Electrical connector

An electrical connector includes a substrate provided with an accommodating hole, and a first terminal and a second terminal provided vertically. The first terminal has a first elastic arm located outside the accommodating hole, and a first fixing portion retained in the accommodating hole. A plate surface of the first fixing portion forms a first laminated surface. The first elastic arm and the first laminated surface are located at two opposite sides of the first fixing portion. The second terminal has a second elastic arm located outside the accommodating hole, and a second fixing portion retained in the accommodating hole. A plate surface of the second fixing portion forms a second laminated surface parallel to and laminated with the first laminated surface along a horizontal direction. The second elastic arm and the second laminated surface are located at a same side of the second fixing portion.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED PATENT APPLICATION

This non-provisional application claims priority to and the benefit of, pursuant to 35 U.S.C. § 119(a), patent application Serial No. CN201910249163.6 filed in China on Mar. 29, 2019. The disclosure of the above application is incorporated herein in its entirety by reference.

FIELD

The present invention relates to an electrical connector, and particularly to an electrical connector with good high-frequency performance.

BACKGROUND

The Chinese Patent No. CN20181027361.6 discloses an electrical connector, which is used to electrically connect a chip module. The electrical connector includes a shell, provided with a through hole running through a surface and a back surface thereof, and an inner wall surface of the through hole is plated with a conductive material. A first conductive pad and a second conductive pad are provided on a first surface and second surface of the shell respectively and in communication with the conductive material of the through hole. A first contact member is accommodated in the through hole and provided on the first surface of the shell. The first contact member has a first junction portion electrically connected to a first contact pad, a first insertion portion inserted into the through hole to be pressed on the inner wall surface of the through hole and elastically deformed, and a first connecting portion soldered to the first conductive pad. A second contact member is accommodated in the through hole and provided on the second surface of the shell. The second contact member has a second junction portion electrically connected to a second contact pad, a second insertion portion inserted into the through hole to be pressed on the inner wall surface of the through hole and elastically deformed, and a second connecting portion soldered to the second conductive pad. Both of the first contact member and the second contact member are in contact with the conductive material of the inner wall surface of the through hole to implement electrical conduction.

However, the first insertion portion and the second insertion portion are separated from each other, and are in contact with the conductive material of the inner wall surface of the through hole respectively to implement mutual electrical conduction. Each of the first insertion portion and the second insertion portion is shaped like a pinhole, that is, having a wide middle portion and two narrow ends. Only a relatively wide section of the middle portion is in contact with the conductive material for conduction, and a relatively narrow section of the lower end is not in contact with the conductive material, such that the first contact member and the second contact member may have an open stub effect to affect high-frequency performance during high-frequency signal transmission. In addition, the first junction portion and the second junction portion are located at two opposite sides of the through hole respectively, such that a gap between two adjacent through holes along an arrangement direction of the first junction portion and the second portion may be relatively large, and dense arrangement of the contact members is affected.

Therefore, a heretofore unaddressed need to design a novel electrical connector exists in the art to address the aforementioned deficiencies and inadequacies.

SUMMARY

The present invention is directed to an electrical connector with good high-frequency performance and densely arranged.

To achieve the foregoing objective, the present invention adopts the following technical solutions.

An electrical connector is configured to electrically connect a first mating component to a second mating component. The electrical connector includes: a substrate, provided with an accommodating hole; a first terminal, having a first elastic arm located outside the accommodating hole and abutting the first mating component along a vertical direction, and a first fixing portion retained in the accommodating hole, wherein a plate surface of the first fixing portion forms a first laminated surface, and the first elastic arm and the first laminated surface are located at two opposite sides of the first fixing portion; and a second terminal, provided vertically with the first terminal, wherein the second terminal has a second elastic arm located outside the accommodating hole and abutting the second mating component along the vertical direction, and a second fixing portion retained in the accommodating hole, a plate surface of the second fixing portion forms a second laminated surface parallel to the first laminated surface, the second laminated surface is laminated with the first laminated surface along a horizontal direction, and the second elastic arm and the second laminated surface are located at a same side of the second fixing portion.

In certain embodiments, a first flat plate portion extends from the first fixing portion and is located outside the accommodating hole, the first fixing portion and the first flat plate portion are located on a same plane, one end of the first flat plate portion forms a first strip connecting end to be connected to a first strip, a first bending portion is formed by bending from one of two opposite sides of the first flat plate portion, and the first elastic arm extends from the first bending portion toward the other of the two opposite sides of the first flat plate portion; and a second flat plate portion extends from the second fixing portion and is located outside the accommodating hole, the second fixing portion and the second flat plate portion are located on a same plane, one end of the second flat plate portion forms a second strip connecting end to be connected to a second strip, a second bending portion is formed by bending from one of two opposite sides of the second flat plate portion, the second elastic arm extends from the second bending portion toward the other of the two opposite sides of the second flat plate portion, and an extending direction of the first elastic arm and an extending direction of the second elastic arm are identical.

In certain embodiments, the first elastic arm and the first flat plate portion partially overlap with each other in the horizontal direction, and a first reserve slot is formed at the side of the first flat plate portion connected with the first bending portion to reserve for the first elastic arm.

In certain embodiments, the first strip connecting end is located right above the first fixing portion, and a width of the first strip connecting end right above the first fixing portion is greater than a maximum width of the first fixing portion.

In certain embodiments, the first fixing portion is provided with a first through hole running through a thickness direction of the first fixing portion, the first through hole partially extends out of the accommodating hole, the first flat plate portion is provided with a first through slot located between the first through hole and the first bending portion, and a height of the first through hole, a height of the first through slot and a height of the first bending portion partially overlap with one another.

In certain embodiments, both of the first fixing portion and the second fixing portion are in interference fit with the accommodating hole, the first fixing portion is provided with a first through hole running through a thickness direction of the first fixing portion, the second fixing portion is provided with a second through hole running through a thickness direction of the second fixing portion, and the first through hole and the second through hole are in communication with each other.

In certain embodiments, the first fixing portion is further provided with a first notch in communication with the first through hole and running through a side edge of the first fixing portion, the second fixing portion is further provided with a second notch in communication with the second through hole and running through a side edge of the second fixing portion, and the first notch and the second notch are provided vertically and located at a same side of the first through hole.

In certain embodiments, the first fixing portion comprises two first branches, a first gap is formed between the two first branches, the second fixing portion comprises two second branches, a second gap is formed between the two second branches, and the first gap and the second gap are in communication with each other.

In certain embodiments, the electrical connector includes a plurality of first terminals, wherein the first terminals comprise a plurality of signal terminals and a plurality of ground terminals, the substrate is a circuit board and is provided with a plurality of accommodating holes comprising a plurality of signal accommodating holes accommodating the signal terminals and a plurality of ground accommodating holes accommodating the ground terminals, inner walls of the signal accommodating holes and inner walls of the ground accommodating holes have conductive layers respectively in contact with the signal terminals and the ground terminals correspondingly, a surface of the circuit board has a metal layer being grounded, the metal layer is electrically connected with the conductive layers of the inner walls of the ground accommodating holes, and the surface of the circuit board has an isolation slot surrounding the signal accommodating holes to electrically isolate the conductive layers of the inner walls of the signal accommodating holes from one another.

In certain embodiments, the electrical connector includes a plurality of first terminals, wherein the first terminals comprise a plurality of power terminals, the substrate is provided with a plurality of accommodating holes, inner walls of the accommodating holes in which the power terminals are located have conductive layers respectively in contact with the power terminals correspondingly, the substrate has a metal layer, and the metal layer is electrically connected with the conductive layers of the inner walls of the accommodating holes in which the power terminals are located.

In certain embodiments, the substrate is a circuit board, two opposite surfaces of the substrate respectively have a first metal layer and a second metal layer, an inner wall of the accommodating hole is provided with a conductive layer connected with the first metal layer and the second metal layer, a first abutting arm is formed from the first elastic arm to abut the first metal layer, and a second abutting arm is formed from the second elastic arm to abut the second metal layer.

In certain embodiments, the first fixing portion and the second fixing portion are located at two opposite sides of a vertical center plane of the accommodating hole.

In certain embodiments, the first fixing portion and the second fixing portion have different widths, and a virtual center line of the accommodating hole passes through one of the first fixing portion and the second fixing portion.

Compared with the related art, the electrical connector according to certain embodiments of the present invention has the following beneficial effects.

A plate surface of the first fixing portion forms the first laminated surface, a plate surface of the second fixing portion forms the second laminated surface parallel to the first laminated surface, and the second laminated surface is laminated with the first laminated surface along the horizontal direction, such that an open stub effect during high-frequency signal transmission of the first terminal and the second terminal may be resolved, and the electrical connector is endowed with good high-frequency performance. The first elastic arm and the first laminated surface are located at two opposite sides of the first fixing portion, and the second elastic arm and the second laminated surface are located at the same side of the second fixing portion. That is, the first elastic arm and the second elastic arm are located at the same side as the first laminated surface, such that a distance between the first elastic arm and the second elastic arm in the horizontal direction is relatively short, thereby allowing two adjacent first terminals to be arranged more densely, and two adjacent second terminals to be arranged more densely.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The description will be made as to the embodiments of the present invention in conjunction with the accompanying drawings inFIGS. 1-23. In accordance with the purposes of this invention, as embodied and broadly described herein, this invention, in one aspect, relates to an electrical connector.

FIG. 1toFIG. 8show an electrical connector100according to a first embodiment of the present invention. The electrical connector100is configured to electrically connect a first mating component (not shown in the figures) to a second mating component5, and includes a substrate1, and multiple first terminals2and multiple second terminals3accommodated in the substrate1. In the present embodiment, the first mating component is a chip module, the second mating component5is a main circuit board, the first terminals2are located above, and the second terminals3are located below. In other embodiments, the first terminals2may also be located below, and the second terminals3may be located above. Alternatively, there may be only one first terminal2and one second terminal3.

As shown inFIG. 1toFIG. 3, in the present embodiment, the substrate1is a circuit board. The substrate1has an upper surface11and a lower surface12provided opposite to each other. The substrate1is provided with multiple accommodating holes13running through the upper surface11and the lower surface12in a vertical direction, and the accommodating holes13are round holes. An inner wall of each accommodating hole13is provided with a conductive layer14. The upper surface11is provided with a first metal layer15, and the lower surface12is provided with a second metal layer16.

One first terminal2and one second terminal3are accommodated in each accommodating hole13.

As shown inFIG. 4,FIG. 6andFIG. 8, each first terminal2has a first fixing portion21located in the corresponding accommodating hole13. The first fixing portion21is in contact with the conductive layer14. A maximum width of the first fixing portion21is greater than a diameter of the corresponding accommodating hole13such that the first fixing portion21is in interference fit with the corresponding accommodating hole13to retain the first terminal2in the corresponding accommodating hole13. A front plate surface of the first fixing portion21forms a first laminated surface211. A first through hole22runs through a thickness direction of the first fixing portion21in a front-rear direction, that is, the first through hole22runs through front and rear plate surfaces of the first fixing portion21, thus improving elasticity of the first fixing portion21. The first through hole22is partially out of the corresponding accommodating hole13to be exposed on the upper surface11and the lower surface12. A first flat plate portion23extends upward from the first fixing portion21and is located above the corresponding accommodating hole13, and the first fixing portion21and the first flat plate portion23are located on a same plane. An upper end of the first flat plate portion23forms a first strip connecting end231to be connected to a first strip8. The first strip connecting end231is located right above the first fixing portion21, and a width of the first strip connecting end231right above the first fixing portion21is greater than the maximum width of the first fixing portion21. A first bending portion24is formed by bending backward from a left side of the first flat plate portion23. The first bending portion24is located above the upper surface11. A first elastic arm25is formed by extending from the first bending portion24toward a right side of the first flat plate portion23, such that the first laminated surface211and the first elastic arm25are located respectively at a front side and a rear side of the first fixing portion21. The first elastic arm25is located outside the corresponding accommodating hole13, and upward abuts the first mating component. The first elastic arm25and the first flat plate portion23partially overlap with each other in the front-rear direction. A first reserve slot26is formed at one side (i.e., the left side) of the first flat plate portion23connected with the first bending portion24to be reserved for the first elastic arm25. The first flat plate portion23is provided with a first through slot27located between the first through hole22and the first bending portion24to improve elasticity of the first elastic arm25. A height of the first through hole22, a height of the first through slot27and a height of the first bending portion24partially overlap with one another.

As shown inFIG. 1,FIG. 5andFIG. 9, each second terminal3has a second fixing portion31located in the corresponding accommodating hole13. The second fixing portion31is in contact with the conductive layer14. A maximum width of the second fixing portion31is greater than the diameter of the corresponding accommodating hole13such that the second fixing portion31is in interference fit with the corresponding accommodating hole13to retain the second terminal3in the corresponding accommodating hole13. A rear plate surface of the second fixing portion31forms a second laminated surface311parallel to the first laminated surface211. The second laminated surface311is laminated with the first laminated surface211along the front-rear direction. The first fixing portion21and the second fixing portion31have an identical width and are located respectively at two opposite sides of a vertical center plane S of the corresponding accommodating hole13. A second through hole32runs through a thickness direction of the second fixing portion31in the front-rear direction, that is, the second through hole32runs through front and rear plate surfaces of the second fixing portion31, thus improving elasticity of the second fixing portion31. The second through hole32is partially out of the corresponding accommodating hole13to be exposed to the upper surface11and the lower surface12. The first through hole22and the second through hole32are in communication with each other. When the first fixing portion21and the second fixing portion31are inserted into the corresponding accommodating hole13to be in interference fit with the inner wall of the corresponding accommodating hole13, both of the first fixing portion21and the second fixing portion31are elastically deformed such that the widths of the first through hole22and the second through hole32are reduced (as shown inFIG. 4). A second flat plate portion33extends downward from the second fixing portion31and is located below the corresponding accommodating hole13, and the second fixing portion31and the second flat plate portion33are located on a same plane. A lower end of the second flat plate portion33forms a second strip connecting end331to be connected to a second strip9(as shown inFIG. 8). The second strip connecting end331is located right below the second fixing portion31, and a width of the second strip connecting end331right below the second fixing portion31is greater than the maximum width of the second fixing portion31. A second bending portion34is formed by bending backward from a left side of the second flat plate portion33. The second bending portion34is located below the lower surface12. A second elastic arm35is formed by extending from the second bending portion34toward a right side of the second flat plate portion33, such that both of the second elastic arm35and the second laminated surface311are located at a rear side of the second fixing portion31. The second elastic arm35is located below the corresponding accommodating hole13, and downward abuts the second mating component5. An extending direction of the second elastic arm35and an extending direction of the first elastic arm25are identical (that is, the extending directions of the first elastic arm25and the second elastic arm35are both rightward from left thereof). The second elastic arm35and the second flat plate portion33partially overlap with each other in the front-rear direction. A second reserve slot36is formed at one side (i.e., the left side) of the second flat plate portion33connected with the second bending portion34to be reserved for the second elastic arm35. The second flat plate portion33is provided with a second through slot37at the right side of the second bending portion34to improve elasticity of the second elastic arm35. A height of the second through hole32, a height of the second through slot37and a height of the second bending portion34partially overlap with one another.

As shown inFIG. 1toFIG. 3, the first terminals2include multiple first signal terminals2aand multiple first ground terminals2b. The first signal terminals2aand the first ground terminals2bhave identical structures, and are all in contact with the conductive layers14of the inner walls of the accommodating holes13. The accommodating holes13include multiple signal accommodating holes13aaccommodating the first signal terminals2aand multiple ground accommodating holes13baccommodating the first ground terminals2b. The first metal layer15is electrically connected with the conductive layers14of the inner walls of the ground accommodating holes13bto form an effect that the first terminals2bare connected in parallel, thereby reducing grounding inductance thereof. The upper surface11is provided with a first isolation slot17surrounding the signal accommodating holes13ato electrically isolate the conductive layers14of the inner walls of the signal accommodating holes13afrom one another, thus preventing the first signal terminals2afrom short-circuiting. The second terminals3include multiple second signal terminals3aand multiple second ground terminals3b. The second signal terminals3aand the second ground terminals3bhave identical structures, and are all in contact with the conductive layers14of the inner walls of the accommodating holes13. The second signal terminals3aare correspondingly accommodated in the signal accommodating holes13a, and the second ground terminals3bare correspondingly accommodated in the ground accommodating holes13b. The second metal layer16is electrically connected with the conductive layers14of the inner walls of the ground accommodating holes13bto form an effect that the second ground terminals3bare connected in parallel, thereby reducing grounding inductance thereof. The lower surface12is provided with a second isolation slot18surrounding the signal accommodating holes13ato electrically isolate the conductive layers14of the inner walls of the signal accommodating holes13afrom one another, thus preventing the second signal terminals2bfrom short-circuiting.

FIG. 9toFIG. 12show an electrical connector100according to a second embodiment of the present invention, which is different from the first embodiment in that the first fixing portion21and the second fixing portion31have different widths. In the present embodiment, the width of the first fixing portion21is greater than the width of the second fixing portion31, and a virtual center line L of the accommodating hole13passes through the first fixing portion21. In other embodiments, the width of the second fixing portion31may be greater than the width of the first fixing portion21, and the virtual center line L of the accommodating hole13may pass through the second fixing portion31. The substrate1is provided with multiple first insulating protruding blocks6protruding upward to support the first mating component, and the substrate1is provided with multiple second insulating protruding blocks7protruding downward to abut the second mating component5. Other structures and functions of the second embodiment are completely identical to those in the first embodiment, and are thus not elaborated herein.

FIG. 13toFIG. 15show an electrical connector100according to a third embodiment of the present invention, which is different from the first embodiment in that a first abutting arm28is formed by bending downward and extending from the first elastic arm25to downward abut the first metal layer15, and a second abutting arm38is formed by bending upward and extending from the second elastic arm35to upward abut the second metal layer16. Other structures and functions of the second embodiment are completely identical to those in the first embodiment, and are thus not elaborated herein.

FIG. 16andFIG. 17show an electrical connector100according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention, which is different from the first embodiment in that the first terminals2further include multiple first power terminals4a. The structures of the first power terminals4aare identical to those of the first terminals2in the third embodiment. The first power terminals4aare in contact with the conductive layers14of the accommodating holes13in which the first power terminals4aare located. The second terminals3further include multiple third power terminals4b. The structures of the second power terminals4bare identical to those of the second terminals3in the third embodiment. The second power terminals4bare in contact with the conductive layers14of the accommodating holes13in which the second power terminals4bare located. The first metal layer15is electrically connected with the conductive layers14of the inner walls of the accommodating holes13in which the first power terminals4aare located to connect the first power terminals4atogether, and the second metal layer16is electrically connected with the conductive layers14of the inner walls of the accommodating holes13in which the multiple second power terminals4bare located to connect the second power terminals4btogether in series, such that transmission of a large current may be implemented. Other structures and functions of the second embodiment are completely identical to those in the first embodiment, and are thus not elaborated herein.

FIG. 18toFIG. 20show an electrical connector100according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention, which is different from the first embodiment in that the first fixing portion21includes two first branches212connected to the first flat plate portion23, a first gap213is formed between the two first branches212, and the two first branches212abut the inner wall of the corresponding accommodating hole13altogether. The second fixing portion31includes two second branches312connected to the second flat plate portion33, a second gap313is formed between the two second branches312, the first gap213and the second gap313are in communication with each other, and the two second branches312abut the inner wall of the accommodating hole13altogether, such that an insertion force during insertion of the first terminals2and the second terminals3into the accommodating holes13is relatively low. Other structures and functions of the second embodiment are completely identical to those in the first embodiment, and are thus not elaborated herein.

FIG. 21toFIG. 23show an electrical connector100according to a sixth embodiment of the present invention, which is different from the first embodiment in that the first fixing portion21is further provided with a first notch214in communication with the first through hole22and running through a side edge of the first fixing portion21, and the first notch214is located at an upper right side of the first fixing portion21, such that the first fixing portion21is disconnected from the first flat plate portion23at the first notch214. The second fixing portion31is further provided with a second notch314in communication with the second through hole32and running through a side edge of the second fixing portion31, and the second notch314is located at a lower right side of the second fixing portion31, such that the first notch214and the second notch314are provided vertically and located at the same side of the first through hole22. The second fixing portion31is disconnected from the second flat plate portion33at the second notch314, such that the first fixing portion21and the second fixing portion31are relatively high in elasticity and the insertion force during insertion into the accommodating hole13is relatively low. Other structures and functions of the second embodiment are completely identical to those in the first embodiment, and are thus not elaborated herein.

To sum up, the electrical connector100according to certain embodiments of the present invention has the following beneficial effects:

(1) A plate surface of the first fixing portion21forms the first laminated surface211, and a plate surface of the second fixing portion31forms the second laminated surface311parallel to the first laminated surface211. The second laminated surface311is laminated with the first laminated surface211along the horizontal direction, such that an open stub effect during high-frequency signal transmission of the first terminal2and the second terminal3may be resolved, and the electrical connector100is endowed with good high-frequency performance.

(2) The first elastic arm25and the first laminated surface211are located at two opposite sides of the first fixing portion21, and the second elastic arm35and the second laminated surface311are located at the same side of the second fixing portion31. That is, the first elastic arm25and the second elastic arm35are located at the same side of the first laminated surface211, such that a distance between the first elastic arm25and the second elastic arm35in the horizontal direction is relatively short, thereby allowing two adjacent first terminals2to be arranged more densely, and two adjacent second terminals3to be arranged more densely.

(3) The first metal layer15is electrically connected with the conductive layers14of the inner walls of the ground accommodating holes13bto form an effect that the first terminals2bare connected in parallel, and the second metal layer16is electrically connected with the conductive layers14of the inner walls of the ground accommodating holes13bto form an effect that the second ground terminals3bare connected in parallel, thereby reducing grounding inductance thereof, and improving the high-frequency performance.

(4) For the signal terminals, the first abutting arm28is formed by extending from the first elastic arm25to abut the first metal layer15, and the second abutting arm38is formed by extending from the second elastic arm35to abut the second metal layer16, thus forming two conductive paths between the first mating component and the second mating component5, such that the high-frequency performance of the electrical connector100may be improved.

(5) The first metal layer15is electrically connected with the conductive layers14of the inner walls of the accommodating holes13in which the first power terminals4aare located to connect the first power terminals4atogether in series, and the second metal layer16is electrically connected with the conductive layers14of the inner walls of the accommodating holes13in which the second power terminals4bare located to connect the second power terminals4btogether in series, such that transmission of a large current may be implemented.

(6) The first fixing portion21includes two first branches212, and a first gap213is formed between the two first branches212. The second fixing portion31includes two second branches312, and a second gap313is formed between the two second branches312, such that the insertion force during insertion of the first terminals2and the second terminals3into the accommodating holes13is relatively low. The first fixing portion21is provided with the first notch214in communication with the first through hole22and running through the side edge of the first fixing portion21, and the second fixing portion31is provided with the second notch314in communication with the second through hole32and running through the side edge of the second fixing portion31, such that the first fixing portion21and the second fixing portion31are relatively high in elasticity, and the insertion force during insertion into the accommodating holes13is relatively low.