Patent Application
20220224052
The subject matter herein relates generally to electrical connectors.
Electrical connectors are typically used to electrically couple various types of electrical devices to transmit signals between the devices. At least some known electrical connectors include a cable assembly having cables connected between the electrical device and the electrical connector. The cables each have a signal conductor or a differential pair of signal conductors surrounded by a shield layer that, in turn, is surrounded by a cable jacket. The shield layer includes a conductive foil, which functions to shield the signal conductor(s) from electromagnetic interference (EMI) and generally improve performance. At an end of the communication cable, the cable jacket, the shield layer, and insulation that covers the signal conductor(s) may be removed (e.g., stripped) to expose the signal conductor(s). The exposed portions of the conductor(s) may then be mechanically and electrically coupled (e.g., soldered) to corresponding elements of an electrical device. However, the lack of shielding in the exposed portions may cause a high impedance mismatch and reduce the overall performance of the device.
Accordingly, there is a need for an electrical connector having improved electrical shielding.
In one embodiment, a contact assembly for an electrical connector is provided. The electrical connector includes a leadframe having an array of contacts include signal contacts and ground contacts. The ground contacts are interspersed with the signal contacts to provide electrical shielding between corresponding signal contacts. Each signal contact includes a signal intermediate portion extending between a signal mating end and a signal terminating end. Each ground contact includes a ground intermediate portion extending between a ground mating end and a ground terminating end. The ground terminating end has a leadframe ground bus connecting each of the ground contacts. The electrical connector includes a contact holder holding the array of contacts. The contact holder is a dielectric material. The contact holder holds each of the signal intermediate portions and holds each of the ground intermediate portions. The signal mating ends, and the ground mating ends extend forward of the contact holder. The signal terminating ends and the ground terminating ends extending rearward of the contact holder. The electrical connector includes cables terminated to the leadframe. The cables include signal conductors and ground shields surrounding the corresponding signal conductors to provide electrical shielding for the signal conductors. The signal conductors are terminated to corresponding signal terminating ends. The leadframe ground bus are terminated to each of the ground shields to electrically common the ground shields and the leadframe ground bus. The electrical connector includes an external ground bus separate and discrete from the leadframe ground bus. The external ground bus are terminated to each of the ground shields at an opposite side of the cables from the leadframe ground bus to electrically common the ground shields and the external ground bus.
In a further embodiment, a contact assembly for an electrical connector is provided. The electrical connector includes a leadframe having an array of contacts including signal contacts and ground contacts. The signal contacts are arranged in pairs. The ground contacts interspersed between the pairs of the signal contacts to provide electrical shielding between the corresponding signal contacts. Each signal contact includes a signal intermediate portion extending between a signal mating end and a signal terminating end. Each ground contact includes a ground intermediate portion extending between a ground mating end and a ground terminating end. The ground terminating end has a leadframe ground bus connecting each of the ground contacts. The leadframe ground bus include connecting portions between the ground contacts. The electrical connector includes a contact holder holding the array of contacts. The contact holder is a dielectric material. The contact holder holds each of the signal intermediate portions and holds each of the ground intermediate portions. The signal mating ends, and the ground mating ends extend forward of the contact holder. The signal terminating ends and the ground terminating ends extend rearward of the contact holder. The electrical connector includes cables terminated to the leadframe. The cables include signal conductors and ground shields surrounding the corresponding signal conductors to provide electrical shielding for the signal conductors. The signal conductors are terminated to corresponding signal terminating ends. The connecting portions of the leadframe ground bus are aligned with the cables and are terminated to the ground shields of the corresponding cables to electrically common the ground shields and the leadframe ground bus. The electrical connector includes an external ground bus separate and discrete from the leadframe ground bus. The external ground bus has ground beams and connecting portions between the ground beams. The ground beams are aligned with and coupled to the corresponding ground contacts. The connecting portions of the external ground bus are aligned with the cables and are terminated to the ground shields of the corresponding cables at an opposite side of the cables from the leadframe ground bus. The external ground bus electrically commoning the ground shields and the external ground bus.
In a further embodiment, an electrical connector is provided. The electrical connector includes a housing has a cavity receiving an upper contact assembly and a lower contact assembly. The housing includes a card slot at a mating end of the housing configured to receive a card edge of a circuit card of a mating connector. The upper contact assembly includes an upper leadframe having an array of upper contacts including upper signal contacts and upper ground contacts. The upper ground contacts are interspersed with the upper signal contacts to provide electrical shielding between corresponding upper signal contacts. Each upper signal contact includes an upper signal intermediate portion extending between an upper signal mating end and an upper signal terminating end. Each upper ground contact includes an upper ground intermediate portion extending between an upper ground mating end and an upper ground terminating end. The upper ground terminating end has an upper leadframe ground bus connecting each of the upper ground contacts. The upper signal mating ends and the upper ground mating ends located in the card slot for mating with the circuit card. The upper contact assembly includes an upper contact holder holding the array of upper contacts. The upper contact holder is a dielectric material. The upper contact holder holding each of the upper signal intermediate portions and holding each of the upper ground intermediate portions. The upper signal mating ends and the upper ground mating ends extend forward of the upper contact holder. The upper signal terminating ends and the upper ground terminating ends extend rearward of the upper contact holder. The upper contact assembly includes upper cables terminated to the upper leadframe. The upper cables include upper signal conductors and upper ground shields surrounding the corresponding upper signal conductors to provide electrical shielding for the upper signal conductors. The upper signal conductors are terminated to corresponding upper signal terminating ends. The upper leadframe ground bus are terminated to each of the upper ground shields to electrically common the upper ground shields and the upper leadframe ground bus. The upper contact assembly includes an upper external ground bus separate and discrete from the upper leadframe ground bus. The upper external ground bus are terminated to each of the upper ground shields at an opposite side of the upper cables from the upper leadframe ground bus to electrically common the upper ground shields and the upper external ground bus. The lower contact assembly includes a lower leadframe having an array of lower contacts including lower signal contacts and lower ground contacts. The lower ground contacts are interspersed with the lower signal contacts to provide electrical shielding between corresponding lower signal contacts. Each lower signal contact includes a lower signal intermediate portion extending between a lower signal mating end and a lower signal terminating end. Each lower ground contact includes a lower ground intermediate portion extending between a lower ground mating end and a lower ground terminating end. The lower ground terminating end has a lower leadframe ground bus connecting each of the lower ground contacts. The lower signal mating ends and the lower ground mating ends located in the card slot for mating with the circuit card. The lower contact assembly includes a lower contact holder holding the array of lower contacts. The lower contact holder is coupled to the upper contact holder. The lower contact holder is a dielectric material. The lower contact holder holding each of the lower signal intermediate portions and holding each of the lower ground intermediate portions. The lower signal mating ends and the lower ground mating ends extending forward of the lower contact holder. The lower signal terminating ends and the lower ground terminating ends extending rearward of the lower contact holder. The lower contact assembly includes lower cables terminated to the lower leadframe. The lower cables include lower signal conductors and lower ground shields surrounding the corresponding lower signal conductors to provide electrical shielding for the lower signal conductors. The lower signal conductors are terminated to corresponding lower signal terminating ends. The lower leadframe ground bus are terminated to each of the lower ground shields to electrically common the lower ground shields and the lower leadframe ground bus. The lower contact assembly includes a lower external ground bus separate and discrete from the lower leadframe ground bus. The lower external ground bus are terminated to each of the lower ground shields at an opposite side of the lower cables from the lower leadframe ground bus to electrically common the lower ground shields and the lower external ground bus.
The mating electrical connector 30 is configured to be mated with the electrical connector 10. In an exemplary embodiment, the mating electrical connector 30 has a circuit card 32 at a mating end 34 of the mating electrical connector 30. The circuit card 32 includes mating contacts 36 at a card edge 38 of the circuit card 32. The connectors 10, 30 may be a high-speed connectors that transmit data signals at speeds over 10 gigabits per second (Gbps), such as over 25 Gbps. The connectors 10, 30 may be input-output (I/O) connectors.
The description herein may be made specifically to the “upper” contact subassembly 102 with the qualifier “upper” and may be made specifically to the “lower” contact subassembly 104 with the qualifier “lower” or may be made generically to the upper or the lower contact subassemblies 102, 104 without use of the qualifiers “upper” or “lower”. The contact assembly 100 includes a leadframe 110 having an array of contacts 112 including signal contacts 114 and ground contacts 116. The contact assembly 100 includes a contact holder 120 holding the array of contacts 112. The contact assembly 100 includes cables 122 terminated to the leadframe 110. The contact assembly 100 includes an external ground bus 124 provided to electrically common the ground contacts 116 and the cables 122.
The contact holder 120 is used to hold the contacts 112, including the signal contacts 114 and the ground contacts 116. The contact holder 120 is manufactured from a dielectric material to electrically isolate the contacts 112 from each other. In an exemplary embodiment, the contact holder 120 is overmolded over the leadframe 110 to encase portions of the contacts 112 and hold relative positions of the contacts 112. The contact holder 120 extends between a front 126 and a rear 128.
In an exemplary embodiment, the contacts 112 are arranged in one or more rows. For example, the upper contacts 112 are arranged in an upper row configured to interface with an upper surface of a circuit card, such as the circuit card 32, and the lower contacts 112 are arranged in a lower row configured to interface with a lower surface of the circuit card. In an exemplary embodiment, the signal contacts 114 are arranged in pairs, such as differential pairs. The ground contacts 116 are interspersed between the signal contacts 114, such as between the pairs of the signal contacts 114, to provide electrical shielding between the corresponding signal contacts 114.
Each signal contact 114 includes a signal intermediate portion 130 extending between a signal mating end 132 and a signal terminating end 134. The contact holder 120 holds the signal intermediate portions 130 relative to each other. The contact holder 120 maintains spacing between the signal contacts 114. The signal mating ends 132 are located forward of the contact holder 120. The signal terminating ends 134 are located rearward of the contact holder 120. In an exemplary embodiment, the signal contacts 114 include spring beams 136 at the signal mating ends 132. The spring beams 136 are deflectable spring beams. The spring beams 136 include separable mating interfaces at or near the distal ends of the spring beams 136. The spring beams 136 may be curved or cupped at the distal ends to prevent stubbing during mating with the circuit card. In an exemplary embodiment, the signal contacts 114 include weld pads 138 at the signal terminating ends 134. The weld pads 138 are configured to be welded to conductors of the cables 122.
Each ground contact 116 includes a ground intermediate portion 140 extending between a ground mating end 142 and a ground terminating end 144. The contact holder 120 holds the ground intermediate portions 140 relative to each other and relative to the signal intermediate portions 130. The ground mating ends 142 are located forward of the contact holder 120. The ground terminating ends 144 are located rearward of the contact holder 120. In an exemplary embodiment, the ground contacts 116 include spring beams 146 at the ground mating ends 142. The spring beams 146 are deflectable spring beams. The spring beams 146 include separable mating interfaces at or near the distal ends of the spring beams 146. The spring beams 146 may be curved or cupped at the distal ends to prevent stubbing during mating with the circuit card. In an exemplary embodiment, the ground contacts 116 include a leadframe ground bus 150 (shown in
During assembly, the upper and lower contact subassemblies 102, 104 are coupled to the frame 106. The frame 106 includes a platform 200 at a front of the frame 106. The upper and lower contact holders 120 are coupled to the platform 200, such as to upper and lower surfaces of the platform 200, respectively. The frame 106 includes a cable support tray 202 rearward of the platform 200. The cable support tray 202 supports the cables 122, such as along upper and lower surfaces of the cable support tray 202. The cable support tray 202 includes separating walls 204 forming cable channels 206 that receive corresponding cables 122. In an exemplary embodiment, the frame 106 includes a strain relief element 208 providing strain relief for the cables 122. The strain relief element 208 is coupled to the cable support tray 202. During assembly, the cables 122 are received in the cable channels 206 and terminated to the leadframe 110. Signal conductors 210 (shown in
The external ground bus 124 is separate and discrete from the leadframe ground bus 150. Both the external ground bus 124 and the leadframe ground bus 150 are electrically connected to the ground shields 212 of the cables 122 to electrically common the ground shields 212. In an exemplary embodiment, the external ground bus 124 and the leadframe ground bus 150 are coupled to opposite sides of the ground shields 212 of the cables 122 to provide shielding both above and below the cables 122. The external ground bus 124 includes ground fingers 160 and connecting portions 162 between the ground fingers 160. The ground fingers 160 are aligned with and coupled to the corresponding ground contacts 116. The connecting portions 162 are aligned with the cables 122 and terminated to the ground shields 212 of the corresponding cables 122 at an opposite side of the cables 122 from the leadframe ground bus 150. The external ground bus 124 electrically commons each of the ground shields 212. The external ground bus 124 is coupled to the ground contacts 116 to electrically common the external ground bus 124 with the leadframe ground bus 150. In an exemplary embodiment, the external ground bus 124 includes a connecting beam 164 extending between and connecting each of the ground fingers 160. The connecting beam 164 commons each of the ground fingers 160. The connecting beam 164 is spaced apart from the connecting portions 162. The connecting beam 164 may span across each of the ground fingers 160, such as at the front of the external ground bus 124. The connecting beam 164 may abut against the contact holder 120 to position the external ground bus 124 relative to the contact holder 120. The connecting beam 164 may extend generally perpendicular relative to the ground fingers 160. For example, the connecting beam 164 may extend vertically and the ground fingers 160 may extend horizontally.
In an exemplary embodiment, the cable 122 is located between the external ground bus 124 and the leadframe ground bus 150. The cable 122 may be sandwiched between the external ground bus 124 and the leadframe ground bus 150. The external ground bus 124 and the leadframe ground bus 150 are both electrically coupled to the ground shield 212. For example, the external ground bus 124 and the leadframe ground bus 150 may be soldered to the ground shield 212. The external ground bus 124 and the leadframe ground bus 150 provide multiple points of contact with the ground shield 212. Electrical shielding is provided both above and below the ground shield 212 to enhance shielding and electrical performance of the electrical connector 10. In the illustrated embodiment, the upper external ground bus 124 extends above the cable 122 and is coupled to a top side of the cable 122 and the upper leadframe ground bus 150 extends below the cable and is coupled to a bottom side of the cable 122. In the illustrated embodiment, the lower leadframe ground bus 150 extends above the cable 122 and is coupled to a top side of the cable 122 and the lower external ground bus 124 extends below the cable and is coupled to a bottom side of the cable 122.
The ground finger 160 is provided at the front of the external ground bus 124 and extends along the ground contact 116, such as along the ground intermediate portion 140. The ground finger 160 is electrically coupled to the ground contact 116. For example, the ground finger 160 may be welded to the ground contact 116. The electrical connection between the ground finger 160 and the ground contact 116 provides separate points of contact.
In an exemplary embodiment, the connecting portions 162 (
It is to be understood that the above description is intended to be illustrative, and not restrictive. For example, the above-described embodiments (and/or aspects thereof) may be used in combination with each other. In addition, many modifications may be made to adapt a particular situation or material to the teachings of the invention without departing from its scope. Dimensions, types of materials, orientations of the various components, and the number and positions of the various components described herein are intended to define parameters of certain embodiments, and are by no means limiting and are merely exemplary embodiments. Many other embodiments and modifications within the spirit and scope of the claims will be apparent to those of skill in the art upon reviewing the above description. The scope of the invention should, therefore, be determined with reference to the appended claims, along with the full scope of equivalents to which such claims are entitled. In the appended claims, the terms “including” and “in which” are used as the plain-English equivalents of the respective terms “comprising” and “wherein.” Moreover, in the following claims, the terms “first,” “second,” and “third,” etc. are used merely as labels, and are not intended to impose numerical requirements on their objects. Further, the limitations of the following claims are not written in means-plus-function format and are not intended to be interpreted based on 35 U.S.C. § 112(f), unless and until such claim limitations expressly use the phrase “means for” followed by a statement of function void of further structure.
