Patent Publication Number: US-2012040542-A1

Title: Cable connector assembly with a printed circuit board to change arrangement of wires

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention generally relates to a cable connector assembly, and more particularly to a cable connector assembly used in an electronic equipment. 
     2. Description of Related Art 
     Cable connector assemblies are widely used in electronic equipment, U.S. Pat. No. 7,112,105B2 discloses a cable connector assembly comprising an insulated housing with a plurality of channels, a plurality of contacts received in the insulated housing, and a plurality of wires held in tail portions of the contacts. The wires are retained in the corresponding tail portions and extending rearwards along a mating direction. However, the cable connector assembly will have a larger length along the mating direction as the wires extending rearwards, and the inner space of the electronic equipment is decreased gradually with the development of electronics, so the arrangement of the wires stated above cannot meet the requirements. And in some cases, the wires are bent to make the length of the cable connector assembly be smaller finitely, and the contacts may be deflected in the insulated housing. Thus, particular wire arrangement manner is needed to satisfy the current demands. 
     Hence, it is desirable to have an improved structure to overcome the above-mentioned disadvantages of the prior art. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Accordingly, the object of the present invention is to provide a cable connector assembly with a printed circuit board to make the wires extending forwards along a mating direction, thus the cable connector assembly can have a smaller length and contacts can be stable in an insulative housing. 
     In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, a cable connector assembly in accordance with the present invention comprises an insulative housing defining a plurality of cavities, a plurality of contacts received in the corresponding cavities, a plurality of wires electrically connected with the contacts, and a printed circuit board assembled to a back end of the insulative housing. The printed circuit board defines a first conductive portion electrically connected with the contacts and a second conductive portion electrically connected with the wires, the wires are located in front of the printed circuit board and soldered to the second conductive portion, and the wires are arranged to extend forwards along a mating direction and perpendicular to the printed circuit board. 
     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 cable connector assembly 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, perspective view of the cable connector assembly shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 4  is a view similar to  FIG. 3 , but viewed from a different aspect; 
         FIG. 5  is an exploded, perspective view of the cable connector assembly shown in  FIG. 1 ; and 
         FIG. 6  is a view similar to  FIG. 5 , but viewed from a different aspect. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Reference will now be made to the drawing figures to describe the present invention in detail. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1-5 , a cable connector assembly  100  made in accordance with the present invention comprises an insulative housing  1 , a plurality of contacts  2  retained in the insulative housing  1 , a plurality of wires  4  electrically connected with the contacts  2 , and a printed circuit board  3  mounted to the insulative housing  1 , the printed circuit board  3  is perpendicular to the insulative housing  1 . 
     Referring to  FIGS. 2-6 , the insulative housing  1  is configured with T shape, and comprises a base portion  11  and a plurality of mating posts  13  extending forwards from a front surface  12  of the base portion  11  along a mating direction. The mating posts  13  are divided into two groups spaced apart from each other. The base portion  11  defines a connecting surface  14  opposite to the front surface  12 , and the mating posts  13  have a same mating surface  15 , the mating surface  15  is parallel to the front surface  12  and in front of the front surface  12 . The insulative housing  1  defines a plurality of cavities  16  penetrating through the mating posts  13  and the base portion  11  from the mating surface  15  to the connecting surface  14 . The base portion  11  has a latch portion  114  defined on a top surface  112  thereof, and the latch portion  114  is used for engaging with a locking mechanism of a complementary connector (not shown) to achieve a secure engagement between the cable connector assembly  100  and the complementary connector. 
     A pair of mounting portions  17  are defined on lateral sides of the insulative housing  1 , and a shoulder  18  is disposed between each mounting portion  17  and the base portion  11 , that is to say, each mounting portion  17  is connecting with the base portion  11  via the shoulder  18  indirectly. The mounting portions  17  are vertical to the shoulders  18 , and each mounting portion  17  includes a column  171  and a fixing portion  172  extending rearwards from the column  171 , an expansion  173  is extending outwards from a back end of the fixing portion  172 . A front segment of the expansion  173  has a larger diameter than the fixing portion  172 , and a rear segment of the expansion  173  is tapered. A cutout  174  is recessed from a back end of the expansion  173  to the fixing portion  172 , therefore a pair of deformable pieces  175  are formed. In other alternative embodiments of the present invention, the mounting portions  17  can be defined on other positions of the base portion  11  and with other configurations. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 5-6 , the contacts  2  are arranged with an upper row and a lower row, and received in the corresponding cavities  16  of the insulative housing  1 . Each contact  2  comprises a contacting portion  21 , a tail portion  23  and a retaining portion  22  connecting the contacting portion  21  and the tail portion  23 . Each retaining portion  22  defines a pair of barbs  220  on both sides thereof. The barbs  220  are interferentially cooperating with inner walls of the cavities  16  under the condition that the contacts  2  received in the cavities  16 . The contacting portions  21  are exposed in the cavities  16  and neighboring to the mating surface  15 . 
     The printed circuit board  3  is rectangular, and defines a pair of receiving holes  31 , a first conductive portion connected with the contacts  2 , and a second conductive portion connected with the wires  4 . In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, a plurality of first conductive holes  32  are served as the first conductive portion, and a number of second conductive holes  33  are served as the second conductive portion. The printed circuit board  3  defines a plurality of conductive traces  34  electrically connected the first conductive holes  32  and the second conductive holes  33 . The receiving holes  31  are located on both sides of the first conductive holes  32 , and aligning with the corresponding mounting portions  17  of the insulative housing  1 . 
     In assembly, the contacts  2  are inserted into the cavities  16  of the insulative housing  1 , then the printed circuit board  3  is assembled to the connecting surface  14  of the insulative housing  1 , and the mounting portions  17  are inserted into the corresponding receiving holes  31 , the expansions  173  are extending through the receiving holes  31  and beyond a rear surface of the printed circuit board  3 , therefore the printed circuit board  3  is locked with the insulative housing  1 . The mounting portions  17  moves rearwards and the deformable pieces  175  might splay outwards along a radial direction after the deformable pieces  175  extending through the receiving holes  31 , and the deformable pieces  175  is located behind the printed circuit board  3  to prevent the printed circuit board  3  moving backwards relative to the insulative housing  1 . 
     Additionally, the tail portions  23  of the contacts  2  are inserted into the corresponding first conductive holes  32  of the printed circuit board  3 , and soldered in the first conductive holes  32  via solder  5 . The wires  4  are disposed in front of the printed circuit board  3 , inner conductors (not labeled) of the wires  4  are inserted into the second conductive holes  33  of the printed circuit board  3  and soldered in the second conductive holes  33 . 
     The wires  4  of the cable connector assembly  100  in the present invention are arranged to extend forwards along the mating direction and perpendicular to the printed circuit board  3 , therefore the cable connector assembly  100  can have a smaller length along the mating direction, and the contacts  2  can be prevent deflecting in the cavities  16  while the wires  4  not need bend. 
     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.