Cable connector assembly with strain relief member

• US 7,306,479 B1
• Filed: 07/05/2006
• Issued: 12/11/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 07/05/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Wu, Jerry
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel, Tulsidas C.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Imas, Vladimir
• Application Number:
  US11/481,644
• Time in Patent Office: 524 Days
• Field of Search: 439/497, 439/610, 439/493, 439/490, 439/604, 439/924.1, 439/700, 439/101
• US Class Current: 439/497
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/502 composed of different pieces H01R13/514 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/5804 comprising a separate cable clamping part H01R13/5841 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/65914 Connection of shield to additional grounding conductors
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6592 the conductive member being a shielded cable
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6595 with separate members fixing the shield to the PCB
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6658 on printed circuit board H01R13/6666 - H01R13/6691 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/7175 Light emitting diodes (LEDs)

Abstract

A cable connector assembly (100) comprises an insulative housing (2) defining a plurality of receiving passages (23) extending therethrough, a plurality of terminals (3) respectively received in the receiving passages (23), a circuit board (4) assembled to the insulative housing (2) and comprising a plurality of conductive pads soldering with said a plurality of terminals (3), a cable (6) electrically connecting with the circuit board (4) and comprising at least an inner conductor (60), a metal braiding layer (61) surrounding the inner conductor (60), a rear cover (7) assembled to the housing (2) to enclose rear portion of the housing, the circuit board (4) and front end of the cable (6), a strain relief member (5) assembled with the cable (6) and the circuit board (4) and comprising a main portion (50), a through hole (51) located at the middle section thereof and at least one jointing portion (52) formed on thereof; and wherein at least one jointing portion (52) of the strain relief member (5) is soldered onto one of the conductive pads of the circuit board (4), the inner conductor (60) passes through the through hole (51) to be soldered with the circuit board (4), the metal braiding layer (61) is solder onto the at least one jointing portion (52) of the strain relief member (5).

Claims

1. A cable connector assembly, comprising:

an insulative housing defining a plurality of receiving passages extending therethrough;

a plurality of terminals respectively received in the receiving passages;

a circuit board assembled to the insulative housing and comprising a plurality of conductive pads soldering with said a plurality of terminals;

a cable electrically connecting with the circuit board and comprising at least an inner conductor, a metal braiding layer surrounding the inner conductor;

a rear cover assembled to the housing to enclose rear portion of the housing, the circuit board and front end of the cable;

a strain relief member assembled with the cable and the circuit board and comprising a main portion, a through hole located at the middle section thereof and at least one jointing portion formed on thereof; and

wherein

said at least one jointing portion of the strain relief member is soldered onto one of the conductive pads of the circuit board, the inner conductor passes through the through hole to be soldered with the circuit board, the metal braiding layer is solder onto the at least one jointing portion of the strain relief member.

2. The cable connector assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the strain relief member is punched from a metal sheet and comprises two jointing portions respectively formed on the two sides of the main portion, and wherein the metal braiding layer is divided into two parts respectively soldered with the two jointing portions.

3. The cable connector assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the terminals comprise at least one detective terminal, the circuit board further comprises an LED electrically connecting with said at least one detective terminal.

4. The cable connector assembly as claimed in claim 3, wherein the terminals are of POGO-type and comprise a pair of ground terminals, a pair of power terminals and said detective terminal.

5. The cable connector assembly as claimed in claim 4, wherein each terminal comprises a contacting portion exposed beyond front surface of the housing, a media portion engagingly received in the housing and an end portion exposed from a rear end of the housing to electrically connect with the circuit board.

6. The cable connector assembly as claimed in claim 5, wherein further comprising a cosmetic member assembled to front end of the housing and defines a plurality of channels with dimensions substantially equal to those of corresponding contacting portions of the terminals, and wherein the contacting portions protrude through corresponding channels.

7. The cable connector assembly as claimed in claim 6, wherein each terminal forms an engaging section at front end of the media portion with dimension larger than that of the media portion partially exposed beyond front surface of the housing, and wherein the cosmetic member defines a plurality of passageways corresponding to the dimensions of the engaging section and communicating with said channels to receive the engaging sections.

8. The cable connector assembly as claimed in claim 3, wherein further comprising status indicator means overlapping said LED to spread the light emitted from the LED outwardly for normal status indication.

9. The cable connector assembly as claimed in claim 8, wherein the status indicator means comprises at least a portion protruding through the rear cover to be exposed outwardly for indication.

10. The cable connector assembly as claimed in claim 8, wherein the status indicator means comprises an inner casing and a light pipe, all of which are formed by means of at least one of injection and molding from transparent or semitransparent material.

11. The cable connector assembly as claimed in claim 10, wherein the inner casing is of rectangular shape and molded with the circuit board and the strain relief member for reinforcing the stabilization of the cable connector assembly.

12. The cable connector assembly as claimed in claim 10, wherein the light pipe comprises a body section within the rear cover and a positioning section protruding through the rear cover.

13. The cable connector assembly as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a front cover made of metal material and capable of being attracted by a complementary connector, and wherein the front cover is assembled to the housing with the terminals partially exposed therein.

14. The cable connector assembly as claimed in claim 13, further comprising a cosmetic member assembled to front end of the housing received in the front cover for improving front view effect of the housing.

15. The cable connector assembly as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a stuffing member integrally made from resin material and equipped with the cable, and said stuffing member positioned at the rear portion of the rear cover.

16. The cable connector assembly as claimed in claim 15, wherein the stuffing member comprising a circular portion, a rectangular enlarged panel formed at front end of the main portion and a through hole communicating with the circular portion and the enlarged panel.

19. The cable connector assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein said main body defines a plate-like configuration extending in a transverse direction perpendicular to a front-to-back direction defined along the passages.

17. A cable connector assembly, comprising:

an insulative housing having a plurality of terminals disposed therein;

a circuit board assembled to the insulative housing and comprising a plurality of conductive pads soldering with said a plurality of terminals;

a cable electrically connecting with the circuit board and comprising at least an inner conductor, a metal braiding layer surrounding the inner conductor;

a rear cover assembled to the housing to enclose rear portion of the housing, the circuit board and front end of the cable;

a metallic strain relief member assembled with the cable and the circuit board, and comprising a main portion with an opening extending therethrough, and with least one jointing portion formed thereon; and

wherein

said at least one jointing portion of the strain relief member is electrically connected to the circuit board, the inner conductor passes through the opening to be mechanically and electrically connected with the circuit board, and the metal braiding layer is mechanically and electrically connected to the strain relief member, wherein said strain relief member essentially transversely extends perpendicular to a mating direction of said cable connector assembly.

18. The cable connector assembly as claimed in claim 17, wherein the inner conductor extends in a transverse direction on the printed circuit board parallel to said strain relief member while, perpendicular to the mating direction.

20. The cable connector assembly as claimed in claim 17, wherein said main portion defines a plate-like configuration extending in a transverse direction perpendicular to said mating direction.