Abstract:
A connector ( 100 ) adapted for inserting into a cage ( 400 ) having a latching hole ( 401 ), the connector includes a cover ( 20 ) stamped from a metal sheet and a PCB ( 10 ) mounted in the cover for transmitting high frequency signal transmission. The cover has an integral arm ( 210 ). The arm has an outward tab ( 211 ) engaged with the latching hole for latching the connector with the cage. The arm is operable to move inwardly to disengage the tab from the latching hole for unlatching the connector with the cage.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0002]    The present invention relates to a connector, and more particularly to a SFP (Small Form-Factor Plug) connector having a latching or releasing mechanism. 
         [0003]    2. Description of Related Art 
         [0004]    Various types of latching or de-latching mechanisms are known, including pull-to-open type, push-to-open type, sliding-action type, and pivoting-action type. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 7,325,975, issued to Yamada on Feb. 5, 2008, discloses a connector for mating with a receptacle or cage which has a latching tab defining a latching hole. The connector comprises a housing having a latching protrusion for engaging with the latching hole, and a releasing mechanism. The releasing mechanism includes a shaft assembled to the housing. The releasing mechanism further includes a lever mounted on the shaft. The lever can be rotated around the shaft. The lever further has an actuator at a rear portion thereof and a tongue attaching to the latching tab at a front portion thereof. The tongue can be moved upwardly by inwardly or downwardly pressing the actuator. The lever actuates the latching tab upwardly from a latched position to a released position. The releasing mechanism further includes a spring for returning the actuator to the latched position. The shaft, the spring, the latching protrusion, and the lever constitute the releasing mechanism having a complicated configuration. 
         [0005]    Hence, a connector having an improved releasing mechanism is desired. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0006]    Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a connector. The connector can be engaged with a cage defining a latching hole. The connector includes a cover having a top wall including an elastic arm. The cover has a top wall connecting an elastic arm. The elastic arm has an operator being movable perpendicularly to the top wall, and a tab extending upwardly from the elastic arm engaging with the latching hole at a latched position for latching the connector with the cage. When the operator is depressed downwardly, the tab moves downwardly together with the operator from the latched position to a released position for releasing the connector from the cage. The elastic arm is stamped from a metal sheet and has a simple structure. 
         [0007]    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 
         [0008]      FIG. 1  is an assembled perspective view showing a connector assembly including a cage and a connector of the present invention; 
           [0009]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view showing the connector separated from the cage as shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0010]      FIG. 3  is a partially exploded perspective view showing the connector as shown in  FIG. 2 ; 
           [0011]      FIG. 4  is an exploded perspective view showing the connector as shown in  FIG. 2 ; 
           [0012]      FIG. 5  is another exploded perspective view showing the connector as shown in  FIG. 2  taken from another aspect; 
           [0013]      FIG. 6  is an enlarged view showing the elastic arm marked by a circle in  FIG. 3 ; and 
           [0014]      FIG. 7  is a cross-sectional view of the connector and a cage in a latched position, taken along line  7 - 7  of  FIG. 1 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
       [0015]    Reference will now be made in detail to the preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
         [0016]    Referring to  FIG. 1 , a connector assembly  1000  includes a cage  400  and an electrical connector  100  inserted in the cage  400 . The connector  100  has a rear portion connecting with a cable  30  and a front portion mating with a receptacle connector (not shown). 
         [0017]    Referring to  FIG. 2 , the connector  100  includes an internal printed circuit board (PCB)  10 , a cover  20  stamped from a metal sheet, and a dielectric cover  31  attached to the rear portion of the cover  20 . The PCB  10  has a front mating portion  102  protruding out of the cover  20  for mating with the receptacle connector, and a rear soldering portion for soldering the cable  30 . 
         [0018]    Referring to  FIGS. 2 to 5 , the connector  100  further includes a molded block  33  mounted to the rear portion of the PCB  10 . The molded block  33  encloses the end of the cable  30  to protect a soldering joint area between the cable  30  and the PCB  10 . The molded block  33  may alternatively be supported by the cover  20  to securely fix the PCB. The connector  100  optionally includes a conductive foam  32  filled in the back of the dielectric cover  31  to reduce the crosstalk around the connector. 
         [0019]    The cover  20  includes a first cover portion  21  and a second cover portion  22  cooperating with each other. The second cover portion  22  further includes a ring  220  extending from the rear portion of the second cover portion  22 . The ring  220  clips the cable  30  for improving the retention force between the cable  30  and the connector  100 . The ring  220  also could be defined on the first cover portion  21 . The dielectric cover  31  attaches to the rear portion of the cover  20  and wraps the ring  220 . 
         [0020]    The first cover portion  21  includes a top wall  213  having two opposite side edges and a front edge. The first cover portion  21  further includes two peripheral walls  214  extending vertically from the side edges of the top wall  213 . The peripheral walls  214  are generally parallel with each other. The first cover portion  21  further has a front upper wall  215  vertically extending from the front edge of the top wall  213 . The front upper wall  215  defines an opening  2150  for engaging the PCB  10  downwardly along a first direction (up-to-bottom direction) to prevent the PCB  10  from moving along a second direction (right-to-left direction). The first cover portion  21  has at least one groove  2141  formed at the rear portion of the peripheral wall  214 . The first cover portion  21  has a rib  2142  formed at the inner side of the peripheral wall  214 . The PCB  10  has a notch  101  defined at a side edge. The rib  2142  is inserted into the notch  101  along a first direction to prevent the PCB  10  from moving along a third direction (front-to-back direction). The first, second and third directions are orthogonal to one another. 
         [0021]    The second cover portion  22  includes a bottom wall  223  having two opposite side edges and a front edge. The second cover portion  22  includes two side walls  224  extending vertically from the side edges of the bottom wall  223 . The second cover portion  22  has a front lower wall  225  extending vertically from the front edge of the bottom wall  223 . Each of the side walls  224  has at least one protrusion  2242  extending inwardly from the side wall  224  for supporting the PCB  10  upwardly. 
         [0022]    The front upper wall  215  and the front lower wall  225  shield most of the region around the front portion of the PCB  10  to reduce crosstalk. Each of the two side walls  224  has at least one projection  2241  extending outwardly at the rear portion of the second cover portion  22 . The first cover portion  21  locks with the second cover portion  22  at the rear portion by engaging the projection  2241  with the groove  2141 . The first cover portion  21  and the second cover portion  22  cab be coupled together by other suitable means well known in this art. 
         [0023]    In conjunction with  FIGS. 3 to 5 , the first cover portion  21  is fastened to the second cover portion  22  at the front portion and locked with the second cover portion  22  at the rear portion. The protrusions  2242  and the opening  2150  holding the PCB  10  from both an up-to-bottom direction and a right-to-left direction. The rib  2142  is locked within the notch  101  of the PCB  10  for preventing the PCB  10  from moving along the front-to-back direction. Consequently, the PCB  10  could be assembled securely in the cover  20  when the first cover portion  21  is assembled to the second cover portion  20 . The connector  100  has an improved structure to fix the PCB  10  easily. 
         [0024]    Referring to  FIGS. 2 ,  6 , and  7 , the first cover portion  21  further has two slits  2101  cut from the top wall  213  by stamping. The top wall  213  therefore forms an integral flexible or elastic arm  210  between the slits  2101 . The elastic arm  210  extends backwardly horizontally from the top wall  213  in a cantilever configuration. The elastic arm  210  comprises a front portion connecting to the main part of the top wall  213  and a rear free end portion  2102  against the front portion thereof. The rear free end portion  2102  can move up and down relative to the front portion of the elastic arm  210  by rotating around the front portion. The movement of the rear free end portion  2102  imparts to the elastic arm  210  a resilient returning force. The elastic arm  210  has a tab  211  extending upwardly between the front portion and the rear free end portion  2102 , and an operator  212  upward and frontward extending from the end of the rear free end portion  2102 . The operator  212  is inturned and adapted for convenient operation by a finger. The elastic arm  210  also could be formed on the second cover portion  22 , depending on specific applications. The operator  212  is designed to essentially move inwardly or downwardly, i.e., along the first direction, by a simple pressing action. The cage  400  has a latching hole  401  for receiving the tab  211 . 
         [0025]    The tab  211  includes a ramp surface  2113  inclining forwardly and downwardly to lead the latching hole  401  mating with the tab  211  when the connector  100  is inserted into the cage  400 . The tab  211  is received in the latching hole  401  at a latched position for locking the connector  100  in the cage  400 . The tab  211  has a vertically extending resisting surface  2112  to resist against the latching hole  401 . 
         [0026]    When the operator  212  is depressed downwardly, the tab  211  moves together with the operator  212  downwardly from the latched position to a released position for releasing the connector  100  from the cage  400 . The tab  211  returns from the released position back to the latched position via the resilient force provided by the elastic arm  210  once the tab  211  is out of the latching hole  401 . 
         [0027]    It is to be understood 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.