Cable assemblies, systems, and methods for making the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9923323-B2
Application number	US-201615333980-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 25, 2016
Priority date	Oct 30, 2015
Publication date	Mar 20, 2018
Grant date	Mar 20, 2018

Abstract

Cable assemblies, systems, and methods for making the same are provided.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An assembly for being electrically coupled to an electronic device comprising a first electrical contact and a second electrical contact, the assembly comprising:
a cable subassembly comprising:
a first conductor subassembly; and
a second conductor subassembly; and

a cable connector subassembly comprising:
a first conductor contact comprising:
a first conductor coupling portion electrically coupled to the first conductor subassembly; and
a first conductor contact extension portion extending from the first conductor coupling portion;

a second conductor contact comprising:
a second conductor coupling portion electrically coupled to the second conductor subassembly; and
a second conductor contact extension portion extending from the second conductor coupling portion;

a body component encompassing the first conductor coupling portion and the second conductor coupling portion, wherein a portion of the first conductor contact extension portion extends out from the body component, and wherein a portion of the second conductor contact extension portion extends out from the body component;
a first device contact comprising:
a first device coupling portion operative to be electrically coupled to the first electrical contact of the electronic device; and
a first device contact extension portion extending from the first device coupling portion and electrically coupled to the portion of the first conductor contact extension portion; and

a second device contact comprising:
a second device coupling portion operative to be electrically coupled to the second electrical contact of the electronic device; and
a second device contact extension portion extending from the second device coupling portion and electrically coupled to the portion of the second conductor contact extension portion.

2. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein a portion of the body component electrically insulates the first conductor coupling portion from the second conductor coupling portion.

3. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein a portion of the body component electrically insulates a portion of the first conductor subassembly from a portion of the second conductor subassembly.

4. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein:
the portion of the first conductor contact extension portion extends out from the body component through a top surface of the body component; and
the portion of the second conductor contact extension portion extends out from the body component through a bottom surface of the body component that is opposite the top surface of the body component.

5. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first conductor contact is identical to the second conductor contact.

6. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first device contact is identical to the second device contact.

7. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein:
the first conductor coupling portion is ultrasonically welded to a coupling surface of the first conductor subassembly; and
the second conductor coupling portion is ultrasonically welded to a coupling surface of the second conductor subassembly that is parallel to the coupling surface of the first conductor subassembly.

8. The assembly of claim 7 , wherein at least one of the coupling surface of the first conductor subassembly and the coupling surface of the second conductor subassembly is positioned between the first device coupling portion and the second device coupling portion.

9. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein:
the first device coupling portion is operative to be electrically coupled to the first electrical contact of the electronic device for electrically coupling the first electrical contact of the electronic device to the first conductor subassembly via the first conductor contact;
the second device coupling portion is operative to be electrically coupled to the second electrical contact of the electronic device for electrically coupling the second electrical contact of the electronic device to the second conductor subassembly via the second conductor contact; and
when both the first electrical contact is electrically coupled to the first conductor subassembly and the second electrical contact is electrically coupled to the second conductor subassembly, the assembly is operative to communicate alternating current power with the electronic device.

10. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first conductor coupling portion is crimped to the first conductor subassembly.

11. An assembly for being electrically coupled to an electronic device comprising a retention mechanism and an electrical contact that is at least partially positioned within a device receptacle space defined by the electronic device, the assembly comprising:
a conductor subassembly comprising a conductor; and
a cable connector subassembly comprising:
a retainable feature that is operative to interact with the retention mechanism for retaining a portion of the cable connector subassembly within the device receptacle space when the retainable feature is inserted into the device receptacle space beyond a portion of the retention mechanism; and
a device coupling portion electrically coupled to the conductor and operative to be electrically coupled to the electrical contact when the portion of the cable connector subassembly is retained within the device receptacle space, wherein:
the conductor subassembly further comprises an insulation subassembly extending about the conductor along a length of the conductor subassembly;
the cable connector subassembly further comprises a cable support component comprising:
an extension body positioned about the insulation subassembly along a portion of the length of the conductor subassembly; and
a base body coupled to the extension body and extending away from an outer surface of the conductor subassembly; and

a surface of the base body provides at least a portion of the retainable feature.

12. The assembly of claim 11 , wherein:
the cable connector subassembly further comprises an outer component that encompasses at least a portion of the device coupling portion; and
the outer component comprises a passage that is operative to pass therethrough at least a portion of the electrical contact when the portion of the cable connector subassembly is retained within the device receptacle space.

13. The assembly of claim 11 , wherein:
the retainable feature is operative to interact with the retention mechanism for retaining the portion of the cable connector subassembly within the device receptacle space when the retainable feature is inserted in an insertion direction into the device receptacle space; and
the surface of the base body faces a second direction that is opposite to the insertion direction when the portion of the cable connector subassembly is retained within the device receptacle space.

14. The assembly of claim 11 , wherein the surface of the base body is metal.

15. The assembly of claim 11 , wherein the cable connector subassembly further comprises a body component that encompasses a portion of the device coupling portion and a portion of the cable support component.

16. The assembly of claim 11 , wherein the extension body is crimped to the outer surface of the conductor subassembly.

17. The assembly of claim 11 , wherein:
the cable connector subassembly further comprises a body component that encompasses a portion of the device coupling portion; and
a portion of the body component provides at least the portion of the retainable feature.

18. The assembly of claim 17 , wherein the portion of the body component

Assignees

• Apple Inc

Inventors

• Kim Min Chul
• Yang Unhyi
• Weber Robert V
• Mcintosh Sean Thomas
• Abraham Colin J

Classifications

• H01R13/6273

  comprising two latching arms · CPC title

• H01R24/28

  Coupling parts carrying pins, blades or analogous contacts and secured only to wire or cable · CPC title

• H01R24/20

  Coupling parts carrying sockets, clips or analogous contacts and secured only to wire or cable · CPC title

• H01R2103/00

  Two poles · CPC title

• H01R31/06 Primary

  Intermediate parts for linking two coupling parts, e.g. adapter (with a holder adapted for supporting apparatus to which its counterpart is attached H01R33/94) · CPC title