Cable connector assembly having strain relief member for cable

• US 7,775,825 B2
• Filed: 05/27/2008
• Issued: 08/17/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/27/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Wu, Jerry
• Primary Examiner(s): Hammond; Briggitte R
• Application Number:
  US12/154,739
• Publication Number:
  US 20090298322A1
• Time in Patent Office: 812 Days
• Field of Search: 439/607.52, 439/607.45, 439/465, 439/470, 439/369
• US Class Current: 439/460
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/5812 the cable clamping being achieved by mounting the separate part on the housing of the coupling device
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/5845 the strain relief being achieved by molding parts around cable and connections

Abstract

A cable connector assembly (100) in accordance with the present invention includes a housing (1), a terminal (2), a sleeve (5), and a strain relief member (7). The housing includes a mating end (11), a soldering end (12), and a passage formed through the mating and soldering ends. The terminal is received in the passage of the housing and includes a mating portion (21) exposed in the mating end and a soldering portion (22) extending beyond the soldering end of the housing and soldered to a cable (3). The sleeve is mounted to enclose a contact junction (8) between the cable and the terminal, and the strain relief member is molded over a part of the cable and the sleeve.

Claims

1. A cable connector assembly, comprising:

a housing comprising a mating end, a soldering end, and a passage formed through the mating and soldering ends;

a terminal received in the passage of the housing and comprising a mating portion exposed in the mating end and a soldering portion extending beyond the soldering end of the housing and soldered to a cable;

a sleeve mounted to enclose a contact junction between the cable and the terminal; and

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

2. The cable connector assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the sleeve extends forwards into the housing so as to be held on the housing, and extends backwards to hold the cable.

3. The cable connector assembly as claimed in claim 1, 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.

4. The cable connector assembly as claimed in claim 3, wherein the sleeve comprises a tube covering the contact junction between the cable and the terminal, and an enlargement extending forwards into an opening of the housing and holding on the housing.

5. The cable connector assembly as claimed in claim 4, wherein further comprises a gasket with an opening in the center thereof, and the gasket passes through the tube of the sleeve and abuts against the enlargement so as to hold the sleeve on the housing.

6. The cable connector assembly as claimed in claim 5, wherein the gasket is shaped to near perfect match with the opening of the housing.

7. The cable connector assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the sleeve comprises a tube covering the contact junction between the cable and the terminal, and an enlargement extending forwards into an opening of the housing and holding on the housing.

8. The cable connector assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the cable connector 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.

9. A cable connector assembly, comprising:

a housing comprising a mating end and a soldering end defining an opening;

a terminal comprising a mating portion received in the mating end and a soldering portion extending beyond the opening of the housing so as to be soldered to a cable; and

a rigid sleeve mounted to cover a contact junction between the cable and the terminal, 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.

10. The cable connector assembly as claimed in claim 9, wherein a strain relief pipe is molded and encloses the sleeve and a part of the cable.

11. The cable connector assembly as claimed in claim 9, 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.

12. The cable connector assembly as claimed in claim 9, wherein the sleeve comprises a tube covering the contact junction between the cable and the terminal, and an enlargement extending forwards into the opening of the housing and holding on the housing.

13. The cable connector assembly as claimed in claim 12, wherein further comprises a gasket with an opening in the center thereof, and the gasket passes through the tube of the sleeve and abuts against the enlargement so as to hold the sleeve on the housing.

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

15. The cable connector assembly as claimed in claim 9, wherein the cable connector 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.

16. A cable connector assembly comprising:

an insulative housing defining a mating port facing in a first direction and a connection port facing in a second direction different from said first direction;

a plurality of contacts disposed in the housing, each of said contacts defining a mating section in said mating port, and a connection section in said connection port;

a cable having an outer jacket enclosing a plurality of wires which are connected to the connection sections of the corresponding contacts, respectively;

a sleeve extending along an axial direction primarily behind the housing, and surrounding a joint area of said connection sections and said wires; and

a gasket embedded in the housing and forwardly abutting against a front end of said sleeve to in said axial direction so as to prevent the sleeve from moving rearwardly away from the housing.

17. The cable connector assembly as claimed in claim 16, further including a cable clamp located around a front end of the jacket and having a front end received in the sleeve.

18. The cable connector assembly as claimed in claim 16, wherein the first direction is perpendicular to the second direction, and said housing defines a larger dimension in said first direction than in a third direction which is perpendicular to both said first and second direction, and the gasket is configured to define a greater dimension along said first direction than any other directions in a plane defined by said first direction and said third direction.

19. The cable connector assembly as claimed in claim 18, wherein said gasket essentially surrounds the sleeve.