EP2476165A1

EP2476165A1 - Plug-in connection having shielding

Info

Publication number: EP2476165A1
Application number: EP10773231A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Jürgen Lappöhn
Original assignee: ERNI Electronics GmbH and Co KG
Current assignee: ERNI Production and Co KG GmbH
Priority date: 2009-09-08
Filing date: 2010-09-08
Publication date: 2012-07-18
Anticipated expiration: 2030-09-08
Also published as: WO2011029428A1; EP2476165B1; DE102009040487A1; US8641448B2; JP5756110B2; DK2476165T3; CN102725920B; KR101707407B1; US20120202380A1; CN102725920A; ES2683739T3; JP2013504171A; KR20120083383A

Abstract

The invention relates to a plug-in connection having shielding, in particular a multi-pin, multi-row plug-in connection comprising a male multipoint connector and a female multipoint connector, the plug-in connection comprising signal contacts, which are arranged in a contact pattern of differential pairs and which form a contact group together with an L-shaped shielding element that surrounds said signal contacts, the contact groups being arranged in rows and columns and adjacent contact groups in adjacent columns being offset from each other by a specifiable length dimension in the longitudinal direction of the columns, the plug-in connection being characterized in that the specified length dimension corresponds to approximately half the distance of two adjacent contact groups in a column.

Description

Plug connection with shielding

The invention relates to a connector with shielding, in particular a multi-pole, multi-row, consisting of male and female connector, each having signal contacts which are arranged in contact patterns of differential pairs and together with a surrounding L-shaped shield each form a contact group, wherein the contact groups are arranged in rows and columns and wherein adjacent contact groups in adjacent columns by a predetermined length in the longitudinal direction of the columns are arranged offset from one another.

State of the art

A generic connector is, for example, from DE 603 16 145 T2. In this connector adjacent contact groups in adjacent columns each have a predeterminable length dimension in the longitudinal direction of the columns offset from each other. The signal contacts are surrounded by an L-shaped shielding element, which, however, does not completely surround the signal contacts. For this reason, the L-shaped shielding in each case from column to column in order alternately each rotated 180 ° to each other. In addition, in this connector, the signal contacts in adjacent columns offset by a length dimension to each other, which substantially corresponds to the distance of the signal contacts in a contact group. This arrangement in conjunction with the signal contacts not completely shielding L-shaped shielding elements and their arrangement does not allow interference-free signal transmission in the very high frequency range.

US 2001/0046810 A1 and US Pat. No. 6,328,602 B1 disclose plug connectors with which higher densities and higher speeds are achieved with simultaneously reduced electromagnetic coupling (crosstalk) between the signal contacts.

According to US 20001/0046810 A1, an electrical connector with plug-in connectors with shielding in one piece, which are oriented transversely to the shields in a second piece, is provided for this purpose. A piece of the connector is made from wafers with shields positioned between the wafers. The shields in one piece have contact portions to make electrical connection with shields in the other piece. This results in a connector that is easy to manufacture and that has improved shielding characteristics.

In the case of the connector emerging from US Pat. No. 6,328,602 B2, signal contacts and ground contacts in adjacent columns are arranged offset from one another in order to reduce crosstalk between the signal contacts. The shield contacts have wing-like projections which partially surround the signal contact elements. Such an arrangement does not readily permit a very densely packed arrangement of the signal or shield contact elements. In addition, the signal behavior is not optimal in such a connector. A plug connection with a shield and signal contacts, which are arranged in contact patterns of differential pairs and together with a surrounding L-shaped shield each form a contact group, the contact groups are arranged in rows and columns, is moreover from EP 1 470 618 B1 known.

In the electronics industry are very often rectangular connectors for an electrical connection between two circuit boards, for example, a so-called backplane, and attached to her circuit boards or between circuit boards and connecting cables used. In this case, for example, a male connector is arranged on a first printed circuit board and adapted to a female connector on another circuit board. This further circuit board is then attached by means of the spring bar of the connector to the first circuit board and electrically contacted.

The transmission frequency of electrical signals through these connectors can be very high. Not only is a balanced impedance of the various contacts within the spring and male connector required to reduce signal delays and reflections, but also a shielding of the differential contacts. This is realized by an L-shaped shield, as is apparent from EP 1 470 618 B1.

In order to achieve an optimum data transmission rate, EP 1 470 618 B1 provides a connector strip with signal contacts arranged in a contact pattern of differential pairs aligned in rows and columns, each differential pair comprising two of the signal contacts which are connected by one spaced first distance; a ground shield is connected to each differential pair, each ground shield including a blade portion extending along one side of the two signal contacts in its associated pair, and each ground shield including a leg portion extending along one end of a pair of associated differential pairs; and wherein adjacent ones of the differential pairs are spaced a second distance greater than the first distance. A tip of the sensing portion of each of the ground shields extends beyond an outer end of each of the signal contacts of its associated differential pair.

With such a connector already high data transmission rates can be achieved. Due to the linear arrangement of the contact groups in rows and columns, however, further miniaturization is not readily possible. In particular, an increase in the data transfer rate is not readily possible. In addition, it proves to be disadvantageous in such connectors that they do not have the necessary stability due to their filigree structure in many cases, which allow multiple plugging and again loosening the two connector elements: knife and socket bar readily.

The invention is therefore the object of developing a generic connector with shielding to the effect that it allows for even higher data transfer rates and at the same time has a robust construction, which also allows repeated plugging and unplugging the connector.

Advantages of the invention

This object is achieved by a connector with shielding of the type described above in that adjacent contact groups in adjacent columns by a predetermined length measure offset from each other are arranged, wherein the length corresponds to approximately half the distance between two adjacent contact groups in a column. In this way, not only is the maximum possible distance between the contact groups in one column and the contact groups in an adjacent column achieved, so that a further miniaturization of the signal By increasing the distance of signal contacts arranged in adjacent columns, a further increase in the data transmission rate to 25 Gbit sec. or more is also possible. It is a further significant advantage that gaps between the contact groups result from this offset arrangement of adjacent contact groups in adjacent columns, which can be used for the arrangement of stabilization elements in the connector housing, but also for improving the shielding between adjacent contact gaps. as will be explained in more detail below.

Further advantageous features and embodiments and embodiments of the invention are the subject of the dependent claims. Thus, a very advantageous embodiment provides that the predefinable length dimension corresponds to approximately half the distance between two adjacent contact groups in a column. In this way, the maximum possible distance between the contact groups in one column and the contact groups in an adjacent column is achieved.

Advantageously, it is provided that the arranged in a column contact groups of the spring bar are each arranged in a wafer. In this way, the plug can be produced particularly advantageously by layer-wise construction of such wafers. In order to achieve an optimal shielding effect, it is provided that a shield plate is arranged between adjacent wafers. Due to the staggered arrangement of the contact groups in adjacent contact gaps, it is now possible that contact elements of the shielding plates are arranged offset and thus a contact with the shielding elements of adjacent contact groups is formed. For this purpose, it is advantageously provided that the shielding plates have on their sides facing the insertion openings a plurality of bent, pointed contact springs which engage in recesses adapted to them and arranged in adjacent wafers. Such a configuration is possible only by the staggered arrangement of the contact groups in adjacent columns. Only in this way it is ensured that no contact between the differential contact pair and the contact springs of the shielding plates arises even with squat and further miniaturized design. Due to the staggered arrangement, the contact springs of the shielding plates are arranged as far as possible away from the differential contact pairs. For this purpose, it is further advantageously provided that the shield plates are made thinner in the region of the bent, pointed contact springs. As a result, on the one hand improves the spring action and on the other hand the limited space taken into account.

In order to be able to comply with a predetermined pitch on the plug side and on the other side of the board, where both the blade and the spring strips are fastened and contacted, for example by soldered connections or press connections or otherwise, to realize a smaller pitch, provides an advantageous Design before that the contact elements of the male connector taper so that the distance between adjacent contact elements on the circuit board side is slightly smaller than the connector-side distance of the contact elements.

The taper is preferably realized by board-side embossing of the contact elements. Such a production is also feasible in the context of mass production.

A particularly advantageous embodiment provides that in the region of the respective offset contact groups, in which a void is formed, reinforcing ribs are arranged in the male connector housing. In this way, on each side of the contact group columns such reinforcing ribs, which are offset by one column width left and right, arranged. These reinforcing ribs allow a substantial increase in the stability of the particularly sensitive blade housing. drawing

Further advantages and features of the invention are the subject of the following description and the drawings of exemplary embodiments. Here, features can each individually or in

Be realized combination.

In the drawing show:

Fig. 1 is a schematic isometric view of a spring and a

Male connector of a connector according to the invention;

FIG. 2 schematically shows the arrangement of respectively adjacent contact groups; FIG.

Fig. 3a, 3b in each case from different angles in an isometric exploded view, the structure of a spring bar according to the invention;

4 shows a wafer of a spring strip;

5 shows the "plug face" of a spring strip;

Fig. 6 shows schematically in isometric view a shield plate a

Spring strip and a part of the spring strip;

7 shows the arrangement of the contact springs of the shielding plates in the assembled state in a spring strip.

Fig. 8 is an isometric view of a male connector, partially in

Exploded view;

9 shows the contacts of the differential contact pairs of the male connector;

Fig. 10 is a plan view of a male connector and

Fig. 11 shows the arrangement (the layout) of the differential contact pairs and the ground contacts of a male connector according to the invention.

Description of Ausführunasbeispielen In Fig. 1, a spring bar 100 is shown in the right half of the figure, which is mounted on a circuit board 50, for example by solder or press connections and contacted. The spring strip has on its front side a plurality of contact group columns 120, which are each arranged parallel to one another. Each contact group column 120 has a plurality of stacked differential contact pairs 101, 102, each surrounded by an L-shaped shielding plate 103 on. Two differential contacts 101, 102 and the associated shielding plate 103 each form a contact group. The plug thus consists of a plurality of contact group columns and contact group rows, wherein the contact group rows are characterized in that adjacent contact groups in an adjacent contact group column are each offset by a predeterminable length dimension, as will be explained in more detail in connection with FIG.

The male connector 200 also has contact group columns 220, wherein in each case between two contact group columns 220 a further contact group column 221 are arranged, which is characterized in that the contact groups are each offset by the same length with respect to the contact groups of the adjacent contact group column 220.

In Fig. 2, the contact group columns 120 and 220 and 121 and 221 are respectively shown. The respective contact elements, ie contact springs 101 or 102 or contact blades 201 or 202 and the shielding elements thus corresponding openings 103 and L-shaped shielding plates 203 are for simplicity from top to bottom consecutively with the letters a), b), c) , d) to I). As can be seen from FIG. 2, the two differential contact elements 101, 102 or 201, 202 have a spacing 11. Adjacent contact groups, consisting of the differential contact pairs 101, 102 and 201, 202 and shielding elements 103, and 203, respectively, have a spacing 12. The contact groups are each offset from one another arranged such that each contact group in a contact group column

120, 220 to an adjacent contact group in an adjacent column

121, 221 each have a distance 13. This distance 13 is preferably half the distance from adjacent contact groups in a column 120, 220 and 121, 221, i. it is 13 = I2 / 2. In this way, the largest possible distance between the differential contact pairs is formed. This arrangement is associated with the essential advantages described below.

The structure of a spring bar is shown in Fig. 3a, 3b and Fig. 4. Accordingly, individual contact gaps are part of a single wafer 180. In this case, the wafers 180 are arranged in layers next to one another, as can be seen from FIG. 3a or FIG. 3b, wherein shield plates 300 are arranged between the wafers 180, to which reference will be made in more detail below. The entire structure is mounted in a housing member 181, which also serves to stabilize the spring bar. On the plug side, a cover 182 is provided with openings corresponding to the plug face. 4, a single wafer 180 is shown. The differential contact pairs 101, 102, which are arranged on the plug side, have a spacing of, for example, 1.3 mm. The Differenzialkontakt- couples 101, 02 are each over corresponding angularly extending

Lines 191, 192 extending in the wafer 180, as shown in Fig. 4, connected to the board-side connection elements 107, 108. It is provided that the board-side connecting elements 107, 108, a slightly smaller distance from each other than the plug-side terminal contacts. The distance between the board-side connection elements 107, 108 is preferably 1.2 mm. Between the board-side signal contact elements 107, 108 each shield contacts 109 are arranged.

The so-called "plug face" is shown in Fig. 5, which shows the front cover 182 from the front, contact groups of signal elements 101, 102, which are surrounded by L-shaped screen elements 103, follow in adjacent columns arranged offset contact groups. By this staggered arrangement results between adjacent columns each have a void 130 into which the reinforcing ribs 230, which are formed on the male connector 200, engage. As a result, the stability of such a connector is substantially increased and in particular also allows repeated plug-in operations.

The shield plates 300, which are metallically conductive, have on their side facing the plug side shield contact springs 310, each having a gap 312 to increase the spring action, as shown in Fig. 6 and Fig. 7. At its front area, the shield contact spring elements are curved and tapered. The "pointed" formation, that is, a thinner formation in the area of the tips 333, can be produced by embossing.The curved tips 333 engage in recesses 182 adapted to them in the wafers 180 of the spring strip, the recesses 182 being formed in this way (FIG 6 and Fig. 7) that the curved tips 333 each come to lie to the signal contact openings 101, 02 and get there in the mated state of spring and male connector with the respective L-shaped shielding plates 203 in electrical contact Arrangement of the contact groups is realized in this way the widest possible distance between the shielding elements and the differential contact pairs and only thereby data transfer rates of 25 Gbit / sec. Or greater can be achieved.

In connection with Fig. 8, the structure of the male connector is briefly explained below. In the housing 210 of the male connector the differential contact pairs 201, 202 and the surrounding L-shaped shielding elements 203 are arranged. In this case, it is provided that the differential contact elements on the plug side have a greater distance, for example 1.3 mm, than the side of the board where the distance is, for example, 1.2 mm. This is realized in that on the contact elements 201, 202 stampings 232, 233 are provided (Fig. 9). As a result, a higher density of the contact elements is achieved on the board.

Fig. 10 shows the male connector in plan view. In the housing 210 each differential contact pairs 201, 202 are arranged, which are surrounded by L-shaped shielding plates 203. In this case, the distance between adjacent differential contact elements 201, 202, which in FIG. 10 is also designated consecutively as a), b)... K), I) for the sake of simplicity, 11 and the distance from adjacent contact groups in a column 220 or 221 12. The distance from adjacent contact groups of adjacent columns, ie the distance of each contact group in the column 220 to an adjacent contact group in the column 221 is 13, with 13 substantially equal to 12/2. So it is 13 = I2 / 2. This staggered arrangement allows not only an improved data transmission quality by further miniaturization but also an increase in stability, characterized in that the reinforcing ribs 230 are arranged in each case in the area of offset columns 221 and 220, respectively. These engage - as explained above - in the formed by the staggered arrangement voids 30 of the spring bar.

FIG. 11 shows the arrangement or layout of differential contact pairs 201, 202, as well as the shielding contact elements 203a on a male connector. This illustration also shows that the spacing of adjacent contact groups is 11 and adjacent columns, designated by consecutive numbers 1 to 14 in FIG. 11, are each offset by a distance 13 from each other, where 13 = I 2/2. The distance 12 is the distance from adjacent contact groups in a column. From Fig. 1 1, the symmetry of the arrangement of Differenzialkontaktpaaren 201, 202 and shielding (ground) contact elements 203a (comparisons also Fig. 8) is very nice, soft - as extensive experiments of the Applicant have revealed - only the high signal transmission rates and in particular allow the high signal transmission frequencies.

Claims

claims

1. plug connection with shielding, in particular a multi-pole, multi-row, consisting of male and female connector having signal contacts, which are arranged in a contact pattern of differential pairs and form a contact group together with a surrounding L-shaped shielding, wherein the contact groups are arranged in rows and columns, and wherein neighboring contact groups in adjacent columns are offset by a predetermined length (13) offset from each other, characterized in that the predetermined length dimension (13) about half of the distance (12) of two adjacent contact groups in a column.

2. Plug connection according to claim 1, characterized in that arranged in a column contact groups of the spring strip are each arranged in a wafer (180).

3. Plug connection according to claim 2, characterized in that

a shield plate (300) is arranged between adjacent wafers (180).

4. Plug connection according to claim 3, characterized in that the shield plates (300) on their sides facing the plug openings a plurality of bent, pointed contact springs (333) which engage in adapted to them recesses (182) in adjacent wafers (180) ,

5. Plug connection according to claim 4, characterized in that the shielding plates (300) in the region of the bent, pointed contact springs (333) are thinner.

6. Plug connection according to claim 5, characterized in that the thinner region of the contact springs (333) can be produced by embossing.

7. Plug connection according to claim 1, characterized in that the contact elements (201, 202) of the male connector taper such that the distance between adjacent contact elements (201, 202)

board side is slightly smaller than the plug-side distance of the contact elements (201, 202).

8. Plug connection according to claim 7, characterized in that the taper can be realized by board-side embossing of the contact elements (201, 202).

9. Plug connection according to one of claims 7 or 8, characterized in that in the region of each staggered contact groups reinforcing ribs (230) on the housing (210) of the male connector (200) are arranged in the voids (130) of the spring strip (100 ) intervene