Patent Publication Number: US-6220900-B1

Title: Low profile electrical connector assembly with low insertion force

Description:
(This application is a continuation in part of U.S. patent application entitled “ULTRA LOW PROFILE ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR ASSEMBLY” with a Ser. No. 09/427,828, filed on Oct. 27, 1999) 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to an electrical connector assembly, and more particularly to an ultra low profile electrical connector assembly for mating with an external electrical connector. 
     2. Description of the Prior Art U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,497,526, 4,647,136, 4,703,991, 4,786,259, 4,878,848, 4,878,858, 4,915,655, 5,035,641, 5,118,312, 5,378,172 and 5,702,271 indicate a prior low profile RJ connectors which extends beyond a notch of a circuit board in a half-height thereof, or/and is diminished in the thickness of a wall of a plastic housing to form a cutout where a latch of a mating plug extends through. However, the lowered-profiles of these connectors are insufficient in applying with a thinner electrical device like a PCMCIA card for computer. 
     U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,183,404, 5,336,099, 5,338,210, 5,411,405 and 5,547,401 disclose another type low profile RJ connector perpendicularly attached into the PCMCIA card. However, the vertical insertion of the RJ plug inside the RJ connector causes a protruded outgrowth of the entire assembled PCMCIA card. 
     U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,248,267, 5,562,504, 5,660,568, 5,773,332 and 5,938,480 disclose another low profile RJ connector which horizontally receives a mating RJ plug therein. The lowered profile of the RJ connector is still insufficient and lacks an EMI protection. 
     U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/404,441 filed on Sep. 22, 1999 by the same inventor and assignee as the instant application, discloses that an upper and lower metallic shells are integrally molded with an upper and lower plastic covers of a connector wherein at least a portion of one of the upper and lower shells protruding over the corresponding cover. U.S. patent application entitled “ULTRA LOW PROFILE ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR ASSEMBLY” with a Ser. No. 09/427,828 filed on Oct. 27, 1999, is a continuation-in-part of the U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/404,441, which adopts the similar principle to lower the profile/height of an entire connector like a RJ series connector. The instant application is a co-pending application with the U.S. patent application entitled “ULTRA LOW PROFILE ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR ASSEMBLY”. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     An objective of this invention is to provide a low profile electrical connector assembly with a plurality of pre-loaded contacts thereby lowering the insertion force of a mating connector acted on the contacts of the connector assembly. 
     Another objective of this invention is to provide the low profile electrical connector assembly with a slant formed inside an insulative housing to angularly bias the insertion of the mating electrical connector into the housing on stages thereby avoiding the direct impact of the mating connector on the contacts of the connector assembly. 
     In order to achieve the object set forth, a lower profile electrical connector assembly in accordance a preferred embodiment of the present invention for electrical connection with an mating plug connector includes a conductive shell, an insulative housing and a plurality of contacts fixedly received inside a contact spacer. The shell is made of a metal sheet to include a planar portion and two opposed and spaced extensions. The housing is integrally and directly molded to the shell wherein the extensions of the shell are respectively enclosed inside several vertical walls formed with the housing, and a horizontal wall integrally formed perpendicular to the vertical walls is spaced opposite to the planar portion of the shell. A receiving space is defined with the vertical and horizontal walls of the housing. A holder section located on each vertical wall of the housing far away the horizontal wall. Therefore, the profile of the entire connector assembly is reduced more than those of the prior arts. 
     The electrical connector assembly is equipped with the contact spacer thereby pre-loading the contacts thereby lowering the insertion force of a mating connector acted on the contacts. Also, a slant formed inside the receiving spacer of the housing is capable to angularly bias the insertion of the mating electrical connector into the housing on stages to avoid the direct impact of the mating connector on the contacts for lowering the insertion force more. 
     These and additional objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will become apparent after reading the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments of the invention taken in conjunction with the appended drawings. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of a low profile electrical connector assembly in accordance with the present invention; 
     FIG. 2 is a perspective view of one of plenty of contacts used in the electrical connector assembly shown in FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 3 a perspective view of a contact spacer molded with the contacts of FIG. 2; 
     FIG. 4 is a rear perspective view of an insulative housing used in the electrical connector assembly of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 5 is an exploded view of the electrical connector assembly of FIG. 1 showing the housing and the contact spacers; 
     FIG.  6 . is a rear perspective view of the electrical connector assembly showing the assembly of the housing and the contact spacers of FIG. 5; 
     FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the electrical connector assembly of FIG. 1 mated with a plurality of mating connectors; 
     FIGS. 8-12 are cross-sectional views of the electrical connector assembly of FIG. 1 showing the successive steps of inserting the mating connector into the connector assembly; and 
     FIG. 13 is a perspective view of a shell used in the electrical connector assembly of FIG.  1 . 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Detailed reference will now be made to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
     Referring to a preferred embodiment in accordance with the present invention shown in FIG. 1, a low profile electrical connector assembly  10  consists of two different type connectors  12 ,  13  like a RJ11 and RJ45 connectors for respective electrical connection of a mating plug connector  50  having a latch  52  thereof and contacts  54  therein (See FIG. 7) with a circuit board  20  (See FIG. 8) having plenty of conductive traces  21  formed on at least one of opposed surfaces thereof. The electrical connector assembly  10  further includes a conductive shell  100 , an insulative housing  200  and a plurality of contacts  300 . 
     As shown in FIG. 13, the conductive shell  100  made of a thin metal sheet for electrically shielding the insulative housing  200 , integrally forms a planar portion  102 , and two opposed and spaced extensions  104  integrally connected with opposed edges of the planar portion  102  and vertically extending outward. A tab  106  horizontally and outwardly extends from an edge of each of the extensions  104  for mounting the connector assembly  10  on the circuit board. A plurality of through hole  1022  and caves  1024  are defined around the conductive shell  100  thereby permitting the influx of a few molding materials shaping the housing  200  by an insert-molding process for the combination of the shell  100  with the housing  200  as the result shown in FIG.  1 . The other detail with respect to the insert-molding process between the housing  200  and the shell  100  has been described in U.S. patent application entitled “ULTRA LOW PROFILE ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR ASSEMBLY”, and thus is not repeated herein. 
     The molded housing  200  as shown in FIGS. 1,  4  &amp;  8  integrally forms a horizontal wall  205  defined with an innermost surface and an outermost surface opposite to the innermost surface. A plurality of lateral vertical walls  201 - 203  and a rear vertical wall  204  positioned normally of the horizontal wall  205 . A receiving space  207  for receiving the mating plug connector  50  therein is defined among each two of the opposite vertical walls  201 - 203  and the horizontal wall  205  of the housing  200 . A platform portion  2012  is laterally and horizontally formed with a remote end of each of the vertical walls  201 - 203  wherein the platform portions  2012  of each two of the opposed vertical walls  201 - 203  are fully separated apart from each other by a slot  209 . Further, a holder section  2014  laterally and horizontally extends from each platform portion  2012  of the vertical walls  201 - 203  to enter the slot  209  for locking with the latch  52  of the mating plug connector  50 . A cutout  2016  thinner than the slot  209  is defined between the two adjacent holder sections  2014 , where the latch  52  of the mating plug connector  50  passes through the shell  100  after being inserted into the receiving space  207  of the housing  200  as shown in FIG.  12 . 
     A notch  2076  as shown in FIG. 4 for each of the connectors  12 ,  13  is defined on an jointing region of the horizontal wall  205  with the rear vertical wall  204 , and is mutually communicated with the receiving space  207 . A plurality of first recesses  2078  are downward defined on the vertical wall  204  at a position next to each notch  2076 . A pair of grooves  2080  are respectively and oppositely defined on each two of the opposite vertical walls  201 - 203  wherein a bar  2082  forms adjacent to an entrance of each groove  2080 . A slant  2072  as shown in FIGS. 1 &amp; 8 in relation to each notch  2076  is transversely formed on the innermost surface of the horizontal wall  205  of the housing  200  and protrudes toward the receiving space  209  at a first angle A 1  with regard to the horizontal wall  205 . A plurality of outlets  2074  are defined through each slant  2072  of the horizontal wall  205  in alignment with the first recesses  2074  of the vertical wall  204 . Optionally, the housing  200  can be disposed in front of an edge of the circuit board  20  so that only less than a total height of the housing is located over one of opposed surfaces of the circuit board  20  as shown in FIG.  8 . 
     The contacts  300  as shown in FIG. 2 are fabricated from a conductive metal. Each of the contacts  300  forms a base section  301  divided into a front base section  3011  and a rear base section  3012  by an offset  3012  therebetween. A bight section  3016  is reversedly and angularly extended from the front base section  3011 . An engaging section  3018  is outwardly extended from the bight section  3016  for electrical engagement with the mating plug connector  50 . A tail section  3014  with a distal end is integrally connected with the rear base section  3013 . The offset  3012  is designated to constitute the difference in levels between the front and rear base sections  3011 ,  3013 . Therefore, the front base section  3011  is angulated with regard to the corresponding engaging section  3018  via the bight section  3016  to provide the engaging section  3018  with sufficient elasticity as soon as depressingly contacting with the mating connector  50 . 
     Referring to FIGS. 3 &amp; 8, an insulative contact spacer  400  is molded with the contacts  300  of each of the connectors  12 ,  13 . Meanwhile, (the base sections  301  of the contacts  300  are fully enclosed inside a horizontal portion  402  of the contact spacer  400 .) The front base section  3011  of each of the contacts  300  is biased toward an outermost surface of the horizontal portion of  402  of the contact spacer  400 . The tail sections  3014  of the contacts  300  perpendicularly extend out of a vertical portion  404  of the contact spacer  400  to reach the corresponding conductive trance  21  of the circuit board  20  as shown in FIG. 8. A plurality of third recesses  4042  are defined on a vertical portion  404  of each contact spacer  400  in alignment with the first recesses  2078  of the housing for reception of the distal ends of the deflected engaging sections  3018  of the contacts  300 . A pair of ears  4044  are formed on opposite sides of the vertical portion  404 . A pair of lateral wedges  4022  are respectively formed at opposite sides of the contact spacer  402  at a position aligned with the corresponding ear  4044 . 
     In the process of molding the contact spacer  400  with the corresponding contact  300  as shown in FIG. 8, the bight sections  3016  of the contacts  300  are exposed out of a front wedge  4024  formed on the contact spacer  400 . The offset  3012  of each of the contacts  300  can efficiently secure the entire base section  301  inside the horizontal portion  402  of the contact spacer  400  and simultaneously form a second angle A 2  of the engaging section  3018  of each of the contacts  300  with regard to the horizontal portion  402 , which provides the contacts  300  with sufficient resiliency. 
     In assembling each contact spacer  400  within the corresponding notches  2076  of the housing  200  as illustrated in FIG. 5, the wedges  4022  and the ears  4044  of each of contact spacers  400  slide within the grooves  2080  of the housing  200 . Then, the ears  4044  are snapped with the bars  2082  next to an entrance of each groove  2080  as shown in FIG.  6 . Thus, the vertical portion  404  of the contact spacer  400  is aligned with the vertical wall  204  of the housing  200 , and the horizontal portion  402  of the contact spacer  400  is aligned and coplanar with the horizontal wall  205  of the housing  200 . Also, the bight section  3016  of each of the contacts  300  exposed outside the contact spacer  400  is received within the corresponding outlet  2074  of the horizontal wall  205  of the housing  200  to permit that the engaging section  3018  of the contact  300  extends toward the receiving space  207  of the housing  200 . Meanwhile, the distal ends of the engaging sections  3018  of the contacts  300  extends through the receiving space  207  and the first recesses  2078  of the housing  200 , and are therefore resiliently deflected by the rear vertical wall  204  of the housing  200 . The deflection of the engaging sections  3018  toward the horizontal wall  205  of the housing  200  are capable to reduce the insertion force of the mating plug connector  50  acted on the engaging sections  3018  of the contacts  300  as pre-loaded. The result is shown in FIG.  8 . 
     It is noted in FIG. 8 that the first angle A 1  of the slant  2072  on the horizontal portion  205  of the housing  200  is designated to be substantially identical with or more than the second angle A 2  of the engaging section  3018  of the corresponding contact 300 . Optionally, an jointing point of the engaging section  3018  with the bight section  301  of each of the contacts  300  either overlaps with the innermost surface of the horizontal wall  205  of the housing  200 , or located between the innermost and outermost surfaces of the horizontal wall  205  of the housing  200 . 
     Several successive steps of inserting a mating plug connector  50  having a latch  52  into one of the corresponding electrical connectors  12 ,  13  are illustrated in FIGS. 8-12. In the first step as shown in FIG. 9, the mating plug connector  50  is horizontally moved to reach a first position in front of the slant  2072  of the horizontal wall  205  of the housing. 
     In the second step as shown in FIG. 10, the mating plug connector  50  is upward biased and angularly moved far away from a horizontal wall  205  of the housing  200  by means of shifting of the slant  2072  formed on the horizontal wall  205 . During the second step, although the mating plug connector  50  starts depressingly engaging with the engaging sections  3018  of the contacts, the upward bias of the mating plug connector  50  can efficiently reduce the insertion force of directly impacting the engaging sections  3018  of the contacts  300 , horizontally. Also, as mentioned in FIG. 8, the first angle A 1  of the slant  2072  is substantially identical with or more than the second angle A 2  of the engaging sections  3018  of the contacts  300 , and the jointing point of the engaging section  3018  with the bight section  301  of each of the contacts  300  either overlaps with the innermost surface of the horizontal wall  205  of the housing  200 , or located between the innermost and outermost surfaces of the horizontal wall  205  of the housing  200 . Thus, the insertion force of the mating connector  50  can be lowered more. The final of the second step is that the mating plug connector  50  is moved to reach the second position where the connector  50  abuts against the shell  100  as shown in FIG.  11 . 
     It is noted that the holder sections  2014  of the housing  200  can resiliently compress the latch  52  of the mating plug connector  50  toward the horizontal wall  205  thereby facilitating the upward bias of the mating plug connector  50  as a rotation upon the slant  2072  of the housing  200 . 
     In the third step as shown in FIG. 11, the mating plug connector  50  is reversedly biased and deeply deflect the engaging sections  3018  of the contacts  300  toward the horizontal wall  205  by means of the shell  100  for efficiently electrical engagement of the contacts  54  with the engaging sections  3018 . As long as the mating connector  50  reach the third position to exactly engage with the contacts  3018 , the latch  52  of the mating connector  50  passes across the holder sections  2014  of the housing  200  and is incompletely released within the slot  209  but efficiently oppositely locks with the holder section  2014  of the housing  200  as shown in FIGS. 7 &amp; 12, wherein the latch  52  is somewhat depressed to provide a reaction force for urging the contact  54  to reliably engage the corresponding engaging section  3018 .of the corresponding contact  300 . 
     While the present invention has been described with reference to specific embodiment, the description is illustrative of the invention and is not to be construed as limiting the invention. Various modifications to the present invention can be made to the preferred embodiment by those skilled in the art without departing from the true spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.