Shielded electrical connector with a folded wall

Details Shielded electrical connector with a folded wall Shielded electrical connector with a folded wall

1999-10-01

2001-03-13

Vu, Hien (Department: 2833)

Electrical connectors

Electromagnetic or electrostatic shield

Multi-part shield body

C439S607070

Reexamination Certificate

active

06200165

ABSTRACT:

FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention generally relates to the art of electrical connectors and, particularly, to a shielded electrical connector having a new and improved electromagnetic shield.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
A wide variety of electrical connectors require protection against the egress or ingress of radio frequency interference (RFI) and/or electromagnetic interference (EMI). This is particularly true in electrical connectors used with high speed electronic equipment. “EMI” has become fairly generic to describe most types of interference caused by electronic waves.
EMI protection typically is provided by substantially enclosing a connector, at least about its mating interface, with an electrically conductive shield. Such shielding enclosures typically are stamped and formed from sheet metal material. The shields are grounded, such as to a ground wire of an electrical cable or to a ground circuit trace on a printed circuit board. When two connectors are mated, it is desirable to have the shields of the two connectors in positive engagement to establish a common ground therethrough and to prevent electromagnetic radiation from or to the connectors in the area of the mating interface thereof.
Heretofore, EMI protection at the interface of a pair of mating connectors has been accomplished simply by overlapping the two shields of the respective connectors. Although this method is quite effective, it requires additional space in the mating direction of the connectors and this is highly undesirable when space is critical in miniaturized, high speed electronics. The same type of space problem arises when radially extending flaps are used between the shields to establish positive engagement, with the space problem being in the transverse direction rather than the mating direction.
In order to solve the space problems described above, positive engagement between a pair of shields of a pair of mating connectors has been accomplished by using flexible, cantilevered ground arms which are stamped directly out of a side wall of at least one of the shields at the mating interface of the connectors. Although such flexible ground arms do not require additional space, they create further problems in creating stamped openings about the arms through which electromagnetic interference can pass. In addition, if the flexible arms are too short, they are susceptible to failure due to stress and strain from numerous mating and unmating cycles of the connectors. In other words, it is desirable to have relatively long cantilevered ground arms, but the size of connectors often do not allow sufficient dimensions to lengthen the arms. The present invention is directed to solving one or more of this myriad of problems in shielded electrical connectors.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object, therefore, of the invention is to provide a new and improved electromagnetic shield for at least one electronic component.
Another object of the invention is to provide an electrical connector with a new and improved electrically conductive shield.
In the exemplary embodiment of the invention, the electromagnetic shield includes an electrically conductive enclosure having wall means defining an open end at a mating face of the component. A flexible elongated ground arm is integrally formed from the wall means and extends generally parallel to the mating face. The ground arm includes a contact portion for engaging a conductive ground portion of a complementary mating electronic component. A portion of the ground means is folded over in an area in registry with said ground arm to minimize electromagnetic leakage about the ground arm.
As disclosed herein, the enclosure is stamped and formed of conductive sheet metal material. The ground arm is stamped from the wall means leaving an opening about the ground arm. The folded over portion of the wall means is in registry with at least a portion of the opening. The ground arm is cantilevered and extends across a substantial portion of the mating face. The contact portion is at a distal end of the cantilevered ground arm.
Other objects, features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings.


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