Cable assembly with equalizer board

Abstract

An electrical cable assembly 1 comprising: 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.

1. An electrical cable assembly comprising: multiple conductors of an electrical cable connected to circuitry on a circuit board, multiple electrical contacts in registration with respective conductive pads of the circuitry, an insulating holder holding the circuit board and the electrical contacts, an insulating housing receiving therein the holder and the electrical contacts and the circuit board, a window providing an open side of the housing, the contacts and the pads being exposed through the open side for inspection of the registration of the contacts with the pads. 
     
     
       2. An electrical cable assembly as recited in  claim 1 , and further comprising: a conductive shield encircling the housing and covering the window. 
     
     
       3. An electrical cable assembly as recited in  claim 2  wherein, a strain relief on the shield grips the cable. 
     
     
       4. An electrical cable assembly as recited in  claim 1 , and further comprising: another window providing a second open side of the housing, the cable conductors and the circuitry being exposed through the second open side for inspection of connections of the cable conductors with the circuitry. 
     
     
       5. An electrical cable assembly as recited in  claim 4 , and further comprising: a conductive shield encircling the housing and covering both the window and said another window. 
     
     
       6. An electrical cable assembly as recited in  claim 5  wherein, a strain relief on the shield grips the cable. 
     
     
       7. An electrical cable assembly as recited in  claim 1  wherein, tips of the contacts project from the holder and extend into the housing. 
     
     
       8. An electrical cable assembly comprising: multiple electrical contacts and multiple conductors of an electrical cable connected to respective conductive pads of circuitry on a circuit board, an insulating holder holding the circuit board and the electrical contacts, an insulating housing receiving therein the holder and the electrical contacts, the circuit board being held in the housing, and windows in open sides of the housing exposing for inspection the contacts and the conductors overlying respective conductive pads of the circuitry. 
     
     
       9. An electrical cable assembly as recited in  claim 8  wherein, the holder and the contacts and the circuit board are received along a cavity that extends to a rear of the housing, and the holder and the housing latch together to resist rearward movement of the holder. 
     
     
       10. An electrical cable assembly as recited in  claim 8 , and further comprising: a conductive shield encircling the housing and covering the windows. 
     
     
       11. An electrical cable assembly as recited in  claim 8  wherein, tips of the contacts project from the holder and extend into the housing. 
     
     
       12. An electrical cable assembly comprising: multiple electrical contacts and multiple conductors of an electrical cable connected to respective conductive pads of circuitry on a circuit board, an insulating holder holding the circuit board and the electrical contacts, an insulating housing receiving therein the holder and the electrical contacts, the circuit board being held in the housing, a window providing an open side of the housing, the cable conductors and the circuitry being exposed through the open side for inspection of connections of the cable conductors with the circuitry. 
     
     
       13. An electrical cable assembly as recited in  claim 12 , and further comprising: a conductive shield encircling the housing and covering the window. 
     
     
       14. An electrical cable assembly as recited in  claim 12  wherein, tips of the contacts project from the holder and extend into the housing. 
     
     
       15. A method of assembling an electrical connector assembly comprising:
   providing a circuit board;        connecting electrical contacts to the circuit board;        providing a housing having a top side and opposite sides that define a cavity in the housing, the cavity extending between the opposite sides, the housing having a front mating end with an opening therein that opens laterally to a bottom side of the housing;        recessing grooves into the opposite sides of the housing with the grooves open into the cavity extending between the opposite sides, wherein the grooves and the cavity extend to a rear end of the housing; and        inserting a contact holder, electrical contacts and the circuit board at the rear end of the housing into the grooves and cavity until the circuit board is proximate the front mating end of the housing.     
     
     
       16. The method of  claim 15 , further comprising providing signal conditioning circuitry on the circuit board for conditioning high speed serial data signals carried over an electrical cable. 
     
     
       17. The method of  claim 15 , further comprising mounting signal conditioning circuitry on the circuit board before inserting the circuit board into the grooves. 
     
     
       18. The method of  claim 15 , further comprising:
   inserting the contact holder and electrical contacts through the rear end of the housing into the grooves prior to inserting the circuit board into the housing, wherein the electrical contacts are connected to the circuit board after the circuit board is inserted into the housing.     
     
     
       19. The method of  claim 15 , further comprising:
   providing conductive pads on the circuit board;        interconnecting the conductive pads with narrow circuit paths on the circuit board; and        attaching signal conditioning circuitry to at least one of the conductive pads and the circuit paths.     
     
     
       20. The method of  claim 15 , further comprising:
   soldering circuit elements to the circuit board to provide signal conditioning.     
     
     
       21. The method of  claim 15 , further comprising mounting electrical contacts to the circuit board before inserting the circuit board into the grooves. 
     
     
       22. The method of  claim 15 , further comprising:
   mounting a holder to the circuit board; and        mounting contacts to the holder.     
     
     
       23. The method of  claim 15 , further comprising providing a holder configured to be mounted to contacts and the circuit board, the holder including latch fingers; and
   inserting the latch fingers into the grooves at the rear end of the housing before inserting the circuit board.     
     
     
       24. The method of  claim 15 , further comprising connecting an electrical cable to the circuit board. 
     
     
       25. A method of assembling an electrical connector assembly comprising:
   providing a circuit board;        providing a housing having a top side and opposite sides that define a cavity in the housing, the cavity extending between the opposite sides, the housing having a front mating end with an opening therein that opens laterally to a bottom side of the housing;        recessing grooves into the opposite sides of the housing with the grooves open into the cavity extending between the opposite sides, wherein the grooves and the cavity extend to a rear end of the housing;        inserting the circuit board at the rear end of the housing into the grooves and cavity until the circuit board is proximate the front mating end of the housing; and        recessing a row of channels along a tongue on the housing, the tongue being located beside the opening in the front mating end.     
     
     
       26. The method of  claim 25 , further comprising providing signal conditioning circuitry on the circuit board for conditioning high speed serial data signals carried over an electrical cable. 
     
     
       27. The method of  claim 25 , further comprising:
   inserting a contact holder and electrical contacts through the rear end of the housing into the grooves; and        connecting the electrical contacts to the circuit board.     
     
     
       28. The method of  claim 25 , further comprising:
   providing conductive pads on the circuit board;        interconnecting the conductive pads with narrow circuit paths on the circuit board; and        attaching signal conditioning circuitry to at least one of the conductive pads and the circuit paths.     
     
     
       29. The method of  claim 25 , further comprising:
   mounting a holder to the circuit board; and        mounting contacts to the holder.     
     
     
       30. The method of  claim 25 , further comprising providing a holder configured to be mounted to contacts and the circuit board, the holder including latch fingers; and
   inserting the latch fingers into the grooves at the rear end of the housing before inserting the circuit board.     
     
     
       31. An electrical connector assembly, comprising:
   a circuit board with contacts on at least one end thereof;        a housing having a top side and opposite sides that define a cavity in said housing, said cavity extending between said opposite sides, said housing having a front mating end with an opening therein that opens laterally to a bottom side of said housing, said opposite sides having grooves recessed therein, said grooves opening into said cavity, said grooves and cavity extending to a rear end of said housing, said circuit board being inserted into said grooves and said cavity at said rear end of said housing until said circuit board is proximate said front mating end; and        a holder securing said contacts to said circuit board, said holder being inserted into said grooves in said opposite sides of said housing.     
     
     
       32. The electrical connector assembly of  claim 31 , further comprising signal conditioning circuitry mounting on said circuit board, said signal conditioning circuitry being set to condition high speed serial data signals carried over an electrical cable. 
     
     
       33. The electrical connector assembly of  claim 31 , further comprising signal conditioning circuitry mounted on said circuit board. 
     
     
       34. The electrical connector assembly of  claim 31 , further comprising an electrical cable connected to said circuit board. 
     
     
       35. An electrical connector assembly comprising:
   a circuit board with contacts on at least one end thereof;        a housing having a top side and opposite sides that define a cavity in said housing, said cavity extending between said opposite sides, said housing having a front mating end with an opening therein that opens laterally to a bottom side of said housing, said opposite sides having grooves recessed therein, said grooves opening into said cavity, said grooves and cavity extending to a rear end of said housing, said circuit board being inserted into said grooves and said cavity at said rear end of said housing until said circuit board is proximate said front mating end, and said housing having a row of channels recessed along a tongue of said housing, said tongue being located beside said opening in said front mating end.     
     
     
       36. The electrical connector assembly of  claim 35 , further comprising signal conditioning circuitry mounting on said circuit board, said signal conditioning circuitry being set to condition high speed serial data signals carried over an electrical cable. 
     
     
       37. The electrical connector assembly of  claim 35 , further comprising signal conditioning circuitry mounted on said circuit board. 
     
     
       38. The electrical connector assembly of  claim 35 , further comprising an electrical cable connected to said circuit board. 
     
     
       39. The electrical connector assembly of  claim 35 , further comprising a holder securing said contacts to said circuit board, said holder being inserted into said grooves in said opposite sides of said housing.