Cable end connector assembly having pull mechanism

Details Cable end connector assembly having pull mechanism Cable end connector assembly having pull mechanism

2003-04-02

2004-03-16

Pauman, Gary (Department: 2833)

Electrical connectors

Including handle or distinct manipulating means

C439S478000, C439S160000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06705885

ABSTRACT:

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
This patent application is related to contemporaneously filed applications having the same applicant, the same assignee and the same title with the invention.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electrical connector assembly, and particularly to a cable end connector assembly having a pull mechanism to facilitate disengaging the cable end connector assembly from a mating complementary connector.
2. Description of Prior Art
There exists in the art a cable end connector assembly matable with an electrical connector mounted on a printed circuit board for transmitting signals therebetween. To facilitate removing the cable end connector assembly from connection with the complementary connector, pull mechanisms have been used. Such pull mechanisms generally permit applying a withdrawing force to the cable end connector assembly without directly pulling a cable of the cable end connector assembly.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,379,361 (the '361 patent) discloses one type of pull mechanism. In conjunction with
FIG. 3
of the '361 patent, a cable end connector assembly
1
has a pull tab
50
partially inserted in a connector body
9
of the assembly
1
between two rows of contacts
7
of the assembly
1
for user pinching and pulling when the assembly
1
is to be disengaged from a complementary connector. However, to comply with miniaturization trends in the electronic field, the cable end connector assembly is required to be manufactured much smaller than before, and the contacts of the assembly are arranged much closer than before. Therefore, there will be no enough room inside the connector body
9
to accommodate the pull tab
50
.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,416,353 (the '353 patent) discloses another type of pull mechanism. In conjunction with
FIG. 1
of the '353 patent, a cable end connector assembly
1
has a pull mechanism
7
assembled outside of an elongated housing
30
thereof. The housing
30
is formed with a pair of locking structure at opposite ends thereof. The pull mechanism
7
comprises an arch pull leash
70
and a pair of locking tabs
72
engageable with the pull leash
70
and the locking structure of the housing
30
. Thus, the assembly
1
can be disengaged from a complementary connector readily by pulling the pull leash
70
. Whereas, such pull mechanism and locking structure are not adapted for a miniature cable end connector assembly, because the sizes of the pull mechanism and the locking structure are required to be much smaller to correspond to the miniature connector assembly, which will make the configurations of the pull mechanism and the locking structure become quite complicated comparing with they being in original sizes. Therefore, a mass of trouble will be encountered in manufacturing and assembling the pull mechanism and the locking structure.
Hence, an improved cable end connector assembly is required to overcome the disadvantages of the prior art.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A major object of the present invention is to provide a cable end connector assembly with a pull mechanism facilitating manufacturing and assembling thereof.
In order to achieve the object set forth, a cable end connector assembly comprises an insulative housing, a plurality of contacts, a plurality of wires, a shell and a pull mechanism. The insulative housing comprises a plurality of passageways. The contacts are received in the passageways of the insulative housing. The wires are electrically connected with the contacts. The shell is assembled to the insulative housing. The pull mechanism comprises a mounting member assembled to the shell and defining a slit, a pull tab having a pull portion extending through the slit of the mounting member and a receiving portion, and a retaining member received in the receiving portion of the pull tab and being abuttable against the mounting member.


REFERENCES:
patent: 4379361 (1983-04-01), Webster et al.
patent: 6074237 (2000-06-01), Lee
patent: 6126479 (2000-10-01), Lee
patent: 6132241 (2000-10-01), Hwang
patent: 6142821 (2000-11-01), Hwang
patent: 6203359 (2001-03-01), Lee
patent: 6416353 (2002-07-01), Hwang et al.
patent: 6416354 (2002-07-01), Lee

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