from the receiving space  52  and towards the second switch terminals  62 . As the insertion the mating plug continues, the embosses  6120  of the first contact portion  612  of the first switch terminal  61  contacts the second switch terminals  62 , and thus the second terminals  62  electrical connect with each other via the first switch terminal  61 . 
     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.