Cable connector with improved grounding arrangement

Details Cable connector with improved grounding arrangement Cable connector with improved grounding arrangement

1999-08-19

2001-05-08

Nguyen, Khiem (Department: 2839)

Electrical connectors

Electromagnetic or electrostatic shield

Shielding individually surrounding or interposed between...

C439S701000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06227909

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a cable connector, and particularly to a cable connector with improved grounding arrangement for electrically engaging with a shielded cable.
Signal transmission of a conventional cable connector is often disrupted by electromagnetic interference. Conventional cable connectors usually have a grounding or shielding mechanism for providing protection from electromagnetic interference. Pertinent examples are disclosed in Taiwan Patent Application Nos. 82101300, 821109498 and 83200965.
Referring to
FIGS. 1 and 2
, a shielding mechanism of a conventional cable connector comprises a first shell
3
′ and a second shell
4
′. The first shell
3
′ forms two pairs of latching tabs
32
′ on opposite edges thereof. Each latching tab
32
′ defines an aperture therein for engaging with corresponding first projections
16
′ formed on a dielectric housing
1
′ thereby fixing the first shell
3
′ to the housing
1
′. The second shell
4
′ forms positioning plates
43
′ on opposite edges thereof. Each positioning plate
43
′ defines an opening
430
′ therein for engaging with a second projection
16
″ formed on the housing
1
′. A pair of side wings
44
′ outwardly extend from the housing
1
′. A hole
441
′ is formed in each side wing
44
′ for cooperating with the housing
1
′. A joining portion
431
′ is formed between the positioning plate
43
′ and a main body of the second shell
4
′. When the first and second shells
3
′,
4
′ are fixed to the housing
1
′, the positioning plate
43
′ will overlap on a middle portion between the latching tabs
32
′ of the first shell
3
′. Thus, a grounding path is formed via grounding wires of a cable terminated to the cable connector, the second shell
4
′, the first shell
3
′, and a shield of a mating connector for electrostatic discharges therethrough.
However, when the cable connector is undergoing a bending test, a vibrating test or is bent optionally in applications, the positioning plate
43
′ will break easily at the joining portion
431
′ as a large quantity of internal stress of the second shell
4
′ itself are inevitably concentrated thereon. Thus, the grounding path will form open circuit or break off thereby decreasing the shielding effect of the shielding mechanism and adversely affecting signal transmission reliability.
After the dielectric housing
1
′ is assembled with the other components to form a subassembly, the second projections
16
″ can not move within the elongate aperture
430
′ of the position plate
43
′. Thus, the main body of the second shell
4
′ as well as the first shell
3
′ may easily buckle at middle portion thereof. Thus, when a dielectric shell is insert molded around the subassembly, the dielectric shell will also become damaged due to the buckling of the shielding mechanism resulting in a defective cable connector.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A main object of the present invention is to provide a cable connector having a shielding mechanism for ensuring a reliable signal transmission therethrough.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a cable connector having a shielding mechanism which can endure frequent bending movements thereby ensuring a reliable performance of the cable connector.
A cable connector in accordance with one aspect of the present invention comprises a dielectric housing receiving a plurality of contacts therein and a shielding mechanism including a first shell and a second shell. The first shell forms a pair of positioning tabs extending from middle portions of edges of upper and lower surfaces thereof, respectively. The second shell defines a pair of cutouts in edges of middle portions of upper and lower surfaces thereof corresponding to the positioning tabs of the first shell. The first and second shells form a pair of first and second grounding tabs on opposite lateral sides thereof for abutting against outer surfaces of a positioning portion of the dielectric housing. Each second grounding tab of the second shell forms an outwardly projecting dimple for engaging with the corresponding first grounding tab of the first shell. Thus, a grounding path is established through grounding wires of a cable terminated to the cable connector, the second shell, the first shell, and a shield of a mating connector for electrostatic discharges therethrough. When the cable connector is bent optionally in applications or in a bend (vibrating) test, the grounding path will not break off or become open circuit since disengagement between the first and second grounding tabs of the first and second will not occur after the dielectric jacket is assembled to achieve the cable connector.
The first and second grounding tabs are formed on opposite lateral edges of the first and second shells and assembled to the corresponding shoulders of the housing, moreover, a pair of cutout is defined in middle of the second shell responding to the positioning tabs of the first shell. Therefore, middle portions of the second shell will not buckle, thus, the dielectric jacket will have an excellent configuration after being insert molded around a subassembly consisting of the housing and the shielding mechanism.
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: 4521062 (1985-06-01), Kurbikoff et al.
patent: 5137472 (1992-08-01), Hillbish et al.
patent: 5637015 (1997-06-01), Tan et al.

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