Retention means for a cable connector assembly

Details Retention means for a cable connector assembly Retention means for a cable connector assembly

2000-06-09

2002-04-16

Paumen, Gary (Department: 2833)

Electrical connectors

With supporting means for coupling part

Comprising or for use with supporting panel

C439S954000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06371804

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a cable connector assembly, and particularly to a cable connector assembly with retention means which facilitates assembly of the cable connector to an application.
2. Brief Description of the Prior Art
A conventional cable connector assembly, as shown in
FIG. 3
, comprises a housing
60
and a cable connector
50
attached to an inclined portion of the housing
60
by a pair of bolts
7
so that the cable connector
50
can be readily mated with a complimentary connector, such as a USB computer connector. The connector
50
includes a pair of wings
52
perpendicularly extending from lateral sides of a rectangular case
51
of the connector
50
. A pair of posts
61
projects from the housing
60
substantially perpendicular to the inclined portion of the housing
60
. The connector
50
is adapted for insertion into the housing
60
through an opening defined between the posts
61
. Since the posts
61
have the same height, the wings
52
secured to the posts
61
are parallel to the housing
60
. However, the housing
60
in some applications, such as MP
3
, deviates from the horizontal and the wings
52
thus incline with the housing
60
. The bolts
7
, which extend through the wings
52
in a direction perpendicular to the wings
52
, will have to be inserted from some non-vertical direction. The insertion of the bolts
7
is therefore difficult and carries a risk of mismatch between the bolts
7
and the posts
61
.
Hence, an improved electrical connector is required to overcome the disadvantages of the prior art.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A first object of the present invention is to provide a cable connector assembly which has a connector adapted to be facilely and reliably secured to a housing.
To achieve the above-mentioned object, a connector includes a rectangular dielectric case, a shell depending from the case, a plug portion depending from the shell, and a signal cable extending from a top end of the case. A plurality of terminals of the connector is secured in the plug portion. A housing consists of an inclined base, a pair of sleeves upwardly extending at an angle to the base, and an opening defined between the sleeves. Each sleeve defines a mating surface at an upper side thereof and a threaded recess. The mating surfaces are horizontal and inclined to the base while the recesses extend in a vertical direction.
The case has a first wing and a second wing extending from lateral sides thereof. The first wing and the second wing each define an extending plane at a bottom side thereof for horizontally mating with the mating surfaces of the sleeves.
In assembly, the connector moves downwardly from a top side of the housing. The plug portion extends through and beyond the opening of the housing while the shell fits within the opening. The wings thus touch the mating surfaces of the sleeves and the through holes of the wings align with the recesses of corresponding sleeves. It is a feature that through holes and the recesses are aligned in a vertical direction such that an insertion of bolts is essentially in a vertical direction.
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.


REFERENCES:
patent: 5445540 (1995-08-01), Barrand

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