Abstract:
A cable assembly ( 100 ) includes an interior printed circuit board ( 13 ) with a number of conductive pads ( 132 ), a cable ( 2 ) and an insulative holding device ( 25 ). The cable ( 2 ) includes a number of conductors ( 21 ), a conductive sheath ( 22 ) shrouding the conductors ( 21 ) and an insulative sheath ( 23 ) shrouding the conductive sheath ( 22 ). Each conductor ( 22 ) has a soldering tail ( 24 ) extending to the outside of the insulative sheath ( 23 ) and soldering to the conductive pad ( 132 ). The insulative holding device ( 25 ) encloses the insulative sheath ( 22 ) and the conductors ( 21 ).

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a cable assembly having an improved cable holding device adapted for fastening the cable and a method for producing the same. 
     2. Description of Related Art 
     U.S. Pat. No. 7,090,527 issued on Aug. 15, 2006 discloses a SFP (Small Form Factor Pluggable) module. The SFP module comprises a cable having a number of conductive cores, a top shell, a bottom shell and an interior PCB (printed circuit board). A metal ring is attached to one end of the cable. The conductive cores of the cable extend outside of the metal ring for soldering on the interior PCB. One side of the bottom shell defines a cavity for receiving the interior PCB. Another side of the bottom shell defines a slot receiving the metal ring. The top shell covers on the bottom shell to hold the interior PCB and cable stably. 
     The conductive cores of the cable are not fixed in any predetermined position and thereby are hard to be soldered on the PCB. 
     C.N. Patent No. 201178199 issued on Jan. 7, 2009 discloses a SFP (Small Form Factor Pluggable) module. The SFP module comprises a cable, a top shell, a bottom shell and an interior PCB. A metal ring is attached to one end of the cable. The conductive cores of the cable extend outside of the metal ring. The conductive cores are fastened by connecting apparatus. The connecting apparatus comprises a first insulative bracket and a second insulative bracket connected with each other. The end of conductive core is connected to the first insulative bracket and the second insulative bracket and is soldered on the interior PCB. A side of the bottom shell defines a cavity to receive the interior printed circuit board. Another side of the bottom shell defines a groove for receiving the metal ring. The top shell engages with the bottom shell to retain the interior printed circuit board. 
     The first insulative bracket and the second insulative bracket are used to fasten the conductive core to the interior printed circuit board. The configuration of the first insulative bracket and the second insulative bracket are complex. The production cost of the SFP module is high. 
     Hence, an improved cable assembly is required to overcome the above-mentioned disadvantages of the related art. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     An object of the present invention is to provide a cable assembly having low costed insulative holding device capable of fastening the cable reliably and having simple structure. 
     To achieve the aforementioned objects, an cable assembly comprises an interior printed circuit board, a cable and an insulative holding device. The interior printed circuit board comprises a plurality of conductive pads. The cable comprises a plurality of conductors, a conductive sheath shrouding the conductors and an insulative sheath shrouding the conductive sheath. Each conductor has a soldering tail extending to the outside of the insulative sheath and soldering to the conductive pad. An insulative holding device encloses the insulative sheath and the conductors. 
     The insulative holding device of the cable assembly encloses the insulative sheath and the conductors simultaneously. The structure of insulative holding device is simple. The cost of manufacturing the cable assembly is low. 
     Other objects, advantages and novel features of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is an assembled perspective view of a cable assembly in accordance with the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is an exploded perspective view of the cable assembly as shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  is partially assembled perspective view of the cable assembly, with a top shell and a releasing device being removed; and 
         FIG. 4  is an exploded perspective view of the cable, interior printed circuit board, insulative holding device and electronic strip of the cable assembly as shown in  FIG. 1 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Reference will now be made to the drawing figures to describe the present invention in detail. Referring to  FIGS. 1-2 , a cable assembly  100  according to the present invention is a SFP module. The cable assembly  100  comprises a module  1  and a cable  2  connecting to the module  1 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 2 , the module  1  comprises a bottom shell  11 , a top shell  12  coupling with the bottom shell  11 , an interior PCB  13  received in the bottom shell  11 , and a releasing device  14 . The bottom shell  11  comprises a base portion  111  and a cable-receiving portion  112 . The base portion  111  defines a cutout  113  for engaging with a mating connector (not shown) and a first cavity  114  for insertion of the mating connector. The cable-receiving portion  112  defines a half-cylindrical second cavity  115 , a pair of cylindrical posts  116  and a slot  117 . Part of the second cavity  115  is formed with a recess  118 . The top shell  12  comprises a flat portion  121  covering the first cavity  114  and a connection portion  122  defining a half-cylindrical cavity (not shown) corresponding to the second cavity  115 . 
     The interior PCB  13  is received in the first cavity  114 . The interior PCB  13  is provided with a plurality of electronic components  131  and a plurality of conductive pads  132  for connecting with the cable  2 . 
     The releasing device  14  comprises a shaft  143 , a metal frame  141  privotable about the shaft  143 , a slider  142 , and a strip  144 . The metal frame  141  comprises a first beam  1411 , and a pair of second beams  1412  extending from opposite distal end of the first beam  1411 . Each second beam  1412  defines a first hole  1413  and a second hole  1414  below the first hole  1413 . The cylindrical post  116  is received in the first hole  1413 . The shaft  143  inserts through the pair of second holes  1414  of the second beams  1412 , a hole of the slider  142  and the slot  117  to fasten the releasing device  14  in the bottom shell  11 . 
     Referring to  FIGS. 2-4 , the cable  2  comprises four conductors or inner wires  21 , a conductive sheath  22  shrouding the conductors  21 , and insulative sheath  23  enclosing the conductive sheath  22 . Each conductor  21  comprises a soldering tail  24  extending outside of the insulative sheath  23 . The distal end of the soldering tail  24  is soldered to the conductive pad  132  of the interior PCB  13 . The cable  2  further comprises an insulative holding device  25  and a conductive strip  26 . The insulative holding device  25  comprises a rectangle portion  251  and a columnar portion  252  integrated with each other. The rectangle portion  251  encloses the conductors  21 . The columnar portion  252  encloses the insulative sheath  23 . The conductive sheath  22  comprises a grounding portion  221  extending to the outside of the insulative holding device  25 . The conductive strip  26  encircles around the columnar portion  252  of the insulative holding device  25 . 
     The cable assembly  100  further comprises a conductive semi-circular ring  15 . The conductive semi-circular ring  15  is attached to the columnar portion  252  of the insulative holding device  25  to fasten the cable  2  and insulative holding device  25  in the bottom shell  11 . 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1-4 , in assembling of the cable assembly  100 , firstly, dilacerate a segment of the insulative sheath  23  to expose a front portion of the conductive sheath  22  outerside of the insulative sheath  23 . The segment of the conductive sheath  22  is formed into a grounding portion  221 . Secondly, insert molding the insulative sheath  23  and the conductors  21  with insulative material to form an insulative holding device  25 , with the conductive sheath  22  exposed on the outside of the insulative holding device  25 . Thirdly, bend the grounding portion  221  backwardly and outwardly of the insulative holding device  25 . Fourthly, encircle the conductive strip  26  around the grounding portion  221 . Fifthly, solder the conductors  21  on the conductive pads  132 . Sixthly, attach the conductive semi-circular ring  15  to the columnar portion  252  of the insulative holding device  25 . Then, assemble the cable  2  with interior PCB  13  and insulative holding device  25  in the top shell  12  and bottom shell  11 . Lastly, fasten the bottom shell  11  on the top shell  12  with screws (not labeled). 
     According to the present invention, the columnar portion  252  fastens the soldering tails  24  on the predetermined position for soldering the soldering tail  24  on the interior PCB  13 . The rectangle portion  251  is received in the first cavity  114  and the columnar portion  252  is received in the second cavity  115  to connect the cable  2  with the conductive sheath  22  effectively. The structure of insulative holding device  25  is simple. The cost of manufacturing the cable assembly  100  is low. 
     However, the disclosure is illustrative only, changes may be made in detail, especially in matter of shape, size, and arrangement of parts within the principles of the invention.