Patent Publication Number: US-2007111564-A1

Title: Hdmi connector assembly

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
      1. Field of Invention  
      The present invention relates to electrical connectors and more particularly to a HDMI (high definition multimedia interface) connector assembly with improved characteristics.  
      2. Description of Related Art  
      A conventional HDMI electrical connector is for transmitting data, audio, and video signals along a cable and has a high performance transmission interface independent of cable length. The well known connector is fixedly connected to PCB (printed circuit board) (not shown) by soldering. Also, conductor spacing is very small (e.g., about 1 mm) and solder area is thus small. Further, it is difficult of soldering. Furthermore, solder may connect two adjacent thin electrical terminals together and result some of the terminals in short-circuit. Also, it is difficult to control the soldering quality.  
      As shown in FIGS.  1  to  3 , a PCB  92  is inserted between two rows of conductors  91  in the conventional HDMI connector assembly  90 . Hence, both conductor spacing and solder area are increased and thus soldering is facilitated and short-circuit is eliminated. However, a number of drawbacks are still found as detailed below.  
      Soldering both PCB and connector assembly is required. It is often that such soldering process will easily raise defects in some of soldering points on both PCB and connector assembly, resulting in a signal transmission performance degradation. Further, due to the above reasons, its production is low. Furthermore, pollution may occur in the PCB soldering. Moreover, two ends  93  of the conventional HDMI connector assembly are communicated with each other, thus sealing two ends  93  of the connector assembly prior to final sealing of the whole connector assembly is necessary and this may increase the complexity of manufacturing processes. Thus, it may lower yield. Hence, a need has arisen for an improved HDMI connector assembly in order to overcome the drawbacks of the prior art.  
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
      It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a HDMI electrical connector assembly having advantages of increased solder quality, high yield, increased signal transmission performance.  
      In one aspect of the present invention there is provided a HDMI female, electrical connector assembly comprising an insulative body including a body member including a central channel therethrough and a plurality of parallel grooves on top and bottom of the channel, and a plate including two rows of a plurality of parallel terminal cavities aligned with the grooves; an insulative seat provided in the channel and including a rear member including a plurality of parallel furrows on its top and bottom, and a front member including a plurality of parallel depressions; two rows of a plurality of conductors provided in the depressions, the furrows, the grooves, and the terminal cavities, each conductor including a front electrical terminal and a rear solder member wherein the solder members of one row and the solder members of the other row are bent in opposite directions; and a housing including an internal space for receiving the insulative body.  
      In another aspect of the present invention there is provided a HDMI male, electrical connector assembly comprising an insulative body including a body member including a central channel therethrough and a plurality of parallel grooves on top and bottom of the channel, and a plate including two rows of a plurality of parallel terminal cavities aligned with the grooves, and a central tunnel through the plate; an insulative seat provided in the channel and including a rear member including a plurality of parallel furrows on its top and bottom, and a front member including a central projection and top and bottom rows of a plurality of parallel depressions in communication with the furrows; two rows of a plurality of conductors provided in the depressions, the furrows, the grooves, and the terminal cavities, each conductor including a front electrical terminal and a rear solder member wherein the solder members of one row and the solder members of the other row are bent in opposite directions; and a housing including an internal space for receiving the insulative body.  
      The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description taken with the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of conductors in a conventional HDMI connector assembly;  
       FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the conductors and sandwiched PCB in the conventional HDMI connector assembly;  
       FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the conventional HDMI connector assembly with portions broken away;  
       FIG. 4  is an exploded view of a first preferred embodiment of HDMI connector assembly according to the invention;  
       FIG. 5  is a perspective view of the conductors of  FIG. 4 ;  
       FIG. 6  is a perspective view of the assembled insulative seat and the conductors of  FIG. 4 ;  
       FIG. 7  is a perspective view of the assembled HDMI connector assembly of  FIG. 4 ;  
       FIG. 8  is an exploded view of a second preferred embodiment of HDMI connector assembly according to the invention;  
       FIG. 8A  is a perspective view of the insulative body of  FIG. 8 ;  
       FIG. 8B  is a perspective view of the insulative seat of  FIG. 8 ; and  
       FIG. 9  is a perspective view of the assembled HDMI connector assembly of  FIG. 8 . 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
      Referring to FIGS.  4  to  7 , a female HDMI connector assembly in accordance with a first preferred embodiment of the invention comprises an insulative body  10 , an insulative seat  20 , two rows of a plurality of conductors  30 , and a housing  40 . Each component is discussed in detailed below. The insulative body  10  comprises a body member  11  and a plate  12 . The body member  11  includes a central channel  111  through the body member  11 , a plurality of parallel grooves  112  on top and bottom of the channel  111 , two side wings  113 , two positioning blocks  114  each adjacent the wing  113 , two holes  115  each on the wing  113 , two troughs  116  each adjacent side of a top, two ridges  117  each in the trough  116 , and a lower slot  118  under the plate  12 . The insulative body  10  further comprises a resilient member  13  fitted in the slot  118 . The plate  12  comprises two rows of a plurality of parallel terminal cavities  121  aligned with the grooves  112 .  
      The insulative seat  20  comprises a rear member  21  including a plurality of parallel relatively wider furrows  211  on each of its top and bottom, and transverse top and bottom flanges  212  in front of and above the furrows  211 , a front member  22  including a plurality of parallel relatively narrower depressions  221 , and two side latches  23  with the front member  22  disposed therebetween. The plurality of parallel relatively wider furrows  211  on each of its top and bottom and the plurality of parallel relatively narrower depressions  221  are corresponding thereto each other. The conductor  30  comprises an upper row terminals  30 A and a lower row terminals  30 B. The upper row terminals  30 A comprises a front electrical terminal  31 A, a flat and wide rear solder member  32 A and a bending middle portion  33 A. The bending middle portion  33 A further comprises a first upward bending portion  331 A and a second downward bending portion  332 A wherein the second downward bending portion  332 A has gradually increased its wideness and smoothly connecting with the flat and wide rear solder member  32 A. The lower row terminals  30 B comprises a front electrical terminal  31 B, a flat and wide rear solder member  32 B and a bending middle portion  33 B. The bending middle portion  33 B further comprises a first downward bending portion  331 B and a second upward bending portion  332 B wherein the second upward bending portion  332 B has gradually increased its wideness and smoothly connecting with the flat and wide rear solder member  32 B. Moreover, in order to obtain relatively wider spaces between each of rear solder members  32 A and  32 B, all of the second downward bending portions  332 A and second upward bending portions  332 B except the center one are such arranged to bend outward and laterally that the more near location of the outer side one with respect to the center one of the row of the second bending portions  332 A and  332 B is, the more bending angle toward outward and laterally will be such that an arrangement of two layers of sector type of terminal row is obtained. Also, the solder member  32 A and  32 B are relatively flat and wide for increasing solder area. The housing  40  comprises an internal space  41  for receiving the insulative body  10 .  
      An assembly of the first preferred embodiment of the invention will be described in detailed below. First, insert the front member  22  into the channel  111  with the front electrical terminals  31 A and  31 B, the middle portions  33 A and  33 B and the rear solder members  32 A and  32 B of the conductors  30  received in the terminal cavities  121 , the grooves  112 , the depressions  221 , and the furrows  211 , respectively. Also, the solder members  32   a  and  32 B pass the tunnels of the top and bottom flanges  212  and are held in place. Assemble the insulative body  10  and the insulative seat  20  in the housing  40  with the positioning blocks  114  and the ridges  117  of the insulative body  10  urged against an inner wall of the space  41  of the housing  40 . Two resilient elements  19  each is biased between one side of the insulative body  10  and one side of the space  41  and has a pointed end inserted through the hole  115 . At this assembled state, the rear member  21  is extended from the housing  40  and the wings  113  are disposed externally of the housing  40 .  
      By configuring as above, prior drawbacks are substantially overcome. These drawbacks include provision of PCB and associated pollution, increased complexity of manufacturing processes, and low yield. Moreover, two sides of the housing are sealed by the wings  113  of the insulative body  10 . Thus, the prior sealing process is also eliminated.  
      Referring to  FIGS. 8, 8A ,  8 B, and  9 , a male HDMI connector assembly in accordance with a second preferred embodiment of the invention comprises an insulative body  50 , an insulative seat  60 , two rows of a plurality of conductors  70 , and a housing  80 . Each component is discussed in detailed below. The insulative body  50  comprises a body member  51  and a plate  52 . The body member  51  includes a central channel  511  through the body member  51 , a plurality of parallel grooves  512  on top and bottom of the channel  511 , two side wings  513 , and two positioning slots  514  each on the wing  513 . The plate  52  comprises top and bottom rows of a plurality of parallel terminal cavities  521  aligned with the grooves  512 , and a central tunnel  522  through the plate  52  for receiving the plate  12  (see  FIG. 4 ).  
      The insulative seat  60  comprises a rear member  61  including a plurality of parallel furrows  611  on each of its top and bottom, and a front member  62  including a central projection  621 , top and bottom rows of a plurality of parallel depressions  622  in communication with the furrows  611 , and top and bottom tabs  623 . The conductor  70  comprises an upper row terminals  70 A and a lower row terminals  70 B. The upper row terminals  70 A comprises an open-mouth V shaped front electrical terminal  71 A, a flat and wide rear solder member  72 A and a middle portion  73 A. The middle portion  73 A further comprises a first plane portion  731 A and a second downward bending portion  732 A wherein the second downward bending portion  732 A has gradually increased its wideness and smoothly connecting with the flat and wide rear solder member  72 A. The lower row terminals  70 B comprises a reversed open-mouth V shaped front electrical terminal  71 B, a flat and wide rear solder member  72 B and a middle portion  73 B. The middle portion  73 B further comprises a first plane bending portion  731 B and a second downward bending portion  732 B wherein the second downward bending portion  732 B has gradually increased its wideness and smoothly connecting with the flat and wide rear solder member  72 B. Moreover, in order to obtain relatively wider spaces between each of rear solder members  72 A and  72 B, all of the second downward bending portions  732 A and  732 B except the center one are such arranged to bend laterally and outward that the more near location of the outer side one with respect to the center one of the row of the second bending portions  332 A and  332 B is, the more bending angle toward outward and laterally will be such that an arrangement of two layers of sector type of terminal row is obtained. Also, the solder members  72  and  72 B are relatively flat and wide for increasing solder area. The housing  80  comprises an internal space  81  for receiving the insulative body  50 , and top and bottom holes  82  for receiving the tabs  623  of the insulative seat  60  therein.  
      An assembly of the second preferred embodiment of the invention will be described in detailed below. First, insert the front member  62  into the channel  511  with the front electrical terminals  71 A and  71 B, the middle portions  73 A and  73 B and the rear solder members  72 A and  72 B of the conductors  70  received in the terminal cavities  521 , the grooves  512 , the depressions  622 , and the furrows  611 , respectively. Assemble the insulative body  50  and the insulative seat  60  in the housing  80  with the wings  513  urged against an inner wall of the space  81  and the tabs  623  of the insulative seat  60  latched in the holes  82  of the housing  80 . At this assembled state, the rear member  61  is extended from the housing  80 .  
      While the invention herein disclosed has been described by means of specific embodiments, numerous modifications and variations could be made thereto by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention set forth in the claims.