USB3.0 CONNECTOR AND METHOD OF MAKING THE SAME

• US 20130029515A1
• Filed: 06/04/2012
• Published: 01/31/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/27/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Excel Cell Electronic Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Excel Cell Electronic Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Lin, Chih-Ming, Sun, Lee-Yen
• Granted Patent: US 8,939,777 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 439/345
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/26 Pin or blade contacts for sliding co-operation on one side only for modular jack type connectors H01R24/62
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6581 Shield structure
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 24/60 Contacts spaced along planar side wall transverse to longitudinal axis of engagement
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 43/16 for manufacturing contact members, e.g. by punching and by bending
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49222 forming array of contacts or terminals

Abstract

A USB3.0 connector includes an insulative body, a plurality of first and second terminals, and an outer shell covering the insulative body. The insulative body includes a base that has a base upper wall, a base lower wall, and two base sidewalls. The base lower wall has a rear end notched in a frontward direction to form a plurality of alternating shallow and deep notches to position first and second legs of the first and second terminals, which are bent downwardly. The alternating shallow and deep notches space the first legs apart from the secondlegs, respectively. The number of component parts for assembly is therefore reduced.

Claims

1. A USB3.0 connector comprising:

an insulative body including a base that has a base upper wall, a base lower wall, and two base sidewalls interconnecting said base upper and lower walls, a tongue plate projecting forwardly from a front side of said base, a clamp plate projecting forwardly from a bottom side of said base lower wall, and a rear recess that is formed in a rear part of said base and that is surrounded by said base upper and lower walls and said base sidewalls, said base lower wall having a rear end notched in a frontward direction to form a plurality of alternating shallow and deep notches, each of said base sidewalls having a guide groove extending in a front-rear direction;

a plurality of first terminals each having a first contact plate fitted in a bottom side of said tongue plate, and a first leg bending downwardly from said first contact plate and extending through one of said deep notches;

a plurality of second terminals each having a second contact plate fitted in a top side of said tongue plate, and a second leg bending downwardly from said second contact plate and extending through one of said shallow notches; and

an outer shell covering said insulative body and including a shell top wall, a shell bottom wall, and two shell sidewalls, said shell top wall being longer than and extending beyond a rear end of said shell bottom wall, each of said shell sidewalls having a guide tab engaging said guide groove of one of said base sidewalls.

2. The USB 3.0 connector of claim 1, wherein two of said second terminals are proximate to said base sidewalls, respectively, said second leg of each of said two of said second terminals having a transversely projecting outer edge, and an indented inner edge opposite to said projecting outer edge, said projecting outer edge abutting against said base lower wall adjacent a respective one of said shallow notches, said indented inner edge receiving and engaging an edge of said base lower wall adjacent to the respective one of said shallow notches.

3. The USB 3.0 connector of claim 1, wherein said insulative body further includes an engaging slot formed in said front side of said base above said clamp plate, and said outer shell further includes an engaging lug projecting rearwardly from said shell bottom wall, said shell bottom wall having a bottom side abutting against said clamp plate, said engaging lug being inserted into said engaging slot.

4. The USB 3.0 connector of claim 1, wherein each of said base sidewalls further has a wedge-shaped protrusion formed in said guide groove in proximity to said front side of said base, each of said shell sidewalls further having a stop plate disposed in front of said guide tab and engaging said wedge-shaped protrusion, said guide tab and said stop plate being engaged in the respective one of said guide grooves and proximate to rear and front ends of the respective one of said guide grooves.

5. The USB 3.0 connector of claim 4, further comprising a rear cover, said outer shell further including first positioning holes formed respectively in said shell sidewalls proximate to a rear end of said outer shell, and a second positioning hole formed in said shell top wall proximate to said rear end, said rear cover having a rear plate covering said rear recess of said base, a top plate projecting forwardly from a top end of said rear plate, two outer clamp plates bending forwardly and respectively from two opposite ends of said rear plate and extending over outer sides of said shell sidewalls, respectively, two inner clamp plates bending forwardly and respectively from two opposite ends of said rear plate and inserted between said base and said outer shell, two first protrusions respectively projecting from outer surfaces of said inner clamp plates and engaging said first positioning holes, and a second protrusion projecting downwardly from said top plate and engaging said second positioning hole.

6. A method of making a USB 3.0 connector, comprising:

preparing an insulative body including a base that has a base upper wall, a base lower wall, and two base sidewalls interconnecting said base upper and lower walls, a tongue plate projecting forwardly from a front side of said base, a clamp plate projecting forwardly from a bottom side of said base lower wall, and a rear recess that is formed in a rear part of said base and that is surrounded by said base upper and lower walls and said base sidewalls, said base lower wall having a rear end notched in a frontward direction to form a plurality of alternating shallow and deep notches, each of said base sidewalls having a guide groove extending in a front-rear direction, and wherein said insulative body further includes an engaging slot formed in said front side of said base above said clamp plate;

preparing first terminals each having a first contact plate for fitting in a bottom side of said tongue plate, and a first leg bending downwardly from said first contact plate for extending through one of said deep notches;

fitting the first contact plates of the first terminals in the bottom side of the tongue plate, and extending the first legs respectively through the deep notches;

forming second terminals each having a second contact plate for fitting in a top side of said tongue plate, and a second leg bending downwardly from said second contact plate for extending through one of said shallow notches;

forming a connection plate which interconnects the second terminals;

assembling the second terminals with the tongue plate by pushing forwardly and fitting the second contact plates of the second terminals in the top side of the tongue plate, by extending the second legs of the second terminals through the shallow notches, respectively, and by engaging the second legs of two of the second terminals, which are respectively proximate to the base sidewalls, with the base lower wall in such a manner that each of the two second terminals has the projecting outer edge abutting against an edge of the base lower wall proximate to the respective one of the shallow notches, and has the indented inner edge receiving and engaging an edge of the base lower wall proximate to the respective one of the shallow notches;

cutting off the connection plate of the second terminals;

preparing an outer shell for covering said insulative body and including a shell top wall, a shell bottom wall, and two shell sidewalls, said shell top wall being longer than and extending beyond a rear end of said shell bottom wall, each of said shell sidewalls having a guide tab for engaging said guide groove of one of said base sidewalls, and said outer shell further includes an engaging lug projecting rearwardly from said shell bottom wall, said shell bottom wall having a bottom side abutting against said clamp plate, said engaging lug being insertable into said engaging slot; and

assembling the outer shell with the insulative body by moving forwardly and inserting the insulative body into an interior of the outer shell, wherein the guide tabs are guided into the respective guide grooves by sliding over the respective wedge-shaped protrusions, the engaging lug of the outer shell is inserted into the engaging slot of the base, the clamp plate of the base clamps the bottom side of the shell bottom wall, and the shell bottom wall contacts against the base.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

preparing a rear cover having a rear plate for covering said rear recess of said base, a top plate projecting forwardly from a top end of said rear plate, two outer clamp plates bending forwardly and respectively from two opposite ends of said rear plate for extending over outer sides of said shell sidewalls, respectively, two inner clamp plates bending forwardly and respectively from two opposite ends of said rear plate for insertion between said base and said outer shell, two first protrusions respectively projecting from outer surfaces of said inner clamp plates for engaging first positioning holes, and a second protrusion projecting downwardly from said top plate for engaging a second positioning hole; and

arranging the rear cover to embrace the rear end of the outer shell in such a manner that the top plate of the rear cover extends over an upper side of the shell top wall, the second protrusion projecting into the second positioning hole in the shell top wall, the outer clamp plates respectively clamp and extend over outer sides of the shell sidewalls, the inner clamp plates are inserted between the base and the outer shell, and the first protrusions respectively engaging the first positioning holes.