Cable connector

Details Cable connector Cable connector

1999-11-23

2001-04-03

Paumen, Gary F. (Department: 2833)

Electrical connectors

With vitreous-type envelope

Having bayonet-coupling contact

C439S101000, C439S579000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06210230

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electrical connector and particularly to a hybrid connector terminated to a transmission line.
2. Description of the Prior Art
With the ever-increasing miniaturization of electronic devices in a variety of industries, such as in the computer and telecommunication industries, along with the accompanying miniaturization of electrical connectors, considerable problems have been encountered in terminating miniature high-speed cables. A terminating system is normally disposed in a cable connector for terminating high-speed or high frequency coaxial cables of a transmission line. Examples of related art are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,711,686; 5,716,236; 5,718,607; and 5,768,771. As is shown in
FIGS. 8 and 9
, a fragment of a conventional cable connector
9
includes a dielectric housing
90
, a forward shroud
91
, two screws
92
, a cover
93
, and a terminating system
14
. The terminating system
14
includes a grounding plate
94
and a pair of contact blocks
95
in which four contacts
96
are insert molded. One end of the grounding plate
94
has four arms
941
forming channels therein to hold high-speed cables
10
and to be in contact with metallic shields
11
of the cables
10
. The other end of the grounding plate
94
electrically connects with a corresponding element of a complementary electrical connector (not shown) to form a grounding path. The grounding plate
94
is partially accommodated in the dielectric housing
90
by being sandwiched between the contact blocks
95
, one upper, one lower. The contacts
96
are arranged in pairs on both sides of the grounding plate
94
to terminate inner conductors of the cables
10
held in the arms
941
. The contacts
96
must be precisely positioned in the course of insert molding. The small contacts
96
have a fragile structure and may be damaged or distorted by high-pressure molten plastic during the insert molding process. The two contact blocks
95
are first separately molded and are then assembled together to retain the grounding plate
94
therebetween. Such an assembly process is complicated and time and cost inefficient. Therefore, a cable connector with a terminating system, which can solve the above-mentioned problems, is desired.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A main object of the present invention is to provide a cable connector having an improved terminating system for reliably terminating high-speed cables and resolving problems of the conventional art.
A cable connector in accordance with the present invention mainly comprises a pair of covers, a pair of shielding shells, a forward shroud, an insulative housing, a plurality of data terminals arranged in terminal modules, and a terminating system for terminating high-speed cables.
The terminating system includes a dielectric spacer for being accommodated in the housing, a grounding plate stably retained in the spacer, and two pairs of signal terminals for connecting to inner conductors of the high-speed cables. The spacer defines corresponding passageways for the signal terminals to extend through. The grounding plate is of a two-layer configuration and has an upper and a lower plate connected at a leading edge. The grounding plate has an end opposite to the leading edge formed with four arms to hold the high-speed cables therein and to connect with metallic shields of the cables. The signal terminals each comprise a latch structure at an intermediate portion thereof including a first widened portion and a second widened portion. The first widened portion of the latch structure is dimensioned to be accommodated in a corresponding passage of the spacer and the second widened portion, having a larger width, fits between the housing and the spacer, thereby reliably retaining the signal terminals.
The housing defines a plurality of through holes therethrough, a slit adjacent to the through holes, and a pair of apertures disposed at each of opposite sides of the slit. The data terminals extend through the through holes and front ends of the grounding plate and the signal terminals extend through the slit and the apertures, respectively, into the forward shroud assembled to the housing.
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.


REFERENCES:
patent: 5711686 (1998-01-01), O'Sullivan et al.
patent: 5716236 (1998-02-01), O'Sullivan et al.
patent: 5718607 (1998-02-01), Murphy et al.
patent: 5768771 (1998-06-01), O'Sullivan
patent: 5961348 (1999-10-01), Murphy

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