Connector

A connector includes signal contacts and predetermined contacts maintained at predetermined voltage levels. Each contact has a horizontal portion, an intersecting portion extending along a direction intersecting with the horizontal portion and a coupling portion coupling the horizontal portion and the intersecting portion to each other. The contacts include a first contact group made up of the two predetermined contacts and one differential pair of the two signal contacts. In the first contact group, a size of the coupling portion of each of the predetermined contacts in the pitch direction is larger than another size of the coupling portion of each of the signal contacts in the pitch direction, and a size of the intersecting portion of each of the predetermined contacts in the pitch direction is larger than another size of the intersecting portion of each of the signal contacts in the pitch direction.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is based on and claims priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119 to Japanese Patent Application No. JP2017-181506 filed Sep. 21, 2017, the content of which is incorporated herein in its entirety by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to a connector comprising a differential pair of signal contacts for high-speed signal transmission.

For example, this type of connector is disclosed in JP 2011-9151A (Patent Document 1), the content of which is incorporated herein by reference.

Referring toFIG. 15, Patent Document 1 discloses a connector comprising a housing (not shown) and a plurality of lower terminals (contacts)90held by the housing. The contacts90include a differential pair of two signal contacts90S for high-speed signal transmission. Each of the signal contacts90S has a horizontal portion92which is to be in contact with a mating contact (not shown) of a mating connector (not shown) and an intersecting portion94which extends in a direction intersecting with the horizontal portion92to be fixed to a circuit board (not shown). For each of the signal contacts90S, the intersecting portion94is partially provided with a wide portion942which is wider than the horizontal portion92, so that impedances of the two signal contacts90S are matched with each other.

However, even in a case where the impedances are matched as disclosed in Patent Document 1, signal degradation such as signal distortion might occur as signal frequency increases. In other words, when a high-frequency signal is transmitted, preferable frequency characteristics cannot be obtained merely by the impedance matching.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a connector which comprises a differential pair and which comprises contacts having a new structure for obtaining good frequency characteristics.

An aspect of the present invention provides a connector mountable on a circuit board and mateable with a mating connector along a mating direction. The connector comprises a housing and a plurality of contacts which include two or more signal contacts for signal transmission and two or more predetermined contacts maintained at predetermined voltage levels. The housing holds the contacts. Each of the contacts has a horizontal portion extending along the mating direction, an intersecting portion extending along an intersecting direction intersecting with the mating direction, a fixed portion extending from the intersecting portion and fixed to the circuit board when the connector is used, and a coupling portion coupling the horizontal portion and the intersecting portion to each other. The contacts include one or more first contact groups. Each of the first contact groups consists of two of the predetermined contacts and one differential pair of two of the signal contacts. For each of the first contact groups, the contacts are arranged in a pitch direction perpendicular to the mating direction, and the differential pair is located between the predetermined contacts in the pitch direction. For each of the first contact groups, a size of the coupling portion of each of the predetermined contacts in the pitch direction is larger than another size of the coupling portion of each of the signal contacts in the pitch direction, and a size of the intersecting portion of each of the predetermined contacts in the pitch direction is larger than another size of the intersecting portion of each of the signal contacts in the pitch direction.

According to an aspect of the present invention, in the pitch direction, the differential pair of the two signal contacts are located between the two predetermined contacts maintained at the predetermined voltage levels. For example, a power contact and a ground contact interpose the differential pair for high-speed signal transmission therebetween. In particular, the size of the coupling portion of each predetermined contact in the pitch direction is larger than the size of the coupling portion of each signal contact in the pitch direction, and the size of the intersecting portion of each predetermined contact in the pitch direction is larger than the size of the intersecting portion of each signal contact in the pitch direction. In other words, each of the power contact and the ground contact has a wide portion. This wide portion extends from the intersecting portion, which intersects with the horizontal portion, to the coupling portion which couples the horizontal portion and the intersecting portion to each other, so that distortion of transmission signal is reduced. According to an aspect of the present invention, signal degradation such as signal distortion can be suppressed by the aforementioned structure even when signal frequency increases in the signal contact.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring toFIGS. 1, 2, 6 and 7, a connector10according to an embodiment of the present invention comprises a housing20made of insulator, a shell30made of conductor, a mid-plate38made of conductor and a plurality of contacts40each made of conductor.

Hereafter, explanation will be made about the structure and function of the connector10of the present embodiment.

Referring toFIGS. 1 to 4 and 6, the housing20has a fit portion210, a base portion220, a plate-like portion230and a bottom portion280. Referring toFIGS. 1 to 4, the bottom portion280is located at a lower end, or the negative Z-side end, of the housing20in an upper-lower direction (Z-direction) and extends along a horizontal plane (XY-plane) perpendicular to the Z-direction. The bottom portion280holds a lower end of the base portion220, and the base portion220, except its lower end, is located above the bottom portion280. Referring toFIG. 6, the plate-like portion230has a flat-plate shape in parallel to the XY-plane as a whole and extends forward, or in the positive X-direction, from the base portion220along a front-rear direction (X-direction). Referring toFIGS. 1 to 3, the fit portion210has a tube-like shape and extends forward from the base portion220along the X-direction. The fit portion210encloses the plate-like portion230in a perpendicular plane (YZ-plane).

Referring toFIGS. 1 to 4, the shell30is a single metal plate with bends and has a body portion310and four legs380. The body portion310covers an upper surface (positive Z-side surface), opposite side surfaces in a pitch direction (Y-direction) and a rear surface (negative X-side surface) of the housing20. The legs380extend downward, or in the negative Z-direction, from the body portion310.

Referring toFIG. 5, the connector10is mountable on a circuit board80which is, for example, installed in an electronic device (not shown) when used. Thus, the connector10is an on-board connector. In particular, the connector10according to the present embodiment is mounted on an upper surface80U of the circuit board80in the Z-direction when used. However, the present invention is not limited thereto. For example, the connector10may be partially inserted into a hole or a recess formed on the circuit board80when used.

The connector10is a receptacle and is mateable with a plug, namely a mating connector85, along a mating direction (X-direction: front-rear direction). Under a mated state where the connector10and the mating connector85are mated with each other, a mating fit portion (see dashed line inFIG. 5) of the mating connector85is inserted into the fit portion210of the connector10.

The housing20and the shell30of the present embodiment form the aforementioned structure. However, the structure of the housing20and the shell30is not limited thereto, provide that the housing20and the shell30form the on-board connector10mateable with the mating connector85. Moreover, the connector10does not need to comprise the shell30.

Referring toFIGS. 2 and 6, the contacts40in the present embodiment include a plurality of upper contacts50and a plurality of lower contacts55. As shown inFIG. 11, the upper contacts50are arranged in a straight line in the Y-direction so that a row of the upper contacts50, namely an upper row, is formed. As shown inFIG. 12, the lower contacts55are arranged in a straight line in the Y-direction so that a row of the lower contacts55, namely a lower row, is formed.

Referring toFIGS. 7 and 8, a position of the upper row of the upper contacts50in a vertical plane (XZ-plane) and another position of the lower row of the lower contacts55in the XZ-plane are different from each other. Thus, the contacts40in the present embodiment are separated into two rows of the upper row and the lower row which are located at positions different from each other in the XZ-plane. However, the present invention is not limited thereto. For example, the contacts40may only form the upper row. In other words, all of the contacts40may be the upper contacts50. Instead, the contacts40may include another row of the contacts40in addition to the upper contacts50and the lower contacts55.

Referring toFIGS. 11 and 12, in the present embodiment, the upper contacts50are formed of twelve of the contacts40, and the lower contacts55are formed of remaining twelve of the contacts40. However, the number of the upper contacts50and the number of the lower contacts55according to the present invention are not limited thereto. Moreover, the number of the upper contacts50may be different from the number of the lower contacts55.

As shown inFIGS. 11 and 12, the upper contacts50and the lower contacts55of the contacts40have shapes and sizes slightly different from one another. However, all of the contacts40have basic structures same as one another. More specifically, each of the contacts40has a horizontal portion410, a coupling portion420, an intersecting portion430and a fixed portion480. The horizontal portion410extends along the X-direction. The intersecting portion430extends along an intersecting direction intersecting with the X-direction. The coupling portion420extends in the XZ-plane with bends and couples the horizontal portion410and the intersecting portion430to each other. The fixed portion480extends downward from the intersecting portion430as a whole.

In the present embodiment, the connector10(seeFIG. 5) is a right-angle connector, and the intersecting direction along which the intersecting portions430extend is the Z-direction perpendicular to the X-direction. Thus, for each of the contacts40, the horizontal portion410and the intersecting portion430extend in directions perpendicular to each other. In other words, the intersection angle between the horizontal portion410and the intersecting portion430is 90 degrees. However, the present invention is not limited thereto. The intersection angle between the horizontal portion410and the intersecting portion430may be less than or more than 90 degrees. In other words, the intersecting portion430may extend along a direction oblique to the X-direction. However, from a view point of reduction of a mounting area of the connector10(seeFIG. 5) on the circuit board80(seeFIG. 5), the intersecting portion430is preferred to extend along the Z-direction perpendicular to the mating direction (X-direction) within a tolerance range.

As shown inFIGS. 9 and 10, for each of the upper contacts50and the lower contacts55, the horizontal portion410extends forward, or in the positive X-direction, from a front end, or the positive X-side end, of the coupling portion420to have a main portion410M and a plurality of press-fit portions410P. The main portion410M linearly extends between a front end and a rear end (negative X-side end) of the horizontal portion410along the X-direction. Each of the press-fit portions410P projects outward from the main portion410M in the Y-direction. The number of the press-fit portions410P in the present embodiment is four. However, the number of the press-fit portions410P in the present invention is not limited to four. Moreover, the press-fit portions410P may be provided as necessary.

For each of the upper contacts50and the lower contacts55, the horizontal portion410has a contact portion412and a held portion414. The held portion414extends forward from the front end of the coupling portion420. The press-fit portions410P are provided on the held portion414. The contact portion412extends forward from a front end of the held portion414.

Referring toFIG. 6together withFIGS. 9 and 10, for each of the upper contacts50and the lower contacts55, the held portion414is press-fit into and held by the base portion220of the housing20. Thus, the housing20holds the contacts40. As described above, in the present embodiment, each of the contacts40is press-fit into the housing20. However, the present invention is not limited thereto. For example, each of the contacts40may be insert-molded in the housing20.

For each of the upper contacts50and the lower contacts55, the contact portion412extends forward from the base portion220through the inside of a groove formed on the plate-like portion230. Referring toFIG. 3, the contact portions412of the upper contacts50are located on an upper surface of the plate-like portion230and arranged at regular interval in the Y-direction. The contact portions412of the lower contacts55are located on a lower surface, or the negative Z-side surface, of the plate-like portion230and arranged at regular interval in the Y-direction. Each of the contact portions412is brought into contact with a corresponding mating contact (not shown) of the mating connector85(seeFIG. 5) under the mated state of the connector10.

As shown inFIGS. 13 and 14, for each of the upper contacts50and the lower contacts55, the intersecting portion430extends downward from a lower end of the coupling portion420. Referring toFIG. 13together withFIG. 11, for each of the upper contacts50, the fixed portion480extends downward from a lower end of the intersecting portion430and subsequently extends rearward. Referring toFIG. 14together withFIG. 12, for each of the six lower contacts55, the fixed portion480extends rearward from a lower end of the intersecting portion430and subsequently extends downward. For each of the remaining six lower contacts55, the fixed portion480roughly extends downward.

Referring toFIGS. 5, 11 and 12, for each of the upper contacts50and the lower contacts55, the fixed portion480is fixed to the circuit board80via soldering, etc. and connected to a conductive pattern (not shown) when the connector10is used. In detail, the fixed portions480of the upper contacts50are to be fixed to the upper surface80U of the circuit board80, and the fixed portions480of the lower contacts55are to be inserted into and fixed to through-holes (not shown) formed in the circuit board80. Thus, the fixed portions480of the contacts40are fixed to the circuit board80via surface mount technology (SMT) or through hole technology (THT) when the connector10is used.

According to the present embodiment, each of the upper contacts50is an SMT contact, and each of the lower contacts55is a THT contact. As described above, the fixed portions480of the lower contacts55are separated into two rows in the X-direction so as to keep distance from one another in the XY-plane. Therefore, even when a pitch, or a distance in the Y-direction, between the horizontal portions410of the lower contacts55adjacent to each other is short, the circuit board80can be easily formed with the through-holes. However, the present invention is not limited thereto, but various modifications can be made to the arrangement of the fixed portions480of the contacts40and the fixing method thereof to the circuit board80.

Referring toFIGS. 11 and 12, the contacts40include a plurality of signal contacts40S and a plurality of predetermined contacts40P. When the connector10(seeFIG. 5) is used, each of the signal contacts40S is connected to a signal line (not shown) of the circuit board80(seeFIG. 5) to transmit various kinds of signals. When the connector10is used, each of the predetermined contacts40P is connected to a power line (not shown) or a ground line (not shown) of the circuit board80to be maintained at a predetermined constant voltage (predetermined voltage level) such as a power voltage or a ground voltage. Thus, the contacts40include two or more of the signal contacts40S for signal transmission and two or more of the predetermined contacts40P maintained at predetermined voltage levels.

Referring toFIGS. 7 to 9, according to the present embodiment, the mid-plate38has a flat-plate shape which extends along the XY-plane. The mid-plate38is formed with a plurality of holes. However, the present invention is not limited thereto, but the structure of the mid-plate38can be modified variously.

Referring toFIG. 6, the mid-plate38is held by the base portion220and the plate-like portion230of the housing20. Referring toFIGS. 3 and 6, the mid-plate38extends between a front end of the plate-like portion230and the vicinity of a rear end of the base portion220in the X-direction, and extends between opposite sides of the plate-like portion230in the Y-direction. Referring toFIG. 5, the legs380of the shell30are fixed and grounded to the circuit board80via soldering, etc. when the connector10is used. Referring toFIG. 6, the mid-plate38is in contact with the shell30(not shown) and maintained at the ground voltage of the shell30when the connector10is used.

Referring toFIGS. 7 to 9, the horizontal portions410of the upper contacts50are located above the horizontal portions410of the lower contacts55in the Z-direction. The mid-plate38is located between the horizontal portions410of the upper contacts50and the horizontal portions410of the lower contacts55in the Z-direction. In detail, for each of the upper contacts50, the most of the horizontal portion410is located right above the mid-plate38, and for each of the lower contacts55, almost all parts including the horizontal portion410are located right below the mid-plate38. According to the present embodiment, the mid-plate38suppresses electromagnetic coupling between the horizontal portion410of each of the upper contacts50and the horizontal portion410of each of the lower contacts55. However, the present invention is not limited thereto, but the mid-plate38may be provided as necessary.

Hereafter, further explanation will be made about the structure and function of the contacts40of the present embodiment.

Referring toFIG. 3, the connector10in the present embodiment is a receptacle of universal serial bus (USB) 3.1 TYPE-C, and the structure of the contacts40is compliant with this standard as described below.

As shown inFIGS. 11 and 12, the contacts40include four first contact groups60and two second contact groups70. In the upper contacts50and in the lower contacts55, the second contact group70is located between two of the first contact groups60in the Y-direction. Each of the first contact groups60consists of two of the predetermined contacts40P and one differential pair62of two of the signal contacts40S (pair of contacts40for differential transmission), and each of the second contact groups70consists of four of the signal contacts40S.

For each of the first contact groups60, the differential pair62of the two signal contacts40S and the two predetermined contacts40P are arranged in the Y-direction, and the differential pair62is located between the predetermined contacts40P in the Y-direction. For each of the first contact groups60, the two signal contacts40S of the differential pair62work as two signal contacts60S for high-speed signal transmission. For each of the first contact groups60, the outside predetermined contact40P in the Y-direction works as a ground contact60G for ground, and the inside predetermined contact40P in the Y-direction works as a power contact60P for power supply.

For each of the second contact groups70, the four signal contacts40S are arranged in the Y-direction and grouped into two, namely two inner contacts70S located inward in the Y-direction and two outer contacts70B and70C located outward in the Y-direction. For each of the second contact groups70, each of the inner contacts70S works as the signal contact70S for non-high-speed signal transmission. For each of the second contact groups70, one of the outer contacts70B and70C works as the sideband signal contact70B, and a remaining one of the outer contacts70B and70C works as the configuration signal contact70C.

Referring toFIGS. 11 and 12, the signal contacts60S of the first contact groups60are compliant with USB 3.1 standard, and the inner contacts70S of the second contact groups70are compliant with USB 2.0 standard. However, the present invention is not limited thereto. For example, the connector10(seeFIG. 3) does not need to be a receptacle of USB 3.1 TYPE-C. In this case, the contacts40may consist of one of the first contact groups60, or may include two or more of the first contact groups60. Thus, the contacts40may include one or more of the first contact groups60.

Referring toFIGS. 11 and 12, for each of the first contact groups60, the power contact60P and the ground contact60G of the predetermined contacts40P put the differential pair62for high-speed signal transmission therebetween in the Y-direction. Referring toFIGS. 13 and 14, for each of the first contact groups60, a size of the coupling portion420of each of the predetermined contacts40P in the Y-direction is larger than another size of the coupling portion420of each of the signal contacts40S in the Y-direction, and a size of the intersecting portion430of each of the predetermined contacts40P in the Y-direction is larger than another size of the intersecting portion430of each of the signal contacts40S in the Y-direction. In other words, each of the power contact60P and the ground contact60G has a wide portion660which has a wide width, or a large size in the Y-direction.

Referring toFIGS. 9, 10, 13 and 14, for each of the predetermined contacts40P of the first contact groups60, the wide portion660of the present embodiment includes the coupling portion420except the vicinity of the front end thereof and the intersecting portion430except the vicinity of the lower end thereof, and has a constant size in the Y-direction. Each of the-thus formed wide portions660extends from the intersecting portion430, which intersects with the horizontal portion410, to the coupling portion420which couples the horizontal portion410and the intersecting portion430to each other, so that distortion of transmission signal (signal distortion) is reduced. According to the present embodiment, signal degradation such as the signal distortion can be suppressed by the aforementioned structure even when signal frequency increases in the signal contacts40S. As a result, good frequency characteristics can be obtained.

As shown inFIG. 9, according to the present embodiment, when the mid-plate38and the upper contacts50are seen from above, for each of the contacts40of the first contact groups60of the upper contacts50, the horizontal portion410covers, at least in part, the mid-plate38, but the coupling portion420does not cover the mid-plate38at all. Referring toFIGS. 9 and 13, since the mid-plate38is arranged as described above, the signal distortion in the coupling portions420and the intersecting portions430of the differential pairs62of the upper contacts50is reduced mainly by the wide portions660. However, the present invention is not limited thereto. For example, referring toFIG. 7, the mid-plate38may be provided with a part that extends downward from a rear end of the mid-plate38through the space between the upper contacts50and the lower contacts55in the X-direction. The signal distortion may be further reduced by the thus-modified mid-plate38.

Referring toFIG. 10, according to the present embodiment, when the mid-plate38and the lower contacts55are seen from above, each of the lower contacts55is almost completely located under the mid-plate38. Thus, each of the contacts40of the first contact groups60of the lower contacts55is almost completely covered by the mid-plate38from above. The mid-plate38arranged as described above contributes to reduce the signal distortion in the differential pairs62of the lower contacts55to some extent. However, the present invention is not limited thereto, but the arrangement of the lower contacts55relative to the mid-plate38may be changed as necessary.

Referring toFIGS. 9 and 13, according to the present embodiment, for each of the predetermined contacts40P of the upper contacts50, the wide portion660has a size (width WUP) in the Y-direction which is larger than another size (width WUH) of the horizontal portion410including the press-fit portions410P in the Y-direction. In contrast, referring toFIGS. 10 and 14, for each of the predetermined contacts40P of the lower contacts55, the wide portion660has a size (width WLP) in the Y-direction which is smaller than another size (width WLH) of the horizontal portion410including the press-fit portions410P in the Y-direction. Therefore, each of the wide portions660of the present embodiment is particularly effective in reduction of the signal distortion in the upper contacts50. However, the present invention is not limited thereto. For example, for each of the predetermined contacts40P of the lower contacts55, the width WLP may be wider than the width WLH.

Referring toFIGS. 9 to 12, according to the present embodiment, for each of the predetermined contacts40P of the first contact groups60, the horizontal portion410has the main portion410M and the press-fit portions410P, and the size of the intersecting portion430in the Y-direction is larger than a size of the main portion410M in the Y-direction. In other words, a part including the coupling portion420and the intersecting portion430is made larger than the main portion410M in the Y-direction. According to this structure, the wide portions660can be formed while a size of each of the contact portions412in the Y-direction and a distance (pitch) between the contact portions412adjacent to each other in the Y-direction are made compliant with the standard such as USB 3.1 standard. However, the present invention is not limited thereto. For example, in the absence of restrictions such as standard, the main portions410M may be formed wide similar to the intersecting portions430.

Referring toFIGS. 13 and 14, according to the present embodiment, the wide portion660of each of the predetermined contacts40P is formed to extend as long as possible. More specifically, when the connector10(seeFIG. 5) is mounted on the circuit board80, for each of the contacts40including the predetermined contacts40P, a size LV of the intersecting portion430in the intersecting direction (Z-direction in the present embodiment) is not less than two-thirds of a distance DH between the lower end of the coupling portion420and the upper surface80U of the circuit board80in the intersecting direction. In detail, the size LV of each of the upper contacts50, which can be relatively easily made large, is not less than three-fourths of the distance DH, and the size LV of each of the lower contacts55is not less than two-thirds of the distance DH. As the size LV is made larger, the signal distortion can be more reliably reduced. However, the present invention is not limited thereto, but the size LV may be made large as necessary.

Referring toFIGS. 11 and 12, according to the present embodiment, for each of the first contact groups60, the horizontal portion410of each of the signal contacts40S has the main portion410M and the press-fit portions410P, and a distance (pitch D2) between the intersecting portions430of the two signal contacts40S in the Y-direction is shorter than another distance (pitch DM) between the main portions410M of the two signal contacts40S in the Y-direction. In other words, the intersecting portions430of the signal contacts60S of the differential pair62are formed to be close to each other. According to this structure, the differential signals in the differential pair62can be strongly coupled while the contact portions412are made compliant with the standard such as USB 3.1 standard. However, the present invention is not limited thereto. For example, in the absence of restrictions such as standard, the horizontal portions410of the differential pair62may be close to each other similar to the intersecting portions430.

Referring toFIGS. 11 and 12, according to the present embodiment, in the upper contacts50and in the lower contacts55, the eight contacts40of the two first contact groups60are arrange in the Y-direction. In addition, for each of the first contact groups60, a distance (pitch D1) between the intersecting portion430of one of the signal contacts40S and the intersecting portion430of the predetermined contact40P adjacent thereto in the Y-direction is longer than the distance (pitch D2) between the intersecting portions430of the two signal contacts40S in the Y-direction. As a result, the two differential pairs62arranged in the Y-direction are as far apart from each other as possible. According to this structure, crosstalk between the differential pairs62can be reduced. However, the present invention is not limited thereto, but magnitude relation between the pitch D1and the pitch D2may be changed as necessary.

As describe above, in the present embodiment, the upper contacts50include the two first contact groups60and the one second contact group70other than the first contact groups60, the lower contacts55include the two first contact groups60and the one second contact group70other than the first contact groups60, and the eight contacts40of the two first contact groups60are arranged in the Y-direction. However, the present invention is not limited thereto, but the formation of the contacts40can be modified variously. For example, the upper contacts50may include only one of the first contact groups60or may include two or more of the first contact groups60. Similarly, the lower contacts55may include only one of the first contact groups60or may include two or more of the first contact groups60. Moreover, the two first contact groups60of the upper contacts50may be consecutively arranged in the Y-direction while sharing the power contact60P, and the two first contact groups60of the lower contacts55may be consecutively arranged in the Y-direction while sharing the power contact60P. According to this structure, the seven contacts40form the two first contact groups60.

The upper contacts50and the lower contacts55according to the present embodiment have the structure and function described below in addition to the structure and function described above. However, the present invention is not limited thereto, but the structure described below can be modified variously as necessary.

Referring toFIGS. 13 and 14, according to the present embodiment, in the Y-direction, the size (width WUP) of the intersecting portion430of each of the predetermined contacts40P of the first contact groups60of the upper contacts50is larger than the size (width WLP) of the intersecting portion430of each of the predetermined contacts40P of the first contact groups60of the lower contacts55. According to this structure, impedance can be more reliably matched and reflection loss can be reduced for each of the differential pairs62of the upper contacts50.

According to the present embodiment, in the Y-direction, a size (width WUS) of the intersecting portion430of each of the signal contacts40S of the first contact groups60of the upper contacts50is smaller than another size (width WLS) of the intersecting portion430of each of the signal contacts40S of the first contact groups60of the lower contacts55. According to this structure, a distance between the two differential pairs62of the upper contacts50can be made large so that transmission loss can be reduced while crosstalk is suppressed.

Referring toFIG. 14, according to the present embodiment, for the four signal contacts70S,70B and70C of the second contact group70of the lower contacts55, a size (width WI) of the intersecting portion430of each of the inner contacts70S in the Y-direction is larger than another size (width WO) of the intersecting portion430of each of the outer contacts70B and70C in the Y-direction. According to this structure, a distance between the two differential pairs62of the lower contacts55can be made large so that transmission loss can be reduced while crosstalk is suppressed.

Referring toFIGS. 13 and 14, according to the present embodiment, in the Y-direction, the size (width WUS) of the intersecting portion430of each of the eight signal contacts40S of the upper contacts50is equal to the size (width WO) of the intersecting portion430of each of the outer contacts70B and70C of the second contact group70of the lower contacts55. According to this structure, the distance between the two differential pairs62of the lower contacts55can be made large so that crosstalk can be suppressed.

The aforementioned various effects were confirmed by examples of the connector10(seeFIG. 1). Referring toFIG. 13, for the upper contacts50of one of the examples, WUP was 0.45 mm, WUS was 0.2 mm, D1was 0.25 mm, and D2was 0.15 mm. Referring toFIG. 14, for the lower contacts55of the one of the examples, WLP was 0.35 mm, WLS was 0.3 mm, WO was 0.2 mm, WI was 0.22 mm, D1was 0.2 mm, and D2was 0.15 mm.