US 7,320,623 B2
Connector with protection against electrostatic charges accumulated on a mating connector
Kazuhito Hisamatsu, Tokyo (Japan); and Kazukuni Hisatomi, Tokyo (Japan)
Assigned to Japan Aviation Electronics Industry, Limited, Tokyo (Japan)
Filed on Dec. 06, 2006, as Appl. No. 11/634,549.
Claims priority of application No. 2005-352120 (JP), filed on Dec. 06, 2005.
Prior Publication US 2007/0128946 A1, Jun. 07, 2007
Int. Cl. H01R 24/00 (2006.01)
U.S. Cl. 439—637  [439/607; 439/108] 10 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A connector comprising:
a fitting portion to be fitted to a mating connector in a first direction;
a plurality of signal contacts disposed in the fitting portion in a first row extending in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction;
a ground plate including a plurality of ground terminals disposed in the fitting portion in a second row parallel to the first row;
a housing holding the signal contacts and the ground plate; and
a conductive shell coupled to the housing;
the shell comprising:
a shell body partially covering the signal contacts and the ground plate;
a bent portion formed at an end of the fitting portion and bent inward from the shell body; and
a protecting portion extending from the bent portion along the shell body with a space which is kept between the protecting portion and the shell body in a third direction perpendicular to the first and the second directions;
each of the ground terminals including:
a spring portion extending in the fitting portion along the shell body; and
a free end portion extending from the spring portion, inserted into the space, and contacted with the protecting portion.