Cable connector assembly and method of manufacturing the same

A cable connector assembly, for mating with a complementary connector, includes a cable having a number of wires; and a connector comprising a contact module connected with the wires, a mounting ring attached to the cable, and a shielding shell attached to the mounting ring. The shielding shell and the mounting ring both have a number of screw threads to match with each other. An associated method of manufacturing the cable connector assembly comprises screwing the shielding shell onto the mounting ring.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a cable connector assembly, and more particularly to a cable connector assembly having a mounting ring.

2. Description of Related Art

TW Patent Application Issue No. M300908 issued on Dec. 11, 2006 discloses a cable connector assembly comprising an electrical connector and a cable connected with the electrical connector. The electrical connector comprises a contact module connected with the cable, an upper inner shell half and a lower inner shell half cooperating with each other to form a receiving cavity therebetween for partially receiving the contact module, and an upper outer shell half and a lower outer shell half cooperating with each other to form a receiving room therebetween for enclosing the contact module, the upper inner shell half, and the lower inner shell half The cable comprises a mounting portion with a slot surrounding the cable. The mounting portion is over-molded on the cable. The upper outer shell half and the lower outer shell half are fixed to the cable with their rear ends partially received in the slot.

Such a cable connector assembly has a complicated configuration. Furthermore, it is inconvenient to assemble the cable connector assembly.

Hence, a cable connector assembly which can be easily assembled is highly desired.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a cable connector assembly which can be easily assembled and a method for manufacturing the cable connector assembly.

In order to achieve the object set forth, a cable connector assembly comprises a connector and a cable with a number of wires connected with the connector. The connector comprises a contact module connected with the wires, a mounting ring attached to the cable, and a shielding shell attached to the mounting ring. The shielding shell and the mounting ring both have a number of screw threads to match with each other.

A method for manufacturing a cable connector assembly, comprising the steps of: connecting a contact module with wires of a cable; attaching a mounting ring having a plurality of external screw threads to the cable; screwing a shielding shell having a plurality of internal screw threads to the mounting ring; mounting a front shell to the shielding shell along a front-to-back direction.

The configuration of the cable connector assembly is simple. It is convenient to assemble such a cable connector assembly.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Reference will now be made in detail to the preferred embodiment of the present invention. Referring toFIGS. 1-3, a cable connector assembly100for mating with a complementary connector (not shown) comprises a connector6and a cable2having a plurality of wires20. Each wire20has a front end (not labeled) connected with the connector6.

The connector6comprises a contact module1connected with the front ends of the wires20, a mounting ring3attached to the cable2, a shielding shell4attached to the mounting ring3, and a front shell5attached to the shielding shell4along a front-to-back direction. The shielding shell4and the mounting ring3both have a plurality of screw threads to match with each other. The mounting ring3is received in the shielding shell4.

The contact module1comprises a mating portion10for mating with the complementary connector, and a connecting portion11connected with the wires20. The contact module1is attached to the front shell5. The mating portion10is received in the front shell5.

The cable2comprises a braided layer21surrounding the wires20, and an insulative layer22coating on the braided layer21.

The mounting ring3comprises a plurality of screwed portions30, and a plurality of riveting portions31riveted on the cable. The screwed portions30have a plurality of screw threads formed on an outer surface thereof for matching with the shielding shell4. Each riveting portion31is disposed between adjacent two screwed portions30. The screwed portions30and the riveting portions31are spaced one by one along a circling direction around the cable2.

A part of the braided layer21is exposed outside of the insulative layer22and the mounting ring3is riveted on said part of the braided layer21. The mounting ring3is electrically connected between the shielding shell4and the braided layer21. To install the mounting ring3, a part of the braided layer21is firstly exposed outside of the insulative layer22. Then, make said part of the braided layer21bent rearwards to surround the insulative layer22. Thirdly, install the mounting ring3on said part of the braided layer21which is bent rearwards to surround the insulative layer22. Fourthly, rivet the riveting portions31to make the mounting ring3attached to the cable2. In another option, the mounting ring3could be directly riveted on the insulative layer22.

The shielding shell4comprises a receiving room40recessed from a front end of the shielding shell4for partially receiving the cable2, a plurality of side walls41surrounding the receiving room40, and a thread-portion42located at a rear end of the receiving room40and having a plurality of screw threads formed on an inner surface thereof for matching with the mounting ring3. The thread-portion42has a stop-hole44defined at a rear end thereof behind the screwed portions30. The stop-hole44has a diameter smaller than a diameter of the mounting ring3and greater than a diameter of the cable2.

Referring toFIGS. 1-3, the front shell5is attached to the shielding shell4along a front-to-back direction. The front shell5cooperates with the shielding shell4to form a receiving cavity therebetween for receiving the contact module1. The wires20are curly or slack within the shielding shell4. The front shell5comprises a front portion51receiving the mating portion10and a rear portion50attached to the shielding shell4. The rear portion50comprises a plurality of outer protrusions501. The shielding shell4comprises a plurality of slots43receiving the outer protrusions501, respectively. The front shell5, the shielding shell4and the mounting ring3are made of conductive material, so that the contact module1does not need another shielding structure for suppressing electromagnetic interference. The wires20are long enough to ensure that the front shell5and the contact module1do not interfere the screwing movement of the shielding shell4. When the connector assembly100is assembled well, the wires20are shrunk to be curly and secured in the shielding shell4.

To manufacture the cable connector assembly100, firstly, provide the cable2with a plurality of wires20. Secondly, provide the shielding shell4with the receiving room40and make the cable2pass into the shielding shell4through the receiving room40, the shielding shell4has a plurality of screw threads. Thirdly, provide the mounting ring3having a plurality of screw threads for matching with the shielding shell4and mount the mounting ring3to the cable2. Fourthly, provide the contact module1for mating with the complementary connector, and connect the contact module1with the front ends of the wires20. Fifthly, provide the front shell5, and attach the contact module1to the front shell5. Sixthly, screw the shielding shell4to the mounting ring3, with the front ends of the wires20, the front shell5and the contact module1exposed outside of the shielding shell4. Seventhly, attach the front shell5to the shielding shell4along a front-to-back direction with the wires20shrunk to be curly and secured in the shielding shell4.