Patent Abstract:
A cable assembly ( 100 ) comprises an insulative housing ( 1 ), a plurality of contacts ( 2 ) received in the housing ( 1 ) and a plurality of wires ( 3 ) electrically connecting to the contacts ( 2 ) and a fastening device ( 7 ). The housing ( 1 ) defines a base portion ( 10 ) and a mating portion ( 12 ) extending forwardly from the base portion, said base portion having at least a through hole ( 107 ) in a lateral side thereof. The fastening device ( 7 ) is incorporated in the through holes ( 107 ) and comprises a bolt ( 71 ) matching with a nut ( 72 ) received in the through hole ( 107 ), said nut ( 72 ) has an engaging portion ( 723 ) split into at least two deformable pieces ( 7230 ), and the bolt ( 71 ) is slidably received in the nut ( 72 ) to urge the deformable piece ( 7230 ) splaying when the bolt is pushed in; wherein blocking means are arranged between the bolt and the nut to prevent the bolt sliding out of the nut.

Full Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0002]    The present invention generally relates to a cable assembly, and more particularly to a cable assembly with a fastening device incorporated therewith facilitating readily and secured interconnection with a mating connector. 
         [0003]    2. Description of Related Art 
         [0004]    Computers are widely used in the different fields today. Each computer has a hard disk drive (HDD) for storing data. When the computer work, a Central Processing Unit (CPU) thereof continuously accesses the hard disk drive to retrieve data from the hard disk or store data to the hard disk drive. For compatibility, the interfaces of the hard disk drive are standardized. There are many hard disk drive interface standards and the SCSI (Small Computer System Interface) families and ATA (Advanced Technology Attachment) families are the most famous in the last decade. 
         [0005]    Serial Attached SCSI (SAS) is a successor to the parallel SCSI and is based on serial technology. Besides the advantage of higher speed signal transmission, another most significant advantage is that the SAS interface is compatible with serial ATA (SATA) hard disk drives. The SAS receptacle connector has generally the same configuration as the SATA receptacle connector except that the two cavities of the SATA receptacle connector are merged in a single, but larger one, and a third set of signal contacts are incorporated into a second side wall opposing a first side wall where two sets of contacts have already being assembled. 
         [0006]    Generally, a SAS-type cable assembly comprises a connector compatible with the SAS Protocol and a cable coupled to the connector and a mother board inside of the computer. The connector is further mounted to a panel of a computer via a fastening device. Such as disclosed by CN Patent No. 2559123Y, in which a cable assembly has a connector and a pair of screws used for fastening the connector to the panel of a computer, however, the screws can easily get lost when they separated from the cable assembly, furthermore, a tool is need to handle the screws to fasten them to the panel, and this is inconvenient for users. Therefore, it is necessary to provide an improved fastening device to facilitate interlocking and unlocking. 
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0007]    Accordingly, the object of the present invention is to provide a cable assembly having a plastic rivet, which can facilitate fixing to a panel and removing from it. 
         [0008]    In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, a cable assembly in accordance with the present invention comprises an insulative housing, a plurality of contacts received in the housing, and a plurality of wires electrically connected to the contacts and a fastening device. The housing defines a base portion and a mating portion extending forwardly from the base portion, said base portion having at least a through hole in a lateral side thereof. The fastening device is mounted to the through holes and comprises a bolt matching with a nut received in the through hole, said nut has an engaging portion split into at least two deformable pieces, and the bolt is slidably received in the nut to urge the deformable piece splaying; wherein blocking means between the bolt and the nut prevent the bolt sliding out of the nut. 
         [0009]    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 
         [0010]      FIG. 1  is an assembled view of the electrical cable assembly; 
           [0011]      FIG. 2  is an exploded, perspective view of a cable assembly in accordance with the present invention; 
           [0012]      FIG. 3  is a view similar to  FIG. 2 , but viewed from a different angle; 
           [0013]      FIG. 4  is an assembled view of the fastening device; and 
           [0014]      FIG. 5  is a cross-sectional view taken along line  5 - 5  of  FIG. 4 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0015]    Reference will now be made to the drawing figures to describe the present invention in detail. 
         [0016]    Referring to  FIGS. 1-3 , a cable assembly  100  in accordance with the present invention comprises an insulative housing  1 , a plurality of contacts  2  received in the housing  1 , a plurality of wires  3  electrically connecting with the contacts  2 , a spacer  4  attached to the housing  1 , a printed circuit board  6  assembled to the spacer  4  and electrically connecting with both the contacts  2  and the wires  3 , a cover  5  overmolded with the housing  1 , tail portions of the contacts  2  and front portions of the wires  3 , and a pair of fastening device  7  mounted in both sides of the housing  1 . 
         [0017]    The insulative housing  1  has an elongated base portion  10  and a mating portion  12  extending forwardly from the base portion  10 . The base portion  10  defines a depression portion  104  recessed forwardly from a rear face  102  of a middle section of the insulative housing  1 , and the depression portion  104  is opposite to the mating portion  12  along a mating direction. A rectangular aperture  106  is defined and located in the base portion  10  and in communication with the depression portion  104 . The mating portion  12  has a tongue portion  120  in a middle section thereof, and which includes a first panel portion  121 , a second panel portion  123  arranged in a side-by-side manner and extending along the mating direction. The tongue portion  120  further has an expanded portion  125  located between the first panel portion  121  and the second panel portion  123 . An up surface  1201  of the first panel portion  121  and the second panel portion  123  and a bottom surface  1202  of the expanded portion  125  respectively have a plurality of first receiving passageways  1210 , second receiving passageways  1230  and third receiving passageways  1250 . The first receiving passageways  1210  and the second receiving passageways  1230  and the third receiving passageways  1250  are further sloted through the base portion  10  and communicate with the rectangular aperture  106 . 
         [0018]    A pair of guiding portions  13  extend forwardly from the lateral sides of the mating portion  12 . Each guiding portion  13  has a guiding slot  130 , facing to the tongue portion  120 . Both sides of the base  10  define a through hole  107 , and a front section of the through hole  107  is larger than a back section thereof, with a step  1070  formed therein. 
         [0019]    The contacts  2  comprises a plurality of first contacts  21 , a plurality of second contacts  22  and a plurality of third contacts  23 , which are respectively received in the first receiving passageways  1210 , the second receiving passageways  1230  and the third receiving passageways  1250 . Each first contact  21  comprises a contact portion  210 , a tail portion  214 , and a retention portion  212  connecting the contact portion  210  and the tail portion  214 . The configuration of the first contacts  21 , the second contacts  22  and the third contacts  23  is same. The first contacts  21  are used for transmitting signal and the second contacts  22  are used for transmitting power. The number of the first contacts  21  is equal to that of the third contacts  23 , and both of the first contacts  21  and the third contacts  23  respectively comprise three contacts for grounding and two pairs of contacts for data transmitting. 
         [0020]    The second contacts  22  include three sets of contacts for transmitting power, and two sets of contacts for grounding located between the adjacent two sets of contacts for transmitting power. Each set of contacts for transmitting power is consisted of three contacts, which are together soldered to a power trace  60  of the printed circuit board  6 . One set of contacts for grounding is soldered with corresponding grounding trace  62  of the printed circuit board  6  respectively, and the other set of contacts for grounding is consisted of three ground contacts, two of which are soldered to a common grounding trace  62  and the remaining one is soldered to a corresponding grounding trace  62 . 
         [0021]    Particularly referring to  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 2 , the spacer  4  is elongated and comprises a first side  402  and a second side  404  opposite to the first side  402 . A stop block  41  extends upwardly from the second side  404  and beyond the first side  402  along a direction perpendicular to the mating direction. A rectangular opening  42  is defined in the first side  402  and recessed from a lateral side of the rear face of the spacer  4 . The second side  404  has a platform  43  disposed on opposite lateral side lower than an outer surface of the second side  404 . The stop block  41  further defines a plurality of through holes  46  in communication to the first passageways  1210 , the second passageways  1230  and the third passageways  1250 . A pair of protrusions  45  are formed on both sides of the stop block  41 . The spacer  4  further comprises a plurality of positioning ribs  44  extending forwardly from a front face thereof and are disposed above through holes  46 . 
         [0022]    The wires  3  comprise a plurality of first wires  31  in accordance with Serial ATA standard and a set of second wires  32  arranged abreast. The first wires  31  are separated into two groups, each group comprises two pairs of signal conductors  312  for transmitting signals, a pair of metal shieldings  313  enclosing the signal conductors  312  and two pair of grounding conductors  314  located at outer sides of the pair of signal conductors  312  and electrically connecting with the metal shielding  313 . The signal conductors  312  and the grounding conductors  314  are soldered to corresponding tail portions  214  of the contacts  2 , and the two grounding conductors  314  approached to each other are soldered to the same contact  2 . The second wire  32  comprises a conductor  320  and an outer jacket  322 . 
         [0023]    The printed circuit board  6  has three sets of power traces  60  and two sets of grounding traces  62  located between the adjacent two sets of power traces  60 . Each trace  60 ,  62  comprises a base portion  600  for electrically connecting with a corresponding wire  3  and at least one beam  602  connecting with the base portion  600  for electrically connecting with a corresponding contact  2 . To be depicted in detail, each set of power trace  60  is configured to be fork shape, that is, the power trace  60  comprises three beams  602  connecting to a common base portion  600 . One set of grounding traces  62  comprises a two-beam trace and a one-beam trace, while the other set of grounding traces  62  comprises three one-beam traces. 
         [0024]    Referring to  FIGS. 2-5 , the fastening device  7  is made of plastic material, however, other materials such as metal is possible, and comprises a bolt  71  and a nut  72 . The bolt  71  is consisted of an operating portion  711 , a first block portion  712  extending rearwardly from the operating portion  711 , a first post portion  713  extending rearwardly from the first block portion  712  and thinner than the first block portion  712 , a second post portion  714  extending from the first post portion  713  and thinner than the first post portion  713 , and a nob  715  extending from the second slide portion  714  and thicker than the second post portion  714 , the diameter of the nob  715  is same as the first post portion  713 . 
         [0025]    The nut  72  has a receiving hole  720 , and comprises a second block portion  721 , a neck portion  722  extending rearwards from the second block portion  721 , and an engaging portion  723  extending from the neck portion  722 . The engaging portion  723  is splitted into three deformable pieces  7230 . The receiving hole  720  extends along the nut  72  from front-to-rear. The diameter of the engaging portion  723  is thicker than the latch portion  722  but thinner than the second block portion  721 . Three tabs  7231  are respectively formed on front sections of inner surfaces of the deformable pieces  7230  and extend into the receiving hole  720 . 
         [0026]    Referring to  FIGS. 1-3 , the first, the second and the third contacts  21 ,  22 ,  23  are respectively inserted into the through holes  46 , and simultaneously received in the first, the second and the third passageways  1210 ,  1230 ,  1250 , with the contact portions  210  thereof exposed on the up surface  1201  of the housing  1 , the retention portions  212  thereof interferentially engaging with corresponding first, second and third passageways  1210 ,  1230 ,  1250 , and the tail portions  214  thereof outside the rear face  102  of the housing  1 . The spacer  4  is assembled to the rear end of the housing  1  with the printed circuit board  6  received in the opening  42  thereof. The positioning ribs  44  are respectively inserted into the back of the passageways  1210 ,  1230 ,  1250  for interconnecting the spacer  4  and the housing  1 , the stop block  41  is received in the rectangular aperture  106  of the housing  1 , with the protrusions  45  thereof interferentially engaging with interior side surfaces of the rectangular aperture  106 . 
         [0027]    To be depicted in detail, three tail portions  214  of each set of power contacts of the second contacts  22  are respectively soldered to three beams  602  of each power trace  60  of the printed circuit board  6 , while the conductors  320  of the second wires  32  are respectively soldered to corresponding base portion  600  of power trace  60 . The signal contacts of the first contacts  21  are respectively located on the first side  402  of the spacer  4  and respectively soldered with corresponding first wires  31 . 
         [0028]    The three sets of contacts for transmitting power and one set of contacts for grounding of the first contacts  22  are separated from adjacent contacts  22 , so the possibility of mis-soldering is eliminated. Furthermore, the number of the beams  602  of the additional printed circuit board  6  is equal to that of the tail portions  214  of the second contacts  22 , and the base portion  600  can be soldered with the conductors  320  of corresponding second wires  32  selectively. 
         [0029]    Referring to  FIG. 1 , the cover  5  is of insulative material and molded over the base  10  of the housing  1  and molded over the solder connection between the contacts  2  and the wire  3 , for protecting those components. 
         [0030]    Referring to  FIG. 1-5 , the fastening device  7  is assembled to the through holes  107 , with the neck portion  722  of the nut  72  is fixed in the back section of the through hole  107 , the second block portion  721  locates in the front section of the through hole  107 , and the back face of the second block portion  721  is against the step  1070  of the housing  1 . The bolt  71  inserts into the receiving hole  720 , and the nob  715  reaches the back end of the tabs  7231 , and locking with the tabs  7231 , which may prevent the bolt  71  sliding out of the nut  72 , as the size of the first post portion  713  is smaller than that of the receiving hole  720 , so that the first post portion  713  can slide in the receiving hole  720  along an axial direction. Simultaneously, the nob  715  moves rearwardly and urges the deformable pieces  7230  of the engaging portion  723  splaying outwards along a radial direction, and to engage with corresponding mounting hole of a panel  8 , so the cable assembly  100  is fixed to the panel  8  or other equipment. When it arrives to a certain position, the block portion  712  will be stopped by the second block portion  721 . While separate the electrical cable assembly  100  from the panel  8  or other equipment, operator may exert a forward force to the operating portion  711 , the nob  715  moves forwadly to slide out of the engaging portion  723 , and the engaging portion  723  restores, thus, the electrical cable assembly  100  releases from the panel  8 . 
         [0031]    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.

Technology Classification (CPC): 7