CA2119500C

CA2119500C - Shielded electrical connector

Info

Publication number: CA2119500C
Application number: CA002119500A
Authority: CA
Inventors: David Michael Mcnamara; Daniel Brian Provencher; Philip Thomas Stokoe; William Earle Howard; Mark Walter Gailus
Original assignee: Teradyne Inc
Current assignee: Teradyne Inc
Priority date: 1993-04-02
Filing date: 1994-03-21
Publication date: 1998-11-24
Anticipated expiration: 2014-03-21
Also published as: JPH07312271A; DE4410047C2; FR2706223A1; GB2276989A; CA2119500A1; GB2276989B; US5605476A; JP2739922B2; GB9406012D0; DE4410047A1; US5607326A; US5403206A; US5484310A; FR2706223B1

Abstract

Electrical connectors are provided with shield units each having a plurality of shields joined by a bridge. Preferably the shield units are mounted in a base stiffened by means apertured to carry mounting ear means.

Description

CA 02ll9~00 l998-0~-0 SHIELDED ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR
Field of the Invention This invention relates to board electrical connectors, and more particularly to such connectors in which signal pins are shielded.

Background of the Invention Shielding pins in a board electrical connector is known to be desirable: for example, Glover et al. U.S. Patent No.
4,846,727 and Fedder et al. U.S. Patent No. 4,975,084.

Summary of the Invention We have discovered that an improved board electrical connector may be provided by mounting, in a base in which are mounted signal pins, a shield unit comprising a plurality of shields and means for interconnecting at least one board and another device outside the connector.

One aspect of the invention provides a connector for electrical signals of the type having a first housing and a second housing having openings therein and being adapted to be mated to the first housing, comprising:
a) a first plurality of conductive members attached to said first housing, each of said conductive members having a projecting portion disposed to project into an opening in the second housing when the first and second housings are mated, with the projecting portions disposed in a rectangular array having a plurality of adjacent rows with the same number of conductive member in each row;

~ CA 02ll9~00 l998-o~-o~

- la -b) a second plurality of conductive members, each dis-posed within an opening in the second housing, each of the second plurality of conductive members disposed to make contact with a projecting portion of at least one of the first plurality of conductive members when the first and second housings are mated;
and c) at least one conductive sheet mounted in the second housing and disposed between two adjacent rows of the projecting portions when the first housing and second housing are mated, said conductive sheet being attached to at least one of the conductive members of the second housing.

A further aspect of the invention provides an electrical connector adapted to be mounted to a circuit board comprising:
a) an insulative housing having a first surface and a second surface, the second surface having a plurality of openings therein and the openings being disposed in a rectangular array having a plurality of rows;
b) a plurality of signal contacts in the insulative housing to occupy a portion of the openings, and each of the signal contacts having tail portions adapted to be mounted to the circuit board extending from the insulative housing and through a plane that is parallel with the first surface; and c) a plurality of conductive plates mounted in the insulative housing, each disposed between two adjacent rows of openings, with at least two of said plates disposed between a pair of adjacent rows, with each of said two conductive plates having a length in CA 02ll9~00 l998-o~-o~

- lb -the direction of the rows which is less than the length of the rows.

A still further aspect of the invention provides a connector for electrical signals comprising:
a) a housing having a plurality of openings formed therein, at least a portion of said openings being of the same size and being disposed in at least two rows;
b) a first plurality of receptacles, each mounted in an opening in a row of openings and each comprising:
i) a compliant portion adapted to engage a pin inserted in an opening; and ii) a tail portion extending beyond the housing;
c) at least one conductive plate having a first portion inserted between the rows of openings in the housing;
and d) at least one additional receptacle mounted in an opening in a row of openings, said additional receptacle having a compliant portion adapted to engage a pin inserted in a said opening and being attached to the at least one conductive plate.

Preferred Embodiments There follows a description of preferred embodiments, in structure and operation.
Drawings Fig. 1 is an exploded, broken away, isometric view of a shield unit according to the invention.
Fig. 2 is an isometric view, partially broken away, of a second housing of a preferred embodiment of the invention.

CA 02ll9~00 l998-o~-o~

Fig. 3 is an end elevational view, partially broken away, of the embodiment of Fig. 2.
Fig. 4 is a partial plan view of an unbent blank suitable to be formed into an element of the embodiment of Figs. 2 and 3.
Fig. 5 is an exploded view, partially in section, of a subassembly of the embodiment of Figs. 2 and 3.
Fig. 6(a) is an end elevational view of an element of the subassembly of Fig. 5.
Fig. 6(b) is a bottom elevational view of the element of Fig. 6(a).
Fig. 7 is a partial, somewhat diagrammatic, side view of a portion of the second housing shown in Fig. 3.
Fig. 8 is an isometric view, broken away, of an end portion of a subassembly of the embodiment of figs. 2 and 3.
Fig. 9 is an isometric view, broken away, of a first housing element useful in a preferred embodiment of the invention.
Fig. 10 is an exploded isometric view of a first conductive member with integral conductive tail which cooperates with a second conductive member in a preferred embodiment of the invention.
Fig. 11 is an isometric view of a modified embodiment of the shield unit of the invention.
Fig. 12 is a diagrammatic partial sectional view taken on a horizontal slice through the embodiment of Fig. 11, along a plane about halfway up the bent-out conductive sheet portions perpendicular to the conductive sheet apertures.
Fig. 13 is an isometric view of a stiffener coupler of the invention.
Fig. 14 is a plan view of the coupler of Fig. 13, showing portions of two adjacent stiffeners.

CA 02ll9~00 l998-0~-0 Structure Referring to Fig. 1, there is shown a shield unit according to the invention, indicated generally at 10. Shield unit 10 includes a shielding portion, indicated generally at 12, and a contact portion, indicated generally at 14.
Shielding portion 12 includes correspondingly externally configured conductive sheets (or conductive plates) 16 and 18 (the latter shown with its lower portion broken away). Formed integrally with conductive sheets 16 and 18, by slitting and forming, are receptacle holders 20 (not shown on conductive sheet 18 because that conductive sheet is broken away), opposingly located to each secure against its shield thereat a conductive member (or pin receptacle) 14 formed from a single sheet of conductive metal to provide an upper held portion 22 (in cross-section a sort of hollow square 24, abutting metal edges thereof being located along a line 26), held on opposing sides of portion 22 by the two receptacle holders 20 of a unit 10, and a lower receptacle indicated generally at 28 and with a compliant portion 30 for being springingly urged apart by a cooperating projecting portion, as will be seen. Extending between conductive sheets 16, 18 iS an integral therewith conducting bridge 34 from which integrally extends ground contact pin 36. Conducting bridge 34 defines with conductive sheets 16 and 18 a portion indicated generally at 38 which is upsidedown-U-shaped in cross section.
In Fig. 2 iS indicated generally at 50 a second housing (or insulative housing) according to the invention.
This housing 50 includes a base 52 of injection molded plastic having molded integrally therein a multiplicity of alinement ribs 54 on each side thereof, and a multiplicity of - CA 02ll9~00 l998-o~-o~

tab receptors 56 on one side thereof. Also molded therein is shortened rib 58.
Mounted on element 50 are stiffener 60 and mounting block 62.
Stiffener 60 is formed of sheet stainless steel and includes a multiplicity of tabs 64 (Figs. 4 and 5, the former showing the blank strip later formed into the stiffener of Figs.

2 and 5). Stiffener 60 includes a multiplicity of each of keyhole holes 66, square holes 68, and round holes 70.
Mounting ear 62 (indicated generally at 62, and shown in more detail, in Fig. 5) includes body 72 in which extends internally threaded portion 74 for engagement with fastener 76 and including countersink 78 and a shank indicated generally at 80 in Figs. 5, 6(a), and 6(b). Extending across body 72 is step 82. Shank 80 is T-shaped (Fig. 6(a)), with chamfers on its side and top edges of its portion 84 spaced from body 72.
There is shown in Fig. 3 printed circuit board 90, held against mounting block 62 by fastener 76. Extending through printed circuit 90 are conducting pins 36 and conductive tails 92. Base 52 is provided with longitn~; n~l notch 93 to accommodate printed circuit board 90. The pins extend also through guide 94.
A shield unit, of different, shorter configuration than shield unit 10, is shown at 96 (and indicated generally at 96 in Fig. 8). The unit 96 includes pair of conductive sheets (or conductive plates) 98, 100 each carrying (not shown) a lower receptacle 28 just as does unit 10. Conductive tails 104 extending through the printed circuit board 90 from shield units 96 extend in alternate vertical rows, always in this embodiment in the second horizontal row from the bottom, as - CA 02119~00 1998-o~-o~

diagrammatically shown in Fig. 7, in which are shown unit 96 conductive tails (or conductive members) 104, unit 10 conducting pins 36 (all darkened for diagrammatic ease of understanding), and (undarkened) conductive tails 92 (shown in Fig. 3 in a vertical row not including a conductive tail 104); as here, conducting pins 36 occur also in alternative vertical rows, those not including conductive tails 104.
Integral with the rest of base 52 are walls 106 separating various receptacles; shown in Fig. 3 are conductive members (or compliant portions) 108 and conductive member 110 (which is mounted on conductive sheets 98, 100 of shield units 96 (mounting not shown, but as in Fig. 1). These walls extend in a grid in both transverse (as shown in Fig. 3) and longitll~;n~
directions (as shown in Fig. 2).
There is shown in Fig. 9 a first housing 120 of a preferred embodiment. A base portion 126 is integrally injection molded of plastic with side portions 122 and 124.
Mounted in holes in bottom 126 are first conductive members 130 (Fig. 10), which include dynamic end 132 for engaging a backplane (not shown) and projecting portion, pin 134 for engaging second conductive member (or pin receptacle) 108.
Each side wall 122, 124 includes correspondingly longitll~;n~lly positioned and sized notches 140, 142 to receive tab acceptors 56. Between notches 140, 142 extend upwardly therefrom longitudinally shorter protuberances 144, 146 with downwardly, inwardly slanting surfaces 148, 150. Downward from notches 140 extend al;n~m~nt grooves 152, correspondingly sized and located inside sides 122, 124, to accept alinement ribs 54 and rib 58. Slanted surfaces 156 extend from the bottoms of protuberances 144, 146 to grooves 152. Notch 160 provides clearance for rib 58 (Fig. 2).

CA 02ll9~00 l998-o~-o~

Rectangular apertures 200 are provided in shields 16, 18 and (not shown) 98, 100, for capacitance adjustment. Each of the four shields is of 5 mm. transverse ~;men~ion at its portion which includes rectangular holes 200. Each of the holes 200 is one millimeter in that width direction and two millimeters in its vertical directioni the wall spacing them is two millimeters in width. Holes 200 are not shown in Figs. 3 and 8.
Notches 220, 222 permit respectively portions 224, 226 to extend upwardly farther for greater conductive tail area shielding (Figs. 1 and 3).
Shield units 10, 96 are received in H-shaped slots 240 (Fig. 8). One conductive sheet of a shield unit fits in each thin leg of the H. The conductive member 14 extending between a pair of conductive sheets of a shield unit extends through that portion of the wide cross-bar of the H not occupied by a thin conductive sheet portion.
As shown in Fig. 8, the thin legs of the H-shaped slots 240 run between adjacent rows of openings which receive conductive members 108 (Fig. 3). Thus, the thin legs of H-shaped slots run between adjacent rows of the conductive members (conductive members 108 in the preferred embodiment) in second housing 50. As shown in Fig. 8, between each adjacent row of conductive members, there will be two plates: 1) either conductive sheet 16 or conductive sheet 18 of shield unit 10;
and 2) a conductive sheet 98 from shield unit 96. Also as shown in Fig. 8, these conductive sheets are mounted in line with each other.
Fig. 11 illustrates a modification of the shield unit 12a of the invention in which the metal of conductive sheets 16a, 18a is cut on three sides of apertures 200a, the peninsular metal then being folded out perpendicularly to provide tab shields 250 shielding between (Fig. 12) certain conductive tails CA 02119~00 1998-0~-0 - 6a -92, for portions of their heights corresponding to the vertical extents of tabs 250.
Fig. 13 illustrates a coupler unitarily injection molded of plastic and useful to mount two stiffeners, not only relative to other portions of their respective modules but to each other as well. Coupler 300 body 306 includes top surface 310 from which protrude two generally cubical protuberances 312 and -5 ~ D

a higher rectangular protuberance 314. The protuberances 312 are sized and spaced to fit with stiffener square holes 68 and/
or the three-sided-square portions of keyholes 66 (Fig. 2).
From front surface 316 extends shelf 318, centrally upwardly of which extends receptor 320 defining with body 306 a pair of slots 322 slzed to accept respectively the ends of a pair of stiffeners -6~. Between slots 322 is ridge 324 which includes a pair of abutment surfaces 326. Shelf 318 includes a pair of tab receptor holes 328.
Notches 330, 332, and 334 are provided for interfitting, - as will be seen.
As shown in Fig. 14, stiffener 60a and 60b have ends dis-posed in slots 32Z, their end edges abutting abutment surfaces 326, their bottom surfaces abutting shelf 318, and their side - 15 surfaces abutting protuberance 314.
Operation Stiffener 60 serves as a locator for modules, not all of which embody the invention, being multiplexed. When mounting is with ear 62, flange 80 is inserted through the largest, generally rectangular, portion of keyhole 66 (Figs. 5 through 6(b)), and then moved so that the edges of the smaller portion of hole 66 are in the slot defined between 84 and 62 of the ear. (An alternative, less presently preferred keyhole configuration is shown in Fig. 2.) Square holes 68 permit, if desired cooperatively with the small, generally square, parts of keyholes 66, mounting suitably sized modules, as for power supply, beneath rather than above stiffener 60, to conserve space. Round holes 70 facilitate cleaning during manufacture; thus, after soldering, solutions and air blowing may be used to clean the assembly inside the stiffener.
The stiffener functions with connector elements to facilitate accuracy and ease of positioning properly the CA 02119~00 1998-0~-0~

latter and other elements, if desired. Stiffener configuration increases usable area and enhances card flatness control.
The conductive sheets reduce inductive and capacitive crosstalk, and act as low inductance ground return paths to affect signal path impedance and reduce switching noise. They enhance signal integrity.
Provision of holes 200 allows tuning of capacitance of and inductance between conductive sheets (16 and 18) and between adjacent conductive tails.
Conductive sheets of shield units may be extended downward to shield conducting members within the backplane.
Providing a conductive sheet 18 outboard of base 52 gives shielding between modules (Figs. 2 and 3). A conductive sheet (not shown) is similarly positioned on the opposite longitl]~; n~l end and opposite side of the module.
Striking out tabs shields, as shown in Figs. 11 and 12, valuably provides for additional direction shielding.
Using the coupler illustrated in Figs. 13 and 14 provides simply for module and stiffener alignment and enhances structural integrity.

Other Embodiments Other embodiments of the invention will occur to those skilled in the art.
Single module embodiments, as shown in the figures and described, may be multiplexed, as along a single stiffener, along which may be mounted not only embodiments of the shielding invention but as well other modules, such as power supply modules and guidance modules to assist in orientation of other modules.

CA 02ll9~00 l998-o~-o~

Mounting ears may be of metal, and serve the additional function of ground conduit.
The plastic housing surrounding the second housing may completely enclose the outermost conductive sheets or sheet.
Metal struck from conductive sheets in making apertures may be bent out from shield main bodies in order to provide further shielding.
The compliant partners on a conductive sheet may be made integral with the main body of the conductive sheet--stamped out thereof and formed.
Level of capacitive and inductive shielding, as well as impedance of signal paths, may be varied by changing the number, size, and placement of conductive sheet apertures, as well as material and spacing of conductive sheets.
A shield unit may be used to transmit power input rather than as a ground.
Identical backplane and printed circuit board contacts, and second housing contacts for both, may be used to engage both conductive tails and conducting pins. A consistent footprint or pattern of pin and tail connections, for ease of user understanding and use, is thus made possible.
High conductive tail density is possible, and achieves increased signal integrity with fewer reference position connections.
Conductive sheet contact receptacles may be formed integrally with their conductive sheets. They may be so formed to cooperate with blades.

Claims

We claim:

1. A connector for electrical signals of the type having a first housing and a second housing having openings therein and being adapted to be mated to the first housing, comprising:
a) a first plurality of conductive members attached to said first housing, each of said conductive members having a projecting portion disposed to project into an opening in the second housing when the first and second housings are mated, with the projecting portions disposed in a rectangular array having a plurality of adjacent rows with the same number of conductive member in each row;
b) a second plurality of conductive members, each disposed within an opening in the second housing, each of the second plurality of conductive members disposed to make contact with a projecting portion of at least one of the first plurality of conductive members when the first and second housings are mated;
and c) at least one conductive sheet mounted in the second housing and disposed between two adjacent rows of the projecting portions when the first housing and second housing are mated, said conductive sheet being attached to at least one of the conductive members of the second housing.

2. The connector of claim 1 wherein the at least one conductive sheet is mounted in an opening in the second housing.

3. The connector of claim 1 wherein the at least one conductive sheet comprises at least two conductive sheets, with pairs of conductive sheets attached to the same one of the second plurality of conductive members.

4. The connector of claim 3 wherein each sheet in each pair of conductive sheets attached to the same one of the second plurality of members are joined by a conducting bridge.

5. The connector of claim 4 additionally comprising a conducting pin attached to the bridge and extending outside the first and the second housings.

6. The connector of claim 1 wherein the conductive member to which the conductive sheet is attached is one of the second plurality of conductive members.

7. The connector of claim 1 wherein the plurality of first conductive members comprises a plurality of identical member arranged in a rectangular array having a plurality or rows.

8. The connector of claim 7 wherein the plurality of identical members comprise pins.

9. The connector of claim 7 wherein the at least one conductive sheet comprises a first plurality of conductive sheets, each conductive sheet disposed between adjacent rows of the array of first conductive members.

10. The connector of claim 9 additionally comprising a second plurality of conductive sheets, each one of the second plurality of conductive sheets being mounted between adjacent rows of the array of first conductive members in line with one of the first plurality of conductive sheets.

11. The connector of claim 10 wherein a first conductive sheet between two adjacent rows of first conductive members is electrically connected to a first conductive member in a first of the two adjacent rows and a second conductive sheet between the same two adjacent rows is electrically connected to a first conductive member in a second of the two adjacent rows.

12. The connector of claim 1 wherein:
a) a portion of the second plurality of conductive members have tails extending from the second housing, the tails extending from the second housing in a plurality of rows; and b) the at least one conductive sheet comprises a plurality of conductive sheets, each disposed between adjacent rows of the projecting portions; and c) each of the conductive sheets includes a portion extending from the second housing between adjacent rows of tails.

13. The connector of claim 12 wherein pairs of the plurality of conductive sheets are attached to the same one of the second plurality of conductive members.

14. The connector of claim 13 wherein the first plurality of conductive members are pins and the second plurality of conductive members are pin receptacles.

15. The connector of claim 14 wherein each pair of conductive sheets attached to the same one of the second plurality of conductive members is formed from one conductive sheet bent into two parallel sheets joined by a bridge.

16. A printed circuit board assembly using the connector of claim 1 comprising:
a) a first printed circuit board having the first housing mounted thereto;
b) a second printed circuit board having the second housing mounted thereto; and c) wherein the conductive member to which the conductive sheet is attached is a ground.

17. An electrical connector adapted to be mounted to a circuit board comprising:
a) an insulative housing having a first surface and a second surface, the second surface having a plurality of openings therein and the openings being disposed in a rectangular array having a plurality of rows;
b) a plurality of signal contacts in the insulative housing to occupy a portion of the openings, and each of the signal contacts having tail portions adapted to be mounted to the circuit board extending from the insulative housing and through a plane that is parallel with the first surface; and c) a plurality of conductive plates mounted in the insulative housing, each disposed between two adjacent rows of openings, with at least two of said plates disposed between a pair of adjacent rows, with each of said two conductive plates having a length in the direction of the rows which is less than the length of the rows.

18. The electrical connector of claim 17 wherein the two plates between a pair of adjacent rows each have conductive tails extending therefrom and through the plane that is parallel with the first surface.

19. The electrical connector of claim 17 wherein one of the two plates between a pair of adjacent rows has a portion extending out of the insulative housing and extends above the second of the two plates between a pair of adjacent rows.

20. A connector for electrical signals comprising:
a) a housing having a plurality of openings formed therein, at least a portion of said openings being of the same size and being disposed in at least two rows;
b) a first plurality of receptacles, each mounted in an opening in a row of openings and each comprising:
I) a compliant portion adapted to engage a pin inserted in an opening; and ii) a tail portion extending beyond the housing;
c) at least one conductive plate having a first portion inserted between the rows of openings in the housing;
and d) at least one additional receptacle mounted in an opening in a row of openings, said additional receptacle having a compliant portion adapted to engage a pin inserted in a said opening and being attached to the at least one conductive plate.

21. The connector for electrical signals of claim 20 additionally comprising a conductive pin extending from the conductive plate.

22. The connector for electrical signals of claim 20 wherein each of the first plurality of receptacles comprises a bent portion between the compliant portion and the tail portion.

23. The connector of claim 22 wherein the conductive pin extending from the conductive plate is parallel to the tail portion of the first plurality of receptacles.

24. The connector of claim 20 wherein the dimension of the conductive plate parallel with a row is greater than the spacing between two openings in the row.

25. The connector of claim 20 wherein there are a plurality of said conductive plates and the additional receptacle is attached to two of the conductive plates.