The present invention relates to an electrical cable assembly.

An electrical cable assembly as disclosed in U.S. Patents 5, 358,426 and 4,023,879, comprises, an electrical cable with multiple electrical conductors, a housing attached to the cable, and electrical contacts in the housing. For a cable assembly without signal conditioning circuit elements, the electrical contacts connect directly to respective cable conductors. For a cable assembly with signal conditioning circuit elements, such as resistors, capacitors and inductors, the circuit elements are mounted in the housing, and are connected with electrical contacts in the housing. When the circuit elements are individual, or discrete, circuit elements, each must be individually mounted in the housing, and individually connected to electrical contacts. Time is expended to incorporate individual circuit elements into the cable assembly. Further time is expended to connect individual circuit elements with cable conductors and electrical contacts.

A problem to be solved is to improve the manner in which signal conditioning circuit elements are incorporated into a housing and connected to electrical contacts and multiple cable conductors.

According to the invention, a cable assembly incorporates a circuit board with signal conditioning

circuitry. The signal conditioning circuitry on a circuit board replaces individual circuit elements. The circuit board is a feature that reduces the time required to incorporate signal conditioning circuit elements with the cable assembly, and reduces the time required for connection of the circuit elements with the electrical contacts and with the cable conductors. Circuit elements that provide signal conditioning can be mounted on the circuit board, and circuitry on the circuit board can be aligned with and joined with electrical contacts and cable conductors. The electrical contacts are connected to the circuit board, and multiple conductors of an electrical cable are connected to the circuit board. Thus, a feature of the invention resides in. a circuit board to incorporate signal conditioning circuitry in a cable assembly.

An advantage of the invention resides in a cable assembly having a housing that is constructed for alignment of a circuit board relative to electrical contacts and multiple cable conductors, which improves the time expended for performing connection of signal conditioning circuitry with the contacts and the cable conductors.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, according to which:

FIGURE 1 is a top view of a cable assembly; FIGURE 2 is a side view of the cable assembly shown in Fig. 2;

FIGURE 3 is a section view of an electrical cable;

FIGURE 4 is top view of a housing comprising a portion of the cable assembly shown in Fig. 1;

FIGURE 5 is a side view of the housing as shown in Fig. 4;

FIGURE 6 is a side view partially in section of the housing as shown in Fig. 5;

FIGURE 7 is a bottom view of the housing as shown in Fig. 4; FIGURE 8 is an end view of the housing as shown in Fig. 7;

FIGURE 9 is a front view of a holder comprising a portion of the cable assembly as shown in Fig. 1;

FIGURE 10 is a top view of the holder as shown in Fig. 9;

FIGURE 11 is a section view of the holder as shown in Fig. 10;

FIGURE 12 is an end view of the holder as shown in Fig. 9. FIGURE 13 is atop view of electrical contacts on a removable carrier strip;

FIGURE 14 is an edgewise view of one of the contacts as shown in Fig. 13;

FIGURE 15 is a view similar to Fig. 14 and illustrating a holder in combination with multiple contacts as shown in Fig. 13;

FIGURE 16 is a side view of a conducting shell comprising a portion of an electrical shield;

FIGURE 17 is a top view of the shell as shown in Fig. 16;

FIGURE 18 is a side view of the shell as shown in Fig. 17;

FIGURE 19 is a section view of a channel portion of the shell as shown in Fig. 18; FIGURE 20 is a top view of a top layer of a circuit board;

FIGURE 21 is a top view of a middle layer of the circuit board as shown in Fig. 20; and

FIGURE 22 is a bottom view of a bottom layer of the circuit board as shown in Fig. 20.

With reference to the Figs., an electrical cable assembly 1 comprises, a housing 2, electrical contacts 3 in the housing 2 connected to a circuit board 4, multiple conductors 5 of an electrical cable 6 connected to the circuit board 4, signal conditioning circuitry 7 on the circuit board 4, the circuitry 7 being interposed between the electrical contacts 3 and the conductors 5, and an insulating holder 8 mounted on the circuit board 4, the contacts 3 extending on the holder 8, and the holder 8 being mounted in a cavity in the housing 2.

The circuit board 4 is of multi-layer circuit board construction, comprising; a flat insulating substrate 9 having an upper layer 10, a central layer 11 and a bottom layer 12. The central layer 11 is separated from the other layers 10, 12 by insulating material of the substrate 9.

The central layer 11 comprises, a conducting ground plane 13, referenced to electrical ground, with plating lined apertures 14 extending through the central layer

11. These plating lined apertures 14 extend through the upper layer 10 and the bottom layer 12. In the apertures 14, the plating establishes electrical connections on the upper layer 10 and the lower layer 12 to the ground plane 13. Signal conditioning circuitry 7 on the upper layer 10 is in the form of multiple conducting pads 15, of square shape, and multiple relatively narrow circuit paths 16 interconnecting various conducting pads 15 and various plating lined apertures 14. Each of the pads 15 is identified with an impedance symbol, R or L or C to indicate electrical elements that provide signal conditioning, which satisfies requirements of industry technical standard documents, ANSI X3TI l/FC-0, ANSI X3TII specification and ANSI X3T10.1 for a High Speed Serial Data Connector. The elements vary with cable construction, data rate and length of the cable assembly 1, and have the following typical values:

Rl = 75 Ohm R7 = 37 Ohm R2 = 75 Ohm R8 = 75 Ohm R3 = 150 Ohm Ll = 390 nH R4 = 75 Ohm Cl = 33 pF R5 = 37 Ohm C2 = 33 pF R6 = 150 Ohm The elements can be constructed of discrete or individual circuit elements, not shown, that are attached to the pads by a soldering operation. Alternatively, the impedances can be of planar microstrip construction fabricated by known microstrip making processes.

The upper layer 10 of the signal conditioning circuitry 7 further comprises, an array of three conducting pads 17 along an edge 18 of the circuit board 4 for connection to respective electrical contacts 3. The lower layer 12 of the signal conditioning circuitry 7 comprises, an array of three conducting pads 17 along the edge 18 of the circuit board 4 for connection to respective electrical contacts 3, an array of six conducting pads 19 along another edge 20 of the circuit board 4 for connection to respective cable conductors 5, and electrical circuit paths 16 interconnecting various pads 19 and plating lined apertures 14. The cable conductors 5 can extend from separate electrical cables or can extend together from a single electrical cable 6 as shown.

Each of the electrical contacts 3 has a construction as shown. Each contact 3 is stamped and formed from a strip of metal having a plane of thickness. Each contact 3 extends from a carrier strip 21, and is subsequently severed from the carrier strip 21. A side view shows a plane of thickness of the contact 3 edgewise, with various bends 22 along the length of the contact 3.

An insulating holder 8 is of unitary molded construction. Projecting, tapered latch fingers 23 project from exterior ends 24 of the holder 8. A row of spaced apart passages 25 extend through a front end 26 and a rear end 27 of the holder 8. A recess 29 in the rear end 27 intercepts each of the passages 25. The

passages 25 extend beside the recess 29 and communicate with the recess 29.

Each of the contacts 3 fits with a friction fit in any one of the passages 25. When the contacts 3 are mounted in respective passages 25, the contacts 3 extend through the holder 8 from front end 26 to the rear end 27. The contacts 3 project into the recess 29.

A front edge 30 of the circuit board 4 is received in the recess 29 with a friction fit. The holder 8 aligns respective contacts 3 with corresponding pads along the front edge. The rear ends of the contacts 3 project beyond the rear end of the holder 8 and overlie corresponding pads that also project beyond the rear end of the holder 8. Both the contacts 3 and the pads are exposed for visible inspection, and to effect joining of the contacts 3 with the pads . The contacts 3 can be joined to the overlaid pads by solder. For example, the pads can be coated with solder that has solidified prior to being overlaid by the contacts 3. The solder can be reflowed by the application of heat to join the contacts 3 and the pads. The joined pads and contacts 3 can be inspected visually for defective solder joints. The circuit board 4 is further held by the holder 8 for joining cable conductors 5 to the pads on the holder 8. As shown in Fig. cable conductors 5 extend from one cable 6, or, alternatively, multiple cables, to respective pads 17 on both sides of the circuit board 4. The cable conductors 5 are joined by solder to the pads 19.

The housing 2 is of unitary construction, molded from an insulating material. A latch arm 31 is a cantilever beam joined at a front end 32 to a top side 33 of the housing 2. The latch arm 31 extends at an outward incline from the front end 32 toward the rear 34 of the housing 2. A front mating end 35 of the housing 2 has an opening 36 that opens laterally to a bottom side 37 of the housing 2. Laterally beside the opening 36 a row of contact receiving channels 38 extend recessed along a tongue 39 on the housing 2. The channels 38 have narrower front portions 40 to receive the narrower tips 41 of the contacts 3. The opening 36 fully exposes the channels 38 through the bottom side 37, which enables inspection of the contacts 3 for proper registration along the channels 38. This advantage is particularly important when the contacts 3 have narrow tips 41 that are susceptible to damage.

In the interior of the housing 2, the channels 38 extend through a front wall 42 of a cavity 43. The cavity 43 has a width that extends across all of the channels 38. The width extends to opposite sides 44 of the housing 2. Circuit board receiving grooves 45 are recessed in the sides 44 of the housing 2, the grooves 45 opening into the cavity 43. Resiliently deflectable latch fingers 46 project into the cavity 43 and intercept the grooves 45. Each latch finger 46 is integral with a remainder of the housing 2. Each latch finger 46 is constructed by a slit 47 through the housing 2 along three sides of the finger 46, which defines the finger 46 as a resilient cantilever beam. A

ramped projection 48 on each tip of the latch fingers 46 projects into the corresponding groove 45.

The grooves 45 and the cavity 43 extend through a rear 34 of the housing 2. A first window 50 provides an open bottom side 37 of the housing 2. The window 50 spans the width of the cavity 43 and communicates with the opening 36. The opening 36 exposes the interior of the housing 2 when the housing 2 is viewed from the bottom side 51. The opening 36 exposes the lengths of the channels 38 when the housing 2 is viewed from the bottom side 51. The first window 50 extends from the front wall 42 of the cavity 43 to the rear 49 of the housing 2. A second window 52 provides an open top side 53 of the housing 2. The second window 52 spans the width of the cavity 43, and extends through the rear 49 of the housing 2 and extends forwardly to an end wall 54. The second window 52 is shorter front to rear than the first window 50.

Assembly of the housing 2 with the circuit board 4, the holder 8 and the contacts 3 will now be described.

The contacts 3 and the circuit board 4 have been mounted to the holder 8, as described herein. The contacts 3 project forwardly of the holder 8 and are aligned with corresponding channels 38, as the holder 8 is inserted into the rear of the housing 2. The projecting latch fingers 23 on the holder 8 are aligned with the grooves 45. The holder 8 is moved forwardly relative to the housing 2. The latch fingers 23 on the holder 8 slide forwardly along the grooves 45 to deflect outwardly the latch fingers 46 on the housing 2. Once the latch

fingers 23 on the holder 8 pass the deflected latch fingers 46 on the housing 2, the latch fingers 46 on the housing 2 deflect resiliently and return to their prior positions, whereby they lock against the latch fingers 23 on the holder 8 to resist rearward movement of the holder 8. The front end 26 on the holder 8 faces the front wall 42 on the housing 2 to resist movement farther forward. The contacts 3 are moved forwardly into and along respective channels 38. The connections of the contacts 3 and the cable conductors 5 with the circuit board 4 are visible for inspection through the respective windows 50, 52. The conductive pads 17, 19 on the circuit board 4 face respective open sides of the housing 2. The contacts 3 and the conductors 5 of the cable 6 overlie respective conductive pads 17, 19 and are viewed through the open sides for registration of the contacts 3 with the pads 17, and for registration of the cable conductors 5. The circuit board 4 has its edges held in the grooves 45. The circuit board 4 is held centrally in the housing 2 with spacious air gaps 55 on both sides of the circuit board 4. The air gaps 55 are sufficient to prevent electrical shorting to the unprotected circuit board 4 that is exposed by the windows 50, 52. A conductive shield 56 is comprised of two, sheet metal shells 57, 58 that cover the windows 50, 52 and encircle the housing 2. The shells 57, 58 are identical, and extend rearwardly beyond the rear 49 of the housing 2. Channels 59 on a rear of both shells 56 encircle and enclose on an electrical cable 6, providing a strain

relief 60 that grips the cable 6. The application of a tensile force on the cable 6 will be absorbed by the strain relief 60 to prevent a transfer of tensile force onto the connections of the cable conductors 5 and the circuit board 4.

An insulating overmold 61 covers the shield 56 and the cable 6. The overmold 61 is molded in situ to cover a rear of the shield 56 and to encircle the cable 6 and provide a bending strain relief 58. An advantage of the invention resides in a cable assembly 1 having a housing 2 that is constructed for alignment of a circuit board 4 relative to electrical contacts 3 and multiple cable conductors 5, which improves the time expended for performing connection of signal conditioning circuitry 7 with the contacts 3 and the cable conductors 5.