Stacked connector assembly

Details Stacked connector assembly Stacked connector assembly

2002-11-12

2004-03-02

Dinkins, Anthony (Department: 2831)

Electrical connectors

With supporting means for coupling part

Supporting plural, independent coupling parts

C439S079000, C439S594000, C439S540100, C439S637000, C439S108000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06699068

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a stacked connector assembly, and more particularly to a stacked Single Connector Attachment (SCA-2) connector assembly.
2. The Related Arts
SCA-2 connectors provide a standard interface between Small Computer System Interface (SCSI) disk drives, Fiber Channel disk drives, Gigabit Interface Converter (GBIC) modules and back-plane systems. The SCA-2 connectors conform to the Small Form Factor (SFF) standard established by the Small Form Factor Committee, and can be classified into 3 types, i.e., 20-pin, 40-pin and 80-pin SCA-2 connectors according to different numbers of terminals thereof. The 20-pin SCA-2 connectors each have 20 terminals and are used with GBIC modules to connect with fiber channel. The 40-pin SCA-2 connectors each have 40 terminals and are used with 3.5″ Fiber Channel disk drives. The 80-pin SCA-2 connectors each have 80 terminals and are used with 3.5″ SCSI disk drives. Such connectors are used in high speed data transmission applications, so it is necessary and important to provide such connectors with shielding or grounding means for protection against Electromagnetic Interference (EMI) and Electrostatic Discharge (ESD). One of such connectors is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 6,354,875 issued to the same inventor as the present invention on Mar. 12, 2002.
Furthermore, to save the occupied area of the printed circuit board on which electrical connectors are mounted, the electrical connectors, such as SCA-2 connectors are configured in a stacked fashion before mounting to the printed circuit board. These connectors are generally called “stacked connector assemblies”. One stacked connector assembly is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 6,033,258 issued to Huang et al. on Mar. 7, 2000. However, grounding means is assembled into an insulative housing of the electrical connector of Huang et al. with the use of additional fastening devices, such as screws, nuts and pegs, whereby the assembly process of the grounding means is troublesome and the manufacturing cost of the stacked connector assembly is also increased.
Therefore, an improved stacked connector assembly is necessary to overcome the disadvantages of the prior art.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of the present invention is to provide a stacked connector assembly which has grounding means.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a stacked connector assembly, connectors of which can be easily secured together.
To achieve the above objects, a stacked connector assembly in accordance with the present invention comprises a first connector and a second connector vertically stacked on the first connector. The first connector comprises a first housing and a plurality of first terminals. The second connector comprises a second housing having a bottom face and a plurality of second terminals. Each housing comprises two arms extending rearward from opposite ends thereof. Each arm of the second housing is stacked on the corresponding arm of the first housing. A grounding member retained in the second housing has a front engaging portion projecting forwardly beyond the second housing and a base portion projecting rearwardly beyond the second housing. A spacer has an upper portion defining a plurality of openings therethrough and a lower portion defining a plurality of openings therethrough. The upper portion is retained between the rearward-extending arms of the second connector with the second tails of the second terminals extending through the corresponding openings. The lower portion is retained between the rearward-extending arms of the first housing with the first tails of the first terminals extending through the corresponding openings.


REFERENCES:
patent: 5336109 (1994-08-01), Hillbish et al.
patent: 5634819 (1997-06-01), Pan et al.
patent: 5919063 (1999-07-01), Wang
patent: 6033258 (2000-03-01), Huang et al.
patent: 6146194 (2000-11-01), Lok
patent: 6179651 (2001-01-01), Huang
patent: 6354875 (2002-03-01), Wu

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