Connector assembly with improved strain relief structure

• US 7,540,773 B2
• Filed: 06/08/2007
• Issued: 06/02/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/08/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Ko, David (Tso-Chin)
• Primary Examiner(s): VU, HIEN D
• Application Number:
  US11/811,042
• Publication Number:
  US 20080305658A1
• Time in Patent Office: 725 Days
• Field of Search: 439/581, 439/582, 439/610, 439/76.1, 439/470, 439/468
• US Class Current: 439/581
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/5808 formed by a metallic element crimped around the cable H01R4/185 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6658 on printed circuit board H01R13/6666 - H01R13/6691 take precedence

Abstract

A connector assembly (100) includes a housing (2) defining a number of passageways (23, 24) along a mating direction, a number of conductive contacts (3) interferentially received in the passageways of the housing, a circuit board (4) electrically connecting with the conductive contacts and comprising opposite front and rear surfaces and opposite top and bottom edges connecting with the front and rear surfaces, a cable (9) electrically connecting with the circuit board, and comprising an inner conductor (91) a metal braiding layer (92) and an outer jacket enclosing the metal braiding layer, and a strain relief member (5) including a strain relief section (52) grasping the cable and at least one connecting portion (510) electrically connecting with the circuit board. The connecting portion of the strain relief member contacts the opposite front and rear surfaces and locates adjacent to one of the opposite top and bottom edges of the circuit board at the same time.

Claims

1. A connector assembly adapted for electrically connecting with a complementary connector along a mating direction, comprising:

a housing defining a plurality of passageways along the mating direction;

a plurality of conductive contacts interferentially received in said passageways of the housing;

a circuit board electrically connecting with the conductive contacts and comprising opposite front and rear surfaces and opposite top and bottom edges connecting with the front and rear surfaces;

a cable electrically connecting with the circuit board and comprising an inner conductor, a metal braiding layer and an outer jacket enclosing the metal braiding layer; and

a metal strain relief member comprising a strain relief section grasping the cable and at least one connecting portion electrically connecting with the circuit board; and

wherein

the connecting portion of the strain relief member contacts the opposite front and rear surfaces and locates adjacent to one of the opposite top and bottom edges of the circuit board at the same time;

wherein metal the strain relief member comprises a pair of connecting portions each contacting the opposite front and rear surfaces and adjacent to one of the top and bottom edges of the circuit board;

wherein the inner conductor and the metal braiding layer of the cable are respectively served as positive and negative poles and respectively electrically connecting with the circuit board for power transmission;

wherein the circuit board defines through holes arranged in triangular shape, and wherein the inner conductor and the metal braiding layer of the cable are respectively soldered within the through holes.

2. The connector assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the connecting portion of the strain relief member is of U-shape and comprises a pair of side sections and a connecting section connecting the pair of side sections, and wherein the side sections contact the opposite front and rear surfaces of the circuit board and the connecting section locates adjacent to one of the opposite top and bottom edges of the circuit board.

3. The connector assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the strain relief member only mechanically connects to the cable and the circuit board.

4. The connector assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the circuit board is located in a plane perpendicular to said mating direction.

5. The connector assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the strain relief member comprises a pair of connecting portions and a pair of arms connecting the pair of connecting portions with the strain relief section, and wherein the pair of arms extend along directions parallel to the top and bottom edges and locate in parallel planes parallel to the top and bottom edges of the circuit board.

6. The connector assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the circuit board comprises a left area and a right area, and wherein the contacts electrically connect with the circuit board at the left area, and the cable and the strain relief member electrically connect with the circuit board at the right area.

7. The connector assembly as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a plurality of solder tails connecting the contacts with the circuit board at a rear surface of the circuit board.

8. The connector assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the circuit board forms a pair of pads respectively arranged on front and rear surfaces and located adjacent to at least one of the top and bottom edges, and wherein the connecting portion of the strain relief member comprises a pair of side sections soldered with said pair of pads and a connecting section connecting with the pair of side sections and locating adjacent to at least one of the top and bottom edges.

9. The connector assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein each contact is of POGO type.

10. The connector assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the circuit board forms an LED thereon, and the connector assembly further comprises a rear cover enclosing the housing, the contacts, the circuit board, and wherein the rear cover defines a window area to spread the light emitted from the LED.

11. The connector assembly as claimed in claim 10, further comprising an inner mold partially enclosing the housing, the contacts and the circuit board, and wherein the inner mold is made from transparent or semitransparent material to spread the light emitted from the LED outwards.

12. A connector assembly adapted for mating with a complementary connector along a mating direction, comprising:

an insulative housing;

a circuit board located in a plane perpendicular to said mating direction and comprising a front surface facing to the rear side of the housing, an opposite rear surface, a top edge and a bottom edge opposite to the top edge, the top and bottom edges connecting with the front and rear surfaces, the circuit board defining a left area and a right area;

a plurality of contacts disposed in the housing and electrically connecting with the circuit board at the left area of the circuit board;

a cable electrically connecting with the circuit board at the right area and comprising an inner conductor, a metal braiding layer and an outer jacket; and

a metal strain relief member comprising a strain relief section electrically grasping the cable and a connecting portion electrically soldered with the circuit board at the right area of the circuit board; and

wherein

the connecting portion contacts the front surface, the rear surface and locates adjacent to at least one of the top and bottom edges of the circuit board;

wherein the metal strain relief member comprises a pair of connecting portions each contacting the opposite front and rear surfaces and adjacent to one of the top and bottom edges of the circuit board;

wherein the inner conductor and the metal braiding layer of the cable are respectively served as positive and negative poles and respectively electrically connecting with the circuit board for power transmission;

wherein the circuit board defines through holes arranged in triangular shape, and wherein the inner conductor and the metal braiding layer of the cable are respectively soldered within the through holes.

13. The connector assembly as claimed in claim 12, wherein the strain relief member comprises a pair of connecting portions, one connecting portion contacts the front and rear surfaces and locates adjacent to the top edge of the circuit board, the other connecting portion contacts the front and rear surfaces and locates adjacent to the bottom edge of the circuit board.

14. The connector assembly as claimed in claim 12, wherein the connector assembly is of toothbrush configuration.

15. An electrical connector assembly comprising:

an insulative housing having therein a plurality of contacts essentially commonly extending in a direction;

a plurality of solder tails electrically connecting the corresponding contacts on a printed circuit board, the solder tail being perpendicular to said direction;

a cable extending from one longitudinal end of the printed circuit board; and

a metal strain relief having a circumferential section grasping a circumference of the cable, and a pair of opposite arms cooperating with said circumferential section straddling said longitudinal end under a condition that the pair of arms each grasping two opposite side edges of the printed circuit board;

wherein said printed circuit board have two grounding pads beside the two opposite side edges, and the cable has an inner conductor and a pair of braiding strips respectively tightly sandwiched between the corresponding arms and the printed circuit board mechanically and electrically engaged with the corresponding grounding pads;

wherein the circuit board defines through holes arranged in triangular shape, and wherein the inner conductor and the braiding strips of the cable are respectively soldered within the through holes.