Cable assembly equipped with sensor

• US 20090130896A1
• Filed: 09/30/2008
• Published: 05/21/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/21/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Xu, Bin, Liu, Su-Feng, Cheng, Wei-Ya
• Granted Patent: US 7,568,940 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 439/495
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6683 with built-in sensor
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 24/62 Sliding engagements with one side only, e.g. modular jack coupling devices
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 439/913 Condition determining device, e.g. oxygen sensor, accelerometer, ionizer chamber, thermocouple

Abstract

A cable assembly (1) includes an insulated housing (2) having a base portion (21) and a mating portion (22) extending forwardly from the base portion; a plurality of terminals (3) received in the insulated housing; a retainer (214) formed on the base portion, said retainer defining a cavity (215) with a rear outlet; a sensor (7) accommodated in the cavity of the retainer; and a lid member (8) covering the rear outlet of the retainer.

Claims

1. A cable assembly, comprising:

an insulated housing having a base portion and a mating portion extending forwardly from the base portion;

a plurality of terminals received in the insulated housing;

a retainer formed on the base portion, said retainer defining a cavity with a rear outlet;

a sensor accommodated in the cavity of the retainer; and

a lid member covering the rear outlet of the retainer.

2. The cable assembly as recited in claim 1, wherein the lid member includes a body portion shielding the rear outlet and a pair of lock arms latching with the retainer.

3. The cable assembly as recited in claim 2, wherein each of the lock arms is configured L-shaped and extends forwardly from a lateral side of the body portion of the lid member.

4. The cable assembly as recited in claim 3, wherein a hook portion is formed at a front end of the lock arm and locked into a notch portion of the retainer.

5. The cable assembly as recited in claim 3, wherein the lock arms hold the retainer.

6. The cable assembly as recited in claim 1, wherein the sensor has at least two legs extending outside via through holes in the body portion of the lid member.

7. The cable assembly as recited in claim 1, wherein the sensor is a transistor or a diode.

8. The cable assembly as recited in claim 1, wherein an external cover is molded over the base portion, the lid member and the cables adjacent to the base portion.

9. A cable assembly, comprising:

an insulated housing having a base portion and a mating portion extending forwardly from the base portion;

a plurality of terminals received in the insulated housing;

a sensor received in a cavity defined in the base portion, said cavity has a front opening and a rear outlet, the front opening adjacent to one of a top and a bottom surfaces of the mating portion;

a cap member sealing the rear outlet of the cavity;

a number of cables electrically connected to the terminals; and

an external cover molded over a rear portion of the insulated housing, the cap member and the cables adjacent to the insulated housing.

10. The cable assembly as recited in claim 9, wherein the cap member has a body portion shielding the rear outlet and at least a locking arm latching with the insulated housing.

11. The cable assembly as recited in claim 9, wherein the terminals includes contacting portions extending into terminal slots of the mating portion, retention portions received in terminal retention passages of the base portion and tail portions extending outward via at least a recess portion defined in a rear portion of the base portion.

12. The cable assembly as recited in claim 11, wherein at least a corresponding spacer is mounted to the recess portion, wherein the tail portions of the terminals extend outward via holes defined in the spacer.

13. The cable assembly as recited in claim 12, wherein a number of ribs extend forwardly from a front surface of the spacer and are jammed into terminal retention passages.

14. The cable assembly as recited in claim 9, wherein the terminals are separated into a set of first terminals and a set of second terminal, wherein the set of first terminals are directly connected to first cables, and the set of second terminals are connected to second cables via a printed circuit board.

15. The cable assembly as recited in claim 14, wherein the printed circuit board has a plurality of conductive pads arranged on a front section thereof and a number of conductive holes defined in a rear section thereof, wherein tail portions of the second terminals are soldered on the conductive pads and conductors of the second cables are inserted into the conductive holes and soldered therein.

16. The cable assembly as recited in claim 9, wherein legs of the sensor extend outside via holes of cap member and soldered to the third cables.

17. A cable connector assembly comprising:

an insulative housing defining a base with a mating section extending forwardly thereform and defining two juxtaposed different sized mating ports therein;

a plurality of terminals disposed in the mating ports;

a cavity formed in a middle section of the base and essentially located and occupied by a sensor;

a lid covering the sensor with through holes allowing legs of the sensor to extend therethrough rearwardly;

a plurality of wires connected to the terminals and the legs, respectively; and

an overmolded cover sealing jointed portions of the wires and the terminals and the legs including said lid.