Metallic shroud for use with board-mounted electronic connectors

• US 20020115333A1
• Filed: 01/31/2001
• Published: 08/22/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Agilent Technologies, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Agilent Technologies, Inc.
• Inventors: Self, Bobby J.
• Granted Patent: US 6,508,660 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 439/374
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 12/7005 Guiding, mounting, polarizing or locking means; Extractors for printed circuit boards H05K
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6271 Latching means integral with the housing H01R13/6276, H01R13/6277, H01R13/6278 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/631 for engagement only

Abstract

A shroud for a rectangular PCB-mounted electronic connector fashioned from a single piece of metal surrounds the connector on three sides of the connector by way s of three walls. The fourth side of the connector is also partially covered via flanges extending from the end walls of the shroud. The walls and flanges of the shroud extend higher than the connector, thus defining a channel that aligns a mating structure for the connector when the mating structure is being plugged into the connector.

Claims

1. A connector shroud for a rectangular electrical connector having four external sides, the connector being mounted on a printed circuit board, the shroud being separate from the connector, the shroud comprising:

a housing fashioned from a single piece of metal, the housing having a first wall, a second wall, and a third wall, each wall juxtaposed with, and extending higher than, one of the external sides of the connector, the second wall connected to and positioned between the first and third wall, the first and third walls each having a flange extending from the ends of the first and third walls opposite the second wall, the flanges juxtaposed with, and extending higher than, the remaining external side of the connector not juxtaposed with one of the three walls of the housing, the walls and the flanges thereby substantially surrounding the connector and defining a channel that properly aligns a mating structure for proper connection with the connector, the housing having at least one leg extending from the bottom of at least one of the walls so that the at least one leg projects through at least one corresponding hole in the printed circuit board, thereby allowing the at least one leg to be soldered to the printed circuit board.

2. The connector shroud of claim 1, wherein the housing is made of nickel-plated stainless steel.

3. The connector shroud of claim 2, wherein the nickel-plated stainless steel is approximately 0.010 inches thick.

4. The connector shroud of claim 1, farther comprising:

at least one guide ramp extending from the top of at least one of the walls of the housing to guide the mating structure into the channel defined by the walls of the housing.

5. The connector shroud of claim 4, wherein the first and third walls of the housing each have at least one guide ramp.

6. The connector shroud of claim 1, wherein the at least one leg is positioned so that the housing may be attached to the printed circuit board in only one possible orientation.

7. The connector shroud of claim 1, wherein the flanges mate with the mating structure so that the mating structure may be inserted into the channel of the housing in only one possible orientation.

8. The connector shroud of claim 1, further comprising at least one detent in at least one of the walls of the housing that aids the mating structure in maintaining proper electrical contact with the connector.

9. The connector shroud of claim 8, wherein the detents are in the first and third walls of the housing.

10. A connector shroud for a rectangular electrical connector having four external sides, the connector being mounted on a printed circuit board, the shroud being separate from the connector, the shroud comprising:

a housing fashioned from a single piece of metal, the housing having a first wall, a second wall, and a third wall, each wall juxtaposed with, and extending higher than, one of the external sides of the connector, the second wall connected to and positioned between the first and third wall, the first and third walls each having a flange extending from the ends of the first and third walls opposite the second wall, the flanges juxtaposed with, and extending higher than, the remaining external side of the connector not juxtaposed with one of the three walls of the housing, the walls and the flanges thereby substantially surrounding the connector and defining a channel that properly aligns a mating structure for proper connection with the connector, the flanges mating with the mating structure so that the mating structure may be inserted into the channel of the housing in only one possible orientation, the housing having at least one leg extending from the bottom of at least one of the walls so that the at least one leg projects through at least one corresponding hole in the printed circuit board, thereby allowing the at least one leg to be soldered to the printed circuit board, the at least one leg being positioned so that the housing may be attached to the printed circuit board in only one possible orientation, the housing having at least one guide ramp extending from the top of at least one of the walls of the housing to guide the mating structure into the channel defined by the walls of the housing.