Cable connector assembly installed conveniently and method of assembling the same

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a cable connector assembly, and more particularly to a fixing structure of plastic housing of the cable connector assembly, as well as to a manufacturing method of such cable connector assembly.

2. Description of Related Arts

U.S. Pat. No. 8,100,725, issued on Jan. 24, 2012, discloses a cable connector assembly including an insulative body, a number of terminals, a spacer assembled to the insulative body, a cable electrically connecting to the terminals, a metal shell enclosing the insulative body for EMI protection, and a plastic case surrounding the metal shell and a front portion of the cable. Since the plastic case is molded to enclose the metal shell, stability of the insulative body is low.

An improved cable connector assembly is desired to offer advantages over the related art.

An object of the present invention is to provide a cable connector assembly having a securely mounted outer plastic housing.

To achieve the above-mentioned object, a cable connector assembly and method of assembling the same. The cable connector assembly includes a cable connector and a cable connected to the cable connector. The cable connector includes an insulative body, a plurality of terminals held in the insulative body, an internal member molded in the cable connector, and a plastic housing disposed outside of the internal member. The internal member includes a through hole penetrating obliquely the internal member. The through hole includes a first opening proximal to the cable and a second opening distal from the cable. Adhesive is filled the through hole from the first opening through the second opening to contact with an inner surface of the plastic housing.

According to the present invention, the through hole is filled by adhesive from the first opening The adhesive provides sufficient holding force to fix the plastic housing. Excessive adhesive is received in the receiving slot to prevent it from flowing out of the plastic housing.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a cable connector assembly in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of the plastic housing of the cable connector assembly located on a first position as shown in FIG. 1 ;

FIG. 3 is the schematic diagram of the plastic housing of the cable connector assembly moving on a second position as shown in FIG. 2 ;

FIG. 4 is the schematic diagram of the plastic housing of the cable connector assembly moving on a third position as shown in FIG. 3 ; and

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the through hole of the internal member as shown in FIG. 1 .

Reference will now be made in detail to some preferred embodiments of the present invention.

Referring to FIGS. 1 to 4 , a cable connector assembly 100 comprises a cable connector 1 and a cable 2 connected to the cable connector 1 . The cable connector 1 comprises an insulative body 11 , a plurality of terminals 12 held in the insulative body 11 , an internal member 13 molded in the cable connector 1 and the cable 2 , a plastic housing 14 disposed out of the internal member 13 , and a metal shell 15 disposed in the plastic housing 14 .

Referring to FIG. 5 , the internal member 13 comprises a main portion 130 and an annular portion 131 set on the cable 2 . The main portion 130 comprises a through hole 132 penetrating obliquely the internal member 13 . The through hole 132 forms a first opening 133 proximal to the cable 2 and a second opening 134 distal from the cable 2 on the internal member 13 . When the plastic housing 14 is mounted to cover the second opening 134 but not the first opening 133 , the adhesive is filled in the through hole 132 from the first opening 133 . The adhesive contacts with an inter surface of the plastic housing 14 through the second opening 134 . After the adhesive solidifies, the plastic housing 14 is fixed with the internal member 13 firmly. The main portion 130 comprises a plurality of receiving slots 135 recessing inwardly from an outer surface of the main portion 130 . After the plastic housing 14 encloses the internal member 13 , the receiving slot 135 receives excessive adhesive to prevent the adhesive from flowing out of the plastic housing 14 to influence the appearance of the cable connector assembly 100 .

The main portion 130 comprises an upper face 135 , an opposite lower face (not shown), and a pair of side faces 137 connecting the upper face 136 and the lower face. The second opening 134 and the receiving slot 135 are disposed on the same face of the main portion 130 . In this embodiment, the first opening 133 is disposed on the upper face 136 of the main portion 130 , and the second opening 134 is disposed on the side face 137 of the main portion 130 . A size of the first opening 133 is larger than the size of the second opening 134 . The larger size of the first opening 133 is convenient to fill the adhesive form the first opening 133 . In this embodiment, the adhesive is glue.

The metal shell 15 comprises a hook 151 . An end of the hook 151 proximal to the cable 2 is perking. After the plastic housing 14 is mounted to the metal shell 15 , the hook 151 can prevent the plastic housing 14 from retreating before the adhesive is solidified. The hook 151 interferes with the plastic housing 14 to increase the stability of the plastic housing 14 .

A method of manufacturing a plug connector assembly 100 comprises the steps as follows. The terminals 12 are disposed in the insulative body 11 firstly. Solder the cable 2 to the terminals 12 secondly. The metal shell 15 encloses the insulative body 11 thirdly. The mold the internal member 13 on a front end of the cable 2 . Referring to FIG. 2 , the plastic housing 14 is on the first position before mounting. The plastic housing 14 is then moved to cover the internal member 13 along a direction of the cable 2 . Referring to FIG. 3 , the plastic housing 14 is on the second position. Fill in adhesive from the first opening 133 when the plastic housing 14 has already covered the second opening 134 but not covered the first opening 133 . The adhesive contacts with an inter surface of the plastic housing 14 through the second opening 134 . Referring to FIG. 4 , the plastic housing 14 is then moved to the third position. Excessive adhesive is received in the receiving slot 135 . Then move the plastic housing 14 to cover the whole main portion 130 of the internal member 13 .

It is to be understood, however, that even though numerous characteristics and advantages of the present invention have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of the structure and function of the invention, the disclosure is illustrative only, and changes may be made in detail, especially in matters of shape, size, and arrangement of parts within the principles of the invention to the full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed.