HDMI cable connector

A cable connector comprising a connector, a cable, a circuit board electrically connecting the connector to the cable, an insulating inner housing and an outer housing. The connector comprises an insulating housing, a plurality of conductive terminals disposed therein and a metal shield mounted on the periphery of the insulating housing. The insulating inner housing comprises upper and lower casings integrally coupled together and a receiving space formed therebetween for accommodating the circuit board. The cable connector comprises a copper foil which covers the periphery of the insulating inner housing. The copper foil is electrically coupled to the metal shield and grounded through the metal shield. Finally, the outer housing envelopes the periphery of the copper foil. Thereby, the cable connector can achieve both miniaturized and a lower cost, while also reducing the rate of defective products.

REFERENCE TO RELATED MATTERS

The Present Disclosure claims priority of prior-filed Chinese Patent Application No. 200920003339.1, entitled “Cable Connector,” and filed 23 Jan. 2009, the contents of which is fully incorporated in its entirety herein.

BACKGROUND OF THE PRESENT DISCLOSURE

The Present Disclosure relates generally to an electrical connecting device, and in particular to a cable connector.

Generally, a conventional cable connector comprises a connector, a cable, a connected circuit board and an outer housing. The cable connector is electrically connected to the cable through the connected circuit board. The periphery of the connection portion for the connector and the cable is enveloped by the outer housing. In order to shield electromagnetic interference, it is typical to adopt a metal inner housing for receiving the connected circuit board, located between the connector and the cable, subsequent to forming a plastic outer housing for insulation and manual plug-pull operation by over-molding at the outside of the metal inner housing. In this conventional structure, since the metal inner housing is electrically conductive, it is necessary to maintain a relative large gap between the metal inner housing and the connected circuit board so as to prevent the occurrence of short circuit. Therefore, the metal inner housing is usually formed with a relative large profile, which negatively affects the miniaturization of the product and results in a higher cost.

In an attempt to solve the above technical problem, various design solutions have been developed. For example, Chinese Patent No. 94205297.8 discloses a computer connector. In this patent, an inner mold is initially formed between a terminal housing and a power line. Then, the periphery of the inner mold is covered by a layer of foil to obtain the electromagnetic shield. Finally, an outer mold is integrally formed therewith, thus insulating the inner mold. Thus, the gap between the inner and outer molds is minimized, and, accordingly, the profile dimension of the cable connector is reduced. However, this design solution is primarily adapted for a cable connector without a connected circuit board. If this solution is applied to a cable connector having a connected circuit board, the electrical properties, or the welding spot of electrical components on the circuit board, could suffer due to the high temperature and high pressure associated in forming the inner mold, resulting in an increase of defective products.

SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT DISCLOSURE

For overcoming the aforementioned deficiencies, an object of the Present Disclosure is to provide a low-cost miniaturized cable connector having a decreased rate of defective products.

In order to achieve this object, a cable connector in the Present Disclosure comprises a connector, a cable, a circuit board electrically connecting the connector to the cable, an insulating inner housing and an outer housing. The connector comprises an insulating housing, a plurality of conductive terminals disposed therein and a metal shield mounted on the periphery of the insulating housing. The insulating inner housing comprises upper and lower casings integrally coupled together and a receiving space formed therebetween for accommodating the circuit board. The cable connector comprises a copper foil which covers the periphery of the insulating inner housing. The copper foil is electrically coupled to the metal shield and grounded through the metal shield. Finally, the outer housing envelopes the periphery of the copper foil.

The cable connector further comprises a sleeve closely embedded at the periphery of the cable. The sleeve is exposed from the insulating inner housing and is covered and fixed by the outer housing so as to perform a function of strain relief. Further, at least one first positioning member protrudes toward the lower casing from an inner surface of the upper casing, a second positioning member protrudes toward the upper casing from an inner surface of the lower casing, and the circuit board is clamped between the positioning members.

In comparison with the description above, a technical advantage effect of the Present Disclosure is that the connected circuit board, located between the connector and the cable, is accommodated in an insulating inner housing formed by combining the upper and the lower casings. Further, the copper foil covers the periphery of the insulating inner housing to shield electromagnetic interference. Finally, the plastic outer housing is integrally formed. Since the insulating inner housing is non-conductive, the gap between the insulating inner housing and the circuit board may be small enough so as to miniaturize the cable connector. Moreover, the sleeve, designed to be embedded at the periphery of the cable and covered by the outer housing, can function as strain relief, preventing the electrical contact between the cable and the circuit board from being damaged when the cable is stretched under an external force.

In addition, the upper casing is in combination with the lower casing, forming the insulating inner housing for receiving the connected circuit board. As such, it can protect the electrical properties and the welding spot of the electrical components on the circuit board from disparate impact due to both high temperature and high pressure when forming the inner mold, and thusly avoid the increase of the defectivity rate.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

While the Present Disclosure may be susceptible to embodiment in different forms, there is shown in the Figures, and will be described herein in detail, specific embodiments, with the understanding that the disclosure is to be considered an exemplification of the principles of the Present Disclosure, and is not intended to limit the Present Disclosure to that as illustrated.

In the illustrated embodiments, directional representations—i.e., up, down, left, right, front, rear and the like, used for explaining the structure and movement of the various elements of the Present Disclosure, are relative. These representations are appropriate when the elements are in the position shown in the Figures. If the description of the position of the elements changes, however, it is assumed that these representations are to be changed accordingly.

As illustrated inFIGS. 1-6, the cable connector comprises connector1, cable2, outer housing3, insulating inner housing4, copper foil5, sleeve6, and circuit board7. Referring to FIGS.3and5-6, connector1, which is a HDMI connector, comprises insulating housing11, plurality of conductive terminals12disposed on insulating housing11, and metal shield13covering the periphery of insulating housing11. Cable2comprises jacket22and plurality of core wires21contained in the inner side of jacket22. Plurality of electrical components71are mounted at the middle of circuit board7. Plurality of pads72are disposed at both ends of circuit board7respectively. Conductive terminals12of connector1are correspondingly soldered together with pads72at one end of circuit board7while core wires21of cable2are correspondingly soldered together with pads72at the other end of circuit board7.

Referring toFIGS. 5-6, insulating inner housing4comprises upper casing41and lower casing42, made of insulating materials and integrally coupled together. Four locking hooks411extend downwardly from two side edges of upper casing41, and two first positioning members412protrude toward lower casing42from inner surface at the middle of upper casing41and extend transversely with fore-and-aft interval between each other. Four locking parts421are provided at two side edges of lower casing42for being connected with locking hooks411in locking manner, so that a receiving space is formed between upper and lower casings41,42. Second positioning member422protrudes toward upper casing41from the inner surface at the middle of lower casing42to upper casing41. Second positioning member422comprises main body4221extending transversely and plurality of locating ribs4222extending backwards and forwards respectively from main body4221. Two locating ribs4222extending forward and three locating ribs4222extending backward. Circuit board7is accommodated in the receiving space of insulating inner housing4, and clamped between first and second positioning members412,422. First and second positioning members412,422function as planes which snap and fix circuit board7in fore-and-aft and transverse directions, so that circuit board7can be held stably, and blockage of electrical components71can be avoided.

Copper foil5envelopes the periphery of insulating inner housing4integrally and is electrically connected with metal shield13of connector1. Electromagnetic interference (EMI) can be shielded through grounded metal shield13. Further, sleeve6is exposed at the rear of insulating inner housing4, which is a metal ring having notch61, and is closely embedded at the periphery of jacket22of cable2.

Outer housing3is formed at the periphery of copper foil5in an over molding process, at the same time sleeve6is covered and fixed in outer housing3. When cable2is stretched under external force, sleeve6, which covers the periphery of cable2, functions as strain relief, and thereby most tension is transferred to outer housing3, which may prevent the soldering portion between core wires21of cable2and circuit board7from being damaged.

The manufacturing process for the cable connector of the Present Disclosure generally comprises the following steps. First, conductive terminals12on connector1are soldered to pads72at one end of circuit board7correspondingly. Next, core wires21of cable2are soldered to pads72at the other end of circuit board7correspondingly. Upper casing41is assembled with lower casing42to form insulating inner housing4having a hollow receiving space, in which circuit board7is accommodated therein and firmly positioned by first and second positioning members412,422. The periphery of insulating inner housing4is covered by copper foil5, and engages the front edge of copper foil5with metal shield13for achieving electrical connection. Sleeve6is embedded at the periphery of jacket22. Finally, outer housing3at the periphery of copper foil5and sleeve6are formed by over-molding process.

While a preferred embodiment of the Present Disclosure is shown and described, it is envisioned that those skilled in the art may devise various modifications without departing from the spirit and scope of the foregoing Description and the appended Claims.