Patent Publication Number: US-8979585-B2

Title: Connector

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     An Applicant claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §119 of Japanese Patent Application No. JP2012-203213 filed Sep. 14, 2012. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a connector, especially a connector comprising an inner shell and an outer shell. 
     Connectors of this type are disclosed in Patent Document 1 (JP A H7-220816) and Patent Document 2 (JPA 2008-103271), each of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. As shown in  FIG. 11 , the connector disclosed in Patent Document 1 comprises an inner shell, an outer shell and a housing. The inner shell is inserted into and held by the housing. The housing which holds the inner shell is attached to the outer shell. The inner shell of the connector has a connection portion which is bent so as to extend upward from a front end of an upper part of the inner shell. The connection portion is configured to be fixed on a case, or the like, by screws. As shown in  FIG. 12 , Patent Document 2 discloses a connector which comprises another connection portion which is bent so as to extend in a width direction from a front end of an inner shell. 
     Each of the connectors disclosed in the Patent Document 1 and Patent Document 2 comprises the inner shell configured to be electrically connected with a mating shell of a mating connector (not shown in  FIG. 11 ). The connection portion is provided on the front end of the inner shell so that the mating shell, the inner shell and the case constitute a ground path. 
     As understood from  FIG. 12 , if the mating connector is provided with a mating housing to cover the mating shell, the mating housing interferes with an inner connection portion of the inner shell. Therefore, the mating shell cannot be protected by provision of the mating housing. The illustrated structure of  FIG. 12  has a problem that flaws formed on a connection surface of the mating shell or adherents put on the connection surface might cause a poor electrical connection between the mating shell and the inner shell. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a connector which enables a direct-electrical connection between an inner shell of the connector and a case, while preventing the poor electrical connection between the inner shell and a mating shell. 
     One aspect of the present invention provides a connector having a front end and a rear end. The connector is attached to an attachment object and is inserted into a mating connector in a front-rear direction. The connector comprises a contact, an inner housing, an inner shell, an outer housing and an outer shell. The inner housing holds the contact. The inner shell covers, at least in part, the inner housing. The outer housing holds the inner shell. The outer shell covers, at least in part, the outer housing. The inner shell has a connected portion and a connection portion. The connection portion extends from the connected portion and is directly connected with the attachment object when the connector is attached to the attachment object. A boundary between the connected portion and the connection portion is positioned apart from and rearward of the front end of the connector. 
     An appreciation of the objectives of the present invention and a more complete understanding of its structure may be had by studying the following description of the preferred embodiment and by referring to the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view showing a connector according to a first embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is an exploded, perspective view showing the connector of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  is a cross-sectional view showing the connector of  FIG. 1 , taken along line III-III. 
         FIG. 4  is a top view of the connector of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 5  is a perspective view showing a mating connector configured to be inserted into the connector of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 6  is a cross-sectional view showing the mating connector of  FIG. 5 , taken along line VI-VI. 
         FIG. 7  is a perspective view showing the mating connector of  FIG. 5 . A mating outer housing is not illustrated. 
         FIG. 8  is a cross-sectional view showing a connection state between the connector of  FIG. 3  and the mating connector of  FIG. 6 . 
         FIG. 9  is a perspective view showing a connector according to a second embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 10  is an exploded, perspective view showing the connector of  FIG. 9 . 
         FIG. 11  is an exploded, perspective view showing a connector of Patent Document 1. 
         FIG. 12  is a perspective view showing a connector and a mating connector of Patent Document 2. 
     
    
    
     While the invention is susceptible to various modifications and alternative forms, specific embodiments thereof are shown by way of example in the drawings and will herein be described in detail. It should be understood, however, that the drawings and detailed description thereto are not intended to limit the invention to the particular form disclosed, but on the contrary, the intention is to cover all modifications, equivalents and alternatives falling within the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims. 
     DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     First Embodiment 
     With reference to  FIG. 1 , a connector  10  according to a first embodiment of the present invention is configured to be attached to a case (attachment object: not shown), or the like. As shown in  FIGS. 1 and 3 , the connector  10  has a front end  11  and a rear end  12 . As understood from  FIGS. 1 ,  5  and  8 , a mating connector  50  is inserted into and connected with the connector  10  along an X-direction (front-rear direction). As shown in  FIG. 2  and  FIG. 3 , the connector  10  comprises four contacts  90 , an inner housing  100 , an inner shell  200 , an outer housing  300  and an outer shell  400 . The inner housing  100  holds the contacts  90 . The inner shell  200  partially covers the inner housing  100 . The inner shell  200  is inserted into the outer housing  300  so that the outer housing  300  holds the inner shell  200 . The outer shell  400  partially covers the outer housing  300 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 2 , the contact  90  has an L-like shape which is constituted by a vertical portion and a horizontal portion, wherein the vertical portion extends in a Z-direction (vertical direction) while the horizontal portion extends in the front-rear direction. The vertical portion has a base portion  94  and a fixing portion  92  configured to be fixed to a board. The horizontal portion has a press-fitted portion  96  and a connection portion  98 . The press-fitted portion  96  is press-fitted into and fixed to the inner housing  100 . The connection portion  98  is configured to electrically connected with the mating contact  510  (see  FIG. 6 ) of the mating connector  50 . 
     The inner housing  100  comprises a main body  102  and a protrusive portion  104  protruding forward from an upper portion of a front surface of the main body  102 . The protrusive portion  104  is formed with grooves  106  configured to hold the horizontal portions of the contacts  90 , respectively. The number of the grooves  106  according to the present embodiment is four and is same as the number of the contacts  90 . 
     The inner shell  200  has a rectangular tube shape constituted by a front end  202 , a rear end  204 , an upper side portion  206  (connected portion), a side portion  208 , a side portion  210  and a bottom side portion  212 . The front end  202  is formed with an opening portion  220 . As shown in  FIG. 2 , the upper side portion  206  of the inner shell  200  is perpendicular to the Z-direction. The upper side portion  206  is provided with a connection portion  230 . 
     As shown in  FIGS. 2 and 3 , the connection portion  230  according to the present embodiment is formed by folding or bending a part of the inner shell  200  which includes the rear end  204 . In detail, the connection portion  230  comprises a rising portion  232 , a lid portion  234  and a spring portion  236 . The rising portion  232  extends upward from the upper side portion  206 . The lid portion  234  extends forward from an upper end of the rising portion  232 . The spring portion  236  extends rearward and upward from a front end of the lid portion  234 . 
     As understood from  FIGS. 2 and 4 , the lid portion  234  has a square shape. A size of the lid portion  234  is almost equal to a size of an opening portion  420  of the outer shell  400 . Therefore, when the lid portion  234  is arranged within the opening portion  420 , the lid portion  234  can close, at least in part, the opening portion  420 . The connection portion  230  is further provided with two brim portions  238 , which are positioned at opposite ends of the lid portion  234  in the Y-direction and extend from the lid portion  234  in the Y-direction. An upper surface of each brim portion  238  is lower than an upper surface of the lid portion  234 . As illustrated with dotted lines in  FIG. 4 , in the Y-direction, a total size of the lid portion  234  and the brim portions  238  is larger than the size of the opening portion  420  of the outer shell  400 . The brim portions  238  are positioned inside the outer shell  400  (under the upper side portion  410 ) when the lid portion  234  is arranged in the opening portion  420 . In other words, in a state shown in  FIG. 4 , the upper side portion  410  of the outer shell  400  overlaps the brim portions  238  in the Z-direction. The whole of the brim portions  238  are not visible from above the outer shell  400 . Namely, the outer shell  400  hides, at least in part, the brim portions  238 . With this structure, the connection portion  230  is prevented from moving upward of the upper side portion  410  in the Z-direction. Thus, the brim portions  238  serve as a stopper portion which prevents the connection portion  230  from being deformed or moving upwardly. In addition, undesired clearances between the lid portion  234  and inner side edges  424  of the opening portion  420  can be reduced. Therefore, a shield effect can be further improved. 
     The spring portion  236  according to the present embodiment is divided into two parts in the Y-direction. The spring portion  236  is configured to be brought into contact with the case so that the case is electrically and directly connected with the inner shell  200  through the connection portion  230 . The shapes or the number of the spring portions  236  may be changed in accordance with a required spring force or a shape of the case. 
     As shown in  FIG. 2 , the inner shell  200  has auxiliary connection portions  250  extending from rear ends of the side portions  208  and  210 , i.e. the rear end  204 . Each of the auxiliary connection portions  250  has an L-shape when seen along the Z-direction. The auxiliary connection portions  250  are connected with the outer shell  400  when the connector  10  is fabricated. As understood from  FIGS. 2 and 3 , the bottom side portion  212  is formed with fixing portions  260  extending downward. The fixing portions  260  are to be fixed to the board, or the like. 
     The outer housing  300  has a rectangular tube shape constituted by a front end  302 , a rear end  304 , a side portion  308 , a side portion  310 , an upper side portion  306  and a bottom side portion  312 . The front end  302  is formed with an opening portion  320 . As understood from  FIGS. 1 and 3 , the front end  302  of the outer housing  300  is positioned foremost of the connector  10 . In other words, the front end  302  of the outer housing  300  is the front end  11  of the connector  10 . The opening portion  320  of the outer housing  300  is an opening portion of the connector  10 . The rear end  304  of the outer housing  300  is formed with a recessed portion  322 . The recessed portion  322  is recessed forward. As shown in  FIG. 3 , when the inner shell  200  is attached to the outer housing  300 , the rising portion  232  of the connection portion  230  of the inner shell  200  is positioned in the recessed portion  322  of the outer housing  300 , and the lid portion  234  is positioned on the upper side portion  306  of the outer housing  300 . As shown in  FIGS. 2 and 3 , the outer housing  300  has four held portions  324  protruding downward. The held portions  324  are formed at front ends and rear ends of bottom parts of the side portions  308  and  310 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 3 , the outer housing  300  has an accommodation portion  330  for accommodating the mating connector  50  (see  FIG. 5 ). The outer housing  300  comprises a shell-accommodation portion  336  protruding forward from the innermost surface of the accommodation portion  330 . The inner shell  200  is inserted and accommodated in the shell-accommodation portion  336  through the rear end  12  of the connector  10 . As shown in  FIG. 8 , the innermost surface of the accommodation portion  330  according to the present embodiment serves as an inner portion  334  configured to be brought into contact with a front end  542  of the mating connector  50 . 
     With reference to  FIG. 2  and  FIG. 3 , a boundary  240  between the upper side portion  206  of the inner shell  200  and the connection portion  230  is positioned apart from and rearward of the front end  11  of the connector  10 . In other words, the boundary  240  is positioned closer to the rear end  12  than the front end  11  of the connector  10 . In the X-direction, a distance between the boundary  240  and the rear end  12  is shorter than another distance between the front end  11  and the rear end  12 . In detail, as shown in  FIG. 3 , the boundary  240  is positioned rearward of the front end  202  of the inner shell  200  and is positioned rearward of the inner portion  334 . In other words, the front end  11  of the connector  10  (i.e. the front end  302  of the outer housing  300 ), the front end  202  of the inner shell  200 , the inner portion  334  and the boundary  240 , or the rising portion  232 , are positioned in this order in the X-direction. 
     The outer shell  400  has a front end portion  402 , a rear side portion  404 , a side portion  406 , side portion  408  and an upper side portion  410 . Each of the side portions  406  and  408  has two holding portions  416 , which are positioned close to a front end and a rear end, respectively. The holding portions  416  extend downward of the side portions  406 ,  408  before the connector  10  is fabricated. When the outer shell  400  is attached to the outer housing  300 , the holding portions  416  are bend inward to engage with the held portions  324 , respectively. Thus, the outer shell  400  is fixed to the outer housing  300 . Each of the side portion  406 , the side portion  408  and the rear side portion  404  is formed with one or two fixing portions  412  which are configured to be fixed to the board, or the like. The fixing portions  412  extend downward. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the opening portion  420  is formed in the upper side portion  410  of the outer shell  400 . A recessed portion  422  is formed at a rear end of the opening portion  420  and is recessed rearward. As shown in  FIGS. 1 and 4 , the spring portion  236  of the connection portion  230  protrudes upward through the opening portion  420 . The spring portion  236  is brought into contact with the case so that the inner shell  200  is electrically connected with the case. According to the present embodiment, the reaction force of the spring portion  236  ensures the connection between the connection portion  230  and the case. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 5 and 6 , the mating connector  50  comprises mating contacts  510 , a mating inner housing  520 , a mating shell  530  and a mating outer housing  540 . The mating inner housing  520  holds the mating contacts  510 . The mating shell  530  is attached to the mating inner housing  520  to cover the mating inner housing  520 . The mating outer housing  540  covers the mating shell  530 . The mating contacts  510  are connected with conductive lines  552  of a cable  550 . As shown in FIG.  7 , the mating shell  530  according to the present embodiment surrounds the periphery (all side surfaces in parallel with the X-direction) of the mating inner housing  520 . 
     As understood from  FIGS. 1 to 3 , the connector  10  is fabricated by press-fitting the contacts  90  into the inner housing  100 , followed by inserting the inner housing  100  into the inner shell  200  through the rear end  204 , further followed by inserting the inner shell  200  into the outer housing  300  through the rear end  304 , still further followed by attaching the outer shell  400  to the outer housing  300 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 8 , the mating connector  50  is inserted into the connector  10  through the front end  11 . In the connection state, the mating shell  530  is accommodated in the opening portion  220  of the inner shell  200 . A front end  542  of the mating connector  50  is close to or brought into contact with the inner portion  334  of the outer housing  300 . The mating contacts  510  are electrically connected with the connection portions  98  of the contacts  90 . The mating shell  530  of the mating connector  50  is electrically connected with the inner shell  200 . As described above, the connection portion  230  of the inner shell  200  is directly and electrically connected with the case. Thus, the mating shell  530  is directly and electrically connected with the case. Namely, the present embodiment can ensure a ground path between the mating shell  530  and the case. 
     As explained above, according to the present embodiment, the boundary  240  between the connection portion  230  and the inner shell  200  is positioned rearward of the inner portion  334 . With this structure, the connector  10  can be connected (mated) with the mating connector  50  without mutual interference between the inner shell  200  (especially, the connection portion  230 ) and the mating connector  50 . Unlike the mating connector of Patent Document 2 (see  FIG. 12 ), the mating shell  530  is covered by the mating outer housing  540  but is not exposed so that the mating shell  530  is protected. Thus, flaws can be prevented from being made on a connection surface of the mating shell  530  and adherents can be prevented from being put thereon. Accordingly, a poor connection due to such flaws or adherents is prevented. 
     As shown in  FIG. 3 , the boundary  240  or the rising portion  232  according to the present embodiment is positioned rearward of the inner portion  334  in the X-direction. However, the position of the boundary  240  or the rising portion  232  and the position of the inner portion  334  may be same as each other. In other words, the rising portion  232  of the connection portion  230  may be used as the inner portion  334 . In the present embodiment, the boundary  240  is positioned rearward of the front end  11  of the connector  10  so that an overlapping portion or a mutual interference portion between the connection portion  230  and the mating connector  50  can be reduced in the X-direction. The mating shell  530  is, at least in part, surround by the mating outer housing  540  so that the mating shell  530  can be protected. In order to surround more extensively, it is preferable that the boundary  240  or the rising portion  232  is positioned rearward of the front end  202  or the opening portion  220  of the inner shell  200 , and it is more preferable that that the boundary  240  or the rising portion  232  is positioned rearward of the front end  542  the mating connector  50  in the connection state of the connector  10  and the mating connector  50 . Namely, it is most preferable that the boundary  240  or the rising portion  232  is positioned rearward of the inner portion  334  as the present embodiment shown in  FIG. 3 . According to the present embodiment, the mating connector  50  has flexibility on design of the front end  542  because the front end  542  does not interfere with the connection portion  230 . For example, that flexibility allows a well-known or existing mating connector to be used as the mating connector for the connector  10  of the present embodiment. 
     As shown in  FIG. 2 , the connection portion  230  according to the present embodiment is formed by folding forward a part of the inner shell  200  which bridges between the upper side portion  206  and the rear end  204 . The connection portion  230  may be formed by folding backward a front part of the upper side portion  206  which includes the front end  202 . However, the upper side portion  206  is formed with a recessed portion recessed rearward of the front end  202 . Therefore, the present embodiment shown in  FIG. 2  is preferable in aspects of strength and shield properties. 
     The connection portion  230  according to the present embodiment is formed on the upper side portion  206  of the inner shell  200 . The connection portion  230  may be formed on a surface intersecting (preferably, perpendicular to) a direction perpendicular to the X-direction: i.e. the side portion  208 , the side portion  210  or the bottom side portion  212 . In this connection, the recessed portion  322  of the outer housing  300  and the opening portion  420  of the outer shell  400  are formed in correspondence with the connection portion  230 . Furthermore, although the number of the connection portion  230  of the present embodiment is one, the inner shell  200  may be provided with a plurality of the connection portions  230 . 
     A connection member, e.g., a conductive spring or other conductive members, may be attached to the outer shell  400  or the case to electrically connect the outer shell  400  with the case so that the electrical connection resistance is lowered. The spring portion  236  of the inner shell  200  may be changed to another conductive member. 
     Second Embodiment 
     As understood from  FIGS. 1 ,  2 ,  9  and  10 , a connector  10 A according to a second embodiment of the present invention has a similar structure to the connector  10  according to the first embodiment, except for an inner shell  200 A and an outer shell  400 A. Common components between  FIG. 2  and  FIG. 10  are depicted with reference numerals same as each other; explanation thereabout will be omitted. Thus, the inner shell  200 A and the outer shell  400 A will be mainly explained hereinafter. 
     The upper side portion  206  of the inner shell  200 A is formed with a connection portion  230 A. The connection portion  230 A is formed by folding forward a part of the inner shell  200 A which bridges between the upper side portion  206  and the rear end  204 , so that the folded portion extends upward. The connection portion  230 A comprises the rising portion  232 , the lid portion  234  and a flange  270 . The rising portion  232  extends from the boundary  240  along the Z-direction. The lid portion  234  extends forward from the upper end of the rising portion  232 . The flange  270  extends upward from the front end of the lid portion  234 . 
     The flange  270  extends upward at an angle of 90 degrees with respect to the lid portion  234 . The flange  270  is formed with an attachment hole  272 . 
     The upper side portion  410  of the outer shell  400 A is formed with the opening portion  420 . The front end portion  426  of the opening portion  420  is formed with a flange  430  extending upward at an angle of 90 degrees with respect to the upper side portion  410 . The flange  430  is formed with an attachment hole  432 . As shown in  FIG. 9 , when the connector  10 A is fabricated, the flange  270  of the inner shell  200 A and the flange  430  of the outer shell  400 A overlap each other in the X-direction while the attachment hole  272  of the flange  270  and the attachment hole  432  of the flange  430  are aligned. The flanges  270  and  430  of the connector  10 A are screwed on the case. 
     The present application is based on a Japanese patent application of JP2012-203213 filed before the Japan Patent Office on Sep. 14, 2012, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. 
     While there has been described what is believed to be the preferred embodiment of the invention, those skilled in the art will recognize that other and further modifications may be made thereto without departing from the spirit of the invention, and it is intended to claim all such embodiments that fall within the true scope of the invention.