Patent Publication Number: US-6659801-B2

Title: Multi-contact connector plug for transmitting and receiving electrical signals and supplying electrical power

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     This invention relates to a connector plug, and more particularly relates to a multi-contact connector plug for transmitting and receiving electric signals and supplying electrical power by being connected to a mated receptacle in other electronic devices. 
     2. Description of the Prior Art 
     FIG. 6 is a perspective view which shows the overall structure of a conventional connector plug used for making connections between electronic devices. FIG. 7 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view which shows a part of a shielding cover of the conventional connector plug. 
     As shown in FIG. 6, this conventional connector plug  50  is constructed from a shielding cover  52  made of metal, a plurality of contacts arranged inside the shielding cover  52  for making contact with a plurality of contacts provided in a mated receptacle (connector socket), and a contact holding member  51  for holding the contacts inside the shielding cover in the width direction of the connector plug  50 . 
     As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the shielding cover  52  includes an outer tubular body  53  and an inner tubular body  58  having a smaller diameter than that of the outer tubular body  53 . These outer and inner tubular bodies  53  and  58  are formed by bending a metal plate having a predetermined shape. 
     In more detail, the outer tubular body  53  is formed into an angular tube shape having four surfaces which include a top surface portion  54 , side surface portions  56 ,  56 , and a bottom surface portion  55 . The tip part of the bottom surface portion  55  of the outer tubular body  53  is integrally formed with a bottom surface portion  61  of the inner tubular body  58  through a continuous connecting part  62  as described later. Further, the tip part of the top surface portion  54  is formed into a downward-wall  57  by bending the tip part substantially vertically to the other part of the top surface portion  54 . 
     The inner tubular body  58  is also formed into an angular tube shape having four surfaces which include a top surface portion  59 , side surface portions  60 ,  60 , and a bottom surface portion  61 . As described above, the base end part of the bottom surface portion  61  is integrally formed with the bottom surface portion  55  of the outer tubular body  53  through the continuous connecting part  62  as described above. Further, the base end part of the top surface portion  59  of the inner tubular body  58  is formed into an upward-wall  63  by bending the base end part  58  substantially vertically to the other part of the top surface portion  59 . 
     In the conventional connector plug  50 , as shown in FIG. 7, a relative positional relationship between the tip part of the outer tubular body  53  and the base end part of the inner tubular body  58  is maintained by simply engaging the downward-wall  57  of the top surface portion  54  of the outer tubular body  53  with the upward-wall  63  of the top surface portion  59  of the inner tubular body  58 . 
     However, such a structure of the conventional connector plug has a problem in that the tip part of the inner tubular body  58  tends to be displaced upwardly when an external force acts on the connector plug from below in FIG. 7 so that the continuous connecting part  62  is liable to be inwardly deformed, since the relative positional relationship between the tip part of the outer tubular body  53  and the base end part of the inner tubular body  58  is maintained by simply engaging the downward-wall  57  of the top surface portion  54  of the outer tubular body  53  with the upward-wall  63  of the top surface portion  59  of the inner tubular body  58  as described above. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In view of the problem described above, it is an object of the present invention to provide a connector plug having a simple structure which makes it possible to fixedly couple a first tubular body and a second tubular body so that deformation is hard to occur in a continuous connecting part between these tubular bodies. 
     In order to achieve the object mentioned above, the present invention is directed to a connector plug which includes a metallic shielding cover including a first tubular body having a tip side and a second tubular body having a base side, the base side of the second tubular body being partially connected to the tip side of the first tubular body through a continuous connecting part; a plurality of contacts arranged in the shielding cover; and means for fixedly coupling the second tubular body to the first tubular body, the coupling means including at least one aperture provided in one of the first and second tubular bodies, at least one projection provided in the other tubular body so as to engage with the aperture, and means for locking the engagement between the aperture and the projection. 
     In the connector plug of the present invention described above, it is preferred that the at least one aperture is provided in the tip side of the first tubular body and the at least one projection is provided in the base side of the second tubular body. 
     Further, it is also preferred that the at least one projection has a tip part which extends through the aperture, in which the locking means is provided by bending the tip part of the projection. 
     Further, in the present invention, it is also preferred that the first tubular body is integrally formed with the second tubular body through the continuous connecting part, and the coupling means is provided on substantially the opposite side of the continuous connecting part. 
     Furthermore, it is also preferred that the at least one projection is integrally formed with the second tubular body. 
     Moreover, it is also preferred that the second tubular body is formed by folding a metallic plate member into a predetermined angular tube shape such that opposite edges thereof are in abutment with each other to form a joint. 
     Preferably, the joint of the second tubular body has a protruding engaging part at the base side thereof, and the at least one projection includes two projections provided on the engaging part in a spaced manner, and the at least one aperture includes two apertures which engage with the two projections, respectively. 
     Further, in the present invention, it is also preferred that the coupling means further includes positioning means which is used when the projections are engaged with the apertures. 
     Preferably, the positioning means includes a projection formed on the engaging part of the second tubular body, and an aperture formed on the tip side of the first tubular body to which the projection is fitted. 
     More preferably, the projection of the positioning means is formed from a pair of pieces integrally formed with the opposite edges in the joint of the second tubular body. 
     Further, in the present invention, it is also preferred that the first tubular body has a step portion at the tip side thereof, and the at least one aperture is formed in the step portion. 
     Furthermore, the present invention is also directed to a connector plug which includes a metallic shielding cover which includes a first tubular body having a tip side and a second tubular body having a base side, the base side of the second tubular body being partially connected to the tip side of the first tubular body through a continuous connecting part; a plurality of contacts arranged in the shielding cover; and means for fixedly coupling the second tubular body to the first tubular body, the coupling means providing an undisplaceable firm locking between the tip side of the first tubular body and the base side of the second tubular body at a location substantially opposite to the location of the continuous connecting part. 
     Preferably, the coupling means includes at least one aperture provided in one of the first and second tubular bodies and at least one projection provided in the other tubular body, in which the undisplaceable firm locking is provided by the engagement between the projection and the aperture. 
     More preferably, the coupling means further includes means for locking the engagement between the aperture and the projection. 
     Further, in the present invention, it is also preferred that the projection includes a tip part which extends through the aperture, in which the locking means is provided by bending the tip part of the projection. 
     As has been described, according to the connector plug of the present invention, the connector plug has a simple structure which makes it possible to fixedly couple the first tubular body and the second tubular body so that deformation is hard to occur in the continuous connecting part between these tubular bodies. 
     These and other objects, structures and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description of the preferred embodiment when it is considered taken in conjunction with the appended drawings. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view which shows the overall structure of the connector plug of the present invention. 
     FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view which shows the structure of the connector plug of the present invention. 
     FIG. 3 is an enlarged view which shows a base end part of the second tubular body shown in FIG.  2 . 
     FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the base end part of the second tubular body shown in FIG.  2 . 
     FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view which shows the state of the engagement between the tip part of the first tubular body and the base end part of the second tubular body shown in FIG.  1 . 
     FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the conventional connector plug. 
     FIG. 7 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of a front portion of a shielding cover of the conventional connector plug. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Hereinbelow, a preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view which shows the overall structure of a connector plug according to the present invention; FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view which shows the structure of the connector plug; FIG. 3 is an enlarged view which shows a base end part of the second tubular body shown in FIG. 2; FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the base end part of the second tubular body shown in FIG. 2; and FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view which shows the state of the engagement between the tip part of the first tubular body and the base end part of the second tubular body shown in FIG.  1 . 
     The connector plug  10  according to the present invention is used with a mated receptacle (not shown in the drawings) to form a connector such as a USB connector. 
     As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the connector plug  10  is roughly constructed from a shielding cover  18  made of metal which includes a first tubular body  20  and a second tubular body  40 , a plurality of contacts (terminals)  11  arranged inside the shielding cover  18  for making contact with a plurality of contacts provided in a mated receptacle (connector socket), and a contact holding member  12  for holding the contacts  11  inside the shielding cover  18  in the width direction of the connector plug  10 . 
     The contacts  11  are formed from elongated metal strips. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the contacts  11  are arranged side by side in the width direction of the connector plug  10 . 
     Further, as shown in FIG. 2, the contact holding member  12  is constructed from two members which include a front member  13  and a rear member  17 . Each of the front member  13  and the rear member  17  is made of an insulating material, for example, a resin such as polystyrene and the like. 
     In a top surface  15  of the front member  13  of the contact holding member  12 , a plurality of contact holding grooves  14  are formed. The contacts  11  are held by the contact holding grooves  14 , respectively, so that the contacts  11  are arranged side by side in the width direction of the connector plug  10  so as not to make contact with each other. 
     Further, the left and right sides of the top surface  15  of the front member  13  are formed into fitting portions each having a downwardly inclined surface  16 . The front member  13  having the above structure is mounted in the second tubular body  40  having spaces for receiving the fitting portions. Specifically, each of the fitting portion receiving spaces is defined by an inclined surface  44  corresponding to the inclined surface  16  of the fitting portions of the front member  13  as described later, and the front member  13  having the above configuration is mounted in the second tubular body  40  in a state that the inclined surfaces  16  of the front member  13  are in abutment with the corresponding inclined surfaces of the fitting portions of the second tubular body  40 , respectively. 
     The base end portions of the contacts  11  are inserted into the rear member  17 , and lead wires of a cable  70  are connected to the base end portions of the contacts  11 . 
     As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the shielding cover  18  is comprised of the first tubular body  20  and the second tubular body  40 . The first tubular body  20  is positioned on the base side (rear side) of the connector plug  10  and the second tubular body  40  is positioned on the tip side (front side) of the connector plug  10 . The second tubular body  40  functions as a connecting part to the mated receptacle. 
     Both the first tubular body  20  and the second tubular body  40  are formed from metal plates (e.g., stainless steel, copper, aluminum) so that they have a function of shielding electromagnetic waves. 
     In the case of the embodiment of the present invention, the first tubular body  20  is formed to have larger dimensions in width and/or thickness as compared with the dimensions of the second tubular body  40 . 
     In more details, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the first tubular body  20  is composed from two members which include an upper member  21  and a lower member  30 . 
     The upper member  21  includes a top surface portion  22  and a pair of side surface portions  27 ,  27  which are positioned on the left and right sides of the top surface portion  22 , respectively, so as to be vertical to the top surface portion  22 . 
     Further, the lower member  30  includes a bottom surface portion  31  and a pair of side surface portions  32 ,  32  which are positioned on the left and right sides of the bottom surface portion  31 , respectively, so as to be vertical to the bottom surface portion  31 . Further, at the base side of the lower member  30 , a cable holding portion  34  for holding and fixing the cable  70  is integrally formed. The holding portion  34  is formed to have a pair of band-shaped portions. As shown in FIG. 1, the band-shaped portions are bent so as to wrap around the outer periphery of the cable  70 , thereby holding and fixing the cable  70 . 
     By combining such upper member  21  and the lower member  30 , the first tubular body  20  is formed into an angular tube shape shown in FIG. 1 having substantially quadrangular cross section. 
     Further, the bottom surface portion  31  of the lower member  30  and a bottom surface portion  42  of the second tubular body  40  are integrally formed through a continuous connecting part  33 . Accordingly, the lower member  30  of the first tubular body  20  and the second tubular body  40  are formed by bending a metal plate which has been processed so as to have a predetermined shape by a punching process or the like. 
     As shown in FIG. 2, a groove  28  is formed in the base side of the top surface portion  22  of the upper member  21  along the width direction of the first tubular body  20 . The groove  28  has a depth roughly corresponding to the thickness of the metal plate. 
     Further, securing strips  35 ,  35  are provided in the lower member  30 . The securing strips  35 ,  35  are integrally formed with the side surface portions  32 ,  32 , respectively. As shown in FIG. 1, the upper member  21  and the lower member  30  are fixed by bending both the securing strips  35 ,  35  at right angles such that the tip parts of the securing strips are fitted in the groove  28 , respectively. 
     A step portion  23  is provided in the tip side of the top surface portion  22  of the upper member  21 . The step portion  23  is formed by deforming a roughly central portion along the width direction of the top surface portion  22  toward the inside of the first tubular body  20 , that is, toward the bottom side in FIG. 1 so as to form a concave portion. 
     The step portion  23  is defined by a bottom surface  24  which is substantially parallel to the top surface portion  22  and inclined walls  26  positioned between the bottom surface  24  and the top surface portion  22 . Further, in the bottom surface  24 , there are formed three apertures (through-holes)  25   a,    25   b,  and  25   c  which are arranged in a row. Engaging projections  46   a,    46   b  and a positioning projection  47  provided in the base end portion of the second tubular body  40  are inserted into these apertures  25   a  to  25   c,  respectively, as described later. 
     As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the second tubular body  40  is formed into a substantially angular tube shape which includes a top surface portion  41 , a bottom surface portion  42  and a pair of side surface portions  43 ,  43 . This second tubular body  40  is also formed by folding a metal plate having predetermined shape and size into the above configuration. 
     As described above in the above, each of the side surface portions  43 ,  43  is provided with the inclined surface  44  in its lower portion which defines the fitting portion receiving space, respectively. The inclined surfaces  44  are in abutment with the corresponding inclined surfaces  16  of the fitting portions of the front member  13  of the contact holding member  12 , respectively, when the contact holding member  12  is inserted into the second tubular body  40  upon assembling the connector plug  10 . This prevents the contact holding member  12  from being moved upwardly or downwardly with respect to the second tubular body  40 . 
     Further, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the top surface portion  41  of the second tubular body  40  includes a joint  45  in substantially the center of the width direction of the top surface portion  41 . The joint  45  is formed by folding the metallic plate member into the angular tube shape described above such that opposite edges thereof are in abutment with each other in the top surface portion  41 . Further, as shown in FIG. 1, one of the opposite edges which form the joint  45  is formed with notches and the other edge is formed with protruding portions fitted into the notches for making reliable joining of the edges. 
     Further, the top surface portion  41  of the second tubular body  40  has a protruding engaging part  41   a  at the base end thereof. On the engaging part  41   a,  there are provided the two engaging projections  46   a,    46   b  which are arranged in a space manner and the positioning projection  47  which is arranged between the engaging projections  46   a,    46   b.    
     In more details, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, these engaging projections  46   a,    46   b  are formed by bending projections respectively provided in the opposite edges of the engaging part  41   a  vertically and upwardly with respect to the top surface thereof. As shown in the drawings, these engaging projections  46   a  and  46   b  are arranged in a symmetrical manner with respect to the abutting edges (the joint  45 ) in the engaging part  41   a.    
     First, these engaging projections  46   a  and  46   b  are inserted into the corresponding apertures  25   a,    25   b  formed in the step portion  23  of the upper member  21  of the first tubular body  20 . As a result, the relative positional relationship between the second tubular body  40  and the upper member  21  in the front and rear directions as well as the left and right directions is determined. 
     Next, as shown in FIG. 5, the tip parts of the engaging projections  46   a  and  46   b  which have passed through the apertures  25   a,    25   b,  that is the tip parts of the engaging projections  46   a  and  46   b  that extend through the apertures  25   a,    25   b,  are bent against the upper surface of the bottom surface portion  24  of the step portion  23 , respectively. The tip parts of the engaging projections  46   a  and  46   b  are bent at substantially right angles to form locking portions  461   a  and  461   b  for locking the engaging part  41   a  of the second tubular body to the bottom surface  24  of the step portion  23  of the upper member  21 . 
     By this locking made by the locking portions  461   a,    461   b,  the relative positional relationship between the second tubular body  40  and the upper member  21  in the up and down directions is also determined in addition to the positional relationship in the front and rear directions and the up and down directions. 
     As described above, in the connector plug of this embodiment, the base end part of the second tubular body  40  is positioned with respect to and fixedly coupled to the tip part of the first tubular body  20  by engaging the engaging projections  46   a,    46   b  with the apertures  25   a,    25   b  (and periphery thereof). 
     Further, as described above, in this embodiment, the second tubular body  40  is fixedly coupled to the first tubular body  20  reliably by means of the simple structure in which the engaging projections  46   a,    46   b  of the second tubular body  40  are inserted into the apertures  25   a,    25   b,  respectively, and then the tip parts of the engaging projections  46   a,    46   b  are bent or deformed thereby locking the engaging projections  46   a,    46   b  with the apertures  25   a,    25   b.  As a result, even if an external force such as bending stress is exerted to the second tubular body  40 , deformation is hard to occur at the continuous connecting part  33  and its periphery. 
     In particular, since the two engaging projections  46   a,    46   b  are respectively inserted into the difference apertures  25   a,    25   b,  and then locked therewith, the second tubular body  40  can be fixedly coupled to the first tubular body  20  with better balance. 
     Further, since the engagement between the engaging projections  46   a,    46   b  and the apertures  25   a,    25   b  is carried out at the opposite side of the continuous connecting part  33 , it is possible to effectively prevent deformation of the continuous connecting part  33 . 
     As described above, in this embodiment, the engaging projections  46   a,    46   b  are integrally formed with the second tubular body  40 . However, the present invention is not limited to such structure. It is also possible to form the engaging projections  46   a,    46   b  from a separate member from the second tubular body  40 . Further, the number, shape and projecting directions of the engaging projections are also not limited to those shown in the drawings. 
     As shown in FIGS. 3 to  5 , the positioning projection  47  provided between the engaging projections  46   a,    46   b  is formed from two pieces  48 ,  48  which are abutted with each other through the joint  45 . Each of the pieces  48 ,  48  is formed by bending a projection integrally formed in the end portion of each edge of the metal plate vertically and upwardly with respect to the top surface portion  41 . 
     This positioning projection  47  functions as a positioning means for positioning the second tubular body  40  to the first tubular body  20  when inserting the engaging projections  46   a,    46   b  into the apertures  25   a,    25   b.    
     Specifically, the positioning projection  47  is inserted into the corresponding aperture  25   c  of the step portion  23  of the first tubular body  20  and engaged therewith when the engaging projections  46   a,    46   b  are inserted into the apertures  25   a,    25   b.  Due to the engagement of the positioning projection  47  with the aperture  25   c,  it is possible to prevent the base end part of the second tubular body  40  and the tip part of the first tubular body  20  from being displaced relatively when the engaging projections  46   a,    46   b  are bent or deformed. 
     As described above, in this embodiment, the positioning projection  47  is formed from the two pieces  48 ,  48  which are abutted with each other through the joint  45 , and thus formed positioning projection  47 , that is the abutted two pieces  48 ,  48  is inserted into the aperture  25   c.  Therefore, even if an external force acting on the direction that pulls apart the abutted two pieces  48 ,  48  is applied to the connector plug  10 , the pieces  48 ,  48  are constrained by the inner peripheral surface of the aperture  25   c,  so that the base end portion of the joint  45  is not opened in the width direction of the connector plug  10 . 
     Further, as shown in FIG. 5, the locking portions  461   a,    461   b  are in a state protruding from the apertures  25   a ,  25   b  when the connector plug  10  is assembled. However, since they are positioned inside the step portion  23 , they will not cause any hindrance. 
     Further, it should be noted that when the connector plug  10  described above is actually used, the first tubular body  20  of the shielding cover is covered with a resin cover or the like (not shown in the drawings), and only the second tubular body  40  is used as an insertion section (connecting part) to the mated receptacle. 
     As described above, the connector plug according to the present invention has a simple structure which makes it possible to fixedly couple the first tubular body and the second tubular body so that deformation is hard to occur in the continuous connecting part between these tubular bodies. 
     Further, since the two engaging projections are provided, the first tubular body and the second tubular body can be fixedly coupled with better balance. 
     Furthermore, since the second tubular body can be fixedly coupled to the first tubular body only by inserting the engaging projections into the corresponding apertures and then bending the tip parts thereof, the assembly process is extremely simple. 
     Moreover, since the first and second tubular bodies are partially connected to each other and the engaging projections are integrally formed with the second tubular body, it is possible to suppress increases in the number of components. 
     Finally, it is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to the embodiment described above, and many changes or additions may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention which is determined by the following claims.