Terminal block and cable connector

Information

  • Patent Grant
  • 6648688
  • Patent Number
    6,648,688
  • Date Filed
    Tuesday, May 28, 2002
    23 years ago
  • Date Issued
    Tuesday, November 18, 2003
    21 years ago
Abstract
A terminal block for a cable connector comprises a housing of insulating material, a number of signal contacts accommodated in contact cavities of the housing, at least one ground contact arranged between two adjacent signal contacts, and a planar circuit substrate having a ground layer on one side and circuit tracks on the opposite side connected to the signal contacts at one end and having a solder island for connection to a signal wire at the other end. The ground contact comprises a shielding contact blade having a contact lip connected to the ground layer of the circuit substrate and at least one contact lip projecting outwardly to contact the ground layer of a corresponding terminal block.
Description




BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION




The invention relates to a terminal block for a cable connector, comprising a housing of insulating material, a number of signal contacts accommodated in contact cavities of the housing, at least one ground contact arranged between two adjacent signal contacts, and a planar circuit substrate having a ground layer on one side and circuit tracks on the opposite side connected to the signal contacts at one end and having a solder island for connection to a signal wire at the other end, and to a cable connector comprising such a terminal block.




EP-A-0 971 451 discloses a terminal block and cable connector of the above-mentioned type. In the known terminal block, a row of five contact cavities is provided in the housing accommodating five contacts. The central contact is used as the ground contact, so that at least one of the contact cavities in the row is used for a ground contact. Further, there are no provisions to connect a ground layer of a terminal block to the ground layer of a next terminal block in one connector having a stack of such terminal blocks.




The invention aims to provide an improved terminal block of the above-mentioned type.




To this end the terminal block according to the invention is characterized in that the ground contact comprises a shielding contact blade having a contact lip connected to the ground layer of the circuit substrate and at least one contact lip projecting outwardly to contact the ground layer of a corresponding terminal block.




In this manner a terminal block is obtained, wherein the ground contact operates as a shielding between adjacent signal contacts and wherein the ground contact further provides an interconnection between two stacked terminal blocks of a cable connector. Moreover, a separate contact cavity in the housing for a ground contact is not required.




The invention further provides a cable connector, comprising a plurality of stacked terminal blocks, wherein the contact lips of the shielding contact blades of one terminal block are contacting the ground layer of the circuit substrate of a next terminal block.











BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS




The invention will be further explained by reference to the drawings in which an embodiment of the connector assembly of the invention is shown.





FIGS. 1 and 2

show perspective views of opposite sides of an embodiment of the terminal block of the invention.





FIG. 3

is a perspective view of the planar circuit substrate of the terminal block of

FIGS. 1 and 2

.





FIGS. 4 and 5

show perspective views of opposite sides of the housing of the terminal block of

FIGS. 1 and 2

.





FIGS. 6 and 7

show perspective views of a shielding element of the terminal block of

FIGS. 1 and 2

.





FIG. 8

shows a perspective view of two stacked terminal blocks of

FIGS. 1 and 2

.





FIG. 9

shows a perspective view of a connector to be mated with a connector having the terminal blocks of FIG.


8


.





FIG. 10

is a cross-section of the terminal blocks of FIG.


8


.





FIGS. 11 and 12

show the housing of a second embodiment of the terminal block according to the invention.





FIG. 13

shows a perspective view of the connector to be mated with a connector comprising four of the terminal blocks having the housing according to

FIGS. 11 and 12

.





FIG. 14

shows a perspective view of the terminal block having the housing of

FIGS. 11 and 12

.





FIG. 15

shows a perspective view of a planar circuit substrate of the terminal block of FIG.


14


.





FIGS. 16 and 17

show perspective views of the shielding contact plate of the terminal block of FIG.


14


.





FIG. 18

shows a perspective view of a different embodiment of the terminal block of the invention.





FIG. 19

shows an assembly of two terminal blocks of FIG.


18


.





FIGS. 20 and 21

show perspective views of a further embodiment of the terminal block according to the invention.





FIG. 22

shows a perspective view of the housing with contacts of the terminal block of FIG.


20


.





FIG. 23

shows an alternative embodiment of the shielding element of a terminal block according to the invention.





FIGS. 24 and 25

show a connector assembly, comprising a cable connector with a terminal block having the shielding element of FIG.


24


.












FIGS. 1 and 2

show a terminal block


1


for a cable connector, comprising a housing


2


of insulating material. The housing


2


is shown in more detail in

FIGS. 4 and 5

. The housing


2


comprises a row of contact cavities


3


having an inlet opening


4


for receiving contact pins


5


of a mating connector


6


shown by way of example in FIG.


9


. The terminal block of

FIGS. 1 and 2

comprises four signal contacts


7


accommodated in the contact cavities


3


. A planar circuit substrate


8


, more particularly a printed circuit board, has a ground layer


9


on one side and circuit tracks


10


on the opposite side. At one end the circuit tracks


10


have a solder island


11


for connection to the signal contacts


7


and at the other end the circuit tracks


10


have a solder island


12


for connection to a signal wire of a cable not shown.




DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION




In the embodiment of

FIGS. 1 and 2

, the terminal block


1


comprises a shielding element


13


shown in detail in

FIGS. 6 and 7

. The shielding element


13


comprises a vertical shielding contact blade


14


, which is received in a slot


15


of the housing


2


. At its free end the contact blade


14


has a contact end


16


projecting out of a main surface


17


of the housing


2


to contact a contact lip


18


of a shielding element


18


′ of the mating connector


6


. The vertical shielding contact blade


14


provides an effective vertical shielding between the adjacent signal contacts


7


of the terminal block


1


.




The terminal block


1


shown is intended to be used in a cable connector for twin axial wire pairs. In case of coaxial wires, a vertical shielding blade will be accommodated between each two adjacent signal contacts


7


.




The shielding element


13


further comprises a contact lip


19


connected to a solder island


20


of the printed circuit board


8


. This solder island


20


is part of a ground circuit track


21


connected by means of at least one plated through-hole


22


to the ground layer


9


. In the embodiment shown two plated through-holes


22


are used. Further, the shielding element


13


is provided with two spring-type contact lips


23


projecting outwardly to contact the ground layer


9


of a corresponding terminal block in a cable connector with two or more stacked terminal blocks


1


. An example of two stacked terminal blocks


1


is shown in FIG.


8


.




A cross-section of the two stacked terminal blocks


1


is shown in FIG.


10


. As can be seen in

FIG. 10

, the spring-type contact lip


23


of the upper terminal block


1


projects outwardly and the contact lip


23


of the lower terminal block


1


is pressed against the ground layer


9


of the printed circuit board


8


of the upper terminal block


1


. Further,

FIG. 10

shows that the contact end


16


of the vertical shielding contact blade


14


projects out of the main surface


17


of the housing


2


. In order to allow a connection between this contact end


16


and the ground contact lip


18


of the mating connector


6


, at least the main surface


17


of the housing


2


is provided with a recess


24


for receiving this contact lip


18


. In the embodiment shown the opposite main surface of the housing


2


is also provided with a recess


24


and the two recesses


24


of the stacked terminal blocks


1


provide a cavity for receiving the contact lip


18


.




As will be described shortly hereinafter, the stacked terminal blocks


1


as shown in

FIG. 8

will be received in an outer housing, preferably also providing an outer shielding, wherein the contact lips


23


of the upper terminal block


1


can contact this outer shielding. The stacked terminal blocks


1


are attached to one another by means of a projection


25


of one terminal block received in a recess


26


of a next terminal block. The printed circuit board


8


is attached to the housing


2


by means of openings


27


,


28


receiving a raised part


29


and pegs


30


, respectively.




It will be clear that in a cable connector comprising terminal blocks


1


as shown in

FIGS. 1

,


2


a complete shielding of the signal contacts


7


both in horizontal direction and vertical direction is obtained. Further, the same shielding elements


13


providing the vertical shielding between adjacent signal contacts


7


also provide an interconnection with multiple contact points between the ground layers of stacked terminal blocks


1


. Signal density is maximized as no separate contact cavities with ground contacts are needed.




A second embodiment of the terminal block of the invention will be explained by reference to

FIGS. 11-17

. This second embodiment mainly corresponds with the embodiment of

FIGS. 1-10

.

FIG. 14

shows a terminal block


31


comprising a housing


32


of insulating material and a row of eight contact cavities


33


with inlet openings


34


for contact pins


35


of a mating connector


36


shown in FIG.


13


. The mating connector


36


is described in more detail in a co-pending patent application of the same applicant entitled “Right-angled connector”. Signal contacts


37


are mounted in the contact cavities


33


as shown in FIG.


12


. Between each pair of signal contacts


37


a vertical shielding contact blade


38


is arranged. The shielding contact blade


38


is shown in detail in

FIGS. 16 and 17

. Each shielding contact blade


38


is provided with a contact lip


39


connected to a solder island of a printed circuit board


41


. The solder islands


40


are connected by circuit tracks not shown to plated through-holes


43


connecting the ground solder islands


40


to a ground layer


44


on the other side of the printed circuit board


41


.




Further, each vertical shielding contact blade


38


s provided with one spring-type contact lip


45


projecting outwardly to contact the ground layer


44


of a corresponding terminal block


31


. At one end each shielding contact blade is provided with a contact end


16


also projecting out of a main surface of the housing


32


to contact a contact lip


18


of the mating connector


36


. These contact lips


18


of the mating connector


36


are part of right-angled shielding plates


47


as described in the above-mentioned co-pending patent application. Recesses


24


in the main surfaces of the housing


32


provide cavities for receiving the contact lips


18


.




The shielding contact blades


38


are partly overmoulded with insulating material


48


as shown in

FIGS. 16

,


17


. The overmoulded shielding blades are received in slots


49


of the housing


32


.




It will be understood that the separate shielding contact blades


38


can be part of a shielding element in the same manner as in the embodiment of

FIGS. 1 and 2

. In the same manner as in this embodiment of

FIGS. 1 and 2

, a cable connector with two or more terminal blocks


31


is provided with a complete shielding of the signal contacts


37


both in the horizontal direction and vertical direction. Moreover, the contact blades


38


also provide an interconnection with multiple contact points between the ground layers


44


of stacked terminal blocks


31


in the same manner as shown in

FIG. 10

for the terminal block


1


. Signal density is maximized as no separate contact cavities with ground contacts are needed.





FIGS. 18-26

show some alternative embodiments of the terminal block of the invention, wherein corresponding parts are indicated by the same reference numerals as in

FIGS. 1-10

.

FIGS. 18 and 19

show a terminal block


50


wherein a shielding element


51


is used having the contact lip


19


connected to the ground layer of the printed circuit board


8


and two spring-type contact lips


23


to contact the ground layer of a further terminal block


50


when two terminal blocks


50


are stacked as shown in FIG.


19


. In this embodiment the shielding element


51


is provided with a further contact spring


52


at a front end of the terminal block


50


and this contact spring


52


is adapted to contact a contact lip of a mating connector. In the same manner as in the above-described embodiments, the shielding element


51


provides both for an interconnection of the shieldings of the cable connector having the terminal blocks


50


and a mating connector, and for interconnecting the ground layers of the stacked terminal blocks


50


.




In

FIGS. 20-22

a terminal block


53


is shown having a shielding element


54


mainly made in the same manner as the shielding element


51


. The shielding element


54


comprises the contact lip


19


connected to the ground layer of the printed circuit board


8


and the spring-type contact lips


23


for contacting the ground layer of a further terminal block


53


. Further, the shielding element


54


is provided with a contact spring


55


for contacting a contact lip of a mating connector. In this embodiment the housing


2


is provided with a fifth central contact cavity accommodating a central contact


56


. This central contact


56


can be used as further ground contact for contacting a ground contact of a mating connector.





FIG. 23

shows a further embodiment of a shielding element


57


mainly made in the same manner as the shielding element


51


, wherein the contact spring


52


is omitted. A terminal block


58


mainly made in the same manner as the terminal block


53


, is provided with the shielding element


57


and with a printed circuit board


8


. A mating connector


59


is provided with two extended contact lips


60


contacting the spring-type contact lips


23


of the shielding element


57


. The shielding element


57


also has a contact lip


19


connected to the ground layer of the printed circuit board


8


. In the mated position as schematically shown in

FIG. 24

, the extended contact lips


60


are connected to the spring-type contact lips


23


of the shielding element


57


and these extended contact lips


60


are further connected to the ground layer of the printed circuit board


8


of a next terminal block


58


not shown in FIG.


24


.





FIG. 25

shows a perspective view of a partially mated connector assembly showing a cable connector


61


having two terminal blocks


58


mounted in an outer housing


62


. The mating connector


59


is received in a housing


63


, which can be mounted on a printed circuit board not shown.




The invention is not restricted to the above-described embodiments, which can be varied in a number of ways within the scope of the attached claims.



Claims
  • 1. Terminal block for a cable connector, comprising a housing of insulating material, a number of signal contacts accommodated in contact cavities of the housing, at least one ground contact arranged between two adjacent signal contacts, and a planar circuit substrate having a ground layer on one side and circuit tracks on the opposite side connected to the signal contacts at one end and having a solder island for connection to a signal wire at the other end, characterized in that the ground contact comprises a shielding contact blade having a contact lip connected to the ground layer of the circuit substrate and at least one contact lip projecting outwardly to contact the ground layer of a corresponding terminal block.
  • 2. Terminal block according to claim 1, wherein the shielding contact blade is part of a shielding element comprising the contact lips and one or more shielding contact blades.
  • 3. Terminal block according to claim 1, wherein each shielding contact blade comprises a contact end projecting out of the housing to contact a contact lip of a mating connector.
  • 4. Terminal block according to claim 3, wherein the housing is provided with at least one recess for receiving a contact lip of a mating connector in both main surfaces, the contact end of each shielding contact blade projecting into a corresponding recess.
  • 5. Terminal block according to claim 1, wherein each shielding contact blade is accommodated in a slot of the housing and/or is provided with an overmoulding of insulating material.
  • 6. Terminal block according to claim 1, wherein the contact lip of the shielding contact blade is soldered to a solder island on the circuit track side of the circuit substrate, wherein this solder island is connected to the ground layer through a plated through hole.
  • 7. Terminal block according to claim 1, wherein a shielding contact blade is arranged between each two adjacent signal contacts or adjacent groups of signal contacts.
  • 8. Terminal block for a cable connector according to the preamble of claim 1, wherein the ground contact comprises a shielding element having a contact lip connected to the ground layer of the circuit substrate and at least one contact lip projecting outwardly to contact the ground layer of a corresponding terminal block.
  • 9. Terminal block according to claim 8, wherein the shielding element is provided with at least one contact spring for contacting a contact lip of a mating connector.
  • 10. Terminal block according to claim 9, wherein each contact spring is received in a recess in a main surface of the housing, wherein a signal contact is located in a contact cavity below said recess.
  • 11. Cable connector, comprising a plurality of stacked terminal blocks according to claim 1, wherein the contact lips of the shielding contact blades or elements, respectively, of one terminal block are contacting the ground layer of the circuit substrate of a next terminal block.
Priority Claims (1)
Number Date Country Kind
1018175 May 2001 NL
US Referenced Citations (7)
Number Name Date Kind
5993259 Stokoe et al. Nov 1999 A
6267604 Mickievicz et al. Jul 2001 B1
6478624 Ramey et al. Nov 2002 B2
6520803 Dunn Feb 2003 B1
6527588 Paagman Mar 2003 B2
6540522 Sipe Apr 2003 B2
6540558 Paagman Apr 2003 B1
Foreign Referenced Citations (3)
Number Date Country
0852414 Jul 1998 EP
0939456 Sep 1999 EP
0971451 Jan 2000 EP