MIMO RF connector assembly

• US 7,442,057 B2
• Filed: 10/12/2006
• Issued: 10/28/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/12/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Ko, David (Tso-Chin)
• Primary Examiner(s): LEON, EDWIN A
• Application Number:
  US11/580,608
• Publication Number:
  US 20080090430A1
• Time in Patent Office: 747 Days
• Field of Search: 439/101, 439/610, 439/447, 439/686, 439/108, 439/608, 439/79, 439/502, 439/626, 439/680, 439/607, 439/541.5, 439/695, 439/697
• US Class Current: 439/101
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 12/716 Coupling device provided on the PCB

Abstract

A connector assembly includes a receptacle connector and a plug connector. The receptacle connector includes a first housing including a base plate and a tongue portion including a pair of first and second halves, and a number of first contacts protruding through the base plate and received in the first and second halves of the first housing. The plug connector includes a second housing, a plurality of second contacts received in the second housing, and a cable electrically connecting with the second contacts. The second housing includes a pair of sidewalls, an upper wall connecting with upper ends of the sidewalls, and an insert section connecting with the sidewalls to form a first space together with the upper wall and the sidewalls, and a second space together with the sidewalls. The first half of the tongue portion of the first housing of the receptacle connector is received in the first space of the second housing, and the second half of the tongue portion is received in the second space of the second housing, and the insert section of the second housing of the plug connector is received between the first and second halves of the tongue portion and the first and second contacts electrically connect with one another.

Claims

1. A connector assembly, comprising:

a receptacle connector, comprising;

a first housing comprising a base plate and a tongue portion comprising a pair of first and second halves; and

a plurality of first contacts protruding through the base plate and received in the first and second halves of the first housing; and

a plug connector, comprising;

a second housing comprising a pair of sidewalls, an upper wall connecting with upper ends of the sidewalk, and an insert section connecting with the sidewalls to form a first space together with the upper wall and the sidewalls, and a second space together with the sidewalls, the insert section defining a plurality of channels therein;

a plurality of second contacts received in the channels of the insert section of the second housing and partially exposed into the first space;

a conductive shell enclosing the second housing to seal the second space and facing to the insert section;

a cable comprising a plurality of wires respectively electrically connecting with the second contacts; and

wherein

the first half of the tongue portion of the first housing of the receptacle connector is received in the first space of the second housing, and the second half of the tongue portion is received in the second space of the second housing, and the insert section of the second housing of the plug connector is received between the first and second halves of the tongue portion and the first and second contacts electrically connect with one another.

2. The connector assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the second contacts comprise a plurality of signal contacts and a plurality of ground contacts, and wherein the signal contacts and the ground contacts are arranged alternatively.

3. The connector assembly as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a first conductive shell enclosing the first housing and the first contacts and electrically connecting with the second conductive shell.

4. The connector assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the connector assembly is RF type connector.

5. The connector assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first and second contacts receive/transmit more than one signal at one time.

6. The connector assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein each first contact comprises a body section received in the base plate, a dual-beam mating section received in the tongue portion to electrically connect with the second contact, and a soldering section adapted for connecting to a circuit board.

7. The connector assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the second half of the first housing of the receptacle connector is received in the second space to be sandwiched between the insertion section of the second housing and the conductive shell.

8. The connector assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the plug connector further comprises an inner circuit card electrically connecting with the second contacts and the cable.

9. The connector assembly as claimed in claim 8, wherein the upper wall of the second housing defines a window, and wherein the circuit card and the second contacts are soldered together from the window.

10. The connector assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the upper wall of the second housing is partially cut to form a pair of inclined edges respectively connecting with the sidewalls.

11. The connector assembly as claimed in claim 10, wherein the first housing comprises a pair of stretching arms extending from the base plate, and wherein the tongue portion is located between the stretching arms.

12. The connector assembly as claimed in claim 11, wherein each stretching arm forms a wedged upper flange extending toward the other stretching arm, and wherein the stretching arm presses on the inclined edge of the second housing.

13. The connector assembly as claimed in claim 11, wherein each stretching arm forms a wedge adjacent to the tongue portion, and wherein the second housing defines a recess on each sidewall thereof to guide the wedge of the first housing thereinto.

14. An electrical connector assembly comprising:

mated first and second connectors,

said first connector including;

a first insulative housing enclosed in a first metallic shell;

a receiving space defined in a front portion of the first shell;

a tongue portion extending forwardly of the first housing and into the receiving space, said tongue portion extending along a longitudinal direction perpendicular to a front-to-back direction of the first housing and divided into first and second halves along said longitudinal direction;

a plurality of first contacts disposed in a middle cavity of the tongue portion and between said first and second halves;

said second connector including;

a second insulative housing enclosed in a second metallic shell;

a tongue plate extending forwardly of the second housing;

a plurality of second contacts disposed in the second housing and on at least one side of said tongue plate;

wherein

the tongue plate is inserted into the middle cavity to have the corresponding first and second contacts engaged with each other, respectively;

wherein

the first half engages the second housing while the second half engages the second shell in a vertical direction perpendicular to both the longitudinal direction and the front-to-back direction.

15. The electrical connector assembly as claimed in claim 14, wherein said second contacts essentially confront the first half while segregated from the second half by the tongue plate in said vertical direction.