Electrical connectors – Electromagnetic or electrostatic shield – Multi-part shield body
Reexamination Certificate
2003-04-17
2004-08-24
Paumen, Gary (Department: 2833)
Electrical connectors
Electromagnetic or electrostatic shield
Multi-part shield body
Reexamination Certificate
active
06780058
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a backplane connector assembly for electrically connecting circuit boards together and a method for producing the plug connector component of the connector assembly.
A connector for connecting two circuit boards together has been frequently used for the purpose of enhancing an actually mounted density of the electronic circuits or for the purpose of arranging a plurality of circuit boards in a solid state in conformity with the miniaturization or reduction in size of electronic equipment.
In general, this type connector is composed of a plug connector and a receptacle connector. The plug connector is to be connected to one of the circuit boards and the receptacle connector is to be connected to the other circuit board. The types of connection between the two circuit boards using such a connector may be generally categorized into two. One type is that both connectors are clamped by a pair of circuit boards under the condition that the circuit boards are overlapped and connected to each other. The other type is where the surface of one circuit board is intersected substantially perpendicular with the surface of another circuit board when both connectors are connected to each other.
For instance, the latter substrate connecting connector is disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. Hei 8-288019 and Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. Hei 10-172652.
In case of this type of backplane connector, there are the following tasks to be solved in view of the fact that a multi-pin connector having a large number, from several tens to several hundreds, of terminals is used recently, the connector becomes a high speed transfer connector and so on.
The first problem is that of providing effective electromagnetic shielding of signal terminals. Even in a conventional backplane connector, there are some cases where a partial approach is effected in regard to electromagnetic shielding. However, such an approach is not satisfactory. For instance, there is a receptacle connector in which a plurality of rows of signal terminals (signal pins) are provided in a widthwise direction of the connector housing, and a plurality of stages thereof are provided in a thickness, or vertical, direction of the housing. In this connector, shielding plates are arranged simply in the widthwise direction of the housing and separated from each other at designated intervals. For this reason, there is a problem of cross-talk between the signal terminals in the areas where no shielding plates are provided.
The second problem is in the manufacturing equipment and manufacturing cost of the plug connector. For instance, in a plug connector provided with a number of contacts arranged in a grid of 25 pins (widthwise) and 5 pins (height or vertically) of the plug housing, a method is carried out in which this large number of contacts, or terminals, are sequentially press fitted into the mounting holes of the connector housing in groups. In this case, the terminals and the shielding plates are alternatively press fitted, but because the shielding plates are inserted in the vertical direction, only one vertical columns of five terminals can be press fit vertically at once. As a result, the press fit steps for the terminals and the press fit steps for the shielding plates have each to be performed twenty-five times, for the terminal columns and vertical shielding plates, respectively, i.e., fifty times in total. Correspondingly, the manufacturing equipment becomes worn over time and also the manufacturing cost increases. Of course, also in this case, the above-described problem of electromagnetic shielding is still unresolved.
The present invention is directed to a backplane connector construction that overcomes the aforementioned disadvantages.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore a general object of the present invention to provide an improved backplane connector for solving the problem of the shielding of the connector and the problem of cross-talk or the like.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a technology to remarkably reduce the press inserting step of the terminals, thereby enhancing the connector manufacturing equipment and to make it possible to reduce the manufacturing cost.
These and other objects and advanatages are accomplished by way of the structure of the invention.
In accordance with the principles of the present invention, a backplane connector for electrically connecting together two circuit boards, or backplanes, together is provided with a plug connector for mounting on one circuit board and a receptacle connector for mounting on the other circuit board. The receptacle connector is provided with a housing having an opening into which the plug connector may be inserted, and it includes a plurality of male terminals arranged in a grid within the receptacle housing. The plug connector is provided with a plurality of female terminals, each terminal having a contact portion for electrically contacting the respective male terminals of the receptacle connector, and an insulative housing for holding the terminals in place. A plurality of vertical shielding plates to be arranged in parallel with each other are provided between the respective pin terminals in the receptacle connector. A plurality of horizontal shielding plates are arranged in spaced apart horizontal rows and are provided to intersect with the vertical shielding plates in a cruciform manner, within the body of the plug connector. Slits for receiving the vertical shielding plates are respectively formed in the housing of the plug connector and in the horizontal shielding plates.
According to the present invention, since the plurality of horizontal shielding plates are arranged generally in parallel with each other in the plug connector so as to intersect with the vertical shielding plates on the receptacle side in a cruciform manner, it is possible to make a form in which the shielding plates are present and adjacent to every signal terminal. Thus, it is possible to solve problem of the electromagnetic shielding of the connector and there is no problem of cross-talk or the like.
According to the present invention, when each of the pin terminals of the receptacle connector and the contact portions of the plug connector terminals are electrically connected to each other, the periphery of the respective contacts areas of the two connector terminals are surrounded by both vertical and the horizontal shielding plates of the two connectors and thus prevention of cross-talk is more ensured.
The housing of the plug connector according to the present invention is preferably composed of a plurality of insulative housing modules that are overlapped in a plurality of stages in a thickness direction (vertically) of the housing and are connected to each other, and the horizontal shielding plates are respectively interposed between the housing modules. With such a structure in which the plurality of the housing modules are overlapped in the plurality of stages in the thickness direction of the housing, it is possible to reduce the number of the housing modules. Furthermore, the horizontal shielding plates are disposed between adjacent housing modules so that the plurality of horizontal shielding plates may readily be provided.
It is also preferable that mounting holes, or passages, for the terminals are arranged at intervals widthwise of the housing modules and the slits are provided between adjacent terminal-mounting passages in the respective housing modules. The slits are provided between the adjacent mounting passages of the housing modules so that each shielding plate of the receptacle connector may be inserted into the plug connector body portion between adjacent mounting passages thereof.
It is preferable that engagement portions are provided on the housing modules so they will engage adjacent housing modules. With these engagement portions, it is possible to readily and detachably engage the housing modules together without permanently adhering the housing mo
Mizumura Akinori
Noda Atsuhito
Tetsuka Yoshihiro
Molex Incorporated
Paulius Thomas D.
Paumen Gary
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