Receptacle

Abstract

A receptacle comprises a receptacle housing having a body, a plug interface portion extending therefrom, and a contact support member with pivot areas formed therein for urging contacts disposed in the housing into alignment. A receptacle further comprises a shielding shell having cantilevered beams formed therein. The shielding shell has a projection extending therefrom for contacting a latch arm extending from the receptacle housing. A shielding gasket is disposed around the shielding shell and has overlapping rows of beams extending therefrom. The shielding gasket also has a projection extending therefrom that is situated in a channel formed in a latch arm. The latch arm is formed as part of a latch plate comprising a latch bar, two latch arms, and at least one projection for contacting ground.

1 . A receptacle, comprising: 
 a housing; and    a latch plate comprising:    a latch bar extending along said housing;    at least a first latch member and second latch member integrally formed with said latch bar and extending through said housing, said latch members for mating with a corresponding members on a plug; and    at least one projection integrally formed with said latch plate for connecting said latch plate to a device.    
   
   
       2 . The receptacle of  claim 1 , wherein said at least one projection is formed to connect to a ground source.  
   
   
       3 . The receptacle of  claim 1 , further comprising an electrical shielding gasket having a member extending therefrom, wherein at least one of said first latch member and said second latch member has a recess formed therein for accepting said member.  
   
   
       4 . The receptacle of  claim 3 , wherein said recess is a channel having a length and said member is free to move along the length of said channel.  
   
   
       5 . A receptacle system, comprising: 
 a circuit board having at least one ground source;    a housing; and    a latch plate comprising:    a latch bar extending along said housing;    at least a first latch member and second latch member integrally formed with said latch bar and extending through said housing, said latch members for mating with a corresponding members on a plug; and    at least a first projection and a second projection, said first and second projection integrally formed with said latch plate and for connecting to said at least one ground source.    
   
   
       6 . The receptacle of  claim 5 , further comprising an electrical shielding gasket having a member extending therefrom, wherein at least one of said first latch member and said second latch member has a recess formed therein for accepting said member.  
   
   
       7 . The receptacle of  claim 6 , wherein said recess is a channel having a length and said member is free to move along the length of said channel.  
   
   
       8 . A system, comprising: 
 a plug having a conductive casing;    a receptacle comprising:    a housing, said housing comprising a body and a plug interface for receiving said plug projecting from said body; and    an shielding shell disposed on said plug interface for providing electrical continuity between said receptacle and said plug, said shielding shell formed of a metallic material and having formed therein a plurality of projections, at least a portion of each of said plurality of projections increasing in height across the length of the portion and contacts said conductive casing,    wherein a continuous electrical path is formed between said casing and said receptacle.    
   
   
       9 . The system of  claim 8 , further comprising a circuit board having a ground source, 
 said receptacle further comprising a latch plate having at least one latch member extending through said housing, and at least one projection integrally formed with said latch member and contacting said ground source,    wherein said shielding shell comprises a projection contacting said at least one latch member, thereby forming a continuous electrical path from said casing, through said shielding shell and latch member to said ground source.    
   
   
       10 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein a single ground potential is maintained from said plug to said receptacle.  
   
   
       11 . The system of  claim 9 , further comprising an electrical shielding gasket disposed on said housing and formed around said plug interface, said electrical shielding gasket comprising a metallic frame, a first plurality of metallic beams extending from said metallic frame and situated linearly along said metallic frame with portions of said frame formed therebetween, and a second plurality of metallic beams extending from said metallic frame and situated linearly along said metallic frame, said second plurality of metallic beams spanning said portions of said frame between said first plurality of beams and overlapping said first plurality of metallic beams, 
 wherein said shielding gasket overlaps a gap between said plug and said receptacle when said plug is attached to said receptacle.    
   
   
       12 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein said gasket further comprises a projection extending into a recess formed in said at least one latch member.  
   
   
       13 . A receptacle, comprising: 
 a housing comprising a front side and a rear side; and    a ground plate comprising:    a ground bar extending along the rear side of said housing; and    at least one projection integrally formed with said ground plate for connecting said ground plate to a device, whereby said projection is offset toward the front side of said housing relative to said ground bar.    
   
   
       14 . The receptacle of  claim 13 , wherein said ground plate and said at least one projection are electrically conductive.  
   
   
       15 . The receptacle of  claim 13 , wherein said at least one projection comprises at least two projections.  
   
   
       16 . The receptacle of  claim 13 , wherein said ground bar has at least one recess formed therein for receiving a member.  
   
   
       17 . The receptacle of  claim 16 , wherein said at least one recess has spiraled grooves formed therein for forming an interference fit with corresponding grooves on said member.  
   
   
       18 . The receptacle of  claim 16 , wherein said at least one recess comprises at least two recesses symmetrically formed in said ground bar.  
   
   
       19 . The receptacle of  claim 16 , wherein said member extends through a recess in said housing into said recess formed in said ground bar.  
   
   
       20 . A receptacle, comprising: 
 a housing;    a ground plate comprising: 
 a ground bar extending along an external side of said housing; and  
 at least one projection integrally formed with said ground plate for connecting said ground plate to a device, said at least one projection offset relative to said ground bar toward a center of said housing.  
   
   
   
       21 . The receptacle of  claim 20 , wherein said ground bar comprises at least one recess formed therein, and said receptacle further comprises a member extending into said at least one recess and forming an interference fit therein with said ground bar.  
   
   
       22 . The receptacle of  claim 21 , wherein said housing has a recess formed therein, said member extending through said recess into said recess formed in said ground bar.  
   
   
       23 . The receptacle of  claim 22 , further comprising an electrical shield, said electrical shield having a recess formed therein, said member extending through said recess in said electrical shield.  
   
   
       24 . The receptacle of  claim 22 , further comprising a bulkhead having a recess formed therein, said member extending through said recess formed in said bulkhead.  
   
   
       25 . The receptacle of  claim 20 , wherein said ground plate is electrically conductive.  
   
   
       26 . A system for making an electrical connection, comprising: 
 a plug comprising at least one screw extending therefrom; and    a receptacle, comprising:    a housing; and    a ground plate comprising: 
 a ground bar extending along an external side of said housing; and  
 at least one projection integrally formed with said ground plate for connecting said ground plate to a device, said at least one projection offset relative to said ground bar toward a center of said housing; and  
   a member comprising a first distal end extending into a recess formed in said ground bar and forming an interference fit therewith, and a second distal end having a recess formed therein for receiving said at least one screw.    
   
   
       27 . The system of  claim 26 , wherein said member extends through said housing.  
   
   
       28 . The system of  claim 26 , further comprising a substrate, wherein said at least one projection extends into a recess formed in said substrate.  
   
   
       29 . The system of  claim 26 , further comprising a bulkhead, said second distal end of said receptacle abutting said bulkhead and securing said receptacle to said bulkhead.