Electrical connector assembly with an improved front cover

• US 8,562,378 B2
• Filed: 09/14/2011
• Issued: 10/22/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/15/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Su, Ping-Sheng, Chen, Jun, Qi, Feng-Jun
• Primary Examiner(s): Johnson, Amy Cohen
• Assistant Examiner(s): Imas, Vladimir
• Application Number:
  US13/231,991
• Publication Number:
  US 20120064769A1
• Time in Patent Office: 769 Days
• Field of Search: 439/607.55, 439/607.54, 43960756-60758
• US Class Current: 439/607.55
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/502 composed of different pieces H01R13/514 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6581 Shield structure

Abstract

An electrical connector assembly includes an insulative housing (1) with a trapezoid space (11), a contact module (2) assembled to the insulative housing, a shell (4) enclosing the insulative housing and a front cover (5) enclosing the shell. The shell has a top shell (41) and a bottom shell (42) assembled with each other, and the top shell comprises a base portion (411) and an extension portion (413) extending backwards from the base portion. The front cover includes a main portion (51) and a head portion (52) extending forwards from the main portion, and the head portion is enclosing the base portion, with the main portion enclosing the extension portion of the top shell and the bottom shell.

Claims

1. An electrical connector assembly, comprising:

an insulative housing with a trapezoid space;

a contact module assembled to the insulative housing;

a shell enclosing the insulative housing, and having a top shell and a bottom shell assembled with each other, the top shell comprising a base portion and an extension portion extending backwards from the base portion; and

a front cover enclosing a conjunction area between the base portion and the extension portion of the top shell;

wherein

the front cover includes a main portion and a head portion extending forwards from the main portion, and the head portion is enclosing the base portion, with the main portion enclosing the extension portion of the top shell and the bottom shell, the head portion is structured in a frame shape with a smaller dimension along a cross-section view, and the main portion has a bigger dimension along the cross-section view.

2. The electrical connector assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the front cover is made of metallic material, and the head portion has an interior shape as same as an exterior shape of the base portion of the top shell.

3. The electrical connector assembly as claimed in claim 2, wherein the contact module includes a first contact module and a second contact module under the first contact module, and each of the first and the second contact module comprises an insulator and a plurality of contacts insert-molded within the insulator.

4. The electrical connector assembly as claimed in claim 3, further comprising a cable with a plurality of wires, and wherein each contact has a tail portion on a rear end, each insulator has a plurality of grooves receiving the tail portions, and the tail portions are electrically connected with the wires.

5. The electrical connector assembly as claimed in claim 3, wherein a pair of notches are formed on lateral sides after the first contact module being assembled to the second contact module, and the shell defines a plurality of obstructions received in the corresponding notches.

6. The electrical connector assembly as claimed in claim 5, wherein the first contact module is assembled to the second contact module along an up-to-down direction, and the first contact module defines a pair of cutouts and a pair of blocks on both sides, the second contact module has a pair of coupling portion and a pair of projecting portions engaging with the corresponding cutouts.

7. The electrical connector assembly as claimed in claim 6, wherein a hook is defined on a top end of each coupling portion, and the hooks slide across the corresponding block and are latched with the block.

8. The electrical connector assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein a roomage is formed through the front cover along a mating direction.

9. The electrical connector assembly as claimed in claim 8, wherein the base portion is of frame-shape, and the extension portion is of U-shape.

10. The electrical connector assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein a front segment of the contact module is inserted into the space of the insulative housing along a rear-to-front direction.

11. The electrical connector assembly as claimed in claim 10, wherein the contact module has a locking tab protruding outwards, and the insulative housing has a channel receiving the locking tab.

12. The electrical connector assembly as claimed in claim 11, wherein the bottom shell comprises a bottom wall, a front flange bent upwards from a front end of the bottom wall and a clip portion on a rear end thereof, and the clip portion is of ring shape approximately.

13. An electrical connector assembly for use with a complementary connector, comprising:

an insulative housing being configured to be a mating port mateable with the complementary connector, and defining a plurality of passageways therein;

a pair of terminal modules back to back assembled to each other, each having an insulator having a front region assembled to a rear region of the housing, and a plurality of contacts integrally, each of said contacts defining a front deflectable contacting section extending into the housing and a rear cable connection section;

a cable having a plurality of wires respectively connected to the corresponding cable connection sections;

a metallic shell having a front section circumferentially enclosing the housing and a rear section circumferentially enclosing the terminal modules; and

an insulative front cover defining a main portion and a head portion, the front cover enclosing a conjunction area between the front section and the rear section;

wherein

the head portion is dimensioned to snugly circumferentially enclose the front section of the shell while the main portion is dimensioned to snugly circumferentially enclose the rear section of the shell, and the head portion has a dimension smaller than that of the main portion along a cross-section view.

14. The electrical connector assembly as claimed in claim 13, wherein the shell shields the terminal modules in a front-to-back direction, and the front cover shields the shell in the front-to-back direction.

15. The electrical connector assembly as claimed in claim 14, further includes an insulative whole set cover circumferentially encloses the front cover and further shields the complete front cover in the front-to-back direction.