Patent Publication Number: US-9431734-B2

Title: Receptacle connector connected to a printed circuit board

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates generally to a receptacle connector, and more particularly to a receptacle connector having a neat appearance for successfully being connected to a printed circuit board. 
     2. Description of Related Arts 
     Taiwan Utility Pat. No. M429211 issued to Cheng Uei on 2012 May 11 discloses a receptacle connector comprising an insulative housing, a plurality of contacts retained in the insulative housing, a metal shield covering the insulative housing for defining a space to receive a mating plug connector, and an insulative cover molded outside of the metal shield. The insulative housing has a base portion and a tongue portion extending forwardly from the base portion. The contacts have a plurality of contacting portions for connecting with the plug connector, a plurality of soldering portions for soldering on a printed circuit board, and a plurality of connection portions connecting between the soldering portions and the contacting portions. The metal shield comprises a case portion surrounding the insulative housing and a pair of rear board-locking portions extending laterally, rearwardly from the case portion for mounting on a printed circuit board. However, insluative material properly flows along the rear board-locking portions towards the printed circuit board during a molding process of the insulative cover. Therefore, the insulative cover has rough edges to damage to a neat appearance which does not meet requirement of customers. Furthermore, the redundant insluative material on the rear board-locking portions obstacles the rear board-locking portions from securing on the printed circuit board. 
     A receptacle connector having a neat appearance for successfully being connected to a printed circuit board is desired. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a receptacle connector having a neat appearance for successfully being connected to a printed circuit board. 
     To achieve the above object, a receptacle connector includes an insulative housing, a number of contacts retained in the insulative housing, a metal shield covering the insulative housing, a metal plate assembled to the metal shield along a vertical direction perpendicular to the mating direction, and an insulative cover fully molded over the metal shield and partly molded over the metal plate. The metal plate defines a pair of closed slits behind a rear face of the insulative housing. The insulative cover terminates at the closed slits in a mating direction along which a mating plug connector is inserted. 
     Other objects, advantages and novel features of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective, assembled view of a receptacle connector on a printed circuit board constructed in accordance with the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is similar to  FIG. 1 , but taken from a different view; 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective, assembled view of the receptacle connector of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 4  is a perspective, partly exploded view of the receptacle connector; 
         FIG. 5  is a perspective, further exploded view of the receptacle connector with respect to  FIG. 4 ; 
         FIG. 6  is a a perspective, fully exploded view of the receptacle connector; and 
         FIG. 7  is similar to  FIG. 6 , but taken from a different view. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Reference will now be made in detail to the preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1-7 , a receptacle connector  100  of the present invention used for receiving a mating plug connector (not shown) along a mating direction, comprises an insulative housing  1 , a plurality of contacts  2  retained in the insulative housing  1 , a metal shield  3  covering the insulative housing  1  to form a mating port for defining a space  30  to receive the mating plug connector, a metal plate  4  assembled to the metal shield  3  along a vertical direction perpendicular to the mating direction, and an insulative cover  5  molded over the metal shield  3  and the metal plate  4 . 
     Referring to  FIGS. 6 and 7 , the insulative housing  1  comprises a base portion  11  and a tongue portion  12  extending forwardly from the base portion  11 . The base portion  11  defines a plurality of cutouts  111  from an upper face and a lower face thereof. The mating port comprises the space  30  and the tongue portion  12 . 
     Referring to  FIGS. 6 and 7 , the contacts  2  are insert-molded in the insulative housing  1 . The contacts  2  comprise a plurality of retaining portions (not shown) retained in the base portion  11  of the insulative housing  1 , a plurality of contacting portions  22  extending forwardly from the retaining portions and beyond the tongue portion  12 , and a plurality of rear portions  23  extending rearwardly from the retaining portion and outside of the insulative housing  1  for soldering on a printed circuit board (not shown). 
     Referring to  FIGS. 6 and 7 , the metal shield  3  is a case portion assembled on the insulative housing  1 . The metal shield  3  comprises a plurality of protrusions  31  received in the cutouts  111  for securing the metal shield  3  with the insulative housing  1 . The metal shield  3  defines a pair of heaves  32  protruding from a top face of the metal shield  3 . The heaves  32  are secured with corresponding portions of the plug connector when the plug connector is inserted in the space  30 . The heaves  32  are higher than the top face of the metal shield  3  for facilitating molding of the insulative cover  5 . The metal shield  3  forms a plurality of posts  33  on the top face thereof for securing with the metal plate  4 . 
     Referring to  FIGS. 3-7 , the metal plate  4  comprises a main portion  41  and a pair of board-locking portions  42  extending laterally and rearwardly from the main portion  41 . The main portion  41  defines a pair of openings  413  receiving the heaves  32  for preliminarily orienting the metal plate  4  on the metal shield  3 . The main portion  41  further defines a plurality of apertures  411  corresponding receiving the posts  33  for firmly securing the metal plate  4  on the metal shield  3 . The metal plate  4  defines a pair of closed slits  412  behind a rear face of the insulative housing  1 . The closed slits  412  extend from the main portion  41  to the corresponding board-locking portions  42  along a transverse direction perpendicular to both the mating direction and the vertical direction. Each slit  412  is used for receiving a mould when molding of the insulative cover  5 . The moulds are received in the closed slits  412  for preventing redundant insluative material from flowing on the board-locking portions  42 . Therefore, the insulative cover  5  does not have rough edges, i.e., the insulative cover  5  has a neat appearance facilitating soldering the board-locking portions  42  of the metal plate  4  on the printed circuit board. Each board-locking portion  42  comprises a horizontal portion  422  positioned at a middle level of the metal shield  3  and a vertical portion  421  bent vertically from edges of the horizontal portion  422 . Therefore, the receptacle connector  100  sinks below the printed circuit board for saving space above the printed circuit board. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1-7 , the insulative cover  5  is fully molded over the metal shield  3  and partly molded over the metal plate  4 . The insulative cover  5  defines a plurality of notches  51  on both an upper surface and a rear surface thereof. The notches  51  are formed by withdrawing a clamping tool (not shown) which orients the insulative housing  1 , the metal shield  3 , and the metal plate  4 . After molding of the insulative cover  1 , the notches  51  are filled with glue material for waterproof purpose. The main portion  41  of the metal plate  4  is retained in the insulative cover  5 . The board-locking portions  42  and the closed slits  412  are exposed out of the insulative cover  5 . Namely, the insulative cover  5  terminates at the closed slits  412  along the mating direction. 
     While a preferred embodiment in accordance with the present invention has been shown and described, equivalent modifications and changes known to persons skilled in the art according to the spirit of the present invention are considered within the scope of the present invention as described in the appended claims.