Patent Publication Number: US-7708587-B2

Title: Daisy chain cable assembly

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention generally relates to cable assembly, and more particularly to a cable assembly which includes a number of connectors linked together by cables in a serial manner. 
   DESCRIPTION OF PRIOR ART 
   The quality of a power supply is a key factor of determining stable operation and quality of a computer system. With the progress of science and technology, the quality demand for the power supply of the electronic device also grows higher and higher. The quality of overall power output will be decayed owing to the quality instability of inputting power source, which will induce the electronic device to stop operating and the computer system to stop working, and thus, important data or information will be lost. 
   In addition to power quality, the cable management of the power cable is also a big trouble. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,855,064 issued to Chang on Jan. 5, 1999 discloses a power supply system with modularized and integrated cable interface configuration for providing power from a power source to a plurality of subsystems in a personal computer. The power supply system includes a power cable for connecting the power supply system to the external power source. The power supply system further includes an output (O/P) cable having a first end and second end, the O/P cable including a plurality of cable groups wherein each of the cable groups including a subsystem plug module on the first end for connecting to corresponding PC subsystems. The power supply system further includes an integrated PC receptive module for providing an interface with the O/P cable. The O/P cable further including an integrated O/P cable plug module on the second end for plugging the O/P cable into the integrated receptive module, wherein the integrated O/P plug module being in electric connection to each of the cable groups. 
   However, the interior space of a general computer is limited, and the cable groups occupy too much space, which will influence the management of the redundant cables. Further, lacking effective management of the redundant cables results in that the heat-dissipating air flow cannot be effectively guided which incurs inferior heat dissipation and influences the efficacy of the computer. 
   Hence, an improved cable assembly for power supply is highly desired to overcome the aforementioned problems. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a cable assembly which has a better cable management to reduce redundant cables. 
   In order to achieve the object set forth, a cable assembly in accordance with the present invention comprises at least two connectors, each connector including an insulated housing and a plurality of power contacts supported by the insulated housing; two printed circuit boards respectively disposed rearward of the two connectors, and tail portions of the power contacts respectively soldered to the two printed circuit boards; and a plurality of power wires including one set of the power wires each having two opposite ends soldered to the two printed circuit board to connected the two connector together and the other set of power wires soldered to one of the two printed circuit board and further adapted for coupling to a power source such that the two connectors are capable of being powered by same power transmitting lines. 
   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 
       FIG. 1  is an exploded, perspective view of a cable assembly in accordance with the present invention; 
       FIG. 2  is similar to  FIG. 1 , but viewed from another aspect; 
       FIG. 3  is a partially assembled, perspective view of the cable assembly; 
       FIG. 4  is similar to  FIG. 1 , but viewed from another aspect; 
       FIG. 5  is an assembled, perspective view of the cable assembly; 
       FIG. 6  is a rear elevational view of the cable assembly; 
       FIG. 7  is an enlarged view of a first printed circuit board of a first cable assembly; and 
       FIG. 8  is an enlarged view of a first printed circuit board of a second cable assembly. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
   Reference will now be made in detail to the preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
   Referring to  FIGS. 1-8 , a cable assembly  100  in accordance with the present invention comprises a first cable assembly  1 , a second cable assembly  2  and a third cable assembly  3  interconnected one another serially. 
   The first cable assembly  1  comprises a connector  10  and a number of power wires  14  and signal wires  15  coupled to the connector  10 . The connector  10  includes an insulated housing  11 , a first printed circuit board (PCB)  12 , a second PCB  13 , a plurality of power contacts  115  and signal contacts  116  supported by the insulated housing  11 . 
   The insulated housing  11  includes an elongated base portion  110 , a mating portion  112  extending forwardly from the base portion  110 , and a pair of mounting portions  114  formed at lateral sides of the base portion  110 . The mating portion  112  has a plurality of walls (not numbered) interconnected one another to form a receiving space  1120  thereamong. The power contacts  115  and signal contacts  116  extends into the receiving space  1120  from the base portion  110 , with tail portions  1152 ,  1162  thereof disposed outward of a back face of the base portion  110 . Each mounting portion  114  further has an aperture  1142  therein for assembling a corresponding screw  17 . 
   The first PCB  12  has a circuit substrate  120 , a set of first conductive holes  122 , a set of second conductive holes  124  and a set of third conductive holes  126 . The first conductive holes  122  and third conductive holes  126  are respectively arranged at an upper section and a lower section of the circuit substrate  120 , while the second conductive holes  126  are arranged in a middle section of the circuit substrate  120 . The set of first conductive holes  122 , the set of second conductive holes  124  and the set of third conductive holes  126  are parallel to one another along a vertical direction. The number of the first conductive holes  122  is less than that of the third conductive holes  126 , and the number of the third conductive holes  126  is less than that of the second conductive holes  124 . Two positioning holes  128  are defined in the lateral sides of the circuit substrate  120  for receiving corresponding posts  1102  projected backwardly from the back face of the base portion  110 . 
   The second PCB  13  has a circuit substrate  130 , a group of conductive holes  132  are defined in a lower section thereof and a number of conductive pads (not shown) are formed on an upper section of a lateral side of the circuit substrate  130 . Two positioning apertures  134  are arranged at lateral sides of a lower section of the circuit substrate  130  to receive positioning poles  1104  formed at the back surface of the base portion  110 . 
   The power wires  14  are hybrid typed wires which includes three first power wires  141  and two second power wires  142 . Each first power wire  141  is thicker than the second power wire  142 . A current passes the first wire  141  is about 4.5 A, while a current passes the second wire  142  is about 1.5 A. Each first power wire  141  or second power wire  142  has an inner conductor (not numbered) enclosed within an outer jacket (not numbered). 
   The tail portions  1152 ,  1162  of the power contacts  115  and signal contacts  116  are inserted into the second conductive holes  124  of the first PCB  12  and the conductive holes  132  of the second PCB  13 , and are further soldered therein. Front sections of the inner conductors of the power wires  14  are inserted into the first conductive holes  122  and soldered therein. The signal wires  15  are soldered to the conductive pads of the second PCB  13  and extend laterally. Therefore, the power wires  14  are perpendicular to the signal wires  15 . 
   The second cable assembly  2  is same as the third cable assembly  3 . The second cable assembly  2  is similar to the first cable assembly too, except for some minor differences and a detailed description of the other same elements and structures are omitted hereby. The second cable assembly  2  has a first PCB  22  similar to the first PCB  12 , except that the number of first conductive holes  222  is more than that of the first PCB  12 . The second cable assembly  2  also has a group power wires  24 , except that a diameter of each of them is identical and thinner than that of the first power wire  141 . Furthermore, the number of power wires  24  of the second cable assembly  2  is more than the power wires  14  of the first cable assembly  1 . The power wires  24  are more flexible than the power wires  14 . 
   Opposite ends of each power wire  24  are respectively inserted into the corresponding third conductive hole  126  of the first PCB  12  and a first conductive holes  222  of the first PCB  22  and soldered therein, while tail portions  2152  of power contacts  215  are inserted into second conductive holes  224  of the first PCB  22 . Tail portions  2162  of signal contacts  216  are inserted into conductive holes  232  of second PCB  23 , and signal wires  25  are soldered to conductive pads (not shown) of the second PCB  23  and extend laterally therefrom. Thus, the first connector  11  is coupled to a second connector  21  via the power wires  24 . 
   Similarly, a third connector  31  interconnected with the second connector  21  via a first PCB  32  and a group of power wires  34  by same manner, and signal wires  35  are soldered to a second PCB  33  and extend laterally therefrom. Detailed description is omitted hereby. 
   Three insulators  16 ,  26 ,  36  are respectively molded over rear portions of the first, second and third connectors  11 ,  21 ,  31 , the first PCBs  12 ,  22 ,  32 , the second PCBs  13 ,  23 ,  33 , and end sections of the power wires  14 ,  24 ,  34  and signal wires  15 ,  25 ,  35  adjacent the rear portions of the first, second and third connectors  11 ,  21 ,  31 . 
   The first, second and third connectors  11 ,  21 ,  31  interconnected one another serially by power wires  24 ,  34  and all powered by the same power wires  14  which is coupled to a power source (not shown), while the signal wires  15 ,  25 ,  35  are respectively connected to the first, second and third connectors  11 ,  21 ,  31  in parallel manner. That is to say, the first, second and third connectors  11 ,  21 ,  31  are capable of being powered by same power transmitting lines, and by such arrangement, it can greatly reduce redundant cables for power supply. 
   It will be understood that the invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or central characteristics thereof. The present examples and embodiments, therefore, are to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, and the invention is not to be limited to the details given herein.