Patent Document

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0002]    The present invention relates to an electrical connector, and in particular to an electrical connector using a low-cost mount plate to hold metallic housing so that the electrical connector is held at a computer case. 
         [0003]    2. Description of Related Art 
         [0004]    Electrical connectors are implemented within cases of most electronic appliances such as personal computers and are used to transmit signals to outer appliances. In prior art, the electrical connectors are mostly covered by metallic housings so as to shield electromagnetic interferences, and the electrical connectors are fixed to printed circuit boards by soldering the metallic housings to the printed circuit boards. 
         [0005]    However, when a plug is unplugged from the electrical connector, an external force is applied to the electrical connector so that the electrical connector may be got loose. Thus, a side tab extends from the metallic housing so that the electrical connector is fixed to the case by fixing the side tab and the case together. 
         [0006]    Furthermore, most metallic housings are made of stainless steel and very expensive. The metallic housings have a lion&#39;s share in production cost when we are in low-profit market. The metallic housing with the side tabs results in bigger moulds, and cost of moulds will depend on size of the moulds and increase significantly. Even worse, it leads to much more scraps, higher cost and waste of resource. 
         [0007]    Thus, there is a need for an electrical connector which is made of low-cost metallic housing. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0008]    It is an object of the present invention to provide an electrical connector with low-cost mount plate. The mount plate is provided at a metallic housing of the electrical connector so as to replace the side tab extending from the metallic housing and save cost. 
         [0009]    To achieve the above object, the present invention provides an electrical connector including a mount plate and a metallic housing. The metallic housing includes a metallic frame and at least one hook-shaped rib which extend from the metallic frame and are used to hold the mount plate. The mount plate is made of low-cost material and chosen from a group including iron and plastic. The metallic housing is made of stainless steels. 
         [0010]    Advantages of the present invention is to use low-cost mount plate to replace the side tab extending from the metallic housing so that size of mould for the metallic housing is decreased, scraps is fewer and cost is lowered. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0011]    The present invention can be fully understood from the following detailed description and preferred embodiment with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: 
           [0012]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an electrical connector according to the first embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0013]      FIG. 2  is an exploded view of an electrical connector according to the first embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0014]      FIG. 3  is another perspective view of an electrical connector according to the first embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0015]    FIGS.  4  and  4 A- 4 D are perspective views of an electrical connector according to the second embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0016]      FIG. 5  is a perspective view of an electrical connector according to the third embodiment of the present invention; and 
           [0017]    FIGS.  6  and  6 A- 6 D are perspective views of an electrical connector according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0018]    The following detailed description is of the best presently contemplated modes of carrying out the invention. This description is not to be taken in a limiting sense, but is made merely for the purpose of illustrating general principles of embodiments of the invention. The scope of the invention is best defined by the appended claims. 
         [0019]    Referring to  FIG. 1 , it illustrates a perspective view of an electrical connector  100  according to the first embodiment of the present invention. The electrical connector  100  can be a receptacle, and includes an insulation frame  10 , a metallic housing  20  and a mount plate  30 . A plurality of terminals  40  are implemented within the insulation frame  10  and are used to transmit signals or supply power. The metallic housing  20  is used to cover the insulation frame  10  and a receptacle hole  23  for receiving a plug (not shown), and includes a metallic frame  24  and at least one hook-shaped rib  212  extending from the metallic frame  24  and are used to hold the mount plate  30 . The mount plate  30  is fixed at the metallic frame  24  of the metallic housing  20 , and has a plurality of retaining part  311 . The retaining part  311  respectively correspond to and hooked by the hook-shaped ribs  212 . 
         [0020]    Referring  FIGS. 2 and 3 ,  FIG. 2  illustrates an exploded view of an electrical connector  100  according to the first embodiment of the present invention.  FIG. 3  illustrates another perspective view of an electrical connector  100  according to the first embodiment of the present invention. A tongue  112  extends outwardly and along in an assembling direction X and have a plurality of terminal grooves  113  which are respectively positioned within the terminals  40 . The insulation frame  10  has a top surface  13  and a side surface  14 , and a retention groove  131  is positioned at the edge of the top surface  13 . A stop block  141  is positioned on the side surface  14  of the insulation frame  10 . 
         [0021]    The metallic housing  20  is made of metal by punching process, and includes a metallic frame  24 , a plurality of solder areas  211  and a plurality of hook-shaped ribs  212 . The metallic frame  24  includes two side surfaces  21  and an attached plate  22 , and is a cylindrical structure extending along the assembling direction X. The metallic frame  24  extends along the assembling direction X and is used to cover the insulation frame  10 . The solder areas  211  extend from the side surfaces  21  of the metallic frame  24  and along the extension direction Y, and are fixed or welded at a substrate  50  (refer to  FIG. 3 ) which may be a printed circuit board. 
         [0022]    The hook-shaped ribs  212  extend from the side surfaces  21  or the attached plate  22  of the metallic frame  24  along the extension direction Y, and is integrally formed with the metallic frame  24 . The hook-shaped ribs  212  have L-shaped structure and higher than the attached plate  22 . As shown in  FIG. 2  the hook-shaped ribs  212  have not been bent, and referring to  FIG. 3 , the hook-shaped ribs  212  are bend after the mount plate  30  is positioned at the metallic frame  24  so as to hold the mount plate  30 . A guiding groove  213  is positioned at each of the side surfaces  21 , and when the metallic frame  24  is assembled with the insulation frame  10  along the assembling direction X, the guiding grooves  213  correspond to the stop blocks  141  of the metallic frame  24  so that the stop blocks  141  are respectively guided by the guiding grooves  213  to have the metallic housing  20  positioned at the insulation frame  10 . 
         [0023]    A ground terminal  221  and a snap extension  222  are positioned at the attached plate  22  of the metallic frame  24 , and when a plug (not shown) is plugged into the electrical connector  100  of the present invention, the ground terminal  221  provides functionality of grounding and is integrally formed with the metallic frame  24 . Edge of the attached plate  22  corresponds to the snap extension  222  of the retention groove  131  of the insulation frame  10 . When the metallic frame  24  is assembled with the insulation frame  10  along the assembling direction X, the snap extension  222  is restrained by the retention groove  131  so that the metallic housing  20  is attached at the insulation frame  10 . 
         [0024]    The mount plate  30  is made from a metallic plate by punching process, and has a mount frame  31 , a mount portion  32  and a cover plate  314 . The mount frame  31  is positioned at the attached plate  22  of the metallic frame  24 , and the retaining part  311  are positioned at the edge of the mount frame  31  and can be a through hole or a groove. The hook-shaped ribs  212  of the metallic housing  20  are respectively hooked by the retaining part  311  so that the mount frame  31  is held between the hook-shaped ribs  212  and the attached plate  22 . Then, the mount plate  30  is assembled with the metallic housing  20  by the hook-shaped ribs  212 . At least one through hole (not shown) are positioned at the mount frame  31  and correspond with the ground terminal  221  so that the ground terminal  221  respectively expose out of the through hole. The cover plate  314  is positioned at the surface of the mount frame  31  so as to cover the through hole and enhance to prevent electromagnetic interferences. 
         [0025]    The mount portion  32  extends from the mount frame  31  along the extension direction Y, and has a screw hole  321 . The mount portion  32  is fixed at a object  60  (refer to  FIG. 3 ) by threading a fixing element  70  through the screw hole  321  so that the electrical connector  100  is assembled with the object  60 . The fixing element  70  may be a screw, and the object  60  may be a computer case. 
         [0026]    According the present invention, the hook-shaped ribs  212  and the retaining part  311  have many alternatives and variances. Many structures where the metallic housing  20  and the mount plate  30  are assembled are within scope and spirits of claims described in the present invention. 
         [0027]    According the present invention, the metallic housing  20  and the mount plate  30  may be made of different materials. The mount plate  30  is made of low-cost material and chosen from a group including iron and plastic. The metallic housing  20  is made of stainless steels which is much more expensive so cost is higher. If the mount plate  30  is made of low-cost material so cost will be lowered. 
         [0028]    Referring to FIGS.  4  and  4 A- 4 D, they illustrate the perspective views of an electrical connector  100  according to the second embodiment of the present invention. Like the first embodiment, the mount plate  30   a  is restrained by the hook-shaped ribs  212   a  of the metallic housing  20   a.  Designs of the insulation frame  10   a,  the metallic housing  20   a  and the mount plate  30   a  have alternatives and depend on different products, but these designs will be assembled by the method described in the present invention. 
         [0029]    Referring to  FIG. 5 , it illustrates a perspective view of an electrical connector according to the third embodiment of the present invention. Like the first embodiment, the mount plate  30   b  is restrained by the hook-shaped ribs  212   b  of the metallic housing  20   b.  Difference between the first embodiment and the third embodiment is that rear surface of the insulation frame  10   b  of the electrical connector  200  is assembled with a substrate. The solder areas  211   b  of the metallic housing  20   b  extend along the assembling direction X, and two positioning tongues  312  extend from the mount frame  31   b  of the mount plate  30   b  along the assembling direction X so that the substrate is fixed. The mount portion  32   b  of the mount plate  30   b  extends from the mount frame  31   b  along a direction which is opposite to the direction of which the mount plate  30  extends. According to the third embodiment, there are two mount portions  32   b  which are positioned at two sides of the metallic housing  20   b  and the mount frame  31   b.  The retaining part  311   a  are through holes, and the retaining part  311   b  are grooves. 
         [0030]    Referring to FIGS.  6  and  6 A- 6 D, they illustrate the perspective views of the fourth embodiment according to the present invention. Like the third embodiment, the mount plate  30   c  is restrained by the hook-shaped ribs  212   c  of the metallic housing  20   c,  and designs of the insulation frame  10   c,  the metallic housing  20   c  and the mount plate  30   c  have alternatives and depend on different products, but these designs will be assembled by the method described in the present invention. 
         [0031]    While the invention has been described with reference to the preferred embodiments, the description is not intended to be construed in a limiting sense. It is therefore contemplated that the appended claims will cover any such modifications or embodiments as may fall within the scope of the invention defined by the following claims and their equivalents.

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