Electrical connectors – Including arc suppressing or extinguishing means – Contact encasing chamber
Reexamination Certificate
1999-10-19
2001-03-20
Paumen, Gary F. (Department: 2833)
Electrical connectors
Including arc suppressing or extinguishing means
Contact encasing chamber
C439S362000, C439S901000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06203341
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a cable connector, and particularly to a cable connector which protects connected equipment from electrostatic discharge from the cable connector.
Refer to prior art Taiwan Patent Application Nos. 83209871, 83304986 and 84207854.
FIG. 4
shows a top view of a prior art cable connector. A pair of positioning levers
6
extend through a pair of holes defined on opposite sides of a housing. The lever
6
comprises a retaining portion (not shown) at a lower end and a handle
62
at an upper end. The retaining portion defines a threaded periphery
611
at a free end extending through the hole in the housing. The cable connector is fixed to a mated connector (not shown) by rotating the handle
62
. However, with the trend toward a higher density of electronic components mounted on a printed circuit board, the distance between adjacent electronic components is shorter and shorter, so the threaded periphery
611
of the retaining portion of the lever
6
may easily contact other electronic components during mating. Thus, the static electricity collected on the positioning lever
6
may discharge through the threaded periphery
611
, damaging the electric components contacted by the threaded periphery
611
.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of the present invention is to provide a cable connector which has an insulative shell at a proper position to protect other components from being damaged by electrostatic discharge when coupling or uncoupling the cable connector to a printed circuit board.
The cable connector of the present invention comprises an insulative housing, a plurality of conductive contacts and an insulative shell. The insulative housing has a mating surface at a front end. Each of the conductive contacts defines a mating portion received in an insulative terminal housing depending forward from the mating surface of the insulative housing. A metal shield is fitted to the mating face of the insulative housing, surrounding the insulative terminal housing. A pair of levers each form a retaining portion at one end and a handle on the other end. The pair of levers extend through a pair of through holes defined in opposite sides of the insulative housing and the retaining portions thereof extend beyond the mating face of the insulative housing at opposite sides of the metal shield. The insulative shell is engaged with the front end of the insulative housing and encloses the metal shield and the retaining portions of the two levers therein, thereby guarding elements mounted on a printed circuit board from accidental contact with the retaining portion thereof or the metal shield, protecting said elements from electrostatic discharge.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5342216 (1994-08-01), Davis et al.
patent: 5989051 (1999-11-01), Zelno et al.
Chung Wei Te
Hon Hai - Precision Ind. Co., Ltd.
Paumen Gary F.
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