Electrical cable assembly

Abstract

This invention discloses a cable assembly, comprising at least one cable module. The cable module includes an insulating block, cables, and multiple pairs of terminals and a front ground plane embedded in the insulating block by injection molding. Each cable includes an inner conductor and a shielding layer. The inner conductor is mechanically and electrically connected to the terminal, and the shielding layer is mechanically and electrically connected to the front ground plane. Each terminal includes a signal pin extending from the insulating block. Initially, the terminal is integrally connected to the front ground plane by a connecting part. After the front ground plane is embedded in the insulating block, the connecting part is cut off, making the terminal independent of the front ground plane. In this invention, the terminals and front ground plane in the cable module are first integrally molded in plastic and then cut off, resulting in better assembly performance and electrical performance of the cable module.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to a cable assembly, and more particularly to a cable assembly that can be directly mounted on a circuit board. Prior Technology

[0002] In conventional data processing and transmission systems, chips such as central processing units (CPUs) or ASICs are mounted on the main circuit board, and data is transmitted to secondary or peripheral components via circuitry on the board. With the increasing speed of data transmission and the trend towards decentralization, the use of cables to replace circuit board wiring is becoming more and more common, such as the Co-Packaged Copper (CPO) currently being developed by the OIF (Optical Information Foundation). The specific design schemes for cable connections between chips and different secondary components vary. Chinese invention patent CN102365907A discloses a connection method in which chip components are connected to external I / O connectors via bypass cable components. The structure of the bypass cable component is also described in detail; however, the cable and terminal structure of the bypass cable component is relatively simple and bulky, making it unsuitable for forming truly high-speed transmission cable assemblies.

[0003] In view of the above problems, it is necessary to improve the existing technology to overcome the above defects. Summary of the Invention

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

[0005] To solve the above-mentioned technical problems, the present invention can adopt the following technical solution:

[0006] A cable assembly includes at least one cable module, the cable module including an insulating block, cables, and multiple pairs of terminals and a front ground plane embedded in the insulating block by injection molding; each cable includes 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 plane, and each terminal including a signal pin extending out of the insulating block; the terminals are initially integrally connected to the front ground plane by a connecting part, and after the front ground plane is embedded in the insulating block, the connecting part is cut off to make the terminals independent of the front ground plane.

[0007] To solve the above-mentioned technical problems, the present invention may also adopt the following technical solution:

[0008] A cable assembly includes a base, a first cable module and a second cable module arranged laterally and housed within the base. Each cable module includes an insulating block, multiple pairs of terminals, multiple cables, and a front ground plane. The insulating block has opposing front and rear surfaces. The insulating block has protrusions and recesses spaced apart from each other on its front surface. Each protrusion and recess is provided with a pair of terminals. The cables include an inner conductor and a shielding layer. The inner conductor is mechanically and electrically connected to the terminals. The shielding layer is mechanically and electrically connected to the front ground plane. The terminals include signal pins extending downward from the insulating block. The insulating block of the first cable module has protrusions and recesses arranged alternately on its rear surface. The protrusions and recesses of the second cable module on its front surface match the recesses and protrusions of the first cable module on its rear surface.

[0009] Compared to conventional technology, the terminals and front ground plane in the cable module of the present invention are integrally formed in plastic and then cut off, resulting in better assembly and electrical performance of the cable module. The multiple cable modules of the present invention have interlocking and appropriately matched grounding components, further enhancing their assembly and electrical performance. Simple Explanation of the Diagram

[0010] The first figure is a perspective view of the cable assembly of the present invention; The second figure is an enlarged exploded view of the cable assembly shown in the first figure; The third image is a 3D view of the cable module in the second image, in which the auxiliary insulation block has been removed; The fourth figure is a three-dimensional view of the first metal plate in the third figure; The fifth figure is a top view of the first metal plate in the fourth figure before it was bent; Figure 6 is a three-dimensional view of the first metal plate in Figure 3 being injection molded into the insulating block; Figure 7 is a three-dimensional view of the second metal plate in Figure 3; Figure 8 is a top view of the second metal plate in Figure 7 before it is bent; Figure 9 is a three-dimensional view of the second metal plate in Figure 7 being injection molded into the insulating block; Figure 10 is a three-dimensional view of Figure 7 from another angle; Figure 11 is a three-dimensional view of the metal plate after the auxiliary connecting part in Figure 9 has been removed; Figure 12 is a three-dimensional view of Figure 11 from another angle; Figure 13 is a three-dimensional view of the cable module assembly shown in Figure 2 from another angle; Figure 14 is a magnified view of the area within the box in Figure 13; Figure 15 is a three-dimensional view and a magnified view of the cable module assembly from another angle, as shown in Figure 2. Figure 16 is an exploded 3D view of a group of cable modules shown in Figure 13; Figure 17 is a three-dimensional exploded view of Figure 16 from another angle; Figure 18 shows the assembly process of the cable assembly; and Figure 19 shows the process of installing the cable assembly onto the circuit board. Implementation

[0011] Referring to Figures 1 and 2, the cable assembly 10 of the present invention includes a combination of multiple cable modules 300. The cable module 300 is an injection-molded lead-frame assembly, abbreviated as IMLA. It is housed in a housing 200 and covered by a top cover 400. After being assembled into a whole, it is installed on a circuit board 100.

[0012] Referring to Figure 3, the cable module assembly includes a combination of multiple cable modules 300 arranged side by side in a transverse direction. In fact, in the preferred embodiment, as shown in Figures 13 to 15, the cable module assembly includes two groups, each group having an insulating block located in the middle, also called an insulating auxiliary block 320C, which is sandwiched between a first (or inner) insulating block 320A and a second (or outer) insulating block 320B.

[0013] Referring to Figures 4 through 6, a metal plate, or first metal plate 360, is integrally formed on the insulating block 320 by plastic injection molding. The first metal plate 360 ​​includes a longitudinal body 361 extending along the longitudinal direction. The longitudinal body is Z-shaped, similar to a 0-1 waveform, and has multiple sub-parts 366 arranged alternately in a concave-convex shape. Each sub-part 366 includes a spring piece 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, thus stably fixing the first metal plate 320 to the insulating block 320.

[0014] A metal plate, also known as a second metal plate 340 or a signal grounding shared metal plate, is fixed to the insulating block 320 by a second plastic injection molding process. The second metal plate 340 includes a longitudinal body 341 extending along the longitudinal direction. The longitudinal body 341 is arranged in a Z-shape, similar to a 0-1 waveform, and has multiple sub-parts 346 arranged alternately. Each sub-part 346 includes a pair of terminals 343A. Each terminal 343A includes a pin or signal pin 343 and a connector 344 for connecting cables. The signal pin 343 is used to mount on the circuit board 100. The two terminals 343A are initially integrally connected to the longitudinal body 341 by a connecting part 342. Each sub-part 346 further includes a grounding pin 345 located in a vertical plane, while the signal pin 343 is located in a horizontal plane. Thus, the plane where the grounding pin 345 is located is perpendicular to the plane where the signal pin 343 is located.

[0015] The insulating block 320 extends longitudinally and is arranged in a Z-shape, resembling a 0-1 waveform. Its shape matches the shapes of the first and second metal plates 360 and 340. The two metal plates are embedded within the insulating block 320 and are located on opposite surfaces of the insulating block 320 in the transverse direction. As shown in Figure 3, the cable extends rearward and is positioned 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, the second metal plate 340 can be 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 first metal plate 360 ​​can be 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 has multiple through holes 326, which are aligned laterally with the punch holes 363 and the connecting part 342. Thus, after the first and second metal plates are formed on the insulating block 320, the tool can cut off the connecting part 342 from the second metal plate 340 through the through hole 320 and the punch 363. The auxiliary connecting parts 3411 and 3611 at both ends of the first and second metal plates are cut off last. After the terminal 343A is cut off from the longitudinal body 341, the second metal plate 340 is no longer related to signal transmission. The remaining metal plate acts as a grounding plate and can be called the front grounding plate 341A.

[0016] Referring to Figures 11 to 15, the insulating block 320 has multiple alternating protrusions 321 and recesses 322 on its front surface 3201. The top surface of the protrusions 322 forms a crest surface 3211, and the bottom surface of the recesses 322 forms a trough surface 3221. Each crest surface 3211 and each trough surface 3221 is provided with a pair of terminals 343A, with their connection portions 344 exposed on the crest / trough surface. The signal pins 343 extend downward from the insulating block 320. The front ground plane 341A is exposed on the surfaces of the protrusions and recesses. The grounding pin 345 is exposed on the vertical surface connecting the crest and trough surfaces.

[0017] The insulating block 320 has protrusions 323 and concave portions 324 arranged alternately on its rear surface 3202. The protrusions have corresponding crest surfaces (unlabeled) and the concave portions have corresponding trough surfaces (unlabeled). The rear ground plate 361A is exposed on the protrusions 323 and concave portions 324.

[0018] Each cable module 300 also includes multiple pairs of differential signal lines 380. Each pair of differential signal lines includes, from the inside out, a pair of inner conductors 381, a pair of insulating layers 382, ​​a pair of shielding layers 383, and an outer insulating layer 384. The inner conductors 381 are the connection portions 344 of the mechanical and electrical connection terminals 343A. The shielding layers 383 are sandwiched between the spring clip 362 and the front ground plane 341A exposed on the crest / trough surface. Note that the shielding layer 383 is preferably soldered to the front ground plane 341A. The Z-shaped structure forms multiple spaces 325, each space 325 including four sides for accommodating the corresponding pair of differential signal lines 380. The longitudinal body 341 provides shielding on three inner walls, and the longitudinal body 361 of the adjacent cable module 300 provides shielding on the last wall, thus forming a so-called four-sided shielding space. The cable 380 passes through the shielding space to form a complete shielding effect. It can be seen that cable 380 is set on the front surface 3202 of the insulating block, and the front and rear ground planes are in a relative positional relationship.

[0019] Referring to Figures 16 and 17, in a specific embodiment, the cable module assembly is divided into two groups. The two groups have roughly the same structure and each group has a roughly identical cable module manufacturing process, but there are some structural differences. The first cable module 300A is formed by the manufacturing process described above. It includes a front ground plate 341A and a rear ground plate 361A embedded within a first insulating block 320A. The first insulating block 320A has protrusions 321 / 323 and recesses 322 / 324 on both its front and rear sides. The front ground plate 341A and the terminal 343A are exposed on the front surface 3201 of the first insulating block 320A, and a pair of cables 380 are located on the front ground plate 341A and the terminal 343A. The rear ground plate 361A is exposed on the rear surface 3202 of the first insulating block 320A.

[0020] The second cable module 300B has a protrusion 321 and a recess 322 on its front surface 3201, with a pair of terminals 343A exposed on the protrusion and recess, and a front ground plane 341A exposed on the front surface 3201 of the second insulating block. However, the rear surface 3202 of the second cable module 300B does not have a protrusion or recess, i.e., it is flat, and there is no rear ground plane. After assembly in the lateral direction, the protrusion 321 and recess 322 of the second cable module 300B match the recess 324 and protrusion 323 on the rear surface of the first cable module 300A, respectively, and the cable is clamped in the space 325 between the protrusion and recess.

[0021] The auxiliary insulating block 320C has a protrusion 323 and a recess 324 on its rear surface 3202. A rear ground plate 361A is embedded in the auxiliary insulating block 320C and exposed on its rear surface protrusion 323 and recess 324. After the auxiliary insulating block 320C is assembled into the first cable module 300A in the lateral direction, the protrusion 323 and recess 324 of the auxiliary insulating block 320C match the recess 322 and protrusion 321 on the front surface 3201 of the first cable module 300A, respectively, and a pair of cables 380 are clamped in the space 325 between the protrusion and the recess.

[0022] Once the cable module assembly is complete, the entire cable assembly, including the cable module assembly, base 200, and top cover 400, is then mounted onto the circuit board 100. Signal pins 343 are inserted into signal holes on the circuit board 100, and grounding pins 345 are inserted into grounding holes on the circuit board. One insulating block further includes positioning posts 327, which mate with positioning holes on the circuit board. Note that there are four sets of cables 380, all of which are vertical.

[0023] In conclusion, this invention meets the requirements for an invention patent, and therefore a patent application is filed in accordance with the law. However, the above description is merely a preferred embodiment of this invention and should not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention. All equivalent modifications or variations made by those skilled in the art in accordance with the spirit of this invention are still covered within the scope of the appended patent application.

[0024] 10: Cable Assembly 100: Circuit board 200: base body 300: Cable Module 300A: First cable module 320: Insulating block 320A: First insulating block 320B: Second Insulating Block 320C: Insulation Auxiliary Block 3201: Front surface 3202: Back surface 321:convex part 3211: Crest surface 322: concave part 3221: trough surface 323:convex part 324: concave part 325: Space 326: Through hole 327: Positioning Post 340: Second metal plate 341: Longitudinal body 341A: Front Connecting Floor 342: Continuous Material Section 343: Signal pin 343A:Terminal 344: Connecting part 345: Grounding pin 346:Subpart 360: First Metal Plate 361: Longitudinal body 361A: Rear flooring 362: Shrapnel 363: Punching 364: Reception Hole 366:Subpart 380: Differential signal line 381: Inner conductor 382: Insulation layer 383: Shielding layer 384: Outer insulation layer 400: Top Cover

Claims

1. A cable assembly comprising at least one cable module, the cable module including an insulating block, cables, and a plurality of pairs of terminals and a front ground plane embedded in the insulating block by injection molding; each of the cables including an inner conductor and a shielding layer, the inner conductor being mechanically and electrically connected to the terminals one-to-one, the shielding layer being mechanically and electrically connected to the front ground plane, each terminal including a signal pin extending out of the insulating block; wherein the terminals are initially integrally connected to the front ground plane by a connecting part, and after the front ground plane is embedded in the insulating block, the connecting part is cut off to make the terminals independent of the front ground plane, wherein the insulating block has a front surface and a rear surface opposite to each other, the insulating block forming staggered crests and troughs on its front surface, each of the crests and troughs exposing a pair of the terminals, and the front ground plane being exposed on the front surface.

2. The cable assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the cable module includes a rear ground plane embedded in the insulating block by injection molding, the insulating block having staggered crests and troughs on its rear surface, and the rear ground plane exposing the rear surface of the insulating block.

3. The cable assembly as claimed in claim 2, wherein the rear ground plane is provided with a plurality of spring tabs, and a spring tab is provided on both the crest and trough surfaces of the rear surface of the insulating block, the spring tabs being used to press against the shielding layer of the cable in the adjacent cable module.

4. The cable assembly as claimed in claim 3, wherein the front ground plane and the rear ground plane of the adjacent cable module form a four-way shielding space through which the cable passes.

5. The cable assembly as claimed in claim 2, wherein the insulating block has a through hole, the rear ground plane has a punch, and the through hole and the punch are aligned with the connecting part.

6. A cable assembly comprising a base, a first cable module and a second cable module arranged laterally and housed within the base, each cable module comprising an insulating block, multiple pairs of terminals, multiple cables, and a front ground plane, the insulating block having opposing front and rear surfaces, the insulating block having protrusions and recesses spaced apart from each other on its front surface, each protrusion and recess having a pair of said terminals, the cables including 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 plane, the terminals including signal pins extending downward from the insulating block; wherein the insulating block of the first cable module has protrusions and recesses arranged alternately on its rear surface, and the protrusions and recesses of the second cable module on its front surface match the recesses and protrusions of the first cable module on its rear surface.

7. The cable assembly as claimed in claim 6, wherein the first cable module includes a rear ground plane embedded in the rear surface of its insulating block, the rear ground plane exposing protrusions and recesses on the rear surface of the insulating block, the rear ground plane being mechanically and electrically connected to a shielding layer of the cable of the second cable module.

8. The cable assembly as claimed in claim 7, wherein the cable assembly further includes an auxiliary insulating block and a rear ground plane embedded in the auxiliary insulating block, the auxiliary insulating block having protrusions and recesses arranged alternately adjacent to each other on its rear surface, the rear ground plane being exposed on the protrusions and recesses of the auxiliary insulating block, the protrusions and recesses of the auxiliary insulating block respectively matching the recesses and protrusions of the first cable module located on its front surface, thereby clamping the cable of the first cable module between the protrusions and recesses, and the rear ground plane in the auxiliary insulating block being mechanically and electrically connected to the shielding layer of the cable in the first cable module.

9. The cable assembly as claimed in claim 8, wherein the rear ground plane is provided with springs exposed in each protrusion and recess, the springs resiliently abutting against the cable shielding layer on an adjacent insulating block.

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