Patent Publication Number: US-6338653-B1

Title: Surface mount cable connector

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a connector, and particularly to a cable connector for connecting a plurality of cables to a printed circuit board. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 5,738,545 discloses a connection device comprising a cable side connector 3 for electrically receiving a flexible cable 7, and a printed board side connector 5 for being soldered to a circuit board (not shown). The cable side connector 3 is adapted to engage with the printed board side connector 5 for electrically connecting the flexible cable 7 to the circuit board. However, the use of the cable side connector 3 complicates manufacturing and increases cost. Hence, an improved electrical connector is required to directly connect a cable to a printed circuit board. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     A main object of the present invention is to provide a cable connector for directly interconnecting a plurality of cables with a printed circuit board on which the cable connector is mounted. 
     A cable connector for connecting a plurality of coaxial cables to a printed circuit board in accordance with the present invention comprises an insulative housing mounted on the printed circuit board, a plurality of signal terminals, a grounding terminal and a snap cover secured on the housing for preventing displacement of the cables from the cable connector. 
     The housing defines a plurality of first receiving portions for receiving coaxial cables. Each signal terminal comprises a solder portion soldered on the printed circuit board and a contact portion extending into a corresponding first receiving portion of the housing. The grounding terminal received in the housing comprises a plurality of solder sections soldered to the printed circuit board and a plurality of tabs extending into the first receiving portions for connecting with metal braids of the coaxial cables. The snap cover defines a plurality of second receiving portions corresponding to the first receiving portions of the housing. The coaxial cables are clamped between the first receiving portions and the second receiving portions thereby pressing conductors thereof to contact the contact portions of the signal terminals and preventing displacement of the coaxial cables from the cable connector. 
     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 exploded view of a cable connector of the present invention, a plurality of coaxial cables to be terminated by the cable connector, and a printed circuit board for mounting the cable connector thereto; 
     FIG. 2 is a bottom perspective view of a snap cover of the cable connector of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 3 is a perspective view of an insulative housing of the cable connector of FIG. 1 mounted on the printed circuit board, the housing being partially cut away to illustrate the relationship between signal terminals, a grounding terminal and the housing; 
     FIG. 4 is an assembled view of FIG. 1; and 
     FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along line  5 — 5  of FIG.  4 . 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Referring to FIG. 1, a cable connector  100  of the present invention for connecting a plurality of coaxial cables  200  to a printed circuit board  300  comprises an elongate insulative housing  10 , a plurality of signal terminals  20 , a grounding terminal  30 , and an elongate snap cover  40 . 
     The housing  10  comprises a mating surface  102 , and a mounting surface  104  opposite the mating surface  102 . A plurality of first receiving portions  12  is provided on the mating surface  102  for receiving the coaxial cables  200 . Each first receiving portion  12  comprises a front clamping portion  14  having a pair of opposite clamping arms  142  extending upwards, and a rear first strain relief  16 . A plurality of protrusions  162  is formed on an inner face (not labeled) of each first strain relief  16  for engaging with a corresponding cable  200 . A recess  121  is defined in a middle portion of each first receiving portion  12  between the clamping portion  14  and the first strain relief  16  and extends toward the mounting surface  104  of the housing  10 . As is clearly shown in FIG. 3, a slot  13  is defined in the mounting surface  104  of the housing  10  and communicates with the recesses  121 . A pair of wedges  18  is formed on opposite ends of the housing  10  for engaging with the snap cover  40 . A pair of posts  19  extends downwardly from the mounting surface  104  of the housing  10  for fitting into the printed circuit board  300 . 
     Each signal terminal  20  comprises a solder portion  22  at one end thereof for being soldered to the circuit board  300  and a contact portion  24  at another end. 
     The grounding terminal  30  comprises an elongate beam  32 . A plurality of solder sections  34  extends downwardly and then rearwardly from the beam  32  for being soldered to the circuit board  300 . A plurality of tabs  36  extends upwardly from the beam  32  and alternates with the solder sections  34 . 
     Referring to FIG. 2, the elongate snap cover  40  comprises a base  42  and a pair of buckles  44  formed on opposite ends thereof. The base  42  defines a plurality of second receiving portions  422  corresponding to the first receiving portions  12  of the housing  10 . Each second receiving portion  422  comprises a block  424  formed at one end thereof corresponding to the clamping portion  14  of the housing  10  and a second strain relief  428  defined in the other end thereof corresponding to the first strain relief  16  of the housing  10 . A pair of grooves  426  is defined at opposite sides of the block  424 . A plurality of protrusions  429  is formed on a bottom surface (not labeled) of the second strain relief  428  for securing a cable jacket  212  of the coaxial cable  200 . 
     Referring to FIGS. 3,  4  and  5 , in assembly, the beam  32  of the grounding terminal  30  is inserted into the slot  13  of the housing  10  with the tabs  36  extending into the recesses  121  and the solder sections  34  downwardly exposed. The signal terminals  20  are then assembled to the housing  10  with the contact portions  24  thereof being received in the clamping portions  14  respectively, and the solder portions  22  alternating with the solder sections  34  of the grounding terminal  30 . Each contact portion  24  and each tab  36  received in the same first receiving portion  12  are aligned with each other. The posts  19  of the housing  10  are then pressed into a pair of through holes  302  of the printed circuit board  300 . The solder sections  34  of the grounding terminal  30  and the solder portions  22  of the signal terminals  20  are soldered to solder pads  304  of the printed circuit board  300 . The coaxial cables  200  are inserted into the first receiving portions  12  of the housing  10  whereby a conductor  210  of each coaxial cable  200  is received in a corresponding clamping portion  14 , a metal braid  214  thereof contacts the corresponding tab  36  of the grounding terminal  30  to provide a grounding connection, and the cable jacket  212  thereof is received in the corresponding first stain relief  16 . 
     Finally the snap cover  40  is assembled to the housing  10  by snugly fitting the wedges  18  of the housing  10  with the buckles  44  of the snap cover  40 . When the snap cover  40  and the housing  10  are assembled together, the clamping arms  142  of the housing  10  enter into the corresponding grooves  426  of the snap cover  40 , the blocks  424  of the snap cover  40  enter into corresponding spaces between the clamping arms  142  of the housing  10  to press conductors  210  to electrically engage with the contact portions  24  of the corresponding signal terminals  20 , and the first strain reliefs  16  and the corresponding second strain reliefs  428  cooperatively clamp the corresponding cable jackets  212  therebetween with the protrusions  162 ,  429  thereof biting into the cable jackets  212  to prevent displacement of the coaxial cables  200  from the cable connector  100 . An electrical connection between the conductor  210  of each coaxial cable  200  and the printed circuit board  300  and a grounding connection between the metal braid  214  of each coaxial cable  200  and the printed circuit board  300  are thus established. 
     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.