Ethernet connector and cable assembly

Abstract

A cable assembly comprises a cable and an Ethernet connector connected with the cable. The Ethernet connector comprises a terminal, an insulating main body, an insulating rear cover, a first outer conductor and a second outer conductor, the terminal and the cable are fixed and then installed in the insulating main body, and the insulating rear cover is fixed on the insulating main body; the first end part of the first outer conductor is fixed at the peripheries of the insulating main body and the insulating rear cover in a surrounding manner, and the second end part wraps the surface of the shielding section of the cable; the first segment of the second outer conductor is wrapped and fixed on the insulation main body, and the second segment is fixed with the first end part. By improving the structure of the outer conductor, the original inner assembly parts are converted into the outer assembly parts, the operation is easier during assembly, complicated internal installation steps are not needed, errors can be found in time in the assembly process, defective products are prevented from flowing into the next link, and the defective product recognition rate is improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of connectors, specifically an Ethernet connector and cable assembly. Background Technology

[0002] Automotive Ethernet is a physical network connecting various electrical devices within a vehicle. Its design was initially intended to meet the specific needs of the automotive environment. For example, it must meet the electrical characteristics requirements of in-vehicle equipment, the network management needs of in-vehicle systems, and the requirements of in-vehicle equipment for high bandwidth, low latency, and audio / video synchronization. With the diversification of automotive layouts and application scenarios, elbow-shaped Ethernet connectors have emerged. In existing elbow-shaped Ethernet connectors, the outer conductor consists of three parts. During assembly, one part needs to be riveted into the interior of another part. Even if the riveting is not done properly, it is not easy to detect, resulting in significant manufacturing defects.

[0003] Therefore, it is necessary to improve the structure to solve the above problems. Utility Model Content

[0004] This invention provides an Ethernet connector and cable assembly, transforming internal assembly parts into external assembly parts. This simplifies the assembly process and reduces the defect rate during manufacturing. The objective of this invention is achieved through the following solutions:

[0005] An Ethernet connector for connecting to a cable includes terminals, an insulating body, an insulating back cover, a first outer conductor, and a second outer conductor. The terminals are mounted in the insulating body, and the first outer conductor is mounted outside the insulating body and the insulating back cover and fixed to the second outer conductor. The insulating body includes a first insulating portion and a second insulating portion perpendicular to each other, and the insulating back cover is fixed to the second insulating portion. The first outer conductor sequentially includes a first end, a connecting portion, and a second end, with the first end covering the outer surface of the second insulating portion and the insulating back cover. The second outer conductor includes a first segment and a second segment perpendicular to each other, with the first segment covering the outer periphery of the first insulating portion and the second segment fixed to the outer surface of the first end. In the prior art, the outer conductor has a three-segment structure, resulting in numerous processing steps and internal assembly steps, leading to a low fault tolerance rate. The improved structure divides the outer conductor into a first outer conductor and a second outer conductor. The first outer conductor is responsible for fixing the insulating structure, while the second outer conductor is fixed to the first outer conductor and protects the insulating structure not covered by the first outer conductor. Both the first and second outer conductors are externally assembled parts, allowing for timely detection of any defects during assembly. Improvements to the outer conductor structure have optimized the assembly process and reduced the difficulty of manufacturing.

[0006] Preferably, the insulating back cover and the second insulating part are fastened together by a snap-fit. To allow the terminals to be smoothly installed on the insulating body, the insulating body and the insulating back cover are designed as separate units. First, the terminals are inserted into the insulating body, and then the insulating back cover is fastened and fixed onto the insulating body.

[0007] Preferably, the first outer conductor is integrally formed by a stamping process, and the first end is installed on the outside of the insulating body and the insulating back cover by riveting. This integrated structure maximizes the preservation of the inherent strength of the sheet material, ensuring good tensile strength in the finished product. The first end of the first outer conductor is a hollow, box-shaped structure, which is riveted to the outer periphery of the insulating body and the insulating back cover to prevent the insulating back cover from detaching. The second end is a hollow, cylindrical structure with a flat connecting portion that smoothly and evenly transitions to the first and second ends.

[0008] Preferably, a corner is provided at the junction of the first segment and the second segment. The second outer conductor is integrally manufactured by stamping, and the corner is manufactured by stretching. By using stamping and stretching processes to manufacture the second outer conductor, the structural strength is increased while satisfying the right-angle corner structural characteristics, ensuring the finished product's resistance to lateral tensile forces.

[0009] Preferably, the outer surface of the first end of the first outer conductor is provided with a protrusion, and the second segment of the second outer conductor is correspondingly provided with a positioning hole. The second outer conductor is fixed to the outer periphery of the insulating body and the first outer conductor by riveting, and the first end and the second segment are fixed by laser welding. The second outer conductor has an L-shaped bent structure, with its first segment fixed to the outer periphery of the first end of the insulating body, and its second segment fixed to the first end of the first outer conductor. During the installation of the second outer conductor, the protrusion and the positioning hole cooperate to provide coarse positioning; the second outer conductor is clamped using a clamp, and the second outer conductor is fixed to the outer periphery of the insulating body and the first end by riveting; finally, the first and second outer conductors are fixed by laser welding.

[0010] A cable assembly including any of the above-described Ethernet connectors, and further including a cable, wherein the Ethernet connector is connected to the cable.

[0011] Preferably, the cable sequentially comprises a core segment, a twisted pair, and a shielding segment. The terminal is fixed to the core segment, the twisted pair is arranged horizontally according to a wiring sequence, the connecting portion is fixed to the outer periphery of the twisted pair, and the second end is fixed to the outer surface of the shielding segment. At the end of the shielding segment, the twisted structure of the twisted pair is untangled, and they begin to be arranged horizontally according to a certain wiring sequence.

[0012] Preferably, the insulating body has two terminal slots. The terminal is fixed together with the core wire segment and inserted into the terminal slot after passing through the second insulating part. After the core wire segment is fixed to the terminal, it is inserted into the corresponding terminal slot in the insulating body; the insulating back cover is fastened to complete the assembly of the terminal and the insulating structure; the first outer conductor is fixed to the insulating structure and the cable. More specifically, the first end is fixed to the outside of the insulating body and the insulating back cover, the connecting part covers the outside of the twisted pair, the inner wall of the connecting part is close to the outer surface of the twisted pair, and the second end is fixed to the outside of the shielding section; finally, the second outer conductor is assembled. The positioning hole of the second outer conductor and the convex bulge of the first outer conductor provide coarse positioning. The first segment is fixed around the outer surface of the first insulating part, and the second segment is fixed to the first end by laser welding.

[0013] The beneficial effects of this utility model are as follows: It provides an Ethernet connector and cable assembly, which changes the three-section internal assembly structure of the outer conductor to a two-section external assembly structure, resulting in better fixing effect and stronger stability between components. At the same time, it reduces the difficulty of product processing and makes defects that occur during production more controllable. Attached Figure Description

[0014] Figure 1 This is an overall schematic diagram of a cable assembly according to an embodiment of the present utility model;

[0015] Figure 2 This is an exploded view of a cable assembly according to an embodiment of the present utility model;

[0016] Figure 3 This is an exploded view of a cable assembly according to another embodiment of the present utility model;

[0017] Figure 4 This is an exploded view of a portion of a component in an embodiment of this utility model;

[0018] Figure 5 This is an exploded view of an Ethernet connector according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0019] The reference numerals in the accompanying drawings include:

[0020] Cable assembly-1, Ethernet connector-20, terminal-201, insulating body-202, first insulating part-2021, second insulating part-2022, terminal slot-2023, partition-2024, insulating back cover-203, first outer conductor-204, first end-2041, connecting part-2042, second end-2043, convex bulge-2044, second outer conductor-205, first segment-2051, corner-2052, second segment-2053, positioning hole-2054, cable-30, core wire segment-301, twisted pair-302, shielding segment-303. Detailed Implementation

[0021] This application provides an Ethernet connector and cable assembly that simplifies the structure of the outer conductor, reduces processing difficulty, and minimizes defects generated during processing.

[0022] The technical solution in this application is to solve the above-mentioned technical problems, and the overall approach is as follows:

[0023] An Ethernet connector includes terminals, an insulating body, an insulating back cover, a first outer conductor, and a second outer conductor. The terminals are installed in the insulating body, the insulating back cover and the insulating body are fastened together, the first outer conductor covers and is fixed to the outer surface of the insulating body and the insulating back cover, and the second outer conductor is fixed to the insulating body and the first outer conductor. The outer conductor is designed with a two-section structure. The first outer conductor prevents the insulating back cover from detaching from the insulating body; the second outer conductor surrounds and covers the outer periphery of the insulating body, providing supplementary protection for the insulation structure and fixing it to the first outer conductor, thus reinforcing the overall structure of the Ethernet connector. A cable assembly includes the aforementioned Ethernet connector and cable, with the Ethernet connector connected to the cable. Both the Ethernet connector and the cable assembly adopt a two-section outer conductor structure, which allows for the conversion of internal assembly processing to external assembly processing. This enables direct observation of defects generated during assembly, preventing defective products from leaving the assembly process and simplifying the assembly process.

[0024] To make the above-mentioned objects, features, and advantages of this utility model more apparent and understandable, the specific embodiments of this utility model will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Many specific details are set forth in the following description to provide a full understanding of this utility model. However, this utility model can be implemented in many other ways different from those described herein, and those skilled in the art can make similar modifications without departing from the spirit of this utility model. Therefore, this utility model is not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed below.

[0025] like Figures 1 to 5 The image shown is an embodiment of an Ethernet connector according to this application:

[0026] An Ethernet connector 20 for connecting to a cable 30 includes a terminal 201, an insulating body 202, an insulating back cover 203, a first outer conductor 204, and a second outer conductor 205.

[0027] The insulating body 202 includes a first insulating part 2021 and a second insulating part 2022 that are perpendicular to each other. The first insulating part 2021 contacts the other connector, and the second insulating part 2022 is connected to the cable 30. Two terminal slots 2023 for accommodating the terminals 201 are provided within the insulating body 202, and a partition 2024 is provided between the terminal slots 2023. During the installation of the terminals 201, the partition 2024 serves as a guide and also separates the terminals 201 to prevent mutual interference and ensure reliable signal transmission. The terminals 201 have an L-shaped structure, allowing them to be smoothly inserted into the L-shaped insulating body 202 from the second insulating part 2022. After the terminals 201 are installed, the insulating back cover 203 is fixed to the insulating body 202. More specifically, the insulating back cover 203 is fixed to the second insulating part 2022 by a snap-fit, completing the assembly of the insulating portion of the Ethernet connector 20. The insulating back cover 203 is provided with protruding contacts that abut against the terminal 201 to prevent the terminal 201 from coming out of the insulating body 202.

[0028] The first outer conductor 204 sequentially includes a first end 2041, a connecting portion 2042, and a second end 2043. The first outer conductor 204 is a one-piece structure, wherein: the first end 2041 is a hollow box-shaped structure, and the second end 2043 is a hollow cylindrical structure. The connecting portion 2042 smoothly and uniformly transitions to the first end 2041 and the second end 2043. The first end 2041 covers the outer surface of the second insulating portion 2022 and the insulating back cover 203, and is bent at a right angle to the insulating body 202, thus fully covering the second insulating portion 2022 and the insulating back cover 203 and preventing the insulating back cover 203 from detaching from the insulating body 202.

[0029] The first outer conductor 204 is integrally formed by a stamping process, and the first end 2041 is installed on the outside of the insulating body 202 and the insulating back cover 203 by riveting. Integral forming can maximize the preservation of the strength of the material itself and ensure that the finished product has good tensile strength. After riveting, the first outer conductor 204 surrounds and covers one right-angle side of the Ethernet connector 20, protecting the insulating structure and enhancing mechanical strength.

[0030] The second outer conductor 205 includes a first segment 2051 and a second segment 2053 that are perpendicular to each other. The first segment 2051 covers the outer periphery of the first insulating portion 2021, and the second segment 2053 is fixed to the outer surface of the first end 2041 of the first outer conductor 204. The first segment 2051 protects the other right-angle side of the Ethernet connector 20, facilitating subsequent mating and insertion with the other connector. The second segment 2053 provides supplementary protection for the corner structure of the Ethernet connector 20 from another direction. The outer surface of the first end 2041 is provided with a protrusion 2044, and the second segment 2053 of the second outer conductor 205 is correspondingly provided with a positioning hole 2054. The protrusion 2044 and the positioning hole 2054 cooperate with each other to provide coarse positioning for the installation of the second outer conductor 205.

[0031] The second outer conductor 205 is integrally manufactured using a stamping process, while the corner 2052 at the junction of the first segment 2051 and the second segment 2053 is manufactured using a stretching process. Replacing the die-cast parts in the prior art with stamped components allows for external assembly of all parts, resulting in better design adaptability and higher product stability. The stretching process, while meeting the structural characteristics of the corner 2052, increases structural strength and ensures the finished product's resistance to lateral tensile forces. The second outer conductor 205 is riveted to the outer periphery of the insulating body 202 and the first outer conductor 204. Furthermore, the first end 2041 is reinforced and fixed to the second segment 2053 using laser welding.

[0032] This application also provides a cable assembly 1, including any of the above-mentioned Ethernet connectors 20, and further including a cable 30, wherein the Ethernet connector 20 is connected to the cable 30.

[0033] The cable 30 comprises, in sequence, a core segment 301, a twisted pair 302, and a shielding segment 303. The twisted pairs 302 are arranged horizontally according to a wire sequence. Each wire in the twisted pair 302 is responsible for a different task and must be arranged in a specific order and installed into its corresponding slot. If the twisted pairs are not correctly separated and arranged at the connector, on the one hand, the twisted wires may be difficult to keep neat during insertion and may not connect correctly to the interface, leading to poor contact or short circuits; on the other hand, it may cause impedance discontinuity, resulting in signal loss. Therefore, the twisted structure of the twisted pair 302 is untangled from the end of the shielding segment 303 and begins to be arranged horizontally according to a specific wire sequence. The twist of the twisted pair 302 remains intact for most of the length of the cable 30, and is only untangled for a small section at the end. The length of the untangled section is limited, has a small impact on the overall performance, and the untangling length has already been considered in the design.

[0034] The terminal 201 is fixed to the core wire segment 301 and inserted into the terminal slot 2023 after passing through the second insulating part 2022; the insulating back cover 203 is fastened to the insulating body 202 to complete the installation of the insulating structure. The first outer conductor 204 is fixed to the insulating body 202, the insulating back cover 203 and the cable 30 by riveting, that is: the first end 2041 is fixed around the outer surface of the second insulating part 2022 and the insulating back cover 203, the connecting part 2042 covers the outer periphery of the twisted pair 302, and the second end 2043 covers the outer periphery of the shielding section 303. Specifically, the inner wall of the connecting part 2042 is close to the outer surface of the twisted pair 302, providing a pair separation area for the untwisted twisted pair 302, ensuring that the twisted pair 302 is arranged horizontally in a certain wire sequence within the connecting part 2042. The connecting part 2042 can be further designed as a flat structure to prevent the twisted pair 302 from twisting again within the connecting part 2042, which would affect the reliability of subsequent termination. The second end 2043 protects the braided layer of the cable 30 and also serves as a grounding layer. Subsequently, the second outer conductor 205 is fixed to the insulating body 202 and the first outer conductor 204 by riveting. That is, the first segment 2051 covers the outer surface of the first insulating part 2021, and the protrusion 2044 located at the first end 2041 and the positioning hole 2054 on the second segment 2053 cooperate with each other to provide coarse positioning. The second segment 2053 and the first end 2041 are further reinforced by laser welding.

[0035] In summary, this utility model relates to an Ethernet connector and cable assembly. By improving the structure of the outer conductor, the original internal assembly parts are transformed into external assembly parts, making assembly easier and eliminating the need for complex internal installation steps. Simultaneously, errors can be detected promptly during assembly, preventing defective products from entering the next stage and improving the defect identification rate.

[0036] The technical features of the above embodiments can be combined in any way. For the sake of brevity, not all possible combinations of the technical features in the above embodiments are described. However, as long as there is no contradiction in the combination of these technical features, they should be considered to be within the scope of this specification.

[0037] The embodiments described above merely illustrate the implementation of this utility model, and while the descriptions are relatively specific and detailed, they should not be construed as limiting the scope of the patent. It should be noted that those skilled in the art can make various modifications and improvements without departing from the concept of this utility model, and these all fall within the protection scope of this utility model. Therefore, the protection scope of this utility model patent should be determined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. An Ethernet connector for connecting to a cable, characterized in that, It includes terminals, an insulating body, an insulating back cover, a first outer conductor, and a second outer conductor. The terminals are installed in the insulating body, and the first outer conductor is installed outside the insulating body and the insulating back cover and is fixed to the second outer conductor. The insulating body includes a first insulating part and a second insulating part that are perpendicular to each other, and the insulating back cover is fixed to the second insulating part; The first outer conductor includes a first end, a connecting portion, and a second end in sequence, with the first end covering the outer surface of the second insulating portion and the insulating back cover; The second outer conductor includes a first segment and a second segment that are perpendicular to each other. The first segment covers the outer periphery of the first insulating portion, and the second segment is fixed to the outer surface of the first end.

2. An Ethernet connector according to claim 1, characterized in that, The insulating back cover is fixed to the second insulating part by a snap fastener.

3. An Ethernet connector according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first outer conductor is integrally formed by stamping, and the first end is installed on the outside of the insulating body and the insulating back cover by riveting.

4. An Ethernet connector according to claim 1, characterized in that, A corner is provided at the junction of the first segment and the second segment. The second outer conductor is made by stamping, and the corner is made by stretching.

5. An Ethernet connector according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first end of the first outer conductor has a convex bulge on its outer surface, and the second segment of the second outer conductor has a corresponding positioning hole. The second outer conductor is fixed to the outer periphery of the insulating body and the first outer conductor by riveting. The first end and the second segment are fixed by laser welding.

6. A cable assembly, characterized in that, The device includes the Ethernet connector according to any one of claims 1 to 5, and further includes a cable, wherein the Ethernet connector is connected to the cable.

7. A cable assembly according to claim 6, characterized in that, The cable comprises, in sequence, a core segment, a twisted pair, and a shielding segment. The terminal is fixed to the core segment. The twisted pair is arranged horizontally according to the wire sequence. The connecting part is fixed to the outer periphery of the twisted pair, and the second end is fixed to the outer surface of the shielding segment.

8. A cable assembly according to claim 7, characterized in that, The insulating body has two terminal slots. The terminal is fixed together with the core wire segment and is inserted into the terminal slot after passing through the second insulating part.

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