Abstract:
An cable assembly ( 100 ) includes an insulative housing ( 1 ) having a main portion ( 11 ) and a tongue portion ( 12 ) extending forwardly from the main portion, a cavity ( 121 ) defined in the tongue portion, and a retaining slot ( 112 ) defined in the main portion; a plurality of terminals ( 2 ) retained in the insulative housing; an optical module ( 3 ) accommodated in the cavity; an elastic member ( 4 ) sandwiched between the insulative housing and the optical module; a cable including at least one fiber ( 81 ), the fiber passing through the retaining slot and connected to the optical module; and a metallic shell ( 7 ) including a plurality of walls forming a frame to receive the insulative housing, the frame having a top wall ( 711 ) disposed proximate to the main portion of the insulative housing ( 1 ) to minimize a gap ( 1120 ) therebetween, and the gap being smaller than a diameter of the fiber.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The present invention generally relates to a cable assembly, and more particularly to a cable assembly with a floatable optical module. 
       DESCRIPTION OF PRIOR ART 
       [0002]    In many of today&#39;s processing systems, such as personal computer (PC) systems, there exist universal serial bus (USB) ports for connecting various USB devices. Some of these USB devices are frequently used by PC users. For example, these USB devices may be printers, compact disk read-only-memory (CD-ROM) drivers, digital versatile disk (DVD) drivers, cameras, keyboards, joy-sticks, hard-drives, etc. Different standards of USB technology have different bandwidths. For instance, Universal Serial Bus Specification, revision 1.1 devices are capable of operating at 12 Mbits/second(Mbps). Universal Serial Bus Specification, revision 2.0 devices are capable of operating at 480 Mbps. However, as technology progresses engineers are constantly striving to increase operating speeds. 
         [0003]    CN Pub. Pat. No. 101345358 published on Jan. 14, 2009 discloses an optical USB connector which has a fiber device added to a USB connector. Thus, the optical USB connector can transmit electrical signals and optical signals. However, the fiber device is unable to be floatable with regard to the USB connector. It is not accurately aligned with, and optically coupled to counterpart, if there are some errors in manufacturing process. 
         [0004]    Hence, an improved cable assembly is highly desired to overcome the aforementioned problems. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0005]    Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a cable assembly with a floatable optical module. 
         [0006]    In order to achieve the object set forth, a cable assembly in accordance with the present invention comprises an insulative housing having a main portion and a tongue portion extending forwardly from the main portion, a cavity defined in the tongue portion, and a retaining slot defined in the main portion; a plurality of terminals retained in the insulative housing; an optical module accommodated in the cavity; an elastic member sandwiched between the insulative housing and the optical module; a cable including at least one fiber, the fiber passing through the retaining slot and connected to the optical module; and a metallic shell including a plurality of walls forming a frame to receive the insulative housing, the frame having a top wall disposed proximate to the main portion of the insulative housing to minimize a gap therebetween, and the gap being smaller than a diameter of the fiber. 
         [0007]    Other objects, advantages and novel features of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0008]      FIG. 1  is an assembled, perspective view of the cable assembly; 
           [0009]      FIG. 2  is a partially assembled view of the cable assembly; 
           [0010]      FIG. 3  is an exploded, perspective view of  FIG. 2 ; 
           [0011]      FIG. 4  is similar to  FIG. 3 , but viewed from another aspect; 
           [0012]      FIG. 5  is other partially assembled view of the cable assembly; 
           [0013]      FIG. 6  is a top side view of  FIG. 5 ; and 
           [0014]      FIG. 7  is a back side view of  FIG. 5 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0015]    Reference will now be made in detail to the preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
         [0016]    Referring to  FIGS. 1-7 , a cable assembly  100  in accordance with the present invention comprises an insulative housing  1 , a plurality of terminals  2  retained in the insulative housing  1 , an optical module  3  mounted to the insulative housing  1 , an elastic member  4  sandwiched between the insulative housing  1  and the optical module  3  so as to forwardly bias the optical module  3 , a terminal seat  5 , a spacer  6 , a metallic shell  7  shrouding the insulative housing  1 , a cable  8  connecting with the terminals  2  and the optical module  3  and an external cover  9  partially enclosing the metallic shell  7  and the cable  8 . 
         [0017]    The insulative housing  1  includes a main portion  11  and a tongue portion  12  extending forwardly from the main portion  11 . 
         [0018]    There are two fiber passages  111  in a top side of a back segment of the tongue portion  12  and a front segment of the main portion  11 . Each fiber passage  111  is tapered shape along front-to-back direction. A front part is wider than a back part of the fiber passage  111 . There is a rib  1111  formed in a middle part of the fiber passage  111  and the rib  1111  also extends along the front-to-back direction. An upward protrusion (not labeled) is formed on a top edge of the rib  1111  for easing loading the corresponding fiber  81  into the fiber passage  111  and also for forwardly confronting the cap  13  and supporting the top wall  711  of the shell  7 . There are two retaining slots  112  located in a back segment of the main portion  11 . The retaining slot  112  is also configured to be tapered shape along the front-to-back segment. Furthermore, the retaining slot  112  communicates with the fiber passage  111 . There is a recess  113  located in a bottom side of the main portion  11 . The terminal seat  5  is accommodated in the recess  113 . There is a cavity  121  defined in a top side of a front segment of the tongue portion  12 . Also, there is a groove  122  defined in the tongue portion  12  and disposed behind the cavity  121 . The groove  122  communicates with the cavity  121  too, and the cavity  121  further communicates with the fiber passages  111 . A post  1221  is located in the groove  1221  and projects forwardly. 
         [0019]    The elastic member  4  may be a coil spring. A rear segment of the elastic member  4  is accommodated in the groove  122 , with the post  1221  inserted into the therein. Two guiding members  123  are arranged in lateral sides of the cavity  121 . A notch  129  is located in the cavity  121  and disposed in front of the groove  122 , so as to provide enough space for a front segment of the elastic member  4  floating along up-to-down direction. There is a V-shaped stopper  124  located in middle segment of a front end of the tongue portion  12 . There are two protrusions  126  disposed at opposite sides of the stopper  124 . A set of first terminal grooves  127  and a set of second terminal grooves  128  defined in a bottom side of the tongue portion. The first terminal grooves  127  are disposed in front of the second terminal grooves  128 . 
         [0020]    An arrangement of the terminals  2  is in accordance with USB 3.0 standard. The terminals  2  are divided into a set of first terminals  21  and a set of second terminals  22 . The first terminals  21  and the second terminals  22  are separated into two distinct rows along the front-to-back direction. 
         [0021]    The set of first terminals  21  have four contact members arranged in a row along the transversal direction. Each first terminal  21  substantially includes a planar retention portion  212  supported by a bottom surface of the recess  113 , a mating portion  211  raised upwardly and extending forwardly from the retention portion  212  and received in the corresponding first terminal groove  127 , and a tail portion  213  extending rearward from the retention portion  212 . Furthermore, the mating portion  211  and the tail portion  213  are disposed at opposite sides (bottom side and top side) of the insulative housing  1 . 
         [0022]    The set of second terminals  22  have five contact members arranged in a row along the transversal direction and combined with the terminal seat  5 . The set of second terminals  22  are separated into two pairs of signal terminal for transmitting differential signals and a grounding terminals disposed between the two pair of signal terminals. Each second terminal  22  includes a planar retention portion  222  received in the terminals seat  5 , a curved mating portion  221  extending forward from the retention portion  222  and disposed beyond a front surface of the terminal seat  5 , and a tail portion  223  extending rearward from the retention portion  222  and disposed behind a back surface of the terminal seat  5 . The spacer  6  is assembled to the terminal seat  5 , with a number of ribs (not numbered) thereof inserted into the grooves (not numbered) of the terminal seat  5  to position the second terminals  22 . 
         [0023]    The optical module  3  includes four lens members  33  arranged in juxtaposed manner and mounted to a base portion  30 . In addition, there are two guiding grooves  31  located in lateral parts of a bottom side of the base portion  30 . The base portion  30  further defines a cutout  32  in middle segment of a front side thereof. Two alignment holes  34  are respectively located in lateral segments of the front side. A mounting post  36  protrudes backwardly from a middle of a back side of the base portion  30 . The optical module  3  is accommodated in the cavity  121 , with the mounting post  36  inserted into a front segment of the elastic member  4 . The guiding members  123  cooperate with the guiding grooves  31 , when the optical module  3  moving in the cavity  121 . The stopper  124  is accommodated in the cutout  32  to prevent the optical module  3  escaping from the insulative housing  1 . The protrusions  126  may support the optical module  3 . 
         [0024]    The cable  8  includes four fibers  81  and a number of copper wires (not shown). The fibers  81  extend into fiber passages  111  via retaining slots  112  and are respectively coupled to the lenses  33  of the optical module  3 . The copper wires are connected to the tail portions  213 ,  223  of the first terminals  21  and the second terminals  22 . As the fiber passages  111  are configured to be tapered shape, thus there are enough space for the fibers  81  to move therein. In addition, the fibers  81  are properly inhibited within the fiber passages  111 . There are two fibers  81  received in one of the fiber passages  111 , and the two fibers  81  are spaced apart from each other by the rib  1111 , therefore, they do not twist together. There is also a cap  13  mounted to the insulative housing  1  to shield the fiber passages  111  and the fibers  81  are positioned in the fiber passages  111 . The cap  13  has two positioning members  131  formed at a bottom surface thereof and inserted into positioning holes  125  defined in the insulative housing  1 . As the optical module  3  and the terminals  2  are arranged at opposite sides of the insulative housing  1 , hence it facilitates manufacturing proceed. 
         [0025]    The metallic shell  7  includes a frame  71  and a U-shaped portion  72  connected to the frame  71 . The frame  71  has a top wall  711 , a bottom wall  712  and a pair of side walls  713  joining with the top wall  711  and the bottom wall  712  to form a hollow  710 . The U-shaped portion  72  extends backwardly from the frame  71  and has a bottom side  721  and two lateral sides  722  upwardly protruding from two lateral edges of the bottom side  721  to form a receiving space  720 . 
         [0026]    The insulative housing  1  is assembled to the metallic shell  7 , with the tongue portion  12  and the front segment of the main portion  11  received in the hollow  710  of the frame  71 , the back segment of the main portion  11  accommodated in the U-shaped portion  72 . The top wall  711  is disposed proximate to the back segment of the main portion  11 , therefore, a gap  1120  formed between the top wall  711  and the back segment of the main portion  11  is minimized. Furthermore, the gap  1120  is smaller than a diameter of the fiber  81 , therefore, the fiber  81  is restrained in the retaining slots  112 . There may be an inverted U-shaped portion mounted to the U-shaped portion  72 . 
         [0027]    It will be understood that the invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or central characteristics thereof. The present examples and embodiments, therefore, are to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, and the invention is not to be limited to the details given herein.