HF terminal for an HF connector, and a method for improving the quality of a signal integrity of a male HF connector or of an HF plug-in connector

A high frequency (HF) terminal for an HF connector includes an electromechanical contact section, a mechanical fastening section, an electromechanical connection section, and an HF compensation region apart from the electromechanical contact section. The HF compensation region is geometrically developed in such a way that a loss in a signal integrity of an HF plug-in connector including the HF connector with the HF terminal and an HF mating connector with an HF mating terminal in a final plugged-in position can be at least partially compensated by the HF compensation region.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims the benefit of the filing date under 35 U.S.C. § 119(a)-(d) of German Patent Application No. 102019130743.0, filed on Nov. 14, 2019.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a connector and, more particularly, to a high frequency (HF) terminal for an HF connector.

BACKGROUND

In the electrical sector (electronics, electrical engineering, electrical equipment, electrical energy technology etc.) a large number of electrical connecting devices or connecting apparatus, sockets, pins and/or hybrid connectors etc.—referred to below as (electrical) connectors (also: mating connectors)—are known, and serve to transmit electrical currents, voltages, signals and/or data with a wide range of current, voltage, frequency and/or data rate values. In the field of low, medium or high voltages and/or currents, and in particular in the vehicle sector, such connectors, installed in mechanically stressed, warm or hot, dirty, damp and/or chemically aggressive environments, are required to ensure a transmission of electrical power, signals and/or data continuously, repeatedly and/or for a short period following a comparatively long period of inactivity. Due to the wide spectrum of applications, a large number of specially developed connectors are known.

Such a connector and, if relevant, its associated housing (e.g. in the case of a connecting device or connecting apparatus) or higher level housing (e.g. in the case of a connecting apparatus), can be installed at an electrical line, a cable, a cable tree etc.—referred to below as an assembled (electrical) cable—or at/in an electrical equipment or device, such as for example at/in a housing, at/on a lead frame, at/on a circuit board etc., a (power) electrical, electro-optical or electronic constituent part, or a corresponding aggregate etc. (electrical entity).

If a connector (with/without housing) is located at a cable, a line or a cable tree, then a flying (plug-in) connector or plug, socket and/or coupling is spoken of; if it is located at/in an electrical, electro-optical or electronic constituent part, aggregate etc., then a connector apparatus such as e.g. a (mounting/attachment) connector, a (mounting/attachment) plug or a (mounting/attachment) socket is also spoken of. A connector at such an apparatus is furthermore also often referred to as a (plug) receptacle, pin connector, pin strip or header.

Such a connector must ensure a problem-free transmission of electricity, while connectors that correspond to one another and are complementary parts (connector and mating connector) usually comprise locking apparatus and/or fastening apparatus for locking and/or fastening the connector at/in the mating connector or vice versa in a manner that is permanent but as a rule releasable. Further, an electrical connecting apparatus for a connector, e.g. comprising or including an actual contact device (terminal; usually designed as one piece of material or integral, e.g. a contact element etc.) or a contact apparatus (terminal; usually designed of multiple pieces, two pieces, one piece, one piece of material or integral, e.g. a one-piece or multi-piece (crimp) contact device), must be securely held therein. In the case of a (pre-) assembled electrical cable, such a connecting apparatus can be provided in the form of a connector (cf. above), i.e. without a housing, e.g. flying.

Efforts are always underway to improve electrical connectors and their terminals, in particular to configure them more effectively as well as to design and/or manufacture them more economically. In HF technology (high frequency: HF, defined here as frequencies greater than 3 up to greater than 300 MHz and significantly into the gigahertz range (approximately 150 GHz)), other rules apply from those in conventional electrical engineering (here defined as frequencies lower than about 3 MHz), since in HF technology particularly the wave-properties of electricity become relevant. HF connectors thus react very sensitively to air gaps in the longitudinal direction between the involved dielectric materials of a pair of HF terminals of a relevant HF plug-in connector. This means that an air gap should be as small as possible, so that the signal integrity of the HF connection is only slightly impaired as a result of the air gap.

HF connectors must therefore have only small or very small tolerance ranges. For this reason, many HF connectors are designed as screw-in HF connectors, by which the tolerances can be kept small, while the air gaps that occur here only extend over small distances. In comparison with a plug-in connector, a screw-in HF connector is, however, significantly more complicated to handle, needs a longer time to set up, and is significantly more expensive.

SUMMARY

A high frequency (HF) terminal for an HF connector includes an electromechanical contact section, a mechanical fastening section, an electromechanical connection section, and an HF compensation region apart from the electromechanical contact section. The HF compensation region is geometrically developed in such a way that a loss in a signal integrity of an HF plug-in connector including the HF connector with the HF terminal and an HF mating connector with an HF mating terminal in a final plugged-in position can be at least partially compensated by the HF compensation region.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENT(S)

The invention is explained in more detail below with reference to exemplary embodiments and also with reference to the appended drawings which are schematic and not to scale. Sections, elements, components, units, constituent parts and/or diagrams that have an identical, univocal or analogue design and/or function are identified with the same reference signs. A possible alternative, not explained in the description, not illustrated in the drawing and/or not final, a static and/or kinematic inversion, a combination etc. of the exemplary embodiments of the invention, or of a constituent part, a diagram, a unit, a component, an element or a section thereof can furthermore be inferred from the list of reference signs and/or the description of the figures.

A feature of this specification cannot only be applied in a given manner, but also in a different manner (assembly, replacement, addition, unique position, omission etc.). It is in particular possible, on the basis of a reference sign and a feature assigned to it or vice versa, to replace, add or omit a feature.

The features of the description can (from the point of view of the (initially generally unknown) prior art) also be interpreted as optional features. It is thus possible for a feature, in some cases including its periphery, to be detached from an exemplary embodiment, wherein this feature can then be transferred to a generalized inventive idea. The absence of a feature (negative feature) in an exemplary embodiment indicates that the feature is optional with respect to the invention. A species term for a feature can further also be read as a generic term for the feature (which may involve further hierarchical division into sub-classes etc.) whereby, for example, by considering equivalent effect and/or equivalent value, a generalization of the feature is possible.

The invention is explained in more detail below with reference to exemplary embodiments of a variant of a high frequency (HF) plug-in connector2,6;40of an HF plug-in connector2and an HF mating plug-in connector6, as shown inFIGS.1,2,11and12, for the vehicle sector in an embodiment. The invention is further explained in more detail with reference to exemplary embodiments of a variant of a method for increasing quality of a signal integrity of a male HF connector2and/or of an HF plug-in connector2,6;40, as shown inFIGS.3to10, such as for the vehicle sector. Such an HF connector2is particularly suitable for an HF coaxial plug-in connector2,6;40or an HF twisted pair plug-in connector2,6;40. In particular, the HF connector2is designed as an HF connector2that can only be plugged in and not screwed.

Although the invention is described in more detail and illustrated through exemplary embodiments, the invention is not restricted by the disclosed exemplary embodiments, but is of a fundamental nature. Other variations can be derived by the expert from this without leaving the scope of protection of the invention.

The invention is thus also generally applicable to a corresponding electrical constituent part and/or in a non-vehicle sector such as for example an entertainment electronics sector, a power electronics sector, an electrical engineering sector etc. and quite generally in technology. This means that the invention is generally applicable to an electrical entity1,5. Ground-based electrical energy technology and its derivatives in vehicles form an exception here.

Only those spatial sections of an object of the invention that are necessary for an understanding of the invention are illustrated in the drawing. Designations such as connector and mating connector, terminal and mating terminal etc. are to be interpreted synonymously, i.e. may in some circumstances be interchangeable.

Tolerances for the insertion depths of HF connectors2,6typically cause peaks in an impedance profile of an HF plug-in connector2,6;40, for example from two high-speed data connectors for transmission rates above 1 GHz in the vehicle sector, as shown inFIG.3. The electrical signal travels along an electromagnetic path from an HF connector2/6, via the HF plug-in connector2,6;40to the other HF connector6/2, or vice versa. Ideal preconditions for such an HF plug-in connector2,6;40would be constant internal diameters and the same dielectric material within the HF plug-in connector2,6;40with an impedance of, for example 50 ohms (see above). This means that there are no reflections, and that a very good signal integrity performance is ensured.

Depending on the type, the tolerances at the contact sections110,510can here add up to more than 1.4 mm. Other tolerance situations can of course also be handled according to the invention. In particular in the case of HF coaxial plug-in connectors or HF twisted pair plug-in connectors, these tolerances entail annular air gaps between the dielectric materials20,60of the HF terminals10,50. This means that a relevant HF terminal plug-in connector2,6;40is here partially surrounded by an annular air gap. Since this annular air gap and the dielectric materials20,60that are adjacent in the two longitudinal directions have a significantly different permittivity, this has significant effects on the signal integrity of the HF plug-in connector2,6;40.

As a result of the tolerances of the HF connector2,6, a dielectric air gap4arises between the dielectric materials20,60of the HF connector2,6in the HF plug-in connector2,6;40, as shown inFIG.1. When the electrical signal reaches this air gap4, an inductive peak forms because of an erroneous impedance match in this region of the HF plug-in connector2,6;40. This air gap4is unavoidable, and has significant negative effects on an HF performance of the HF plug-in connector2,6;40. A typical axial tolerance range is about 1.4 mm, with the addition of about 1 mm additional overlap of the terminals10,50involved, so that the terminals10,50can also be securely plugged into one another (length of a contact region110,510of the terminal10,50greater than or equal to 2.4 mm).

Each one of these HF connectors2,6comprises at least: radially outside, a screen conductor sleeve30,70, a dielectric material20,60provided radially inside the screen conductor sleeve30,70, and an HF terminal10,50provided radially inside in the dielectric material20,60, as shown inFIG.1. The screen conductor sleeve30,70does not here have to constitute a radially outward boundary of the HF connector2,6(housing, outer housing etc.). In the present case the HF connector2is designed as a male HF plug-in connector2with an (internal) male HF terminal10, and the HF connector6as a female HF mating plug-in connector6with an (internal) female HF mating terminal50.

The male HF terminal10, as shown inFIG.1, is divided in its longitudinal direction Lr into an electromechanical contact section110with an insertion region112that is rounded or bevelled radially outside in an embodiment and is free at the front, a mechanical fastening section120in the dielectric material20, and an electromechanical connection section130that can, for example, be designed as a press-fit section, a soldered section, a welded section, a crimped section and so forth. In the present case, the screen conductor sleeve30of the male HF connector2is constructed integrally with a header, which is, however, optional according to the invention. The HF terminal10can be constructed as a contact device (see above) or a contact apparatus (see above), and in particular as a pin terminal. The HF terminal10can if appropriate of course also be constructed as a tab terminal, a hermaphroditic terminal and so forth.

The contact sections110,510provide an electromechanical contact of the HF terminal10with the HF mating terminal50, the fastening section120acts to provide a fastening of the HF terminal10in a dielectric20or in a housing, and the junction section acts to provide a further electromechanical contact of the HF terminal. The fastening section120can here comprise the junction section and/or can help to perform its tasks. The fastening section120and the junction section can consequently be housed in a common section in the HF terminal10.

The female HF terminal50, as shown inFIG.1, is divided in its longitudinal direction Lr into an electromechanical contact section510with an insertion region512that is rounded or bevelled radially inside in an embodiment and is free at the front, a mechanical fastening section520in the dielectric material60, and an electromechanical connection section530that in the present case can be designed as a crimped section, but also, for example, as a press-fit section, a soldered section, a welded section and so forth. In the present case, the screen conductor sleeve70of the female HF connector6is constructed as a crimpable screen conductor sleeve70, which is, however, optional according to the invention.

A final plugged-in position of the two HF terminals10,50(i.e. of the HF terminal according to the invention with respect to the relevant mating terminal in the HF plug-in connector) of the in particular exclusively plugged-in (i.e. not (additionally) screwed) HF plug-in connector2,6;40consisting of HF connector2and HF mating connector6is (also) subject to tolerance in the longitudinal direction Lr of the HF plug-in connector2,6;40; as is also the case with other plug-in connectors. This final plugged-in position, subject to tolerance has (see below) an effect on the signal integrity of the HF plug-in connector2,6;40, or a certain loss of the signal integrity of the HF signal connector as a consequence.

According to the invention, a compensation region122, shown inFIG.2, is provided at/in the male HF terminal10in such a way that a loss in a signal integrity of the HF plug-in connector2,6;40can be partially compensated and/or is partially compensated as a result of this HF compensation region122. This results, for example, from a tolerance-based final plugged-in position of the HF plug-in connector2,6;40consisting of the male HF terminal10and the female HF mating terminal50.

The HF compensation region122refers to a form or shape at and/or in the HF terminal10which on the one hand differs from a conventional form of the HF terminal10in the longitudinal direction Lr in front of and/or behind the HF compensation region122, and on the other hand has the (passive) ability to compensate partially for the loss of the signal integrity of the HF plug-in connection. A certain loss of signal integrity of the HF plug-in connector2,6;40can hereby be compensated for. This means that according to the invention a potential deterioration in the signal integrity of the HF plug-in connector2,6;40resulting from the air gap4between the dielectric materials20,60of is countered by the HF compensation region122(static compensation). The HF compensation region122here acts as an impedance compensator, an impedance compensation device or an impedance compensation material. The design of the HF terminal10according to the invention helps to match the impedance caused in this region by the dielectric air gap4, and improves the HF performance of an HF plug-in connector2,6;40.

The HF compensation region122is here developed geometrically of one piece of material and fastened at/in the male HF terminal10or integrally constructed with the male HF terminal10. The compensation region122is in particular provided as a protuberance122of the HF terminal10. In an embodiment, the compensation region122is provided aside from the contact section110at/in the male HF terminal10. The HF compensation region122can here be provided at/in the fastening section120or between the contact section110and the fastening section120at/in the HF terminal10. The HF compensation region122can here be arranged in an HF connector within a dielectric20,60, wherein the compensation region122acts as what may be the only (positive locking and/or friction locking) fastening of the HF terminal10,50in the dielectric20,60.

The HF compensation region122can be provided or arranged at one side, two sides or multiple sides, around part of the circumference or around all of the circumference at/in the male HF terminal10. The HF compensation region122can here be divided into at least two molding regions that together form the HF compensation region122. This is, for example, the case with a two-sided HF compensation region122of the HF terminal10. It is of course possible to provide the HF compensation region122in a three-sided, four-sided, or many-sided form.

InFIG.2, the male HF terminal10has a rectangular or square cross-section, wherein the compensation region122is provided on two sides (above and below inFIG.2, transverse to the longitudinal direction Lr, flush with the two longitudinal sides of the male HF terminal10). InFIGS.11and12, the male HF terminal10has an elliptical, circular, or quadratic cross-section, wherein the compensation region122is provided around the full circumference. It is of course possible for the compensation region122to be provided around part of the circumference.

Apart from an insertion region of its contact section110, its HF compensation region122, and its junction section, the HF terminal10can be designed as a straight, solid cylinder (male HF terminal). A base area of this solid cylinder can here be rectangular, in particular essentially square, elliptical, in particular essentially circular, prismatic and so forth. Cross-section of the HF compensation region122can be provided or arranged in the HF terminal point-symmetrically with respect to a longitudinal axis of the HF terminal10, or mirror-symmetrically with respect to a section plane of the HF terminal10.

This relates to all the cross-section of the HF compensation region122or of the protuberance. A size, a shape and/or a position of cross-section of the HF terminal10can be essentially identical in the longitudinal direction Lr in sections at least immediately in front of and/or behind the HF compensation region122. A cross-section of the HF terminal10, or a cross-section of the contact section110, of the fastening section and/or of the junction section—leaving aside the HF compensation region122—can be rectangular, in particular essentially square, or elliptical, in particular essentially circular in design.

The HF compensation region122can be arranged as a protuberance in a central section of the HF terminal10. The protuberance can here, depending on a design of the HF terminal10and its cross-section, be provided or arranged altogether as a rectangular solid, cuboid, possibly on one side or partially surrounding on more than one side; or have the shape of an ellipsoid, an oval, or sphere. At least some of the cross-section or all of the cross-section of a longitudinal section of the HF compensation region122, of the protuberance or of a molding region can here be the same as and flush with one another in the longitudinal direction Lr.

According to the invention it is possible with two essentially identical HF terminals10that one terminal has a larger compensation region122, or a compensation region122with greater dimensions, which is configured for higher frequencies, as shown in comparison withFIG.8. The protuberance can furthermore have exclusively or partially constant dimensions or diameters in the longitudinal direction Lr. The protuberance can furthermore comprise a bevel exclusively or partially in the longitudinal direction. In particular, the HF terminal10can be designed as an HF terminal10that can only be plugged in and not screwed. The HF terminal10can here be manufactured for example through a punching process and a shaping process (pressing process, stamping process etc.) that may follow it in time, by a turning process, as a compressed wire and so forth.

The HF terminal10with its HF compensation region122or its protuberance can be designed as a single or integral piece of material. An integral design refers to formation of the HF terminal10in which there is only a single component which can only be divided destructively. The component is manufactured from a single starting piece (metal sheet, blank etc.) and/or from a single starting mass (molten metal), which is therefore necessarily integral for its part. It is held together internally by adhesion and/or cohesion. A materially (adhesively) one-piece design refers to a design of the HF terminal whose individual parts are fixed to one another materially (welding, soldering, gluing etc.), and which cannot be separated into its individual parts without damage to one of its individual parts. The cohesion can here furthermore be created by means of a friction and/or positive locking (not with integral design).

A suitable dimension, or diameter, of the compensation region122or of the male HF terminal10in the compensation region122is determined by the method according to the invention for increasing quality. A position of the compensation region122in the longitudinal direction Lr at/in the male HF terminal10is here essentially negligible, as is a position in the circumferential direction at/in the male HF terminal10. A radial dimension of the compensation region122for example is, however, important e.g. in a single radial direction (one-sided compensation region122) in two mutually opposed radial directions (two-sided, in an embodiment symmetrical compensation region122) and in all radial directions (compensation region122around the full circumference).

The method is carried out as a computer-aided simulation method. It is, of course, also possible not to simulate the relevant data but to measure at real HF plug-in connectors2,6;40. In order to ascertain an HF plug-in connector2,6;40with improved quality with an air gap4between the dielectric materials20,60of the male HF connector2and of the female HF mating connector6, this assembly is first converted to a computer model. The air gap4between the dielectric materials20,60in particular can, furthermore, be configured in the preparatory step. The air gap4remains configured during the entire process, and has a specific diameter, e.g.: 0.35 mm, 0.4 mm, 0.45 mm, 0.5 mm, 0.55 mm, 0.6 mm, 0.7 mm, 0.8 mm, or 1.0 mm.

In a preparatory step I of the method, at least one uncompensated signal integrity of the HF plug-in connector2,6;40is determined with reference to this computer model. The male HF terminal10and the HF plug-in connector2,6;40should here have a previously selected, specific impedance of, for example, 50 ohms. If this is not the case, the relevant diameters of the male HF terminal10and of the HF plug-in connector2,6;40must be determined, and the HF terminal10and the HF plug-in connector2,6;40appropriately configured. This means that the male HF connector2and/or the HF plug-in connector2,6;40must here be configured for this impedance in spite of the air gap4; inFIGS.3and5, the impedance in front of and behind the inductive peak).

A typical diameter of e.g. 0.4 mm or 0.5 mm of the male HF terminal10is here freely selected, and following this a geometry of the screen conductor sleeve30, in particular its internal diameter, or of the header, determined for this impedance. This, for example, takes place using the time-domain reflectometer (TDR) time signals I to VI shown inFIG.3. The desired impedance of 50 ohms is located between the signals III and IV, which represent specific geometries. Other impedances such as, for example, 75 ohms, 93-125 ohms etc. can of course be used. The geometry for the relevant impedance can be determined hereby.FIG.4shows the S-parameters corresponding to the TDR time signals I to VI.

FIG.5shows the TDR time signal (TDR time signal between the signals III and IV ofFIG.3) selected in the preparatory step I for the desired 50 ohms.FIG.6shows the S-parameters corresponding to this which represent the reference S-parameters on the basis of which the compensation region122according to the invention has to be measured; i.e. it must demonstrate reduced attenuation here for an improvement of the quality.

In a design step II of the method, a geometrically determined HF compensation region122is now provided at/in the male HF terminal10, aside from its contact region110, and a compensated signal integrity of the HF plug-in connector is determined in the computer model. This is repeated with geometrically different HF compensation regions122. An overall result for two HF compensation regions122(diameter of the HF terminal10in the HF compensation region122: d=0.6 mm and d=0.8 mm) is illustrated inFIG.7together with the result of the preparatory step I (no compensation). The design step II is, in an embodiment, directly subsequent to the preparatory step I.

FIG.8shows the S-parameters corresponding to the TDR time signals ofFIG.7. It is found, as shown inFIG.8, that larger dimensions or diameters of the HF compensation regions122are worse at lower frequencies than at higher frequencies. Starting from the requirements, in particular for a transmission frequency, placed on an HF plug-in connector2,6;40that is to be designed, a suitable dimension or a suitable diameter for the compensation region122is to be selected. The simulation method further shows that with the design of the HF plug-in connector2,6;40used, and in particular of the male HF terminal10that can be developed thereby, an HF performance at specific frequencies or frequency bands (here greater than about 2.4 to 2.7 GHz up to more than 10 GHz,FIG.8) can be improved.

In forms of embodiment of the invention it can be observed here that at comparatively low frequencies, inFIG.8: lower than about 2.4 to 2.7 GHz, the HF compensation region122becoming larger yields deteriorations in the signal integrity that become greater. At comparatively higher frequencies, inFIG.8: greater than about 2.4 to 2.7 GHz, the HF compensation region122becoming larger yields improvements in the signal integrity that become greater. This can, of course, have other consequences in different forms of embodiment, which can in each case be checked through a method according to the invention. Thus, according to the invention, for a given transmission rate, a specific dimension, in some cases a specific form (e.g. determined by the dimension) and/or in some cases a specific position (e.g. determined by the dimension), of the compensation region122is selected and correspondingly configured at/in the HF terminal10.

In an intermediate step, as shown inFIGS.9and10, an impedance check related to the desired impedance can take place in the design step II. Here, if appropriate, a geometry or dimension of the male HF connector2, in particular of a diameter of its screen conductor sleeve30, of the HF plug-in connector2,6;40and/or of the HF compensation region122can be adjusted. In an embodiment, the air gap4is designed according to the invention as a fully surrounding annular air gap.

Following the simulation method according to the invention, the compensation region122can be further improved. The compensation region122can thus have a constant diameter only partially in the longitudinal direction Lr and can further comprise a bevel (FIG.11) or may be completely constituted of a bevel (FIG.12). The compensation region122can here again be formed on one side, two sides, multiple sides, partially around the circumference, fully around the circumference and so forth.

The HF plug-in connector2,6;40according to the invention comprises a male HF connector2and a female HF connector6, wherein at least one of the HF connectors2,6is designed according to the invention, and/or the HF connector2,6or the HF plug-in connector2,6;40was or were or is or are designed by a method according to the invention. The electrical entity according to the invention comprises an HF connector2or an HF plug-in connector2,6;40, wherein the HF connector2and/or the HF-plug-in connector2,6;40is designed according to the invention, and/or the HF connector2or the HF plug-in connector2,6;40has been or is configured by a method according to the invention. Such an entity is, for example, configured as an electrical device, an electrical apparatus, a (pre-)assembled electrical HF cable, an electrical assembly, an electrical circuit board, an electrical constituent part, an electrical module, an electrical device, an electrical apparatus, an electrical aggregate, an electrical installation, an electrical system and so forth.

The invention counteracts a deterioration of a signal integrity, also referred to as the terminal spacing effect, in HF plug-in connectors, for example in HF coaxial plug-in connectors or HF twisted pair plug-in connectors, in order to improve a transmittable bandwidth (improvement of the signal integrity) of a relevant HF plug-in connector. In particular, the invention reduces a negative effect on a realizable bandwidth at higher frequencies of the relevant HF plug-in connector resulting from an air gap in a region of the plugged in HF terminals (see alsoFIG.8).