Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
~988~39 F.N. a~3078 CAN lA
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Electric Connector
Backqround of the Invention
l. Field o~ the Invention
The present invention relates to an el~ctric
connector which has an electrical ~hielding function and
high strength in its structure.
2. DescriPtion o~ the Prior Art
Conventionally, high density connectors have
been used, for example, for connection between a
computer and its peripheral equipments. Such a high
density connector is connected to a cable and coupled
with a connecting header provided on peripheral
equipment so that a signal transmitted through the cable
can be transferred to the peripheral equipment. In the
electric high density connector, it is required to
provide an electrical shield for preventing external
leakage inside, and for preventing an external
electromagnetic wave from affecting the internal
signal. However, no conventional electric connector has
a sufficient shielding function.
An object of the present invention is to
provide an electric connector having a construction
which sufficiently generates an electrically shielding
function and having a structure which is strong in
strength.
Summary of the Invention
The electric connector according to the
present invention comprises: a die-cast frame member
having a generally rectangular shape and having a slot-
like opening portion formed at a central portionthereof; a support of an electrically insulating
material for supporting a plurality of contacts to be
connected to cables, connections between the contacts
and the cables being maintained by a cover; and a metal
shield arranged to cover the support when the support
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is mounted on ~he frame member so as to extend out from
the frame member through the slot-like opening portion,
the metal shield being arranged to provide a groundiny
path for end portions of the contacts connected to the
cable and a contact region opposite to the end portions.
In the electric connector having a
construction constitution as described above, the plural
contacts electrically connected to the respective
conducting lines of the cable are supported by the
support made of an electrically insulating material, the
support is fitted in the opening portion of the die-cast
frame member so as to be supported by the frame member,
and the metal shield is provided so as to cover lower
regions of the contacts supported by the support, at the
outside of the die-cast frame member, whereby an
electrically shielding function can be produced and the
electric connector can be made high in strength.
Brief Description of the Drawinq
Fig. 1 is an exploded view of the electric
connector according to the present invention;
Fig. 2 is a view showing the assembled
conne~tor.
Detailed DescriPtion of the Invention
Referring to the accompanying drawings, a
preferred embodiment o~ the present invention will be
described hereunder.
In Fig. 1, the reference numeral 1 designates
a connector cover, 2 a connector body, 3 a support, 4 a
die-cast frame member, and 5 a metal shield. The
connector cover 1 and the connector body 2 are made of
an insulating synthetic resin material. The connector
body 2 is provided with contacts longitudinally aligned
in four rows 6, 7, 8 and 9 two at its left side and the
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other two at its right side, each row being formed by a
plurality of IJ-contact rows 6, 7, 8 and 9 which are
wholly embedded in the connector body 2 vertically as
shown in the drawing in such a manner tha~ upper ends of
the respective U-contacts are exposed on the upper
surface of ~he connector body 2 so as to be
electrically connected to a not-shown cable with
pressure, and lower portions 10 o~ the respective U-
contacts are led out in two rows downward from the
bottom of the connector body 2. The connector cover 1
is pressed agains~ and attached onto the upper surface
of the connector body 2 with a flat cable (not shown)
interposed therebetween, so that the flat cable and the
respective U-contacts can be electrically connected to
each other through the pressed contact. In the
connector cover 1, opening portions 11 and concave
portions 12 formed at the lower opposite two sides are
slit-like opening portions through which the flat cable
is to be inserted. Thus, in the connector constructed
by assembling the cover 1 and the body 2, a insertion
path is formed so that the flat cable can be inserted
through the path so as to be connected to the U-contact
rows 6, 7, 8 and 9.
The support 3 is made of an electrically
insulating material and has a generally rectangular
shape. In the support 3, a bottomless opening portion
13 is longitudinally formed so as to house the lower
portion of the connector body 2 and the contact lower
portions 10 of the U-contact rows 6, 7, 8 and 9 extend
downward from the connector body 2. With such a shape
as described above, khe support 3 with the connector
body 2 attached thereto has a structure in which the
lower portions of the respective U-contacts are
supported one by one in the opening portion 13, whereby
the support 3 supports the lower portions 10 of the
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respective U-contacts. The connector cover 1 and the
connector body 2 are attached to the support 3 ~uch that
the connector cover 1 and the connector body 2 has been
assembled together with the cable connected, in such a
manner that connecting portions 14 and 15 project upward
from the upper surface of the support 3 at the opposite
end portions thereof and are passed through concave
portions of the connector cover 1 and the connector
body 2 formed in their opposite end surfaces so as to
lo press and fix the assembled connector cover 1 and
connector body 2. Upper sides 14a and 15a of the
respective connecting portions 14 and 15 are
respectively engaged by protrusions 18 formed on the
connector cover 1 at each of opposite end surfaces of
the cover 1.
The die-cast frams member 4 has such a
structure that a slot-like opening portion 19 is formed
at a central portion of the frame member so as to
receive the support 3 in the opening portion 19 to
thereby support the latter, and that pressing
protrusions 20 are provided so as to eliminate play of
the support 3 when the support 3 is attached to the
frame member to thereby improve the reliability in
contact. Further, portions of the die-cast frame member
3 in the vicinity of the opposite ends of the opening
portion l9 are extended downward so as to function as
attaching portions 21.
The metal shield 5 is provided with side
portions 5a and 5b and a lower cylindrical portion 5c so
as to cover the lower side of the die-cast frame member
4 and a lower portion 3a of the support 3 extended
downward through the opening portion 19 of the die-cast
frame member 4. The metal shield 5 is further provided
with opening portions 22, so that the attaching portions
21 can be extended downward through the opening portions
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22 when the metal shield 5 is attached to the lower
portion of the die-cast frame member 4. Protrusions are
provided on the opposite side surfaces of the die-cast
frame member 4, and the hole~ 24 are formed in the side
portions 5a and 5b of the metal shield 5. Accordingly,
the metal shield 5 is fixed to the die-cast frame member
4 through the engagement between the protrusions 23 and
tha holes 24.
The connector cover 1, the connector body 2,
the support 3, the die-cast frame member 4, and the
metal shield 5 each having such a structure as described
above are integrally assembled to each other together
with a flat cable (not shown) attached thereto to
thereby obtain the connector shown in Fig. 2. As is
apparent from Fig. 2, the respective contact lower
portions 10 of the U-contact rows 6, 7, 8 and 9
extended from the lower surface of the connector body 2
are not only supported by the support 3 but covered with
the die-cast frame member 4 and the further externally
provided metal shield 5. According to such an
arrangement, therefore, means for electrically shielding
the contact lower portions can be formed by means of the
metal shield 5 and the die-cast frame member 4.
Further, the metal shield 5 is attached 50 as to be
grounded, so that the electrically shielding means can
cut electromagnetic waves and static electricity so as
to prevent mutual influence between the outside and
inside of the connector. Furthermore, the die-cast
frame member 4 has high strength, so that the whole
connector can be made high in strength to thereby
solidify the electric conneckor.
As is apparent from the above description,
according to the present invention, in the electric
connector to be used, for example, for connection
between a computer and peripheral equipment through a
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cable, the lower portion of the contacts to be connected
to the respective conducting lines of the cable i~
covered with the die-cast frame member and the metal
shield to thereby form a grounding path, whereby not
only an electrically shielding function for cutting
electromagnetic waves and static electricity can be
produced but the connector can be made high in strength
so as to be made solid.
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