Electrical connector firmly retaining an insulative housing

Details Electrical connector firmly retaining an insulative housing Electrical connector firmly retaining an insulative housing

2000-01-27

2001-08-28

Paumen, Gary F. (Department: 2833)

Electrical connectors

With vitreous-type envelope

Having bayonet-coupling contact

Reexamination Certificate

active

06280252

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an electrical connector having a pair of shells which firmly retain an insulative housing therein and which can be conveniently manufactured, and particularly to a mini USB cable connector having a pair of shells for enclosing the insulative housing therein, thereby providing EMI shielding.
Electrical connectors commonly used for electrically connecting cable, and although they may solve the problem of connecting the cables, they simultaneously producing a variety of other problems about the electrical connectors. These other problems include generation of and vulnerability to electromagnetic interference (EMI). EMI problems are normally overcome by use of shielding, but reliably attaching an EMI shield to a connector housing is a problem since the shield must endure a large insertion force from a mating connector. Conventional electrical connectors are illustrated in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,683,269 and 5,425,657. An electrical connector, as shown in
FIG. 3
, comprises a housing
24
containing contacts therein, a cover block member
32
for holding cable conductors, and a pair of metal backshells
26
and
28
fastened together over the cover block member
32
and the housing
24
. A pair of locking tabs
261
of a pair of first projections
260
of the backshell
26
latch with a pair of locking holes
281
of a pair of second projections
280
of the backshell
28
, the first and the second projections
260
and
280
together abutting against opposite sides
241
of the housing
24
. However, the projections
260
and
280
are inconvenient to manufacture and can not reliably retain the housing
24
in a fixed position in the backshells
26
and
28
.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A main object of the present invention is to provide a cable connector which can be conveniently manufactured and has a pair of shells for accurately positioning and reliably enclosing an insulative housing therein.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a cable connector having a pair of shells which firmly engage with each other for providing strain relief and shielding against EMI.
A cable connector according to the present invention comprises an insulative housing defining a plurality of passageways therethough, a plurality of terminals received in the passageways of the insulative housing, an upper shell, a lower shell and a casing portion enveloping the upper shell and the lower shell. The insulative housing includes a main body and a projection portion forwardly projecting from the main body. The main body has a forward surface defining a pair of apertures and a lower opening therein.
The upper shell includes a front section for receiving the projection portion of the insulative housing, a rear section having a top wall and a pair of opposite lateral walls, and a transition portion connecting the front section to the rear section. The rear section forms a top protrusion and a pair of side protrusions respectively disposed on the top wall and on each lateral wall for abutting against the insulative housing. The transition portion of the upper shell downwardly depends from a forward edge of the top wall of the rear section for joining the front section with the rear section. A rib is provided at substantially a middle of a junction of the top wall of the rear section and the transition portion for enhancing the engagement strength of the transition portion and the rear section of the upper shell. A pair of retention arms depend rearwardly from opposite side edges of the transition portion and is retained in the corresponding apertures of the main body of the insulative housing.
The lower shell has a latching hook upwardly depending from a forward edge of a bottom wall thereof for latching with the lower opening of the main body of the insulative housing. The upper shell and lower shell interlock with one another, tightly retaining the insulative housing therein.
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.


REFERENCES:
patent: 5425657 (1995-06-01), Davis et al.
patent: 5683269 (1997-11-01), Davis et al.
patent: 6039606 (2000-03-01), Chiou
patent: 6062907 (2000-05-01), Tan et al.

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