Abstract:
A shield arrangement for an electrical connector, comprising: an external conductive shield and an internal conductive shield. The external conductive shield encloses the electrical connector and has at least one inwardly directed projection. The internal conductive shield at least partially resides within the electrical connector and has at least one feature engaging the at least one projection. Preferably, the electrical connector is a receptacle.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/242,611 filed on Apr. 1, 1999 and now abandoned, herein incorporated by reference, which is a national stage of PCT/US97/14631 filed Aug. 20, 1997. 
     This application claims benefit of Provisional Application No. 60/024,220 filed Aug. 20, 1996. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to electrical connectors and more particularly to modular connectors for use in connecting a daughter printed wiring board to a mother printed wiring board. 
     2. Brief Description of Prior Developments 
     In the manufacture of computers and various other electronic assemblies, daughter boards are commonly connected to mother boards by means of a connector having a receptacle having a plastic housing and a first and second face wherein terminals are connected in one face to the daughter board and at the other to a header connected to the mother board. Various arrangements have been suggested to ground such connectors to the mother or daughter boards but such arrangements have tended to complicate the construction of the connector. A need, therefore, exists for simple and inexpensive means for grounding connectors between mother and daughter boards. There is also a need for such a connector which reduces crosstalk and increases band width. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The shield arrangement of the present invention comprises an external conductive shield and an internal conductive shield. The external shield encloses the electrical connector and has at least one inwardly directed projection. The internal shield at least partially resides within the electrical connector and has at least one feature engaging the at least one projection. 
     The electrical connector of the present invention comprises: a housing; a plurality of contacts; an external conductive shield; and an internal conductive shield. The contacts extend through the housing. The external shield encloses the housing and has at least one inwardly directed projection. The internal shield at least partially resides within the housing and has at least one feature engaging the at least one projection. 
     The receptacle electrical connector of the present invention comprises: a housing; a plurality of contacts; an external conductive shield; and an internal conductive shield. The housing has a front face with a plurality of apertures arranged in a plurality of columns. The contacts are also arranged in a plurality of columns in the housing, each contact having a mating end adjacent a corresponding openings. The external conductive shield encloses the housing and has at least one inwardly directed projection. The internal conductive shield at least partially resides within the housing at a location between adjacent columns of contacts, and has at least one feature engaging the projection. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The present invention is further described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: 
     FIG. 1 is a cut-away perspective view of the receptacle of the present invention; 
     FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the exterior shielding used in the receptacle shown in FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the interior shielding used in the receptacle shown in FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the insulative housing used in the receptacle shown in FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the composite terminals and insulative frames used in the receptacle shown in FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the exterior shielding engaged to one of the interior shields; 
     FIG. 7 is a side elevational view of the receptacle shown in FIG. 1 which is cut-away to show terminal arrangement; 
     FIG. 8 is a front elevational view of the receptacle shown in FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 9 is a cross sectional view through IX—IX in FIG. 8; 
     FIG. 10 is a cross sectional view through X—X in FIG. 8; 
     FIG. 11 is a vertical cross sectional view through an insulative frame as is shown in FIG. 4; 
     FIG. 12 is a vertical cross sectional view of the receptacle shown in FIG. 1 engaged with a header. 
     FIG. 13 is a front perspective view of a second preferred embodiment of the receptacle of the present invention; 
     FIG. 14 is a rear perspective view of the receptacle shown in FIG. 13; 
     FIG. 15 is a rear elevational view of the receptacle shown in FIG. 13; 
     FIG. 16 is a schematic top cutaway view showing the receptacle engaging a printed circuit board; 
     FIG. 17A is a cross sectional view through XVII—XVII in FIG. 15; 
     FIG. 17B is a cross sectional view similar to FIG. 17A in which the receptacle is shown engaging a header; 
     FIG. 18 is a side elevational view of a shield used in a receptacle used in FIG. 13; and 
     FIG. 19 is a side elevational view of contacts used in the receptacle shown in FIG.  13 . 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Referring particularly to FIGS. 1-2, the receptacle is shown generally at numeral  10 . The receptacle has a first face  12  on a front insulative housing shown generally at numeral  14 . The receptacle also has a second face  16  on its bottom side, and conductive signal terminals as at  18  extend from the first face to the second face. The first face has a plurality of openings as at  20  where, as is explained hereafter, pins from a header engage the signal terminals. As is conventional, the receptacle also includes ground pins as at  22 . The receptacle also includes lateral longitudinal sides  24  and  26  and a top longitudinal side  28 . In opposed relation to the first face there is an end  30 . The longitudinal  24  and  26  and the end  30  are covered by a U-shaped shield  32 . This shield is comprised of longitudinal sections  34  and  36  which are superimposed, respectively over longitudinal sides  24  and  26 . In section  38  of the U-shaped shield  32  is superimposed over the end  30  of the receptacle  30 . On longitudinal side  28  rearwardly of the insulative housing there is also a top shield (shown in FIG.  1 ). 
     Referring particularly to FIGS. 1,  3  and  6 , there are parallel longitudinal internal shielding walls  40 ,  42 ,  44 ,  46  and  48 . Between these internal walls there are longitudinal spaces as at  50  (FIG.  3 ). Each of the internal walls also has a transverse section as at  52  and  53  (FIG.  3 ). Each of these transverse sections has a notch located in an area as at  2  on transverse section  52  and  3  on transverse section  53 , and a pair of vertical latches as at  54  and  56  on transverse section  52  and  58  and  60  on transverse section  53 . These vertical latches engage horizontal eyelets as at  62  and  64  (FIGS.  2  and  6 ). Horizontal eyelet  62  is shown extending into notch  3  (FIG.  6 ). On the front top edge of the longitudinal section  34  of U-shaped shield  32  there is a spring latch  66 . On the front top section of longitudinal section  36  of the U-shaped shield  32  there is also a spring latch  68 . Similarly internal shielding wall  40  has a front spring latch  70 , internal shielding wall  42  has a shielding latch  72 , internal shielding wall  44  has a front spring latch  74 , internal shielding wall  46  has a front shielding latch  76  and internal shielding wall  48  has a front spring latch  78 . 
     Referring particularly to FIG. 4, there are side slots  80  and  82  in the insulative housing. These slots are engaged, respectively, by spring latches  68  and  70 . Between these slots there are medial slots  84 ,  86 ,  88 ,  90  and  92  which are engaged, respectively, by spring latches  70 ,  72 ,  74 ,  76  and  78  on the internal shielding walls. 
     Referring particularly to FIGS.  1  and  4 - 5 , it will be seen that the terminals are enclosed within insulative frames  94 ,  96 ,  98 ,  100 ,  101  and  102 . These frames have, respectively, frame latches  103 ,  104 ,  106 ,  108 ,  110  and  112 . These frame latches engage, respectively, apertures  114 ,  116 ,  118 ,  120  and  122  in the insulative housing (FIG.  1 ). 
     Referring to FIGS.  5  and  7 - 8  particularly, it will be seen that in addition to terminal  18 , insulative frame  94  also holds signal terminal  124 ,  126 ,  128  and  130 . Each of these terminals extends first upwardly and then horizontally. Each of these terminals has, respectively, at its horizontal terminal end a split pin engagement section  132 ,  134 ,  136 ,  138  and  140 . As is conventional, the receptacle also has a pair of code key holders  142  and  144  and press pins  146 ,  148  and  150 . 
     Referring to FIG. 11, an insulative frame is shown as being vertically bisected. This bisected frame is centrally recessed and has a plurality of contact receiving structures  151   a-   151   h.    
     Referring to FIG. 12, the receptacle engages a header shown generally at numeral  152 . The header has a pair of end walls  154  and  156  and a medial wall. There are apertures in the medial wall through which conductive pins as at  160  extend to engage the first face of the receptacle and be received in the split pin engagement sections of the terminals. 
     A second embodiment is shown in FIGS. 13-20. Referring particularly to FIG. 13, the front face of the receptacle is shown generally at numeral  210  and a bottom face at  211 . On this face there are conventional pin receiving apertures as at  212  for connection with the plug. The receptacle also includes, as is conventional, a press attachment peg  214  and location pegs  216  and  218 . Also included are spacers  220  and  222  and polarization alignment keys  224  and  226 . 
     Referring particularly to FIGS. 14-15, the top face  228 , rear face  230  and a side face  232  and  234  are shown in greater detail. From this figure it will be seen that there are slots as at  236  and  237  for receiving shields in the top face, bottom face and rear face which run parallel to the side faces. Between the shields there are elongated contact receiving slots as at  238  and  239 . At vertical spaced intervals along the shield receiving slot there are also pairs of grooves  240  and  242 . 
     Referring particularly to FIGS. 16-20 signal contacts as at  244 ,  246 ,  248 ,  250  and  252  pass through each of the contact receiving slots in the receptacle. These contacts are connected at one end to the printed circuit board  254  (FIG.  16 ). (It will be understood that the contacts between individual sets of shields all extend rearwardly by the same overall length although in FIG. 16 engagement of the printed circuit board schematically shows several different rearward positions to illustrate various positions on the board which may be engaged by the contacts.) At their other end they have a V-shaped structure as at  256  to engage pins at the pin receiving apertures. Referring particularly to FIGS. 17A-17B and  19  the shields have ground pins as at  258 ,  260  and  262  that pass through the bottom face of the receptacle to be grounded to the PCB. The shield also has a lower resilient ground  264  which extends downwardly through a lower slot in the receptacle then rearwardly to be grounded to a shrouded header  265  (FIG.  17 B). Similarly the shield has an upper resilient ground structure  266  which passes through one of the slots in the upper face of the receptacle to be grounded to a header (not shown). A header which would be suitable for engagement with these resilient ground projections would, for example, be either one shown in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/277,989 filed Apr. 4, 1995 and assigned to the assignee of this application. 
     It will be appreciated that there has been described a simple and inexpensive receptacle which provides for effective shielding and grounding between mother and daughter boards. 
     While the present invention has been described in connection with the preferred embodiments of the various figures, it is to be understood that other similar embodiments may be used or modifications and additions may be made to the described embodiment for performing the same function of the present invention without deviating therefrom. Therefore, the present invention should not be limited to any single embodiment, but rather construed in breadth and scope in accordance with the recitation of the appended claims.