Patent Application
20160134040
The subject matter herein relates generally to plug connectors that have contact pads on a circuit board.
Some electrical connectors include a circuit board that has multiple contact pads that are configured to electrically engage mating contacts of a mating connector. Modern circuit board manufacturing processes are able to produce groups of contact pads separated by a fine pitch in order to increase the density of electrical connections per area of the circuit board. The contact pads may be accurately positioned pad-to-pad, such that the dimensions of the contact pads and the pitch between adjacent contact pads are kept constant and precise. However, often the groups of contact pads are not accurately positioned across a width of the circuit board and/or relative to edges of the circuit board. This shortcoming may cause the contact pads to misalign with the mating contacts of the mating connector because in many connector systems the side edges of the circuit board are used to guide and locate the mating interface of the electrical connector relative to the mating interface of the mating connector. For example, as the circuit board is inserted into a slot of the mating connector, the side edges of the circuit board (or components on the side edges) may engage inner walls of the mating connector that define the slot in order to guide the circuit board into the slot. If the contact pads on the circuit board are not aligned accurately relative to the side edges of the board, the contact pads may not align correctly with the corresponding mating contacts, which is detrimental to the electrical performance of the connector system. Considering that some contact pads are only 0.4 millimeters (mm) wide and are separated by a 0.5 mm pitch, if the side edges are incorrectly positioned relative to the contact pads by a fraction of a millimeter, the contact pads may entirely miss the appropriate corresponding mating contacts of the mating connector. In addition, some circuit boards include groups of contact pads on opposing sides of the circuit board. If a first group of contact pads on a first side of the circuit board is slightly misaligned relative to the side edges of the circuit board, flipping the circuit board over to etch or otherwise produce a second group of contact pads may exacerbate the error.
Known techniques used to tightly and accurately control the locations of the contact pads relative to the side edges of the circuit board include using secondary machinery to shape the edges of the circuit board and also encasing the circuit board in a separate molded enclosure. But, both techniques are expensive and may be complicated. A need remains for a connector that includes a circuit board with contact pads that align accurately with mating contacts upon being received in a mating connector.
In an embodiment, a plug connector includes a circuit card and a guide frame. The circuit card is held by a housing. The circuit card has a first surface and an opposite second surface. The circuit card includes a front edge and opposing outer edges. The circuit card defines at least one datum hole in the first surface. The circuit card further includes a set of contact pads along the first surface proximate to the front edge. The contact pads are registered relative to the at least one datum hole. The guide frame is mounted to the circuit card. The guide frame has a base that has at least one post extending from a side thereof. The guide frame includes a frame member that extends from the base. An outer wall of the frame member is registered relative to the at least one post. The at least one post is received in the at least one datum hole of the circuit card such that the outer wall of the frame member is registered relative to the contact pads, independent of locations of the outer edges of the circuit card.
In another embodiment, a connector system includes a plug connector and a receptacle connector. The plug connector includes a circuit card held by a housing and a guide frame mounted to the circuit card. The circuit card includes a front edge and opposing outer edges. The circuit card defines at least one datum hole through a first surface of the circuit card. The circuit card further includes a set of contact pads along the first surface proximate to the front edge. The contact pads are registered relative to the at least one datum hole. The guide frame has a base that includes at least one post. The guide frame further includes a frame member that extends from the base. An outer wall of the frame member is registered relative to the at least one post. The at least one post is received in the at least one datum hole of the circuit card such that the outer wall of the frame member is registered relative to the contact pads. The receptacle connector has a receptacle housing that defines a slot at a mating end thereof. The receptacle connector holds multiple receptacle contacts along at least one of a first side wall or a second side wall. The slot is defined between the first and second side walls and between first and second end walls. The first and second end walls extend between the first and second side walls. When the plug connector is mated to the receptacle connector, the outer wall of the frame member of the guide frame is configured to engage the first end wall or the second end wall of the slot to guide the set of contact pads on the circuit card into alignment with the corresponding receptacle contacts of the receptacle connector.
The housing 102 has a front end 110 and a rear end 112, in the illustrated embodiment, the cable 114 terminates to and extends from the rear end 112. The front end 110 defines a mating interface 116 that is configured to engage and interface with the mating connector 130. As used herein, relative or spatial terms such as “front,” “rear,” “first,” “second,” “left,” and “right” are only used to distinguish the referenced elements and do not necessarily require particular positions or orientations in the plug connector 100, the mating connector 130, and/or the connector system 10 in general relative to gravity or relative to the surrounding environment.
The circuit card 104 extends from a front wall 118 of the housing 102 at the mating interface 116. In an exemplary embodiment, the portion of the circuit card 104 extending from the housing 102 is at least partially surrounded by a guide frame 120. The guide frame 120 may be mounted to the circuit card 104. For example, the guide frame 120 may mount to the circuit card 104 within the housing 102. The guide frame 120 may be configured to guide the circuit card 104 into a slot of a mating connector. The guidance from the guide frame 120 may allow the contact pads 108 on the circuit card 104 to align accurately with the appropriate corresponding mating contacts of the mating connector 130.
The circuit card 104 has a first surface 122 and an opposite second surface 123 (shown in
Referring now also to
The receptacle connector 130 includes a receptacle housing 138 that defines the mating end 136 and the mounting end 132. The receptacle housing 138 includes a first side wall 140 and a second side wall 142 opposite to the first side wall 140. The side walls 140, 142 define the slot 134 therebetween. The receptacle housing 138 also includes a first end wall 144 and an opposite second end wall 146. The end walls 144, 146 extend between the side walls 140, 142 and also define the slot 134 therebetween. For example, the first side wall 140 may define an upper edge of the slot 134, the second side wall 142 defines a lower edge of the slot 134, the first end wall 144 defines a left edge of the slot 134, and the second end wall 146 defines a right edge of the slot 134. The receptacle connector 130 holds multiple mating or receptacle contacts 148 along the first side wall 140 and/or the second side wall 142. In the illustrated embodiment, a first row 150 of receptacle contacts 148 is held along the first side wall 140, and a second row 152 of receptacle contacts 148 is held along the second side wall 142. The receptacle contacts 148 may be deflectable beam-style contacts that extend at least partially into the slot 134.
During a mating operation, the receptacle contacts 148 may be configured to at least partially deflect upon the circuit card 104 entering the slot 134 and to apply a biasing force on the contact pads 108 to retain mechanical and electrical engagement with the corresponding contact pads 108. Depending on the relative orientation of the connectors 100, 130 during mating, the first set 106 of contact pads 108 of the plug connector 100 may be configured to align with and engage the first row 150 of receptacle contacts 148, and the second set of contact pads 108 may be configured to align with and engage the second row 152 of receptacle contacts 148. As the circuit card 104 enters the slot 134 of the receptacle connector 130, the guide frame 120 may engage the first end wall 144 and/or the second end wall 146. As the plug connector 100 is moved further in a mating direction towards the receptacle connector 130, the guide frame 120 slides against the first end wall 144 and/or second end wall 146. The end walls 144, 146 restrict lateral movement of the circuit card 104 within the slot 134, so the circuit card 104 is accurately positioned relative to the slot 134. The receptacle contacts 148 may be accurately located relative to the end walls 144, 146 of the slot 134. In an exemplary embodiment, the guide frame 120 of the plug connector 100 is accurately positioned relative to contact pads 108. Thus, transitively, the contact pads 108 are accurately positioned relative to the receptacle contacts 148 during the mating operation such that the contact pads 108 align with and properly engage the appropriate corresponding receptacle contacts 148. For example, contact pads 108 that convey power signals align with and engage receptacle contacts 148 that convey power signals, and contact pads 108 that convey data signals align with and engage receptacle contacts 148 that convey data signals.
The guide frame 120 has a base 162 and a frame member 164 that extends from the base 162. The base extends laterally across a width of the circuit card 104 between the first and second outer edges 126, 128. The frame member 164 extends frontward (or forward) from the base 162 proximate to one of the first outer edge 126 or the second outer edge 128 of the circuit card 104. For example, the base 162 has a first end 174 that is proximate to the first outer edge 126 and a second end 176 that is proximate to the second outer edge 128. The frame member 164 may extend from the base 162 at or proximate to the first end 174 or the second end 176. The frame member 164 may extend parallel to the longitudinal axis 191 and laterally outside of the respective outer edge 126 or 128. For example, the frame member 164 includes an inner wall 166 that faces the respective outer edge 126 or 128 of the circuit card 104 and an opposite outer wall 168 that faces laterally outward away from the outer edge 126 or 128. The frame member 164 has a proximal end 170 at the base 162 (for example, where the frame member 164 couples to and/or extends from the base 162) and a distal end 172 away from the base 162. In an embodiment, the frame member 164 extends forward beyond the circuit card 104 such that the distal end 172 is located forward of the front edge 124 of the circuit card 104. Alternatively, the frame member 164 does not extend beyond the front edge 124 of the circuit card 104.
The base 162 of the guide frame 120 partially defines a mating segment 178 of the circuit card 104 that is configured to be received in a slot of a mating connector, such as the slot 134 (shown in
In the illustrated embodiment, the frame member 164 is a first frame member 164A that extends from the base 162 at or at least proximate to the first end 174 of the base 162. The guide frame 120 further includes a second frame member 164B that extends from the base 162 at or at least proximate to the second end 176 of the base 162. The second frame member 164B may be identical to, or at least similar to, the first frame member 164A. The first and second frame members 164A, 164B may extend parallel to each other. The first frame member 164A extends along the first outer edge 126 of the circuit card 104, and the second frame member 164B extends along the second outer edge 128 of the circuit card 104. The outer walls 168 of the frame members 164A, 164B may be laterally outward of the outer edges 126, 128 of the circuit card 104 such that the outer edges 126, 128 are disposed between the outer walls 168 of the first and second frame members 164A, 164B.
In an embodiment, the distal ends 172 of the first and second frame members 164A, 164B are connected to each other via a ledge 180. The ledge 180 may extend forward beyond the front edge 124 of the circuit card 104. For example, the front edge 124 of the circuit card 104 may be rearward of at least part of the ledge 180, such that the ledge 180 defines a front end 182 of a mating interface of the plug connector 100. In the illustrated embodiment, the front edge 124 of the circuit card 104 is rearward of a rear edge 184 of the ledge 180. As the plug connector 100 is mated to the receptacle connector 130 (shown in
The circuit card 104 defines at least one datum hole 190 in the first surface 122. The at least one datum hole 190 extends at least partially through a thickness of the circuit card 104 between the first surface 122 and the opposite second surface 123 (shown in
In an exemplary embodiment, the at least one datum hole 190 is used as a reference point when determining the locations of the contact pads 108. For example, during the manufacturing process when the contact pads 108 are etched in or applied to the circuit card 104, the locations of the contact pads 108 on the first surface 122 are determined based on the location of the at least one datum hole 190. Thus, the set 106 of contact pads 108 is registered relative to the at least one datum hole 190. As used herein, a first component or group of components being “registered relative to” a second component or group of components means that the first component or group is positioned, located, and/or oriented based on a position, location, and/or orientation of the second component or group. For example, an etching tool that etches the contact pads 108 may use the at least one datum hole 190 as one or more reference points when locating the proper placement of the tool on the circuit card 104 for each contact pad 108. Optionally, a second set of contact pads (not shown) on the second surface 123 (shown in
In some known circuit boards, the contact pads are positioned on the respective board relative to outer edges of the circuit board. However, the outer edges of the circuit boards may not be precisely produced, so the outer edges may be at least partially rough (as opposed to straight) and/or oriented at an imprecise angle relative to each other or relative to a front edge. Thus, positioning contact pads relative to the edges of the circuit boards may result in the contact pads being misaligned with corresponding mating contacts of a mating connector. The problem is aggravated for high density fine pitch connectors that include a large number of small contacts placed close together. Thus, on the circuit card 104 of the plug connector 100 in an embodiment, the set 106 of contact pads 108 is registered relative to at least one datum hole 190 in the circuit card 104 instead of relative to the outer edges 126, 128. Registering the set 106 of contact pads 108 relative to the at least one datum hole 190 may result in more accurately and precisely located contact pads 108 relative to locations of the receptacle contacts 148 (shown in
In an embodiment, the outer wall 168 of the at least one frame member 164 of the guide frame 120 is registered relative to the at least one post 202. Thus, the location, orientation, and physical dimensions of the outer wall 168 relative to the at least one post 202 are accurately controlled during the manufacturing process that forms the guide frame 120. The guide frame 120 may be composed of a dielectric material or compound, such as plastic. In an embodiment, the guide frame 120 is formed by a molding process. The at least one frame member 164 and the at least one post 202 are formed integral to the base 162 during the molding process. Alternatively, the frame member(s) 164 and/or the post(s) 202 may be fixed to the base 162 after the molding process. Since the outer wall 168 of the at least one frame member 164 is registered relative to the at least one post 202, when each post 202 is received in the respective datum hole 190 of the circuit card 104, the outer wall 168 of each frame member 164 is transitively registered relative to the contact pads 108 (because the contact pads 108 are registered relative to the datum hole(s) 190). As a result, the outer wall 168 of each frame member 164 of the guide frame 120 is accurately located and positioned relative to the contact pads 108 of the circuit card 104. The outer wall 168 of each frame member 164 and the contact pads 108 are all located independently of locations and/or positions of the outer edges 126, 128 of the circuit card 104.
In the illustrated embodiment, the guide frame 120 additionally includes a retention plate 206. The retention plate 206 defines at least one retention hole 208 that is configured to receive the at least one post 202 of the guide frame 120. For example, the retention plate 206 may be located along the second surface 123 of the circuit card 104. In an embodiment, the at least one datum hole 190 extends fully through the circuit card 104, and the at least one post 202 is configured to extend through the at least datum hole 190 from the first surface 122 and protrude beyond the second surface 123. The portion of the post(s) 202 protruding from the second surface 123 is received in a corresponding retention hole 208, which couples the retention plate 206 to the base 162 of the guide frame 120. The coupling between the retention plate 206 and the base 162 via the at least one post 202 fixes the guide frame 120 to the circuit card 104. In alternative embodiments, instead of using a retention plate 206, the post(s) 202 of the guide frame 120 may be fixed in place in the datum hole(s) 190 due to an interference fit, an adhesive, and/or a fastener, such as a deflectable latch, a transverse pin, or the like.
In an exemplary embodiment, the contact pads 108 are located on the circuit card 104 independently of the outer edges 126, 128, and the guide frame 120 is mounted on the circuit card 104 independently of the outer edges 126, 128. Thus, the outer edges 126, 128 of the circuit card 104 do not factor into the alignment between the plug connector 100 and the receptacle connector 130 (shown in
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.
