# US 2010/0248538 A1 · Electrical connector having a shell defining a pair of wings at opposite sides thereof > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2010/0248538 A1 - Document ID: US20100248538A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 12/750,592 - Filed: 2010-03-30 - Published: 2010-09-30 - Earliest claimed: 2009-03-31 - Assignees: Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd. - Inventors: TZU-FAN KUO; KUO-CHUN HSU - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20100248538A1 ## CPC - H01R 13/748: {using one or more screws (H01R13/746 takes precedence)} - H01R 13/648: Protective earth or shield arrangements on coupling devices {, e.g. anti-static shielding} (coaxially arranged shields H01R24/38) - H01R: ELECTRICALLY-CONDUCTIVE CONNECTIONS; STRUCTURAL ASSOCIATIONS OF A PLURALITY OF MUTUALLY-INSULATED ELECTRICAL CONNECTING ELEMENTS; COUPLING DEVICES; CURRENT COLLECTORS ## Abstract An electrical connector comprises an insulator, a plurality of terminals retained in the insulator and a shell installed on the insulator. The insulator comprises a base portion and mating portion extending from the base portion. At lest one terminal has a contact portion disposed in the mating portion of the insulator. The shell defines a receiving room and comprises a side wall and a supporting arm extending out of the receiving room from the side wall. the supporting arm comprises a locking portion and a supporting beam connected with the locking portion and attached to the shell. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An electrical connector, comprising: an insulator comprising a base portion and a mating portion extending from the base portion thereof; a plurality of terminals retained in the insulator, at least one terminal having a contact portion disposed in the mating portion of the insulator; and a shell defining a receiving room and being installed on the insulator for receiving the mating portion therein; the shell comprising a side wall and a supporting arm extending from the side wall and located out of the receiving room; wherein the supporting arm comprises a locking portion and a supporting beam connected with the locking portion and attached to the shell. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The electrical connector as described in claim 1, wherein the supporting beam is attached to the side wall of the shell. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The electrical connector as described in claim 1, wherein the shell further comprises a top wall and a bottom wall defining the receiving room therebetween, the supporting beam is attached to the top wall or the bottom wall. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The electrical connector as described in claim 3, wherein the supporting beam extends from a top edge of the locking portion. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The electrical connector as described in claim 1, wherein the locking portion and the supporting beam respectively define a through hole in alignment with each other along a mating direction. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The electrical connector as described in claim 1, wherein the terminals are arranged into two sets, each set of the terminals comprises a spare terminal having no contact beam. ### Claim 7 An electrical connector comprising: an insulative housing defining a base with a mating tongue extending forwardly therefrom in a vertical direction; a plurality of contacts disposed in the housing with contacting sections exposed upon the mating tongue; a metallic shell attached to said housing and defining a frame structure enclosing said mating tongue, said shell further including a supporting arm, said supporting arm including: a locking portion unitarily extending from a front edge region of the frame structure in a transverse direction perpendicular to said vertical direction with a through hole therein for fastening, and a supporting beam unitarily extending from the locking portion and abutting against an exterior side of the frame for reinforcement of the locking portion during securing. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The electrical connector as claimed in claim 7, wherein the supporting beam extends from an outmost end of the locking portion in an oblique direction relative to the locking portion toward a side wall of the shell. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The electrical connector as claimed in claim 8, wherein said side wall is an end side wall of the frame structure, where said locking portion extends therefrom. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The electrical connector as claimed in claim 8, wherein said supporting beam defines another though hole in alignment with the through hole in the vertical direction. ### Claim 11 (depends on 7) The electrical connector as claimed in claim 7, wherein the supporting beam extending from a side edge of the locking portion in a horizontal direction perpendicular to both said front-to-back direction and said vertical direction. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The electrical connector as claimed in claim 11, wherein a distal end of the supporting beam abuts against a side wall of the frame structure, where the locking portion extends. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The electrical connector as claimed in claim 12, wherein said side wall is an end side wall of the frame structure. ### Claim 14 (depends on 7) The electrical connector as claimed in claim 7, wherein said frame structure further includes a pair of mount legs downwardly unitarily extending from a bottom edge thereof inside of the locking portion in the transverse direction. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The electrical connector as claimed in claim 14, wherein said mounting legs is aligned with a corresponding end side wall of the frame structure in the vertical direction. ### Claim 16 An electrical connector comprising: an insulative housing defining a base with a mating tongue extending forwardly therefrom in a vertical direction; a plurality of contacts disposed in the housing with contacting sections exposed upon the mating tongue; a metallic shell attached to said housing and defining a frame structure enclosing said mating tongue, said shell further including a supporting arm, said supporting arm including: a locking portion unitarily extending from a front edge region of the frame structure in a transverse direction perpendicular to said vertical direction with a through hole therein for fastening, and a supporting beam unitarily extending from an outermost end of the locking portion; wherein the supporting beam defines another through hole in alignment with the through hole in said vertical direction. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The electrical connector as claimed in claim 16, wherein said supporting beam abuts against an end side wall of the frame structure where the locking portion extends. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The electrical connector as claimed in claim 17, wherein said supporting beams extending in an oblique direction angled with regard to both the vertical direction and said transverse direction. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The electrical connector as claimed in claim 18, wherein said locking portion, the supporting beam and the end side wall together define a triangular configuration. ### Claim 20 (depends on 17) The electrical connector as claimed in claim 17, wherein the supporting beam is secured to the end side wall.