Patent Publication Number: US-7901251-B1

Title: Audio connector

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to an audio connector, and particularly to an audio connector capable of electrically connecting with an inserted plug firmly. 
     2. The Related Art 
       FIG. 5  is an assembled, perspective view of an audio connector in prior art. The audio connector includes an insulating housing l′, a first contact  2 ′ and a plurality of second contacts  3 ′ mounted to the insulating housing  1 ′. The insulating housing  1 ′ has a rectangular base  11 ′, and a circular platform  12 ′ protruded outwards from an end of the base  11 ′. The base  11 ′ has a center socket  13 ′ passing through the platform  12 ′. A plug  30 ′ is inserted into the socket  13 ′ from the platform  12 ′. A first contact recess  14 ′ is formed at a side of the socket  13 ′, away from the platform  12 ′, for receiving the first contact  2 ′. A plurality of second contact recesses  15 ′ are substantially arranged at two opposite sides of the socket  13 ′ in a substantially symmetrical manner. The first contact  2 ′ has a fixing slice  21 ′ of U shape mounted in the first contact recess  14 ′, a soldering slice  23 ′ extending from one end of the fixing slice  21 ′ and exposing outside the insulating housing  1 ′ for being soldered to a circuit board (not shown), and a contact slice  22 ′ of arc shape projecting into the socket  13 ′ for resiliently connecting with the inserted plug  30 ′. The second contacts  3 ′ are respectively accommodated in the second contact recesses  15 ′ for electrically connecting with the inserted plug  30 ′. 
     When the plug  30 ′ is inserted into the socket  13 ′ through the platform  12 ′, the second contacts  3 ′ abut against the plug  30 ′ elastically and symmetrically, but, the contact slice  22 ′ pushes a side of a free end of the plug  30 ′ to deflect toward an opposite side of the socket  13 ′. Consequently, the second contacts  3 ′, which are located at the same side as the first contact  2 ′, are unable to connect with the plug  30 ′ stably and reliably. In addition, the second contacts  3 ′, which are located at the side of the socket  13 ′ opposite to the first contact  2 ′, are extruded and pushed outwards by the deflective plug  30 ′ so as to generate great deformation, which reduces the use time of the second contacts  3 ′. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide an audio connector capable of electrically connecting with a plug firmly. The audio connector has an insulating housing having a base. The base has a socket passing through a front end thereof for receiving the plug. A rear end of the base opposite to the front end has a holding trough of substantially rectangular ring shape and communicating with the socket, surrounding a center block of substantially rectangular shape. Each side of the center block has a notch which passes through the rear end and communicates with the socket. A plurality of conductive contacts is mounted to the insulating housing for electrically connecting with the inserted plug. A holding contact has a substantially rectangular fixing frame fixed in the holding trough. The fixing frame includes a base plate, two opposite side plates, a free plate facing to the base plate extended from one of the side plates and spaced apart from the other side plate. A soldering slice is extended from a free end of the other side plate. Substantially middle portions of the base plate, the free plate and the side plates extend towards the same side to form two pairs of opposite contacting arms for projecting into the socket through the corresponding notches and clamping a free end of the inserted plug resiliently and symmetrically. 
     As described above, since the contacting arms are arranged symmetrically, the forces acted on the plug from the contacting arms counteract each other, preventing the plug from deflecting with respect to a center axis of the socket. Accordingly, it avoids having influence on the connection stability between the plug and the conductive contacts, as mentioned in the conventional manner. Furthermore, such structure provides the stronger holding force for securing the inserted plug, improving the connection reliability therebetween. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The present invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art by reading the following description thereof, with reference to the attached drawings, in which: 
         FIG. 1  is an assembled, perspective view of an audio connector of an embodiment in accordance with the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is an exploded, perspective view of the audio connector shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view of an insulating housing of the audio connector shown in  FIG. 1  seen from another view, wherein a shell is assembled thereto; 
         FIG. 4  is a schematic view illustrating the electrical connection between the audio connector of  FIG. 1  and a mating plug, wherein the insulating housing of the audio connector is removed; and 
         FIG. 5  is an assembled, perspective view of an audio connector in prior art. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENT 
     Referring to the drawings in greater detail, and first to  FIG. 1 , the embodiment of the invention is embodied in an audio connector  100 . The audio connector  100  comprises an insulating housing  1 , a plurality of contacts mounted to the insulating housing  1  and a shell  5  coupled with the insulating housing  1 . The contacts include a holding contact  2 , a set of switch contacts  3 , and a plurality of conductive contacts  4 . The switch contacts  3  include a resilient switch contact  31  and a stationary switch contact  32 . 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1-3 , the insulating housing  1  has a substantially rectangular base  11 . The base  11  has a central socket  12 . The socket  12  extends along a lengthways direction of the base  11  and passes through a front end  112  of the base  11 . A rear end  111  of the base  11  opposite to the front end  112  is closed. In this embodiment, the front end  112  is shaped as a rectangular platform, and has four smooth corners. 
     A top surface  113  of the base  11  has a first groove  13  for receiving the resilient switch contact  31 , a second groove  14  communicating with the first groove  13  for receiving the stationary switch contact  32 , and a plurality of third grooves  15  for receiving the conductive contacts  4 . The first groove  13  is arranged adjacent to the front end  112  and located at a side of the socket  12 , with a first opening for intercommunicating with the socket  12  located adjacent to the front end  112 . The second groove  14  is disposed at a side of the first groove  13  opposite to the socket  12 , with a second opening for intercommunicating with the first groove  13  in alignment with the first opening. The third grooves  15  are disposed at an opposite side of the socket  12  and arranged in alignment with each other, forming a row abreast of the first groove  13 . In this embodiment, there are three third grooves. 
     With reference to  FIGS. 2-3 , the rear end  111  has a holding trough  16  of substantially rectangular ring shape at middle thereof, surrounding a center block  17 . The holding trough  16  has a first slot  161  extending parallel to and adjacent to the top surface  113 , a second slot  162  extending perpendicularly from one end of the first slot  161 , a third slot  163  abreast of the first slot  161  and communicating with one end of the second slot  162 , and a fourth slot  164  extending perpendicularly from one end of the third slot  163  and passing through the top surface  113 . The first slot  161  is spaced from the fourth slot  164  and has a closed end. Herein, a corner of the top surface  113  adjacent to the fourth slot  164  is formed with a receiving recess  165  communicating with the fourth slot  164 . Each of the second and fourth slots  162 ,  164  has a buckling indentation  166  at a side facing the center block  17 . The center block  17  is substantially rectangular. Each side of the center block  17  has a notch  171  at a substantial middle thereof. The notches  171  pass through the rear end  111  and communicate with the socket  12 . The base  11  further has an indention area  18  at a bottom surface and two opposite lateral surfaces thereof, for receiving the shell  5 . The indention area  18  located at the two opposite lateral surfaces of the base  11  have a buckling lump  19 , respectively. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1-3 , the holding contact  2 , which may be manufactured by punching and bending a metal plate, has an open fixing frame  21  received in the holding trough  16 , a plurality of contacting arms  22  symmetrically extending toward the same side from a side of the fixing frame  21 , and a soldering slice  23  extending outwards from the fixing frame  21 . The fixing frame  21  is rectangular and defines a base plate  211 , two side plates  212 ,  213  extending perpendicularly from two free ends of the base plate  211 , and a free plate  214  extending parallel to the base plate  211  from a free end of the side plate  212 . The free plate  214  is spaced away from the side plate  213 . A free end of the side plate  213  is prolonged opposite to the free plate  214  to form the soldering slice  23 . Each of the side plates  212 ,  213  is formed with a buckling piece  24 , corresponding to the buckling indentation  166 . In assembly, the base plate  211 , the side plates  212 ,  213  and the free plate  214  are respectively received in the third slot  163 , the second slot  162 , the fourth slot  164 , and the first slot  161 . The soldering slice  23  is received and exposes in the receiving recess  165  for being soldered to a circuit board (not shown). The buckling pieces  24  are buckled with the buckling indentations  166 , respectively, for fixing the holding contact  2  to the insulating housing  1 . 
     The contacting arms  22  are respectively extended forward from substantially middle portions of front sides of the base plate  211 , the side plates  212 ,  213  and the free plate  214 . Each pair of the facing contacting arms  22  have free ends arched toward each other to form contact portions  221 , for holding an inserted plug  6  (shown in  FIG. 4 ) symmetrically and firmly. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1-2  and  FIG. 4 , the resilient switch contact  31  has a first holding slice  311  received in the first groove  13  for fixing the resilient switch contact  31 . A resilient arm  312  is extended frontward from a lower portion of a front edge of the first holding slice  311 , and deflects from a plane of the first holding slice  311  for projecting into the socket  12  through the first opening. The resilient arm  312  has a free end formed with a substantially U shape, with a narrower opening facing to the first holding slice  311 , named as connecting portion  313 . A free portion of the connecting portion  313  is defined as a pressing pad  315 , substantially in alignment with the first holding slice  311 . The connecting portion  313  partially projects in the socket  12  for smoothly abutting against the inserted plug  6 . A top edge of the first holding slice  311  is extended perpendicular to the first holding slice  311  to form a soldering slice  314 . The soldering slice  314  and the resilient arm  312  are substantially disposed at two opposite sides of the plane of the first holding slice  311 . In this embodiment, the soldering slice  314  is located at a rear end of the top edge of the first holding slice  311 , away from the resilient arm  312 . In assembly, the soldering slice  314  exposes outside the top surface  113  of the insulating housing  1  for being soldered to the circuit board. 
     The stationary switch contact  32  is received in the second groove  14  and has a second holding slice  321 . A front side of the second holding slice  321  has a lower portion stretched frontward to form a resting arm  322 . The resting arm  322  defines a resting end  323  which faces and is spaced from the pressing pad  315 , when the plug  6  is not inserted into the socket  12 . The second holding slice  321  has a soldering slice  324 , which is substantially analogue to the soldering slice  314 , extended perpendicularly from a top edge thereof and exposes outside the top surface  113 , abreast of the soldering slice  314 . 
     Referring to  FIGS. 2-4 , the conductive contacts  4  are respectively received in the third grooves  15 . Each of the conductive contacts  4  has a fixing portion  41  of substantially U shape, a contacting slice  42  and a soldering slice  43  extended opposite to each other from two free ends of the fixing portion  41 . The soldering slices  43  expose outside the top surface  113  of the insulating housing  1  for being soldered to the circuit board. The contacting slices  42  protrude into the socket  12  for electrically connecting with the inserted plug  6 . The shell  5 , which is received in the indention area  18 , has a rectangular basic plate  51  and two lateral plates  52  extended perpendicularly from two opposite sides of the basic plate  51 . Each of the lateral plates  52  has a buckling opening  53 , corresponding to the buckling lump  19  for fixing the shell  5  to the insulating housing  1 , and a soldering slice  54  extended perpendicularly and outwardly from a top edge thereof, for being soldered to the circuit board. 
     Referring to  FIG. 4 , when the plug  6  is inserted into the socket  12 , the connecting portion  313  is elastically extruded so that the pressing pad  315  connects with the resting end  323 , thereby achieving the electrical connection between the resilient switch contact  31  and the stationary switch contact  32 . The contacting slices  42  resiliently abut against an outer surface of the inserted plug  6 . A distal end of the inserted plug  6  is inserted among the contacting arms  22  and resiliently clamped by the contact portions  221  in a symmetrical manner. 
     As described above, since the contacting arms  22  are arranged symmetrically, the forces acted on the plug  6  from the contact portion  221  counteract each other, preventing the plug  6  from deflecting with respect to a center axis of the socket  12 . Therefore, such structure avoids affecting the connection stability between the plug  6  and the switch contacts  3 , and the conductive contacts  4 , furthermore, provides the stronger holding force for securing the inserted plug  6 , improving the connection reliability therebetween. In addition, the holding trough  16  is located at the rear end  111  of the base  11 , without formed at the side of the socket  12  according to the conventional manner, which decreases the possibility that the unexpected substance reach the circuit board where the contacts of the audio connector  100  are soldered, through the socket and the grooves, resulting short circuit. 
     The foregoing description of the present invention has been presented for the purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise form disclosed, and obviously many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teaching. Such modifications and variations that may be apparent to those skilled in the art are intended to be included within the scope of this invention as defined by the accompanying claims.