Abstract:
A micro coaxial cable connector assembly for contacting with a mating electrical connector includes a front and a rear housing members, a cable set with a number of cables, and a number of contacts. The front and rear housing members are efficiently and durably retained together by the cooperation between a pair of channels and corresponding latch portions thereof and by the interference fit of first retention sections and second retention sections of the contacts within a number of grooves and the passageways of the front and rear housing members, respectively. The cable set consists of juxtaposed cables each having at least a signal segment and a grounding segment, and a grounding bar formed by two plates soldered to the grounding segments of the cables. Each passageway of the rear housing member is equipped with an orientating device for convenience in soldering the signal segment of the cable to the tail section of the corresponding contact. The front housing member includes improved structure that reliably urges and partially encloses contact sections of the contacts, thereby protecting the contact sections and ensuring secure engagement of the contact sections with contact elements of a mating connector.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCED APPLICATION 
     This is a continuation-in-part of U.S. Pat. No. 6,139,363 issued on Oct. 31, 2000. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a micro connector assembly for link with a remote micro coaxial cable, and particularity to a micro connector assembly for electrical and mechanical contact with an external mating connector. 
     2. The Prior Art 
     In a conventional micro connector as introduced in U.S. Pat. No. 5,871,369 and Japanese Patent Publication No. 09-055243, a plurality of conductive cores of a flat cable are respectively fitted into several notches defined inside a main body of the connector. An elongated contact bar composed of an insulating material is then placed inside a groove of the main body defined perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of each notch thereby locating above the conductive cores in perpendicular relationship. Eventually, an insulative cover is restrainedly attached above the main body to press down the conductive cores via the contact bar. Thus, the conductive cores each relatively deflects down a spring contact arm of one of the contacts in a main body of the connector thereby establishing electrical connection between the cable and the contacts. 
     However, such a said connector has poor mechanical connection with the cable because of the absence of an efficient horizontal retention means to prevent the separation of the cable from connector or the conductive cores of the cable from cable after action of an excessive withdrawing force thereon. Furthermore, during the process of the moveable installation of the cover within the main body, a permanent deformation may happen in either of the spring contact arms due to improper operation. The minimized dimension and flexibility of the conductive cores will increase difficulty and inconvenience of the assembly with the corresponding notches of the main body or the poor engagement with the contact arm under the absence of an orientation means thereon. 
     Another conventional design on the micro type connector like Japanese Patent Publication Nos. 10-321314 and 10-255921 introduces that a cable holder of the connector defines a row of U-shaped grooves at a front end for reception of the corresponding conductive cores of the coaxial cable therein. When the grooves of the cable holder are respectively fitted and inserted between a tuning fork type tips of the corresponding contact, the upper and lower side tips of the contacts are brought to press down the conductive cores on one side/reversed sides of the U-shaped grooves. However, the fork type tips of the contact or the conductive cores are easily damaged or permanently deformed due to tight fit therebetween resulting from restriction of a housing where the contacts are received. The tight fit is still insufficient to firmly retain the cable holder with the housing, especially in exercise of an excessive full force on the cable. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Accordingly, one object of the present invention is to provide an improved micro connector assembly for easily and firmly linking with a plurality of micro coaxial cables. 
     Another object of the present invention is to provide an orientation means formed within several passageways of a rear housing member of the connector so as to accurately and speedily placing a plurality of conductive cores within the corresponding passageways. 
     Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved micro connector assembly having improved structure for securely retaining contact sections of a plurality of contacts therein and enabling the contacts to reliably engage with contacts of a mating connector. 
     A further object of the present invention is to provide an assembly of a male connector and a female connector firmly linking with a plurality of micro coaxial cables. 
     To fulfill the above mentioned objects, according to several embodiments of the present invention, a micro coaxial cable connector includes a front and a rear housing members, a cable set with a plurality of cables, and a plurality of contacts. The front housing member includes a plurality of grooves horizontally extending therethrough and a pair of channels with swellings formed therein. Each contact consists of a contact section at a free end for electrical contact with the mating connector, a first retention section at a middle region, a tail section at an opposite end, and a second retention section formed on the tail section. The cable set consists of juxtaposed cables and grounding bar. Each cable includes a signal segment at a free end thereof and a grounding segment insulated from and adjacent to the signal segment. The grounding bar consists of an upper and lower conductive plates soldered to opposite surfaces of the grounding segment of each of the cables. The rear housing member defines a plurality of passageways, a pair of latch portions with bow sections, and a pair of spaced orientating walls adjacent to a rear portion of the passageways thereby constituting an elongated slot for receiving the grounding bar jointed with the cables therein. Each passageway further forms a pair of protrusions on opposite lateral walls thereof for cooperating with said second retention section of the contacts. An orientating raise is selectively disposed at a rear of each of the passageways to orient the signal segment of each of the cables in front-and-rear direction. The front housing member includes improved structure that reliably urges and partially encloses contact sections of the contacts, thereby protecting the contact sections and ensuring secure engagement of the contact sections with contact elements of a mating connector. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of a rear housing member of a micro connector assembly in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
     FIG. 2 is a front perspective view of a contact of the micro connector assembly according to the present invention; 
     FIG. 3 is an assembled perspective view of the rear housing shown in FIG. 1 with the contacts shown in FIG. 2; 
     FIG. 4 is a front perspective view of a cable set of the micro connector assembly according to the first preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
     FIG. 5 is an assembled perspective view of the rear housing shown in FIG. 3 with the cable set shown in FIG. 4; 
     FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the rear housing member taken along line  6 — 6  of FIG. 5; 
     FIG. 7 is a front perspective view of a front housing member of the micro connector assembly according to the present invention; 
     FIG. 8 is an assembled perspective view of the micro connector assembly with the front housing member shown in FIG.  7  and the rear housing member shown in FIG. 5; 
     FIG. 9 shows a second embodiment of a rear housing member according to the present invention; 
     FIG. 10 is a partly cross-sectional view of the rear housing member taken along line  10 — 10  of FIG. 9; 
     FIG. 11 is a front perspective view of a cable set of the micro connector assembly according to the second embodiment of the present invention; 
     FIG. 12 is an assembled perspective view of the micro connector assembly with the rear housing member shown in FIG.  9  and the cable set shown in FIG. 11; 
     FIG. 13 shows a third embodiment of a micro connector assembly according to the present invention; 
     FIG. 14 is a partly cross-sectional view of the micro connector assembly taken along line  14 — 14  of FIG. 13; 
     FIG. 15 shows a fourth embodiment of the front housing member according to the present invention; 
     FIG. 16 shows a fourth embodiment of the micro connector assembly according to the present invention; 
     FIG. 17 is a cross-sectional view of the fourth embodiment of the micro connector assembly taken along line  17 — 17  of FIG. 16; 
     FIG. 18 is a front perspective view of a female connector that is matable with the micro connector assembly of the present invention while a part of a female shell of the female connector is cut away to clearly show contacts of the female connector; 
     FIG. 19 is a rear perspective view of the female connector as shown in FIG. 18; 
     FIG. 20 is a perspective view of the assembly of the male and female connectors shown in FIGS. 16,  18  in a mating state; and 
     FIG. 21 is a cross-sectional view taken along line  21 — 21  of FIG.  20 . 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Detailed reference will now be made to the preferred embodiments of the present invention. 
     Referring first to FIG. 1, a rear housing member  30  of a micro coaxial connector assembly in accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention has opposite surfaces  3011 ,  3012  at a front-to-rear direction thereof. A row of spaced passageways  303  adjacent to the front surface  3011  are juxtaposed along a longitudinal axis of the member  30  and inward terminate at a predetermined position. Each passageway  303  is defined with opposite lateral walls, each lateral wall divided into an upper and lower portion, and a bottom wall located between the lower portions of the lateral walls. A cave  3044  adjacent to the front surface  3011  is defined on the bottom wall of each passageway  303 . A pair of protrusions  3032  are formed at the upper portions of opposite lateral walls of each passageway  303  and horizontally extend toward each other to define a specific interval  3038  therebetween (FIG.  3 ). Each protrusion  3032  downwardly extends until terminating at an underside  3040  spaced apart from the cave  3044 . A slope surface  3036  is formed at a top tip of each of the protrusions  3032 . A pair of L-shaped orientating walls  3062  are respectively located at opposite corners adjacent to the rear surface  3012  to constitute an elongated slot  306  therebetween. A pair of latch portions  305  extend behind the front surface  3011  from said orientating walls  3062 . A facing-down bow section  3052  is formed at a free end of each of the latch portion  305 . 
     Further referring to FIG. 2, a single tip type contact  40  consists of a contact section  42  at a free end thereof, a fins type first retention section  44  with a pair of barbs at a middle region thereof, and a tail section  46  with a barb-like second retention section  48  at opposed end thereof. 
     In subassembly shown in FIG,  3 , the tail section  46  of the contacts  40  are respectively inserted horizontally between the cave  3044  and the protrusions  3032  of the corresponding passageways  303 , via the front surface  3011  of the rear housing member  30 . Further the second retention section  48  of each of the tail sections  46  is interference fitted with the underside  3040  of the protrusion  3032 . Each of the contacts  40  exposes both the contact section  42  and the first retention contact  44  outside the front surface  3011  of the main body  30 . 
     A micro coaxial cable set  56  as shown in FIG. 4 consists of a row of juxtaposed coaxial round cables  60  and a grounding bar  50 . Each cable  60  is composed of a first insulative layer  601  at the outermost thereof, a conductive jacket layer  602  formed below the first insulative layer  601 , a second insulation layer  604  (See FIG. 6) formed below the jacket layer  602  and a conductive core  606  at the innermost thereof. 
     The grounding bar  50  is defined with an upper and lower metal plates  502  fixedly jointed at opposite ends thereof and a crack  504  separating both plates  502  from each other. In subassembly of the cable  60  with the grounding bar  50 , each cable  60  perpendicularly extends through the crack  504  of the grounding bar  50  and clamped between the plates. The outermost insulative layer of each cable  60  in part is stripped off to expose the jacket layer  602  as being a grounding segment of the cable  60 . Then the grounding segment of each cable  60  are respectively soldered with the inner walls of the upper and bottom plates  502 . The cable  60  in part is further stripped off to exposes the conductive core  606  as being signal segment which extends outside the grounding bar  50  and insulated from the grounding segment by the second insulative layer  604 . However, it is noted that before the soldering process is exercised thereon, these cables  60  are fixed in position of defining a specific interval between each two cables  60  to meet the pitch of the contacts  40  by the way of applying an external tool. In consideration of the convenience of soldering process exercised between the contacts  40  and the cables  60 , an indent or a plurality of compartment structure (not shown) can be designedly formed along a longitudinal axis of said inner walls of the plates  502 . 
     In subassembly as shown in FIGS. 5 &amp; 6, the grounding bar  50  of the cable set  56  is placed inside the slot  306  of the rear housing member  30  and restricted by the orientating walls  3062  from moving along a horizontal direction with respect to a surface of the rear housing member  30 . One of opposite ends of each cable  601  rearward extends through the rear surface  3012  of the rear housing member  30  to link with an desired electrical device (not shown). Another end of the cable  601 , a signal segment of exposing the conductive core  606 , horizontally extends through the interval  3038  formed between the protrusions  3032  in the corresponding passageway  303  and above the tail section  46  of the contact  40  which is retentively received within the cave  3044  of the corresponding passageway  303 . Then, a soldering process or a conductive adhesive is accurately exercised between the signal segment of the cable  60  and the tail section  46  of the contact  40  for enhancement of the electrical and mechanical connection therebetween. 
     As soon as the rear housing member  30  is assembled with the cable set  56 , the signal segment of each cable  60  are accurately aligned with the passageways  303  because of being pre-soldered with the grounding bar  50  in the specific interval between each two adjacent cables  60  as mentioned above. By means of guidance of the slope surfaces  3036  of the protrusions  3032 , the signal segment can be easily oriented within the interval  3038  between the protrusions  3032 , almost equal to the diameter of the cores  606  for accurate and convenient soldering with the tail sections  46  of the contacts  40 . It is noted that the opposite protrusions  3032  also are capable of restricting the melted flux from flowing out of the signal segment during the soldering process thereby raising the efficiency of soldering. 
     Further referring to FIG. 7, a front housing member  20  includes a mating surface  202  for contact with an external mating connector (not shown), and a joint surface  208  opposite to the mating surface  202  for contact with said the rear housing member  30  as shown in FIGS. 5 &amp; 6. A tongue portion  206  outwardly extend at a meddle region of the mating surface  202  for insertion into the mating connector. An opening (not shown) is defined on the joint surface  208  for entrance of the rear housing member  30 . A plurality of grooves  2062  horizontally extends between a free end of the tongue portion  206  and the joint surface  208  along a front-to-rear direction. A pair of channels  204  formed at opposite lateral walls of the front housing member  20  horizontal extends through both surfaces  202  and  208 . A swelling (not shown) vertically extends from a specific position of a bottom side of each of the channels  204 . 
     In final assembly, the rear housing member  30  is inserted into the front housing member  20  from the opening of the joint surface  208  as shown in FIG.  8 . The latch portions  305  of the rear housing member  30  are inserted within the channels  204  of the front housing member  20  and retained with the swellings in the channels  204  by the locking of the bow sections  3052  therewith. The contacts  40  disposed within the passageways  303  of the rear housing member  30  are respectively inserted into the corresponding grooves  2062  of the front housing member  20  and exposes the contact sections  42  outside the tongue portion  206  for electrical contact with the external mating connector. Each contact  40  is interference fitted with an upper wall of the corresponding groove  2062  by the barb-like first retention section  44  thereof. 
     In comparison with the prior arts that depend on the tight fit between the cables and the contacts thereof, the retention between the front and rear housing members  20  and  30  in accordance with the first embodiment of the present invention adopts the locking between the channels  204  and the latch portion  305 , and the interference fit of the contacts  40  with the grooves  2062  and passageways  303 . Thus, the mechanical and electrical connection between the cables  60  and the contacts  40  or between the front and rear housing members  20  and  30  can achieve higher performance than those of the prior arts. 
     A second embodiment of the present invention as shown in FIGS. 9 &amp; 10 has an orientating raise  3034 ′ in comparison with the first embodiment. The orientating raise  3034 ′ is formed at a rear end of each of the passageways  303 ′ for orientation of the cable at the passageways  303 ′in a front-to-rear direction, especially upon a larger fitting tolerance between the grounding bar  50 ′ (See FIG. 11) and the slot  306 ″ of the rear housing member  30 ′. Relatively, a rear portion of the signal segment of the cable  60 ′ that exposes the conductive core  606 ′ as shown in FIG. 11 is shaped to the same contour as the orientating raise  3034 ′ for the above-mentioned orientation as shown in FIG.  12 . 
     A third embodiment of the present invention as shown in FIGS. 13 and 14 additionally forms a stopper wall  2064 ″ on an outlet of each groove  2062 ″ adjacent to the mating surface  202 ″ of the front housing member  20 ″. A shoulder of the first retention section  44 ″ of the contact  40 ″ can abut against the stopper wall  2064 ″ as soon as being inserted into the corresponding groove  2062 ″ thereby preventing the contacts  40 ″ from removing out of the mating surface  202 ″. 
     Referring to FIGS. 15-17, a fourth embodiment of the cable connector of the present invention is illustrated. The improvements of the fourth embodiment over the other embodiments mainly focus in the front housing  20 ′ and upper and lower shields  23 ′,  24 ′ which are shown in FIGS. 16,  17 . The front housing  20 ′ comprises a body portion  21 ′ having a mating surface  211 ′ and a joint surface  212 ′ at a front and a rear sides, and a tongue portion  22 ′ forwardly extending beyond the mating surface  211 ′ of the body portion  21 ′. The tongue portion  22 ′ comprises a front surface  221 ′, an upper surface  222 ′ and a lower surface  223 ′ opposing the upper surface  222 ′. A pair of locking arms  229 ′ forwardly extend from opposite lateral ends of the tongue portion  22 ′ beyond the front surface  221 ′, each locking arm  229 ′ having a hook  224 ′ at a free end thereof for engageably locking to a mating connector. The tongue portion  22 ′ comprises a bottom portion  225 ′ adjacent to the lower surface  223 ′ and a plurality of spacers  226 ′ upwardly extending from the bottom portion  225 ′ and terminating at the upper surface  222 ′. The front housing  20 ′ defines a plurality of cavities  227 ′ through the joint surface  212 ′ and the front surface  221 ′ of the tongue portion  22 ′. Each of the cavities  227 ′ is defined with and enclosed by two adjacent spacers  226 ′ and the bottom portion  225 ′. A block  228 ′ (FIG. 17) protrudes upwardly from the bottom portion  225 ′ into a corresponding cavity  227 ′. The body portion  21 ′ defines two recesses  213 ′ extending in the front to rear direction in opposite lateral walls thereof, respectively, for fixedly engaging opposite edges of the upper and lower shields  23 ′,  24 ′. The body portion  21 ′ further defines an opening  215 ′ (FIG. 17) in the joint surface  212 ′ thereof through which the subassembly of the rear housing  30 , the contacts  40 , the grounding bar  50  and the cables  60  as shown in FIGS. 5,  12  and  13  is engageably inserted into the front housing  20 ′. 
     Particularly referring to FIGS. 16,  17 , after the subassembly is inserted into the front housing  20 ′, the contact section  42  of each of the contacts  40  is enclosed by the two adjacent spacers  226 ′ and the bottom portion  225 ′. In particular, bottom sections of the contact sections  42  are supported by the blocks  228 ′ of the bottom portion  225 ′, respectively, while top sections to the corresponding contact sections  42  extend beyond the upper surface  222 ′ of the tongue portion  22 ′. The upper and lower shields  23 ′,  24 ′ are respectively shrouded to upper and lower surfaces of the body portion  21 ′, lateral edges thereof are fixedly received in the opposite recesses  213 ′, respectively. 
     Referring to FIGS. 18,  19 , a female connector  80  is illustrated. The female connector  80  comprises a female housing  81 , a plurality of female contacts  82  received in the female housing  81  and a female shield  83  enclosing the female housing  81 . The female housing  81  defines a plurality of apertures  811  through two opposite surfaces thereof in a front to rear direction in which the plurality of female contacts  82  are fixedly received, respectively. The female housing  81  further defines a chamber  812  in a front surface for fixedly receiving the tongue portion  22 ′ of the cable connector. Each female contact  82  has a female contact section  821  partially extending from the corresponding aperture  811  into the chamber  812  for electrically engaging with the contact section  42  of the corresponding contact  40  of the cable connector. The female housing  81  further defines two windows  813  through the rear surfaces thereof adjacent to two outmost apertures  811  for fixedly receiving the pair of locking arms  229 ′ of the cable connector. 
     Referring to FIG. 20, after the cable connector completely mates with the female connector  80 , the tongue portion  22 ′ of the cable connector is fixedly received in the chamber  812  of the female connector  80  and the pair of locking arms  229 ′ are fixedly received in the corresponding windows  813  while hooks  224 ′ thereof hook the rear surface of the female housing  81 . It should be understood that in another embodiment, a hidden engagement shoulder can be formed in the window so that the hook may be latchably engaged with such a shoulder and embedded within the window rather than be exposed on the rear surface. The contact sections  42 ′ of the cable connector securely and electrically engage with the corresponding female contact sections  821  of the female connector  80  due to the urging of the blocks  228  acting on the contact sections  42  toward the contact sections  821 . Therefore, in this embodiment, a more reliable electrical connection between the cable connector and the female connector  80  is attained. Furthermore, by the help of the locking arms  229 ′ and the windows  813 , the cable connector in accordance with the fourth embodiment can firmly connect with the female connector  80 . 
     It is understandable that an external withdrawing force exercised on the cable connector cab be eliminated by the interference fit between the contacts and the housing and the locking between the latch portion and the bow section, rather than the tight fit between the contacts and the cable of the prior arts. Therefore, the electrical and mechanical connection between the contacts and cable is directly harmed. 
     While the present invention has been described with reference to specific embodiments, the description is illustrative of the invention and is not to be construed as limiting the invention. Various modifications to the present invention can be made to the preferred embodiments by those skilled in the art without departing from the true spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.