Connector shielding with a circumferential retention element

A shielding for a signal connector includes a plurality of shielding walls arranged to electromagnetically shield a signal contact of the signal connector, a forward end open for receiving a mating connector along an insertion direction, and a longitudinal circumferential retention element extending along a circumferential direction of the shielding. At least two of the shielding walls are parallel with each other at least in sections in a cross-section perpendicular to the insertion direction.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims the benefit of the filing date under 35 U.S.C. § 119(a)-(d) of European Patent Application No. 19193933.9, filed on Aug. 27, 2019.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a connector and, more particularly, to a shielding for a connector.

BACKGROUND

Shieldings for signal connectors are used for electromagnetically shielding signal contacts inside a signal connector. The shieldings thereby protect signal contacts and the signal lines from outer influences such as electromagnetic fields. Shieldings for signal connectors are sometimes provided with latching devices, for example holes or hooks, that can be brought into engagement with complementary engagement devices on a housing in order to fixate the shielding in the housing.

Known elements for fixating the shielding in a housing, however, are often designed to be used with a predefined housing. If a known shielding is to be used with a different kind of housing, this usually leads to design changes in both the housing and the shielding. However, changing the design of a shielding usually also alters the electromagnetic properties of the shielding such that the signal transmission of a signal contact inside the shielding may be affected and additional design changes for adapting the signal transmission inside the signal connector may also be necessary.

SUMMARY

A shielding for a signal connector includes a plurality of shielding walls arranged to electromagnetically shield a signal contact of the signal connector, a forward end open for receiving a mating connector along an insertion direction, and a longitudinal circumferential retention element extending along a circumferential direction of the shielding. At least two of the shielding walls are parallel with each other at least in sections in a cross-section perpendicular to the insertion direction.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENT(S)

In the following, the invention and its improvements are described in greater detail using exemplary embodiments and with reference to the drawings. The various features shown in the embodiments may be used independently of each other in specific applications. In the following figures, elements having the same function and/or the same structure will be referenced by the same reference signs.

A shielding1according to an embodiment for a signal connector3is shown inFIGS. 1 and 2. The shielding1is part of the signal connector3. The shielding1basically extends along a longitudinal axis L that extends parallel with an insertion direction I along which a mating connector5, shown inFIG. 2, can be mated with the connector3.

The signal connector3, as shown inFIG. 1, has at least one signal contact7. The embodiment shown in the figures is shown just by way of example with two signal contacts7. The shielding1basically surrounds the signal contacts7circumferentially. A circumferential direction C extends around the longitudinal axis L.

The shielding1, in an embodiment, is a stamp-bent part9and formed from an electrically conductive flat sheet material11by stamp bending. The sheet material11is a metal in an embodiment.

The shielding1is formed by shielding walls13that basically extend parallel with the longitudinal axis L. At least two of the shielding walls13are arranged parallel with each other. In the embodiment shown inFIGS. 1 and 2, the four shielding walls13form a shielding1with an overall rectangular cross section. The cross section is perpendicular to the circumferential direction C. The shielding walls13, in an embodiment, are formed monolithically with each other from the sheet material11.

The shielding1has a forward end15at which the shielding1is open for receiving the mating connector5along the insertion direction I, as shown inFIG. 1. The shielding1thereby opens up a receptacle17for the mating connector5. At a rearward end19of the shielding1that lies opposite the forward end15along the longitudinal axis L, the shielding1may be provided with a crimp barrel21that can be crimped around a cable23, in particular around a shielding layer of the cable23or around an insulation layer of the cable23.

The shielding1, as shown inFIGS. 1 and 2, has a longitudinal circumferential retention element25. The longitudinal circumferential retention element25is, in the following, named “element25” for the sake of brevity.

In the embodiment as shown inFIGS. 1 and 2, the elements25are formed as a groove27. In the alternative, the element25could be shaped as a rib that protrudes from the shielding walls13in a radial direction R that extends perpendicular to the longitudinal axis L. However, a groove27is present in the shown embodiment because a shielding1with a groove27as element25needs less space such that more shieldings1can be combined in a housing of a given volume compared to a shielding1that is provided with ribs instead of grooves27. The groove27extends along the radial direction R into the shielding1. In other words, the groove27extends into a peripheral surface29of the shielding1.

The longitudinal circumferential element25can easily be formed by providing the shielding1with a deviation in its peripheral surface29. In other words, the cross section of the shielding1may deviate in the region of the longitudinal circumferential retention element25. The groove27may form a cross section reduction of the shielding1, wherein the cross section is seen perpendicular to the insertion direction I. The groove27in the shielding1may thereby form a “waist” in the peripheral surface29.

The longitudinal circumferential element25, in an embodiment, extends continuously along the circumferential direction C of the shielding1. In particular, the element25may extend around the majority of the circumference and thereby extends across at least two, or at least three of the shielding walls13. In an embodiment, the at least one longitudinal circumferential element25extends across four shielding walls13and thereby around the whole circumference of the shielding1.

When the shielding1is arranged in a housing, a complementary retention element of the housing, such as a latching nose, can be inserted into the groove27, thereby preventing the shielding1from moving out of the housing. Due to its longitudinal shape and at least partial arrangement along the circumference of the shielding1, a device or retention element interacting with the element25can easily be shaped in the housing so that the shielding1may be used with different housings without the need for re-designing the shielding1itself.

In an embodiment, the groove27extends along the circumferential direction C of the shielding1and is thereby perpendicular to the longitudinal axis L and the insertion direction I. The groove27may extend along the whole circumference of the shielding1, thereby extending through all four shielding walls13.

The groove27is arranged behind the receptacle17with respect to the insertion direction I, as shown inFIG. 1. The groove27may define a rear end of the receptacle17, the rear end being opposite the forward end15of the shielding1. The groove27also extends in the region of a plurality of corners31of the rectangular cross section, the corners31being formed by bends33of the sheet material11. At least two adjacent shielding walls13of the shielding walls13are planar and are connected with each other by the bend33. A longitudinal direction of the bend33is parallel with the insertion direction I. The element25extends through the bend33.

The cross-sectional shape of the groove27is, seen in a circumferential direction C (as seen best inFIG. 2), basically rectangular. The groove27is formed monolithically with the shielding walls13. In an embodiment, the groove27is composed of a plurality of limiting walls35which are formed monolithically with the shielding walls13. The limiting walls35have wall thicknesses37which are similar to wall thicknesses39of the shielding walls13adjacent to the groove27, as shown inFIG. 2.

In the case of a rectangular cross section of the groove27in particular, the groove27is formed by three limiting walls35: a front wall41, a ground wall43, and a rear wall45, as shown inFIG. 2. The front wall41and the rear wall45extend perpendicular to the longitudinal axis L. The front wall41and the rear wall45are connected to each other by the ground wall43that extends perpendicular to the ground wall43and the wall45. In other words, the groove27has an overall U-shape, wherein the ground of the U is formed by the ground wall43and is arranged deeper inside the shielding1then the adjacent shielding wall13. In an alternative case where the longitudinal circumferential retention element25has the overall shape of a rib, the ground wall43may form the top of the rib that protrudes from the remaining shielding wall13.

The cross section of the groove27, in an embodiment, is uniform along the whole circumference of the shielding1, except for the corners31, as shown inFIG. 2. In other words, in each shielding wall13, the groove27has a uniform depth47and a uniform width49. In an embodiment, the uniform width49extends across the whole circumference. The depth47is measured along the radial direction R and the width49is measured along the longitudinal axis L parallel with the insertion direction I. In the case of a rib, the height is respectively measured as a radial height. The uniform width49may allow the usage of similar complementary retention devices in a housing for different sides of the element25.

In the intersections of the corners31or the bends33with the groove27, cut-outs51extend through the material11of the shielding1, as shown inFIGS. 4 and 5. The cut-outs51may be a through hole or a slit that extends parallel with the insertion direction I. In other words, the cut-outs51intersect with the groove27. The cut-outs51are formed as through-holes extending along the radial direction R through the material11. Each cut-out51has a basically longitudinal shape extending parallel with the longitudinal axis L. The cut-outs51extend at least over the width49of the groove27. The cutouts51facilitate the formation of the shielding1, in particular when the groove27is shaped into the material11prior to closing the sheet material11in order to form the receptacle17, by allowing bending of the shielding1without interference of the element25.

In order to prevent the shielding1from being inserted wrongly-oriented into a housing, the shielding1has at least one orientation feature53. In the embodiment shown inFIGS. 1 and 2, the orientation feature53is formed as a protrusion55that extends from one of the shielding walls13along the radial direction R away from the remaining shielding wall13. The protrusion55is arranged at the forward end15of the shielding1. A housing that is provided with a receptacle for the shielding1may be provided with a slot for receiving the protrusion55in order to allow the insertion of the shielding1in only one orientation.

A shielding1according to another embodiment is shown inFIG. 3. For the sake of brevity, only the differences to the aforementioned embodiment described with respect toFIGS. 1 and 2are mentioned. InFIG. 3, only the section comprising the receptacle17and the groove27is shown.

The shielding1, as shown inFIG. 3, differs from the aforementioned embodiment in that the shielding1has an overall trapezoidal cross section perpendicular to the longitudinal axis L. Thereby, two shielding walls13are parallel with each other, whereas the two remaining shielding walls13are inclined towards each other, forming the trapezoidal cross section. This trapezoidal cross section allows omitting the protrusion55since the trapezoidal cross section itself forms an orientation feature53of the shielding1. A corresponding housing should be provided with a receptacle for the shielding1, said receptacle having a complementary trapezoidal cross-section.

The trapezoidal cross section, in an embodiment, extends through the majority of the shielding1, including the groove27. In other words, the four ground walls43of the groove27together form a trapezoid in a cross section perpendicular to the longitudinal axis L. Omitting the protrusion55allows for a dense packaging of signal connectors3in a given volume of a housing.

FIG. 4shows sheet material11from which a shielding1as shown inFIG. 3can be formed. The sheet material11is shown in a process step where the features for forming the groove27are already present. A longitudinal element57is formed in the sheet material11that has the overall shape of a rib extending perpendicular to a direction that will later become the longitudinal direction L. Said longitudinal element57comprises the limiting walls35that are, perpendicular to the longitudinal direction L, intersected by the cut-outs51. The direction that is perpendicular to the longitudinal direction L will later become the circumferential direction C. The cut-outs51divide the longitudinal element57into sections63.

The cut-outs51shown inFIG. 4are formed in the regions in which the material11will be bent in order to form the shielding1. Therefore, the material11will be bent in the directions indicated with the arrows59such that the lateral edges61abut each other and close the receptacle17. The cut-outs51thereby allow the sections63that will later form the groove27to be moved towards each other without the sections63getting in contact with each other, thereby preventing the material11from being bent.

The longitudinal element57is formed in the flat sheet material11before the sheet material11is bent perpendicular to the longitudinal element57, wherein the sheet material11is bent such that it forms shielding walls13for shielding at least one signal contact of the connector3. The longitudinal element57forms the longitudinal circumferential retention element25in the shielding1. The method for manufacturing the shielding1may further be improved by first forming the cut-outs in the sheet material11at cross sections of the longitudinal element57and the positions at which the sheet material11is bent to form the shielding1prior to forming the shielding1.

Finally,FIG. 5shows the electric field distribution in the shielding1in the region of the groove27. Thereby, a cross-sectional view through the ground walls43of the groove27is shown. Between the ground walls43, the cut-outs51extend, thereby forming openings in the shielding1. As can be seen, the electric field, which is indicated by arrows, is large in the region of the signal contacts7, but small in the regions of the bends33. Due to this electric field distribution, the cut-outs51in the material11in the region of the groove27do not negatively influence the shielding properties of the shielding1. In other words, sufficient electromagnetic shielding can be achieved even with the cut-outs51being in the shielding1.

The shielding1as described above can be used with different kinds of housings without the need for re-designing the shielding and without negatively influencing the electromagnetic shielding properties.