Cable assembly with electrical and optical transmitting

An cable assembly (100) includes an insulative housing (1); a first terminal module (21) and a second terminal module (22) assembled to the insulative housing, the first terminal module (21) having first terminals (212a) and first additional terminals (212b), the second terminal module (22) having second terminals (222a) and second additional terminals (222b); a photoelectric conversion device (93) electrically connected with the first terminals and the second terminals; and a cable (6) including fiber wires (63) and copper wires (61), the fiber wires optically connected to photoelectric conversion device, the copper wires electrically connected to the first additional terminals and the second additional terminals.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention generally relates to a cable assembly, and more particularly to a cable assembly adapted for electrical and optical transmitting.

DESCRIPTION OF PRIOR ART

Nowadays, an electrical device has become lower profile and multi-functional, and a cable assembly for the electrical device is required lower profile and capable of high-speed transmitting.

Cable assemblies in accordance with USB, SATA, HDMI, SAS and Displayport protocol have been widely applied in different kinds of electronic devices. The aforementioned cable assemblies depend on metallic terminals and copper wires to achieve electrical signal transmitting. However, transmitting speed is limited via electrical signal transmitting. In other aspect, as transmitting speed increasing, a structure of the cable assembly becomes complex, and a total dimension of the cable assembly is increasing.

Hence, an improved cable assembly is highly desired to overcome the aforementioned problems.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a lower profile cable assembly capable of transmitting both electrical signal and optical signal.

In order to achieve the object set forth, a cable assembly in accordance with the present invention comprises an insulative housing; a first terminal module and a second terminal module assembled to the insulative housing, the first terminal module having first terminals and first additional terminals, the second terminal module having second terminals and second additional terminals; a photoelectric conversion device electrically connected with the first terminals and the second terminals; and a cable including fiber wires and copper wires, the fiber wires optically connected to photoelectric conversion device, the copper wires electrically connected to the first additional terminals and the second additional terminals.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring toFIGS. 1-8, a cable assembly100in accordance with the present invention comprises an insulative housing1, a terminal module2, a metallic shell4, an external cover5, a cable6, a strain relief7integrally formed with a front section of the cable6and a printed circuit board assembly (PCBA)9.

The insulative housing1includes a flat main portion10and two mounting arms12extending rearwardly from lateral sides of the main portion10. A mounting recess102is recessed forwardly from a middle segment of a rear edge of the main portion10. A mating cavity104is recessed downwardly from a front segment of an upper side of the main portion10and further communicates with the mounting recess102. A depression105is defined in a front section of a lower side of the main portion10. There is a receiving spacer121disposed between the two mounting arms12.

The terminal module2includes a first terminal module21and a second terminal module22.

The first terminal module21has a first insulator211and a first terminals group212combined together by insert-molding process. The first terminals group212includes six first terminals212aarranged in a row and five first additional terminals212bdivided into two sets and respectively disposed at opposite sides of the six first terminals212a. The first terminals212aincludes signal terminals and grounding terminals configured to be longer than the signal terminals. Each terminal of the first terminals group212has a contacting portion2120disposed in front of an edge of the first insulator211and a tail portion2112disposed behind the first insulator211. Two mounting posts2110are formed on a top side of the first insulator211and two protruding portions2111are formed on a bottom side of the first insulator211. In addition, there are two wing portions2115extending backwardly from a back segment of the first insulator211. The two wing portions2115are spaced apart from each other, with tail portions2112located therebetween. There are five terminal grooves2116located in the two wing portions2115. Two ribs2118attached to inner edges of the two wing portions2115, respectively. The first additional terminals212bhave contacting portions2120bdisposed in front of the first insulator211and tail portions2122bextending into the terminal grooves2116, respectively. The tail portions2122bof the first additional terminals212bare disposed more backward than the tail portions2122of the first terminals212a.

The second terminal module22has a second insulator221and a second terminals group222combined together by insert-molding process. The second terminals group222includes seven second terminals222aarranged in a row and four second additional terminals222bdivided into two sets and respectively disposed at opposite sides of the seven second terminals222a. The second terminal222aincludes signal terminals and grounding terminals configured to be longer than the signal terminals. Each terminal of the second terminals group222has a contacting portion2220disposed in front of an edge of the second insulator221and a tail portion2222disposed behind the second insulator221. Two positioning holes2210are located in a bottom side of the second insulator221and two protruding portions2211are formed on a top side of the second insulator221. In addition, there are two wing portions2215extending backwardly from a back segment of the second insulator221. The two wing portions2215are spaced apart from each other, with tail portions2222located therebetween. There are four terminal grooves2216located in the two wing portions2215. There are also two ribs2218attached to inner edges of the two wing portions2215, respectively. The second additional terminals222bhave contacting portions2220bdisposed in front of the second insulator221and tail portions2222bextending into the terminal grooves2216, respectively. The tail portions2222bof the second additional terminals222bare disposed more backwardly than the tail portions2222of the second terminals222a.

The first terminal module21and the second terminal module22are assembled together, with the first insulator211and the second insulator221stacked with each other, the wing portions2115,2215overlapping with each other; the contacting portions2120,2220merged into one row, while the tail portions2122,2222separated into two distinct rows along an up-to-down direction. The mounting posts2110are inserted into the positioning holes2210so as to keep the first terminal module21and the second terminal module22together. The first terminal module21and the second terminal module22are assembled to the insulative housing1, with front segments of the first and second insulators211,221inserted into the mounting recess102, the contacting portions2120,2220accommodated in the mating cavity104. Two wing portions2115,2215overlap with each other and located behind the two mounting arms12. Lateral edges of the first and second insulators211,221are positioned in positioning grooves123defined in inner side of the mounting arms12. Referring toFIG. 3, there are twenty two terminal slots106located in the mounting cavity104for receiving the contacting portions2120,2220therein. For the first terminal group212, there are thirteen terminal elements which are oddly numerated as c1. . . c21. For the second terminal group222, there are thirteen terminal elements which are evenly numerated as c2. . . c22. It should be noted that c1, c2. . . c21, c22represent terminals located in the corresponding terminal slots106.

The metallic shell4has a first shell41, a second shell42and a third shell43.

The first shell41includes a frame411to accommodate the main portion10therein. A first engaging portion411aprojects backward from the top side of the frame411. There are two positioning holes4110adefined in the first engaging portion411a to latch with the protruding portions2211of the first terminal module21. A second engaging portion411bprojects backward therefrom. There are two positioning holes4110bdefined in the second engaging portion411bto latch with the protruding portions2211of the second terminal module22.

The second shell42includes a U-shaped main body421and a cable holder423integrated with the main body421and projecting backwardly. The third shell43includes an inverted U-shaped main portion431and a tail433extending rearward. The second shell42and the third shell43can be combined together along a vertical direction.

The external cover5includes an upper cover51and a bottom cover52. The upper cover51has a first hollow511and a second hollow512disposed behind the first hollow511. A rectangular shaped opening is located in the front portion of the upper cover51, and the opening further communicates with the first hollow511. A semicircular shaped outlet is defined in the rear portion of the upper cover51and communicated with the second hollow512.

The bottom cover52is similar to the upper cover51, and also has a first hollow521and a second hollow522disposed behind the first hollow521. An opening is located in the front portion of the bottom cover52, and the opening further communicates with the first hollow521. A semicircular shaped outlet is defined in the rear portion of the bottom cover52and communicated with the second hollow522.

The cable6is a hybrid cable and includes a number of copper wires61, fiber wires63and an insulative jacket60enclosing the copper wires61, the fiber wires63. The strain relief member7is molded over a front segment of the cable6. In addition, the strain relief member7is held in the second hollows512,522.

The printed circuit board assembly (PCBA)9includes a substrate90, a plurality of conductive pads91formed on a front segment of the substrate90. There is a photoelectric conversion device93mounted to the substrate90.

The PCBA9is disposed behind the terminal module2and further sandwiched between the two wing portions2115,2216of the first and second terminal modules21,22. In addition, lateral edges of the substrate90are held by ribs2118,2218of the first and second terminal modules21,22. The first and second terminal modules21,22are electrically connected with the PCBA9, with the tail portions2122,2222of the first terminals212aand the second terminals212bsoldered to the conductive pads91of the substrate90. The fiber wires63are optically connected to the photoelectric conversion device93. Thus, first signal transmitting line is formed between the fiber wires63, the photoelectric conversion device93and the first terminals212aand the second terminals212b. In addition, the copper wires61are put into the terminal grooves2116,2216to be soldered to the tail portion2122b,2222bof the first additional terminals212band the second additional terminals222b. Thus, second signal transmitting line is formed. The first signal transmitting line is capable of transmitting high frequency signal, while the second signal transmitting line is capable of transmitting low frequency signal or electrical power. Therefore, the cable assembly is lower profile and compatible in different signal transmitting, also has lower cost compared with a conventional copper cable.

An arrangement of the first terminals212a,222ais in accordance with Digital Interactive Interface for Video & Audio (DiiVA) standard. There are three differential pairs consisted of six signal terminals located between grounding terminals. The differential pairs for high-speed transmitting used for conveying video signals. And a pair of signal terminals disposed aside the three differential pairs used for audio signals. The differential pairs of the first and second terminals212a,222aare electrically connected to the photoelectric conversion device93.