High density connector having two-leveled contact interface

A terminal arrangement in an electrical connector including: an array of terminal pairs arranged along a first direction, each terminal pair comprising a first terminal (5) and a second terminal (6), each of the first terminal and the second terminal having a portion angled toward the other terminal, a connecting end (51, 61) continuing the angled portion, and a terminating end (52, 62) opposite the connecting end, the connecting ends of the first and second terminals of each terminal pair being substantially aligned to each other in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, the connecting end of the first terminal having a mating face (511) facing away from the second terminal, the connecting end of the second terminal having a mating face (611) facing toward the first terminal, the mating faces of the first and second terminals being spaced a distance from each other in the second direction. An electrical connector (100) and a connector system including such a terminal arrangement are also disclosed.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a high density connector and particularly to a connector assembly utilizing such high density connectors to create a unique connection interface.

2. Description of Related Art

With electronic device miniaturization and high signal integrity electronic communications becoming more prevalent, the optimization of space usage becomes a significant factor in connector design.

In card edge connectors, it is known to arrange contacts in two levels. U.S. Pat. No. 5,052,936 issued on Oct. 1, 1991 to Biechler et al. exemplifies such a connector. In this design, two arrays of aligned contact members for interfacing either side of a board or card edge are insert molded to a lower subassembly housing which in turn is assembled to an upper housing. The board or card edge is provided with an upper level of contact pads and a lower level of contact pads. When the board or card edge is inserted into the housing, the lower level of contact pads electrically connect with a first array of contact members of the connector and the upper level of contact pads electrically connect with a second array of contact members.

U.S. Pat. No. 7,104,848 issued on Sep. 12, 2006 to Chou et al. discloses an USB (Universal Serial Bus) related electrical connector comprising a plug and a socket mated with the plug. The plug has an array of front contact pins and an array of rear contact pins. The socket also has an array of front contact pins and an array of rear contact pins for electrically connecting with the rear and front contact pins of the plug, respectively.

The above two patents do not disclose how their contact arrangement in two (e.g. upper and lower) levels or in two (e.g. front and rear) arrays can be implemented in a tight space, such as in mezzanine backplane applications where, for example, a daughter board is to be interfaced with a mother board through two interconnected connectors associated with individual (printed circuit) boards. As a further example of one level only interconnection or interface, U.S. Pat. No. 6,981,883 issued on Jan. 3, 2006 to Raistrick et al. discloses an impedance controlled electrical connector, particularly a mezzanine connector, which comprises insert molded leadframe assembly in a split configuration.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,904,581 issued on May 18, 1999 to Pope et al. discloses an electrical interconnection system comprising a female connector and a male connector mated with the female connector. Each of the male and female connectors comprises body walls with contact elements positioned on opposite side faces of the body wall. The contact element may have straight or angled end segments. Generally, for a mating pair of contact elements of the two connectors, one of the mated contact elements has a straight end segment and the other contact element has an angled end segment. Unlike the upper and lower aligned contact members seen in the card edge connector of the mentioned '936 patent, the contact elements on a specific side face of the body wall in this patent does not show aligned contact arrangement nor imply interconnection occurring at two levels.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,371,773 issued on Apr. 16, 2002 to Crofoot et al. discloses a high density interconnect system used in association with printed circuit boards, circuit cards, back panels and other like substrates. Conceiving a need to reduce interference, cross-talk and similar signal degration, and especially to do so in relatively small size connectors while providing relatively high signal density, the interconnect system comprises electrical connector modules each having a plurality of signal conductors substantially parallel within a first plane and a reference conductor element made of a single piece of sheet metal. The reference conductor element includes a plurality of first reference conductors substantially parallel to one another and interspersed between the signal conductors and at least part of which are in the first plane and a plurality of second reference conductors within a second plane which is offset from and substantially parallel to the first plane. The second reference conductor is aligned with the signal conductor in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the connector module. However, when the connector modules of two mating connector portions are mated, curved contact ends of mating signal conductors make a hermaphrodite mating while associated second reference conductors only shield beside the mated signal conductor but not touch each other.

U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/818,100 filed on Jun. 13, 2007 and assigned to the same assignee as the present invention also discloses a USB-related contact mating interface which occurs at two levels. However, like above-mentioned prior art patents, there is not any discussion as to how the unique two-level mating interface can be exploited or modified to be used in high density connector applications, in combination with other feature or features as will be apparent from the detailed description and claims below.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An object of the present invention is to provide a terminal arrangement in an electrical connector, comprising: an array of terminal pairs arranged along a first direction, each terminal pair comprising a first terminal and a second terminal, each of the first terminal and the second terminal having a portion angled toward the other terminal, a connecting end continuing the angled portion, and a terminating end opposite the connecting end, the connecting ends of the first and second terminals of each terminal pair being substantially aligned to each other in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, the connecting end of the first terminal having a mating face facing away from the second terminal, the connecting end of the second terminal having a mating face facing toward the first terminal, the mating faces of the first and second terminals being spaced a distance from each other in the second direction.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an electrical connector comprising: a housing; and a first and a second terminal modules secured to the housing, the first terminal module being disposed adjacent to the second terminal module with a void space therebetween, each terminal module comprising an array of terminal pairs arranged along a first direction, each terminal pair comprising a first terminal and a second terminal substantially aligned to each other in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, each of the first terminal and the second terminal having a connecting end and a terminating end opposite the connecting end, the connecting ends of the first and second terminals of each terminal pair being substantially aligned to each other in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, each of the connecting ends of the first and second terminals having a mating face directed in a third direction orthogonal to both the first and the second directions, the mating faces of the terminal connecting ends of one terminal module being exposed to the void space.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide an electrical connector system comprising: a first connector defining a mating direction, the first connector comprising a housing and an array of terminal pairs arranged in the housing along a first direction, each terminal pair comprising a first terminal and a second terminal, each terminal having a connecting end, the connecting end of the first terminal of a pair of terminals being positioned alignedly forwardly of the connecting end of the second terminal of the pair of terminals along the mating direction, each terminal having a mating face facing toward a second direction vertical to the first direction; and a second connector defining a mating direction, the second connector comprising a housing and an array of terminal pairs arranged in the housing along the first direction, each terminal pair comprising a first terminal and a second terminal, each terminal having a connecting end, the connecting end of the first terminal of a pair of terminals being positioned alignedly forwardly of the connecting end of the second terminal of the pair of terminals, each terminal having a mating face facing toward the second direction, the mating face of the first terminal of the second connector engaging the mating face of the second terminal of the first connector and the mating face of the second terminal of the second connector engaging the mating face of the first terminal of the first connector.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Reference will now be made to the drawing figures to describe the present invention in detail. Referring toFIGS. 1-6, a high density mezzanine connector assembly100in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention comprises a first connector10and a second mating connector30. The first connector10is shown as a female connector in view of its housing structure and will be so called in the following description. Similarly, since the second connector30is shown as a male connector in view of its interface housing structure, it will be so called in the following description for ease of reference and clarity, but not in the sense of limiting.

Referring toFIGS. 1-4, the female connector10comprises a rectangular female housing1defining a receiving cavity11and a plurality of terminal modules2in the receiving cavity11of the female housing1. The female housing1is formed with a bottom wall12defining a plurality of slots or channels121, a pair of primary walls14, and a pair of periphery walls13extending upwardly from the bottom wall11for surrounding the receiving cavity11. Each periphery wall13has a plurality of fixing recesses131defined on an outer surface thereof along a top-to-bottom direction. The terminal modules illustrate an example of a suitable structure that enables terminals to be conveniently mounted relative to the housing. As will be apparent from a reading of the disclosed and claimed invention, instead of a modular design where terminals are retained to insulative housing by insert molding to form contact wafers, lead frames or modules, the housing itself can be designed in such a way that all or part of the terminals are directly inserted or stitched thereto without departing from the invention.

In conjunction withFIG. 7, in this embodiment, each terminal module2comprises two leadframe housings21and214and an array of terminal pairs22mounted along the leadframe housings. The two leadframe housings may be suitably mounted together, for example, through pegs and holes. One leadframe housing21has a pair of fixing beams212symmetrically formed at two opposite ends thereof. A cutout213is defined between each fixing beam212and a main body211of the housing21for accommodating the periphery wall13. Each fixing beam212has a hook2121formed at a free end thereof. In conjunction withFIG. 9, each female terminal pair22has a first terminal5retained to the leadframe housing214and a second terminal6retained to the leadframe housing21. The first and second terminals5and6are preferably retained to associated leadframe housings by insert molding. However, inserting or stitching the terminals directly to the housing, modified as appropriate, is contemplated.FIGS. 12-14show such a varied design of the housing and terminal module for receiving terminals in a second embodiment.

The male connector30comprises a male housing3defining a receiving cavity31and a plurality of male terminal modules4retained to the housing3in the retaining cavity31. The female and male terminal modules2and4are similarly constructed, at least as to their mating interface, as will be detailed later. The male housing3also has a configuration similar to the that of the female housing1and comprises a base or bottom wall32defining a plurality of channels or slots321and a pair of side walls33defining a plurality of engaging recesses331.

In conjunction withFIG. 8, each male terminal module4comprises two leadframe housings41and414and a plurality of male terminal pairs42mounted along the leadframe housings. The leadframe housing41has a configuration similar to that of the leadframe housing21and comprises a base portion411and a pair of engaging beams412. In conjunction withFIG. 9, each male terminal pair42has a first terminal5retained to the leadframe housing414and a second terminal6retained to the base portion411.

In conjunction withFIGS. 9 and 10, each female terminal pair22and each mating male terminal pair42are hermaphroditic relative to each other. The first terminal5comprises a connecting end51having a curved mating face511, a terminating end52, and a contact beam53connecting the contact end51and the soldering portion52. The first terminal5defines a slit54extending in the connecting end51to form two branches51aand51b.

The second terminal6comprises a connecting end61having a flat mating face611, a terminating end62, and a connecting beam63connecting the connecting end61and the terminating62. The connecting beam63has two angled portions.

Referring toFIGS. 1-2, the first terminal5and the second terminal6are formed as a female terminal pair22or a male terminal pair42. The female and male terminal pairs22,42are respectively mounted along their leadframe housings21,41. The connecting beam63of the second terminal6is embedded in the female plate21, with the connecting end61exposed to the outside. The connecting beam63of the second terminal6has a length longer than that of the contact beam53of the first terminal5to position the connecting end61forwardly of the contact end51within each terminal pair. The terminating end52of the first terminal5has a soldering portion leveled with a soldering feet of the terminating end62of the second terminal6in each terminal module.

Referring toFIGS. 3-4, in assembling of the female connector10, the terminal modules2are inserted into the receiving cavity11of the female housing1from a bottom thereof, with the body portion211inserted into the receiving cavity11through the slots121and the fixing beams212inserted in the fixing recesses131. In assembling of the male connector30, the terminal modules4are inserted into the retaining cavity31of the male housing3from a bottom thereof, with the base portions411inserted through channels321and the engaging beams412inserted in the engaging recesses331.

Referring toFIG. 11, when the male connector30is mated with the female connector10along the mating direction, the male housing3is partially entering the receiving cavity11of the female connector10, with the female terminal modules2inserted into the retaining cavity31. The female terminal pairs22and corresponding male terminal pairs42come to mated with each other, with the curved contact face511of the first terminal5slides along and mates the flat connecting face611of corresponding mated second terminal6.

In conjunction withFIGS. 10 and 11, when the female terminal pair22is mated with corresponding male terminal pair42, the first terminal5is substantially aligned with corresponding mated inverted second terminal6, with the contact end51of the first terminal5in contact with the inverted connecting end61of the second terminal6at a first position A, and with the connecting end61of the second terminal6in contact with the contact end51of corresponding mated inverted first terminal5at a second position B. The first position A and the second position B are disposed at two different levels and are substantially aligned with each other along the mating direction. The connecting end51of the first terminal5of the female connector10and the connecting end51of the first terminal5of the male connector20are partially overlapped along the mating direction, and are spaced apart along a transverse direction perpendicular to the mating direction. As can be understood, the mating first and second terminals from the two mating modules can be suitably designated as either signal or ground contacts as desired.

The connecting end51of the first terminal5and the connecting end61of corresponding mated second terminal6are presented to mate each other. Also, the mating face of the connecting end51of the first terminal5and the mating face of the connecting end61of the second terminal6in a terminal pair face toward a same direction. A transverse distance between the first position A and the second position B is smaller than a transverse distance between a lower end of the contact beam53and a lower end of the adjacent connecting beam63. The soldering portions52and the soldering feet62extend toward a same direction in a same connector, and extend toward opposite directions in the female and male connectors10,30. The contact beam53of the first terminal5and the connecting beam63of the second terminal6has a respective angled portion so that the connecting ends in a terminal pair are brought closer to each other.

The connecting end51of the female terminal pair22comes to contact with the connecting end61of the male terminal pair42at the first position A. The connecting end61of the female terminal pair22comes to contact with the contact end51of the male terminal pair42at the second position B. Two electrical paths have been established; one electrical path may be used for grounding and the other may be used for transferring signal. The first position A and the second position B are disposed at two different levels and are substantially aligned with each other along the mating direction so that the space taken up in such contact interface arrangement will not extend beyond to occupy the space intended for adjacent modules. Therefore, the space occupied by the hermaphroditic terminals, i.e., first and second terminals, has been made of efficient use.

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.