Multi-row box connector

A multi-row box connector having continuous ground planes formed as part of the connector housing for electrically interconnecting printed circuit boards. The multi-row box connector includes first and second insulative housing members each having thin metallic films deposited on the internal and external sidewalls thereof, respectively, to form the continuous ground planes. The thin metallic films may be deposited on respective housing members by sputtering. The ground planes provide early ground mate as well as EMF shielding and minimization of cross talk between the signal elements of the box connector.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention is directed to electrical connectors, and more 
particularly to a multi-row box connector having ground planes formed as 
part of the connector housing. 
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
Multi-row box connectors may be utilized to electrically interconnect 
printed circuit boards. Typically such box connectors include two 
connector housing members which are mated together to form the box 
connector. One housing member is configured for surface mounting to a 
first printed circuit board while the other housing member may be 
configured for either surface mounting or edge mounting to a second 
printed circuit board. 
The box connector is configured to include the conductive elements which 
provide electrical interconnection between the first and second printed 
circuit boards. Generally this entails a complex housing structure and 
intricate contact configurations which increases the cost and time 
involved in fabrication and assemblage. Moreover, with the increasing 
circuit density of present day printed circuit boards, it is generally 
advantageous to minimize the overall size of the box connector while 
increasing the signal element density thereof. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention is directed to a multi-row box connector having a 
simplified configuration which minimizes the overall size of the box 
connector and provides the capability for readily increasing the signal 
element density thereof depending upon the particular application. The 
multi-row box connector comprises a two-piece insulative housing which 
includes grounding elements of simplified configuration which may be 
readily integrated into the respective housing members. 
The housing members are formed to have continuous ground planes by 
depositing thin metallic films on the internal and external insulative 
sidewalls thereof, respectively. Deposition may be accomplished by 
sputtering the thin metallic film directly on the respective sidewalls. 
During mating of the housing members to form the box connector, engagement 
occurs between the respective ground planes to provide early ground 
mating. The ground planes also provide EMF shield for and minimize cross 
talk between the signal contact elements of the box connector. The ground 
planes also provide controlled impedance, inductance and capacitance for 
the box connector. 
The first housing member of the box connector is configured to receive 
ground pin modules which engage the internal ground planes thereof and the 
ground elements of the first printed circuit board to provide electrical 
interconnection therebetween. The second housing member is configured to 
receive grounding bars which engage the external grounding planes thereof 
and the ground elements of the second printed circuit board to provide 
electrical interconnection therebetween.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
Referring now to the drawings wherein like reference numerals designate 
corresponding or similar elements throughout the several views, FIG. 1 is 
an exploded perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of a multi-row box 
connector 10 according to the present invention which is configured for 
electrically interconnecting printed circuit boards. The connector 10 
includes a first housing member 20 and a second housing member 40. 
The first housing member 20 is adapted to be mechanically and electrically 
engaged to a first printed circuit board 12 (see FIG. 3) as for example by 
press fitting. The first housing member 20 is formed from an insulative 
material such as plastic and has a plurality of signal pin apertures 22 
formed therethrough. As exemplarily illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 3, the 
signal pin apertures 22 are arranged in four rows, each row containing a 
predetermined number of apertures 22 depending upon the application. 
The signal pin apertures 22 are configured for press fit reception of a 
plurality of male signal pins 24 as exemplarily illustrated in FIG. 5A. 
The male signal pins 24 are configured for press fit reception into 
corresponding conductive receptacles 13 of the first circuit board 12. 
The sidewalls 26 of the first housing member 20 are internally formed as 
alternating pluralities of channels 28 and lands 30. Mating apertures 32 
are formed through the first housing member 20 coterminously with the 
channels 28. The mating apertures 32 are configured to receive ground pin 
modules 34 as exemplarily illustrated in FIG. 5B. 
Each ground pin module 34 is integrally formed from a conductive material 
and includes a head 35 and a plurality of press fit posts 36 extending 
outwardly from the head 35. The head 35 is configured for mounting within 
the mating aperture 32. The press fit posts 36 are configured for press 
fit reception within corresponding ground receptacles 14 of the first 
circuit board 12. 
The channels 28 and lands 30 of each sidewall 26 are coated with a 
conductive material such as copper. Coating may be accomplished by 
sputtering the conductive material onto the respective channels 28 and 
lands 30 of each sidewall 24. The conductively coated channels 28 and 
lands 30 in combination form a continuous bi-level ground plane 38 within 
the first housing member 20. With the ground pin modules 34 mounted within 
corresponding mating apertures 32, each head 35 mechanically and 
electrically engages the bi-level ground plane 38. 
The second housing member 40 is adapted to mechanically and electrically 
engage a second printed circuit board 16 as discussed in further detail 
hereinbelow. The second printed circuit board 16 has grounding bars 17 
formed on the opposed major surfaces thereof. The grounding bars 17 may 
have a continuous configuration or may be a plurality of discrete 
segments. Signal pads 18, electrically interconnected to the circuitry of 
the printed circuit board 17, are disposed on the opposed major surfaces 
thereof. 
The second housing member 40 is formed from an insulative material and 
includes a plurality of signal contact receptacles 42 arranged in a 
predetermined number of rows, with a predetermined number of receptacles 
42 per row, and a pair of opposed mating channels 44, 44. The second 
housing member 40 may also include a mating channel 46 configured to 
receive the edge of the second printed circuit board 16. The signal 
contact receptacles 42 are formed in the second housing member 40 in 
correspondence with the signal pin insertion apertures 22 of the first 
housing member 20. 
The signal contact receptacles 42 are configured to receive a plurality of 
female signal contacts 48. As will be appreciated from an examination of 
FIG. 3, each female signal contact 48 includes resilient contact fingers 
50 and a resilient extended segment 52. The resilient contact fingers 50 
of each female signal contact 48 are configured to engage one end of a 
corresponding male signal pin 24. The resilient extended segment 48 of 
each female signal contact 48 is configured to engage a corresponding 
signal pad 18 of the second printed circuit board 16. The female signal 
contacts 48 may be soldered to corresponding signal pads 18. 
Each mating channel 44 of the second housing member 40 is configured to 
receive a grounding bar 54. Each grounding bar 54 is integrally formed 
from a conductive material and includes an extended planar member 56, a 
plurality of resilient fingers 58 and a plurality of solder clips 60. The 
plurality of resilient fingers 58 are configured to engage the 
corresponding grounding bar 17 of the second printed circuit board 16. 
Each solder clip 60 includes a slug 61 of solder which is reflowed when 
the second printed circuit board 16 is engaged with the second housing 
member 40. 
The sidewalls 41 of the second housing member 40 are externally coated with 
a conductive material such as copper. Coating may be accomplished by 
sputtering the conductive material onto the sidewalls 41. The conductively 
coated sidewalls form continuous ground planes 62. The solder clips 60 of 
the grounding bars 54 engage the corresponding ground planes 62 of the 
second housing member 40. The ground planes 62 are electrically 
interconnected to the corresponding grounding bars 17 of the second 
printed circuit board 16 via the grounding bars 54. 
The first housing member 20 is disposed in combination with the first 
printed circuit board 12 as discussed hereinabove. The grounding planes 38 
are electrically interconnected to the ground receptacles 14 of the first 
printed circuit board 12 via the ground pin modules 34. 
The second housing member 40 is mated in combination with the first housing 
member 20 by inserting the second housing member 40 into the first housing 
member 20. Upon initial insertion, the ground planes 62 of the second 
housing member 40 engages the ground planes 38 of the first housing member 
20, thereby providing an early mate ground interconnection between the 
first and second printed circuit boards 12, 16. Final mating between the 
first and second housing members 20, 40 causes the female signal contacts 
48 to engage corresponding male signal pins 24, thereby providing 
electrical signal interconnection between the first and second printed 
circuit boards 12, 16. 
In addition to providing early ground mating, the ground planes 38, 62 also 
provide EMF shielding for and minimize cross talk between the signal 
conducting elements of the first and second housing members 20, 40. The 
ground planes 38, 62 also provide controlled impedance, inductance and 
capacitance for the multi-row box connector 10. The ground planes 38, 62, 
in combination with the ground pin modules 34 and the grounding bars 54, 
enhance the signal pin availability of the multi-row box connector 10. 
Another embodiment of a multi-row box connector 10' according to the 
present invention is illustrated in FIG. 4. The first housing member 20' 
includes the elements and is configured as described hereinabove. The 
second housing member 40', as shown in FIG. 4, is configured to 
mechanically and electrically engage a second printed circuit board 16' 
having conductive ground and signal receptacles 17', 18', respectively, by 
press fitting. 
The female signal contacts 48' of this embodiment include a post segment 
52' configured for press fit reception into corresponding signal 
receptacles 18'. In lieu of the grounding bar, the second housing member 
40' includes a plurality of headless pins 64' and a plurality of headed 
pins 66' mounted in a plate member 68' of insulative material. The second 
housing member 40' further includes a conductive ground plane member 70. 
secured thereto by means of a heat stake 72'. 
The sidewalls 41' of the second housing member 40' are externally coated 
with a conductive material such as copper. Coating may be accomplished by 
sputtering the conductive material onto the sidewalls 41' as shown. The 
conductively coated sidewalls form continuous ground planes 62'. The 
plurality of headless pins 64' are electrically interfaced with one 
continuous ground plane 62' and the plurality of headed pins 66' are 
electrically interfaced with the other continuous ground plane 62' via the 
conductive ground plane member 70 . 
A variety of modifications and variations of the present invention are 
possible in light of the above teachings. It is therefore to be understood 
that within the scope of the appended claims, the present invention may be 
practiced otherwise than as specifically described hereinabove.