Patent Publication Number: US-7585184-B2

Title: Plug connector with improved cable arrangement

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   1. Field of the Invention 
   The present invention generally relates to a plug connector, and more particularly to a plug connector in accordance with SAS (Serial Attached SCSI; Serial Attached Small Computer System Interface) or Serial ATA standard. 
   2. Description of Related Art 
   Today, computer has been widely used in the fields, such as electronic commerce, family internet, internet station etc. Each computer has a data storage center, such as hard disk. The software and data information are stored in the hard disk. When working, the CPU (Center Processing Unit) of the computer constantly visits the hard disk to search the data needed or stores the data to the hard disk. For compatibility, the connector of the hard disk usually complies with particular interface standard. SCSI series and ATA series are the most two famous interface standards so far. 
   Serial Attached SCSI is developed from parallel SCSI. Besides the advantages of higher signal transmission speed, the most important advantage is that SAS interface is compatible with SATA interface. That is to say, if the system permits, the plug connector with SATA interface can be plugged into the socket connector with SAS interface. 
   China patent No. 1707869A discloses a plug connector in accordance with SAS interface. The plug connector comprises signal wires and power wires which both extend from the same side of the plug connector along mating direction. However, the inner space in the case of a server or pc computer is decreased gradually with the development of electronics, thus, particular cable arrangement manner is needed to satisfy the current demands. In some cases, the arrangement of the signal and power wires stated above cannot meet the requirements. In addition, such cable arrangement manner is inconvenient in assembly and occupies relatively big space in the case. Even the signal and power wires are bent to meet the limited space in the case, the bent direction of the wires only is a single direction which also cannot meet some particular requirements. 
   Correspondingly, it is desired to have a plug connector with improved cable arrangement to address the problems stated above. 
   BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a plug connector with improved cable arrangement. 
   In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, a plug connector in accordance with the present invention comprises an insulative housing comprising a base portion and a mating portion extending from the base portion in a first direction, a plurality of contacts received in the insulative housing, and a plurality of wires comprising a plurality of signal wires and a plurality of power wires respectively electrically connecting with the contacts. The signal wires and the power wires are both arranged to extend along a second direction perpendicular to the first direction of the mating portion. The power wires are arranged into two groups respectively symmetrically arranged relative to the base portion along said second direction and electrically connect to the same contacts. 
   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 DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is an assembled, perspective view of a plug connector in accordance with the present invention; 
       FIG. 2  is a view similar to  FIG. 1 , but viewed from a different aspect; 
       FIG. 3  is a partially assembled view of  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIGS. 4-6  are views similar to  FIG. 3 , but viewed from different aspects; 
       FIG. 7  is an exploded, perspective view of  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIG. 8  is a view similar to  FIG. 7 , but viewed from a different aspect; and 
       FIGS. 9-10  are cross-section views taken along lines  9 - 9  and  10 - 10  of  FIG. 1 . 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
   Reference will now be made to the drawing figures to describe the present invention in detail. 
   Referring to  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 7 , a plug connector in accordance with the present invention comprises an insulative housing  1 , a plurality of contacts  2  housed in the insulative housing  1 , a plurality of wires  3  electrically connecting with the contacts  2 , a spacer  4  assembled to the insulative housing  1 , a circuit board  6  positioned behind the spacer  4  and electrically connecting with the contacts  2  and the wires  3 , and a cover  5  over-molded with the insulative housing  1 . 
   Referring to  FIGS. 3-4  and  FIGS. 7-8 , the insulative housing  1  comprises an elongated base portion  10  and a mating portion  12  extending forwardly from a center of the base portion  10 . The base portion  10  defines two rows of opposed slots  104  and a rectangular opening  14  recessed forwardly from a rear surface  102  thereof. The opening  14  is located between the two rows of slots  104  along a vertical direction and communicates with the slots  104 . The mating portion  12  comprises a first sidewall  120 , a second sidewall  121  and a pair of opposed laterally extending end walls  122 . The four walls together define a continuous central receiving cavity  123 . A pair of guiding portions  13  extending forwardly from the base portion  10  are respectively arranged at opposite sides of the end walls  122 . The second sidewall  121  defines a recess  124  recessed from an inner face thereof and communicating with the middle portion of the receiving cavity  123 . The first sidewall  120  forms an expansion portion  125  on an exterior face thereof and aligned with the recess  124  along the vertical direction. The recess  124  divides the second sidewall  121  into two different-dimension parts along elongated direction. The thickness of the first sidewall  120  is smaller than that of the second sidewall  121 . 
   The second sidewall  122  defines a plurality of first passageways  126 , the expansion portion  125  of the first sidewall  120  defines a plurality of second passageways  128 . The first and second passageways  126 ,  128  penetrate through the insulative housing  1  along front-to-back direction. The expansion portion  125  defines a plurality of cutouts  1250  extending along the front-to-back direction and respectively communicating with the second passageways  128 . 
   The contacts  2  comprise a plurality of first and second contacts  21 ,  23  respectively received in the first passageways  126 . The first contacts  21  are power contacts and consist of five sets of contact group each comprising three contacts, while, the second contacts  23  are signal contacts. The first contact  21  comprises a curved contacting portion  211 , a tail portion  212  extending rearwardly and then bending downwardly, and a retention portion  213  connecting with the contacting portion  211  and the tail portion  212 . A plurality of barbs  2131  are provided on opposite sides of the retention portion  213 . The structure of the second contact  23  is same as that of the first contact  21 , and also comprises a curved contacting portion  231 , a tail portion  232  extending rearwardly then bending downwardly and a retention portion  233  connecting with the contacting portion  231  and the tail portion  232 . The pin count numbers of the first and second contacts  21 ,  23  are different, the first contacts  21  comprise 15 contacts and the second contacts  23  comprise 7 contacts. 
   Referring to  FIGS. 7-10 , the longitudinally extending spacer  4  is substantially rectangular and the dimension thereof is substantially same as that of the rectangular opening  14  of the insulative housing  1 . The spacer  4  comprises a front surface  41  and an opposed rear surface  43 . A pair of tubers  42  are arranged on top edge of the spacer  4 . The spacer  4  forms a plurality of second ribs  44  extending forwardly from the front surface  41  thereof and aligning with the second passageways  128  of the insulative housing  1 . A row of first ribs  45  are located below the second ribs  44  along vertical direction and arranged into two groups along lengthwise direction. The spacer  4  also defines a plurality through holes  431  aligning with corresponding first ribs  45 . 
   The wires  3  comprise a signal cable  31  and a plurality of second wires  32 . The signal cable  31  consists of two groups, each group comprises a pair of signal conductors  311  for transmitting signals of differential pair and a pair of grounding conductors  310  located at outer sides of the pair of signal conductors  311 . Each signal cable  31  comprises a plurality of conductors  310 ,  311  and an outer jacket  312 , the front ends of the conductors  310 ,  311  are exposed beyond the outer jacket  312  and electrically connect with corresponding tail portions  232  of the contacts  2 . The power wires  32  also consist of two same groups. Each group comprises five power wires each comprising at least one conductor  321  and an outer jacket  322 . The signal cable  31  is arranged at one side of the base portion  10  and extending along a direction perpendicular to the extending direction of the mating portion  12 . The two-group power wires  32  are arranged at two sides of the base portion  10  and extend along opposite directions perpendicular to the extending direction of the mating portion  12 . The two-group power wires are in mirror-image relative to the base portion  10  along the vertical direction. In alternative embodiments, the signal cable also can be arranged into two groups and respectively extend out of the plug connector from opposite sides of the plug connector. 
   The circuit board  6  comprises five sets of conductive traces  60  and a plurality of through holes  61  aligning with corresponding conductive traces  60 . Each set of conductive traces  60  is of fork-shape and comprises a base section  600  and three fingers  602  extending from the base section  600  to electrically connect with corresponding contacts  2 . The through holes  61  penetrate through the circuit board  6  and each through hole  61  is plated with conductive material for electrically connect the power wires  32  with corresponding conductive traces  60  when the power wires  32  soldered within the through holes  60 . 
   Please refer to  FIGS. 1-10 , the first and second contacts  21 ,  23  are respectively received in the first passageways  126  of the insulative housing  1 . The contacting portions  211 ,  231  of the contacts  21 ,  23  are exposed in the central receiving cavity  123 , the retention portions  213 ,  233  interferentially engage with the first passageways  126  and the spacer  4 , and the tail portions  212 ,  232  extend beyond the rear surface  102  of the insulative housing  1 . The spacer  4  is assembled to the rear surface of the insulative housing  1 , while the circuit board  6  is disposed behind the rear surface  42  of the spacer  4 . The second ribs  44  are inserted into the second passageways  128  to connect the spacer  4  with the insulative housing  2  and seal the rear ends of the second passageways  128 . The spacer  4  is received in the rectangular opening  14  with the tubers  42  interferentially engaging with inner surfaces of the opening  14 . The tail portions  212  of the first contacts  21  protrude through the through holes  431  and then bent downwardly. 
   The three tail portions  212  of each set of first contacts  21  respectively solder with three fingers  602  of the same conductive trace  60  of the circuit board  6  to realize the multi-to-one electrical connection manner. The second contacts  23  respectively directly solder with corresponding signal and grounding conductors  310 ,  311  of the signal cable  31  in one-to-one manner. The conductors  321  of the power wires  32  are soldered into the through holes  61 , and a pair of opposed extending power wires  32  are received into the same through hole  61 , thus, the pair of power wires  32  electrically connect with the same set of contacts  21 . 
   The cover  5  is of right-angle shape and is overmolded with the base portion  10 , the solder area between the contacts  2  and the wires  3 , the spacer  4  and the circuit board  6 . Thus, the electrical connection between the contacts  2  and the wires  3  is enhanced. When molding the cover  5 , the first and second ribs  45 ,  44  seal the passageways  126 ,  128  from the rear surface of the insulative housing  1 , melted material of the cover  5  cannot flow into the insulative housing  1 . While, since the base portion  10  is enclosed by the cover  5 , the two rows of slots  104  are filled by the material of the cover  5 , thus enhancing the connection between the insulative housing  1  and the cover  5 . After molding the cover  5 , one group of power wires  32  and the signal cable  31  extend downwardly from the vertical portion of the cover  5 , while, the other group of power wires  32  extends upwardly from the horizontal portion of the cover  5 . The second passageways  128  of the expansion portion  125  is capable of receive corresponding contacts (not shown) to electrically match with SAS interface complementary connector or SATA interface complementary connector. In alternative embodiments, the second passageways  128  also can be omitted, and the remained expansion portion  125  can enhance the intensity of the first sidewall  120  and matches with SATA interface complementary connector. 
   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.