Patent Abstract:
An electrical connector ( 100 ) includes an insulative housing ( 1 ), a plurality of contacts ( 3 ) received in the insulative housing ( 1 ), a shielding shell ( 6 ) enclosing the insulative housing ( 1 ) and a detecting contact ( 41 ). The insulative housing ( 1 ) includes a tongue ( 22 ) extending forwardly and enclosed by the shell ( 6 ) to form a mating space ( 101 ). The detecting contact ( 41 ) includes a first extending arm ( 413 ) extending into the mating space ( 101 ) horizontally and a first resisting portion ( 414 ) extending forwardly and bent from the first extending arm ( 413 ). The tongue ( 22 ) has a first recess ( 2231 ) depressing inside thereof. The first resisting arm ( 414 ) extends into the first recess ( 2231 ) and improves a deformation of the detect contact ( 41 ) to offer a stronger force for abutting against the shell.

Full Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0002]    The present invention generally relates to an electrical connector and more particularly to an electrical connector with a detect contact retained to an insulative housing of the electrical connector. 
         [0003]    2. Description of Related Art 
         [0004]    Chinese patent No. 102082370A, published on Jun. 1, 2011, discloses an electrical connector including an insulative housing, a plurality of contacts retained in the insulative housing, a detect contact and a shield shell. The insulative housing includes a main portion and a tongue extending forwardly from the main portion. The main portion has a retaining slot located in a right side thereof for receiving the detect contact. The detect contact includes a retaining portion retained in the retaining slot, an elastic arm extending forwardly from the retaining portion and a detecting portion extending forwardly from an end of the elastic arm. The elastic arm is located between the tongue and shield shell and under the tongue. When a mating plug is inserted in, the detecting portion contacts with the shell to detect. But, the deformation degree of the detecting portion is so little, corresponding pressing force may be not enough to make the detecting portion reliably contact with the shell for influencing the effect of detecting. 
         [0005]    So, an improved connector is needed. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0006]    The present invention provides an electrical connector, the electrical connector comprises an insulative housing, a plurality of contacts received in the insulative housing, a shield shell enclosing the insulative housing to form a mating space and at least a detect contact. The insulative housing includes a tongue extending horizontally, the tongue including a top face, a bottom face opposite to the top face, a left side face and a right side face connecting the top face and the bottom face. The detect contact includes a first detecting contact located on one side thereof facing to the tongue, the first detecting contact has a first extending arm extending into the mating space horizontally and a first resisting portion extend forwardly and bend from the first extending portion, the tongue has a first recess depressing inwardly thereof, the first resisting portion extends into the first recess. 
         [0007]    Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of the present embodiment when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0008]      FIG. 1  is an assembled perspective view of an electrical connector according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0009]      FIG. 2  is a partially exploded perspective view of the electrical connector; 
           [0010]      FIG. 3  is another partially exploded view of the electrical connector as shown in  FIG. 2 ; 
           [0011]      FIG. 4  is a partially exploded perspective view of the electrical connector without a shield shell; 
           [0012]      FIG. 5  is an exploded view of the electrical connector; 
           [0013]      FIG. 6  is another exploded view of the electrical connector as shown in  FIG. 5 ; 
           [0014]      FIG. 7  is a cross-sectional view of the electrical connector, taken along line  7 - 7  of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0015]      FIG. 8  is similar with  FIG. 7 , showing a statue of a first detecting contact of the electrical connector when a standard USB plug insert in; 
           [0016]      FIG. 9  is similar with  FIG. 8 , showing a statue of the first detecting contact of the electrical when an USB PD plug insert in 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0017]    Reference will now be made to the drawing figures to describe the preferred embodiment of the present invention in detail. 
         [0018]    Referring to  FIGS. 1-3 , an electrical connector  100  is an USB (Universal Serial BUS) 3.0 connector comprises a mating port for receiving not only USB 3.0 plug but also USB PD (Power Delivery) plug for transmitting a power current up to 2 A. When the USB 3.0 plug and the USB PD plug insert respectively, the PCB on which the electrical connector  100  is mounted can detect which plug insert into so as to achieve different transmission. The electrical connector  100  comprises an insulative housing  1 , a plurality of contacts  3  received in the insulative housing  1 , a pair of detect contacts  4 , a spacer  5  mounting into a rear of the insulative housing  1  for retaining the contacts  3  and a shield shell  6  enclosing the insulative housing  1 . 
         [0019]    Referring to  FIGS. 3-6 , the insulative housing  1  includes a first body portion  10  and a second body portion  20  assembled into the first body portion  10  along a front to rear direction. The shield shell  6  and the insulative housing  1  define a mating space  101  for receiving a mating connector (not shown). The first body portion  10  includes a main portion  11  and a supporting portion  12  extending forwardly from a bottom of the main portion  11 . The main portion  11  includes a front wall  110 , a rear wall  111  opposite to the front wall  110 , a left side wall  112  and a right side wall  113  both connecting the front wall  110  with the main portion  111 . The main portion  11  includes a first passageway  13  passing backwardly from the rear wall  111  and two second passageways  14  extending downwardly from two sides of the first passageway  13 . The second passageways  14  pass through the insulative housing  1  along a front to rear direction. 
         [0020]    The left and right side walls  112 ,  113  have a first and second retaining block  114 ,  115  extending outwardly, respectively. The first and second retaining blocks  114 ,  115  each have first and second extending portions  1141 ,  1151  extending upwardly. A first attaching slot  116  is formed between the first retaining block  114  and the left side wall  112 . A second attaching slot  117  is formed between the second retaining block  115  and the right side wall  113 . The first retaining block  114  has a first retaining slot  1142  passing therethrough along an upper to down direction and the second block  115  has a second retaining slot  1152  passing therethrough along the upper to down direction. 
         [0021]    An accommodating space  102  is depressed forwardly from the rear wall  111 . The second passageways  14  each have a convex  1162  extending inwardly from an inside surface thereof A plurality of first receiving slots  131  pass through the insulative housing  1  along the front to rear direction and located under the first passageway  13 . The first receiving slots  131  are located between two second passageways  14 . The rear wall  111  of the main portion  11  has a plurality of second receiving slots  132  passing through the insulative housing  1  along the front to rear direction and located above the first passageway  13 . 
         [0022]    The second body portion  20  includes a base  21  received in the first passageway  13 , a tongue  12  extending forwardly from the base  21  and a pair of retaining arms  23  received in the second passageways  14 . The retaining arms  23  each have a latching portion  231  extending outwardly and latching with the convexes  1162  of the second passageways  14 . The tongue  22  includes a top face  221 , a bottom face  222  opposite to the top face  221 , a left side face  223  and a right side face  224  connecting the top face  221  and the bottom face  222 . The bottom face  222  has a plurality of receiving cavities  2221  depressed upwardly therefrom and passing through the base  21  backwardly. The bottom face  222  further has a plurality of accommodating slots  2222  depressed upwardly form a front thereof. The accommodating slots  2222  are located in the front of the receiving cavity  2221 . The receiving cavities  2221  are communicated with the first receiving slots  131  along the front to rear direction. The left side face  223  has a first recess  2231  depressed inwardly thereof and the right side face  224  has a second recess  2241  depressed inwardly thereof. The first recess  2231  closes to a front edge of the tongue  22  rather than the second recess  2241 . 
         [0023]    The contacts  3  include a first group of contacts  31  and a second group of contacts  32 . The first group of contacts  31  is a group type A USB 2.0 contacts for contacting with a type A USB 2.0 plug. The first and second groups of the contacts  31 ,  32  are combined a group type A USB 3.0 contacts for contacts with a type A USB 3.0 plug. The first group of contacts  31  has four first contacts  310  each including a first retaining portion  313  received in the first receiving slot  131 , a first connecting portion  312  extending forwardly from the first retaining portion  313  and into the receiving cavity  2221  of the tongue  22 , an elastic contacting portion  311  extending forwardly and aslant from the connecting portion  312  and exposed outside, and a first soldering portion  314  extending downwardly from a rear of the first retaining portion  313 . 
         [0024]    The second group of contacts  32  has five second contacts  320 . The second contacts  320  each have a second retaining portion  323  received in the second receiving slot  132 , a second connecting portion (not shown) extending forwardly from the retaining portion  323  and insert-molded in the tongue  22 , a contacting portion  321  extending forwardly from the connecting portion (not shown) and received in the accommodating slot  2222  of tongue  22  and a soldering portion  324  extending downwardly from a rear of the retaining portion  323 . The second contacting portion  321  is a plate shape. The first contacting portion  311  and the second contacting portion  321  are separated in the front-to-rear direction and in different height along the upper to down direction. The first soldering portions  314  are arranged one row. The second soldering portion  324  arranged in another row behind the first soldering portion  314  and parallel to the row of the first soldering portion  314 . 
         [0025]    The detect contacts  4  include a first detecting contact  41  mounted in the left side wall  112  of the insulative housing  1  and a second detecting contact  42  mounted in the right side wall  113  of the insulative housing  1 . The first detecting contact  41  is used for detecting if the USB plug inserts into. The second detecting contact  42  is used for detecting if the USB PD plug inserts into. The first detecting contact  41  includes a first vertical portion  411  retained in the first retaining slot  1142  of the first retaining block  114 , a first retaining arm  412  extending forwardly from a top side of the first vertical portion  411  and received in the first attaching slot  116 , a first extending portion  413  extending forwardly from the first retaining portion  412  and beside left side face  223  of the tongue  22 , a first resisting portion  414  extending forwardly from the first extending arm  413  and into the first recess  2231 , a first attaching portion  415  extending forwardly from the first resisting portion  414  and a first soldering tail  416  extending downwardly from the first vertical portion  411 . The first resisting portion  414  is disposed as a V-shaped from a top side. The first detecting contact  41  extends downwardly beyond the bottom face  222  of the tongue  22  partly. 
         [0026]    The second detecting contact  42  includes a second vertical portion  421  retained in the second retaining slot  1152  of the second retaining block  115 , a second retaining arm  422  extending forwardly from a top side of the second vertical portion  421  and retained in the second attaching slot  117 , a second extending arm  423  extending forwardly from the second retaining arm  422  and beside the right side face  224 , a bending portion  424  extending aslant from the second extending arm  423 , a second resisting portion  425  extending aslant from the bending portion  424  and into the second recess, a second attaching portion  426  extending backwardly from the second resisting portion  425  and a soldering tail  427  extending downwardly from the second vertical portion  421  and out of the insulative housing  1 . The second resisting portion  425  is disposed as a V-shaped. A height of the first vertical portion  411  is same as that of the first attaching slot  116  along the up to down direction. A height of the second vertical portion  421  is same as that of the second attaching slot  117  along the up to down direction. The first resisting portion  414  is close to the front edge of the tongue  22  nearer than the second resisting portion  425 . A bottom edge of the first resisting portion  414  is located below the bottom face  222  of the tongue  22 . The second resisting portion  425  is located between the top face  221  and bottom face  222  of the tongue  22  along the upper to down direction. 
         [0027]    The spacer  5  is disposed as a rectangle-shaped and comprises a plurality of receiving passageways  51  passing therethrough for receiving the first and second soldering portions  416 ,  417 . The spacer  5  is mounted into the accommodating space  102  of the insulative housing  1  from a bottom side. 
         [0028]    The shield shell  6  is made by a metal plate. The shell  6  includes a top end wall  61 , a bottom end wall  62  opposite to the top end wall  61 , a left end wall  63 , a right end wall  64  and a rear wall  65  bending downwardly from a rear edge of the top end wall  61 . The left and right end walls  63 ,  64  each have a lump  66  extending vertically and outwardly thereof and an extending wall  67  extending backwardly and vertically from the lump  66 . The left end wall  63  of the shell  6  protrudes partly to define a first space  631 . The shell  6  has a plate portion  632  located in outside of the left end wall  63 , an aslant portion  633  connecting the plate portion  632  and the left end wall  63  and a first elastic plate  634  extending forwardly from the plate portion  632 . The first elastic plate  634  dangles beside the first space  631 . The right end wall  64  of the shell  6  protrudes partly to define a second space  641 . The right end wall  64  has a second elastic plate  642  dangling beside the second space  641 . The first and second spaces  631 ,  641  are used for receiving the first resisting portion  414  of the first detecting contact  41  and the second resisting portion  425  of the second detecting contact  42 . The first and second first and second elastic plates  634 ,  642  are formed by stamping of the first and second spaces  631 ,  641  to offer a deformation space of the first and second detecting contacts  41 ,  42 . In other embodiment, the left and right end wall  63 ,  64  can directly stamp outwardly to form a closed swing space for receiving the first and second detecting contact  41 ,  42 . The left and right end walls  63 ,  64  each have a mounting tail  68  extending downwardly therefrom and near the rear wall  65 . 
         [0029]    The insulative housing  1  is assembled into the shield shell  6  along a back to front direction. The first and second retaining block  114 ,  115  resist the lump  66  forwardly. The first detecting contact  41  is located inside of the first elastic plate  634  and detect outwardly from the first space  631 . The second detecting contact  42  is located inside of the second elastic plate  642  and outwardly from the second space  641 . 
         [0030]    Referring to  FIGS. 7-9 , they show a number of different kinds elements insert into the electrical connector  100 . Referring to  FIG. 7 , in the initial state, the first and second resisting portions  414 ,  425  do not contact with the shield shell  6 . Referring to  FIG. 8 , when USB 3.0 plug, a shorter and ordinary plug, inserts into. A short mating portion of the ordinary plug can not tough a deepest part of the mating space  101 . The ordinary plug only push the second resisting portion  425  received in the second recess  2231  to make the second resisting portion  425  contact with the second elastic plate  642  of the shell  6 , while the first detecting contact  41  keep the initial state; referring to  FIG. 9 , when USB PD plug, a power plug having a longer mating portion, inserts into, the longer mating portion resists both the first and second resisting portions  414 ,  425  contact with the first and second elastic plates  634 ,  642 , respectively; when a thin card (not shown) inserts into, a mating portion of the thin card is enough long and extends to the deepest part of the mating space  101 . Bur the thin card is disposed as a plate-shaped and only received in a space under the tongue  20 . The bottom edge of the first detecting contact  41  does not extend downwardly beyond the bottom face  222  of the tongue  2 . So, the thin card only resist the second resisting portion  425  of the second detecting contact  42  to make the second detecting contact  42  contact with the second elastic plate  642  of the shell  6 , while the first detecting contact  41  keep its original position. 
         [0031]    The left and right side faces  223 ,  224  of have the first recess  2231  and second recess  2241  respectively. The first resisting portion  414  of the first detecting contact  41  extends into the first recess  2231  and the second resisting portion  425  extends into the second recess  2241  to improve the deformation degree of the first and second resisting portions  414 ,  425  received in the first and second recesses  2231 ,  2241 . It would improve the pressing force of end of first and second resisting portions  414 ,  425  resisting the first and second elastic plates  634 ,  642  of the shield shell  6  to ensure the effect of detecting. 
         [0032]    It is to be understood, however, that even though numerous characteristics and advantages of the present invention have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of the structure and function of the invention, the disclosure is illustrative only, and changes may be made in detail, especially in matters of shape, size, and arrangement of parts within the principles of the invention to the full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed.

Technology Classification (CPC): 7