Electrical connectors – Electromagnetic or electrostatic shield – Multi-part shield body
Reexamination Certificate
2001-11-19
2004-03-30
Bradley, P. Austin (Department: 2833)
Electrical connectors
Electromagnetic or electrostatic shield
Multi-part shield body
C439S101000, C439S108000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06712646
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a high-speed transmission connector and, in particular, to a ground structure of the high-speed transmission connector.
An electrical connector is used to connect two electrical apparatuses. Particularly when a signal is transmitted at a high speed, shielding is required for preventing leakage of the signal and entrance of noise. In case of a connector for connecting two circuit boards to each other, a simple ground structure as a shield is important.
Referring to
FIGS. 1A through 1F
, description will be made of an assembling process of an existing high-speed transmission connector having a shielding ground structure. In the illustrated example, the high-speed transmission connector is a plug connector having socket contacts for transmitting signals therethrough, which will be referred to as signal socket contacts.
At first referring to
FIG. 1A
, a plurality of sets of four signal socket contacts
42
A through
42
D for use in the plug connector (
41
in
FIG. 1F
) are connected to a plurality of arms
43
A protruding from a carrier
43
, respectively. Each of the signal socket contacts
42
A through
42
D has a substantially L shape. Such a plurality of sets of the signal socket contacts
42
A through
42
D connected to the carrier
43
are prepared by pressing a single metal plate.
Next referring to
FIG. 1B
, the signal socket contacts
42
A through
42
D in each set are subjected to insert-molding by the use of an insulating resin material to form a contact module
44
.
Subsequently, the signal socket contacts
42
A through
42
D in each contact module
44
are separated from the arm
43
A of the carrier
43
. As illustrated in
FIG. 1C
, four ground plates
45
A through
45
D are incorporated into the contact module
44
on opposite sides thereof, two on one side and two on the other side. Specifically, the ground plates
45
A through
45
D are press-fitted into grooves formed in the contact module
44
. The ground plates
45
A through
45
D correspond to the signal socket contacts
42
A through
42
D, respectively. The ground plates
45
A through
45
D are alternately arranged on the opposite sides of the contact module
44
. Specifically, the ground plates
45
A and
45
C corresponding to the signal socket contacts
42
A and
42
C are arranged on one side of the contact module
44
while the ground plates
45
B and
45
D corresponding to the signal socket contacts
42
B and
42
D are arranged on the other side of the contact module
44
.
Turning to
FIG. 1D
, a shield plate
46
bent into a generally L shape is prepared. Into the shield plate
46
, the contact modules
44
with the ground plates
45
A through
45
D incorporated therein are provisionally inserted one by one. After the contact modules
44
, six in total, are inserted, they are collectively press fitted. Then, an assembly illustrated on a left-hand side in
FIG. 1E
is obtained.
Finally, the assembly including the six contact modules
44
and the shield plate
46
are press fitted into a housing
47
to complete the socket connector
41
as illustrated in FIG.
1
F.
Thus, the socket connector
41
includes the six sets of the signal socket contacts
42
A through
42
D as the six contact modules
44
. Among the six sets of the signal socket contacts
42
A through
42
D, the four sets located inside are shielded by the ground plates on both of the left and the right sides. However, the signal socket contacts
42
B and
42
D of the leftmost set are not shielded on the left side by the ground plates. Likewise, the signal socket contacts
42
A and
42
C of the rightmost set are not shielded on the right side by the ground plates. Therefore, the leftmost and the rightmost sets are not practically used.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a high-speed transmission connector in which all of signaling contacts including outermost ones are shielded by grounding plates so as to reliably transmit a high-speed signal.
According to this invention, the following structures are provided:
1. A high-speed transmission connector comprising an insulating connector housing, a plurality of contacts fixed to the connector housing at positions forming a plurality of rows and a plurality of columns in a matrix arrangement, and a shield attached to the connector housing, wherein:
the shield comprises a plurality of first ground plates extending in parallel to the columns of the contacts and a plurality of second ground plates extending in parallel to the rows of the contacts;
at least either one ground plates of the first ground plates and the second ground plates being provided with contacting portions to be connected to the other ground plates, one of each of the first ground plates and each of the second ground plates having at least one ground terminal to be connected to an external circuit;
the first ground plates being arranged at an outside of opposite outermost ones of and between every two adjacent ones of the columns of the contacts, the second ground plates being arranged at an outside of opposite outermost ones of and between every two adjacent one of the rows of the contacts, the first and the second ground plates surrounding the contacts and forming a grid structure.
2. A board connector to be mounted on a circuit board, the connector being a high-speed transmission connector for use in connecting a signal circuit of a differential signal transmission system in which a single differential signal is transmitted through each air of two adjacent ones of a plurality of contacts, the connector comprising:
an insulating connector housing provided with a plurality of contact holding holes arranged in a matrix fashion to form a plurality of columns and a plurality of rows including two upper rows and two lower rows, a plurality of first slits formed between every two adjacent ones of and at the outside of opposite outermost ones of the columns of the holding holes and extending in parallel to the columns, and a second slit formed between the two upper rows and the two lower rows of the holding holes and extending in parallel to the rows;
a plurality of contacts fixed to the contact holding holes, respectively;
a plurality of ground plates inserted into the first slits, respectively; and
a second ground plate inserted into the second slit and brought into contact with the first ground plates.
Each of the contacts has a contact lead terminal to be connected to a circuit pattern on the circuit board. Each of the first ground plates has first, second, and third ground terminals which are to be connected to a ground pattern of the circuit board. The contact lead terminals are arranged to form a plurality of columns and plurality of rows in a matrix arrangement. The first, the second, and the third ground terminals are arranged at the outside of opposite outermost ones of and between every two adjacent ones of the columns of the contact lead terminals in a direction parallel to the columns. The first ground terminals of the first ground plates are arranged at the outside of the first row of the contact lead terminals in parallel to the first row. The second ground terminals are arranged between the second and the third rows of the contact lead terminals in parallel to the second and the third rows. The third ground terminals are arranged at the outside of the fourth row of the contact lead terminals in parallel to the fourth row.
3. A high-speed transmission connector for use in connecting a signal circuit of a differential signal transmission system in which a single differential signal is transmitted through each pair of two adjacent ones of a plurality of contacts. The connector comprises:
an insulating connector housing having a plurality of contact holding holes arranged in a matrix fashion to form a plurality of columns and a plurality of rows including two upper rows and two lower rows. A plurality of first slits are formed between every two adjacent ones of and at the outside of opposite outermost ones of the columns of the
Bradley P. Austin
Hammond Briggitte R.
Japan Aviation Electronics Industry Limited
Michael & Best & Friedrich LLP
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