Cable connector assembly having strain relief member for cable

• US 7,654,856 B2
• Filed: 09/19/2008
• Issued: 02/02/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/27/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Wu, Jerry
• Primary Examiner(s): Hammond; Briggitte R
• Application Number:
  US12/284,205
• Publication Number:
  US 20090298339A1
• Time in Patent Office: 501 Days
• Field of Search: 439/607.52, 439/607.45, 439/465, 439/470
• US Class Current: 439/460
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/5845 the strain relief being achieved by molding parts around cable and connections
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/65912 for shielded multiconductor cable coaxial cables with one conductor surrounded by shield H01R9/05; flat shielded cables H01R12/594
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 4/023 between cables or wires and terminals

Abstract

A cable connector assembly (100) in accordance with the present invention includes a metal housing (1), a terminal assembly (2) and a metal sleeve (5). The metal housing includes a mating port (11), a soldering port (12) with an opening in the center thereof and a passage formed through the mating and soldering ports. The terminal assembly is received in the passage of the metal housing and includes mating and soldering portions (21, 22) which are electrically insulated from the metal housing, the soldering portion exposed in the mating port of the metal housing, the soldering portion extending through the opening of the soldering port to be exposed by the metal housing and adapted to be soldered to a cable (3). The metal sleeve encloses a solder joint (8) between the cable and the soldering portion of the terminal assembly, a front portion (6) of the metal sleeve extends into and is soldered to the opening of the metal housing, and a rear portion of the metal sleeve engages with the cable.

Claims

1. A cable connector assembly, comprising:

a metal housing comprising a mating port, a soldering port and a passage formed through the mating and soldering ports, said soldering port defining an opening in the center thereof;

a terminal assembly received in said passage of the metal housing, the terminal assembly comprising mating and soldering portions which are electrically insulated from the metal housing, said soldering portion exposed in the mating port of the metal housing, said soldering portion extending through said opening of the soldering port to be exposed by the metal housing and adapted to be soldered to a cable; and

a metal sleeve enclosing a solder joint between the cable and said soldering portion of the terminal assembly, a front portion of the metal sleeve extending into and soldered to said opening of the metal housing, a rear portion of the metal sleeve engaging with the cable.

2. The cable connector assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the metal sleeve comprises a side plate in the front thereof, the side plate engages with and is soldered to the opening of the metal housing.

3. The cable connector assembly as claimed in claim 2, wherein the side plate is shaped to near perfect match with the opening of the metal housing.

4. The cable connector assembly as claimed in claim 2, wherein the side plate is formed integrally with the metal sleeve.

5. The cable connector assembly as claimed in claim 4, wherein the side plate is shaped to near perfect match with the opening of the metal housing.

6. The cable connector assembly as claimed in claim 5, wherein a cable clamp is mounted on the cable, and comprises a tubular crimper grasping an outer surface of the cable and a hook holding the sleeve.

7. The cable connector assembly as claimed in claim 6, wherein a strain relief member is molded over the metal sleeve and a part of the cable.

8. The cable connector assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein a strain relief member is molded over the metal sleeve and a part of the cable.

9. The cable connector assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein a cable clamp is mounted on the cable, and comprises a tubular crimper grasping an outer surface of the cable and a hook holding the sleeve.

10. The cable connector assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the terminal assembly comprises a pair of soldering portions, one of which electrically connects at least two mating portions for transmitting positive electricity, the other of which electrically connects at least two mating portions for transmitting negative electricity.

11. A power connector assembly, comprising:

a housing comprising a mating port which extends along a mating direction and a soldering port which extends perpendicularly to the mating direction, the mating port defining an opening at the center thereof;

a terminal assembly received in the housing, the terminal assembly comprising a plurality of mating members which extend into the mating port of the housing and a pair of soldering members which electrically connect with the mating members and extend through the opening of the housing so as to be soldered to a cable;

a sleeve mounted to cover a solder joint between the cable and the soldering member of the terminal assembly, the sleeve extending forwards into the opening of the housing so as to be held on the housing, the sleeve extending backwards to hold the cable; and

a strain relief member is molded over the sleeve and a part of the cable.

12. The power connector assembly as claimed in claim 11, wherein a cable clamp is mounted on the cable, and comprises a tubular crimper mounted and crimped on outer surfaces of the cable and a hook holding the sleeve.

13. The power connector assembly as claimed in claim 11, wherein the sleeve comprises a side plate in the front thereof, the side plate engages with and is soldered to the opening of the housing.

14. The power connector assembly as claimed in claim 13, wherein the side plate is shaped to near perfect match with the opening of the housing.

15. The power connector assembly as claimed in claim 13, wherein the side plate is formed integrally with the sleeve.

16. A power connector assembly comprising:

a metallic hollow housing having a connector receiving opening and a cable extending opening on different sides thereof;

a terminal module disposed in the housing and including an insulator with a plurality of associated contact units having mating portions exposed in the connector receiving opening and cable connection portions exposed in the connector receiving opening;

a cable including a plurality of wires connected to the corresponding cable connection portions, respectively;

a metallic cable clamp surrounding and grasping an exterior surface of the cable; and

a metallic sleeve enclosing a connection area of said wires and the corresponding connection portions with thereof a rear end mechanically and electrically engaged with the cable clamp and a front end mechanically and electrically engaged with the housing.

17. The power connector assembly as claimed in claim 16, wherein a plastic strain member directly encloses the sleeve and a portion of an exterior surface of the cable and further connects to the housing.

18. The power connector assembly as claimed in claim 16, wherein said connector receiving opening and said cable extending opening are perpendicular to each other.

19. The power connector assembly as claimed in claim 16, further including an inner printed circuit board sub-assembly with a plurality of electronic components thereon, said sub-assembly being sandwiched between the housing and the terminal module in a transverse direction perpendicular to a front-to-back direction along which said cable extends.