Electrical connector having contact modules with differential pairs on both sides of a printed circuit board

An electrical connector comprises a printed circuit board (12) having a rear edge connected to the cable (10) and a front edge opposite to the rear edge, a number of upper contact modules (21) stacked along the front edge on a top side (122) of the printed circuit board (12), and a number of lower contact modules (22) stacked along the front edge on a bottom side 124 of the printed circuit board (12). Each of the contact modules (21, 22) has a conductor pairs (14) for transferring signal differential pairs lined along a column direction perpendicular to the printed circuit board (12) and an insulator (152, 156) encapsulating a portion of each conductor (14) of the conductor pairs.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to an electrical connector of high density with lower profile.

2. Description of Related Art

U.S. Pat. No. 6,899,566, issued to Kline et al. on May 31, 2005, discloses a backplane connector mounted on one side of a daughter card. However, there is no disclosure about how to arrange the connector on both sides of the daughter card to achieve a low profile.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,871,321, issued to Johnson et al. on Oct. 3, 1989, discloses a backplane connector in which contact pins extending from separate portions thereof are adapted to enter a circuit board from both sides. The connector has two connector portions mounted on opposite sides of a daughter card. However, a pair of pins are used to latch the two connector portions which increases the profile of the connector.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,663,415, issued to Wu on Dec. 16, 2003, discloses a high speed cable assembly in which two rows of contacts define a slot receiving a printed circuit board. However, the contact density is very limited.

Additionally, the contacts disclosed in latter two prior art references are prone to damage since the contacts are exposed to outside during most of the manufacturing processes of the connector.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An object of the present invention is to provide a cable assembly comprising a cable and an electrical connector connected to an end of the cable. The electrical connector further comprises a printed circuit board having a rear edge connected to the cable and a front edge opposite to the rear edge, a plurality of upper contact modules stacked along the front edge on a top side of the printed circuit board, and a plurality of lower contact modules stacked along the front edge on a bottom side of the printed circuit board. Each of the upper contact modules has at least one first conductor pairs for transferring signal differential pairs lined along a column perpendicular to the printed circuit board and a first insulator encapsulating a center portion of each first conductor of the first conductor pairs. Each first conductor of the first conductor pairs further comprises a front portion for mating with a complementary connector and a rear portion mounted onto the printed circuit board. Each of the lower contact modules has a plurality second conductor pairs for transferring signal differential pairs lined along a column perpendicular to the printed circuit board and a second insulator encapsulating a center portion of each second conductor of the second conductor pairs. Each second conductor of the second conductor pairs further comprises a front portion for mating with the same complementary connector and a rear portion mounted onto the printed circuit board.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an electrical connector comprising a printed circuit board, a plurality of stacked upper contact modules mounted on a top side of the printed circuit board, and a plurality of stacked upper contact modules mounted on a bottom side of the printed circuit board. The printed circuit board has a front edge defining a plurality of first plated through holes disposed in a rear area and a plurality of second plated through holes disposed in a front area. Each of the upper contact modules has at least one first conductor pairs for transferring signal differential pairs lined along a column perpendicular to the printed circuit board and a first insulator encapsulating a center portion of each first conductor of the first conductor pairs. Each first conductor of the first conductor pairs further comprises a front portion for mating with a complementary connector and a rear portion mounted into corresponding first plated through hole of the printed circuit board. Each of the lower contact modules has at least one second conductor pairs for transferring signal differential pairs lined along a column perpendicular to the printed circuit board and a second insulator encapsulating a center portion of each second conductor of the second conductor pairs. Each second conductor of the second conductor pairs further comprises a front portion for mating with the same complementary connector and a rear portion mounted into corresponding second plated through hole of the printed circuit board.

Since the contact modules are disposed on opposite sides of the printed circuit board, the height of the electrical connector could be lowered and the space on opposite side of the printed circuit board is fully used to receive the conductor pairs and the cable end soldered onto the printed circuit board. Furthermore, the qualified impedance of the conductor pairs is easier to obtained since the rear portions of the conductor pair are disposed one adjacent to the other.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring toFIG. 1, a cable assembly100comprises a cable10and an electrical connector connected to an end of the cable10.

Referring toFIGS. 2-5, the electrical connector further comprises a printed circuit board12having a rear edge connected to the cable10and a front edge opposite to the rear edge, a plurality of upper contact modules21stacked along the front edge on a top side122of the printed circuit board12, and a plurality of lower contact modules22stacked along the front edge on a bottom side124of the printed circuit board12. The cable10has a plurality of conductors (not shown) soldered onto opposite sides of the printed circuit board12, and then the soldered portions are over-molded with a protecting insulator102. Each of the upper contact modules21has a first conductor pairs141,142for transferring signal differential pairs lined along a column perpendicular to the printed circuit board12and a first insulator152encapsulating a center portion of each first conductor of the first conductor pairs141,142. Each first conductor141,142further comprises a front portion for mating with a complementary connector (not shown) and a rear portion146mounted onto the printed circuit board12. Each of the lower contact modules22has a second conductor pairs143,144for transferring signal differential pairs lined along a column perpendicular to the printed circuit board12and a second insulator156encapsulating a center portion of each second conductor143,144of the second conductor pairs. Each second conductor143,144further comprising a front portion for mating with the complementary connector and a rear portion146mounted onto the printed circuit board12.

Referring toFIGS. 5-7, the electrical connector further comprises a first front housing31and a second front housing32. The first front housing31receives the front portions of the first conductors141,142of each upper contact modules and engages with the first insulators152. The second front housing32receives the front portions of the second conductors143,144of each lower contact modules22and engages with the second insulators156. The electrical connector further comprises a plurality of conductive plates25,26adjacent each upper contact module21and lower contact module22. Each of the conductive plates25,26has a plurality of front portions (not labeled) for mating with the complementary connector. The insulator152,156of each contact module21,22defines a recess (not labeled) to receiving the adjacent conductive plate25,26and the conductive plate25,26is fixed to said contact module21,22.

Referring toFIGS. 4,5and8, the printed circuit board12defines a plurality of first plated through holes123disposed in a rear area receiving the rear portions146of the first conductors141,142and a plurality of second plated through holes123disposed in a front area receiving the rear portions146of the second conductors143,144. The first plated through holes123corresponding to an upper contact module21and the second plated through holes123corresponding to a lower contact module22are disposed in a line. The printed circuit board12defines a pair of holes126filled by plastic material of the protecting insulator102so that the printed circuit board12is firmly secured by the protecting insulator102.

The electrical connector further comprises a top conductive cover104and a bottom conductive cover106closed together. The top conductive cover104and the bottom conductive cover106define a cavity there between and the protecting insulator102, the printed circuit board12and the plurality of upper and lower contact modules21,22are received therein. The top conductive cover104forms a protrusion105including a rib109and two tabs107. The rib109forwardly abuts the first insulator152of each upper contact modules21. The stacked upper contact modules21are positioned between the two tabs107. The bottom conductive cover106forms a rib and two tabs (not shown) similar to the top conductive cover104. The top conductive cover104and the lower conductive106forms a plurality of block108(shown inFIG. 3) for abutting the protecting insulator102thereby firmly securing the protecting insulator102therein.

The disclosure is illustrative only, changes may be made in detail, especially in matter of shape, size, and arrangement of parts within the principles of the invention.