HIGH-SPEED CONNECTOR INSERTS AND CABLES

• US 20120152613A1
• Filed: 02/24/2012
• Published: 06/21/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Kim, Min Chul, Yuan, Paul, Pong, Josh, Tang, Joseph
• Granted Patent: US 9,385,478 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 174/88.C
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 12/53 connecting to cables except for flat or ribbon cables
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6463 using twisted pairs of wires
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6471 by special arrangement of ground and signal conductors, e.g. GSGS [Ground-Signal-Ground-Signal]
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/65915 Twisted pair of conductors surrounded by shield
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6592 the conductive member being a shielded cable
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6658 on printed circuit board H01R13/6666 - H01R13/6691 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 2107/00 Four or more poles
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 4/02 Soldered or welded connections H01R4/625, H01R4/723, H01R12/59 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 4/023 between cables or wires and terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 43/0249 for simultaneous welding or soldering of a plurality of wires to contact elements
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 43/048 Crimping apparatus or processes H01R43/042 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 15/08 Cable junctions for gas or oil filled cables H02G15/24
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49174 Assembling terminal to elongated conductor
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49179 by metal fusion bonding
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49181 by deforming
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49213 Metal

Abstract

High speed connector inserts and cables having improved heat conduction, high strength, and may be manufactured in a reliable manner. One example may provide a connector insert having several paths by which heat may be removed from circuitry in the cable insert. In one example, heat may be removed from one or more circuits by forming a thermal path between a circuit and a shield of the connector insert. Another path may include one or more pads on a side of an integrated circuit board that are soldered directly to the shield. A braiding surrounding a cable may be soldered or otherwise thermally connected to the shield. Another example may provide a cable having a braiding that includes one or more types of fibers, such as aramid fibers. Another example may provide for increased manufacturability by using a wire comb and a solder bar.

Claims

1. A method of manufacturing a connector insert comprising:

separating a plurality of shielded twisted pairs of wires in a cable, each shielded twisted pair having a non-circular shape;

untwisting each of the shielded twisted pairs to enable their insertion into a corresponding opening in a block, each corresponding opening in the block having a non-circular shape similar to the a non-circular shape of the shielded twisted pairs; and

soldering shields for each of the shielded twisted pairs to a substrate using a shaped bar of solder.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the non-circular shape is an ellipse.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the non-circular shape is approximately elliptical.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the block is a wire comb.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising separating a plurality of wires in the cable;

and

inserting the wires into corresponding openings in the block,

wherein the wires and corresponding openings are at least approximately circular.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the shaped bar of solder is shaped to approximately fit the plurality of wires and plurality of shielded twisted pairs.

7. A connector insert and cable apparatus comprising:

an insert shield;

a cable comprising a plurality of twisted pairs, a plurality of wires, and a shield layer electrically connected to the insert shield;

a cap over a connection between the shield layer and the insert shield;

a block having a plurality of non-circular openings for the twisted pairs and a plurality of approximately circular openings for the wires, wherein the plurality of twisted pairs and a plurality of wires pass through the block using the openings;

a printed circuit board coupled to at least one of the twisted pairs, the printed circuit board having a pad connected to the insert shield; and

an active device fixed to the printed circuit board and thermally coupled to the insert shield.

8. The connector insert and cable apparatus of claim 7 wherein the cable shield layer is soldered to the insert shield.

9. The connector insert and cable apparatus of claim 7 wherein each of the plurality of non-circular openings are approximately elliptical.

10. The connector insert of claim 7 wherein the pad is located on a side of the printed circuit board.

11. The connector insert of claim 7 wherein the cap is crimped over the connection between the shield layer and the insert shield.

12. The connector insert of claim 11 wherein the cap is soldered to the connector insert.

13. The connector insert of claim 7 further comprising:

a plastic housing covering a portion of the insert shield.

14. The connector insert of claim 7 wherein the cable shield layer comprises a plurality of fibers.

15. The connector insert of claim 14 wherein the plurality of fibers comprises aramid fibers.