Electrical connectors – With insulation other than conductor sheath – Plural-contact coupling part
Reexamination Certificate
2002-08-13
2003-12-09
Vu, Hien (Department: 2833)
Electrical connectors
With insulation other than conductor sheath
Plural-contact coupling part
C439S490000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06659809
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a receptacle connector assembly, and particularly to a receptacle connector assembly with keying devices for preventing an unmating plug connector from being inserted thereinto.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, a receptacle connector assembly comprises an RJ45 receptacle connector and an RJ11 receptacle connector arranged in a side-by-side manner. The RJ45 receptacle connector has a larger size than the RJ11 receptacle connector. Therefore, an RJ11 plug connector adapted for mating with the RJ11 receptacle connector is easy to be misplugged into the RJ45 receptacle connector. When the RJ11 plug connector is inserted into the RJ45 receptacle connector, contacts received in the RJ45 receptacle connector may be damaged. Furthermore, the electrical capability of the contacts may be adversely affected. U.S. Pat. No. 6,022,246 discloses a connector assembly including a male connector and a female connector. The male connector includes at least one row of sleeve members for receiving receptacle contacts therein. The female connector defines a plurality of cavities for receiving plug contacts therein. A pair of keys are respectively disposed on two sleeve members at two opposite ends, and a pair of keyways are respectively defined, communicating with two cavities at two opposite ends, thereby preventing mismating of the connector assembly. However, this design cannot prevent a small-dimensioned RJ11 plug connector from being inserted into a large-dimensioned RJ45 receptacle connector. The copending TW patent application Ser. No. 89215868, filed on Sep. 14, 2000 and assigned to the same assignee, discloses an RJ45 receptacle connector with a pair of keying devices for preventing an RJ11 plug connector from being inserted thereinto. In such design, the keying devices are assembled to the RJ45 receptacle connector from two opposite sides thereof, respectively. The copending application Ser. No. 09/721,827 filed on Nov. 22, 2000 having the same inventor and the same assignee with the instant application substantially discloses the similar “single” port modular jack with anti-mismating means thereof. However, for the side-by-side “dual” ports arrangement, the receptacle connector assembly includes a unitarily molded housing, wherein the RJ45 receptacle connector has an exposed sidewall and an opposite unexposed sidewall. Obviously, it is difficult to assemble one of the keying devices onto the unexposed sidewall of the RJ45 receptacle connector.
Hence, an improved receptacle connector assembly with keying devices is desired to overcome the disadvantages of the related art.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of the present invention is to provide a receptacle connector assembly having a pair of keying devices for preventing an unmating plug connector from being inserted thereinto.
To achieve the above-mentioned object, a receptacle connector assembly in accordance with the present invention comprises an insulative housing with a plurality of contacts retained therein and a pair of keying devices. The housing defines in a mating face thereof a first large-dimensioned receiving cavity adapted for receiving a first large-dimensioned plug connector and a second small-dimensioned receiving cavity adapted for receiving a second small-dimensioned plug connector. The first receiving cavity has a channel adapted for receiving a projection of the first plug connector. The housing has a partition separating the first receiving cavity from the second receiving cavity and a sidewall opposite to the partition and adjacent to the first receiving cavity. The housing defines a first cutout and a slit in the sidewall. The housing defines a second cutout extending from a rear face thereof proximate to the partition and an inwardly extending recess communicating with the second cutout. The pair of keying devices are assembled to the housing respectively from the first cutout and the second cutout. The keying devices comprise a pair of respective tail portions respectively retained in the slit and the recess, a pair of respective resilient portions forwardly extending from corresponding tail portions, a pair of respective engaging portions extending from corresponding resilient portions and received in a front position of the first receiving cavity for being pushed away from each other by the first plug connector, and a pair of respective tongues extending from the resilient portions and projecting into the channel. The tongues lie in a common horizontal plane functioning as a stop for preventing the second plug connector from being inserted into the first receiving cavity. The pair of engaging portions are spaced a distance smaller than the width of the first receiving cavity but larger than the width of the second receiving cavity.
When the first plug connector is inserted into the first receiving cavity, the engaging portions are pushed away from each other to actuate the tongues to move away from each other, whereby the first plug connector is successfully inserted into the first receiving cavity. Contrarily, when the second plug connector is inserted into the first receiving cavity, the engaging portions cannot be pushed away from each other. As a result, the tongues also cannot be pushed away from each other, thereby stopping the second plug connector from being inserted into the first receiving cavity.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of the present embodiment when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
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patent: 5980320 (1999-11-01), Slack et al.
patent: 6257935 (2001-07-01), Zhang et al.
patent: 6312293 (2001-11-01), Wang
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patent: 6350156 (2002-02-01), Hasircoglu et al.
patent: 6350157 (2002-02-01), Mizusawa
Shi Guang-Xing
Wang Suiya
Chung Wei Te
Hon Hai - Precision Ind. Co., Ltd.
Vu Hien
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