Miniature shielded connector with elbow contact shafts

• US 5,851,121 A
• Filed: 03/31/1997
• Issued: 12/22/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 04/01/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Framatome Connectors International
• Original Assignee: Framatome Connectors International
• Inventors: Thenaisie, Jacky, Heulot, Jacques-Henri
• Primary Examiner(s): Stephan, Steven L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): PATEL, TULSIDAS C
• Application Number:
  US08/829,109
• Time in Patent Office: 631 Days
• Field of Search: 439/63, 439/608, 439/581, 439/579
• US Class Current: 439/63
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 12/716 Coupling device provided on the PCB
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6585 Shielding material individually surrounding or interposed between mutually spaced contacts
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 2103/00 Two poles
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 24/50 mounted on a PCB [Printed Circuit Board]
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 43/24 Assembling by moulding on contact members
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49117 Conductor or circuit manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/4922 with molding of insulation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49222 forming array of contacts or terminals

Abstract

The connector comprises a series of metal contact shafts (1) spaced and bent into elbow configurations, embedded in an electrically insulating material (2) which is itself surrounded by a metal shielding (3). Electrically insulating material (2) is molded around contact shafts (1), shielding (3) is made up of two superposed metal blocks (4a) having on their contacting surfaces elbow channels (5a, 5b, 5c) taking up contact shafts (1) surrounded by electrically insulating material (2), these channels being formed so that shielding (3) is interrupted in one rectilinear part of the elbow formed by the channels, this interruption of shielding placing in contact insulating material (2) surrounding the contact shafts, without creating any empty space in zones (7a, 7b) where the shielding is interrupted.

Claims

1. A connector having a series of metal contact shafts (1) spaced and bent into an elbow, embedded in an electrically insulating material (2), which is itself surrounded by a metal shielding (3), characterized in that the shielding (3) is made up of two superposed metal blocks (4a, 4b) having elbow channels (5a, 5b, 5c;

6a, 6b, 6c) on their contacting faces, these channels taking up the shafts (1) surrounded by the electrically insulating material (2), these channels being formed in such a way that the shielding (3) directly between the shafts (1) is interrupted in one rectilinear part of the elbow formed by the channels, this interrupting of shielding placing the insulating material (2) surrounding the contact shafts (1) in contact with the shielding (3) without creating any empty space in zones (7a, 7b) where the shielding is interrupted.

2. A connector according to claim 1, further characterized in that the two metal blocks (4a, 4b) of the shielding are molded.

3. A connector according to claim 1, further characterized in that the two shielding blocks (4a, 4b) have surfaces (8a, 8b) which are in contact with each other and which are planar.

4. A connector according to claim 1, further characterized in that each channel (5a, 5b, 5c;

6a, 6b, 6c) formed in one of blocks (4a, 4b) forms with the adjacent channel of the other block, a conduit of circular sections.

5. A connector according to claim 1, further characterized in that shielding (3) completely surrounds insulating material (2) in a part of the elbows formed by channels (5a, 5b, 5c;

6a, 6b, 6c), the channels comprising parts (9a, 9b;

10a, 10b) located between the contact shafts (1) surrounded by insulating material (2) and being separated by a recess (12a, 12b).

6. A connector according to claim 5, further characterized in that recesses (12a, 12b) each have a hole (13a, 13b) for the passage of an assembly screw for the two shielding blocks.

7. A connector according to claim 1, further characterized in that the two shielding blocks (4a, 4b) are roughly parallelepipedic, channels (5a, 5b, 5c;

6a, 6b, 6c) formed therein emerging from two adjacent lateral surfaces (14,

     15) situated at right angles to one another, of said blocks (4a, 4b).

8. A connector according to claim 7, further characterized in that one (4a) of the blocks has, along one of its lateral surfaces, a protuberance (16) defining a bearing surface (17) perpendicular to an assembly plane (P) of the two blocks (4a, 4b), against which the other block (4b) rests, the channels formed in said blocks commencing outside protuberance (16) contiguous with circular conduits (18a, 18b, 18c) within the protuberance.

9. A connector according to claim 8, further characterized in that insulating material (2) around contact shafts (1) projects outside of circular conduits (18a, 18b, 18c) and is surrounded by a shielding socket (19) for each contact shaft (1) and this socket is pressed into a circular conduit (18a, 18b, 18c), so as to be in contact with shielding (3) of said blocks.

10. An electrical connector comprising:

electrical contacts spaced relative to each other and having a bent elbow shape;

electrical insulation on the contacts and forming connecting sections between the contacts to connect the contacts to each other; and

electrical shielding comprising two blocks forming elbow shaped channels with the contacts and electrical insulation being located in the channels, wherein the blocks form recesses between adjacent ones of the channels that receive the connecting sections of the electrical insulation and wherein shielding is not provided by the electrical shielding directly between the electrical contacts at the recesses.