Abstract:
An electrical connector includes an insulative housing, a plurality of terminals retained in the housing, a locking device for locking with a complementary connector and an electrically actuated anti-disengagement device having a holding status and a releasing status and being reverseable between the two status. Only when the anti-disengagement is in the releasing status, the locking device is able to engage with or disengage from the complement connector.

Description:
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 an anti-disengagement device for preventing an untimely disengagement of the cable connector assembly from a complementary connector. 
   2. Description of Related Art 
   As everybody known, electrical connectors are devices provided for interconnecting a notebook computer and periphery equipments, such as a scanner or a printer et al. In general, an electrical connector is equipped at the computer for serving as a docking and a cable connector assembly is equipped at the periphery equipments for serving as a sailer. The cable connector assembly comprises a cable end connecter for electrically connecting with the docking connector and a cable which is provided with one end connecting the periphery equipments and the other end connecting the cable end connector. For securing the engagement and the signal transmission between the cable connector assembly and the docking connector and ensuring the signal, the cable connector assembly is proved with a locking device for latching with the docking connector. U.S. Pat. No. 5,971,790 issued to Rohde, discloses a conventional cable connector assembly provided with a locking device. The locking device disclosed in the Rohde comprises a pair of locking arms disposed at opposite sides of the cable connector assembly. Each arm is provided with a forwardly extending locking portion for latching with corresponding portion of the docking connector and a backwardly extending button exposed outside of a cover provided on the cable connector assembly. Pressing and driving inwardly the buttons of the locking device, the locking portion will deflect outwardly to engage or disengage with the docking connector. 
   However, there is any hidden trouble in the cable connector assembly without the function of plug and play. For example, the cable connector assembly is able to be pull out of the notebook computer being in use after pressing inwardly the buttons of the locking device, this accident may result in the notebook computer halt and even information processing on the notebook lost. 
   A cable connector assembly is desired to overcome the disadvantages of the prior art. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   An object of the present invention to provide a cable connector assembly with an anti-disengagement for preventing an untimely disengagement of the cable connector assembly from a complementary connector. 
   To achieve the above object, An electrical connector includes an insulative housing, a plurality of terminals retained in the housing, a locking device for locking with a complementary connector and an anti-disengagement device having a holding status and a releasing status and being reverseable between the two status. Only when the anti-disengagement is in the releasing status, the locking device be able to engage with or disengage from the complement connector. 
   Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will be drawn from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments of the present invention with the attached drawings, in which: 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is an assembled perspective view of a cable connector assembly in accordance with the present invention; 
       FIG. 2  is an assembled perspective view of the cable connector assembly of  FIG. 1  with an insulative cover-half disassembled; 
       FIG. 3  is an perspective view of a locking device of the cable connector assembly shown in  FIG. 2 ; 
       FIG. 4  is a perspective view of an electromagnetic anti-disengagement device of the cable connector assembly. 
       FIGS. 5–6  are a top elevational view of the cable connector assembly provided with the electromagnetic anti-disengagement device with the insulative cover-half and a metallic disassembled, showing an operating principle of the electromagnetic anti-disengagement device. 
       FIG. 7  is a schematic circuit diagram of the operating principle of the electromagnetic anti-disengagement device. 
       FIG. 8  is a perspective view of an electromotor anti-disengagement device of the cable connector assembly. 
       FIGS. 9–10  are a top elevational view of the cable connector assembly provided with the electromotor anti-disengagement device with the insulative and the metallic cover-halves disassembled, showing an operating principle of the electromotor anti-disengagement device. 
       FIG. 11  is a schematic circuit diagram of the operating principle of the electromotor anti-disengagement device. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
   Reference will now be in detail to the preferred embodiments of the present invention. 
   Referring to  FIG. 1 , an cable connector assembly  1  in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention includes a cable end connector  3  adapted for connecting with a docking connector (not shown) which is provided on a notebook and a cable  2  provided with one end for connecting with the cable end connector  3  and the other end for connecting with periphery equipments, such as a printer or a scanner. 
   Referring to  FIG. 1  in conjunction with  FIG. 2 , the cable end connector  3  is provided with an insulative cover  40  consisting of a pair of substantially symmetric cover-halves  40 . After the cover-halves  40  engage with each other to form the whole insulative cover  4 , chambers defined in inner faces of the cover-halves will confine together to form a receiving cavity  41 . The insulative cover  40  is provided with a pair of openings  42 ,  43  respectively on front and rear ends thereof communicating with the receiving cavity  41 . 
   Referring to  FIG. 2  in conjunction with  FIG. 5 , the cable end connector  3  comprises a terminal module  5  which comprises an insulative housing  50  and a plurality of terminals  51  retained in the insulative housing  50 , and a printed circuit board (PCB)  6  receiving in the receiving cavity  4 . A rear end of the insulative housing  50  is retained in the receiving cavity defined by the insulative cover  4 . A front end of the insulative housing  50  passes through the opening  42  to serve as a mating port  500 . Each terminal  51  has a contacting portion (not shown) extending forwardly into the mating port  500  for electrically connecting with the docking connector and a tail portion  510  extending backwardly out of the housing for electrically soldering on a front end of the PCB  6 . The cable  2  comprises a plurality of wires  20  electrically soldering on a rear end of the PCB  6  with one end thereof passing through the opening  43  of the insulative cover  4 , thereby the terminal module  5  is electrically connecting with the cable  2  by the PCB. 
   In order to ensure the reliable signal transmission in the cable connector assembly  3 , the cable end connector  3  is provided with a shielding system for avoiding electronic magnetic interference (EMI). The shielding system includes a first shielding frame  70  enclosing the insulative housing  50  and a second shielding frame  71  enclosing a rear end of the terminal module  5  and the whole PCB  6 . A rear end of the first shielding frame  70  is overlapped with a front end of the second shielding frame  71 . The first and the second shielding frames  71  are formed and stamped from metallic material. The second shielding frame  71  consists of a pair of cover-halves and is provided with an opening  74  through which the cable  2  passes. 
   In order to ensure the engagement between the cable connector assembly  1  and the docking connector, the cable connector assembly  1  is provided with a pair of locking arms  8  serving as a locking device, referring to  FIG. 5 . The locking arms  8  are disposed at opposite side of the insulative cover  4 . Each locking arm  8  has a main portion  80  disposed in a corresponding slit between the second shielding frame  71  and the insulative cover  4 , a locking portion  81  extending forwardly from the main body  80  beyond the insulative cover  4  for latching with corresponding portion of the docking connector, and a button  82  extending backwardly out of the insulative cover  4  from the main body  80 . A resilient finger  83  extends inwardly and forwardly from the button  82  to abut against the second shielding frame  71 . The main body  80  is formed with a projection  800  abutting against the second shielding frame  71 . The operation of the locking device  8  is described as follow. 
   Referring to  FIG. 2 , firstly pressing inwardly the button  82  and driving the button  82  to deflect inwardly around the projection  800 , whereby the locking portion  81  deflects outwardly for latching with corresponding portion of the docking connector and the resilient portion  83  is deformed. Secondly releasing the button  82 , the locking portion  81  return to original position to latch with corresponding portion of the docking connector due to the resilience of the resilient portion  83 , whereby the cable connector assembly  1  is engaged with the docking connector. Apparently, the cable connector assembly  1  is disengaged from the docking connector according to similar operation. 
   Referring to  FIG. 2 , the cable end connector  3  is further provided with an anti-disengagement device  9  for preventing an untimely disengagement of the cable connector assembly  1  from the docking connector. The anti-disengagement device  9  has two embodiments, one of which is an electromagnetic type, referring to  FIGS. 4–7 , and the other of which is an electromotor type, referring to  FIGS. 8–11 . 
   The electromagnetic anti-disengagement device  9  is disposed in the receiving cavity  41  and located at back of the locking arm  8 . The electromagnetic anti-disengagement device  9  comprises an electromagnetic component  90  and a holding component  91 . The electromagnetic component  90  has a main body  900  being immobile relative to the insulative cover  4  and a moveable portion  901  moveable relative to the main body. The moveable portion  901  connects with the holding component  91  with a distal head  903  thereof retained in a T-shaped cutout  910  of the holding component  91 , whereby the holding component  91  is able to move along with the moveable portion  901 . The holding component  91  defines a guiding channel  912  for guiding purpose when moving. When the power for the electromagnetic component  90  turns on, the moveable portion  901  moves forwardly and pushes the holding portion  91  to a holding position, referring to FIG.  6 . At this time, the holding portion  91  abut against an inner face of the button  82  so that the button  82  is not able to deflect inwardly after being pressed, whereby the locking portion  82  can&#39;t unlock from the docking connector in this status. In this status, turning off the power for the electromagnetic component  90 , the moveable portion  901  will return and pull the holding portion  91  to a releasing position, referring to  FIG. 5 . At this time, the holding portion  91  make a room for an inward deflection of the button  82 , whereby the locking portion  82  can normally unlock from the docking connector in this status. 
   Referring to  FIG. 7 , the terminals  51  comprises a controlling signal terminal  55 , a power terminal  56  for supplying power for the electromagnetic component  90 . The cable end connector  3  is provided with a controlling element  10  disposed on the PCB  6 . The controlling signal terminal  55  and the power terminal  56  electrically connects corresponding inputs of the controlling element  10 . An output of the controlling element  10  electrically connects with a power input of the electromagnetic component  90  for power supply. 
   In conjunction with  FIGS. 5–6 , plugging the cable connector assembly  1  in the notebook computer which is already in use or turning on the notebook computer after the cable connector assembly is plug in, a locking signal from the notebook computer will be transmit into the controlling element  10  by the controlling signal terminal  55 , then the controlling element  10  switch on and the power in the power terminal  56  is supplied for the electromagnetic component  90  by the controlling element  10 . At this time, the holding portion  91  is pushed to the locking position shown as  FIG. 6 , whereby the cable connector assembly can&#39;t disengaged from the notebook computer because the button  82  is held in it position. In this status, turning off the notebook computer or carrying out a program in the notebook computer, an unlocking signal from the notebook computer will be transmit into the controlling element  10  by the controlling signal terminal  55 , then the controlling element  10  switch off and the power in the power terminal  56  for the electromagnetic component  90  turns off. At this time, the holding portion  91  return the releasing position shown as  FIG. 5 , whereby the cable connector assembly can normally disengaged from the notebook computer because the button  82  is released. 
   Referring to  FIGS. 8–11 , the electromotor anti-disengagement device  9  comprises an electromotor  92  and a holding component  91 ′. The electromotor  92  has a stator  920  being immobile relative to the insulative cover  4  and a rotor  921 . The rotor  921  connects with the holding component  91 ′ with a screw distal end thereof retained in a screw hole  913 , whereby the holding component  91  is able to move along a front-to-back direction when the rotor  921  rotates. The holding component  91 ′ also defines a guiding channel  912  for guiding purpose when moving. When the power is positively supplied for the electromotor  92 , the rotor  921  positive and pushes the holding portion  91  to a holding position, referring to  FIG. 10 . At this time, the holding portion  91 ′ abut against an inner face of the button  82  so that the button  82  is not able to deflect inwardly after being pressed, whereby the locking portion  82  can&#39;t unlock from the docking connector in this status. In this status, negatively supplying power for the electromotor  92 , The rotor  901  reverses and pull the holding portion  91  to a releasing position, referring to  FIG. 9 . At this time, the holding portion  91  make a room for an inward deflection of the button  82 , whereby the locking portion  82  can normally unlock from the docking connector in this status. 
   Referring to  FIG. 11 , the terminals  51  comprises a pair of power terminals  58  for supplying power for the electromotor  92 . The controlling signal terminal  55  and the power terminals  58  electrically connects corresponding inputs of the controlling element  10 . Outputs of the controlling element  10  electrically connect with power inputs of the electromotor  92  for power supply. 
   In conjunction with  FIGS. 9–10 , plugging the cable connector assembly  1  in the notebook computer which is already in use or turning on the notebook computer after the cable connector assembly  1  is plug in, a locking signal from the notebook computer will be transmit into the controlling element  10  by the controlling signal terminal  55 , then the controlling element  10  switch on and the power in the power terminal  58  is positively supplied for the electromotor  92  by the controlling element  10 . At this time, the holding portion  91 ′ is pushed to the locking position shown as  FIG. 10 , whereby the cable connector assembly can&#39;t disengaged from the notebook computer because the button  82  is held in it position. In this status, carrying out a program in the notebook computer, an unlocking signal from the notebook computer will be transmit into the controlling element  10  by the controlling signal terminal  55 , then the controlling element  10  reverse and the power in the power terminal  58  is negatively supplied for the electromotor  92 . At this time, the holding portion  91 ′ return the releasing position shown as  FIG. 9 , whereby the cable connector assembly  1  can normally disengaged from the notebook computer because the button  82  is released. 
   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.