Abstract:
A cable assembly ( 100 ) including an insulative housing ( 2 ) defining a number of receiving passageways ( 20 ), a number of contacts ( 3 ) received into the receiving passageways, a cable electrically connected with the contacts, a metallic shell ( 1 ) surrounding the insulative housing ( 2 ).The contacts comprise a number of grounding contacts and signal contacts and the metallic shell defines a number of metallic plates ( 1110 ) extending into the insulative housing to contact the grounding contacts.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0002]    The present invention generally relates to a cable assembly, and more particularly to a cable assembly for transmitting high-speed signals. 
         [0003]    2. Description of Related Art 
         [0004]    Cross talk phenomenon may occur during signal transmission of a cable assembly as to affect signal quality/performance. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 7,390,220, issued on Jun. 24, 2008 to Wu, discloses a cable connector comprising an insulated housing defining a receiving space, a plurality of terminals arranged into an upper and a lower terminal rows and received in the insulated housing, a spacer located between the upper and lower terminal rows, a metal plate retained in to spacer, and a cable including a number of wires electrically connected to the terminals and the metal plate. The plurality of terminals comprise signal terminals and grounding terminals. The metal plate defines a panel portion received in the spacer and a number of separated claws respectively bent upwardly and downwardly from a rear edge of the panel portion and electrically connected to corresponding grounding terminals. The plurality of grounding terminals achieve a common grounding connection through the panel portion in order to improve signal transmission. 
         [0005]    An improved cable assembly is desired. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0006]    Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a cable assembly with a simple structure to achieve common grounding. 
         [0007]    In order to achieve the object set forth, a cable assembly comprises: an insulative housing defining a plurality of receiving passageways and a plurality of through slots in communication with the receiving passageways; a plurality of contacts disposed in the insulative housing and comprising a plurality of grounding contacts; a cable electrically connected with corresponding contacts; and a metallic shell enclosing the insulative housing and defining a plurality of spring tabs, the spring tab extending into the through slot and contacting with the grounding contact. 
         [0008]    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 
         [0009]      FIG. 1  is an assembled, perspective view of a cable assembly in accordance with the present invention; 
           [0010]      FIG. 2  is an exploded, perspective view of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0011]      FIG. 3  is a view similar to  FIG. 2  but from another perspective; 
           [0012]      FIG. 4  is perspective view of a metallic shell of the cable assembly; 
           [0013]      FIG. 5  is a cross-sectional view taken along line  5 - 5  of  FIG. 1 ; and 
           [0014]      FIG. 6  is a cross-sectional view taken along line  6 - 6  of  FIG. 1 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0015]    Reference will now be made in detail to the preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
         [0016]    Referring to  FIGS. 1-6 , a cable assemble  100  comprises an insulative housing  2 , a plurality of contacts  3  received in the insulative housing  2 , a metallic shell  1  shielding the insulative housing  2 , a cable  4  electrically connected with the plurality of contacts  3 , and an insulative cover  5  enclosing at least a portion of the metallic shell  1 . 
         [0017]    Referring  FIGS. 2 and 3 , the insulative housing  2  is structured in a rectangular shape and comprises an upper wall  21 , an opposite lower wall  22 , and a pair of side walls  23 ,  24  respectively connected between the upper wall  21  and the lower wall  22 . The insulative housing  2  defines a receiving space  25  extending rearwardly front a front surface thereof for a distance. The insulative housing  2  defines two rows of receiving passageways  20  respectively formed on inner surfaces of the upper and lower wall and communicated with the receiving space  25 . The upper wall  21  and the lower wall  22  of the insulative housing respectively define a plurality of through slots  210  extending along a longitudinal direction and spaced apart from each other along a transversal direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction. Each of the through slots  210  extends all the way through respective top and bottom surfaces of the upper wall  21  and the lower wall  22  and corresponds to or preferably is in alignment with a receiving passageway  20  along a vertical direction. The receiving space  25  is in fluid communication with an exterior through the plurality of through slots  210 . The insulative housing  2  further defines two pairs of protrusions  211  located on a rear portion of the upper wall  21  and the lower wall  22 . Each pair of protrusion  211  are arranged symmetrically. The pair of side walls  23 ,  24  respectively define a projection  12  formed on a rear section thereof 
         [0018]    Referring to  FIGS. 2 to 4  and in conjunction with  FIG. 6 , the metallic shell  1  comprises a first shield part la and a second shield part lb assembled with each other along a vertical direction. The first shield part la comprises a front frame portion  11  defining a top side  111 , a bottom side  112 , and a pair of lateral sides  113 ,  114  connecting with the top and bottom sides  111 ,  112  to form a receiving room for receiving the insulative housing  2 . The top side  111  and the bottom side  112  respectively define a plurality of spring tabs  1110 , e.g., formed by a stamping process, that extend into the receiving room of the front frame portion  11 . The top side  111  and the bottom side  112  respectively define two windows  1111  located in front of the spring tabs  110  and four holes  1112  located rearwardly of the spring tabs  1110  for cooperating with the protrusion  211 . The plurality of spring tabs  110  respectively extend into corresponding passageways when the insulative housing  2  is received into the metallic shell  1 . The first shield part  1   a  further comprises an n-shaped portion  12  and a supporting section  122  extending rearwardly from the rear end of the n-shaped portion  12 . The n-shaped portion  12  comprises a top section  120  and two lateral sections  121  extending downwardly from the two sides of the top section  120 . Each lateral section  121  defines three locking holes  1210  arranged in a row along the longitudinal direction. The second shield part lb defines a u-shaped portion  13  and a cable holder  14  extending rearward from a rear portion of the u-shaped portion  13 . The u-shaped portion  13  comprises a bottom section  130  and a pair of side sections  131  extending upwardly from the two sides of the bottom section. Each side section  131  defines three locking tabs  1310  cooperated with corresponding locking holes  1210  of the lateral section  121  of the n-shaped portion  12 . 
         [0019]    Referring to  FIGS. 2 to 3  and  5  to  6 , the plurality of contacts  3  are divided into two rows. Each row of contacts comprises a plurality of signal contacts and grounding contacts  301 . Each of the contacts  3  comprises a flat body portion  31 , a curved mating portion  32  extending forwardly from a front end of the flat body portion  31 , and a terminating portion  33  extending rearward from a rear end of the flat body portion  31 . The plurality of contacts  3  are respectively accommodated in corresponding receiving passageways  20  of the insulative housing  2 . The curved mating portions  32  extend into the receiving space  25  and the terminating portions  33  extend beyond a rear surface of the insulative housing  2 . 
         [0020]    Referring  FIGS. 1 to 3  in conjunction with  FIG. 6 , the cable  4  comprises a plurality of wires  40 . The plurality of wires  40  are divided into two rows and electrically connected with corresponding terminating portions  33  of the contacts  3 . 
         [0021]    The assembling process of the cable assembly  100  made in accordance to preferred embodiment of the present invention  100  will now be described. Firstly, the contacts  3  are received into the insulative housing  2 . The flat potions  31  are received into the receiving passageways  20 , the curved mating portion  32  are extended into receiving space  25 , and the terminating portion  33  extended out of the back face of the insulative housing  2 . Secondly, the insulative housing  2  and contacts  3  together are received into the first shield part  1   a.  The four holes  1112  of the first shield part la cooperate with corresponding protrusions  211  to engage the first shield part la with the insulative housing  2 . The plurality of spring tabs  1110  respectively extend into the corresponding through slots  210  and contact with the corresponding grounding contacts  301  located in some of the passageways  20  which are in alignment with through slots  210 . Thirdly, the plurality of wires of the cable  4  are respectively soldered to the terminating portions  33  of the contacts  3 . Fourthly, the second shield part lb is assembled to the first shield part  1   a  along a vertical direction. Finally, the insulative cover  5  is formed around the metallic shell  1  by an over-molding process. 
         [0022]    After the above assembling steps, the entire process of assembling of the cable assembly  100  is finished. In the present invention, the metallic shell  1  defines a plurality of spring tabs  1110  extending into the insulative housing  2  and electrically connected with the grounding contacts  3 . Thus, all grounding contacts  301  of the plurality of contacts are commonly grounded by the metallic shell  1  alone. Meanwhile, the cable assembly  100  has advantages of simple structure and low cost manufacturing. 
         [0023]    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 illustrated 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.