Patent Publication Number: US-2021175669-A1

Title: Electrical cable braid positioning clip

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention is directed to an electrical cable braid positioning clip. In particular, the invention is directed to a clip which cooperates with the braid of an electrical cable to retain the braid relationship to the signal conductor. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     In the process of terminating a high speed cable, such as an RF (Radio Frequency) cable, to a connector, there are many electrical and mechanical considerations. Typical highspeed cable consists of an outer jacket, braid (for ground reference), foil, dielectric, and an inner signal conductor. Connecting the braid for ground reference is always a challenge for both mechanical and electrical performance. Not only is the mechanical connection difficult, but trying to also maintain electrical performance through the braid crimp zone is sometime problematic. The crimping process usually involves the use of a mechanical component, like a ferrule. When crimping the ferrule over the braid, foil, and inner connector there is a transition zone where the connector ends. In this zone the braid and foil may get “bunched” up causing electrical performance degradation. 
     It would, therefore, be beneficial to provide a device or clip which eliminates the “bunching” up of the foil and braid, thereby maintaining the appropriate relationship of the braid to the signal conductor to minimize the degradation of the electrical performance of the cable. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     An embodiment is directed to a cable assembly for terminating an end of a cable. The cable assembly includes a ferrule secured to a cable jacket at the end of the cable. A shell has an inner connector, with a portion of the inner connector positioned in the ferrule. An inner housing is positioned in the inner connector. The inner housing cooperates with individual signal conductors which extend from the end of the cable. The cable has the individual signal conductors extending from the end of the cable to the inner housing. The cable also has a braided shield which extends from the end of the cable to the portion of the inner connector positioned in the ferrule. A transition zone is provided between the end of the cable and an end of the portion of the inner connector positioned in the ferrule. A braid positioning clip engages the braided shield in the transition zone to maintain a relationship of the braided shield to the signal conductors to minimize the degradation of the electrical performance of the cable. 
     An embodiment is directed to a method of terminating a cable to a cable assembly. The method includes; removing a cable jacket at the end of the cable to expose signal conductors and a braided shield; positioning the signal conductors into a conductive shell; positioning the braided shield in electrical engagement with the conductive shell; a shell having an inner connector, a portion of the inner connector positioned in the ferrule; positioning a braid positioning clip in a transition zone between the end of the cable and the conductive shell; and maintaining a relationship of the braided shield to the signal conductors in the transition zone to minimize the degradation of the electrical performance of the cable. 
     Other features and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following more detailed description of the preferred embodiment, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings which illustrate, by way of example, the principles of the invention. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a side view of an illustrative electrical connector positioned on an illustrative cable. 
         FIG. 2  is a cross-section view taken along line  2 - 2  of  FIG. 1  showing a clip of the present invention in contact with the braid of the cable in a transition zone. 
         FIG. 3  is an enlarged cross-section view taken along line  3 - 3  of  FIG. 1  showing a clip of the present invention in contact with the braid of the cable in the transition zone. 
         FIG. 4  is a perspective view an illustrative embodiment of the clip of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The description of illustrative embodiments according to principles of the present invention is intended to be read in connection with the accompanying drawings, which are to be considered part of the entire written description. In the description of embodiments of the invention disclosed herein, any reference to direction or orientation is merely intended for convenience of description and is not intended in any way to limit the scope of the present invention. Relative terms such as “lower,” “upper,” “horizontal,” “vertical,” “above,” “below,” “up,” “down,” “top” and “bottom” as well as derivative thereof (e.g., “horizontally,” “downwardly,” “upwardly,” etc.) should be construed to refer to the orientation as then described or as shown in the drawing under discussion. These relative terms are for convenience of description only and do not require that the apparatus be constructed or operated in a particular orientation unless explicitly indicated as such. Terms such as “attached,” “affixed,” “connected,” “coupled,” “interconnected,” and similar refer to a relationship wherein structures are secured or attached to one another either directly or indirectly through intervening structures, as well as both movable or rigid attachments or relationships, unless expressly described otherwise. 
     Moreover, the features and benefits of the invention are illustrated by reference to the preferred embodiments. Accordingly, the invention expressly should not be limited to such embodiments illustrating some possible non-limiting combination of features that may exist alone or in other combinations of features, the scope of the invention being defined by the claims appended hereto. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 1 through 3 , an electrical connector assembly  10  is electrically and mechanically connected to a cable  12 . The cable  12  can transfer data between and among storage devices, switches, routers, printed circuit boards (PCBs), analog to digital converters, connectors, and other devices. In various embodiments, the cable  12  can support data transfer rates of 100 Mbps and higher. In some embodiments, the cable  12  can support data transfer rates of approximately 4.25 Gbps to approximately 25 Gbps. The cable  12  also can be used with data transfer rates above or below these exemplary rates. As shown in  FIG. 3 , the cable  12  has a cable jacket  14 , a braided shield  16 , a metalized foil  18  and two center conductors  20 ,  22 . The conductors  20 ,  22  are spaced from each other and extend essentially parallel to each other. The conductors  20 ,  22  are surrounded by the braided metal shield  16 , such as, but not limited to braided copper shielding. The center conductors  20 ,  22  may also be surrounded by individual dielectrics  24 ,  26 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 2 , an end of the cable  12  has the cable jacket  14  removed to expose the braided shield  16  and the conductors  20 ,  22 . A crimp ferrule  30  is provided proximate the end of the cable  12 . 
     The electrical connector assembly  10  has a first metallic outer shell  32  and a second metallic outer shell  34 . The first metallic outer shell  32  has a mating connector receiving portion  36  and a second metallic outer shell receiving portion  38 . The second metallic outer shell  34  has a first metallic outer shell receiving portion  40  and a conductor receiving portion  42 . 
     A dielectric housing  50  is positioned in the electrical connector assembly  10 . The housing  50  made of dielectric material. As shown in  FIG. 2 , the housing  50  has a mating end  52  and an oppositely facing conductor receiving end  54 . A dielectric rib  56  extends from the conductor receiving end  54  of the dielectric housing  50  in a direction away from the mating end  52 . The rib  56  extends in a direction which is essentially parallel to a longitudinal axis  58  of the housing  50 . 
     The rib  56  extends from the conductor receiving end  54  into the conductor receiving portion  42  of the second metallic outer shell  34 . The rib  56  and the second metallic outer shell  34  form conductor receiving passages (not shown). 
     As shown in  FIGS. 2 through 4 , a braid positioning clip or comb  60  is provided proximate the end of the cable  12 . The braid positioning clip  60  is positioned in a transition zone  62  between an end  64  of the cable jacket  14  and an end  66  of the conductor receiving portion  42  of the second metallic outer shell  34 . The illustrative braid positioning clip or comb  60  has a C-shape with an inner surface  76 . The positioning clip  60  has two curved or arcuate sections  68  and a straight section  70  which extends between the arcuate sections  68 . Each of the arcuate sections  68  have a free end  72  which is positioned in line or in the same plane, but spaced from, the free end  72  of the other arcuate section  68 . In an alternate embodiment, the free ends  72  may be positioned in different planes such that the free ends  72  are not positioned in line with each other. A slot or opening  74  is provided between the free ends  72 . 
     In the illustrative embodiment shown, the braid positioning clip  60  is made from material having resilient properties. The braid positioning clip  60  may be made from metal, plastic or any other material having the desired characteristics. The arcuate sections  68  and the straight section  70  may be resiliently deformed as the braid positioning clip  60  is moved to the position shown in  FIGS. 2 and 3 . With the braid positioning clip  60  properly positioned, the arcuate sections  68  and the straight section  70  are allowed to resiliently return toward their unstressed positions, as will be more fully described. 
     While the braid positioning clip  60  is shown as a C-shaped member, the braid positioning clip  60  may have other configurations without departing from the scope of the invention. In addition, the braid positioning clip  60  may be made from material which may be deformed, for example by a crimp, rather than material which has resilient characteristics. 
     In use, the cable  12  is prepared, as discussed above, to remove the cable jacket  14  to expose the braided shield  16  and conductors  20 ,  22 . The crimp ferrule  30  is inserted onto the end of the cable and initially positioned away from the end of the cable, either before or after the cable  12  is prepared. With the crimp ferrule  30  properly inserted over the end of the cable  12  and the cable  12  properly prepared, the connector assembly  10  is moved to the position shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 . In this position, the conductors  20 ,  22  are positioned in the conductor receiving passages between the rib  56  and the conductor receiving portion  42  of the second metallic outer shell  34 . The conductors  20 ,  22  in the conductor receiving passages extend substantially parallel to each other and in substantially the same plane. As the second metallic outer shell  34  surrounds the conductors  20 ,  22 , the conductors  20 ,  22  are protected, preventing damage to the conductors  20 ,  22 , thereby maintaining the integrity of the conductors  20 ,  22  and the signal path provided thereby. 
     In this position, the braided shield  16  and the metalized foil  18  extend over an outside surface  78  of the conductor receiving portion  42  of the second metallic outer shell  34 . The braid positioning clip  60  is positioned over the braided shield  16  and the metalized foil  18  in the transition zone  62  to retain the braided shield  16  and the metalized foil  18  in close proximity to the conductors  20 ,  22 . 
     The braid positioning clip  60  helps to contain and maintain the braided shield  16  and the metalized foil  18  relationship to the signal conductor  20 ,  22 , particularly in the transition zone  62 . The inner surface  76  of the braid positioning clip  60  is dimensioned to contain or compress the braided shield  16  and the metalized foil  18  against the conductors  20 ,  22 . Consequently, as the braid positioning clip  60  is inserted over the braided shield  16  and the metalized foil  18  in the transition zone  62 , the braided shield  16  and the metalized foil  18  are maintained in close proximity to the inner signal conductors  20 ,  22 , thereby eliminating bunching of the braided shield  16  and the metalized foil  18  in the transition zone  62 . In the illustrative embodiment shown, the braid positioning clip  60  maintains the relationship between the braided shield  16  and the metalized foil  18  and the conductors  20 ,  22  via a spring action. However, in other illustrative embodiments, the braid positioning clip  60  retains the braided shield  16  and the metalized foil  18  against the conductors  20 ,  22  by other methods or means. For example, the braid positioning clip  60  may be crimped to properly retain the braided shield  16  and the metalized foil  18  against the conductors  20 ,  22 , or even another crimp process. As the braid positioning clip  60  maintains the relationship between the braided shield  16  and the metalized foil  18  and the inner signal conductors  20 ,  22 , degradation of the electrical performance of the cable is minimized, thereby enhancing the electrical performance. 
     With the braid positioning clip  60  properly positioned, the crimp ferrule  30  is then moved into the position shown in  FIG. 2 . A first portion  80  of the crimp ferrule  30  is crimped to the conductor receiving portion  42  of the second metallic outer shell  34  of the connector assembly  10 . This causes the braided shield  16  and the metalized foil  18  to be placed in mechanical and electrical engagement with the outside surface  78  of the conductor receiving portion  42  of the second metallic outer shell  34 , providing for a continuous electrical connection between the braided shield  16  and the metalized foil  18  of the cable and the second metallic outer shell  24  of the connector assembly  10 . A second portion  82  of the crimp ferrule  30  is crimped to the cable jacket  14  of the cable  12  to provide a mechanical connection therebetween. The crimp ferrule  30  secures the electrical connector assembly  10  to the cable  12 . 
     As previously stated, the method of terminating a cable to a cable assembly includes; removing a cable jacket at the end of the cable to expose signal conductors and a braided shield; positioning the signal conductors into a conductive shell; positioning the braided shield in electrical engagement with the conductive shell; a shell having an inner connector, a portion of the inner connector positioned in the ferrule; positioning a braid positioning clip in a transition zone between the end of the cable and the conductive shell; and maintaining a relationship of the braided shield to the signal conductors in the transition zone to minimize the degradation of the electrical performance of the cable. 
     While the invention has been described with reference to a preferred embodiment, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes may be made and equivalents may be substituted for elements thereof without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the accompanying claims. One skilled in the art will appreciate that the invention may be used with many modifications of structure, arrangement, proportions, sizes, materials and components and otherwise used in the practice of the invention, which are particularly adapted to specific environments and operative requirements without departing from the principles of the present invention. The presently disclosed embodiments are therefore to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the invention being defined by the appended claims, and not limited to the foregoing description or embodiments.