Electrical connector with improved guiding means

• US 6,290,530 B1
• Filed: 04/03/2000
• Issued: 09/18/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 03/03/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Chang, Yao-Hao
• Primary Examiner(s): HARVEY, JAMES R
• Application Number:
  US09/541,739
• Time in Patent Office: 533 Days
• Field of Search: 439/610, 439/378, 439/358, 439/357, 439/76.1
• US Class Current: 439/378
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/631 for engagement only

Abstract

An electrical connector has an insulative housing, a plurality of contacts received in the housing, an upper shell, a lower shell, a base, a cover and a pair of latches. The upper shell and the lower shell engage with each other to receive the housing therein. The base comprises a pair of lateral walls defining a cavity therebetween for receiving the housing. A guiding post forwardly projects from a front end of each lateral wall of the base for guiding the connector to connect with the mating connector and defines a slit for receiving a corresponding latch. The lower shell comprises a lower enclosing portion and a pair of side retaining arms upwardly extending from opposite edges of the lower enclosing portion. A front retaining arm laterally extends from a front end of each side retaining arm. The front retaining arms and the side retaining arms shield and strengthen the guiding posts.

Claims

1. An electrical connector comprising:

an insulative housing defining a plurality of passageways therein and including a projecting portion forwardly extending from a front thereof;

a plurality of contacts for being received in the passageways of the housing, each contact including a contact portion projecting beyond the projecting portion for engaging with a mating electrical connector;

a base and a cover for enveloping the housing, the base including a pair of lateral walls, a guiding post being formed projecting forwardly from a front end of each lateral wall for guiding the connector to connect with the mating electrical connector; and

upper and lower metal shells located in the base and the cover for shielding the housing, the shells including means for strengthening and shielding the guiding post of the base;

wherein the strengthening and shielding means comprises a pair of side retaining arms respectively depending upwardly from opposite side edges of the lower shell, said retaining arms respectively engaging outward sides of the guiding posts;

wherein the strengthening and shielding means comprises a front retaining arm inwardly depending from a front edge of each side retaining arm for engaging a front end of a corresponding guiding post;

wherein the front retaining arms are substantially perpendicular to the side retaining arms;

wherein each guiding post longitudinally defines a slit in a middle thereof;

further comprising a pair of latches received in a corresponding slit;

wherein each latch comprises a locking tongue upwardly extending from a middle thereof and a triangular retention tab at a front distal end thereof for engaging with the mating electrical connector;

wherein the base comprises a cavity defined between the lateral walls of the base for receiving the housing therein;

further comprising a printed circuit board and a cable having wires soldered to the printed circuit board, the printed circuit board transversely being located between the lateral walls of the base, and each contact rearwardly and horizontally forming a straddle tail, a groove being defined in the straddle tail for latching with the printed circuit board, whereby the cable electrically connects with the contacts;

wherein an upper enclosing portion and a lower enclosing portion respectively extend from a front of the upper shell and a front of the lower shell for cooperating with each other to shield the projecting portions of the housing;

wherein the upper shell has an upper flap at a rear thereof and the lower shell has a lower flap at a rear thereof for shielding the housing, and wherein the upper and the lower flaps each define a recess for receiving the cable therein;

wherein the cover further forms a pair of engaging tabs, and the base further defines a pair of holes for latching with the engaging tabs.