Plug connector

Abstract

The invention discloses a plug connector which comprises an annular shell, a terminal module inserted at the rear end of the annular shell and a metal shell arranged on the periphery of the annular shell in a sleeving mode, the annular shell is provided with a front-back penetrating insertion cavity, and the terminal module comprises an insulation body and a conductive terminal fixedly held on the insulation body. The conductive terminal is provided with a holding part held in the insulating body, a contact part extending forwards from the holding part and a welding part extending backwards from the holding part, and the contact part extends into the plugging cavity. The annular shell is provided with a main body part formed by injection molding of metal powder and an insulating film layer plated on the surface of the main body part. The main body part made of the metal material solves the problem of plastic deformation caused by stress and environment temperature change of an existing plastic shell, so that deformation of a product frame opening cannot be caused; and meanwhile, the insulating plating layer is used for separating the main body part from the conductive terminal so as to realize electrical insulation between the main body part and the conductive terminal.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of electrical connector technology, and more particularly to a plug connector for welding to cables. Background Technology

[0002] Existing plug connectors include an insulating shell, two terminal modules, an intermediate shield, and a metal outer shell. Each terminal module has an insulating block and several terminals fixed to the insulating block. The two terminal modules, along with the intermediate shield, are assembled together within the insulating shell, while the metal outer shell is fitted over the outside of the insulating shell. However, existing insulating shells are made of plastic, which is susceptible to shrinkage and deformation, especially under environmental conditions (high temperature and humidity, or thermal shock, etc.). This results in gaps between the insulating shell and the metal outer shell in the plug connector.

[0003] Therefore, it is hoped that a new plug connector can be proposed to overcome the above-mentioned defects. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The purpose of this invention is to provide a plug connector whose annular shell is made of metal, which combines insulation, wear resistance and high dimensional accuracy.

[0005] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention adopts the following technical solution: a plug connector, comprising an annular housing, a terminal module inserted into the rear end of the annular housing, and a metal outer shell sleeved on the outer periphery of the annular housing. The annular housing has a through-hole cavity extending from front to back. The terminal module includes an insulating body and conductive terminals fixed to the insulating body. The conductive terminals have a holding portion fixed within the insulating body, a contact portion extending forward from the holding portion, and a welding portion extending rearward from the holding portion. The contact portion extends into the through-hole cavity. The annular housing has a main body formed by metal powder injection molding and an insulating film layer plated on the surface of the main body.

[0006] In a preferred embodiment, the main body is made of aluminum alloy using a metal injection molding process.

[0007] In a preferred embodiment, the insulating film layer is formed from the surface of the main body through a hard anodizing process.

[0008] In a preferred embodiment, the thickness of the insulating film layer is 5~20μm, and the hardness of the insulating film layer is HV300~500.

[0009] In a preferred embodiment, the annular housing is provided with an inner terminal groove formed by a recess in the inner wall surface. The inner terminal groove communicates with the insertion cavity, and the contact portion of the conductive terminal is received in the inner terminal groove.

[0010] In a preferred embodiment, the annular housing has a stepped portion extending from the inner wall to the inner terminal groove, and the free end of the contact portion abuts against the stepped portion.

[0011] In a preferred embodiment, the insulating body has an upper insulator and a lower insulator stacked on top of each other, and the conductive terminals include an upper row of terminals fixed to the upper insulator and a lower row of terminals fixed to the lower insulator. The upper insulator is injection molded onto the upper row of terminals to form an upper terminal module, and the lower insulator is injection molded onto the lower row of terminals to form a lower terminal module.

[0012] In a preferred embodiment, the upper row of terminals has two upper grounding terminals located on the outermost side, the lower row of terminals has two lower grounding terminals located on the outermost side, the annular housing has an outer terminal groove recessed from the outer wall inward, the outer terminal groove is located outside the inner terminal groove and communicates with the plug-in cavity, and the upper grounding terminal and the lower grounding terminal are received in the corresponding outer terminal groove.

[0013] In a preferred embodiment, the plug connector includes a metal locking member located between the upper terminal module and the lower terminal module. The locking member has a main board portion clamped between the upper insulator and the lower insulator and locking arms extending forward from both ends of the main board portion. The annular housing has side grooves recessed inward from both lateral sides. The locking arms are received in the side grooves, and the free ends of the locking arms extend into the insertion cavity.

[0014] In a preferred embodiment, the inner wall of the inner terminal groove and the inner wall of the side groove of the annular housing are both coated with the insulating film layer.

[0015] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following advantages: the annular shell is provided with a main body formed by metal powder injection molding and an insulating film layer plated on the surface of the main body. The metal main body solves the problem of plastic deformation caused by stress and changes in ambient temperature in existing plastic shells, thus preventing deformation of the product frame; at the same time, the insulating plating layer is used to separate the main body from the conductive terminals to achieve electrical insulation between the two. Attached Figure Description

[0016] Figure 1 This is a three-dimensional schematic diagram of the plug connector in a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

[0017] Figure 2 yes Figure 1 The diagram shows a partially exploded view of the plug connector.

[0018] Figure 3 yes Figure 2A three-dimensional schematic diagram of the annular housing in the plug connector shown.

[0019] Figure 4 yes Figure 2 A three-dimensional schematic diagram of the terminal module in the plug connector shown.

[0020] Figure 5 yes Figure 4 The diagram shows a partial exploded view of the terminal module.

[0021] Figure 6 yes Figure 5 An exploded view of the terminal module shown.

[0022] Figure 7 yes Figure 5 An exploded view of the conductive terminals and locking components in the terminal module shown.

[0023] Figure 8 yes Figure 1 The diagram shows a cross-sectional view of the plug connector. Detailed Implementation

[0024] Embodiments of the present invention are described in detail below. Examples of these embodiments are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein the same or similar reference numerals denote the same or similar elements or elements having the same or similar functions throughout. The embodiments described below with reference to the accompanying drawings are exemplary and intended to explain the embodiments of the present invention, and should not be construed as limiting the present invention.

[0025] In the description of the embodiments of the present invention, it should be understood that the terms "upper", "lower", "front", "rear", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inner", "outer", etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are only for the convenience of describing the embodiments of the present invention and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on the present invention.

[0026] Furthermore, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Thus, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of that feature. In the description of embodiments of the present invention, "a number" means two or more, unless otherwise explicitly specified.

[0027] In the embodiments of the present invention, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," "linking," "fixing," etc., should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral part; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; they can refer to the internal communication of two components or the interaction between two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in the embodiments of the present invention according to the specific circumstances.

[0028] Please see Figures 1 to 8 As shown, a preferred embodiment of the present invention discloses a plug connector 100, which is a Type C plug connector supporting high-speed data transmission. The plug connector 100 is used for electrical connection with a cable and includes an insulating body 10, conductive terminals 20 fixed within the insulating body 10, an annular housing 30 sleeved on the front end of the insulating body 10, and a metal outer shell 40 sleeved on the outer periphery of the annular housing 30. The annular housing 30 has a through-hole 301 for inserting a mating connector.

[0029] Please see Figures 4 to 7 As shown, the insulating body 10 has an upper insulator 11 and a lower insulator 12 stacked on top of each other, and the upper insulator 11 and the lower insulator 12 are inserted into the rear end of the annular housing 30. The conductive terminal 20 includes several upper row terminals 21 fixed to the upper insulator 11 and several lower row terminals 22 fixed to the lower insulator 12, and the front end of the conductive terminal 20 extends into the insertion cavity 301.

[0030] Specifically, each conductive terminal 20 is provided with a retaining portion 201, a contact portion 202 extending forward from the retaining portion 201, and a welding portion 203 extending rearward from the retaining portion 202. The retaining portion 201 of the upper row of terminals 21 is retained within the upper insulator 11, and the retaining portion 201 of the lower row of terminals 22 is retained within the lower insulator 12. Meanwhile, the contact portions 202 of both the upper row of terminals 21 and the lower row of terminals 22 extend forward into the insertion cavity 301 of the insulating housing 30 to contact the mating terminals of the mating connector; the welding portion 203 of the upper row of terminals 21 and the lower row of terminals 22 extends rearward out of the insulating body 10.

[0031] The insulating body 10 is provided with a cable placement platform 101 at the rear end. The cable placement platform 101 includes an upper placement surface at the rear end of the upper insulator 11 and a lower placement surface at the rear end of the lower insulator 12, with the upper placement surface and the lower placement surface facing each other. The welding portion 203 of the upper row of terminals 21 is exposed on the upper placement surface, and the welding portion 203 of the lower row of terminals 22 is exposed on the lower placement surface. Thus, the core wire of the cable can be directly welded to the corresponding welding portion 203 of the upper row of terminals 21 and the lower row of terminals 22.

[0032] In this embodiment, the welding portion 203 of the conductive terminal 20 is used to weld to the corresponding core wire of the cable. That is, the welding portion 203 of the conductive terminal 20 does not need to be welded to the PCB board for transition, but is directly welded to the core wire of the cable. Furthermore, the insulating body 10 is also provided with several insulating ribs 102 protruding outward from the upper and lower surfaces of the cable placement platform 101. The insulating ribs 102 are located between the welding portions 203 of the conductive terminal 20 to isolate two adjacent welding portions 203, thereby preventing short circuit connection and signal interference between adjacent welding portions 203.

[0033] Please see Figure 3 As shown, the annular shell 30 has a main body formed by metal powder injection molding and an insulating film layer plated on the surface of the main body. The metal main body solves the problem of plastic deformation caused by stress and changes in ambient temperature in existing plastic shells, thus preventing deformation of the product frame opening; at the same time, the insulating plating layer is used to separate the main body from the conductive terminal 20 to achieve electrical insulation between the two.

[0034] In this embodiment, the main body is made of aluminum alloy using a metal injection molding (MIM) process, and the insulating film layer is formed from the surface of the main body using a hard anodizing process. Furthermore, the thickness of the insulating film layer is 5~20μm, thus not affecting precision assembly; and the film layer has a hardness of HV300~500 and an insulation resistance ≥10¹²Ω·cm, thus possessing wear and scratch resistance properties, suitable for high-frequency insertion and removal of mobile phones.

[0035] The annular housing 30 has an inner terminal groove 31 formed by a recess in its inner wall surface. The inner terminal groove 31 communicates with the insertion cavity 301, and the contact portion 202 of the conductive terminal 20 is received within the inner terminal groove 31. Simultaneously, the annular housing 30 has a stepped portion 311 extending from its inner wall to the inner terminal groove 31. The free end of the contact portion 202 abuts against the stepped portion 311 to apply a pre-pressure toward the insertion cavity 301 to the stepped portion 311.

[0036] The plug connector 100 further includes a metal locking member 50 located between the upper insulator 11 and the lower insulator 12. The locking member 50 has a main board portion 51 clamped between the upper insulator 11 and the lower insulator 12, locking arms 52 extending forward from both ends of the main board portion 51, and feet 53 extending backward from both ends of the main board portion 51. The two locking arms 52 are located between the contact portions 202 of the upper row of terminals 21 and the lower row of terminals 22. Meanwhile, the annular housing 30 has side grooves 32 recessed inward from both lateral sides. The locking arms 52 are received in the side grooves 32, and the free ends of the locking arms 52 extend forward into the insertion cavity 301.

[0037] Meanwhile, the upper row of terminals 21 has two upper grounding terminals 211 located on the outermost side, and the lower row of terminals 22 has two lower grounding terminals 221 located on the outermost side. The annular housing 30 also has an outer terminal groove 33 recessed from the outer wall inward. The outer terminal groove 33 is located outside the inner terminal groove 31 and communicates with the insertion cavity 301. The upper grounding terminals 211 and lower grounding terminals 221 are received in the corresponding outer terminal grooves 33, and their contact portions 202 protrude into the insertion cavity 301. In this embodiment, the inner walls of the inner terminal groove 31, side groove 32, and outer terminal groove 33 of the annular housing 30 are all coated with the above-mentioned insulating film layer.

[0038] The foot 53 of the locking member 50 is located between the welding portions 203 of the upper grounding terminal 211 and the lower grounding terminal 221, and the foot 53 of the locking member 50, the welding portions 203 of the upper grounding terminal 211 and the welding portions 203 of the lower grounding terminal 221 are welded together by spot welding; thus, the upper and lower rows of terminals and the locking member 50 can maintain mutual conductivity without being welded to the PCB board. The lower row of terminals 22 is also provided with a connecting portion 222, which connects between the welding portions 203 of the two lower grounding terminals 221 to connect the two lower grounding terminals 221 together to form a whole.

[0039] In this embodiment, the upper insulator 11 is injection molded onto the upper row of terminals 21 to form the upper terminal module 103, and the lower insulator 12 is injection molded onto the lower row of terminals 22 to form the lower terminal module 104. The locking member 50 is located between the upper terminal module 103 and the lower terminal module 104, that is, the upper terminal module 103 and the lower terminal module 104 clamp the locking member 50 to form the terminal module, and the terminal module is inserted into the rear end of the annular housing 30.

[0040] Both the upper terminal module 103 and the lower terminal module 104 are formed by secondary injection molding, and the interiors of the upper terminal module 103 and the lower terminal module 104 are completely sealed. Therefore, by achieving complete sealing of the interior of the terminal module through secondary injection molding, the internal airtightness of the plug connector 100 and the corrosion resistance of the conductive terminals 20 are improved, thereby reducing the corrosive effects caused by moisture flowing into the interior of the plug connector 100.

[0041] Specifically, the upper insulator 11 has a first upper insulator 111 formed in one injection molding of the holding portion 201 of the upper row of terminals 21 and a second upper insulator 112 formed in two injection moldings. The first upper insulator 111 has an upper groove 113 that at least partially exposes the holding portion 201 of the upper row of terminals 21, and the second upper insulator 112 fills the upper groove 113 of the first upper insulator 111. Similarly, the lower insulator 12 has a first lower insulator 121 formed in one injection molding of the holding portion 201 of the lower row of terminals 22 and a second lower insulator 122 formed in two injection moldings. The first lower insulator 121 has a lower groove 123 that at least partially exposes the holding portion 201 of the lower row of terminals 22, and the second lower insulator 122 fills the lower groove 123 of the first lower insulator 121.

[0042] In this invention, the annular shell 30 is provided with a main body formed by metal powder injection molding and an insulating film layer plated on the surface of the main body. The metal main body solves the problem of plastic deformation caused by stress and changes in ambient temperature in existing plastic shells, thus preventing deformation of the product frame opening; at the same time, the insulating plating layer is used to separate the main body from the conductive terminal 20 to achieve electrical insulation between the two.

[0043] In summary, the above are merely preferred embodiments of the present invention and should not be construed as limiting the scope of the present invention. Any simple equivalent changes and modifications made in accordance with the claims and description of the present invention should still fall within the scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A plug connector, comprising an annular housing, a terminal module inserted into the rear end of the annular housing, and a metal outer shell sleeved on the outer periphery of the annular housing, wherein the annular housing has a through-hole cavity extending from front to back, the terminal module includes an insulating body and conductive terminals fixed to the insulating body, the conductive terminals having a holding portion fixed within the insulating body, a contact portion extending forward from the holding portion, and a soldering portion extending rearward from the holding portion, the contact portion extending into the through-hole cavity; characterized in that: The annular shell has a main body formed by metal powder injection molding and an insulating film layer plated on the surface of the main body.

2. The plug connector as described in claim 1, characterized in that: The main body is made of aluminum alloy using a metal injection molding process.

3. The plug connector as described in claim 1, characterized in that: The insulating film layer is formed from the surface of the main body through a hard anodizing process.

4. The plug connector as described in claim 1, characterized in that: The thickness of the insulating film layer is 5~20μm, and the hardness of the insulating film layer is HV300~500.

5. The plug connector as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that: The annular housing has an inner terminal groove formed by a recess in the inner wall surface. The inner terminal groove is connected to the insertion cavity, and the contact portion of the conductive terminal is received in the inner terminal groove.

6. The plug connector as described in claim 5, characterized in that: The annular housing has a stepped portion extending from the inner wall to the inner terminal slot, and the free end of the contact portion abuts against the stepped portion.

7. The plug connector as described in claim 5, characterized in that: The insulating body has an upper insulator and a lower insulator stacked on top of each other. The conductive terminals include an upper row of terminals fixed to the upper insulator and a lower row of terminals fixed to the lower insulator. The upper insulator is injection molded onto the upper row of terminals to form an upper terminal module, and the lower insulator is injection molded onto the lower row of terminals to form a lower terminal module.

8. The plug connector as claimed in claim 7, characterized in that: The upper row of terminals has two upper grounding terminals located on the outermost side, and the lower row of terminals has two lower grounding terminals located on the outermost side. The annular housing has an outer terminal groove that is recessed from the outer wall inward. The outer terminal groove is located outside the inner terminal groove and communicates with the insertion cavity. The upper grounding terminal and the lower grounding terminal are housed in the corresponding outer terminal groove.

9. The plug connector as claimed in claim 7, characterized in that: The plug connector includes a metal locking member located between the upper terminal module and the lower terminal module. The locking member has a main board portion clamped between the upper insulator and the lower insulator and locking arms extending forward from both ends of the main board portion. The annular housing has side grooves recessed inward from both lateral sides. The locking arms are received in the side grooves, and the free ends of the locking arms extend into the insertion cavity.

10. The plug connector as claimed in claim 9, characterized in that: The inner wall of the inner terminal groove and the inner wall of the side groove of the annular shell are both coated with the insulating film layer.

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