Patent Publication Number: US-7896700-B2

Title: Socket connector

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION(S) 
     This application is related to and claims priority to Japanese Priority Patent Application No. 2007-236690, filed on Sep. 12, 2007, the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The embodiments discussed herein are directed to socket connectors, and more particularly to a socket connector supporting high-speed transmission used to electrically connect circuit boards in communication devices. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     Communication devices contain a backplane and multiple daughter boards arranged side by side on the backplane at right angles thereto. The backplane has plug connectors mounted thereon. The daughter boards have socket connectors provided at their respective ends. The daughter boards are electrically connected to the backplane by connecting their socket connectors to the corresponding plug connectors. 
     Recent years have seen increases in signal transmission speed, and differential transmission has often been adopted as a method of signal transmission. This causes socket connectors to be configured to support differential transmission. For example, socket connectors have pairs of contacts for plus signal transmission and minus signal transmission, and also incorporate shield members. 
     Conventional socket connectors have contact modules and shield members alternately and closely arranged and incorporated in a housing. 
     Since the contact modules and shield members are closely arranged and incorporated, their rear portions project on the rear side of the housing. Since the rear portions of the contact modules thus project on the rear side of the housing, it is desirable that the contact modules be in sufficiently stable alignment in their assembled state. This is because if one or more of the contact modules come out from the housing during handling such as transportation to disorder their alignment, the contact modules may have to be realigned at the time of mounting the socket connectors on the daughter boards. 
     According to a conventional socket connector, multiple triangular recesses are formed side by side on the end faces of the rearward projecting parts of a housing, and wedged projections are formed on contact modules. The wedged projections of the contact modules are fitted into the corresponding triangular recesses so that the contact modules are positioned. Further, the contact modules are fixed to the housing with their respective bulge parts. (See, for example, Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application [Japanese translation of PCT international application] No. 2003-529909.) 
     Conventionally, the contact modules are fixed to the housing with their respective bulge parts, and the shield members are coupled and fixed to the contact modules. The shield members, however, are not fixed to the housing. Accordingly, prevention of the coming-out of the contact modules relies on the strength of their own fixation. 
     Further, the upper projections of the contact modules are fitted into the corresponding recesses on the end face of the upper projecting part and the lower projections of the contact modules are fitted into the corresponding recesses on the end face of the lower projecting part, so that the contact modules are positioned. Therefore, if the contact modules come out rearward, even if only slightly, from the housing, the contact modules become unrestricted to get loose easily, so that their positions become unstable. 
     Therefore, it is necessary to handle assembled socket connectors and mount the socket connectors on daughter boards with deliberation. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     According to one embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a socket connector designed in view of the above-mentioned points. 
     According to one embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a socket connector including a housing, a plurality of contact modules fixed to the housing, and a plurality of shield members coupled and fixed to the corresponding contact modules, wherein the contact modules and the shield members are alternately arranged in alignment in a longitudinal direction of the housing, and the shield members are fixed to the housing. 
     According to one embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a socket connector including a housing including a main body and a projecting part projecting from the main body; a plurality of contact modules each including a contact member and a plate-shaped main body part enclosing the contact member; and a plurality of shield members, wherein the contact modules and the shield members are alternately arranged in alignment in the housing in a longitudinal direction thereof, the projecting part of the housing includes a plurality of guide grooves configured to guide the corresponding shield members, and each of the shield members includes a bulge part and is fixed to the housing by the bulge part fitting into and biting the corresponding guide groove. 
     According to one embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a socket connector including a housing including a main body and a projecting part projecting from the main body; a plurality of contact modules each including a contact member and a plate-shaped main body part holding the contact member; and a plurality of shield members, wherein the contact modules and the shield members are alternately arranged in alignment in the housing in a longitudinal direction thereof, each of the contact modules includes a guide rail part and a first bulge part, the guide rail part having a dimension less than a dimension of the main body part in the longitudinal direction of the housing, each of the shield members includes a second bulge part, the projecting part includes alternately arranged first guide grooves and second guide grooves, the first guide grooves corresponding to the guide rail parts and the second guide grooves guiding the shield members, each of the contact modules is fixed to the housing by the guide rail part fitting into the corresponding first guide groove and the first bulge part being fixed to the housing, each of the shield members is fixed to the housing by the second bulge part fitting into and biting the corresponding second guide groove, and the shield members are coupled and fixed to the corresponding contact modules. 
     According to one aspect of the present invention, shield members are fixed to the housing of a socket connector. Accordingly, the shield members function as anchors against the coming-off of corresponding contact modules from the housing. As a result, the contact modules are prevented from coming out from the housing with a force greater than conventionally, and the contact modules are kept in alignment with greater strength. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a diagram showing a socket connector according to an embodiment of the present invention, together with a plug connector; 
         FIG. 2  is a diagram showing the socket connector and the plug connector in a connected state according to the embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 3  is a bottom-side exploded perspective view of the socket connector according to the embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 4  is a rear-side perspective view of the socket connector having one contact module and one shield member incorporated therein according to the embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 5  is a plan view of the socket connector according to the embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIGS. 6A ,  6 B, and  6 C are cross-sectional views of the socket connector of  FIG. 5  taken along the line VI-VI, showing a contact module incorporated in a housing, according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIGS. 7A ,  7 B, and  7 C are cross-sectional views of the socket connector of  FIG. 5  taken along the line VII-VII, showing a shield member incorporated in the housing, according to the embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 8  is a bottom view of the socket connector according to the embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 9  is a rear side view of the socket connector according to the embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIGS. 10A and 10B  illustrate contact modules incorporated in the housing in alignment according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 11  is a rear-side perspective view of the housing according to the embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIGS. 12A ,  12 B, and  12 C are rear (Y 1 ) side views of the housing according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 13  is a cross-sectional view of the housing shown in  FIG. 12A , taken along the line XIII-XIII, according to the embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 14  is a cross-sectional view of the housing shown in  FIG. 12A , taken along the line XIV-XIV, according to the embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 15  is a perspective view of the housing in an upside-down position according to the embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIGS. 16  A and  16 B are cutaway bottom views of the housing (or a cutaway plan view of the housing in the position shown in  FIG. 15 ) according to the embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIGS. 17A and 17B  are perspective views of the contact module from different directions according to the embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 18A  is an X 1 -side view of the contact module, and  FIGS. 18B ,  18 C, and  18 D are cross-sectional views of the contact module of  FIG. 18A , taken along the line XVIIIB-XVIIIB, according to the embodiment of the present invention; and 
         FIG. 19  is a perspective view of the shield member according to the embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS 
     A description is given below, with reference to the accompanying drawings, of an exemplary embodiment. 
       FIG. 1  is a diagram showing a socket connector  20  according to the embodiment of the present invention, together with a plug connector  11 . 
     The socket connector  20  is for a daughter board and supports high-speed transmission. The socket connector  20  and the plug connector  11  form a connector unit  10 . 
       FIGS. 6A and 6C  are enlarged views respectively of portion  600  and portion  610  illustrated in  FIG. 6B . The socket connector  20  has substantially L-letter shaped contact members  101 ,  102 ,  103 ,  104 ,  105 , and  106  ( FIG. 6B ) in alignment. The plug connector  11  has pin contacts  13  and shield members  14  aligned inside a housing  12 . 
       FIG. 2  is a diagram showing the socket connector  20  and the plug connector  11  in a connected state. 
     Referring to  FIG. 2 , the plug connector  11  is mounted on a backplane  15 , and the socket connector  20  is provided at an end of a daughter board  16 . The plug connector  11  and the socket connector  20  are connected so that the daughter board  16  is electrically connected to the backplane  15 . 
     Specifically, the pin contacts  13  of the plug connector  11  are inserted into corresponding openings  23   f ,  24   f   1 ,  24   f   2 ,  25   f   1 ,  25   f   2 , and  26   f  described below ( FIG. 13 ) of the socket connector  20 , so that forked contact parts  101   a ,  102   a ,  103   a ,  104   a ,  105   a , and  106   a  ( FIG. 6B ) of the contact members  101 ,  102 ,  103 ,  104 ,  105 , and  106 , respectively, of the socket connector  20  and the corresponding pin contacts  13  are fitted to each other to be electrically and mechanically connected. The shield members  14  of the plug connector  11  are inserted into corresponding openings  27   f ,  28   f , and  29   f  described below ( FIG. 14 ) of the socket connector  20 , so that the shield members  14  come into contact with corresponding forked shield piece parts  122 ,  123 , and  124  described below ( FIGS. 7A ,  7 B, and  7 C) of the socket connector  20 . Thereby, the plug connector  11  and the socket connector  20  are electrically and mechanically connected. 
     In the drawings, X 1 -X 2  indicates the longitudinal directions, Y 1 -Y 2  indicates the depth (rear-front) directions, and Z 1 -Z 2  indicates the height directions of the socket connector  20 . The Y 1  side is the rear side and the Y 2  side is the front side of the socket connector  20 . 
       FIGS. 3 through 10A  and  10 B show the socket connector  20 . 
       FIG. 3  is an exploded perspective view of the socket connector  20 .  FIG. 4  is a rear-side perspective view of the socket connector  20  having one contact module and one shield member incorporated therein. 
       FIG. 5  is a plan view of the socket connector  20 .  FIGS. 6A ,  6 B, and  6 C are cross-sectional views of the socket connector  20  of  FIG. 5  taken along the line VI-VI, showing a contact module incorporated in a housing.  FIGS. 7A ,  7 B, and  7 C are cross-sectional view of the socket connector  20  of  FIG. 5  taken along the line VII-VII, showing a shield member incorporated in the housing. 
       FIG. 8  is a bottom view of the socket connector  20 .  FIG. 9  is a rear side view of the socket connector  20 .  FIGS. 10A and 10B  illustrate contact modules incorporated in the housing in alignment. 
     Referring to  FIG. 3  through  FIGS. 10A and 10B , the socket connector  20  includes a housing  21 , contact modules  100 , and shield members  120 . The contact modules  100  and the shield members  120  are inserted into the housing  21  from its rear side so as to be alternately arranged in the longitudinal directions of the housing  21  (socket connector  20 ), so that the rear end faces of the contact modules  100  are aligned in a single row. 
     The socket connector  20 , the contact modules  100 , and the shield members  120  have substantially symmetrical shapes in the vertical (Z 1 -Z 2 ) directions, so that their upper and lower corresponding portions are referred to by the same reference numerals with a subscript “U” and a subscript “L,” respectively. 
     A detailed description is given below of fixation of the contact modules  100  and the shield members  120  to the housing  21 . 
     [Configuration of Housing  21 ] 
       FIG. 11  is a rear-side perspective view of the housing  21 .  FIG. 12A  is a rear (Y 1 ) side view of the housing  21  shown in  FIG. 11 .  FIGS. 12B and 12C  are enlarged views respectively of portion  1200  and portion  1210  in  FIG. 12A .  FIG. 13  is a cross-sectional view of the housing  21  shown in  FIG. 12A , taken along the line XIII-XIII.  FIG. 14  is a cross-sectional view of the housing  21  shown in  FIG. 12A , taken along the line XIV-XIV. 
       FIG. 15  is a perspective view of the housing  21  in an upside-down position.  FIGS. 16A and 16B  are cutaway bottom views of the housing  21  (or a cutaway plan view of the housing  21  in the position shown in  FIG. 15 ).  FIG. 16B  is an enlarged view of portion  1600  illustrated in  FIG. 16A . 
     Referring to  FIGS. 11 through 16A  and  16 B, the housing  21 , which is an electrically insulating molded component of synthetic resin, has a main body  22  on the front side and projecting parts  40 U and  40 L on the rear side. 
     The main body  22  is a substantially rectangular parallelepiped. Chambers for contact parts (contact part chambers)  23 ,  24 ,  25 , and  26  for accommodating the forked contact parts  101   a ,  102   a ,  103   a ,  104   a ,  105   a , and  106   a  (described below) and the pin contacts  13  and chambers for shield piece parts (shield piece part chambers)  27 ,  28 , and  29  for accommodating the forked shield piece parts  122 ,  123 , and  124  (described below) are regularly formed in the main body  22 . The four contact part chambers  23 ,  24 ,  25 , and  26  are aligned in the Z 1 -Z 2  directions (from Z 1  to Z 2 ) for each contact module  100 . The three shield piece part chambers  27 ,  28 , and  29  are aligned in the Z 1 -Z 2  directions (from Z 1  to Z 2 ) for each shield member  120 . 
     With respect to the X 1 -X 2  directions, the contact part chambers  23 ,  24 ,  25 , and  26  and the shield piece part chambers  27 ,  28 , and  29  are alternately arranged. The contact part chambers  23 ,  24 ,  25 , and  26  have the respective openings  23   f ,  24   f   1 ,  24   f   2 ,  25   f   1 ,  25   f   2 , and  26   f  on the front side and respective openings  23   r ,  24   r ,  25   r , and  26   r  on the rear side. The shield piece part chambers  27 ,  28 , and  29  have the respective openings  27   f ,  28   f , and  29   f  on the front side and respective openings  27   r ,  28   r , and  29   r  on the rear side. 
     Each of the Z 1 -side projecting part  40 U and the Z 2 -side projecting part  40 L is shaped like a rectangular plate. The projecting dimension A of the projecting part  40 U in the Y 1  direction is approximately three times as long as the projecting dimension B of the projecting part  40 L in the Y 1  direction. A Y 1 -side end face  41 U of the projecting part  40 U and a Y 1 -side end face  41 L of the projecting part  40 L are both flat surfaces, so that it is easy to manufacture a metal mold for molding the housing  21 . 
     On the lower (Z 2 ) side (surface) of the projecting part  40 U, upper guide grooves for contact modules (contact module upper guide grooves)  42 U and upper guide grooves for shield members (shield member upper guide grooves)  50 U are alternately formed to extend in the Y 1 -Y 2  directions. Likewise, on the upper (Z 1 ) side (surface) of the projecting part  40 L, lower guide grooves for contact modules (contact module lower guide grooves)  42 L and lower guide grooves for shield members (shield member lower guide grooves)  50 L are alternately formed to extend in the Y 1 -Y 2  directions. The guide grooves  42 U and the guide grooves  42 L are positioned on the Z axis. The guide grooves  50 U and the guide grooves  50 L are also positioned on the Z axis. 
     As shown in particular in  FIGS. 13 and 15 , the guide grooves  42 U are formed at positions corresponding to the contact part chambers  23 . Each guide groove  42 U includes a first guide groove part  43 U on the Y 1  side and a second guide groove part  44 U serving as an extension guide groove on the Y 2  side. The first guide groove part  43 U extends for a length (dimension) C from the end face  41 U, and has a width W 1  ( FIGS. 12A ,  12 B,  12 C,  16 A and  16 B) and a depth D 1 . The second guide groove part  44 U next to the first guide groove part  43 U has a width W 2  ( FIGS. 12A ,  12 B,  12 C,  16 A and  16 B) and a depth D 2 . The width W 1  is greater than the width W 2  (W 1 &gt;W 2 ) and the depth D 1  is greater than the depth D 2  (D 1 &gt;D 2 ). Further, the dimension C is approximately 6 mm. 
     The width W 1  of the first guide groove part  43 U is approximately a third of the thickness T 1  ( FIGS. 18A and 18B ) of a main body part  110  of the contact module  100 . The second guide groove part  44 U extends from the widthwise center part of the first guide groove part  43 U. 
     The first guide groove part  43 U is sized so that an upper guide rail part  111 U ( FIGS. 17A and 17B ) of the contact module  100  fits into the first guide groove part  43 U without play. The second guide groove part  44 U is sized so that an upper bulge part  101   c  ( FIGS. 17A and 17B ) of the contact module  100  fits into the second guide groove part  44 U and bites or presses against a ceiling part  45 U thereof. 
     As shown in particular in  FIGS. 14 ,  16 A and  16 B, the shield member upper guide grooves  50 U are formed at positions corresponding to the shield piece part chambers  27 . Each shield member upper guide groove  50 U has a width W 3  and a depth D 3 , which are substantially the same as the width W 2  and the depth D 2 , respectively, of the second guide groove part  44 U. The shield member upper guide groove  50 U is sized so that an upper bulge part  130 U ( FIG. 19 ) of the shield member  120  fits into the guide groove  50 U and bites or presses against a ceiling part  51 U thereof. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 11 ,  13 , and  14 , the contact module lower guide grooves  42 L and the shield member lower guide grooves  50 L are formed at positions corresponding to the contact part chambers  26  and the shield piece part chambers  29 , respectively, on the upper (Z 1 ) side (surface) of the Z 2 -side projecting part  40 L. Each lower guide groove  42 L includes a first guide groove part  43 L and a second guide groove part  44 L serving as an extension guide groove. The first guide groove part  43 L has the same width W 1  and depth D 1  as the first guide groove part  43 U formed in the projecting part  40 U. The second guide groove part  44 L has the same width W 2  and depth D 2  as the second guide groove part  44 U formed in the projecting part  40 U. The first guide groove part  43 L has a length (dimension) E. 
     The first guide groove part  43 L is sized so that a lower guide rail part  111 L ( FIGS. 17A and 17B ) of the contact module  100  fits into the first guide groove part  43 L without play. The second guide groove part  44 L is sized so that a lower bulge part  106   c  ( FIGS. 17A and 17B ) of the contact module  100  fits into the second guide groove part  44 L and bites a bottom plate part  45 L thereof. 
     The guide groove  50 L has the same width W 3  and depth D 3  as the guide groove  50 U formed in the projecting part  40 U. The guide groove  50 L is sized so that a lower bulge part  130 L ( FIG. 19 ) of the shield member  120  fits into the guide groove  50 L and bites a bottom part  51 L thereof. 
     Here, the width W 1  of the first guide groove parts  43 U and  43 L is less than the thickness T 1  of the main body part  110  of the contact module  100  described below, which makes it possible to form the shield member upper and lower guide grooves  50 U and  50 L. 
     [Configuration of Contact Module  100 ] 
       FIGS. 17A and 17B  are perspective views of the contact module  100  from different directions.  FIG. 18A  is an X 1 -side view of the contact module  100 , and  FIG. 188  is a cross-sectional view of the contact module  100  of  FIG. 18A , taken along the line XVIIIB-XVIIIB.  FIGS. 18C and 18D  are enlarged views respectively of portion  1800  and portion  1810  illustrated in  FIG. 18B . 
     The contact module  100  is a plate-like insert-molded component. The contact module  100  includes the substantially L-letter shaped contact members  101  through  106  and the electrically insulating main body part  110  that encloses the center portions of the contact members  101  through  106  and holds them in alignment. The main body part  110  has a substantially square plate shape and has the thickness T 1 . 
     The contact members  101 ,  102 ,  103 ,  104 ,  105 , and  106  have their respective forked contact parts  101   a ,  102   a ,  103   a ,  104   a ,  105   a , and  106   a  at one end, and have respective press-fit terminal parts  101   b ,  102   b ,  103   b ,  104   b ,  105   b , and  106   b  at the other end. The forked contact parts  101   a  through  106   a  project in the Y 2  direction from the main body part  110  and are arranged in the Z 1 -Z 2  directions. The press-fit terminal parts  101   b  through  106   b  project in the Z 2  direction from the main body part  110  and are arranged in the Y 1 -Y 2  directions. 
     The contact members  102  and  103  form a differential transmission pair, and the contact members  104  and  105  form a differential transmission pair. 
     The outermost contact member  101  has the bulge part  101   c  projecting in the Z 1  direction at the root of the forked contact part  101   a.    
     The innermost contact member  106  has the bulge part  106   c  projecting in the Z 2  direction at the root of the forked contact part  106   a.    
     The bulge part  101   c  and the bulge part  106   c  serve as a first bulge part. 
     The main body part  110  has the guide rail part  111 U and a flange part  112 U on its Z 1  side end face, and has the guide rail part  111 L and a flange part  112 L on its Z 2  side end face. 
     The guide rail part  111 U is formed on the substantially Y 2 -side half of the Z 1  end face of the main body part  110 . The flange part  112 U is formed on the substantially Y 1 -side half of the Z 1  end face of the main body part  110 . The guide rail part  111 L is formed at the Y 2  end of the Z 2  end face of the main body part  110 . The flange part  112 L is formed at the Y 1  end of the Z 2  end face of the main body part  110 . 
     The guide rail part  111 U is formed in the widthwise center of the Z 1  end face of the main body part  110 , and has a rectangular cross section. The guide rail part  111 U has a size corresponding to the above-described first guide groove part  43 U, and has the width W 1 , a height H 10  corresponding to the depth D 1 , and the length C. The width W 1 , which is less than the thickness T 1  of the main body part  110 , is approximately a third of the thickness T 1 . 
     The flange part  112 U has a rectangular cross section greater than the cross section of the guide rail part  111 U. The flange part  112 U has a height H 11  and a width W 11  corresponding to a pitch p 1  ( FIG. 12A ) with which the upper and lower guide grooves  42 U and  42 L are respectively arranged. The flange part  112 U has an end face  112 Ua on the guide rail part  111 U side, an upper surface  112 Ub, and an X 2 -side cutout part  112 Uc on the lower side. 
     The guide rail part  111 L has a size corresponding to the first guide groove part  43 L, and has the length E, the width W 1 , and the height H 10 . 
     The main body part  110  has an end face  114  on the guide rail part  111 L side. 
     The flange part  112 L projects in the X 1  and Z 2  directions from the main body part  110 , but not in the X 2  direction. 
     As described below, the cutout part  112 Uc exposes the entrance of the corresponding guide groove  50 U. The shape of the flange part  112 L exposes the entrance of the corresponding guide groove  50 L. 
     Further, the main body part  110  has a rectangular projection  115  on its X 2  side (surface), and has multiple ribs  116 ,  117 , and  118  extending in the Y 1 -Y 2  directions on its X 1  side (surface). The projection  115  increases its thickness in the Y 2  direction so as to facilitate incorporation of the shield member  120 . 
     [Shape of Shield Member  120 ] 
       FIG. 19  is a perspective view of the shield member  120 . The shield member  120 , which is shaped like a plate, includes a rectangular main body part  121 , the forked shield piece parts  122 ,  123 , and  124 , and press-fit terminal parts  125 ,  126 , and  127 . The shield piece parts  122 ,  123 , and  124  project in the Y 2  direction from the main body part  121  and are arranged in the Z 1 -Z 2  directions. The press-fit terminal parts  125 ,  126 , and  127  project in the Z 2  direction from the main body part  121  and are arranged in the Y 1 -Y 2  directions. 
     The main body part  121  has a quadrilateral opening  128  formed therein. Further, the main body part  121  has the bulge part  130 U and the bulge part  130 L formed at its Y 2  end to project in the Z 1  and Z 2  directions, respectively. The bulge parts  130 U and  130 L serve as a second bulge part. 
     [Configuration of Socket Connector  20 ] 
     Referring to  FIGS. 3 through 10A  and  10 B, according to the socket connector  20 , the contact modules  100  and the shield members  120  are inserted into the housing  21  from its rear side so as to be alternately arranged in the longitudinal directions of the housing  21  (socket connector  20 ). That is, the shield members  120  are positioned in the corresponding narrow gaps each formed between the corresponding adjacent two of the contact modules  100 . 
     Referring to  FIGS. 6A ,  6 B,  6 C,  7 A,  7 B, and  7 C, P 1  and P 2  show the positions at which the contact module  100  is fixed to the housing  21 , Q 1  and Q 2  show the positions at which the shield member  120  is fixed to the housing  21 , and R shows the position at which the shield member  120  and the contact module  100  are coupled and fixed to each other. 
     The forked contact parts  101   a  through  106   a  are housed in the corresponding contact part chambers  23 ,  24 ,  25 , and  26 ; the guide rail part  111 U is fitted into the first guide groove part  43 U over the length C; the guide rail part  111 L is fitted into the first guide groove part  43 L over the length E; the bulge part  101   c  is fitted into the second guide groove part  44 U and bites its ceiling part  45 U (P 1 ); the bulge part  106   c  is fitted into the second guide groove part  44 L and bites the bottom plate part  45 L thereof (P 2 ); the end face  112 Ua abuts the end face  41 U of the projecting part  40 U; and the end face  114  abuts the end face  41 L of the projecting part  40 L. The individual contact modules  100  are thus attached to the housing  21  in alignment in the X 1 -X 2  directions. The flange parts  112 U are tightly or gaplessly arranged. The upper surfaces  112 Ub of the flange parts  112 U are level with the upper surface of the projecting part  40 U. 
     The flange parts  112 U of each adjacent two of the contact modules  100  are tightly or gaplessly arranged. 
       FIGS. 7A and 7C  are enlarged views respectively of portion  700  and portion  710  illustrated in  FIG. 7B . As shown in particular in  FIG. 7B , the forked shield piece parts  122 ,  123 , and  124  are housed in the corresponding shield piece part chambers  27 ,  28 , and  29 ; the bulge part  130 U is fitted into the guide groove  50 U and bites its ceiling part  51 U (Q 1 ); the bulge part  130 L is fitted into the guide groove  50 L and bites its bottom part  51 L (Q 2 ); the main body part  121  is positioned in the narrow gap between the adjacent contact modules  100 ; and the opening  128  engages the projection  115  of the corresponding contact module  100  (R) to be coupled and fixed thereto. The individual shield members  120  are thus attached to the housing  21 . 
     [Relationship of Fixation of Housing  21 , Contact Module  100 , and Shield Member  120 ] 
     Here, a description is given of the relationship of fixation of the housing  21 , the contact module  100 , and the shield member  120 . 
     The contact module  100  is fixed to the housing  21  at the positions P 1  and P 2  so as to prevent the contact module  100  from coming out from the housing  21 . The shield member  120  is also fixed to the housing  21  at the positions Q 1  and Q 2  so as to prevent the shield member  120  from coming out from the housing  21 . The shield member  120  and the contact module  100  are coupled and fixed to each other at the position R. Therefore, the contact module  100  is prevented from coming out from the housing  21  by not only the fixation of the contact module  100  itself at the positions P 1  and P 2  but also the fixation of the shield member  120  at the positions Q 1  and Q 2 . The shield member  120  serves as an anchor against the coming-out of the contact module  100  from the housing  21 . Therefore, the contact module  100  is prevented from coming out from the housing  21  with a force greater than in the conventional socket connector, which relies on only the fixation of the contact module itself at the contact positions with the housing to prevent the contact module from coming out from the housing. Therefore, in the socket connector  20  of this embodiment, the alignment of the contact modules  100  is not disordered even by application of a force of such strength as to disorder the alignment of contact modules in the conventional socket connector. 
     The shield member  120  is prevented from coming out from the housing in the Y 1  direction by the upper and lower bulge parts  130 U and  130 L biting the guide grooves  50 U and  50 L, respectively, and by the opening  128  fitting around the projection  115 . 
     [Alignment Condition in Case where Contact Module  100  Slightly Comes Out from Housing  21 ] 
     The contact module  100  has its guide rail part  111 U fitting into the first guide groove part  43 U over the length C and has its guide rail part  111 L fitting into the first guide groove part  43 L over the length E. Therefore, even if the contact module  100  is slightly displaced to come off from the housing  21  in the Y 1  direction for reasons such as receiving a significantly strong impact during handling of the socket connector  20 , neither does the guide rail part  111 U come off from the guide groove part  43 U nor does the guide rail part  111 L come off from the guide groove part  43 L. Accordingly, the fitting of the guide rail part  111 L and the first guide groove part  43 L and, in particular, the fitting of the guide rail part  111 U and the first guide groove part  43 U are maintained. Therefore, the restriction on the position of the contact module  100  relative to the housing  21  is maintained with respect to the X 1 -X 2  directions. Accordingly, the contact module  100  is prevented from becoming loose and remains in the same position as its original position with respect to the X 1 -X 2  directions, so that the alignment of the contact modules  100  is immediately restored by an operator simply pushing in the displaced contact module  100 . 
     Here, even if the contact module  100  is displaced so much in the Y 1  direction that the guide rail part  111 L comes out from the first guide groove part  43 L, the guide rail part  111 U is prevented from coming out from the first guide groove part  43 U, so that the restriction on the position of the contact module  100  relative to the housing  21  is maintained with respect to the X 1 -X 2  directions. 
     Thus, according to one aspect of the present invention, shield members are fixed to the housing of a socket connector. Accordingly, the shield members function as anchors against the coming-out of corresponding contact modules from the housing. As a result, the contact modules are prevented from coming out from the housing with a force greater than conventionally, and the contact modules are kept in alignment with greater strength. 
     The present invention is not limited to the specifically disclosed embodiment, and variations and modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention.