Patent Publication Number: US-2007111563-A1

Title: Connector

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
      1. Field of the Invention  
      The present invention relates to a connector, and more particularly, to an electric connector.  
      2. Background of the Invention  
      Electric connectors include many types and are commonly used with various electronic products. For example, high-frequency connectors are indispensable components for communication products.  
      Referring to  FIG. 1 , a conventional connector provided by Fujitsu Component Limited includes a cable module  91  and a case body  93 . The cable module  91  includes a printed circuit board  910 , an inner insulating frame  911 , a cable  912 , a wire guiding rack  913 , and a connection device  914 . The inner insulating frame  911  retains a middle section of the printed circuit board  910 . The cable  912  has a plurality of conducting wires  915 . The conducting wires  915  are firstly penetrated through the wire guiding rack  913 . Next, the conducting wires  915  are arranged via the wire guiding rack  913  to align with electric pads disposed at a rear of the printed circuit board  910 . Next, the conducting wires  915  are electrically connected to the electric pads disposed at the rear of the printed circuit board  910 . The connection device  914  is electrically connected to a front of the printed circuit board  910  for electrically contacting a mating connector.  
      As the printed circuit board  910 , the inner insulating frame  911 , the wire guiding rack  913 , and the connection device  914  are received in the case body  93 , the volume of the connector is therefore large.  
      Additionally, the cable  912  is not stably retained in the case body  93 . Once the cable  912  is pulled, the printed circuit board  910  will become loose and its position will be altered.  
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
      The primary object of the invention is therefore to specify a connector with a reduced volume.  
      Another object of the invention is therefore to specify a connector with an improved and more stable cable.  
      According to the invention, the objects are achieved via a connector comprising a cable module, a sleeve, and a case body. The cable module includes a printed circuit board, a cable, and an insulating member. The printed circuit board has a plurality of electric pads disposed at a front thereof. The cable has an outer layer structure and a plurality of conducting wires. The conducting wires are disposed in the outer layer structure. The conducting wires define a front portion extending out of a front of the outer layer structure. The insulating member is molded on the conducting wires and the front of the outer layer structure. The conducting wires are electrically connected to a rear of the printed circuit board. The sleeve is disposed around the outer layer structure of the cable and behind the insulating member. The case body forms a front opening and a rear opening respectively in a front and a rear thereof. The case body forms a receiving space and a locking portion therein. The printed circuit board and the insulating member are received in the receiving space, the electric pads disposed at the front of the printed circuit board are located in the front opening, the sleeve is positioned at the locking portion, and the cable extends out of the rear opening.  
      As the printed circuit board has a plurality of electric pads disposed at a front thereof, the electric pads are located in the front opening of the case body, and the insulating member is molded on the conducting wires and the front of the outer layer structure of the cable, the volume of the connector of the present invention is reduced.  
      As the sleeve is disposed behind the insulating member and is positioned at the locking portion of the case body, the stability of the cable is improved.  
      To provide a further understanding of the invention, the following detailed description illustrates embodiments and examples of the invention. Examples of the more important features of the invention thus have been summarized rather broadly in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the contributions to the art may be appreciated. There are, of course, additional features of the invention which will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject of the claims appended hereto. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
      The foregoing aspects and many of the attendant advantages of this invention will be more readily appreciated as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description, when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:  
       FIG. 1  is a cross-sectional view of a connector of the prior art;  
       FIG. 2  is an exploded perspective view of a connector of the present invention;  
       FIG. 3  is an assembled perspective view of a connector of the present invention;  
       FIG. 4  is a schematic planar view of a cable module and a sleeve of a connector of the present invention; and  
       FIG. 5  is a cross-sectional view taken along line  5 - 5  of  FIG. 4 . 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS  
      Referring to  FIGS. 2-5 , the present invention provides a connector comprising a cable module  1 , a sleeve  2 , a case body  3 , and two latching members  4 .  
      The cable module  1  includes a printed circuit board  10 , an inner insulating frame  11 , a cable  12 , an insulating member  13 , and a metal foil  14 . The printed circuit board  10  has a plurality of electric pads  101  disposed at a front thereof for electrically contacting electric points of a mating connector. The printed circuit board  10  has a plurality of electric pads  102  disposed at a rear thereof for electrically connecting to the cable  12 . The inner insulating frame  11  retains a middle section of the printed circuit board  10 . The cable  12  has an outer layer structure and a plurality of conducting wires  121 . The conducting wires  121  are disposed in the outer layer structure, and the conducting wires  121  define a front portion extending out of a front of the outer layer structure. The outer layer structure includes an outer insulating layer  122  and a braiding layer  123 . The braiding layer  123  is located between the outer insulating layer  122  and the conducting wires  121 , and the braiding layer  123  has a front extending out of a front of the outer insulating layer  122  and being bent reversely to cover the front of the outer insulating layer  122 . The metal foil  14  is disposed around the front of the outer layer structure of the cable  12 . In other words, the metal foil  14  is disposed around the front of the braiding layer  123 .  
      The conducting wires  121  are firstly arranged via a fixture (not shown) to align with the electric pads  102  disposed at the rear of the printed circuit board  10 . Next, the insulating member  13  is molded on the conducting wires  121  and the front of the outer layer structure and covers a front section of the metal foil  14 . Next, the conducting wires  121  are electrically connected to the electric pads  102  disposed at the rear of the printed circuit board  10  accurately.  
      The sleeve  2  is made of metal material. The sleeve  2  is disposed around the outer layer structure of the cable  12  and behind the insulating member  13 . In addition, an inner annular surface of the sleeve  2  contacts a rear section of the metal foil  14  to have an electromagnetic shielding effect. In this embodiment, the sleeve  2  has a front flange  21  and a rear flange  22  disposed on an outer annular surface thereof. The front flange  21  and the rear flange  22  forms an annular concavity  23  there between.  
      The case body  3  includes a first outer casing  31  and a second outer casing  32  connected with each other. The case body  3  forms a front opening  301  and a rear opening  302  respectively in a front and a rear thereof. The case body  3  forms a receiving space  30  and a locking portion  33  therein. In this embodiment, the locking portion  33  is disposed at the first outer casing  31  and has a front block  331  and a rear block  332 . The front block  331  and the rear block  332  forms a recess  333  there between. In addition, the first outer casing  31  has two grooves  311  respectively disposed on two lateral sides thereof.  
      Each of the latching members  4  has a hook tab  41  disposed at a front section thereof. Each of the latching members  4  has a supporting arm  42  and a resilient arm  43  disposed at a middle section thereof. Each of the latching members  4  has a pressing portion  44  disposed at a rear section thereof.  
      In assembly, the printed circuit board  10 , the inner insulating frame  11 , and the insulating member  13  are received in the receiving space  30  of the case body  3 , and the electric pads  101  disposed at the front of the printed circuit board  10  are located in the front opening  301  of the case body  3 , thereby the volume of the connector of the present invention is reduced. The rear flange  22  of the sleeve  2  matches the recess  333  of the case body  3 , and the front block  331  of the case body  3  matches the annular concavity  23  of the sleeve  2 , thereby the sleeve  2  is reliably positioned at the locking portion  33  and the cable  12  extends out of the rear opening  302  of the case body  3 . The supporting arm  42  and the resilient arm  43  of each of the latching members  4  are received in a corresponding one of the grooves  311 . The hook tab  41  of each of the latching members  4  is located on a front of a corresponding one of the lateral sides of the first outer casing  31 . The pressing portion  44  of each of the latching members  4  is located on a rear of a corresponding one of the lateral sides of the first outer casing  31 . The connector of the present invention further comprises a fastener  5  (such as a screw). The fastener  5  penetrates through the second outer casing  32  and fastens the first outer casing  31 , thereby the cable module  1 , the sleeve  2 , the latching members  4 , and the case body  3  are stably combined.  
      In use, the pressing portion  44  of each of the latching members  4  are pressed inwardly, so that the hook tab  41  of each of the latching members  4  are opened outwardly to latch with a mating connector. Once the cable  12  is pulled, the sleeve  2  holds the insulating member  13  to prevent the cable  12  from moving, so that the printed circuit board  10  of the cable module  1  will not become loose and its position cannot be altered.  
      As indicated above, the connector of the present invention has the following advantages:  
      1. The printed circuit board has a plurality of electric pads disposed at a front thereof, the electric pads are located in the front opening of the case body, and the insulating member is molded on the conducting wires and the front of the outer layer structure of the cable, thereby the volume of the connector of the present invention is reduced.  
      2. The sleeve is disposed behind the insulating member and is positioned at the locking portion of the case body, thereby the stability of the cable is improved.  
      It should be apparent to those skilled in the art that the above description is only illustrative of specific embodiments and examples of the invention. The invention should therefore cover various modifications and variations made to the herein-described structure and operations of the invention, provided they fall within the scope of the invention as defined in the following appended claims.