ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR AND ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR ASSEMBLY

• US 20110130019A1
• Filed: 11/30/2010
• Published: 06/02/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Molex Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Molex Incorporated
• Inventors: LIM, KIAN HENG, YONG, JUN XIAN
• Granted Patent: US 8,435,075 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 439/218
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 12/7047 with a fastener through a screw hole in the coupling device
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 12/707 Soldering or welding
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 12/724 containing contact members forming a right angle
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6582 with resilient means for engaging mating connector
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6594 the shield being mounted on a PCB and connected to conductive members

Abstract

An electrical connector comprises a dielectric body, a plurality of terminals, and a metal shell. The dielectric body includes a base and a tongue. The tongue extends forward from the base and supports the plurality of terminals. The metal shell is integrally formed around the dielectric body, and can be formed by bending a metal plate, and includes a top wall, a bottom wall opposite to the top wall, a first side wall, and a second side wall, the four walls defining a rectangular opening. The first side wall includes a lower wall portion and an upper wall portion, both of which are joined at a seam on the first side wall. The lower wall portion has a lower solder leg and the upper wall portion has an upper solder leg and the lower and upper solder legs can be soldered to the circuit board.

Claims

1. An electrical connector, comprising:

a dielectric body having a base and a tongue extending forward from the base;

a plurality of terminals disposed on the tongue; and

a metal shell disposed around the dielectric body, integrally formed by bending a metal plate;

the metal shell having a top wall, a bottom wall opposite to the top wall, a first side wall, and a second side wall, defining a rectangular opening;

the first side wall including a lower wall portion and an upper wall portion that are joined together at a seam on the first side wall;

the lower wall portion having a lower solder leg extending in a direction toward the bottom wall;

the upper wall portion having an upper solder leg extending the direction toward the bottom wall.

2. The electrical connector of claim 1, wherein the lower solder leg includes a first solder portion and the upper solder leg includes a second solder portion formed adjacent to the solder portion of the lower solder leg.

3. The electrical connector of claim 2, wherein the lower solder leg includes a first indentation and the upper solder leg includes a second indentation opposing the first indentation.

4. The electrical connector of claim 2, wherein the lower solder leg further comprises a bending portion connecting the lower wall portion and the solder portion.

5. The electrical connector of claim 4, wherein the upper solder leg further comprises a bending portion connecting the upper wall portion and the solder portion.

6. The electrical connector of claim 5, wherein the dielectric body includes two lateral arms connecting two ends of the base and respectively disposed adjacent to two sides of the tongue, wherein the seam on the first side wall of the metal shell is on an outside of one of the two lateral arms.

7. The electrical connector of claim 6, wherein the terminals are arranged into two groups, wherein one group of the terminals are disposed on one side of the tongue, arranged to comply with the external serial advanced technology attachment (eSATA) specification, and another group of the terminals are disposed on another side of the tongue, arranged to comply with the universal serial bus (USB) specification.

8. The electrical connector of claim 1, wherein the lower and upper wall portions are connected by a dovetail joint.

9. An electrical connector assembly, comprising:

a circuit board; and

an electrical connector, comprising;

a dielectric body having a base and a tongue extending forward from the base;

a plurality of terminals disposed on the tongue; and

a metal shell disposed around the dielectric body, integrally formed by bending a metal plate;

the metal shell having a top wall parallel to a board surface of the circuit board, a bottom wall opposite to the top wall and parallel to the board surface of the circuit board, a first side wall, and a second side wall, defining a rectangular opening;

the first side wall including a lower wall portion and an upper wall portion, both of which are jointed at a seam on the first side wall;

the lower wall portion having a lower solder leg extending in a direction toward the circuit board;

the upper wall portion having an upper solder leg extending in the direction toward the circuit board.

10. The electrical connector assembly of claim 9, wherein the lower solder leg includes a first solder portion and the upper solder leg includes a second solder portion formed adjacent to the first solder portion.

11. The electrical connector assembly of claim 10, wherein the lower solder leg includes a first indentation and the upper leg includes a second indentation opposing the first indentation.

12. The electrical connector assembly of claim 10, wherein the lower solder leg further comprises a bending portion connecting the lower wall portion and the solder portion.

13. The electrical connector assembly of claim 12, wherein the upper solder leg further comprises a bending portion connecting the upper wall portion and the solder portion.

14. The electrical connector assembly of claim 13, wherein the dielectric body includes two lateral arms connecting two ends of the base and respectively disposed adjacent to two sides of the tongue, wherein the seam on the first side wall of the metal shell is on an outside of one of the two lateral arms.

15. The electrical connector assembly of claim 14, wherein the terminals are arranged into two groups, wherein one group of the terminals are disposed on one side of the tongue, arranged to comply with the external serial advanced technology attachment (eSATA) specification, and another group of the terminals are disposed on another side of the tongue, arranged to comply with the universal serial bus (USB) specification.

16. The electrical connector assembly of claim 14, wherein the circuit board includes an opening, wherein the electrical connector is dipped in the opening.

17. The electrical connector assembly of claim 14, wherein the circuit board includes a plurality of holes, wherein the upper solder leg and the lower solder leg are in one of the holes, soldered to the circuit board.

18. The electrical connector assembly of claim 14, wherein the lower and upper wall portions are connected by a dovetail joint.