Abstract:
Provided is a cable assembly comprises an insulative housing having a plurality of contact terminals disposed therein. A plurality of conductive wires each is terminated with the plurality of contact terminals. And a hold-down arrangement is securely attached to the housing, and includes a metallic base portion substantially covering interconnection between the contact terminals and the conductive wires. The arrangement includes a first anchors interlocked to the housing, and a second anchors extending beyond a mating interface of the housing.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    1. Field of the invention 
         [0002]    The present invention relates to a cable assembly, and more particularly, to a cable assembly incorporated with a hold-down arrangement such that when the cable assembly is interconnected with a receptacle mounted onto a printed circuit board, an anchor from the hold-down arrangement will engage with a via of printed circuit board facilitating reliable and robust interconnection therebetween. 
         [0003]    2. Description of Related Art 
         [0004]    An electrical connector is used for electrically connecting a cable to a PCB. As disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,454,606 issued to Igarashi on Sep. 24, 2002, an electrical connector for mating with a mating connector and connecting a cable to a PCB includes an insulating housing, a plurality of contacts retained in the insulating housing and a shell member assembled on the insulating housing. The insulating housing includes a longitudinal base portion and a tongue plate extending horizontally along a mating direction from said base portion. A plurality of receiving grooves are formed on the base portion and the tongue plate for receiving the contacts horizontally. The cable has a front contacting end for contacting with said contacts and a back end extending out from the insulating housing. The shell member engages with insulating housing at two longitudinal ends of the housing and defines a receiving room therebetween for receiving said cable. During the mating process of the electrical connector, the shell member can not engage with the mating connector. As a result, the shell member fails to provide a steady connection when an external shock or an external force applied to the electrical connector and the mating connector, which may result the connection between the electrical connector and the mating connector becoming unstable. 
         [0005]    So it is necessary to provide a new electrical connector to solve the problems above. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0006]    Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an electrical connector which can provide a stable connection. 
         [0007]    In order to achieve above-mentioned object, An electrical connector comprises an insulating housing defining a mounting surface for retaining a plurality of cables and a mating surface parallel to the mounting surface for mating with a mating connector. A plurality of contacts are retained in said insulating housing. A shell member is assembled on the insulating housing for covering said mounting surface. The shell member includes at least one retaining leg extending downwardly for mounting on to a printed circuit board, the retaining leg defines an operating portion extending outwardly to provide an operation space for a user and a tip end adapted for being inserted into and mounted onto the printed circuit board. 
         [0008]    In order to achieve the object set forth, provided herewith according to an embodiment of the present invention is a cable assembly comprises an insulative housing having a plurality of contact terminals disposed therein. A plurality of conductive wires each is terminated with the plurality of contact terminals. And a hold-down arrangement is securely attached to the housing. and includes a metallic base portion substantially covering interconnection between the contact terminals and the conductive wires. The arrangement includes a first anchors interlocked to the housing, and a second anchors extending beyond a mating interface of the housing. 
         [0009]    According to another aspect of the present invention, provided herewith an interconnecting system, comprises a printed circuit board. A first connector is mounted onto the printed circuit board and includes at least a first contact. A cable assembly includes a second connector having a second connector having a second contact interengaged with the first contact when the first and second connector mate together, and at least a conductive wire is terminated to the second contact. And a hold-down arrangement having a pair of boardlocks interlocked with the printed circuit board to encapsulate the first and second connector to the printed circuit board for ensuring reliable interconnection between the first and second connectors. 
         [0010]    Still according to one aspect of the present invention, the boardlock is provided with a stop to limit its insertion into the printed circuit board. 
         [0011]    Still according to one aspect of the present invention, the boardlock includes a removal aid to facilitate easy withdrawal of the boardlock from the printed circuit board. 
         [0012]    Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present 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 DRAWINGS 
         [0013]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the cable connector in accordance with the present invention after mating with a mating connector; 
           [0014]      FIG. 2  is an exploded perspective view of the cable connector and the mating connector of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0015]      FIG. 3  is a partial exploded perspective view of the cable connector of FIG  1  after mating with the mating connector; and 
           [0016]      FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the shell member of FIG. I from a bottom view. 
           [0017]      FIG. 5  is a perspective view of the connector assembly mounted onto a printed circuit board. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0018]    The present invention shall be discussed hereinafter in terms of a preferred embodiment illustrated in the accompanying drawings. In the following description, numerous specific details are set forth in order for the reader hereof to gain a thorough understanding of the present invention. It will be obvious, however, to those skilled in the art that certain well-know elements may not be shown in detail in order to unnecessarily obscure the present invention. 
         [0019]    Referring to  FIGS. 1 to 4 , an electrical connector  100  used for connecting with cables  300  and mating with a mating connector  200 , includes an insulating housing  10 , a plurality of contacts  20  retained in the insulating housing  10 , a shell member  30  covered on the insulating housing  10  and a retaining bar  40  retained in the insulating housing for engaging with the cables  300 . 
         [0020]    In  FIG. 2 , the insulating housing  10  has a longitudinal base portion  11  and a pair of mounting portions  12  formed on two longitudinal ends of the base portion  11 . The base portion  11  defines a mounting surface  13  on a top side of the insulating housing  10  for sustaining the cables  300 , a mating surface  14  on a bottom side of the insulating housing  10  for mating with a mating connector  200  and a pair of lateral side surfaces  15  connecting with said mounting surface  13  and mating surface  14 . Said mounting surface  13  defines a plurality of receiving grooves  16  depressed thereon for receiving the contacts  20  and a longitudinal receiving slot  17  adjacent to the lateral side surface  15  of the insulating housing  10  for receiving the retaining bar  40 . The mounting portion  12  extends longitudinally and defines thereon a retaining hole  18  which extends downwardly for engaging with the shell member  30 . 
         [0021]    Referring to  FIG. 2 , the contact  20  is L-shaped and downwardly assembled onto the mounting surface  13  of the insulating housing  10 . The contact  20  includes a horizontal first contacting beam  21  for mating with the cable  300  and a vertical second contacting beam  22  extending downwardly from one end of the first contacting beam  21  and extending toward the mating surface  14  for mating with the mating connector  200 . 
         [0022]    Referring to  FIGS. 2-5 , the shell member  30  downwardly assembled onto the insulating housing  10  and defines a receiving space for receiving the cables  300 . Said shell member  30  includes a longitudinal cover  3   1 , a pair of retaining tabs  32  extending downwardly from two longitudinal ends of the cover  31  and a pair of retaining legs  33  adjacent to said retaining tabs  32 . Said cover  31  has a longitudinal lateral edge which defines a plurality of engaging tabs  34  extending downwardly for engaging with the cables  300  securely. The retaining tab  32  engages into the retaining hole  18  of the insulating housing  10  so that the shell member  30  can assembled on the insulating housing  10  securely. The retaining legs  33  are formed on said lateral edge of the cover  31  and located at two ends of said engaging tabs  34 . Said retaining leg  33  extends downwardly beyond the mating surface  14  and has a tip end defining a pair of mounting portions  35  for being soldered into a through hole  401  on a printed circuit board (PCB)  400 , an operating portion  36  formed on a top side of the mounting portions  35  and a pair of blocking tabs  37  located between said mounting portions  35  and said operating portion  36 . Said mounting portions  35  are formed as a fork and extend downwardly to insert into the through hole  401  on the PCB  400  for providing a stable retention. Said operating portion  36  is outwardly bended from two sides of the retaining leg  33  and consists of two opposite arms. The opposite arms of the operating portion  36  extend apart away from the insulating housing  10  along the cables  300  and are used for being moved vertically by an operator so that the shell member  30  can be assembled onto the insulating housing  10  or removed from the insulating housing  10  conveniently and easily. Said blocking tabs  37  protrude from two sides of the retaining leg  33  horizontally for abutting on a surface of the PCB to prevent the retaining leg  33  from being over-deeply inserted into the through hole in the PCB. 
         [0023]    The retaining bars  40  is formed by a metal plate and has a longitudinal base body  41  assembled into the insulating housing  10  downwardly. Said base body  41  is retained into the receiving slot  17  of the insulating housing  10  and defines a plurality of retaining fingers  42  on a top edge thereof which extend upwardly onto the mounting surface  13  for engaging with cables  300 . 
         [0024]    As referring to  FIG. 2 , a mating connector  200  is used for being mounted on the PCB and mating with the electrical connector  100  vertically. Said mating connector  200  includes a longitudinal housing  50 , a plurality of terminals  60  retained in the housing  50  for mating with said contacts  20  and a pair of holding members  70  retained on two ends of the housing  50  for being mounted on the PCB. 
         [0025]    During the assembly, the operator can grasp the operating portion  36  of the shell member  30  for assembling or removing the shell member easily. After the electrical connector  100  mates with the mating connector  200 , the retaining legs  33  with said forked mounting portions  35  of the shell member  30  are soldered into the PCB for providing a stable retention therebetween, which also ensures a stable connection between the electrical connector  100  and the mating connector  200 . 
         [0026]    However, while the preferred embodiment of the invention have been shown and described, it will apparent to those skilled in the art that changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention, the scope of which is defined by the appended claims.