Patent Document

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION  
       [0001]     This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/672,148, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,755,685, filed on Sep. 25, 2003, entitled “ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR WITH IMPROVED CONTACTS”, and assigned to the common assignee. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     1. Field of the Invention  
         [0003]     The present invention relates to an electrical connector and more particularly, to an electrical connector being mounted onto a circuit board.  
         [0004]     2. Description of the Prior Art  
         [0005]     Electrical apparatus, such as personal computers and personal information managers, are becoming increasingly dependent upon their ability to electrical communicate or share information with other electrical apparatus. There are two important ways for isolate electrical apparatus associates with each other. One way is connected to a network system, and the other way is coupling with a modem for access over telephone lines.  
         [0006]      FIG. 13  shows a conventional computer peripheral design, wherein a computer  200  is connected to LAN card  400  through a USB (universal series bus)  300  to access LAN (Local Area Network). The LAN card has a modem integrated therein. That is to say, the LAN card is a modem card assembly in fact.  
         [0007]      FIG. 14  shows another conventional computer peripheral design, wherein a computer  200 ′ is connected to a Modem  500 ′ through a USB (universal series bus) and a first modem cable, and uses the modem  500 ′ to access network through a second modem cable and telephone line.  
         [0008]      FIG. 15  shows the main functions of every Modem. In a state-of-the-art design most of the hardware features of a Modem are contained on a separate modem card assembly that is depicted as rectangular with a dashed line border. Such a modem card assembly typically contains two modem controllers A and B. The controllers are located on two sides of a safety insulation barrier that prevents dangerous voltages reaching the equipment or operators. The safety insulation barrier typically comprises of insulation transformer and high voltage capacitors. In addition to that, the insulation barrier may include resistive, capacitive or inductive electrical components forming an electromagnetic filter. Since the transmission signals often contain the digitally coded information, the said filter is called a digital filter, and the combined feature is called a Digital Insulation Barrier.  
         [0009]     As shown in  FIG. 16 , the conventional Modem Card Assembly requires at least four connectors. Wherein a motherboard connector part  1  and part  2  are a mating pair connecting to the Modem Card Assembly to a motherboard. A modular jack connector is provided to connect the Modem Card Assembly to the telephone line. It is clearly that such arrangement needs more connectors and the cost is relative high. Moreover, the motherboard needs to provide additional space for mounting the motherboard connector part  1  thereon, thereby increasing the size of the motherboard.  
         [0010]     U.S. Pat. No. 5,069,641, issued to Sakamoto on Dec. 3, 1991, discloses a modular jack assembly in which a choke coil and terminals are soldered to a PCB. This PCB subassembly is then encased in an insulative housing. As the size of the equipment in which the connectors are installed decreases, the density of the connectors positioned on a motherboard of the applicant must increase and all the dimensions of the connectors must be minimized. However, it would be difficult or impossible to accomplish in blind assembly operations, and/or in soldering operation as the size of the connector is reduced. It is therefore essential that the performance and the electrical characteristics of the connector not compromised or diminish as the size of the connector decreased.  
         [0011]     Hence, an electrical connector with an integrated modem is desired.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0012]     An object of the present invention is to provide an improved electrical connector with an integrated modem.  
         [0013]     Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved electrical connector having an internal circuit board which can conveniently and securely have contacts mounted thereon.  
         [0014]     An electrical connector for being mounted on a motherboard, includes an insulative housing having a front mating face providing a receiving cavity extending rearwardly thereinto, an internal circuit board containing a safety insulating and filtering circuitry and a telephone line-side modem controller, a pair of conductive contacts retained to the insulating housing, and a number of footer contacts connected with the internal circuit board for connecting to the motherboard. The safety insulating and filtering circuitry and the telephone line-side modem controller perform partial functions of a modem card assembly. The conductive contacts electrically connect with the internal circuit board and extend into the receiving cavity for contacting with a complementary connector.  
         [0015]     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  
       [0016]      FIG. 1  shows an electrical equipment peripheral design according to the present invention, wherein the electrical equipment has an electrical connector with an integrated modem accessing network through telephone line;  
         [0017]      FIG. 2  shows an internal architecture of the integrated Modem peripheral according to the present invention;  
         [0018]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the electrical connector shown in  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0019]      FIG. 4  is an exploded view of  FIG. 3 ;  
         [0020]      FIG. 5  is another exploded view of  FIG. 3 ;  
         [0021]      FIG. 6  is a perspective view of an insulative housing of the electrical connector;  
         [0022]      FIG. 7  is another perspective view of  FIG. 6 ;  
         [0023]      FIG. 8  is a perspective view of conductive contacts attached to a carrier strip of the electrical connector;  
         [0024]      FIG. 9  is a partially assembled view of  FIG. 4  showing the contacts assembled within the insulative housing taken from back aspect;  
         [0025]      FIG. 10  is another partially assembled view of  FIG. 4  showing the contacts and a connector module assembled within the insulating housing taken from front aspect;  
         [0026]      FIG. 11  is a perspective view of an insert module of the electrical connector;  
         [0027]      FIG. 12  is an exploded view of  FIG. 11 .  
         [0028]      FIG. 13  shows a conventional computer peripheral design, wherein a computer is connected to a LAN card through a USB (universal series bus) to access LAN (Local Area Network);  
         [0029]      FIG. 14  shows another conventional computer peripheral design, wherein a computer is connected to a MODEM through a USB (universal series bus), and uses the MODEM to access network through telephone line;  
         [0030]      FIG. 15  shows an internal architecture of a conventional Modem Card Assembly peripheral design; and  
         [0031]      FIG. 16  shows a conventional Modem Card Assembly peripheral design. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0032]     The present invention will be discussed hereafter in detail in terms of the preferred embodiment of the present invention with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the following description, numerous specific details are set for the in order to provided a thorough understanding of the present invention. It will be obvious, however, to those skilled in the art that the present invention may be practiced without these specific detail. In other instances, well-known structures are not shown in detail in order to avoid unnecessary obscurity of the present invention  
         [0033]     Referring to  FIG. 1 , an electrical equipment (not labeled), such as a computer, according to the present invention comprises a motherboard and an electrical connector  100  mounted on the motherboard and exposed to access network through telephone line. The electrical connector  100  performs partial functions of an exiting Modem Card Assembly.  
         [0034]     As best showing in  FIG. 2  in conjunction with  FIG. 11 , in the preferred embodiment of the invention, a Digital Insulation Barrier (combination of a Safety Insulation Barrier and Digital Filters) and a Modem Controller B are combined inside the electrical connector  100 . For convenience, such Digital Insulation Barrier and the Modem Controller B integrated in the electrical connector  100  are referred to hereafter as modem components  33  (shown in  FIG. 11 ). It should be noted that the existing Modem Card Assembly is eliminated. The electrical connector  100  is mounted on the motherboard. At the same time functions of the Modem Controller A are moved onto the motherboard and associated with the modem components  33  of the electrical connector  100 . Therefore, the main processor on the motherboard can access network directly through the electrical connector  100  and the telephone line. As a result the need in motherboard connectors is eliminated, additional significant cost reduction is achieved by reducing the size of the motherboard. It also should be noted that the Digital insulation barrier and the modem controller A may selectively both be incorporated onto the motherboard, while only the controller B is integrated into the electrical connector  100 .  
         [0035]     Referring to  FIGS. 3, 4  and  5 , the electrical connector  100  includes an insulative housing  1 , a plurality of conductive contacts  2  retained in the housing  1 , an electrical element  3  containing the modem component  33  performing partial functions of the existing Modem Card Assembly, a connector module  4  (shown in  FIG. 4 ), a plastic rear cover  5  and an outer shell  6  substantially surrounding and shielding the housing  1 .  
         [0036]     Referring to  FIGS. 6 and 7 , the insulative housing  1  includes a mating face  11 , an upper wall  12 , two sidewalls  13  and a rear opening  14 . The mating face  11  provides upper and lower cavities  111 ,  112  extending rearwardly thereinto. The rear opening  14  shares a panel  15  with the lower cavity  112 . In the embodiment illustrated, the upper cavity  111  is a modular plug-receiving cavity for mating with a modular plug connector, and the lower cavity  112  is provided for receipt thereinto of the connector module  4 . The upper cavity  111  provides a plurality of barriers  113  projecting inwardly from the mating face  11 , and a number of ramps  115  essentially aligned with and spaced from corresponding barriers  113  in a longitudinal direction, thereby forming a plurality of parallel slots  114  between the adjacent barriers  113  and the ramps  115  in a front-to-rear direction for receiving corresponding contacts  2 . A plurality of grooves  117  are dimensioned to be positioned proximate the panel  15  and communicating with the rear opening  14  for receiving the contacts  2 . The housing  1  further includes a plurality of comb passages  116  extending into the upper cavity  111  and communicating with the rear opening  14 . The upper wall  12  defines a pair of locking holes  121  far from the mating face  11 . Each sidewall  13  has a shaft  131  projecting inwardly from a bottom portion thereof for engaging with the plastic rear cover  5 .  
         [0037]     As best shown in  FIG. 8 , the conductive contacts  2  are initially attached to a carrier strip  24 . Each conductive contact  2  includes a base portion  21  having a front nose  211  on a front section thereof, a contacting portion  22  upwardly and rearwardly extending from the front nose  211  of the base portion  21  and a tail portion  23  connected to the carrier strip  24 . The base portion  21  has a pair of shoulders  212  adjacent to the front nose  211  and extending transversely from opposite sides thereof. The base portion  21  further has an enlarged section  213  apart from the front nose  211  and extending transversely and outwardly. The tail portion  23  is integrally attached to the enlarged section  213  by a transition bight  24 . The tail portion  23  downwardly offsets from the transition bight  24  and is parallel to the base portion  21 . The tail portion  23  has a positioner section  231  extending from opposite sides thereof adjacent to the transition bight  24 .  
         [0038]     Referring to  FIGS. 11 and 12 , the electrical element  3  includes an internal circuit board  31  carrying the modem components  33  and a plurality of footer contacts  32  thereon. The internal circuit board  31  provides a plurality of pinouts  311  on a substantial middle portion thereof for respectively receiving the contacts  2  and a plurality of footer holes  312  in a lower portion thereof. Each footer contact  32  has a latch beam  321  extending horizontally from a top portion thereof and interferentially fitted in the corresponding footer holes  312 . It should be noted that the footer contacts  32  are initially attached to a carrier strip  34 . The carrier strip  34  is removed from the footer contacts  32  after or before the footer contacts  32  are installed in the internal circuit board  31  and soldering thereto. The internal circuit board  31  further has a number of signal conditioning components mounted thereon (not labeled). Such signal conditioning components can be passive electrical components such as transformers, resistors, capacitors and as such, and active components such as varistors, thyristors, transistors and integrated circuits, and electromechanical components such as switches, relays, indicators and transient voltage suppressors.  
         [0039]     Referring to  FIGS. 4 and 5 , the plastic rear cover  5  includes a vertical portion  51  and a horizontal portion  52  extending forwardly from a bottom side of the vertical portion  51 . The vertical portion  51  includes a pair of projections  53  extending from a top end thereof and a pair of fixing portions  54  formed near opposite sides of a bottom end thereof. The projections  53  are provided for latching within the locking holes  121  of the housing  1 , respectively. The fixing portions  54  are provided for engaging with the corresponding shafts  131  of the housing  1 .  
         [0040]     The outer shell  6  is stamped from a sheet of conductive material and includes a front shell  61  and a rear shell  62  which mount together to define an interior space for enclosing the housing  1 . The front shell  61  includes a front plate  611  providing two windows (not labeled) respectively corresponding to the upper and lower cavities  111 ,  112 , and two side plates  612 . Each side plate  612  has a plurality of embossments  613  and a plurality of grounding tabs  614  extending downwardly from a bottom end thereof. The rear shell  62  has a number of apertures  621  corresponding to and engaging with respective ones of the embossments  613 .  
         [0041]     Referring to  FIGS. 9 and 10  in conjunction with  FIG. 8 , in assembly, the conductive contacts  2  are installed in the housing  1  from the rear opening  14 . The front nose  211  of each contact  2  extends through respective one of the passages  116  and is received in the corresponding slot  114 . The contacting portion  22  of each contact  2  is exposed in the upper cavity  111  with a free end deflected by the corresponding passage  116 , thereby having a preload force. The base portion  21  and the front nose  211  of each contact  2  are held in the slot  114 . The shoulders  212  of each contact  2  are latched with the raised ramps  115 , in conjunction with the contact preload force which keeps a constant downward force on the contacts  2 , thereby assuring that the contacts  2  don&#39;t lift off the shoulders at the end of the ramps. The positioner sections  231  of the contacts  2  are received in the grooves  117 . Therefore, the contacts  2  are securely embedded in the housing  1 . After installation, the carrier strip  24  is removed from the contacts  2 .  
         [0042]     Referring to  FIGS. 4 and 5  in conjunction with  FIG. 3 , the electrical element  3  is attached to the housing  1  from the rear opening  14 . The tail portion  23  of each contact  2  extends beyond the grooves  117  and into the respective one of the pinout  311  of the internal circuit board  31 . The plastic rear cover  5  is coupled to the housing  1 . The shafts  131  of the housing  1  are installed in the fixing portion  54  of the plastic rear cover  5 . The projections  53  of the plastic rear cover  5  are received in the corresponding locking holes  121  of the housing  1 , thereby stabilizing the connection between the contacts  2  and the internal circuit board  31 . The connector module  4  such as a dual USB module for mating with USB type plugs, is assembled to the lower cavity  112  of the housing  1  from the mating face  11 . The structure and the function of the connector module  4  is well known to those skilled in the art, a detailed description thereof is omitted herefrom. The outer shell  6  substantially surrounds the housing  1 . The front plate  611  of the front shell  61  affixes along the mating face  11  of the housing  1 . The embossments  613  are interference fitted in the respective one of the apertures  621 . The grounding tabs  614  are soldered to the corresponding grounding holes (not shown) of the motherboard.  
         [0043]     It is to be understood, however, that even though numerous, characteristics and advantages of the present invention have been set fourth in the foregoing description, together with details of the structure and function of the invention, the disclosed 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 Category: h