Abstract:
The present invention provides a modular connector system for, in some embodiments, interconnecting circuit boards. In some embodiments, the modular connector system includes a header assembly for blind mating with an adapter assembly.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     The present invention generally relates to apparatuses for interconnecting circuit boards or other electrical components. 
     SUMMARY 
     Embodiments of the present invention provide a modular approach for blind mate interconnects. In one aspect, the invention provides a connector assembly that includes an adapter assembly and a header assembly configured to connect directly to a circuit board and configured to blind mate with the adapter assembly. In some embodiments, blind mate features incorporated into the assemblies provide 0.62 mm axial and +/− 0.75 mm radial mis-alignment tolerances. Additionally, the modular approach facilitates connecting the adapter assembly of one connector assembly to the adapter assembly of another connector assembly. 
     In some embodiments, the adapter assembly comprises: an adapter housing; a first insulator in the form of a generally rectangular solid block having a plurality of through holes; a first set of contacts, each contact in said first set being disposed in one of said though holes such that and an end portion of the contact extends beyond a surface of the first insulator, which end portion is configured to mate with a corresponding contact of the header assembly; a second insulator in the form of a generally rectangular solid block having a plurality of through holes; and a second set of contacts, each contact in said second set being disposed in one of said though holes of said second insulator such that and an end portion of the contact extends beyond a surface of the second insulator, which end portion is configured to mate with a corresponding contact of the header assembly. 
     In some embodiments, the header assembly comprises: a header housing; a third insulator in the form of a generally rectangular solid block having a plurality of through holes; a third set of contacts, each contact in said third set (a) having a first end portion and a second end portion, said first end portion being configured to mate with a corresponding element of the circuit board and the second end portion being directly connected to a contact from the first set of contacts and (b) being disposed in one of said though holes such that the first end portion of the contact extends beyond a surface of the third insulator; a fourth insulator in the form of a generally rectangular solid block having a plurality of through holes; and a fourth set of contacts, each contact in said fourth set (a) having a first end portion and a second end portion, said first end portion being configured to mate with a corresponding element of the circuit board and the second end portion being directly connected to a contact from the second set of contacts and (b) being disposed in one of said though holes such that the first end portion of the contact extends beyond a surface of the fourth insulator. 
     In some embodiments, a float plate is attached to the adapter assembly. The float plate may be configured to floatably connect the adapter assembly to a frame. 
     Advantageously, in some embodiments, the adapter housing comprises means for facilitating alignment of the header assembly with the adapter assembly, the header housing comprises means for facilitating alignment of the header assembly with the adapter assembly, and the third and fourth insulator each comprises means for facilitating alignment of the header assembly with the adapter assembly. 
     The above and other aspects and embodiments are described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated herein and form part of the specification, illustrate various embodiments of the present invention and, together with the description, further serve to explain the principles of the invention and to enable a person skilled in the pertinent art to make and use the invention. In the drawings, like reference numbers indicate identical or functionally similar elements. 
         FIGS. 1-26  illustrate a connector system according to embodiments of the invention. 
         FIGS. 27-39  illustrate a connector system according to another embodiment of the invention. 
         FIGS. 40-42  illustrate a connector system according to yet another embodiment of the invention. 
         FIGS. 43-45  illustrate a connector system according to yet another embodiment of the invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Referring now to  FIG. 1 ,  FIG. 1  illustrates a connector system  100  according to an embodiment of the invention. As shown, connector system  100  may include a first connector assembly  101   a  electrically connected to a second connector assembly  101   b . Connector assembly  101   a  may be substantially identical to connector assembly  101   b . As also shown, system  100  may include a plug  108  electrically connected to connector assembly  101   b . Each connector assembly  101  (i.e., connector assemblies  101   a,b ) may include a header assembly  102  and an adapter assembly  104  (i.e., connector assembly  101   a  may include header assembly  102   a  and adapter assembly  104   a  and connector assembly  101   b  may include header assembly  102   b  and adapter assembly  104   b ). Each assembly  101  may also include a float plate  106  for connecting the adapter assembly  104  to a frame (e.g., a chassis) or other device. Float plate  106  may be configured to snap onto adapter assembly  104 . 
     Referring now to  FIG. 2 ,  FIG. 2  is a top view of an exemplary connector assembly  101 . As shown, header assembly  102  of the connector assembly  101  may include a header housing  202 , and adapter assembly  104  may also include an adapter housing  204  for housing various insulators (i.e., housings that house contacts and electrically insulate the contacts from one another). In the example shown, adapter housing  204  is housing two power/RF insulators  211  and a signal insulator  212 , the power/RF insulators  211  are housing two power contacts  220  and two signal contacts  222 , and the signal insulator  212  is housing a number of signal contacts  222 . 
     Referring now to  FIG. 3 ,  FIG. 3  is a bottom view of the exemplary connector assembly  101 . In the example shown, housing  202  is housing two power/RF insulators  311  and a signal insulator  312 , the power/RF insulators  311  are housing two power contacts  320  and two signal contacts  322 , and the signal insulator  312  is housing a number of signal contacts  322 .  FIG. 4  is a side view of connector assembly  101 . 
     Referring now to  FIG. 5 ,  FIG. 5  is a view of an exemplary adapter housing  204 . In the embodiment shown, housing  204  is a generally rectangular housing open at opposite side thereof having two end walls and two side walls, and the side walls include grooves  502  for receiving a locking tab  602  (see  FIG. 6 ) formed on a side wall of an insulator. The depth of the groove  502  decreases as the groove  502  proceeds inwardly, thereby forming a ramp structure. This facilitates the locking of an insulator in the adapter housing.  FIG. 6  illustrates three insulators and the locking tab  602 . The locking tab  602  is configured to engage groove  502 , as illustrated in  FIGS. 7 and 8 . 
     As shown in  FIGS. 6-8 , insulators  211  and  212  are generally in the form of rectangular, solid blocks that include through holes for receiving a contact. For example, power/RF insulator  211  includes, in the embodiment shown, two through holes  611  each for receiving a power contact or RF contact and two through holes  612  each for receiving a signal contact. Likewise, signal insulator  212  includes, in the embodiment shown, eighteen through holes  614  for receiving eighteen signal contacts. 
       FIG. 9  is a top view of adapter assembly  104  and shows an exemplary signal contact  222  inserted into a through hole  614  of signal insulator  212 .  FIG. 9  also shows an exemplary power contact  220  inserted into a through hole  611  of power insulator  212 .  FIG. 10  is a bottom view of adapter assembly  104  and shows that an end portion of power contact  220  and an end portion of signal contact  222  passes entirely through the through holes  611  and  614 , respectively. That is the end portions of contacts  220  and  222  extend beyond the bottom face of insulators  211  and  212 , respectively. Insulators  211  and  212  and contacts  220  and  222  configured like this so that the end portions of the contacts can mate with corresponding contacts of the header assembly  102 . 
     While in  FIG. 9  adapter assembly  104  is shown has having two power insulators  211  and a single signal insulator  212  arranged between the power insulators, the invention is not so limited. In fact, an advantage of adapter assembly  104  is that it is extremely adaptable. That is, the type of insulators that may be housed in adapter housing  204  and the arrangement of said insulators in the housing is entirely up to the end user. Some users may desire three power insulators and no signal insulators, while others may prefer the opposite or some other combination and arrangements of insulators. 
     Referring now to  FIG. 11 ,  FIG. 11  illustrates an exemplary signal contact  222 . The exemplary signal contact  222  is elongate, has a conical tip  1102  (a.k.a., lead in  1102 ), and a open, crimpable end portion  1104  for receiving a corresponding electrical element (e.g., the end of a wire). In the example shown, end portion  1104  is in a crimped state and, therefore, has a generally C shaped cross section. In an uncrimped state, end portion  1104  would have a more U shaped cross section.  FIG. 12  illustrates an exemplary power contact  220 , which, in the embodiment shown, includes a conical shaped lead-in  1202 , which functions to facilitate alignment between assemblies  102  and  104 . 
     Referring now to  FIG. 13 ,  FIG. 13  illustrates an exemplary header assembly  102 . Like adapter assembly  104 , header assembly includes a header housing  202  for housing power/RF insulators  311  and/or signal insulators  312 . In the example, shown, because adapter assembly  104  includes a signal insulator  212  sandwiched between two power insulators  211 , header assembly  102  also includes a signal insulator  312  sandwiched between two power insulators  311 . 
       FIG. 14  further illustrates header housing  202 . Like adapter housing  204 , header housing  202  includes a generally rectangular frame  1402  having two parallel end walls and two parallel side walls, and the side walls include grooves  1404  for receiving a locking tab (see e.g., element  602  in  FIG. 6 ) formed on a side wall of an insulator. The depth of the groove  1404  decreases as the groove  502  proceeds inwardly, thereby forming a ramp structure. This facilitates the locking of an insulator in the header housing  202 . As also shown, housing  202  includes two parallel side walls  1306 ,  1308  that face each other and extend outwardly from the end walls of housing  1402 .  FIG. 15  shows a signal insulator  312  that has been inserted into housing  202 . Groove  1404  and lock tab  602  engage to releasably retain insulator  312  in housing  202 . 
       FIG. 16  shows an exemplary signal contact  322  inserted into a through hole of signal insulator  312 .  FIG. 16  also shows an exemplary power contact  320  inserted into a through hole of power insulator  312 .  FIG. 17  is a cross-sectional view of assembly  102  according to some embodiments. In the embodiment shown, the end portion  1702  of contact is disposed within the though hole. That is, in the embodiment shown, end portion  1702  does not extend beyond the upper face  1704  of signal insulator  312 .  FIG. 18  further illustrates contact  312  according to some embodiments. In the embodiment shown, contact  322  is elongate, has a male compliant end  1802  for solderless mating with a corresponding through hole in a circuit board, and has a female end  1702  for receiving conical tip of signal contact  222 . This is further illustrated in FIG.  20 .  FIG. 19  shows compliant (solderless) power contact  320  according to some embodiments. 
     Referring now to  FIG. 20 ,  FIG. 20  is a cross-sectional view of connector assembly  101  showing adapter assembly  104  mated with header assembly  102 . As shown in  FIG. 20 , when assemblies  102  and  104  are mated, the adapters of header assembly  102  are positioned within the cavity formed by housing  204  and the bottom faces of insulators  211 / 212 , which cavity is best seen in  FIG. 10 , the signal contacts  222  engage with the signal contacts  322 , thereby electrically coupling the signal contacts, and the contacts  220  engage with contacts  320 . 
     In some embodiments header assembly  102  and adapter assembly  104  include means for facilitating alignment of the header assembly  102  with the adapter assembly when the two are blind mated. For example, one such means is the float plate  106  attached to adapter assembly  104 . Float plate  106  has a through hole  107  for receiving a screw or pin (e.g., shoulder screw) (not shown) that is used to floatably connect adapter assembly to a chassis or other component. That is, adapter assembly  104  is preferably not rigidly connected to the chassis, but rather connected so that it has some radial and/or axial float relative to the chassis. Thus, when header assembly  102  is brought to adapter assembly and there is some small amount of misalignment, adapter assembly can move position relative to the chassis and relative to the header assembly  102  to thereby achieve alignment. 
     Other means for facilitating the correct alignment include: (a) an internal beveled edge  1002  (see  FIG. 10 ) of adapter housing  204  and (b) beveled forward edges  1302 ,  1304  formed on walls  1306  and  1308 , respectively.  FIG. 21  shows housings  202  and  204  just prior to engagement and serves to illustrate how the beveled edge  1002  and beveled edges  1302 ,  1304  facilitate alignment. Still further means include the conical shaping of lead-in  1102  and the conical shaping of lead-in  1202 . Additionally, through holes  614  are sized to allow contacts  222  to float slightly. Also, the signal contact through holes  2204  of signal insulator  312  have beveled edges  2206 , as shown in  FIG. 22 . As further shown in  FIG. 22 , other means for facilitating the correct alignment include beveled edges  2201  and  2202  of insulators  311  and  312 , respectively. 
     Referring now to  FIGS. 23-26 , these figures illustrate a process for making connector system  100 . The process begins by connecting an end of a wire (e.g., insulated wire) to a contact  222   a  and connecting the other end of the wire to signal contact  222   b . This step is repeated as many times as necessary. After this step, contact  222   b  is inserted into signal insulator  212   b  and contact  222   a  is inserted into a signal insulator  212   a  as shown in  FIG. 21 . Again, this step may be repeated until there are no more empty though holes in the insulators. Next, insulators  212   a,b  are inserted into adapter housings  204   a,b  respectively, as shown in  FIG. 23 . Other insulators as needed may also be inserted into housings  204   a,b . For example, one may insert into housings  204   a,b , respectively, a first power insulator  211   a  and a second power insulator  211   b , wherein, prior to insertion, insulator  211   a  houses a power contact  220   a  that is electrically connected via a wire (or other means) to a power contact  220   b  housed in insulator  211   b . Next, adapter assemblies  104   a,b  are mated with corresponding header assemblies  102   a,b , respectively, such that the contacts of adapter assemblies  104   a,b  engage with corresponding contacts of header assemblies  102   a,b , respectively (see  FIG. 24 ). 
     The process of connecting plug  108  (see  FIG. 1 ) to connector assembly  102   b  is similar. That is, for example, one end of a wire (e.g., wire  109 ) is attached to an end of a signal contact  222   b  and then the signal contact is inserted into an insulator through hole (e.g., hole  612  or  614 ). Preferably the step of inserting the contact in the through hole occurs prior to inserting in the adapter housing  204   b  the particular insulator in which the through hole is formed. The other end of the wire  109  may be connected to plug  108  or any other component. 
     Referring now to  FIG. 27 ,  FIG. 27  illustrates a connector system  2500  according to another embodiment. As shown, like connector system  100 , connector system  2700  may include a first connector assembly  2701   a  electrically connected to a second connector assembly  2701   b . Connector assembly  2701   a  may be substantially identical to connector assembly  2701   b . Each connector assembly  2701  (i.e., connector assemblies  2701   a,b ) may include a header assembly  2702  and an adapter assembly  2704  (i.e., connector assembly  2701   a  may include header assembly  2702   a  and adapter assembly  2704   a  and connector assembly  2701   b  may include header assembly  2702   b  and adapter assembly  2704   b ). Each assembly  2701  may also include a float plate  2706  for connecting the adapter assembly  2704  to a chassis or other device. 
     Referring now to  FIG. 28 ,  FIG. 28  is a top view of an exemplary connector assembly  2701 . As shown, header assembly  2702  of the connector assembly  2701  may include a header housing  202  and adapter assembly  2704  may also include an adapter housing  2804  for housing various insulators (i.e., housings that house contacts and electrically insulate the contacts from one another). In the example shown, adapter housing  2804  is housing two power/RF insulators  211  and three signal insulators  212 , the power/RF insulators  211  may house an RF contact  2820  and two signal contacts  222 , and the signal insulator  212  may house a number of signal contacts  222  (e.g., eighteen signal contacts). 
     Referring now to  FIG. 29 ,  FIG. 29  is a bottom view of the exemplary connector assembly  2701 . In the example shown, housing  2802  is housing two power/RF insulators  311  and three signal insulators  312 , the power/RF insulators  311  are housing two power contacts  320  and two signal contacts  322 , and the signal insulators  312  are housing a number of signal contacts  322 .  FIG. 30  is a side view of connector assembly  2701 . 
     Referring now to  FIG. 31 ,  FIG. 31  is a view of an exemplary adapter housing  2804 . In the embodiment shown, housing  2804  is a generally rectangular housing open at opposite side thereof having two end walls and two side walls, and the side walls include grooves  502  for receiving a locking tab  602  (see  FIG. 6 ) formed on a side wall of an insulator. The depth of the groove  502  decreases as the groove  502  proceeds inwardly, thereby forming a ramp structure. This facilitates the locking of an insulator in the adapter housing. 
       FIG. 32  is a top view of adapter assembly  2704  and shows an exemplary signal contact  222  inserted into a through hole  614  of signal insulator  212 .  FIG. 9  also shows an exemplary RF contact  2820  inserted into a through hole  611  of power/RF insulator  212 .  FIG. 33  is a bottom view of adapter assembly  2704  and shows that an end portion of RF contact  2820  and an end portion of signal contact  222  passes entirely through the through holes  611  and  614 , respectively. That is the end portions of contacts  2820  and  222  extend beyond the bottom face of insulators  211  and  212 , respectively. Insulators  211  and  212  and contacts  2820  and  222  configured like this so that the end portions of the contacts can mate with corresponding contacts of the header assembly  2702 . 
     While in  FIG. 32  adapter assembly  2704  is shown has having two power insulators  211  and three single signal insulators  212  arranged between the power insulators, the invention is not so limited. In fact, an advantage of adapter assembly  2704  is that it is extremely adaptable. That is, the type of insulators that may be housed in adapter housing  204  and the arrangement of said insulators in the housing is entirely up to the end user. 
       FIG. 34  illustrates an exemplary RF contact  2820 , which, in the embodiment shown, includes a conical shaped lead-in  3402 , which functions to facilitate alignment between assemblies  2702  and  2704 .  FIG. 35  is an exploded view of RF contact  2820  according to some embodiments. In the embodiment shown, RF contact  2820  includes: a clamp nut  3501 ; a crimp sleeve  3502 ; a dielectric (e.g., a Teflon dielectric)  3503 ; a signal contact  3504  and an outer body  3505 .  FIG. 36  is a cross-sectional view of the RF connector shown in  FIGS. 34 and 35 . 
     Referring now to  FIG. 37 ,  FIG. 37  illustrates an exemplary header assembly  2702 . Like adapter assembly  2704 , header assembly includes a header housing  2802  for housing power/RF insulators  311  and/or signal insulators  312 . In the example, shown, because adapter assembly  2704  includes three signal insulators  212  sandwiched between two power insulators  211 , header assembly  2702  also includes three signal insulators  312  sandwiched between two power insulators  311 . 
       FIG. 38  further illustrates header housing  2802 . Header housing  2802  includes a generally rectangular frame  3802  having two parallel end walls and two parallel side walls, and the side walls include grooves  1404  for receiving a locking tab (see e.g., element  602  in  FIG. 6 ) formed on a side wall of an insulator. As also shown, housing  2802  includes two parallel side walls  3706 ,  3708  that face each other and extend outwardly from the end walls of frame  3802 . 
       FIG. 39  illustrates RF contact  2920  according to some embodiments. As shown in  FIG. 39 , RF contact includes: a compliant member  3901 ; a dielectric  3902 ; a signal contact  3903 ; a outer contact  3904  and a n outer body  3905 . 
     In some embodiments header assembly  2702  and adapter assembly  2704  include features that facilitate alignment of the header assembly with the adapter assembly when the two are blind mated. For example, like float plate  106 , float plate  2706  is attached to adapter assembly  2704  and is used to floatably connect adapter assembly to a chassis or other component. Other features that facilitate correct alignment include an internal beveled edge  3302  (see  FIG. 33 ) of adapter housing  2804  and beveled forward edges  3702 ,  3704  formed on walls  3706  and  3708 , respectively. Still further features include the conical shaping of lead-in  3402 . 
     Referring now to  FIG. 40 ,  FIG. 40  illustrates a connector assembly  4001  according to another embodiment. As shown, like connector assembly  2701 , connector assembly  4001  may include a header assembly  4002  and an adapter assembly  4004 . In this embodiment, adapter assembly  4004  is also a header assembly because it is designed to connect directly to a printed circuit board, but to avoid confusion we shall refer to assembly  4004  as the adapter assembly  4004 . 
     Connector assembly  4001  is almost identical to connector assembly  2701 . For example, connector assembly  4001  includes: (a) an adapter housing  4094  for housing insulators  211  and  212  in the same manner that housing  2804  houses the insulators and (b) header housing  2802  for housing insulators  311  and  312 . A difference between connector assembly  4001  and connector assembly  2701  is that different contacts are housed in the insulators. For example, as shown in  FIG. 40 , insulator  211  holds power contacts  4020 , insulator  212  holds signal contacts  4022 , insulator  311  holds power contacts  4021 , and insulator  312  holds signal contacts  4023 . 
       FIG. 41  further illustrates signal contacts  4022  and  4023 . As shown in  FIG. 41 , contact  4022  is elongate and its tips  4103 ,  4104  are conical. Likewise, contact  4023  is elongate and has a conical tip  4101 . The other end of contact  4023  (see element labeled  4102 ) defines an opening for receiving end  4103  of contact  4022 .  FIG. 42  further illustrates power contacts  4020  and  4021 . 
     Referring now to  FIG. 43 ,  FIG. 43  illustrates a connector assembly  4301  according to another embodiment. As shown, like connector assembly  101 , connector assembly  4301  may include header assembly  4002  and an adapter assembly  4304 . Adapter assembly  4304  is nearly identical to header assembly  2704 . For example, adapter assembly  4304  includes adapter housing  4304  for housing insulators  211 ,  212 . A difference between adapter assembly  4304  and adapter assembly  2704  is that adapter assembly includes different contacts than adapter assembly  2704 . For example, as shown in  FIG. 43 , insulator  211  holds power contacts  4320 , and insulator  212  holds signal contacts  4322 . 
       FIG. 44  further illustrates signal contact  4322 . As shown in  FIG. 44 , contact  4322  is elongate and has a conical tip  4401 . The other end of contact  4322  (see element labeled  4402 ) defines an opening for receiving another contact (e.g., the end of a wire) 
       FIG. 45  shows exploded views of power contacts  4021  and  4320 . As shown in  FIG. 45 , contact  4021  includes an dielectric  4502  for housing a contact  4501 . Power contact  4320  includes: a contact element  4503 ; a rear body  4504 ; a front contact  4505 ; and a dielectric  4506 . 
     While various embodiments of the present invention have been described above, it should be understood that they have been presented by way of example only, and not limitation. Thus, the breadth and scope of the present invention should not be limited by any of the above-described exemplary embodiments.