Patent Publication Number: US-8529296-B2

Title: Connector

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims priority of Taiwan Patent Application No. 098138389, filed on Nov. 12, 2009, the entirety of which is incorporated by reference herein. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     This application relates in general to a connector having a filtering element which is easy to assembly and improves product reliability. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     Conventional RJ45 connectors may be adversely influenced by noise generated from external power sources through cables. Filter circuits are usually provided to suppress the noise. Traditional filter circuits may comprise a plurality of coils connected to a circuit board by soldering. As shown in  FIG. 1 , a plurality of terminals  12  are disposed in front of a base  11  for electrical connection to an external plug. A plurality of coils  13  are disposed on a circuit board  14 , wherein enameled wires  131  of the coils  13  are electrically connected to the circuit board  14  by soldering. However, the enameled wires  131  may be broken or shorted during the soldering process. Additionally, since the soldering process of the enameled wires  131  is complex, assembly time of the connector may be adversely increased. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF INVENTION 
     An object of the application is to provide a connector having a filtering element which is easy to assembly and improves product reliability. The connector includes a housing, a base, a circuit board, a receptacle, a plurality of first terminals, and a filtering element. The base is disposed in the housing and has a recess. The circuit board is disposed at a rear side of the base. The circuit board covers the recess of the base to form an accommodating space. The receptacle is formed in the housing to receive an external plug. A plurality of first terminals are disposed on the base to electrically connect to the external plug. The filtering element is disposed in the accommodating space and is electrically connected to the circuit board. 
     The base includes a first plate, a second plate, and a connection portion connecting the first plate with the second plate. The first and second plates are substantially parallel to each other and perpendicular to the connection portion. 
     The first plate has a plurality of first slots for receiving a plurality of first terminals. The first terminal has a deflecting portion and a bending portion. The deflecting portion is deflected laterally and the bending portion is bent downwardly. The first plate forms a plurality of first slots disposed corresponding to the first terminals. The first slot has a deflecting section with the deflecting portion of the first terminal engaged therein. Additionally, the first terminal further has a nub to securely engage the first terminal in the first slot. 
     The first plate is disposed above the receptacle. An end of the first terminal is connected to the circuit board, and the other end of the first terminal is bent downwardly to electrically connect with the external plug through the receptacle. The recess is formed by the connection portion and the first and second plates. Specifically, the recess forms two slopes, respectively located between the first plate and the connection portion and between the second plate and the connection portion. 
     The connector further includes a plurality of second terminals electrically connected to the first terminals via the circuit board. The base has a plurality of second slots for receiving the second terminals. The second terminal has a hook portion hooked onto the second plate and connected to the circuit board via an end thereof. The circuit board includes a plurality of holes for fixing ends of the hook portions. 
     The connection portion has a plurality of slits disposed corresponding to the second slots. The hook portion of the second terminal is disposed through the slit during assembly to securely hook onto the second plate. 
     The filtering element includes a main body and a plurality of leads electrically connected to the circuit board. An inner surface of the recess is configured to correspond to the shape of the main body of the filtering element, wherein the slopes of the recess are configured corresponding to the slopes of the main body. The main body includes a plurality of coils electrically connected to the leads. The main body of the filtering element may be formed by injection molding with the coils embedded therein. The leads may be integrated with a lead frame. The circuit board includes a plurality of holes for fixing the leads of the filtering element or the first terminals. An embodiment of the filtering element may be a transformer. 
     The connector may further include at least an indicator, a metal shield, an insulator, and at least an electronic component. The indicator is disposed on a bottom side of the housing, and the metal shield covers the housing. The insulator is disposed at a rear side of the circuit board, opposite to the filtering element. The electronic component is disposed on the circuit board and located between the insulator and the circuit board. 
     The application further provides a connector comprising a housing, a base, a circuit board, a receptacle, a plurality of first terminals, and a filtering element. The base is disposed in the housing and includes a plurality of protrusions. The circuit board is horizontally disposed on the base and contacts the protrusions. The protrusions abut against the circuit board to form a space between the base and the circuit board. The receptacle is formed on the housing to receive an external plug. The first terminals are disposed on the base to electrically connect to the external plug via the receptacle. The filtering element is disposed on the circuit board and is electrically connected to the circuit board. 
     The base includes a first plate and a second plate, both of which are connected to each other in parallel, wherein the first plate is disposed below the receptacle. The first plate has a plurality of first slots for receiving the first terminals. The first terminal has a first bending portion bent upwardly to electrically connect to the external plug via the receptacle. The first terminal further has a second bending portion. The second bending portion is bent upwardly and extended through a through hole between the first plate and the second plate. Additionally, an end of the second bending portion protrudes upon the second plate and electrically connects to the circuit board. An embodiment of the connector further includes at least a block to fix the indicator to the housing. 
     The base further includes at least one positioning member. The circuit board has at least one positioning hole disposed corresponding to the positioning member. 
     The connector may further include a plurality of second terminals electrically connected to the first terminals via the circuit board. The second terminal has a transition portion which is bent upwardly and extended through the base. Specifically, the second terminals include a plurality of first and second leads, wherein the transition portions of the second leads are shorter than those of the first leads. The base includes a plurality of second slots for receiving the transition portions of the second terminals. The base further includes a plurality of openings disposed corresponding to the holes of the circuit board. The second terminals pass through the openings of the base and are fixed in the holes of the circuit board. 
     The connector may further include at least an indicator, a metal shield, and at least an electronic component. The indicator may be fixed to a top side of the housing by at least a block. The metal shield encompasses the housing, and the electronic component is disposed on a side of the circuit board, opposite to the filtering element, between the base and the circuit board. The base is substantially made of insulating material. In some embodiments, the base may be formed as a monolithic piece or assembled by several individual parts. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
       The invention can be more fully understood by reading the subsequent detailed description and examples with references made to the accompanying drawings, wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective diagram of a conventional connector with filter circuits; 
         FIG. 2  is an exploded diagram of a connector according to an embodiment of the invention; 
         FIG. 3A  is a perspective diagram showing a plurality of coils electrically connected to a plurality of leads according to an embodiment of the invention; 
         FIG. 3B  is a perspective diagram of a filtering element according to an embodiment of the invention; 
         FIG. 3C  is a perspective diagram of a filtering element connected to a circuit board according to an embodiment of the invention; 
         FIG. 3D  is a perspective diagram showing a plurality of first and second terminals disposed on a base according to an embodiment of the invention; 
         FIG. 3E  is a perspective diagram of a filtering element received in an accommodating space of a base according to another embodiment of the invention; 
         FIG. 4  is an exploded diagram of a connector according to another embodiment of the invention; 
         FIG. 5A  is a perspective diagram of the filtering element in  FIG. 4 ; 
         FIG. 5B  is a perspective diagram of the filtering element of  FIG. 5A  connected to a circuit board according to an embodiment of the invention; 
         FIG. 5C  is a perspective diagram showing a plurality of first and second terminals disposed on a base according to an embodiment of the invention; and 
         FIG. 5D  is a perspective diagram of a filtering element connected to a base according to another embodiment of the invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF INVENTION 
     Referring to FIGS.  2  and  3 A- 3 D, the connector includes a housing  25 , a base  23 , a circuit board  22 , a receptacle I 1 , a plurality of first terminals  241 , a plurality of second terminals  242 , a filtering element  21 , at least an indicator  27 , a metal shield  26 , and an insulator  28  according to an embodiment of the present invention. The base  23  is disposed in the housing  25 . The receptacle I 1  is formed in the housing  25  to receive an external plug. The filtering element  21  is disposed in an accommodating space between the circuit board  22  and the base  23  and is electrically connected to the circuit board  22 . 
     The base  23  includes a first plate  231 , a second plate  232 , and a connection portion  233  connecting the first plate  231  with the second plate  232 , as shown in  FIG. 3D . In this embodiment, the first and second plates  231  and  232  are substantially parallel to each other and perpendicular to the connection portion  233 . Specifically, the first plate  231  has a plurality of first slots  2311  for receiving the first terminals  241 , and the second plate  232  has a plurality of second slots  2321  for receiving the second terminals  242 . Referring to  FIG. 3D , the first plate  231 , the second plate  232 , and the connection portion  233  of the base  23  define a recess  234 . The circuit board  22  is disposed at a rear side of the base  23  and covers the recess  234  to form an accommodating space S 1  to receive the filtering element  21  as shown in  FIG. 3E . In  FIGS. 3B ,  3 D and  3 E, the inner surface of the recess  234  is configured to correspond to a main body  211  of the filtering element  21  ( FIG. 3B ). Referring to  FIG. 3D , the recess  234  forms two slopes C 1 , respectively located between the first plate  231  and the connection portion  233  and between the second plate  232  and the connection portion  233 , wherein the slopes C 1  of the recess  234  corresponds to the slopes C 2  of the main body  211  as shown in  FIG. 3B . The first and second terminals  241  and  242  are fixed in the holes  221  of the circuit board  22  and are electrically connected to each other via the circuit board  22  as shown in  FIG. 3C . 
     As shown in  FIG. 2 , the first terminals  241  are disposed on the base  23  and electrically connected to an external plug. The first terminal  241  has a deflecting portion  2411  deflected laterally and a bending portion  2412  bent downwardly. The first plate  231  forms a plurality of first slots  2311  corresponding to the first terminal  241 . The first slot  2311  has a deflecting section  23111  for allowing the deflecting portion  2411  of the first terminal  241  to be engaged therein. Additionally, the first terminal  241  further has a nub  2413  to securely engage the first terminal  241  in the first slot  2311 . In this embodiment, the first plate  231  is disposed on a top side of the receptacle I 1 . An end of the first terminal  241  is connected to the circuit board  22 , and the other end of the first terminal  241  is bent downwardly to electrically connect with the external plug through the receptacle I 1 . 
     The second terminal  242  has a hook portion  2421  hooked onto the second plate  232  and connected to the circuit board  22  via an end thereof. During the assembling process, the hook portion  2421  is fixed in a hole  221  of the circuit board  22 . The connection portion  233  has a plurality of slits  2331  corresponding to the second slots  2321 . The hook portion  2421  of the second terminal  242  is extended through the slit  2331  during the assembling process to securely hook portion  2421  onto the second plate  232 . 
     The indicator  27  is disposed on a bottom side of the housing  25 , and the metal shield  26  encompasses the housing  25 . The insulator  28  is disposed on a rear side of the circuit board  22  opposite to the filtering element  21 , wherein the insulator  28  is located between the circuit board  22  and the metal shield  26 . The connector can be an RJ11, RJ45, or USB connector, the filtering element can be a transformer, and the base  23  includes insulating material. In some embodiments, the base can be formed as a monolithic piece or assembled by several individual parts. 
     In this embodiment, the filtering element  21  includes a plurality of coils  213  electrically connected to a plurality of leads  212 , as shown in  FIGS. 3A and 3B . The leads  212  can be integrated with a lead frame, and the main body  211  of the filtering element  21  can be formed by injection molding with the coils  213  embedded therein. The leads  212  are fixed into the holes  221  of the circuit board  22 , as shown in  FIG. 3C , to connect the filtering element  21  with the circuit board  22 . Specifically, at least an electronic component  222  is disposed on a side of the circuit board  22 , opposite to the filtering element  21 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 4  showing another embodiment of the present invention, the connector includes a housing  45 , a base  43 , a circuit board  42 , a receptacle  12 , a plurality of first terminals  441 , a plurality of second terminals  442 , a filtering element  41 , at least an indicator  47 , and a metal shield  46 . The base  43  is disposed in the housing  45  and includes a plurality of protrusions  4322 . The circuit board  42  is disposed above the base  43  and contacts the protrusions  4322  of the base  43 . As shown in  FIG. 5D , a space S 2  is formed between the base  43  and the circuit board  42 . The receptacle  12  is formed on the housing  45  to receive an external plug  49 . The first terminals  441  are disposed on the base  43  to electrically connect to the external plug  49  via the receptacle  12 . The filtering element  41  is disposed on the circuit board  42  and is electrically connected to the circuit board  42 . The indicator  47  is disposed on a top side of the housing  45 . In this embodiment, at least a block  48  is provided to fix the indicator  47  to the housing  45 , and the housing  45  is encompassed by the metal shield  46 . In some embodiments, the base  23  includes insulating materials and can be formed as a monolithic piece or assembled by several individual parts. 
     The filtering element  41  includes a main body  411  and a plurality of leads  412 , as shown in  FIGS. 5A-5D . The base  43  includes a first plate  431  and a second plate  432 , both of which are connected to each other in parallel. In this embodiment, the first plate  431  has a plurality of first slots  4311  for receiving the first terminals  441 . The first terminal  441  has a first bending portion  4411  bent upwardly and oriented toward the receptacle  12  to electrically connect to the external plug  49  via the receptacle  12 . Additionally, the first terminal  441  further has a second bending portion  4412 , and the first and second plates  431  and  432  form at least a through hole H, as shown in  FIG. 5C . The second bending portion  4412  is bent upwardly from the bottom to the upper surface of the first plate  431  and extended through the through hole H; whereby an end of the second bending portion  4412  protrudes upon the second plate  432  and electrically connects to the circuit board  42 . In this embodiment, the first and second terminals  441  and  442  are electrically connected via the circuit board  42 . As shown in  FIG. 4 , the second terminals  442  are disposed through the base  43  and have a transition portion  4423 . Specifically, the second terminals  442  include a plurality of first and second leads  4421  and  4422 , wherein the transition portions  4423  of the second leads  4422  are shorter than those of the first leads  4421 . Referring to  FIG. 5C , the base  43  includes a plurality of second slots  4321  for receiving the transition portions  4423  of the second terminals  442 . The base  43  further includes a plurality of openings  4323  corresponding to the holes  422  of the circuit board  42  as shown in  FIG. 4 . The second terminals  442  pass through the openings  4323  of the base  43  and are fixed in the holes  422  of the circuit board  42 . 
     The connector further includes an electronic component  423  disposed on a side of the circuit board  42 , opposite to the filtering element  41  and located in the space S 2  between the circuit board  42  and the base  43 , as shown in  FIG. 5D . Furthermore, the base  43  includes at least a positioning member  4312 , and the circuit board has at least a positioning hole  421  corresponding to the positioning member  4312 . 
     The present application provides a connector, such as an RJ11, RJ45 or USB connector, including a filtering element with a plurality of coils embedded in a main body by injection molding. The leads of the coils are connected to a circuit board so as to prevent breaking or shortages of the enameled wires during the soldering process. The assembling process and time of the connector of the present invention is respectively simplified and shortened. 
     While the invention has been described by way of example and in terms of preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited thereto. To the contrary, it is intended to cover various modifications and similar arrangements (as would be apparent to those skilled in the art). Therefore, the scope of the appended claims should be accorded the broadest interpretation to encompass all such modifications and similar arrangements.