Electrical connector with a transparent insulating jacket

• US 6,776,665 B2
• Filed: 11/25/2002
• Issued: 08/17/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 11/25/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: George Ying-Liang Huang
• Original Assignee: George Ying-Liang Huang
• Inventors: Huang, George Ying-Liang
• Primary Examiner(s): DUVERNE, JEAN F
• Application Number:
  US10/303,442
• Publication Number:
  US 20040102095A1
• Time in Patent Office: 631 Days
• Field of Search: 439/676, 439/668, 439/350, 439/352, 439/607-610, 439/353, 439/357, 361/818
• US Class Current: 439/676
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/512 assembled by screw or screws
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/621 Bolt, set screw or screw clamp
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6581 Shield structure
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 31/02 Intermediate parts for distributing energy to two or more circuits in parallel, e.g. splitter with a holder adapted for supporting apparatus to which its counterpart is attached H01R33/92

Abstract

A connector unit of an electrical connector includes a terminal set mounted on a terminal holding member. The terminal set has a front mating portion and a rear coupling portion that projects rearwardly relative to a rear end face of the terminal holding member. A tubular unitary metal protective sleeve has a sleeve wall with a front end portion that defines a receiving space for receiving the terminal holding member of the connector unit therein. A transparent insulating jacket encloses fittingly the metal protective sleeve. An interlocking unit includes a hole set formed in one of the sleeve wall and the transparent insulating jacket, and a plug set formed on the other of the sleeve wall and the transparent insulating jacket to interconnect securely the metal protective sleeve and the transparent insulating jacket.

Claims

1. An electrical connector comprising:

a connector unit including a terminal holding member and a terminal set mounted on said terminal holding member, said terminal holding member having a front end face and a rear end face opposite to said front end face, said terminal set having a front mating portion and a rear coupling portion that projects rearwardly relative to said rear end face of said terminal holding member;

a tubular unitary metal protective sleeve having a sleeve wall with a front end portion that defines a receiving space for receiving said terminal holding member of said connector unit therein;

a transparent insulating jacket for enclosing fittingly said metal protective sleeve; and

an interlocking unit including a hole set formed in one of said sleeve wall and said transparent insulating jacket and a plug set formed on the other of said sleeve wall and said transparent insulating jacket to interconnect securely said metal protective sleeve and said transparent insulating jacket.

2. The electrical connector as claimed in claim 1, wherein said hole set is formed in said sleeve wall, and said plug set is formed on said transparent insulating jacket, said hole set being registered with said rear coupling portion of said terminal set such that said rear coupling portion of said terminal set is visible externally of said metal protective sleeve.

3. The electrical connector as claimed in claim 1, wherein said sleeve wall and said transparent insulating jacket have confronting outer and inner wall surfaces, respectively,

said interlocking unit further including a locking groove formed in one of said outer and inner wall surfaces of said sleeve wall and said transparent insulating jacket, and a locking rib formed on the other of said outer and inner wall surfaces of said sleeve wall and said transparent insulating jacket to engage said locking groove.

4. The electrical connector as claimed in claim 1, further comprising an annular metal shield that defines a terminal opening therein and that is disposed adjacent to said front end face of said terminal holding member, said metal shield having a rear end formed with an outwardly extending flange, said front mating portion of said terminal set projecting forwardly relative to said front end face of said terminal holding member and extending into said terminal opening in said metal shield.

5. The electrical connector as claimed in claim 4, wherein said sleeve wall has a distal front end formed with an outwardly extending flange that abuts against said flange of said metal shield and that is connected to said flange of said metal shield.

6. The electrical connector as claimed in claim 5, wherein said flange on one of said metal shield and said sleeve wall has a notched periphery, said flange on the other of said metal shield and said sleeve wall being formed with a tongue unit for engaging said notched periphery, thereby securing said metal shield to said metal protective sleeve.

7. The electrical connector as claimed in claim 5, wherein said flanges of said metal shield and said sleeve wall are formed with aligned pairs of through holes, said transparent insulating jacket being formed with a set of fastener holes, each of which is aligned with one of said pairs of said through holes, said electrical connector further comprising a set of fasteners, each of which extends through one of said fastener holes and one of said pairs of said through holes.

8. The electrical connector as claimed in claim 4, wherein said transparent insulating jacket is formed as a tubular plastic sleeve that is sleeved fittingly on said metal protective sleeve, said metal shield extending outwardly of said transparent insulating jacket.

9. The electrical connector as claimed in claim 1, wherein said transparent insulating jacket is formed by wrapping a thermoplastic material around said metal protective sleeve and shaping the thermoplastic material in a mold.

10. The electrical connector as claimed in claim 1, wherein said sleeve wall has an outer wall surface formed with a relief pattern that is visible externally of said transparent insulating jacket.

11. The electrical connector as claimed in claim 1, wherein said transparent insulating jacket has an inner wall surface that is formed with a relief pattern that is visible externally of said transparent insulating jacket.

12. An electrical adapter comprising:

first and second connector units, each of which includes a terminal holding member and a terminal set mounted on said terminal holding member, said terminal holding member having a first end face and a second end face opposite to said first end face, said terminal set having a mating portion and a coupling portion that projects relative to said second end face of said terminal holding member;

an electrical coupling unit having a first end portion coupled electrically to said coupling portion of said terminal set of said first connector unit, and a second end portion coupled electrically to said coupling portion of said terminal set of said second connector unit;

a tubular unitary metal protective sleeve having a sleeve wall with a first wall portion that defines a first receiving space for receiving said terminal holding member of said first connector unit therein, and a second wall portion that defines a second receiving space for receiving said terminal holding member of said second connector unit therein;

a transparent insulating jacket for enclosing fittingly said metal protective sleeve; and

an interlocking unit including a hole set formed in one of said sleeve wall and said transparent insulating jacket and a plug set formed on the other of said sleeve wall and said transparent insulating jacket to interconnect securely said metal protective sleeve and said transparent insulating jacket.

13. The electrical adapter as claimed in claim 12, wherein said sleeve wall and said transparent insulating jacket have confronting outer and inner wall surfaces, respectively,

said interlocking unit further including a locking groove formed in one of said outer and inner wall surfaces of said sleeve wall and said transparent insulating jacket, and a locking rib formed on the other of said outer and inner wall surfaces of said sleeve wall and said transparent insulating jacket to engage said locking groove.

14. The electrical adapter as claimed in claim 12, wherein said transparent insulating jacket is formed as a tubular plastic sleeve that is sleeved fittingly on said metal protective sleeve.

15. The electrical adapter as claimed in claim 12, wherein said transparent insulating jacket is formed by wrapping a thermoplastic material around said metal protective sleeve and shaping the thermoplastic material in a mold.

16. The electrical adapter as claimed in claim 12, wherein said sleeve wall has an outer wall surface formed with a relief pattern that is visible externally of said transparent insulating jacket.

17. The electrical adapter as claimed in claim 12, wherein said transparent insulating jacket has an inner wall surface that is formed with a relief pattern that is visible externally of said transparent insulating jacket.

18. An electrical cable comprising:

a connector unit including a terminal holding member and a terminal set mounted on said terminal holding member, said terminal holding member having a first end face and a second end face opposite to said first end face, said terminal set having a mating portion and a coupling portion that projects relative to said second end face of said terminal holding member;

a signal cable having a first cable portion coupled electrically to said coupling portion of said terminal set, and a second cable portion opposite to said first cable portion;

a tubular unitary metal protective sleeve having a sleeve wall with a first wall portion that defines a receiving space for receiving said terminal holding member therein, and a second wall portion that defines an opening to permit said second cable portion of said signal cable to extend out of said metal protective sleeve;

a transparent insulating jacket for enclosing fittingly said metal protective sleeve; and

an interlocking unit including a hole set formed in one of said sleeve wall and said transparent insulating jacket and a plug set formed on the other of said sleeve wall and said transparent insulating jacket to interconnect securely said metal protective sleeve and said transparent insulating jacket.

19. The electrical cable as claimed in claim 18, wherein said sleeve wall and said transparent insulating jacket have confronting outer and inner wall surfaces, respectively,

said interlocking unit further including a locking groove formed in one of said outer and inner wall surfaces of said sleeve wall and said transparent insulating jacket, and a locking rib formed on the other of said outer and inner wall surfaces of said sleeve wall and said transparent insulating jacket to engage said locking groove.

20. The electrical cable as claimed in claim 18, wherein said transparent insulating jacket is formed as a tubular plastic sleeve that is sleeved fittingly on said metal protective sleeve.

21. The electrical cable as claimed in claim 18, wherein said transparent insulating jacket is formed by wrapping a thermoplastic material around said metal protective sleeve and shaping the thermoplastic material in a mold.

22. The electrical cable as claimed in claim 18, wherein said sleeve wall has an outer wall surface formed with a relief pattern that is visible externally of said transparent insulating jacket.

23. The electrical cable as claimed in claim 18, wherein said transparent insulating jacket has an inner wall surface that is formed with a relief pattern that is visible externally of said transparent insulating jacket.

24. A connector housing comprising:

a tubular unitary metal protective sleeve;

a transparent insulating jacket for enclosing fittingly said metal protective sleeve; and

an interlocking unit including a hole set formed in one of said metal protective sleeve and said transparent insulating jacket, and a plug set formed on the other of said metal protective sleeve and said transparent insulating jacket to interconnect securely said metal protective sleeve and said transparent insulating jacket.

25. The connector housing as claimed in claim 24, wherein said metal protective sleeve and said transparent insulating jacket have confronting outer and inner wall surfaces, respectively,

said interlocking unit further including a locking groove formed in one of said outer and inner wall surfaces of said metal protective sleeve and said transparent insulating jacket, and a locking rib formed on the other of said outer and inner wall surfaces of said metal protective sleeve and said transparent insulating jacket to engage said locking groove.

26. The connector housing as claimed in claim 24, wherein said transparent insulating jacket is formed by wrapping a thermoplastic material around said metal protective sleeve and shaping the thermoplastic material in a mold.

27. The connector housing as claimed in claim 24, wherein said metal protective sleeve has an outer wall surface formed with a relief pattern that is visible externally of said transparent insulating jacket.

28. The connector housing as claimed in claim 24, wherein said transparent insulating jacket has an inner wall surface that is formed with a relief pattern that is visible externally of said transparent insulating jacket.