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EP-4362240-B1 - CONTACT AND SHIELD CONFIGURATION FOR GROUND CURRENT OPTIMIZATION

EP4362240B1EP 4362240 B1EP4362240 B1EP 4362240B1EP-4362240-B1

Inventors

  • MILLER, KEITH EDWIN
  • WALTON, SCOTT ERIC
  • GINGRICH, CHARLES RAYMOND III
  • SMITH, RODNEY

Dates

Publication Date
20260513
Application Date
20231026

Claims (8)

  1. An electrical connector (12) which controls cross talk and signal radiation, the electrical connector (12) comprising: a housing (34) having a mating end (30) and a mounting end (32); signal contacts (42) positioned in the housing (34), the signal contacts (42) extending between the mating end (30) and the mounting end (32), the signal contacts (42) being arranged in pairs to carry differential signals; ground contacts (44) positioned in the housing (34), the ground contacts (44) extending between the mating end (30) and the mounting end (32), respective ground contacts (44) of the ground contacts (44) being positioned adjacent to respective signal contacts (42) of the signal contacts (42), the ground contacts (44) having receiving sections (82) and securing sections (84), the receiving sections (82) having first engagement portions (91) and second engagement portions (92); ground shields (46) having a non-planar wavy configuration are positioned proximate the ground contacts (44), portions of the ground shields (46) pass between and along the signal contacts (42); surfaces (95) of the securing sections (84) of the ground contacts (44) positioned in mechanical and electrical engagement with surfaces (93) of the ground shields (46), providing first ground contact areas (81) across which ground currents may flow; the first engagement portions (91) of the ground contacts (44) provided in electrical and mechanical engagement with the surfaces (93) of the ground shields (46), providing second ground contact areas (83) across which the ground currents may flow, the second ground contact areas (83) spaced from the first ground contact areas (81) to allow the ground currents to properly flow through the entire ground shields (46); wherein the ground contacts (44) and the ground shields (46) entirely peripherally surround pairs of the signal contacts (42) to provide electrical shielding for the pairs of the signal contacts (42), and wherein first ground contact areas (81) and the second ground contact areas (83) engage the ground shields (46) at opposite ends of the ground shields (46).
  2. The electrical connector (12) as recited in claim 1, wherein each of the receiving sections (82) has one or more contact beams (88) with the first engagement portions (91) and the second engagement portions (92) provided thereon.
  3. The electrical connector (12) as recited in claim 2, wherein first ends of the one or more contact beams (88) are fixed by the securing sections (84) and opposed second ends of the one or more contact beams (88) engage the ground shields (46), causing the one or more contact beams (88) to function as a double supported leaf spring.
  4. The electrical connector (12) as recited in claim 2 or 3, wherein the one or more contact beams (88) are two contact beams (88) which have the same configuration.
  5. The electrical connector as recited in claim 2 or 3, wherein the one or more contact beams (88) are two contact beams (88) which have different configurations.
  6. The electrical connector as recited in any preceding claim, wherein the securing sections (84) have retention members (94) and mounting sections (86) of the ground contacts (44) have compliant portions (96).
  7. The electrical connector as recited in any preceding claim, wherein the ground shields (46) have first sections (100) and second sections (102) which are positioned in a different plane than the first sections (100), transition sections (104) extend between the first sections (100) and the second sections (102).
  8. The electrical connector as recited in claim 7, wherein the transition sections (104) are angled with respect to the first sections (100) and the second sections (102).

Description

The present invention relates to an electrical connector providing ground current optimization to provide adequate shielding from crosstalk between signal lines in a connector. Due to the increasing complexity of electronic components, it is desirable to fit more components in less space on a circuit board or other substrate. Consequently, the spacing between electrical terminals within connectors has been reduced, while the number of electrical terminals housed in the connectors has increased, thereby increasing the need in the electrical arts for electrical connectors that are capable of handling higher and higher speeds and to do so with greater and greater pin densities. It is desirable for such connectors to have not only reasonably constant impedance levels, but also acceptable levels of impedance and crosstalk, as well as other acceptable electrical and mechanical characteristics. Therefore, there remains a need to provide appropriate shielding to preserve signal integrity and to minimize crosstalk as speeds of signals increase and the footprint of the connector maintains or increases density of signal pairs. It would, therefore, be beneficial to provide a connector with ground contacts and ground shielding which provides for adequate ground currents for proper shielding from crosstalk between signal lines in a connector. It would also be beneficial to provide a system with a robust, manufacturable connection without requiring additional components or complicated features in the shield component. A prior art connector is disclosed in patent US 10424860 B2 which includes signal and ground contacts and non-planar ground shields which interconnect the ground contacts. A first set of the ground shields are situated proximate to mounting sections of the ground contacts adjacent to a mounting end of the connector and further ground shields are situated at intermediate portions of the ground contacts spaced from opposite mating ends of the ground contacts. A similar further prior art connector is disclosed in patent US 11031734 B1 in which ground contacts each make electrical contact with a non-planar ground shield at a single point. The solution is provided by an electrical connector as claimed in claim 1. The invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of an illustrative connector system shown in an assembled position, with a backplane connector mated to a mating daughtercard connector.FIG. 2 is an enlarged front perspective view of the backplane connector of FIG. 1.FIG. 3 is an enlarged bottom perspective view of the backplane connector of FIG. 1.FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the daughtercard connector mated with the backplane connector, taken along line 4-4 of FIG. 1.FIG. 5 is a perspective view of an illustrative ground contact of the present invention.FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a ground shield of the present invention. An embodiment is directed to a ground system for use in an electrical connector. The ground system includes ground contacts and ground shields. The ground contacts have receiving sections, securing sections and mounting sections. The receiving sections have first engagement portions and second engagement portions. The ground shields are positioned proximate the ground contacts. The ground shields have a nonplanar configuration, with portions of the ground shields passing between signal contacts. Surfaces of the securing sections of the ground contacts are positioned in mechanical and electrical engagement with surfaces of the ground shields, providing first ground contact areas across which ground currents may flow. The first engagement portions of the ground contacts are provided in electrical and mechanical engagement with the surfaces of the ground shields, providing second ground contact areas across which the ground currents may flow. The second ground contact areas are spaced from the first ground contact areas to allow the ground currents to properly flow through the entire ground shields. An embodiment is directed to an electrical connector which controls cross talk and signal radiation. The electrical connector includes a housing having a mating end and a mounting end. Signal contacts are positioned in the housing. The signal contacts extend between the mating end and the mounting end and are arranged in pairs to carry differential signals. Ground contacts are positioned in the housing and extend between the mating end and the mounting end. Respective ground contacts of the ground contacts are positioned adjacent to respective signal contacts of the signal contacts. The ground contacts have receiving sections and securing sections, with the receiving sections having first engagement portions and second engagement portions. Ground shields are positioned proximate the ground contacts. Portions of the ground shields pass between the signal contacts. Surfaces of the securing se