Cable Assemblies

Abstract

A cable assembly comprises at least one cable module, the module comprising an insulating block, a cable, and multiple pairs of terminals and a front grounding plate embedded in the insulating block via injection molding. Each cable comprises an inner conductor and a shielding layer, the inner conductors mechanically and electrically connected to the terminals in a one-to-one correspondence, and the shielding layer mechanically and electrically connected to the front grounding plate. Each terminal comprises a signal pin extending from the insulating block. The terminals are initially integrally connected to the front grounding plate via a connecting portion. After the front grounding plate is embedded in the insulating block, the connecting portion is removed, rendering the terminals independent of the front grounding plate. Compared to the prior art, the terminals and the front grounding plate in the cable module of the present invention are first integrally molded in plastic and then cut, resulting in a cable module with improved assembly and electrical performance.

Description

Technical field

[0001] The present invention relates to a cable assembly, and in particular to a cable assembly that can be directly mounted on a circuit board. [Background Technology]

[0002] In conventional data calculation and transmission systems, chips such as central processing units or ASICs are installed on the main circuit board, and the lines on the circuit board are used for line transmission with secondary components or peripheral components. With the current trend of higher and higher transmission rates and decentralized technology, the technology of using cables instead of circuit board lines is also increasingly being adopted, such as the Co-Packaged Copper (CPO) currently being developed by the OIF Association. When the chip is connected to different secondary components by cable, the specific design scheme is not the same. CN102365907A discloses a connection method in which the chip component is connected to the external IO connector via a bypass cable assembly. The structure of the bypass cable assembly is also described and displayed in detail. However, the cable and terminal structure of the bypass cable assembly is relatively simple and large in size, which is not suitable for forming a cable assembly that can truly transmit at high speed.

[0003] Therefore, it is necessary to provide a cable assembly with an improved structure to overcome the above-mentioned defects. [Summary of the invention]

[0004] The technical problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a cable assembly which can improve assembly performance and electrical performance.

[0005] In order to solve the above technical problems, the present invention can adopt the following technical solutions: a cable assembly, comprising at least one cable module, the cable module comprising an insulating block, a cable, and multiple pairs of terminals and a front grounding plate embedded in the insulating block by injection molding; each of the cables comprises an inner conductor and a shielding layer, the inner conductors are mechanically and electrically connected to the terminals one by one, the shielding layer is mechanically and electrically connected to the front grounding plate, and each terminal comprises a signal pin extending from the insulating block; the terminal is initially connected to the front grounding plate as a whole by a connecting portion, and after the front grounding plate is embedded in the insulating block, the connecting portion is cut off to make the terminal independent of the front grounding plate.

[0006] To solve the above technical problems, the present invention may adopt the following another technical solution: a cable assembly, comprising a base, a first cable module and a second cable module arranged in a transverse direction and accommodated in the base, each cable module comprising an insulating block, multiple pairs of terminals, multiple cables and a front grounding plate, the insulating block is provided with a relative front surface and a rear surface, the insulating block is provided with a convex portion and a concave portion arranged at intervals from each other on its front surface, each convex portion and concave portion is provided with a pair of terminals, the cable comprises an inner conductor and a shielding layer, the inner conductor is mechanically and electrically connected to the terminal, the shielding layer is mechanically and electrically connected to the front grounding plate, the terminal comprises a signal pin extending downward from the insulating block; the insulating block of the first cable module is provided with convex portions and concave portions arranged alternately on its rear surface, the convex portions and concave portions of the second cable module located on its front surface match the concave portions and convex portions of the first cable module located on its rear surface.

[0007] Compared to existing technologies, the terminals and front ground plate in the cable module of this invention are integrally molded in plastic before being cut, resulting in improved assembly and electrical performance. The multiple cable modules of this invention feature a concave-convex fit and are properly aligned with the front ground plate, resulting in improved assembly and electrical performance.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0008] Figure 1 3D is a perspective view of the cable assembly of the present invention.

[0009] Figure 2 for Figure 1 Enlarged exploded view of the cable assembly shown.

[0010] Figure 3 for Figure 2 A three-dimensional view of the cable module with the auxiliary plastic insulation removed.

[0011] Figure 4 for Figure 3 A three-dimensional view of the first metal plate.

[0012] Figure 5 for Figure 4 A top view of the first metal plate before being bent.

[0013] Figure 6 for Figure 3 A perspective view of the first metal sheet being injection molded into the insulating block.

[0014] Figure 7 for Figure 3 A perspective view of the second metal plate.

[0015] Figure 8 for Figure 7 A top view of the second metal plate before being bent.

[0016] Figure 9 for Figure 7 A perspective view of the second metal sheet being injection molded into the insulating block.

[0017] Figure 10 for Figure 7 A three-dimensional image from another angle.

[0018] Figure 11 for Figure 9 A three-dimensional view of the center front first metal plate after the auxiliary connecting part is removed.

[0019] Figure 12 for Figure 11 A three-dimensional image from another angle.

[0020] Figure 13 for Figure 2 Another perspective view of the cable module assembly

[0021] Figure 14 for Figure 13 A magnified view of the part within the box.

[0022] Figure 15 for Figure 2 A three-dimensional view and a partial enlarged view of the cable module assembly from another angle.

[0023] Figure 16 for Figure 13 A three-dimensional exploded view of a set of cable modules.

[0024] Figure 17 for Figure 16 Exploded three-dimensional diagram from another angle.

[0025] Figure 18 A diagram showing the assembly process of the cable assembly.

[0026] Figure 19 A diagram showing the process of installing a cable assembly on a circuit board.

[0027]

Component Symbol Description

[0028]

[0029]

[0030] The following specific embodiments will further illustrate the present invention in conjunction with the above-mentioned drawings. [Specific implementation method]

[0031] Ginseng Figure 1-2The cable assembly 10 of the present invention includes a combination of multiple cable modules 300. The cable module 300 is an injection-molded insert lead frame assembly, the English name of which is Insert-Molding Lead-Frame Assembly, abbreviated as IMLA. It is housed in a base body 200 and covered by an upper cover 400. After being assembled into one, it is installed on another circuit board 100.

[0032] Ginseng Figure 3 As shown, the cable module assembly includes a combination of a plurality of cable modules 300 arranged side by side in a transverse direction. Figure 13-15 As shown, the cable module assembly includes two groups, each group is provided with an insulating block located in the middle, which can also be called an insulating auxiliary block 320C, which is clamped between a first (or inner) insulating block 320A and a second (or outer) insulating block 320B.

[0033] Ginseng Figure 4-6 As shown, a metal plate, also known as a first metal plate 360, is integrally formed on the insulating block 320 via plastic injection molding. The first metal plate 360 ​​includes an elongated body 361 extending longitudinally. The body is Z-shaped, resembling a 0-1 waveform, and has a plurality of alternating concave and convex sub-sections 366. Each sub-section 366 includes a spring 362, a punch 363, and two opposing receiving holes 364. The insulating material of the insulating block 320 is received within the receiving holes 364, thereby stably securing the first metal plate 320 to the insulating block 320.

[0034] A metal plate, also known as the second metal plate 340 or the signal-ground common metal plate, is secured to the insulating block 320 via a second injection molding process. The second metal plate 340 includes an elongated body 341 extending longitudinally. The body 341 is arranged in a Z-shape, resembling a 0-1 waveform, and has a plurality of alternating sub-sections 346. Each sub-section 346 includes a pair of terminals 343A. Each terminal 343A includes a pin or signal pin 343 and a connecting portion 344 for connecting to a cable. The signal pin 343 is intended for mounting on the circuit board 100. The two terminals 343A are initially integrally connected to the elongated body 341 via a connecting portion 342. Each sub-section 346 further includes a ground pin 345 located in a vertical plane, while the signal pin 343 is located in a horizontal plane. Thus, the plane of the ground pin 345 is perpendicular to the plane of the signal pin 343.

[0035] The insulating block 320 extends in the longitudinal direction and is arranged in a Z-shape as a whole, similar to a 0-1 waveform diagram. Its shape matches the shapes of the first and second metal plates 360 and 340. The two metal plates are buried in the insulating block 320 and are respectively located on two opposite surfaces of the insulating block 320 in the transverse direction. Figure 3 As shown, the cables extend rearward, defining them as being placed on the front surface of the insulating block. Therefore, the second metal plate 340 is exposed on the front surface 3201 of the insulating block 320 (for component differentiation, metal plate 340 is defined as the front metal plate), while the first metal plate 360 ​​is exposed on the rear surface 3202 of the insulating block (for component differentiation, the second metal plate 360 ​​is defined as the rear metal plate). Both the first and second metal plates are exposed on the surface of the insulating block 320. The insulating block 320 defines a plurality of through-holes 326, which are laterally aligned with the punched holes 363 and the connecting portion 342. In this way, after the first and second metal plates are formed on the insulating block 320, the tool can cut off the connecting portion 342 from the second metal plate 340 through the through hole 320 and the punch hole 363. The auxiliary connecting portions 3411 and 3611 at both ends of the first and second metal plates are finally cut off. After the terminal 343A is cut off from the longitudinal body 341, the second metal plate 340 has nothing to do with signal transmission, and the remaining metal plate acts as a grounding plate, which can be called the front grounding plate 341A.

[0036] Ginseng Figure 11-15 As shown, the insulating block 320 has a plurality of alternating convex portions 321 and concave portions 322 on its front surface 3201. The top surfaces of the convex portions 322 form peak surfaces 3211, while the bottom surfaces of the concave portions 322 form trough surfaces 3221. Each peak surface 3211 and each trough surface 3221 is provided with a pair of terminals 343A, whose connecting portions 344 are exposed on the peak / trough surfaces, and signal pins 343 extend downward from the insulating block 320. A front grounding plate 341A is exposed on the surfaces of the convex and concave portions. A grounding pin 345 is exposed on the vertical surface connecting the peak and trough surfaces.

[0037] The insulating block 320 has protrusions 323 and recesses 324 arranged alternately on its rear surface 3202 . The protrusions have corresponding crest surfaces (not numbered), and the recesses have corresponding trough surfaces (not numbered). The rear grounding plate 361A is exposed at the protrusions 323 and recesses 324 .

[0038] Each cable module 300 also includes several pairs of differential signal lines 380. Each pair of differential signal lines comprises a pair of inner conductors 381, a pair of insulating layers 382, ​​a pair of shielding layers 383, and a pair of outer insulating layers 384, wrapped from the inside out. The inner conductors 381 are mechanically and electrically connected to the connection portion 344 of the terminal 343A. The shielding layer 383 is clamped between the spring 362 and the front ground plate 341A exposed at the peak / valley surface. Note that the shielding layer 383 is preferably soldered to the front ground plate 341A. The Z-shaped structure forms multiple spaces 325. Each space 325 has four sides to accommodate a corresponding pair of differential signal lines 380. The elongated body 341 provides shielding for three inner walls, while the elongated body 361 of the adjacent cable module 300 provides shielding for the final wall. This creates a so-called four-sided shielding space, through which the cables 380 pass, providing complete shielding. It can be seen that the cable 380 is arranged on the front surface 3202 of the insulating block, and the front and rear ground plates are in a relative position relationship.

[0039] Ginseng Figure 16-17 In this embodiment, the cable module assembly is divided into two groups. Both groups have roughly identical structures and utilize a similar cable module manufacturing process, but with some structural differences. The first cable module 300A is formed using the aforementioned manufacturing process and includes a front grounding plate 341A and a rear grounding plate 361A embedded within a first insulating block 320A. The first insulating block 320A is provided with protrusions 321 / 323 and recesses 322 / 324 on its front and rear surfaces. The front grounding plate 341A and terminals 343A are exposed on the front surface 3201 of the first insulating block 320A. A pair of cables 380 are located on the front grounding plate 341A and terminals 343A. The rear grounding plate 361A is exposed on the rear surface 3202 of the first insulating block 320A.

[0040] The second cable module 300B has a protrusion 321 and a recess 322 on its front surface 3201. A pair of terminals 343A are exposed in these protrusions and recesses, and a front grounding plate 341A is exposed on the front surface 3201 of the second insulating block. However, the rear surface 3202 of the second cable module 300B lacks these protrusions or recesses; it is flat and lacks a rear grounding plate. When assembled horizontally, the protrusions 321 and recess 322 of the second cable module 300B mate with the recesses 324 and protrusions 323 on the rear surface of the first cable module 300A, respectively, and the cable is clamped in the space 325 between the protrusions and recesses.

[0041] The auxiliary insulating block 320C has a protrusion 323 and a recess 324 on its rear surface 3202. A rear grounding plate 361A is embedded in the auxiliary insulating block 320C, exposing the protrusion 323 and recess 324 on its rear surface. When the auxiliary insulating block 320C is laterally assembled with the first cable module 300A, the protrusion 323 and recess 324 of the auxiliary insulating block 320C mate with the recess 322 and protrusion 321 on the front surface 3201 of the first cable module 300A, respectively. A pair of cables 380 are then clamped in the space 325 between the protrusion and recess.

[0042] Once the cable module assembly is complete, the entire cable assembly, including the cable module assembly, base 200, and cover 400, is then mounted on the circuit board 100. The signal pin 343 is inserted into the signal hole of the circuit board 100, and the ground pin 345 is inserted into the ground hole of the circuit board. One of the insulating blocks further includes a positioning post 327, which is used to align with the positioning hole of the circuit board. It is noted that the cables 380 are arranged in four groups and are vertical. It is also noted that the second insulating block 320A and the plastic insulating block 320C do not have a flat surface with convex or concave portions to mate with each other or with the base 200 to complete the assembly.

[0043] The above embodiments are preferred embodiments of the present invention, but not all embodiments. Any equivalent changes made to the scheme of the present invention by ordinary technicians in this field after reading the description of the present invention are covered by the claims of the present invention.

Claims

1. A cable assembly comprising at least one cable module, the cable module comprising an insulating block, a cable, and multiple pairs of terminals and a front ground plate embedded in the insulating block by injection molding; each cable comprising an inner conductor and a shielding layer, the inner conductors being mechanically and electrically connected to the terminals in a one-to-one correspondence, the shielding layer being mechanically and electrically connected to the front ground plate, and each terminal comprising a signal pin extending from the insulating block; characterized in that: The terminal is initially integrally connected to the front grounding plate by a connecting portion, and after the front grounding plate is embedded in the insulating block, the connecting portion is cut away to make the terminal independent of the front grounding plate. The insulating block has a front surface and a rear surface opposite to each other. The insulating block forms a wave crest surface and a wave trough surface arranged alternately on its front surface, and each of the wave crest surface and the wave trough surface exposes a pair of the terminals, and the front grounding plate is exposed on the front surface.

2. The cable assembly according to claim 1, wherein: The cable module includes a rear grounding plate embedded in the insulating block by injection molding. The insulating block forms a wave crest surface and a wave trough surface arranged alternately on its rear surface. The rear grounding plate exposes the rear surface of the insulating block.

3. The cable assembly according to claim 2, wherein: The rear grounding plate is provided with a plurality of spring pieces. The crest surface and the trough surface of the rear surface of the insulating block are each provided with one spring piece. The spring pieces are used to press against the shielding layer of the cable in the adjacent cable module.

4. The cable assembly according to claim 3, wherein: The front grounding plate and the rear grounding plate of the adjacent cable module form a four-sided shielding space, and the cables pass through the shielding space.

5. The cable assembly according to claim 2, wherein: The insulating block is provided with a through hole, and the rear grounding plate is provided with a punching hole, and the through hole and the punching hole are aligned with the connecting portion.

6. A cable assembly comprising a base, a first cable module and a second cable module arranged in a transverse direction and housed within the base, each cable module comprising an insulating block, a plurality of pairs of terminals, a plurality of cables, and a front ground plate, the insulating block having opposing front and rear surfaces, the insulating block having protrusions and recesses spaced apart on its front surface, each protrusion and recess being provided with a pair of terminals, the cables comprising an inner conductor and a shielding layer, the inner conductor being mechanically and electrically connected to the terminals, the shielding layer being mechanically and electrically connected to the front ground plate, the terminals comprising signal pins extending downwardly from the insulating block; characterized in that: The insulating block of the first cable module has convex and concave portions arranged alternately on its rear surface, and the convex and concave portions on the front surface of the second cable module match the concave and convex portions on the rear surface of the first cable module.

7. The cable assembly according to claim 6, wherein: The first cable module includes a rear grounding plate embedded in the rear surface of its insulating block, the rear grounding plate is exposed at the convex and concave parts of the rear surface of the insulating block, and the rear grounding plate is mechanically and electrically connected to the shielding layer of the cable of the second cable module.

8. The cable assembly according to claim 7, wherein: The cable assembly further includes an auxiliary insulating block and a rear grounding plate buried in the auxiliary insulating block. The auxiliary insulating block is provided with convex parts and concave parts alternately arranged adjacent to each other on its rear surface. The rear grounding plate is exposed at the convex parts and concave parts of the auxiliary insulating block. The convex parts and concave parts of the auxiliary insulating block respectively match the concave parts and convex parts of the first insulating block located on its front surface, thereby clamping the cables of the first cable module between the convex parts and concave parts, and the rear grounding plate in the auxiliary insulating block is mechanically and electrically connected to the shielding layer of the cables in the first cable module.

9. The cable assembly according to claim 8, wherein: The rear grounding plate is provided with an elastic sheet exposed at each convex portion and concave portion, and the elastic sheet elastically abuts against the shielding layer of the cable on the adjacent insulating block.

Images