Plug connector, receptacle connector and cable assembly

Abstract

A plug connector includes a housing having rows of recesses, plug contacts within the recesses, and a retaining structure configured to attach the plug connector to a receptacle connector. The receptacle connector includes a housing having tubular protrusions with receptacle contacts inside the protrusions, the protrusions extending along a mating direction of the receptacle connector, wherein the tubular protrusions are arranged in rows; and a retaining structure configured to attach the plug connector to the receptacle connector. The retaining structure may be a rotary latch operated by rotating toward or away from the housing or overmolded portion. The overmolded portion may serve as a gripping surface. Cable assemblies include either plug connectors or receptacle connectors.

Claims

1. A plug connector, comprising: The outer casing has grooves, wherein the grooves are arranged in rows; The plug contacts are located within the groove. And a fixing structure located on the side of the housing and configured to attach the plug connector to the socket connector.

2. The plug connector as claimed in claim 1, wherein the recesses are precisely arranged in two rows.

3. The plug connector as claimed in claim 2, wherein the recesses are arranged in a 2×2 array.

4. The plug connector as claimed in claim 1, wherein the retaining structure includes a pin configured to engage a slot in a rotary latch of a receptacle connector.

5. The plug connector as claimed in claim 4, wherein the fixing structure includes four pins configured to engage a rotary latch of the socket connector.

6. The plug connector as claimed in claim 1, wherein the retaining structure is configured to engage with a plurality of rotary latches of the receptacle connector.

7. The plug connector as claimed in claim 6, wherein: The housing includes two opposing sides and a mating surface between the two opposing sides; the groove is exposed at the mating surface; the fixing structure includes two fixing structures on each of the two opposing sides; and the fixing structures are symmetrically arranged around two vertical center lines of the mating surface.

8. The plug connector as claimed in claim 7, wherein the retaining structure includes an exposed end of a pin that is inserted into the housing.

9. The plug connector as claimed in claim 8, wherein each of the pins includes a neck and a head extending from the housing.

10. The plug connector as claimed in claim 8, wherein the pin includes a knurled portion that inserts into the housing.

11. The plug connector as claimed in claim 1, wherein the recess has polarization grooves on at least some of the inner surfaces of the recess, the polarization grooves extending in the insertion / removal direction of the plug connector.

12. The plug connector as claimed in claim 11, wherein the polarization groove is on the side surface of at least some of the inner surfaces of the recess, the side surface of the at least some of the inner surfaces facing the side surface of the housing, the housing having at least one of the fixing structures.

13. The plug connector as claimed in claim 12, wherein all of the polarization grooves are on the same side of the recess.

14. The plug connector as claimed in claim 1, further comprising an insulating cap attached to the distal end of the plug contact.

15. The plug connector as claimed in claim 1, wherein the plug contacts have a circular outer cross-section.

16. The plug connector as claimed in claim 1, wherein the housing is configured to attach to multiple cables.

17. A socket connector, comprising: The housing has tubular protrusions, the tubular protrusions having socket contacts on their inner sides, the tubular protrusions extending along the insertion / removal direction of the socket connector, wherein the tubular protrusions are arranged in a row; And a fixing structure located on the side of the housing and configured to attach the socket connector to the plug connector.

18. The socket connector as claimed in claim 17, wherein the tubular protrusions are precisely arranged in two rows.

19. The socket connector as claimed in claim 18, wherein the tubular protrusions are arranged in a 2×2 array.

20. The socket connector as claimed in claim 17, wherein the outer diameter of the socket contacts is between 17 mm and 22 mm.

21. The socket connector as claimed in claim 17, wherein the fixing structure includes a rotary latch.

22. The socket connector as claimed in claim 17, wherein the fixing structure includes a first rotary latch on a first side of the housing and a second rotary latch on a second side of the housing opposite to the first side.

23. The socket connector as claimed in claim 22, further comprising an overmolded part attached to the housing.

24. The socket connector as claimed in claim 23, wherein the overmolded part serves as a gripping surface.

25. The socket connector as claimed in claim 23, wherein the first rotary latch and the second rotary latch have respective slots configured such that when the first rotary latch and the second rotary latch are in an open position rotated away from the overmolded member, the slots are positioned to receive respective pins of the mating connector.

26. The socket connector as claimed in claim 25, wherein the slot is configured such that rotating the first rotary latch and the second rotary latch toward the overmolded part to close the first rotary latch and the second rotary latch pulls the socket connector toward the mating connector.

27. The socket connector as claimed in claim 26, wherein the rotary latch comprises metal.

28. The socket connector as claimed in claim 27, wherein the metal is covered with an insulating material.

29. The socket connector as claimed in claim 17, wherein the tubular protrusion has polarized protrusions on at least some of its outer surfaces, the polarized protrusions extending in the insertion / removal direction of the plug connector.

30. The socket connector as claimed in claim 29, wherein the polarization protrusion is on the side surface of at least some of the outer surfaces of the tubular protrusion, the side surface of the at least some outer surfaces facing the side surface of the housing, and the fixing structure is attached to the housing at the side surface of the housing.

31. The socket connector as claimed in claim 30, wherein all of the polarization protrusions are on the same side of the tubular protrusion.

32. The socket connector as claimed in claim 17, further comprising a contact retaining ring between the distal end of the tubular protrusion and the socket contact.

33. A cable assembly comprising: A plug connector includes: a housing having recesses arranged in a row; plug contacts within the recesses; a fixing structure configured to attach the plug connector to a receptacle connector; and a plurality of cables having conductors electrically coupled to the plug contacts.

34. The cable assembly as claimed in claim 33, wherein the fixing structure is configured to engage with a plurality of rotary latches of a receptacle connector.

35. The cable assembly as claimed in claim 33, wherein: The housing includes two opposing sides and a mating surface between the two opposing sides; the groove is exposed at the mating surface; the fixing structure includes two fixing structures on each of the two opposing sides; and the fixing structures are symmetrically arranged around two vertical center lines of the mating surface.

36. The cable assembly as claimed in claim 35, wherein the securing structure includes an exposed end of a pin inserted into the housing.

37. The cable assembly as claimed in claim 36, wherein each of the pins includes a neck and a head extending from the housing.

38. The cable assembly as claimed in claim 36, wherein the pin includes a knurled portion inserted into the housing.

39. A cable assembly comprising: A receptacle connector includes: a housing having tubular protrusions having receptacle contacts on their inner sides, the tubular protrusions extending along a mating direction of the receptacle connector, wherein the tubular protrusions are arranged in a row; a fixing structure configured to attach the receptacle connector to a plug connector; and a cable bundle having conductors electrically coupled to the receptacle contacts.

40. The cable assembly as claimed in claim 39, wherein the fixing structure includes a rotary latch.

41. The cable assembly as claimed in claim 40, wherein the fixing structure includes a first rotary latch on a first side of the housing and a second rotary latch on a second side of the housing opposite to the first side.

42. The cable assembly as claimed in claim 41, further comprising an overmolded member attached to the housing.

43. The cable assembly as claimed in claim 42, wherein the overcoating acts as a gripping surface.

44. The cable assembly of claim 42, wherein the first rotary latch and the second rotary latch have respective slots configured such that when the first latch and the second latch are in an open position rotated away from the overmolded member, the slots are positioned to receive respective pins of mating connectors.

45. The cable assembly of claim 44, wherein the slot is configured such that rotating the first latch and the second latch toward the overmolded member closes the first latch and the second latch, thereby pulling the receptacle connector toward the mating connector.

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