Patent Document

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0002]    The invention relates to an electrical connector assembly. 
         [0003]    2. Description of the Prior Art 
         [0004]    Please refer to  FIG. 1 . In the prior art, an electrical connector, which is capable of matching a butt plug  2 , comprises an insulating body (not shown), a shield casing  1  for accommodating the insulating body, and a plurality of conductive terminals (not shown) accommodated in the insulating body.  FIG. 1  is a perspective view illustrating the shield casing  1  of the electrical connector and the butt plug  2 . The shield casing  1  comprises a top wall  10 , a bottom wall  11 , and two side walls  12 . A first fastening hole  111  and a second fastening hole  112  are located in alignment at the bottom wall  11  and adjacent to the two side walls  12 . Two pins  121  are respectively formed by punching the bottom wall  11  toward each side wall  12 . The pins  121  extend downward from the side walls  12 . After forming the pins  121 , two punched holes  113  are formed on the bottom wall  11 , wherein the two punched holes  113  are also in alignment and respectively in front of the first fastening hole  111  and the second fastening hole  112  in parallel. 
         [0005]    The butt plug  2  comprises a main body  20  and a contact portion  21 , wherein one side of the contact portion  21  has two flexible engaging points  210 . To butt the butt plug  2  to the shield casing  1 , the contact portion  21  of the butt plug  2  is inserted into the shield casing  1 , the engaging points  210  firstly pass the two punched holes  113 , so as to engage with the punched holes  113 . Afterward, the engaging points  210  have to be further inserted to engage with the first fastening hole  111  and the second fastening hole  112 . Consequently, a conducting plate (not shown) of the contact portion  21  is electrically connected to a terminal (not shown) of the electrical connector. However, when the engaging points  210  engage with the punched holes  113 , it is easily for a user to mistake that the contact portion  21  has been butted with the terminal completely, and then the user will stop to push the butt plug  2  into the shield casing  1 , such that the conducting pieces (not shown) of the contact portion  21  cannot fully contact the terminal (not shown) of the electrical connector. Accordingly, the electrical connection between the butt plug  2  and the electrical connector is unstable, so as to affect the performance and efficiency of the electrical connector. 
         [0006]    Therefore, it is necessary to design a new electrical connector assembly to solve the aforesaid problems. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0007]    A scope of the invention is to provide an electrical connector assembly capable of enabling a butt plug to fully contact an electrical connector. 
         [0008]    According to an embodiment, the electrical connector assembly comprises a butt plug with a contact portion and an electrical connector capable of matching the butt plug. One side of the contact portion has at least one engaging point. The electrical connector comprises an insulating body for accommodating a plurality of conductive terminals and a shield casing with at least one bottom wall. A side wall extends upward from at least one side of the bottom wall and the side wall covers at least one part of the insulating body. An opening, which is located at the front of the bottom wall and the side wall, is used for receiving the contact portion. The bottom wall has at least one fastening hole matching the engaging point. The side wall is punched to form at least one pin and at least one punched hole, wherein the punched hole is located between the opening and the fastening hole. 
         [0009]    In the electrical connector assembly, the butt plug comprises the engaging points, the shield casing comprises the fastening holes corresponding to the engaging points, and the punched holes are located between the opening and the fastening holes, such that the engaging point can slide into the corresponding fastening hole in parallel. When the butt plug is inserted into the shield casing once, the invention can ensure good electrical connection without contact fault. 
         [0010]    Another scope of the invention is to provide an electrical connector comprising an insulating body and a shield casing with at least one bottom wall. The insulating body accommodates a plurality of conductive terminals. A side wall extends upward from at least one side of the bottom wall, and the side wall covers at least one part of the insulating body. The side wall is punched to form at least one pin and at least one punched hole. The shield casing further comprises at least one fastening hole, wherein the fastening hole is located behind the punched hole, and the fastening hole is not located on the side wall. 
         [0011]    In the electrical connector, the fastening holes of the shield casing and the punched holes are not on the same plane. When the electrical connector cooperates with a butt plug, the engaging points of the butt plug can slide into the fastening holes in parallel rather than fall into the punched holes. Accordingly, when the butt plug is inserted into the shield casing of the electrical connector once, the invention can ensure good electrical connection without contact fault. 
         [0012]    Another scope of the invention is to provide a butt plug comprising a base portion, a contact portion and a control unit. The contact portion extends from the base portion, and one side of the contact portion has at least one engaging point. The control unit is used for controlling the engaging point. 
         [0013]    In the butt plug, the engaging point can be controlled by the control unit, so as to prevent the shield casing of the electrical connector from being damaged by friction during connection. 
         [0014]    The advantage and spirit of the invention may be understood by the following recitations together with the appended drawings. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE APPENDED DRAWINGS 
         [0015]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view illustrating a shield casing of an electrical connector of prior art and a butt plug. 
           [0016]      FIG. 2  is an exploded view illustrating an electrical connector assembly according to the invention. 
           [0017]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view illustrating the electrical connector shown in  FIG. 2 . 
           [0018]      FIG. 4  is a perspective view illustrating the electrical connector shown in  FIG. 2  based on another view angle. 
           [0019]      FIG. 5  is a perspective view illustrating an insulating body of the electrical connector and parts of terminals. 
           [0020]      FIG. 6  is a perspective view illustrating the insulating body of the electrical connector shown in  FIG. 2 . 
           [0021]      FIG. 7  is a perspective view illustrating the shield casing of the electrical connector shown in  FIG. 2 . 
           [0022]      FIG. 8  is a perspective view illustrating the shield casing shown in  FIG. 7  based on another view angle. 
           [0023]      FIG. 9  is a perspective view illustrating the electrical connector and the butt plug shown in  FIG. 2 . 
           [0024]      FIG. 10  is a perspective view illustrating the electrical connector connected with the butt plug shown in  FIG. 9 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0025]    The advanced description with figures and embodiments is mentioned following. 
         [0026]    Please refer to  FIG. 2 ,  FIG. 3  and  FIG. 9 . An electrical connector assembly of the invention comprises an electrical connector  5  and a corresponding butt plug  4 . The butt plug  4  comprises a base portion  40  and a contact portion  41 , wherein one side of the contact portion  41  has two engaging points  411 . The electrical connector  5  comprises an insulating body  2 , a shield casing  1  and a plurality of conductive terminals  3 . The plurality of conductive terminals  3  are accommodated within the insulating body  2 . The shield casing  1  covers the insulating body  2  to prevent the electromagnetic interference. 
         [0027]    Please refer to  FIG. 2 ,  FIG. 5 , and  FIG. 6 . The insulating body  2  has a main body  20 . The main body  20  comprises a top plate  200 , a bottom plate  201  and two side plates  202 . Two identical positioning blocks  2000  are disposed on the top plate  200 . Two engaging blocks  2020  respectively protrude from the two side plates  202  and are used to cooperate with the shield casing  1 . The main body  20  further comprises a front surface  204  with two recesses  2043  formed thereon. A tongue plate  2040  is located below the two recesses  2043 . A first row of terminal receiving recesses  20401  and a second row of terminal receiving recesses  20402  are formed through an upper wall and a lower wall of the tongue plate  2040 , respectively, wherein the first row of terminal receiving recesses  20401  and the second row of terminal receiving recesses  20402  are used to receive and fix the plurality of conductive terminals  3 . The front surface  204  of the main body  20  further comprises a long rib  2041 . The rib  2041  is located above one side of the tongue plate  2040  and protrudes from one corner of the main body  20 . A strengthened plate  2042  protrudes from the front surface  204  of the main body  20 . Since the strengthened plate  2042  protrudes from the bottom plate  201  of the main body  20 , the strengthened plate  2042  can strengthen the connection between the shield casing  1  and the insulating body  2 . 
         [0028]    Please refer to  FIG. 2 ,  FIG. 7 , and  FIG. 8 . The shield casing  1  comprises a top wall  10 , a bottom wall  11  and two side walls  12 . The front of the shield casing  1  comprises an opening  13  penetrating the back of the shield casing  1 . Two guiding portions  130  are respectively extending from the end edges of the top wall  10  and bottom wall  11  near the opening  13 , and the end edges of the two side walls  12  also extend to form two guiding portions  130 . The guiding portions  130  can preferably guide the butt plug  4 . Two first flexible plates  100  and two holes  101  are located on the top wall  10 . The holes  101  can cooperate with the positioning blocks  2000  of the insulating body  2 . Two second flexible plates  110  are located on the bottom wall  11 . A first fastening hole  111  and a second fastening hole  112  are respectively located on the bottom wall  11  and adjacent to the two side walls  12 . A distance is left between the first fastening hole  111  and the nearby side wall  12 . The two second flexible plates  110  are between the second fastening hole  112  and the first fastening hole  111 , and the second fastening hole  112  is closed to another side wall  12 . The second fastening hole  112  is bigger than the first fastening hole  111 , and the two fastening holes are in alignment. Each of the two side walls  12  comprises an identical third flexible plate  120  and a groove  124  capable of cooperating with the engaging block  2020  of the insulating body  2 . Each of the two side walls  12  comprises a first pin  121 , wherein the two first pins  121  are opposite to each other, located in alignment, and extend from the two side walls  12  downward to the bottom wall  11 . Two second pins  122  are formed by punching the two side walls  12 , respectively. Each of the second pins  122  is formed by punching the side wall  12  and then bended downward to the bottom wall  11 . After forming the second pins  122 , a punched hole  123  is formed on each of the side walls  12  and located between the opening  13  and the two fastening holes. All of the pins are welded to a printed circuit board (not shown). 
         [0029]    In addition, on the bottom wall  11 , a plurality of apertures are located between the opening  13  and the first fastening hole  111  or the second fastening hole  112 , and each of the apertures must be smaller than the engaging points  411 , such that the engaging point  411  can slide over the apertures rather than fall into the apertures. That is to say, the engaging point  411  is unaffected by the apertures when sliding over the bottom wall  11 . 
         [0030]    Please refer to  FIG. 2  and  FIG. 5 . The conductive terminals  3  comprise a first set of conductive terminals  31  and a second set of conductive terminals  32 . The conductive terminals  3  are accommodated and fixed within the insulating body  2 . 
         [0031]    Please refer to  FIG. 2 ,  FIG. 9  and  FIG. 10 .  FIG. 2 ,  FIG. 9  and  FIG. 10  are schematic diagrams illustrating the connection between the electrical connector  5  and the butt plug  4 . The butt plug  4  comprises a base portion  40  and a contact portion  41  extending from the front of the base portion  40 . The bottom surface of the base portion  40  has a control unit  400 . The bottom surface of the contact portion  41  has two engaging points  411  arranged in alignment and controlled by the control unit  400 . When pressing the control unit  400 , the two engaging points  411  on the contact portion  41  will move flexibly. Two identical concave portions  4110  are located on the top and bottom surfaces of the contact portion. While connecting with the electrical connector  5 , the first flexible plate  100  of the top wall  10  and the second flexible plate  110  of the bottom wall  11  are respectively against the concave portions  4110 , so as to hold the contact portion  41  more firmly. Furthermore, the contact portion  41  has a space  412  for receiving the tongue plate  2040  of the insulating body  2 , wherein the shape of the space  412  is corresponding to the tongue plate  2040 , and the conducting pieces (not shown) within the space  412  can electrically contact the conductive terminals  3  on the tongue plate  2040 . 
         [0032]    Please refer to  FIG. 3 ,  FIG. 4 ,  FIG. 5  and  FIG. 6 . While assembling, first of all, the first set of conductive terminals  31  are inserted into the first row of terminal receiving recesses  20401  in order, the second set of conductive terminals  32  are inserted into the second row of terminal receiving recesses  20402  in order, and the plurality of conductive terminals  3  are fixed. 
         [0033]    Then, the insulating body  2  containing the plurality of conductive terminals  3  is placed into the shield casing  1  from the back thereof, such that the strengthened plate  2042  of the insulating body  2  is attached to the bottom surface of the bottom wall  11  of the shield casing  1 . The tongue plate  2040  of the insulating body  2  stretches into the shield casing  1 . The rib  2041  on the main body  20  is inserted in a corresponding corner of the shield casing  1  and closed to an inner wall of the shield casing  1 . At this time, the positioning blocks  2000  of the insulating body  2  is fixed to the corresponding opening  101  of the shield casing  1 . The engaging block  2020  is engaged with the groove  124  of the shield casing  1 . Parts of the insulating body  2  are accommodated in the opening  13 . Accordingly, the electrical connector  5  has been done. 
         [0034]    Please refer to  FIG. 9  and  FIG. 10 . When connecting the butt plug  4  and the electrical connector  5 , the control unit  400  of the base portion  40  can be pressed down to make the engaging point  411  draw back toward the inner of the contact portion  41 , and then the contact portion  41  is pushed into the electrical connector  5  through the opening  13 . The tongue plate  2040  of the insulating body  2  is accommodated in the space  412  of the contact portion  41 . The two engaging points  411  face the bottom wall  11  of the shield casing  1  and are pushed through the opening  13  to the two fastening holes. After feeling that the two engaging points  411  respectively fall into the first fastening hole  111  and the second fastening hole  112 , the control unit  400  can be released. Afterward, the two engaging points  411  will jut out completely and get into the two fastening holes. Accordingly, the engaging points  411  of the contact portion  41  are respectively engaged with the first fastening hole  111  and the second fastening hole  112  of the shield casing  1 . The electrical conducting pieces (not shown) within the space  412  electrically contact the conductive terminals  3  on the tongue plate  2040 . The first flexible plate  100 , the second flexible plate  110  and the third flexible plate  120  cooperate with each other to hold the contact portion  41 . The rib  2041  of the insulating body  2  can prevent the butt plug  4  from being reversely inserted into the electrical connector  5 , so as to perform function of fool-proofing. 
         [0035]    The advantages of the invention are as follows: 
         [0036]    The two pins  122  of the electrical connector are formed by punching, and then the punched holes  123  are formed on the two side walls  12 . The first fastening hole  111  and the second fastening hole  112  are located on the bottom wall  11 , and the two engaging points  411  face the bottom wall  11 . The contact portion  41  of the butt plug  4  can be pushed through the opening  13  to the two fastening holes until the two engaging points  411  enter the first fastening hole  111  and the second fastening hole  112 . Based on the aforesaid structure, the contact portion  41  can be once plugged to the appropriate position, so as to prevent the engaging points  210  of the prior art from falling into the punched hole  113  before reaching the designated location. Accordingly, unstable electrical connection caused by incomplete contact can be solved, and the performance and efficiency of the electrical connector are enhanced. In addition, a plurality of apertures can be located between the opening  13  and the first fastening hole  111  or the second fastening hole  112 , and the apertures must be smaller than the engaging points  411 . In other words, the engaging point  411  is unaffected by the apertures when sliding over the bottom wall  11 . Under this circumstance, the aforesaid scope also can be achieved. 
         [0037]    With the example and explanations above, the features and spirits of the invention will be hopefully well described. Those skilled in the art will readily observe that numerous modifications and alterations of the device may be made while retaining the teaching of the invention. Accordingly, the above disclosure should be construed as limited only by the metes and bounds of the appended claims.

Technology Category: h