Abstract:
A cable connector assembly ( 100 ) includes a first connector member ( 1 ) and a second connector member ( 2 ). The first connector member includes a first housing ( 13 ), a number of first contacts ( 14 ) received in the first housing and a first shell ( 11 ) enclosing the first housing. The first housing has a tongue plate ( 133 ). A grounding bar ( 12 ) attaches to the first housing and encloses the tongue plate. The second connector member includes a second housing ( 22 ), a number of second contacts ( 23 ) received in the second housing to electrically contacting with the first contacts and a second shell ( 21 ) enclosing the second housing. A room ( 24 ) is reserved between the second housing and the second shell adapted for receiving the tongue plate enclosed with the grounding bar of the first housing.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     1. Field of the Invention  
         [0002]     The present invention relates to a cable connector assembly, and more particularly to a micro coaxial cable connector assembly having a relatively low profile and grounding shield.  
         [0003]     2. Description of Prior Arts  
         [0004]     A micro coaxial cable connector is widely used in high frequency communication connector field and is required to terminate a coaxial multiconductor cable. U.S. Pat. No. 6,500,013 discloses such a micro coaxial cable connector assembly. The micro coaxial cable connector assembly includes a connector main body and an insertion seat assembled therewith. The connector main body includes an insulative seat forming a hollow projecting section under bottom side thereof and defining multiple holes at top side thereof. A plurality of L-shaped terminals are received in the holes, with vertical sections of the terminals downwardly extending to the projecting section of the seat. An upper and lower covers mate with each other and surround the seat for grounding. The insertion seat includes a seat body retaining a plurality of L-shaped resilient terminals and a lateral cover attached to the seat body. Each resilient terminal includes raised section extending upwardly to electrically connect with the vertical section of corresponding terminal and outwardly extending and exposed out of the insertion seat to electrically connect to a printed circuit board on which the micro coaxial cable connector assembly is mounted.  
         [0005]     Since used to transmit high-speed transmission, the micro coaxial cable connector assembly is required to attach the upper, lower and lateral covers thereon to prevent Electro Magnetic Interference (EMI) from outer environments. However, because of the exposed resilient terminals of the insertion seat, the micro coaxial cable connector assembly is susceptible to encounter EMI from external sources as well as from each other. Furthermore, since inherent amount of clearance that is designed between the connector main body and the insertion seat, there still remains room for decreasing in the height of such a micro coaxial cable connector assembly and simplicity in the structure thereof.  
         [0006]     Therefore, it is necessary to develop an improved cable connector assembly to overcome the above shortcomings.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0007]     A first object of the present invention is to provide a cable connector which provides an improved grounding shield and mates with a header connector vertically mounted on a printed circuit board.  
         [0008]     A second object of the present invention is to provide an improved cable connector assembly which has a minimized low profile configuration as well as maintaining a reliable grounding effectiveness.  
         [0009]     To achieve the first object, a cable connector in accordance with the present invention comprises a dielectric housing, a plurality of conductive contacts and a metal shell enclosing the housing. The housing defines a plurality of passageways for receiving corresponding contacts therein. Each contact has a mating portion at a free end thereof for electrically connection with a complementary connector and a tail portion at an opposite end thereof for electrically connection with a mating cable set. Further, the housing has a tongue plate at a front side thereof. A grounding bar attaches to the first housing and encloses the tongue plate and electrically connects with the shell for cooperatively fulfilling Electro Magnetic Interference requirement and meeting strain relief requirement.  
         [0010]     To achieve the second object, a cable connector assembly in accordance with the present invention includes a first connector member and a second connector member. The first connector member includes a first housing, a plurality of first contacts received in the first housing and a first shell enclosing the first housing. The first housing has a tongue plate at a front side thereof. A grounding bar attaches to the first housing and encloses the tongue plate and electrically connects with the first shell for cooperatively fulfilling Electro Magnetic Interference requirement and meeting strain relief requirement. The second connector member includes a second housing, a plurality of second contacts received in the second contacts to electrically contacting with the first housing and a second shell enclosing the second housing. A room is reserved between the second housing and the second shell in a front reign adapted for receiving the tongue plate with the grounding bar of the first housing.  
         [0011]     Other objects, advantages and novel features of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of the present embodiment when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING  
       [0012]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a cable connector assembly in accordance with the present invention, wherein the cable connector assembly comprises a first and a second connector member;  
         [0013]      FIG. 2  is a view similar to  FIG. 1 , but taken from a different aspect;  
         [0014]      FIG. 3  is an exploded, perspective view of the cable connector assembly of  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0015]      FIG. 4  is a view similar to  FIG. 3 , but taken from a different aspect;  
         [0016]      FIG. 5  is an exploded view of the first connector member shown in  FIGS. 3 and 4 ; and  
         [0017]      FIG. 6  is an exploded view of the second connector member shown in  FIG. 3  and  4 ; 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0018]     Referring to FIGS.  1  to  4 , a cable connector assembly  100  in accordance with the present invention comprises a first connector member  1  and a second connector member  2 . In a preferred embodiment, the first connector member  1  is a micro coaxial cable connector and the second connector member  2  is a header connector.  
         [0019]     Particularly referring to  FIG. 5 , the micro coaxial cable connector  1  comprises a first metal shell  11 , a grounding bar  12 , a first dielectric housing  13 , a plurality of first conductive contacts  14  and a pulling wire  15 .  
         [0020]     The first housing  13  includes a rod  133 , a main portion  131  extending forwardly from the rod  132 , and a tongue plate  133  extending forwardly from a front lower portion of the main portion  131 . A plurality of grooves  134  longitudinally extend through the middle reign of the main portion  131  and the rod  132  along a front-to-rear direction. A pair of recesses  136  are defined at opposite side edges of the main portion  131 . A pair of protrusions  135  respectively forwardly protrude from front side ends of the tongue plate  133 . A pair of mounting holes  137  are defined in opposite lateral ends of the rod  132 . Further, the first housing  13  has a receiving space  138  opening forwardly for receiving a mating cable set (not shown).  
         [0021]     The first contacts  14  are arranged in a row corresponding the grooves  134  of the first housing  13 . Each first contact  14  includes a horizontally retention portion  141 , a mating portion  140  bending and extending upwardly from a rear end of the retention portion  141 , and a step-shaped tail portion  142  forwardly extending from a front end of the retention portion  141  for electrically connection with signal ends of the mating cable set.  
         [0022]     The first shell  11  includes a plate portion  111  with plural pairs of bent grounding fingers  112 . A pair of claws  113  are bent downwardly at opposite lateral edges of the plate portion  111 . A pair of spring fingers  114  bents forwardly from a front middle edge of the plate portion  111  for resiliently pressing the mating cable set and connection with grounding means of the mating cable set. And a pair of tabs  115  extends vertically from rear side edges of the plate portion  111 , wherein each tab  115  defines a round hole  116  corresponding to the mounting hole  137  of the first housing  13 .  
         [0023]     The grounding bar  12  has an elongate U-shaped strip  121 , an extension slat  122  forwardly extending from front middle edge of the strip  121  generally protecting mating cable set from stresses, and a pair of upright plate  123  extending upwardly from front side edges of the strip  121 . Each upright plate  123  defines a bore  124  for receiving a corresponding protrusion  135  therein. Further, the strip  121  defines a cutout (not labeled), a resilient finger  125  bending downwardly at a specific angle from an edge of the cutout for soldering to a printed circuit board (not shown) on which the cable connector assembly  100  is mounted.  
         [0024]     Now turning to  FIG. 6 , the header connector  2  includes a second shell  21 , a second dielectric housing  22  and a plurality of second conductive contacts  23 .  
         [0025]     The second housing  22  is of a substantially elongated U-shaped configuration defined by a front wall  221 , a rear wall  222  and a joint wall  223  joining therebetween. An opening  224  is defined between the front wall  221 , the rear wall  222  and the connection portion  223  for receiving the rod  132  of the micro coaxial cable connector  1  therein. A plurality of passageways  225  longitudinally extend through the opposite front and rear walls  221 ,  222  and the connection portion  223 , each in communication with the opening  224 . A pair of notches  226  and a pair of depressions  227  are respectively defined at opposite outmost portion of the front wall  221  and the rear wall  222 , wherein the plurality of passageways  225  are distributed therebetween.  
         [0026]     The second contact  23  are received in the passageways  225  of the second housing  22 . Each second contact  23  includes a vertically arrow headed fixing portion  231 , a horizontally joint portion  232  extending rearwardly from a lower portion of a rear side of the fixing portion  231 , a hook-shaped contacting portion  234  bending upwardly and inwardly at a specific angle from distal end of the joint portion  232 , and a step-shaped connection portion extending forwardly from a lower portion of a front side of the fixing portion  231  for connection with the PCB.  
         [0027]     The second shell  21  is stamped to be of a single metal plate, with a close frame  210  and a plurality of bent grounding ends  211 . A pair of flanges  212  are formed at a top middle reign of the frame  210  and bend forwardly in a juxtaposed manner for covering top face of the rear wall  222  of the second housing  22 . A pair of paws  213  are formed at top side edges of the frame  210  and bend forwardly and are slightly lower than the flanges  212  for entering into corresponding depressions  226  of the second housing  22 . A pair of barbs  214  inwardly extend on opposite lateral sides of the frame  210  for biting into the notches  227  of the second housing  22 .  
         [0028]     Now returning to  FIG. 5 , in assembly, the first contacts  14  are over-molded with the first housing  13 . The retention portions  141  are integrally received in the rod  132 . The mating portions  140  and the tail portions  143  are respectively received in the grooves  134  defined in the rod  132  and the main portion  131 . Then the grounding bar  12  is assembled to the first housing  13  in a front-to-rear direction. The protrusions  135  formed on the tongue plate  133  of the first housing  13  respectively bite into corresponding bores  124  of the grounding bar  12 . The strip  121  covers the lower face of the tongue plate  133  and the extension slat  122  disposes flush with upper face of the tongue plate  133 . In assembly of the first shell  11  with the first housing  13 , the claws  113  the first shell  11  downwardly protrude into the recesses  136  defined in the opposite lateral sides of the main portion  131  of the first housing  13 . The grounding fingers  112  of the first shell  11  abut against lower faces of the protrusions  135  and the lateral side ends of the main portion  131 . The tabs  115  of the first shell  11  covers the lateral ends of the rod  132 , with the mounting holes  116  aiming at the round holes  137 . Lastly, the pulling wire  15  is assembled to the first housing  13  with corresponding portions respectively inserted through the round holes  137  and received in the mounting holes  116 .  
         [0029]     Now returning to  FIG. 6 , the second contacts  23  are inserted into the second housing  22  in a bottom-to-up direction. The contacting portions  234  expose within the opening  224  defined by the front wall  221 , the rear wall  222  and the joint wall  223 . The fixing portions  231  and the joint portions  232  protrude through the passageways  225  defined in the rear wall  222  and respectively received in the passageways  225  defined in the front wall  221  and the joint wall  223 . The connection portions  223  forwardly project beyond of the passageways  225  for electrical connection with the PCB. Then the second shell  21  is assembled to the second housing  13 . The flanges  212  formed at a top middle reign of the second shell  21  cover the top face of the rear wall  222  of the second housing  22 . The paws  213  formed at top side edges of the second shell  21  enter into corresponding depressions  226  of the second housing  22 . And the barbs inwardly extend on opposite lateral sides of the second shell  21  bite into the notches  227  of the second housing  22 . It is also noted that a cavity  24  is reserved between the second housing  22  and the second shell  21  in a front reign of the assembled header connector  2 .  
         [0030]     Referring to  FIGS. 3 and 4 , the micro coaxial cable connector  1  is assembled to the header connector  2  in an up-to-bottom direction. The rod  132  is disposed within the opening  224 , therefore, an electrical engagement between the mating portions  140  of the first contacts  14  and the contacting portions  234  of the second contacts  23  is established. Meanwhile, the tongue plate  133  surrounded with the grounding bar  12  is fitly disposed within the cavity  24 . The grounding fingers  112  of the first shell  11  electrically engage with the frame  210  of the second shell  21 . As a result, a grounding path is built from the grounding means of the mating cable set, through the grounding bar  12 , the first and second shell  11  and  21  contacting with each other, to the PCB.  
         [0031]     It is to be understood, however, that even though numerous characteristics and advantages of the present invention have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of the structure and function of the invention, the disclosure is illustrative only, and changes may be made in detail, especially in matters of shape, size, and arrangement of parts within the principles of the invention to the full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed.