Assembly of a cable

• US 9,011,179 B2
• Filed: 09/11/2012
• Issued: 04/21/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/11/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Siahaan, Edward, Jol, Eric S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hammond, Briggitte R
• Application Number:
  US13/610,326
• Publication Number:
  US 20140073185A1
• Time in Patent Office: 952 Days
• Field of Search: 43960755-60759, 439/76.1, 439/606, 439/936
• US Class Current: 439/607.58
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 12/53 connecting to cables except for flat or ribbon cables
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/504 different pieces being moulded, cemented, welded, e.g. ultrasonic, or swaged together
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/52 Dustproof, splashproof, drip-proof, waterproof, or flameproof cases
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/5216 characterised by the sealing material, e.g. gels or resins
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6593 the shield being composed of different pieces
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 43/005 for making dustproof, splashproof, drip-proof, waterproof, or flameproof connection, coupling, or casing
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 43/205 with a panel or printed circuit board
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49147 Assembling terminal to base
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49149 by metal fusion bonding

Abstract

An electrical connection assembly includes a connector and a cable. The connector includes a plug having a multitude of contacts in electrical communication with the cable wires. The connector further includes a body in which a printed circuit board is inserted. The cable wires are soldered to the bonding pads of the printed circuit board which is encapsulated by an adhesive. The connector further includes a metallic shield enclosing the body and providing a path to the ground. An inner mold encapsulates the space enclosed by the metallic shield. The metallic shield is optionally formed from a pair of metallic shields cans that are crimped and laser welded. The assembly further includes a sleeve attached at a rear face of the metallic shield, an enclosure attached to the connector body, and a pair of face plates attached between the enclosure and the body.

Claims

1. An electrical connection assembly comprising a connector and a cable, said connector adapted to be inserted into a receptacle connector and comprising:

a plug having a plurality of contacts adapted to receive electrical signals from and supply electrical signals to a plurality of wires in the cable; and

a body comprising;

a printed circuit board including a plurality of bonding pads attached to a plurality of wires of the cable;

a cured viscous adhesive encapsulating the plurality of bonding pads on the printed circuit board;

a metallic shield enclosing the body; and

a first mold encapsulating a space enclosed by the metallic shield.

2. The electrical connection assembly of claim 1 wherein the metallic shield comprises first and second said metallic shields that are crimped and welded together to cover the body.

3. The electrical connection assembly of claim 2 wherein said electrical connection assembly further comprises a sleeve at a rear face of the first and second metallic shields.

4. The electrical connection assembly of claim 3 wherein said electrical connection assembly further comprises an enclosure attached to the connector body.

5. The electrical connection assembly of claim 4 wherein said electrical connection assembly further comprises first and second face plates adhesively attached between the enclosure and the body.

6. The electrical connection assembly of claim 1 wherein said viscous adhesive is dispensed on the printed circuit board from one or more nozzles using a high pressure high accuracy jetting action.

7. The electrical connection assembly of claim 6 wherein said viscous adhesive is UV cured after being dispensed.

8. The electrical connection assembly of claim 1 wherein at least one of the plurality of soldered wires provides a first conductive path to a ground terminal.

9. The electrical connection assembly of claim 8 wherein the cable'"'"'s braid, the first and second metallic shields and a metal ground ring defining a shape of the plug are electrically coupled to form a second conductive path to the ground terminal.

10. The electrical connection assembly of claim 9 wherein a plurality of the cable'"'"'s braid are coupled to the cable wires forming the first conductive path to the ground terminal.

11. The electrical connection assembly of claim 1 wherein the printed circuit board further includes at least one integrated circuit and a plurality of metal traces and the cured viscous adhesive encapsulates the at least one integrated circuit and the plurality of metal traces in addition to the plurality of bonding pads.

12. An electrical connector comprising:

a metallic shield defining an interior cavity between exterior surfaces of the metallic shield;

a connector plug extending away from the metallic shield;

a printed circuit board extending from at least a portion of the connector plug into the interior cavity, the printed circuit board having at least one integrated circuit, a plurality of metal traces and a plurality of bonding pads formed thereon;

a cable comprising a plurality of wires and a metal braid, each of the plurality of wires having an exposed end that is soldered to a bonding pad in the plurality of bonding pads;

a cured viscous adhesive formed within the interior cavity over at least a portion of the printed circuit board and encapsulating the at least one integrated circuit, the plurality of metal traces, the plurality of metal bonding pads and the exposed end of each of the plurality of wires;

a plurality of contacts adapted to receive electrical signals from and supply electrical signals to the plurality of wires in the cable; and

a first insert mold fully covering the cured viscous adhesive and filling space within the interior cavity defined by the metallic shield.

13. The electrical connector set forth in claim 12 wherein the metallic shield includes first and second shield cans crimped and welded together.

14. The electrical connector set forth in claim 12 further comprising a strain relief sleeve attached at a rear face of the metallic shield and extending over the cable.

15. The electrical connector set forth in claim 14 further comprising a plastic enclosure surrounding the metallic shield.

16. The electrical connector set forth in claim 12 wherein at least one of the plurality of soldered wires provides a first conductive path to a ground terminal.

17. The electrical connector set forth in claim 16 wherein the connector plug includes an exterior metal surface that defines a shape of the plug and the plurality of contacts are formed within one or more openings of the exterior metal surface.

18. The electrical connector set forth in claim 17 wherein the braid, the metallic shield and the exterior metal surface are electrically coupled together to form a second conductive path to the ground terminal.

19. The electrical connector set forth in claim 18 wherein a plurality of the cable'"'"'s braid are coupled to the cable wires forming the first conductive path to the ground terminal.

20. The electrical connector set forth in claim 18 further comprising first and second indentations formed in the exterior metal surface on opposing sides of the plug.