DE69114094T2 - Electrical connector assembly. - Google Patents

Description

This invention relates to an electrical connector assembly for electrically connecting respective circuits between two circuit boards.

Board-to-board connectors are used to connect circuits on a variety of daughter boards to a mother board or back board. These boards can be mounted in a vertical or horizontal relationship, depending on the shape of the connector members to be attached.

The need for connectors that solve problems such as common mode noise and crosstalk has increased with the density and speed of electronic circuits. It is therefore desirable to provide high density electrical connectors with means to provide a low inductance, low resistance ground connection from the connector to the circuit board to which it is attached.

U.S. Patent 4,867,690 discloses an electrical connector system comprising a pin header having a plurality of rows of terminal members extending parallel to the side walls. The outermost rows of terminals adjacent to the side walls are configured to provide ground reference traces while the remaining rows of terminals are configured to mate with a socket member.

US Patent 4,655,518 discloses an electrical connector according to the preamble of claim 1 and a two-part connector assembly according to the preamble of Claim 4, wherein grounding contacts are provided along the dielectric side walls of the respective connectors. The terminal members of the pin socket are disposed in recesses along the inner surfaces of the side wall, the contact portion being a single resilient beam having a convex shape facing inwardly toward the pin terminals disposed between the side walls. In the socket member, grounding contacts are disposed along the outer surfaces of the side wall so as to slidably contact the resilient beams in the pin socket when the connectors are mated.

It is also desirable in some applications to provide means to short any two adjacent electrical contacts together when a mating connector and a panel are removed from a system, thereby creating a switching effect to maintain the electrical continuity of the system. These "built-in" switches eliminate the need for additional parts to provide the same capability.

In high density, high speed electronic systems, it is generally desirable to provide means for shielding modules within the system for protection against EMI/RFI. It is therefore desirable that connector assemblies used within the system include means to facilitate interconnection of module shields to ground planes within the mother board or backplane. For purposes of this application, the terms "shielded pin header," "shielded jack," or "shielded connector assembly" are to be understood to mean members having a ground plane or other structure providing the capability described above.

Furthermore, it is desirable that the mating members of a grounded or shielded connector assembly also be matable with corresponding existing complementary ungrounded or shielded members to provide a cost-effective way to upgrade existing electronic systems such as computers or equipment.

The present invention is directed to an electrical connector system that eliminates the problems and disadvantages of the prior art and consists in an electrical connector according to claim 1 and an electrical connector assembly according to claim 4.

The invention enables an improvement in the electrical performance of the connector by providing low inductance and low resistance paths to allow ground current to flow through the electrical connector assembly to a circuit board. In addition, it can provide a shielded connector system that is also compatible with existing unshielded connectors.

According to a feature of the invention, means may be provided for shunting or switching adjacent contact terminals to provide electrical continuity after removal of a board from a system, thereby eliminating the need to use additional components to provide the same function.

Embodiments of the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is an enlarged, fragmentary perspective view of the electrical connector assembly of the present invention with the socket member and the pin socket member shown exploded.

Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view of the connector assembly of the invention with the members shown exploded from each other.

Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view of the assembled connector assembly with the members assembled together.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary portion of an alternate embodiment of the socket member with a shunt terminal stripped therefrom.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged portion of the socket member of Fig. 4 and illustrates the means for securing the shunt terminal to the housing side wall.

Figure 6 is a broken away portion of the pin header member of the present invention, with one of the ground plane shields shown pulled away therefrom.

Fig. 7 is an enlarged fragmentary portion of Fig. 6 and illustrates the means for securing the ground plate to the pin header.

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary perspective view of an alternative embodiment of the pin socket for use with the socket member of Fig. 4.

Fig. 9 is a cross-sectional view of the female member of Fig. 4 mated with the pin socket of Fig. 8.

Figure 10 is a fragmentary perspective view of a pin socket and illustrates an alternative embodiment of the invention.

Figure 11 is a cross-sectional view of the jack of the present invention mated with an unshielded pin header member.

Fig. 12 is an exploded perspective view of another alternative embodiment of the bushing member.

Fig. 13 and 14 are enlarged views of portions of the sleeve member of Fig. 12.

Fig. 15 is a cross-sectional view of the assembled socket member of Fig. 12.

Referring now to FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, the connector assembly 10 of the present invention includes a socket member 12 and a pin header 60. For purposes of illustrating the invention, the board-to-board interconnect assembly 10 is shown in a configuration suitable for mounting daughter cards perpendicular to the mother board or back board. It is to be understood that the pin header member can be modified to position the daughter cards parallel to the mother board. The socket member 12 includes a housing member 14 having a mating surface 16 and a mounting surface 18. The housing 14 has a transversely extending main portion 20 extending along the mounting surface 18 as best seen in Fig. 4, an inner main portion 22 and opposed outer side walls 34 extending from the mounting surface 18 to the mating surface 16 and defining elongated cavities 36 between the inner main portion 22 and the corresponding outer side walls 34. The inner main portion 22 has opposed side walls 24, end walls 28 with mounting flanges 30 extending outwardly therefrom and a plurality of ports receiving passages 32 extending from the mounting surface 18 to the mating surface 16. A plurality of first contact terminal members 40 are disposed in corresponding passages 32 as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. For purposes of illustration, the first terminal members 40 have been omitted from Figs. 1 and 4. The first terminal members 40 have a first contact portion 42 for mating with complementary terminal members 78 of the pin header 60 and a second contact portion 44 extending below the mounting surface 18 for engagement with corresponding openings 104 of the circuit board 102.

As seen in Figures 1-3, elongated cavities 36 are formed along thin sides through the inner surface of the outer side walls 34 and the corresponding outer surfaces of the main body side walls 24, and the corresponding portions of the transverse wall 20 extending therebetween form a cavity base 21. The cavity base 21 has a plurality of openings 38 extending therethrough. The socket 12 further includes a plurality of second contact terminal members 46 disposed in terminal receiving openings 38 of the transverse wall 20 and having first contact portions 48 extending into the elongated cavities 36 and a second contact portion 52 extending outwardly from the mounting surface 18 for engagement with openings 106 of the mother board or back board 102. As best seen in Figures 2 and 3, the first terminal portion 48 of the respective second contact terminals 46 comprise stepped beam portions having an inwardly directed curved portion 49 and a contact surface 50 between the curved portion 49 and a second contact portion 52. Respective contact surfaces 50 of the second terminal members 46 are configured to mate with respective ground bus means 84, 90 of the complementary mating connector 60 as shown in Figure 3.

4 and 5 illustrate an alternative embodiment of a socket member 120 having at least one shunt terminal member 54 to provide an internal "switching" effect. Since the basic structure of the socket member 120 is substantially the same as that of the socket member 12, the same reference numerals have been used for the identical parts. The socket member 120 includes a housing member 140 having a transversely extending main portion 20 extending along the mounting surface 18 as best seen in FIG. 4, an inner main portion 122 and opposing outer side walls 34 extending upwardly from the mounting surface 18 and defining elongated cavities 36 between the inner main portion 122 and the corresponding outer side walls 34. The inner main section 122 has opposing side walls 124 and end walls 28 having mounting flanges 30 extending outwardly therefrom. In this embodiment, the outer surfaces of the side walls 124 of the inner main section 122 further include projections 126 extending into corresponding cavities 36 at selected locations along the length thereof. The projections 126 have slots 127 for receiving a shunt terminal member 54 therebetween. The shunt terminal member 54 has an outwardly extending portion 56 and ends 58, the ends 58 being received in the slots 127 of the projections and extending between two adjacent second terminal members 46. As shown in Fig. 5, the shunt terminal member 54 electrically connects two adjacent second terminal members 46 within a corresponding cavity 36 when the socket member 120 is not mated with a complementary connector.

Referring again to Figures 1-3, the pin header 60 of the present invention includes a housing 62 having a mating surface 64 and a mounting surface 68. A cavity 66 configured to receive the inner housing 22 of the socket 12 to be mated therein extends inwardly from the mating surface 64. For purposes of illustration, the pin header 60 is shown in a rectangular configuration for mounting to a daughter card 108. The pin header 60 has a side wall 70 opposite the mounting surface 68, a rear wall 71 opposite the mating surface 64, and opposite end walls 72 carrying outwardly extending flanges 74. The housing 62 further includes a plurality of terminal receiving passages 76 extending through the housing 62 and between the mating surface 64 and the mounting surface 68. A plurality of third terminal members 78 having first and second contact portions 80, 82 are disposed within the corresponding receiving passages 76. As shown more clearly in Fig. 6, the terminal receiving passages 76 include slots 77 along the back wall 71 for inserting the corresponding terminal members 78 into the housing 62. The first contact portion 80 of each third terminal member 78 is shown as a pin member configured to mate with a complementary first terminal member 40 and the second contact portion is configured to mount to corresponding openings 110 of the daughter card 108. The pin header 60 further includes first and second grounding or shielding plate means 84, 90 disposed on outer surfaces of the connector, the first grounding plate means 84 extending along the rear wall 71 and the side wall 70. The first grounding plate 84 includes first and second connecting portions 86, 88, the first grounding connecting portion 86 for electrically connecting to the second terminal members 46 in one of the cavities 36 of the socket 12, as best seen in Fig. 3. The second ground plate 90 extends along the forwardly projecting portion of the mounting surface 68 of the pin socket 60 and is adapted to be received within the other of the elongated cavities 36 of the corresponding socket member 12 and to be electrically connected to the plurality of second contact members 46 therein. As best seen in Figs. 6 and 7, the ground plate members 84 and 90 include outwardly extending tabs 85, 91 which are received in corresponding slots 75 in the outwardly extending flanges 74 to secure the ground plates 84, 90 continuously along the corresponding sides of the housing member 62.

As shown in Figures 2 and 3, when the pin header 60 is mated with the socket member 12, the outwardly extending contacts 86, 92 on the ground plates 84, 90 of the pin header 60 contact the corresponding ground contact terminals 46 of the socket member 12 before the corresponding first contact portions 42, 80 of the first and third terminal members 40, 78 engage. As the mating members are moved into mating engagement, the curved first contact portions 86, 92 of the ground plates 84, 90 enter corresponding cavities 36, deflect the projecting arms of the second terminal members 46 outwardly, and electrically engage the corresponding contact surfaces 50 of the second terminal members 46 within the corresponding cavities 36. Simultaneously therewith, the third terminal members 78 are fully mated with the corresponding first terminal members 40. The continuous shielding on the outer surfaces of the pin header 60 facilitates mating with ground plates on the mother board or back plate and with shielding devices in those applications where EMI/RFI protection is desired.

8 and 9 illustrate an alternative embodiment of a pin socket 160 for mating with a socket member 120 of FIG. 4 having at least one shunt terminal member 54 disposed along a side wall 124. In this embodiment, the wall 170 of the housing member 162 of the pin socket has at least one projection 171 extending outwardly therefrom at a location selected to correspond to the location of the shunt terminal member 54 of the socket member 120 of FIG. 4. The first plate member 184 has at least one slot 187 extending therein from the edge of the first contact portion 186 at a location selected to correspond to the location of the shunt terminal member 54 of the socket member 120.

As shown in Fig. 9, when the pin header 160 is mated with the socket member 120, the outwardly extending contacts 86, 92 on the ground plates 84, 90 of the pin header 60 contact the corresponding ground contact terminals 46 of the socket member 120 prior to engagement of the corresponding first contact portions 42, 80 of the first and third terminal members 40, 78. When the mating members are moved into mating engagement, the outwardly extending projection 171 of the housing member 162 releases the shunt terminal member 54 from engagement with the corresponding second terminal members 46 by bending the corresponding projecting arms outwardly and into the corresponding cavities 36. The slot 187 of the plate 186 is of sufficient size to prevent engagement of the plate member 186 with the previously shunted second terminal members, thereby providing switching capability to the connector assembly. The remaining terminal members electrically engage their respective counterparts as previously described.

Fig. 10 shows another alternative embodiment of a pin header 260, wherein the first plate member 284 has a plurality of segments 285 each having at least one opening 287 for engaging projections 271 on a wall 270 of the housing member 262 of the pin header. The wall 270 also has a plurality of spacers 273 that help keep the shield segments 285 from twisting. In the preferred embodiment, the plate segments 285 are heat-streaked to the housing wall. Only the second corresponding socket terminal members 46 (as shown in Fig. 1) associated with each individual segment 285 are connected. By using a plurality of plate segments, the individual segments can be used to connect either signal or ground or power circuits, thereby increasing the capability of the connector assembly.

As shown in Fig. 11, the socket member 12 of the present invention can be mated with an unshielded pin header 360, as well as with the grounded or shielded pin header 60 of the present invention. When the socket member 12 is mated with the unshielded pin header 160, which is currently available, the curved portion 49 of each of the second terminal members 46 engages the outer surface of the dielectric housing 162. The electrical contact area 50 of the socket member 12 is therefore protected from accumulation of films or debris from the dielectric housing walls of the unshielded pin header 160. Thus, the same socket member 112 can be interchangeably mated with a shielded or grounded pin header or an unshielded pin header 60, 160. Each Buildup of dielectric material on the second contact terminal 46 occurs at the curved portion 49 rather than at the contact portion 50.

Figures 12-15 illustrate another alternative embodiment of a socket 412, wherein the housing is comprised of first and second housing members 414a and 414b which together define elongated cavities 436 extending between respective sides 424 and 434 of the first and second housing members 414a, 414b, as best seen in Figure 15. The housing members 414a and 414b are securable along their respective longitudinal sides by respective locking teeth 426, 435, and at the ends by locking teeth and grooves 431a, 431b. The first housing member 414a corresponds to the inner housing portion of the previously described embodiments and has a mating surface 416, a mounting surface 418, side walls 424 and end walls 428. A plurality of spaced, outwardly projecting teeth 426 extend along the outer surface of the wall 424 adjacent the mounting surface 418. A plurality of first corresponding terminal receiving passages 432 are disposed. The second housing member 414b is essentially a shell member having longitudinally extending side walls 434, end walls 433 and a plurality of terminal receiving passages 438 for receiving second terminal members 446 therein. The second terminal members 446 have a first contact portion 448 having a curved portion 449 adjacent its free end 447 and a second contact portion 452 extending through the lower second housing wall 421.

The assembled socket 412 having a shunt terminal member 454 is shown in Fig. 15. Figs. 13 and 14 show enlarged views of the respective interlocked walls 424, 434 at a shunt location. Selected teeth 426 along the wall 424 are provided with slots 427 to receive ends of shunt terminal members 454 in a manner similar to that previously described. The housing wall 424 has two such teeth 426 as shown in Fig. 14 between which a shunt terminal 454 is disposed. The tooth 426a between the modified teeth 426 has been shortened to accommodate the outwardly projecting contact surface 456 of the shunt terminal 454. As can be seen more clearly in Figure 13, the inner surface of wall 434 has teeth 435 which are designed to interlock with teeth 426 of the first housing member to secure the first and second housings together. This figure also shows the shortening of two of the teeth 435a at a shunt connection location to accommodate the shape of the shunt connection.

The housing members of the present invention are formed from a suitable dielectric material, such as a glass-filled polyester or the like. The first and second terminal members are formed from a material having high spring properties, such as stamped and formed phosphor bronze or the like. Since the third terminal members are not spring members, they may be formed from brass or other suitable materials. The ground shields or plate members 84, 90 are preferably made from a highly conductive brass. Preferably, the shunt terminal members are made from beryllium copper. In assembling the socket members shown in Figures 1-11, the first terminal members are first inserted into the terminal receiving cavities from the mounting surface and secured therein by means known in the art. The second terminal members are inserted into the terminal receiving cavities from the mating surface and secured therein as is known in the art. If desired, shunt contacts are inserted at the appropriate locations along the housing side walls. The socket of Figures 12 to 15 is assembled by inserting the first and second terminals into their respective terminal receiving cavities and inserting any shunt contacts into their respective positions. The two housing members are assembled by engaging the teeth along the side walls and sliding the members together. The assembled socket member can then be mounted to a panel by inserting respective second contact portions of the first and second terminal members into respective panel openings and retaining them thereto by suitable means.

The pin header 60 is assembled by inserting the third terminal members 78 into the slots 77 along the wall 70 of the housing 62. The first and second ground plates 84, 90 are assembled to the housing 62 by inserting corresponding tabs 85, 91 into corresponding slots 75 on the flanges 74.

In forming the plate members 84, 90, it is preferable to provide a plurality of second contact sections 84, 90 (88, 94) thereby creating multiple parallel paths to ground so that the inductance and resistance to ground are reduced.

In the preferred embodiment, the number of outwardly extending second ground contact portions 88, 94 of the plates 84, 90 corresponds to the number of columns of third terminal members 68 in the pin base 60, and the corresponding second terminal members 46 of the socket member 12 correspond to the columns of first terminal members 40 within the socket housing 14. The present invention provides a number of advantages for panel-to-panel connector systems. As shown in the drawings, a connector system is compatible with existing ungrounded or shielded connectors, allowing the user to gradually upgrade the system. Since the shape of the basic pin header and the basic socket member remain the same, both the pin header and the socket member in the improved or standard form can be used interchangeably.

Claims (10)

1. An electrical connector (12) comprising a housing (14) having a mating surface (16) and a mounting surface (18) and a main body (22) extending therebetween, the main body (22) having a plurality of terminal receiving passages (32) extending therethrough and a plurality of first terminal members (40) disposed in corresponding passages (32) for mating with complementary terminal members of a complementary connector to be mated therewith, characterized in that that the housing (14) has a transversely extending main body portion (20) extending along the mounting surface (18) and has two opposing outer side walls (34) spaced from the main body (22) and extending from the mounting surface (18) to the joining surface (16) and forming elongated cavities (36) between the main body (22) and the corresponding outer side walls (34), and that at least one second contact terminal member (46) is disposed in the transverse body portion (20) and has a terminal portion extending into at least one of the elongated cavities (36), the at least one second terminal member (46) being mateable with a ground bus bar of the complementary attachable connector. 2. A connector according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the elongated cavities (36) has a plurality of second contact terminal members (46). 3. A connector according to claim 2, comprising at least one shunt terminal (54) arranged to interconnect at least two of the second contact terminals (46). 4. An electrical connector assembly (10) comprising a receiving member (12) and a complementary, attachable pin header (60), the receiving member (12) comprising a housing (14) having a mating surface (16) and a mounting surface (18) and a main portion (22) extending therebetween, the main portion (22) having a plurality of terminal receiving passages (32) extending therethrough and a plurality of first terminal members (40) disposed in corresponding passages (32) for mating with complementary terminal members of the attachable pin header (60), the pin header (60) comprising a housing member (62) having a mating surface (64), a mounting surface (68), opposing sides, a plurality of terminal receiving passages (76) and a plurality of other electrical contact terminal members (78) arranged in corresponding terminal receiving passages (76) for mating with the first terminal members (40), the connector assembly (10) being characterized in that that the receptacle housing (14) has a transversely extending main body portion (20) extending along the mounting surface (18) and has two opposing outer side walls (34) spaced from the main body (22) and extending from the mounting surface (18) to the mating surface (16) and defining elongated cavities (36) between the main body (22) and the corresponding outer side walls (34), at least one second contact terminal member (46) being disposed in the transversely extending main body portion (20) and having a portion (48) extending into at least one of the elongated cavities (36), the at least one second terminal member (46) being mateable with a ground bus bar of the complementary, attachable connector (60), and that at least one grounding member (90) is disposed along at least one of the sides of the housing member of the pin header (60), the at least one grounding member (84) being receivable in one of the elongated cavities (36) of the receiving member (12) when the receiving member (12) and the pin header (60) are mated together, and the at least one grounding member (90) is disposed at a selected location opposite the at least one second contact terminal member (46) of the receiving member (12) to make electrical contact therewith after mating. 5. The connector assembly (10) of claim 4, wherein at least one of the corresponding elongated cavities (46) has a plurality of second contact terminal members (46). 6. A connector assembly (10) according to claim 4 or 5, wherein at least one grounding member (84) forms a bus bar and extends continuously along at least one side of the pin base. 7. The connector assembly of claim 4, 5 or 6, wherein the pin header includes at least one second ground plate member (84) disposed along another side of the housing member (62) of the pin header, the second plate member (84) being receivable in the other of the elongated cavities of the receiving member and being electrically connectable to at least one second terminal member disposed therein. 8. The connector assembly of claim 7, wherein the other cavity (36) includes a plurality of second terminal members (46) and the at least one second ground plate member includes a plurality of segments (284) whereby selected groups of related second terminal members (46) of the receptacle (12) are interconnected. 9. A connector assembly according to claim 5, comprising at least one shunt terminal member (54) arranged to electrically connect at least two of the second terminal members (46) of the receptacle member (12) to one another. 10. A connector assembly according to claim 4 or 5, wherein the body (22) of the receiving member (12) further comprises means for securing a shunt terminal (54) thereto, the shunt terminal (54) being arranged to electrically connect at least two adjacent second terminals (46) together when the receiving member (12) is not mated to the pin header (60).