Electrical connector shield with dual function of mechanical locking and electrical shielding continuety

• US 6,234,827 B1
• Filed: 01/27/2000
• Issued: 05/22/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 01/27/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Mitsomi Newtech Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Mitsomi Newtech Company Limited
• Inventors: Nishio, Atsushi, Hori, Katsuhiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Sircus, Brian
• Assistant Examiner(s): NASRI, JAVAID H
• Application Number:
  US09/491,753
• Time in Patent Office: 481 Days
• Field of Search: 439/357, 439/350, 439/351, 439/352, 439/353, 439/354, 439/355, 439/356, 439/345, 439/607
• US Class Current: 439/357
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6275 Latching arms not integral with the housing H01R13/6276, H01R13/6277, H01R13/6278 take precedence
• 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

A “small” or “miniature connector comprises: a connector socket 2, having a shield case 4, which is a metal plate bent and formed into a rectangular tube, and an insulating housing 6, which supports a plurality of contact pins 5 and is built into the interior of shield case 4; a connector plug 3, having a plug part 3a which is inserted into an insertion opening 11 of connector socket 2; a contact member 26, which has a shallow “V” shaped cross-section and is flexible, being formed by cutting out and offsetting on a top wall of shield case 4; and a protrusion 27 of inverted “V” shape, which engages with contact member 26, being placed on an upper surface of plug part 3a.

Claims

1. An electrical connector comprising:

a connector socket including a metal shield case of rectangular tubular cross section;

an insulated housing disposed in said shield case;

said insulated housing supporting a plurality of contact pins;

a connector plug;

said connector plug including a plug part insertable in an opening in said connector socket;

said plug part including a metallic plug shield on a surface thereof;

a wall part of said metal shield case being slit to form an elongated flexibly mounted metallic contact member resiliently connected at a first end to said metal shield case, and resiliently free to be displaced at its second end;

a fore end part of said metallic contact member having a longitudinal sectional configuration of a V shape;

an outward protrusion integrally formed on said metallic plug shield;

said protrusion having a shape complementary to said V shape, and being positioned so that said fore end is urged upward by said protrusion during insertion of said connector plug into said connector socket to ride up over said protrusion during insertion of said connector plug into said connector socket, and to be restored downward by springback of said metallic contact member into retaining contact past said protrusion, whereby said connector plug is retained fully inserted in said connector socket; and

electrical contact between said protrusion and said metallic contact member providing shielding continuity between said metallic plug shield and said metal shield case, whereby the dual function of mechanical locking and electrical shielding continuity is accomplished.

2. An electrical connector according to claim 1, wherein said retaining contact requires substantially more force to disengage than a force required to engage, whereby when said connector plug is retained in said connector socket, substantially more force is required for disengagement than is required for engagement.