Patent Publication Number: US-10312636-B2

Title: Connector with reduced resonance

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application claims the benefit of the filing date under 35 U.S.C. § 119(a)-(d) of Chinese Patent Application No. 201610918088.4, filed on Oct. 21, 2016. 
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a connector and, more particularly, to a connector having two or more rows of contacts. 
     BACKGROUND 
     In known connectors having two or more rows of contacts, referred to as multi-row connectors, resonance between two adjacent rows of contacts restricts electrical performance of the connector. In order to reduce the volume of the multi-row connector, two adjacent rows of contacts are generally designed to be relatively close, which results in relatively strong electrical coupling between the two adjacent rows of contacts, resulting in relatively strong resonance between the two adjacent rows of contacts. If the inter-row resonance between the two adjacent rows of contacts is strong, frequency domain crosstalk between the two adjacent rows of contacts peaks, causing time-domain concussion and other issues. There is a need to reduce or eliminate the resonance between adjacent rows of contacts without excessively increasing the volume of the multi-row connector. 
     SUMMARY 
     A connector according to the invention comprises an insulation body and at least two rows of contacts disposed in the insulation body. The at least two rows of contacts extend in a first direction. A plurality of first contacts of a first row of the at least two rows of contacts corresponds to a plurality of second contacts of a second row of the at least two rows of contacts. A pair of corresponding contacts in the first row and second row is staggered in the first direction by a predetermined distance set to be 1.20-1.80 times a contact pitch between a pair of adjacent contacts in each of the first row and second row. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying Figures, of which: 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a connector according to an embodiment of the invention mated with a mating connector; 
         FIG. 2  is a sectional view of the connector and the mating connector of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  is a plan view of two adjacent rows of contacts of the connector of  FIG. 1  staggered by a first predetermined distance; 
         FIG. 4  is a plan view of two adjacent rows of contacts of the connector of  FIG. 1  staggered by a second predetermined distance; 
         FIG. 5  is a plan view of two adjacent rows of contacts of the connector of  FIG. 1  staggered by a third predetermined distance; 
         FIG. 6  is a plan view of two adjacent rows of contacts of the connector of  FIG. 1  staggered by a fourth predetermined distance; 
         FIG. 7  is a plan view of two adjacent rows of contacts of the connector of  FIG. 1  staggered by a fifth predetermined distance; 
         FIG. 8  is a graph of a frequency domain crosstalk between the two adjacent rows of contacts of the connector of  FIG. 1  in the case where two corresponding contacts of the two adjacent rows of contacts are not staggered; 
         FIG. 9  is a graph of a frequency domain crosstalk between the two adjacent rows of contacts of the connector of  FIG. 1  in the case where two corresponding contacts of the two adjacent rows of contacts are staggered by the first distance; 
         FIG. 10  is a graph of a frequency domain crosstalk between the two adjacent rows of contacts of the connector of  FIG. 1  in the case where two corresponding contacts of the two adjacent rows of contacts are staggered by the second distance; 
         FIG. 11  is a graph of a frequency domain crosstalk between the two adjacent rows of contacts of the connector of  FIG. 1  in the case where two corresponding contacts of the two adjacent rows of contacts are staggered by the third distance; 
         FIG. 12  is a graph of a frequency domain crosstalk between the two adjacent rows of contacts of the connector of  FIG. 1  in the case where two corresponding contacts of the two adjacent rows of contacts are staggered by the fourth distance; 
         FIG. 13  is a graph of a frequency domain crosstalk between the two adjacent rows of contacts of the connector of  FIG. 1  in the case where two corresponding contacts of the two adjacent rows of contacts are staggered by the fifth distance; 
         FIG. 14  is a sectional view of a connector according to another embodiment of the invention mated with a mating connector; 
         FIG. 15  is a perspective view of two adjacent rows of contacts of the connector of  FIG. 14 ; 
         FIG. 16  is a plan view of soldering portions of the two adjacent rows of contacts of the connector of  FIG. 14 ; 
         FIG. 17  is a plan view of contact portions of the two adjacent rows of contacts of the connector of  FIG. 14 ; and 
         FIG. 18  is a graph of a frequency domain crosstalk between two corresponding contacts of the two adjacent rows of the connector shown in  FIG. 14  in the case where the two corresponding contacts of the two adjacent rows of contacts are not staggered, and a graph of a frequency domain crosstalk between the two corresponding contacts of the two adjacent rows of the connector in the case where the two corresponding contacts of the soldering portions of the two adjacent rows of contacts are staggered. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENT(S) 
     Embodiments of the present invention will be described hereinafter in detail with reference to the attached drawings, wherein like reference numerals refer to the like elements. The present invention may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as being limited to the embodiments set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided so that the disclosure will be thorough and complete and will fully convey the concept of the invention to those skilled in the art. 
     A connector  100  according to an embodiment of the invention is shown in  FIGS. 1-13 . The connector  100 , as shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , comprises an insulation body  110  and at least two rows of contacts R 1 , R 2  disposed in the insulation body  110 . 
     The two rows of contacts R 1 , R 2 , as shown in  FIG. 3 , have contacts corresponding with one another within the insulation body  110 . Each row of contacts R 1 , R 2  is arranged in a first direction Y and comprises at least one pair of high-speed differential signal contacts S, S; in the shown embodiment, each row of contacts R 1 , R 2  comprises three pairs of high-speed differential signal contacts S, S. Each side of each pair of high-speed differential signal contacts S, S in each row of contacts R 1 , R 2  is provided with a ground contact G. Each row of contacts R 1 , R 2  is also provided with at least one pair of low-speed differential signal contacts T, T; in the shown embodiment, each row of contacts R 1 , R 2  is provided with two pairs of low-speed differential signal contacts T, T. Each side of each pair of low-speed differential signal contacts T, T is also provided with a ground contact G. Thus, any two adjacent pairs of differential signal contacts S, S or T, T in each row of contacts R 1 , R 2  are separated by a ground contact G. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , each contact of each row of contacts R 1 , R 2  comprises a soldering portion W adapted to be soldered to a circuit board  10 , a contact portion E adapted to be in electrical contact with a mating connector  100 ′, and a connecting portion C connecting the soldering portion W and the contact portion E. In the embodiment shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the connecting portion C is substantially perpendicular to a surface of the circuit board  10 . The mating connector  100 ′ is soldered onto another circuit board  10 ′. The circuit board  10  and the circuit board  10 ′ are electrically connected to each other through the connector  100  and the mating connector  100 ′. 
     Any two corresponding contacts, which are arranged in the two adjacent rows of contacts R 1 , R 2 , respectively, are at least partially staggered in the first direction Y by a predetermined distance D as shown in  FIG. 7 , so as to suppress the resonance between the two adjacent rows of contacts R 1 , R 2 . As shown in  FIGS. 3-7 , the predetermined distance D may be set to be 1.20-1.80 times of a contact pitch P between two adjacent contacts in each row of contacts R 1 , R 2 . In another embodiment, the predetermined distance D may be set to be 1.35-1.65 times the contact pitch P. As shown in  FIG. 3 , any two corresponding contacts of the two adjacent rows of contacts R 1 , R 2  are staggered in the first direction Y by a distance 1.2 P; as shown in  FIG. 4 , any two corresponding contacts of the two adjacent rows of contacts R 1 , R 2  are staggered in the first direction Y by a distance of 1.35 P; as shown in  FIG. 5 , any two corresponding contacts of the two adjacent rows of contacts R 1 , R 2  are staggered in the first direction Y by a distance of 1.5 P; as shown in  FIG. 6 , any two corresponding contacts of the two adjacent rows of contacts R 1 , R 2  are staggered in the first direction Y by a distance of 1.65 P; and shown in  FIG. 7 , any two corresponding contacts of the two adjacent rows of contacts R 1 , R 2  are staggered in the first direction Y by a distance of 1.8 P. 
       FIGS. 8-13  show graphs of a frequency domain crosstalk between the two adjacent rows of contacts R 1 , R 2  of the connector  100  in the case where the two corresponding contacts of the two adjacent rows of contacts R, R 2  are not staggered, staggered by a distance of 1.2 P, staggered by a distance of 1.35 P, staggered by a distance of 1.5 P, staggered by a distance of 1.65 P and staggered by a distance of 1.8 P, respectively. 
     A spike in each of the graphs of an inter-row frequency domain crosstalk in  FIGS. 8-13  corresponds to an inter-row resonance. When the two corresponding contacts of the two adjacent rows of contacts R 1 , R 2  are staggered by a distance of 1.5 P, as shown in  FIG. 11 , amplitude of the spike in the graph of an inter-row frequency domain crosstalk is the smallest. When the two corresponding contacts of the two adjacent rows of contacts R 1 , R 2  are not staggered, that is, the two corresponding contacts of the two adjacent rows of contacts R 1 , R 2  are aligned with each other, as shown in  FIG. 8 , amplitude of the spike in the graph of an inter-row frequency domain crosstalk is the largest. As shown in  FIGS. 9-11 , when the staggered distance between the two corresponding contacts of the two adjacent rows of contacts R 1 , R 2  of the connector  100  varies from 1.2 P to 1.5 P, the amplitudes of the spikes in the graphs of an inter-row frequency domain crosstalk decrease gradually. As shown in  FIGS. 11-13 , when the staggered distance between the two corresponding contacts of the two adjacent rows of contacts R 1 , R 2  of the connector  100  varies from 1.8 P to 1.5 P, the amplitudes of the spikes in the graphs of an inter-row frequency domain crosstalk decrease gradually. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , since a distance between the two adjacent rows of contacts R 1 , R 2  in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction Y and parallel to the surface of the circuit board  10  is relatively small, electrical coupling between the adjacent two rows of contacts R 1 , R 2  is relatively strong. In order to effectively suppress the resonance between the adjacent two rows of contacts R 1  and R 2 , every part of any two corresponding contacts of the two adjacent rows of contacts R 1 , R 2  are staggered in the first direction Y by the predetermined distance D, that is, the soldering portions W, the connecting portions C and the contact portions E of any two corresponding contacts of the two adjacent rows of contacts R 1 , R 2  are also staggered in the first direction Y by the predetermined distance. 
     A connector  200  according to another embodiment of the invention will be described below with reference to  FIGS. 14-18 . The connector  200 , as shown in  FIGS. 14 and 15 , has an insulation body  210  and at least two rows of contacts R 1 , R 2  held in the insulation body  210 . 
     As shown in  FIGS. 14 and 15 , contacts of one of the two adjacent rows of contacts R 1 , R 2  correspond to contacts of the other of the two adjacent rows of contacts R 1 , R 2 , respectively. Each row of contacts R 1 , R 2  is arranged in a first direction Y and comprises at least one pair of high-speed differential signal contacts S, S; in the shown embodiment, each row of contacts R 1 , R 2  has three or more pairs of high-speed differential signal contacts S, S. Each side of each pair of high-speed differential signal contacts S, S in each row of contacts R 1 , R 2  is provided with a ground contact G. Thus, any two adjacent pairs of high-speed differential signal contacts S, S in each row of contacts R 1 , R 2  are separated by a ground contact G. 
     Each contact of each row of contacts R 1 , R 2 , as shown in  FIG. 14 , comprises a soldering portion  1   d ,  2   d  adapted to be soldered to a circuit board  10 , a contact portion  1   c ,  2   c  adapted to be in electrical contact with a mating connector  200 ′, and a connecting portion for connecting the soldering portion and the contact portion. In the embodiment shown in  FIGS. 14 and 15 , the connecting portion comprises a first connecting portion  1   a ,  2   a  substantially perpendicular to a surface of the circuit board  10  and a second connecting portion  1   b ,  2   b  substantially parallel to the surface of the circuit board  10 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 16 , at least parts of any two corresponding contacts of the two adjacent rows of contacts R 1 , R 2  are staggered in the first direction Y by a predetermined distance D, so as to suppress a resonance between the two adjacent rows of contacts R 1 , R 2 . The predetermined distance D may be set to be 1.20-1.80 times of a contact pitch P between two adjacent contacts in each row of contacts R 1 , R 2 . In the embodiment shown in  FIG. 16 , at least parts of any two corresponding contacts from the two adjacent rows of contacts R 1 , R 2  are staggered in the first direction Y by a predetermined distance D of 1.5 times the pitch P. In such an arrangement, the resonance between the two adjacent rows of contacts R 1 , R 2  is theoretically zero. However, the predetermined distance D is not necessarily equal to 1.5 times the pitch P; when the predetermined distance D by which at least parts of any two corresponding contacts from the two adjacent rows of contacts R 1 , R 2  are staggered in the first direction Y are set to be equal to 1.2 P, 1.35 P, 1.65 P or 1.8 P, the resonance between the two adjacent rows of contacts R 1 , R 2  may also be suppressed. 
     Since a distance between the first connecting portions  1   a ,  2   a  of any two corresponding contacts of the two adjacent rows of contacts R 1 , R 2  in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction Y and parallel to the surface of the circuit board  10  is relatively small, electrical coupling between adjacent two rows of contacts R 1 , R 2  is relatively strong. However, in the embodiment shown in  FIGS. 14 and 15 , a distance between the second connecting portions  1   b ,  2   b  of any two corresponding contacts of the two adjacent rows of contacts R 1 , R 2  in a third direction perpendicular to the surface of the circuit board  10  is relatively large, thus, the electrical coupling between the second connecting portions  1   b ,  2   b  of adjacent two rows of contacts R 1 , R 2  is relatively weak. The second connecting portions  1   b ,  2   b  of any two corresponding contacts of the two adjacent rows of contacts R 1 , R 2  are far apart, and the electrical coupling between the second connecting portions  1   b ,  2   b  is relatively weak. Just by staggering the first connecting portions  1   a ,  2   a  and the soldered portions  1   d ,  2   d  of any two corresponding contacts of the two adjacent rows of the contacts R 1 , R 2  by the predetermined distance D in the first direction Y, the resonance between adjacent two rows of contacts R 1  and R 2  may be effectively reduced or eliminated, without requiring that every parts of any two corresponding contacts of the two adjacent rows of contacts R 1  and R 2  are staggered by the predetermined distance D. Only the first connecting portions  1   a ,  2   a  and the soldering portions  1   d ,  2   d  of any two corresponding contacts of the two adjacent rows of contacts R 1 , R 2  are staggered in the first direction Y by the predetermined distance D, respectively, whereas the second connecting portions  1   b ,  2   b  and contact portions  1   c ,  2   c  of any two corresponding contacts of the two adjacent rows of contacts R 1 , R 2  are not staggered (i.e. are aligned with each other), or staggered by a distance less than the predetermined distance D in the first direction Y. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 16 and 17 , the soldering portions  1   d ,  2   d  of any two corresponding contacts of the two adjacent rows of contacts R 1 , R 2  are staggered in the first direction Y by a distance of 1.5 P, whereas the contact portions of  1   c ,  2   c  of any two corresponding contacts of the two adjacent rows of contacts R 1 , R 2  are not staggered in the first direction Y, that is, the contact portions of  1   c ,  2   c  of any two corresponding contacts of the two adjacent rows of contacts R 1 , R 2  are aligned with each other in the first direction Y. In other embodiments, the second connecting portions  1   b ,  2   b  and contact portions  1   c ,  2   c  of any two corresponding contacts of the two adjacent rows of contacts R 1 , R 2  may also be staggered by a predetermined distance in the first direction, which may also reduce or eliminate resonance between two adjacent rows of contacts R 1 , R 2 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 18 , a graph L 1  is a frequency domain crosstalk between two corresponding contacts of the two adjacent rows of contacts R 1 , R 2  of the connector  200  shown in  FIG. 15  in the case where the soldering portions  1   d ,  2   d  of any two corresponding contacts are staggered by a distance of 1.5 P, and a graph L 2  shows a graph of a frequency domain crosstalk in the case where the soldering portions  1   d ,  2   d  of any two corresponding contacts are not staggered in the first direction Y. Comparing the graph L 1  to the graph L 2 , it can be clearly seen that the amplitude of the spike in the graph of a frequency domain crosstalk between rows of contacts may be effectively reduced when the two corresponding contacts of the two adjacent rows of contacts R 1  and R 2  are staggered by a distance of 1.5 P, that is, resonance between two adjacent rows of contacts is effectively suppressed.