Patent Publication Number: US-10790604-B2

Title: Board-mating connector with reduced coupling height

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This is a Continuation under 35 U.S.C. § 120 of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 16/441,047, filed Jun. 14, 2019; which claims the benefit under 35 U.S.C. § 119 of Korean Patent Application No. 10-2018-0080103 filed on Jul. 10, 2018 and Korean Patent Application No. 10-2018-0089973 filed on Aug. 1, 2018 in the Korean Intellectual Property Office. The entire contents of the aforementioned related applications are hereby incorporated herein by reference in their entireties. 
    
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present invention relates to a board-mating connector with a reduced coupling height. 
     BACKGROUND ART 
     A board-mating connector transmits an RF signal to a board between an upper board and a lower board, which are formed with signal wires, such as printed circuit boards. 
     The board-mating connector increases a coupling height between the upper board and the lower board, and thereby, there is a problem that a thickness of a module including the board-mating connector is increased. 
     In addition, when a signal portion of the board-mating connector transmits the RF signal through a signal spring, there is a problem that passive inter-modulation distortion (PIMD) characteristics are poor. 
     Examples of related art include KR 10-2015-0080486 A, KR 10-1326296 B1, KR 10-1408249 B1, and KR 10-1855133 B1. 
     SUMMARY 
     The present invention is to provide a board-mating connector with a reduced coupling height. 
     A board-mating connector with a reduced coupling height according to the present invention includes a signal portion having one side in contact with a signal electrode of a board and to be electrically connected to the signal electrode; a ground portion having one side in contact with a ground electrode of the board to be electrically connected to the ground electrode and having a hollow inside; a housing portion in which a housing insertion hole is formed such that the signal portion and the ground portion are inserted thereinto and in which at least a part of a portion coming into contact with the ground portion is formed of metal; and a dielectric portion which is inserted into the housing insertion hole and is located between the signal portion and the housing portion such that the signal portion is spaced apart from the ground portion and the housing portion. 
     The board-mating connector may further include a protrusion bump which is formed to protrude from the housing portion toward an inside of the housing insertion hole; and a hook bump which is formed by reducing a diameter of a lower portion of a dielectric portion to have a shape corresponding to the protrusion bump. 
     The ground portion may further include a ground insertion portion which is inserted into the housing insertion hole; a ground elastic portion which upwardly extends from the ground insertion portion and in which at least three slits are formed along a periphery so as to have an elastic force; and a ground contact portion which extends from the ground elastic portion and comes into contact with the ground electrode of the board. 
     The board-mating connector may further include an elastic bending portion which is bent from the ground contact portion and extends in a direction opposite to an extension direction of the ground contact portion. 
     The board-mating connector may further include an elastic restriction portion which is bent from the elastic bending portion and extends in a direction opposite to an extension direction of the elastic bending portion. 
     The ground elastic portion may include a first elastic portion which is bent and extends from the ground insertion portion; and a second elastic portion which is bent and upwardly extends from the first elastic portion. 
     An extension direction of the first elastic portion may be perpendicular to an extension direction of the ground insertion portion. 
     The board-mating connector may further include a ground switch portion that switches an extension direction of the first elastic portion from an outside to an inside of the ground insertion portion between the ground insertion portion and the first elastic portion. 
     The first elastic portion and the second elastic portion may extend inside the ground insertion portion. 
     The board-mating connector may further include an insertion protrusion portion which is formed to protrude to an inside on a periphery of the ground insertion portion. 
     The board-mating connector may further include a cover portion which is located between the ground portion and the housing insertion hole. 
     The board-mating connector may further include a cover fitting portion which is bent outward a lower end of the ground insertion portion and into which a lower end of the cover portion is inserted. 
     The signal portion may include a signal body portion in which a body insertion hole having one side opened is formed; a signal contact portion in which a contact insertion hole having the other side opened is formed; and a signal spring which is inserted between the one side of the body insertion hole and the other side of the contact insertion hole. A part of one side of the signal contact portion may be inserted into the body insertion hole. In a state where the signal spring is compressed, an outside of the signal contact portion may come into contact with an inside of the signal body portion so as to electrically connect the signal body portion to the signal contact portion. 
     The board-mating connector may further include a contact protrusion portion which is formed to protrude from an outer wall of the other end of the signal contact portion; and at least three contact slits which are elongated toward one side from the other side of the signal contact portion and are formed along a periphery of the signal contact portion. 
     The board-mating connector may further include a body protrusion portion which is formed to protrude from an inner wall of the signal body portion; and a contact groove formed in an annular shape along a periphery of the signal contact portion such that an up-and-down movement of the signal contact portion is guided by inserting the body protrusion portion into the contact groove, when the signal spring is compressed and recovered. 
     Advantageous Effects 
     First, since a housing insertion hole is formed in a housing portion and a board-mating connector is inserted into the housing insertion hole, a coupling height may be reduced, and thereby, there is an effect that a thickness of a module to which a board-mating connector is applied is reduced. 
     In addition, a hook bump is hooked on a protrusion bump to limit a depth of insertion of a board-mating connector into a housing insertion hole, and thus, there is an effect that a gap between an end of a signal portion and a signal electrode coming into contact with the one end is adjusted. 
     In addition, since an elastic bending portion is formed to prevent a ground electrode from directly coming into contact with an end of a ground contact portion, a ground electrode is prevented from being damaged, and further, an elastic force is improved. 
     In addition, if an excessive force is applied to a ground portion, an elastic restriction portion is prevented from being deformed further due to contact with other structures, and thus, there is an effect that the ground portion is prevented from being deformed. 
     In addition, a first elastic portion and a second elastic portion disperse a stress applied to a ground elastic portion, and thus, there is an effect that a ground portion is prevented from being deformed. 
     In addition, since a first elastic portion extends in a horizontal direction to operate, there is an effect that a coupling height is reduced. 
     In addition, a first elastic portion and a second elastic portion disperse a stress applied to a ground elastic portion, and thus, there is an effect that a ground portion is prevented from being deformed. 
     In addition, since an insertion protrusion portion is in close contact with a housing to minimize a free space between a ground portion and a housing, there is an effect that a board-mating connector may be prevented from swinging. 
     In addition, since a cover portion surrounds the outside of a ground portion, there is an effect that a board-mating connector is prevented from being damaged when the ground portion is inserted into a housing insertion hole. 
     In addition, since a lower end of a cover portion is inserted into a cover fitting portion, there is an effect that a coupling force between a ground portion and the cover portion is increased by preventing the cover portion from swinging. 
     In addition, since generation of a free space is minimized, there is an effect that a board-mating connector is prevented from swinging. 
     In addition, since a signal body portion and a signal contact portion are electrically connected to each other, a signal portion according to the present invention has an effect that PIMD characteristics are improved. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a sectional view illustrating a first embodiment according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is a sectional view illustrating a second embodiment according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 3  is a sectional view illustrating a third embodiment according to f the present invention. 
         FIG. 4  is a perspective view illustrating the third embodiment according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 5  is a sectional view illustrating a fourth embodiment according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 6  is a perspective view illustrating the fourth embodiment according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 7  is a sectional view illustrating a fifth embodiment according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 8  is a perspective view illustrating the fifth embodiment according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 9  is a sectional view illustrating a signal portion according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 10  is a cross-sectional view illustrating a compressed state of the signal portion according to the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS 
     In order to facilitate understanding of a board-mating connector with a reduced coupling height according to the present invention, each of characteristics will be first described as follows. 
     First, the first embodiment is characterized in that a dielectric portion  300  is spaced apart from a ground portion  200  and is located between a signal portion  100  and a housing portion  400 . 
     In addition, second to fifth embodiments are characterized in that the dielectric portion  300  is located between the signal portion  100  and the ground portion  200 . 
     In addition, the first to fifth embodiments are characterized in that the embodiments are each distinguished according to a shape of the ground portion  200 . 
     That is, it is characterized that the first embodiment is a basic embodiment, a ground elastic portion  220  includes a first elastic portion  221  and a second elastic portion  222  in the second to fifth embodiments, the second embodiment further includes an elastic restriction portion  250 , and the fourth embodiment further includes a ground switch portion  260 . 
     In addition, the ground elastic portion  220  extends to the outside of the ground insertion portion  210  in the first to third embodiments, and the ground elastic portion  220  extends to an inside of the ground insertion portion  210  in the fourth and fifth embodiments. 
     In addition, it is characterized that the third and fourth embodiments further include a cover portion  500 . 
     In the following description, elements that may be derived from the above-described embodiments will be described to facilitate understanding. 
     In addition, an example similar to the embodiment described above may be derived by a combination of elements which will be described below, or a new embodiment may be derived by adding an element to or removing the element from the above-described embodiment. 
     Since the board-mating connector increases a coupling height between an upper board and a lower board, there is a problem that a thickness of a module including the board-mating connector is increased. 
     In order to solve the problem, the board-mating connector with a reduced coupling height according to the present invention includes the signal portion  100 , the ground portion  200 , the housing portion  400 , the housing insertion hole  410 , and the dielectric portion  300  as illustrated in  FIGS. 1 to 8 . 
     One side of the signal portion  100  is in contact with a signal electrode of the board and is electrically connected to the signal electrode. 
     One side of the ground portion  200  is in contact with a ground electrode of the board and is electrically connected to the ground electrode, and a hollow is formed inside. 
     In addition, the ground portion  200  may be formed by bending a metal plate into a cylindrical shape instead of metal processing. 
     The housing insertion hole  410  is formed in the housing portion  400  such that the signal portion  100  and the ground portion  200  are inserted. 
     In the housing portion  400 , the entire portion in contact with the ground portion  200  is formed of metal, or at least a part of the portion in contact with the ground portion  200  is formed of metal. 
     At this time, the metal may be electrically connected to the ground portion  200  by selecting a conductive material as the metal. 
     The dielectric portion  300  is inserted into the housing insertion hole  410  and is located between the signal portion  100  and the housing portion  400  such that the signal portion  100  is spaced apart from the ground portion  200  and the housing portion  400 . 
     At this time, the dielectric portion  300  may be spaced apart from the ground portion  200  and be located between the signal portion  100  and the housing portion  400  as illustrated in  FIG. 1 , or may be located between the signal portion  100  and the housing portion  400  as illustrated in  FIGS. 2 to 8 . 
     As described above, since the housing insertion hole  410  is formed in the housing portion  400  and the board-mating connector is inserted into the housing insertion hole  410 , a coupling height may be reduced, and thereby, there is an effect that a thickness of a module to which the board-mating connector is applied is reduced. 
     The board-mating connector with a reduced coupling height according to the present invention further includes a hook bump  301  and a protrusion bump  411  as illustrated in  FIGS. 1 to 8 . 
     The protrusion bump  411  is formed to protrude from the housing portion  400  to the inside of the housing insertion hole  410 . 
     The hook bump  301  formed by reducing a diameter of a lower portion of the dielectric portion  300  has a shape corresponding to the protrusion bump  411 . 
     At this time, in the embodiment in which the dielectric portion  300  is located between the signal portion  100  and the ground portion  200 , when the ground portion  200  is located between the hook bump  301  and the protrusion portion  411 , a free space is formed therein, and thereby, the board-mating connector may swing as illustrated in  FIGS. 2 to 8 . 
     Therefore, the ground portion  200  is formed only on the outer side of an upper portion of the dielectric portion  300  with the hook bump  301  as the center and is not formed on the outer side of a lower portion of the dielectric portion  300 , and thus, it is preferable that the dielectric portion  300  is in direct face-to-face contact with the housing portion  400 . 
     As described above, the hook bump  301  is hooked on the protrusion bump  411  to limit a depth of the housing insertion hole  410  into which the board-mating connector is inserted, and thus, there is an effect that a gap between an end of the signal portion  100  and a signal electrode coming into contact with the one end is adjusted. 
     The ground portion  200  of the board-mating connector with a reduced coupling height according to the present invention further includes a ground insertion portion  210 , the ground elastic portion  220 , and a ground contact portion  230  as illustrated in  FIGS. 1 to 8 . 
     The ground insertion portion  210  is inserted into the housing insertion hole  410 . 
     The ground elastic portion  220  upwardly extends from the ground insertion portion  210 , and at least three slits are formed along a periphery so as to have an elastic force. 
     The ground elastic portion  220  is divided into three or more portions by the slits and is elastic when coming into contact with the ground electrode. 
     The ground contact portion  230  extends from the ground elastic portion  220  and is in contact with the ground electrode of the board. 
     There is a problem that the ground electrode damages an end of the ground contact portion  230  when the ground electrode directly come into contact with the end of the ground contact portion  230 . 
     In order to solve this problem, the board-mating connector with a reduced coupling height according to the present invention further includes an elastic bending portion  240  as illustrated in  FIGS. 2 to 8 . 
     The elastic bending portion  240  is bent from the ground contact portion  230  and extends in a direction opposite to the extension direction of the ground contact portion  230 . 
     That is, since the elastic bending portion  240  is formed at the end of the ground contact portion  230 , a surface not the end of the ground contact portion  230  comes into contact with the ground electrode. 
     As described above, since the elastic bending portion  240  is formed to prevent the ground electrode from directly coming into contact with the end of the ground contact portion  230 , the ground electrode is prevented from being damaged, and further, the elastic force is improved. 
     There is a problem that the ground portion  200  may be deformed if an excessive force is applied to the ground portion  200 . 
     In order to solve the problem, the board-mating connector with a reduced coupling height according to the present invention further includes an elastic restriction portion  250  as illustrated in  FIG. 2 . 
     The elastic restriction portion  250  is bent from the elastic bending portion  240  and extends in a direction opposite to the extension direction of the elastic bending portion  240 . 
     As a force applied to the ground portion  200  increases, the elastic restriction portion  250  comes closer to the ground elastic portion  220 , and if an excessive force is applied to the ground portion  200 , the elastic restriction portion  250  comes into contact with the ground elastic portion  220 , and thereby, deformation of the ground elastic portion  220  is restricted. 
     As described above, if the excessive force is applied to the ground portion  200 , the elastic restriction portion  250  is prevented from being deformed further due to contact with other structures, and thus, there is an effect that the ground portion  200  is prevented from being deformed. 
     The ground elastic portion  220  of the board-mating connector with a reduced coupling height according to the present invention may further include a first elastic portion  221  and a second elastic portion  222  as illustrated in  FIGS. 2 to 8 . 
     The first elastic portion  221  is bent and extends from the ground insertion portion  210 . 
     The second elastic portion  222  is bent and upwardly extends from the first elastic portion  221 . 
     As described above, the first elastic portion  221  and the second elastic portion  222  disperse a stress applied to the ground elastic portion  220 , and thus, there is an effect that the ground portion  200  is prevented from being deformed. 
     At this time, as illustrated in  FIGS. 2 to 6 , an extension direction of the first elastic portion  221  may be formed perpendicular to the extension direction of the ground insertion portion  210 . 
     As described above, since the first elastic portion  221  extends in a horizontal direction to operate, there is an effect that a coupling height is reduced. 
     In addition, as illustrated in  FIGS. 7 and 8 , the first elastic portion  221  and the second elastic portion  222  extend to the inside of the ground insertion portion  210  such that the ground portion  200  extends in a vertical direction in general, or the ground portion  200  may further include a ground switch portion  260  such that the ground portion  200  extends in a vertical direction in general as illustrated in  FIGS. 5 and 6 . 
     The ground switch portion  260  switches the extension direction of the first elastic portion  221  from the outside to the inside of the ground insertion portion  210  between the ground insertion portion  210  and the first elastic portion  221 . 
     Specifically, the ground switch portion  260  extends from the ground insertion portion  210  and is bent so as to be perpendicular to the ground insertion portion  210 , extends in a direction opposite to the extension direction, and is switched from the outside to the inside of the first elastic portion  221 . 
     As described above, since the first elastic portion  221  and the second elastic portion  222  disperse the stress applied to the ground elastic portion  220 , there is an effect that the ground portion  200  is prevented from being deformed. 
     The board-mating connector with a reduced coupling height according to the present invention further includes an insertion protrusion portion  211  as illustrated in  FIGS. 2, 7, and 8 . 
     The insertion protrusion portion  211  is formed to protrude from the ground insertion portion  210  toward the inside. 
     As described above, since the insertion protrusion portion  211  is in close contact with a housing to minimize a free space between the ground portion  200  and the housing, there is an effect that the board-mating connector may be prevented from swinging. 
     There is a problem that the board-mating connector is damaged when the board-mating connector is inserted into the housing insertion hole  410 . 
     In addition, there is a problem that a space is formed when the board-mating connector is inserted into the housing insertion hole  410  causing the board-mating connector to swing. 
     In order to solve the problems, the board-mating connector with a reduced coupling height according to the present invention further includes a cover portion  500  as illustrated in  FIGS. 3 to 6 . 
     The cover portion  500  is located between the ground portion  200  and the housing insertion hole  410 . 
     As illustrated in  FIGS. 5 and 6 , a cover fitting portion  212  is bent outward at a lower end of the ground insertion portion  210 , and thereby, a lower end of the cover portion  500  is inserted thereinto. 
     One or more the cover fitting portions  212  are formed along a periphery of the lower end of the ground insertion portion  210 , make an outer surface of the ground insertion portion  210  come into close contact with an inner surface of the cover portion  500 , and make the cover portion  500  be spaced apart from the housing insertion hole  410 . 
     In a case where the ground portion  200  is formed by bending a metal plate into a cylindrical shape, the ground portion  200  may be damaged when being inserted into the housing insertion hole  410  because the ground portion  200  is thin. 
     At this time, the cover portion  500  surrounds the outside of the ground portion  200  to reinforce a thin thickness of the ground portion  200 , thereby, preventing the ground portion  200  from being damaged when the ground portion  200  is inserted into the housing insertion hole  410 . 
     As described above, since the cover portion  500  surrounds the outside of the ground portion  200 , there is an effect that the board-mating connector is prevented from being damaged when the ground portion  200  is inserted into the housing insertion hole  410 . 
     In addition, since generation of a free space is minimized, there is an effect that the board-mating connector is prevented from swinging. 
     In addition, since a lower end of the cover portion  500  is inserted into the cover fitting portion  212 , there is an effect that a coupling force between the ground portion  200  and the cover portion  500  is increased by preventing the cover portion  500  from swinging. 
     When a signal body portion  110  is electrically connected to a signal contact portion  120  through a signal spring  130 , there is a problem that PIMD characteristics are poor. 
     In order to solve the problem, the signal portion  100  of the board-mating connector with a reduced coupling height according to the present invention further includes the signal body portion  110 , the signal contact portion  120 , the contact protrusion portion  122 , a contact slit  123 , a body protrusion portion  112 , and a contact groove  124  as illustrated in  FIGS. 9 and 10 . 
     A body insertion hole  111  in which one side thereof is opened is formed inside the signal body portion  110 . 
     A contact insertion hole  121  in which the other side thereof is opened is formed inside the signal contact portion  120 . 
     The signal spring  130  is inserted between the one side of the body insertion hole  111  and the other side of the contact insertion hole  121 . 
     A part of one side of the signal contact portion  120  is inserted into the body insertion hole  111 . 
     At this time, in a state where the signal spring  130  is compressed, the outside of the signal contact portion  120  comes into contact with the inside of the signal body portion  110 , and thereby, the signal body portion  110  is electrically connected to the signal contact portion  120 . 
     The contact protrusion portion  122  is formed to protrude from an outer wall of the other end of the signal contact portion  120 . 
     The contact slit  123  is elongated from one end to the other end of the signal contact portion  120 , and at least three contact slits  123  are formed along a periphery of the signal contact portion  120 . 
     The body protrusion portion  112  is formed to protrude from an inner wall of the signal body portion  110 . 
     The contact groove  124  is formed in an annular shape along a periphery of the signal contact portion  120  such that an up-and-down movement of the signal contact portion  120  is guided by inserting the body protrusion portion  112  into the contact groove  124 , when the signal spring  130  is compressed and recovered. 
     As described above, since the signal body portion  110  and the signal contact portion  120  are electrically connected to each other, the signal portion  100  according to the present invention has an effect that PIMD characteristics are improved. 
     
       
         
           
               
             
               
                   
               
               
                 Reference Signs List 
               
               
                   
               
             
            
               
                   
               
            
           
           
               
               
               
            
               
                   
                 100 signal portion 
                 110 signal body portion 
               
               
                   
                 111 body insertion hole 
                 112 body protrusion portion 
               
               
                   
                 120 signal contact portion 
                 121 contact insertion hole 
               
               
                   
                 122 contact protrusion portion 
                 123 contact slit 
               
               
                   
                 124 contact groove 
                 130 signal spring 
               
               
                   
                 200 ground portion 
                 210 ground insertion portion 
               
               
                   
                 211 insertion protrusion portion 
                 212 cover fitting portion 
               
               
                   
                 220 ground elastic portion 
                 221 first elastic portion 
               
               
                   
                 222 second elastic portion 
                 230 ground contact portion 
               
               
                   
                 240 elastic bending portion 
                 250 elastic restriction portion 
               
               
                   
                 260 ground switch portion 
                 300 dielectric portion 
               
               
                   
                 301 hook bump 
                 400 housing portion 
               
               
                   
                 410 housing insertion hole 
                 411 protrusion bump 
               
               
                   
                 500 cover portion