Patent Publication Number: US-2010112859-A1

Title: Shielded connector system

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     Considering data transmission hardware, connectors are devices that join electrical circuitry and reside at data transfer junctures. Connectors can be divided into two categories: internal connectors and external connectors. Internal connectors are so named because of their use when the transfer juncture is housed because stray pressure, e.g., inadvertently pulling on a cable that terminates in the connector, is unlikely. As such, internal connectors are designed with a low profile and small size that is well suited to data transmission applications where space is limited. External connectors are so named because of their use when the transfer juncture is in the open and subject to stray pressure. As such, external connectors are designed for physical connection strength, which typically makes the external connectors larger and bulkier especially considering housing space need not be conserved. External connectors are also designed with electromagnetic interference (“EMI”) shielding to prevent data corruption. As such, external connectors cannot be used if spatial efficiency is desired, and internal connectors cannot be used if shielding is desired. 
     The Mini Multilane data transmission hardware is designed to satisfy the needs for gigabit serial data transmission applications. Design goals are minimization of crosstalk and minimum transmission line impedance discontinuity across the connector interface at speeds of up to 10 Gigabits/second on two rows of contacts. Though Mini Multilane connectors are designed for a 100 ohm environment, the connectors will function at other impedance levels. The Mini Multilane standard for connectors is based on card edge style contacts. This connection scheme may be used in multiple locations within a cabling environment including locations typically calling for an internal connectors and external connectors. The Mini Multilane standard relies on a receiving body and paddle card, which are the primary elements to construct connectors. As an example of the difference in design for the internal Mini Multilane connector and the external Mini Multilane connector, the internal connector is unshielded and has a connection strength that withstands at least 10 lbf of stress, whereas the external connector is shielded and withstands at least 20 lbf of stress. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       For a detailed description of exemplary embodiments of the invention, reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings in which: 
         FIG. 1  illustrates a perspective view of a system comprising a cable connector, an electromagnetic interference (“EMI”) shield, a board-mounted receptacle, and a board in accordance with at least some illustrative embodiments; 
         FIG. 2  illustrates a perspective view of the system without the shield disposed about the receptacle, and with the connector uncoupled from the receptacle in accordance with at least some illustrative embodiments; 
         FIG. 3  illustrates a side view of the system in accordance with at least some illustrative embodiments; 
         FIG. 4  illustrates a perspective view of the lower portion of the cable connector shielding in isolation in accordance with at least some illustrative embodiments; 
         FIG. 5  illustrates a perspective view of the upper portion of the cable connector shielding in isolation in accordance with at least some illustrative embodiments; 
         FIG. 6  illustrates a perspective view of the shield with the surface adjacent to the board face up in accordance with at least some illustrative embodiments; 
         FIG. 7  illustrates a perspective view of the shield with the surface adjacent to the board face down in accordance with at least some illustrative embodiments; and 
         FIG. 8  illustrates the system further comprising a computer in accordance with at least some illustrative embodiments. 
     
    
    
     NOTATION AND NOMENCLATURE 
     Certain terms are used throughout the following claims and description to refer to particular components. As one skilled in the art will appreciate, different entities may refer to a component by different names. This document does not intend to distinguish between components that differ in name but not function. In the following discussion and in the claims, the terms “including” and “comprising” are used in an open-ended fashion, and thus should be interpreted to mean “including, but not limited to . . . .” Also, the term “couple” or “couples” is intended to mean an optical, wireless, indirect electrical, or direct electrical connection. Thus, if a first device couples to a second device, that connection may be through a direct electrical connection, through an indirect electrical connection via other devices and connections, through an optical connection, or through a wireless connection. Additionally, the term “system” refers to a collection of two or more hardware components, and may be used to refer to an electronic device. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     The following discussion is directed to various embodiments of the invention. Although one or more of these embodiments may be preferred, the embodiments disclosed should not be interpreted, or otherwise used, as limiting the scope of the disclosure, including the claims. In addition, one skilled in the art will understand that the following description has broad application, and the discussion of any embodiment is meant only to be exemplary of that embodiment, and not intended to intimate that the scope of the disclosure, including the claims, is limited to that embodiment. 
     Although any type of internal and external connectors are within the scope of this disclosure, the Mini Multilane connectors will be discussed for simplicity and clarity. The present system contains the benefits of both the 360 degree shielding of external connectors and the space conserving attributes of internal connectors by shielding the internal connector and strengthening a shield at the transfer juncture. Moreover, the system is designed to be backwards compatible with unshielded internal connectors as well. 
       FIG. 1  illustrates a perspective view of an illustrative system comprising a cable connector  100 , an electromagnetic interference (“EMI”) shield  300 , and a board  400 .  FIG. 2  illustrates a perspective view of the system without the shield  300  disposed about a receptacle  200  and with the connector  100  uncoupled from the receptacle  200 . The system also comprises a board-mounted receptacle  200 , which is obscured, and to which the connector  100  is electrically coupled. The figure illustrates the connector  100  fully inserted into the shield  300 . As such, the connector  1   00  is partially obscured by the shield  300 . In addition to shielding EMI, the shield  300  provides guidance and support for the connector  100 , and absorbs mechanical stress imposed by insertion and removal of the connector  100  into the receptacle  200 . 
     In at least one embodiment, the cable connector  100  comprises a cable portion  101  and a connector portion  106 . Preferably, the cable connector  100  is a Mini Multilane internal connector that comprises a paddle card  108 ; however any type of connector is within the scope of this disclosure. The paddle card  108  comprises contacts that correspond to contacts  204  on the receptacle  200  for electrical coupling. Upon coupling, the paddle card  108  is at least partially enclosed by the receptacle  200 . Preferably, the cable connector  100  comprises a housing portion  112  that houses the paddle card. In at least one embodiment, the housing portion is made of plastic, but any material suitable for housing is within the scope of this disclosure. 
     In at least one embodiment, the cable connector  100  is fully or partially EMI shielded. Preferably, EMI shielding about the cable connector  100  comprises an upper portion  102  disposed on the top side of the housing portion  112  and a lower portion  104  disposed on the bottom side of the housing portion  112  as illustrated, and the shielding is disposed at least partially about the housing portion  112  and at least partially about the cable portion  101 . In at least one embodiment, the upper portion  102  and lower portion  104  are made of sheet metal, but any material and shape suitable for shielding EMI is within the scope of this disclosure. The cable connector  100  also comprises securing members  110  on the left and right sides of the connector portion  106  as illustrated to secure the cable connector  100  to the shield  300  via a corresponding securing notch  314  ( FIG. 3 ). Preferably, the securing members  110  are of the same plastic as the housing portion  11   2 , but any material and shape suitable for support is within the scope of this disclosure. As illustrated, the securing members  110  are rectangular in shape. Preferably, the board  400  comprises a circuit board. In at least one embodiment, the circuit board comprises traces that couple to contacts on the paddle card  108  via the contacts  204  on the receptacle  200 . 
     Preferably, the receptacle  200  is a right angle receptacle; however, any type of receptacle is within the scope of this disclosure. A right angle design is for use with boards where the mating direction is parallel to the plane of the board  400 . Another type of design, the “straight-body” design, is for use with boards where the mating direction is perpendicular to the plane of the board  400 . The receptacle  200  comprises a set of contacts  204  that electrically couple the contacts on the paddle card  108  to traces on the board  400 , and the receptacle  200  is mounted to the board  400  via pegs  202  (obscured). The board  400  comprises support holes  402 , shield holes  404 , and peg holes  406  (obscured). Support holes  402  are used with support members  308  ( FIG. 7 ) on the shield  300 , shield holes  404  are used with shield stabilizers  312  ( FIG. 7 ) on the shield  300 , and peg holes are used with pegs  202  ( FIG. 3 ) on the receptacle  200 . 
       FIG. 3  illustrates a side view of the system with the shield  300  illustrated in translucent form so that the profile of the receptacle  200  may be seen. The receptacle  200  comprises pegs  202 , one on right side of the receptacle  200  and one on the left, which mate with peg holes  406  to stabilize the receptacle  200  on the board  400 . Preferably, the pegs  202  and the peg holes  406  are square, and the pegs  202  are made of the same material as the receptacle  200 , but any shape, number, or material suitable for mounting is within the scope of this disclosure. 
     Similarly, shield stabilizers  312 , eight in number in some embodiments, are hollow rectangular protrusions from the shield  300  that mate with shield holes  404  to stabilize the shield  300  on the board  400 . Preferably, the shield stabilizers  312  are made of the same material as the shield  300 , but any shape, number, or material suitable for securing is within the scope of this disclosure. The shield  300  preferably comprises securing notches  314 , one on the left and right side of the shield  300 , which accept the securing members  110  of the connector  100 . When coupled, the notches  314  and the securing members  110  prevent stray pressures from moving the connector  100  perpendicular to the plane of the board  400  and prevent the connector  100  from exerting excess pressure on the receptacle  200  in the mating direction. Preferably, the notches  314  comprise rectangular indentations in the left and right sides of the shield  300 , but any shape or location suitable for securing is within the scope of this disclosure. The shield  300  also preferably comprises left and right support members  310 . The left and right support members  310  contact the sides of the connector portion  106  when the connector portion  106  enters the shield  300  such that the support members exert force on the connector portion  106  toward the inside of the shield  300 . Such force guides the connector  100  to correctly mate with the receptacle  200  and stabilizes the final connection by preventing excess motion of the connector portion  106  parallel to the plane of the board  400 . 
     As illustrated, each of the left and right support members  310  comprises two finger-shaped members  310   a,    310   b  cut out in relief from the corresponding side of the shield  300 . The two members  310   a,    310   b  that make up one support member  310  are coupled together and coupled to the main body of the shield  300  in a location near to the securing notches  314 . Each of these members is curved toward the inside of the shield to provide the securing force described above. In at least one embodiment, the left and right support members  310  are displaced toward the outside of shield  300  when the connector  100  is coupled to the receptacle  200 . Preferably, the left and right support members are made of the same material as the rest of the shield  300 , but any suitable securing material, location, and number of left and right supporting members  310  is within the scope of this disclosure. 
       FIG. 4  illustrates a perspective view of the lower portion  104  of the cable connector  100  shielding in isolation, and  FIG. 5  illustrates a perspective view of the upper portion  102  of the connector  100  shielding in isolation. Preferably, the lower portion  104  is identical to the upper portion  102 , though non-identical portions are within the scope of this disclosure. In at least one embodiment, each portion  102 , 104  comprises a cable shielding portion  112 ,  116 . Preferably, each cable shielding portion  112 ,  116  is semi-cylindrical such that a cylinder is formed around the cable  101  when the cable shielding portions  112 ,  116  are coupled. In at least one embodiment, cable shielding portions  112 ,  116  form a shield at least partially around the cable  101  of the connector  100 . Each upper and lower portion  102 ,  104  comprises a rectangular portion  113 ,  115  coupled to the cable shielding portion  112 ,  116 . As illustrated, the rectangular portions  113 , 115  surround the connector  100  on all sides from the cable until the securing members  110 . Afterwards, the rectangular portions  113 ,  115  cover the top and bottom of the connector  100 , with the exceptions of the tabs  114 ,  118 . Preferably, the tabs  114 ,  118  comprise extensions of the rectangular portions  113 ,  115  that cover the sides of the connector  100  such that shielding is provided despite holes in the shield  300  designed to accommodate the left and right support members  310 . Preferably the tabs  114 ,  118  are of a size and shape sufficient to correspond to such holes although any size, shape, and number of tabs are within the scope of this disclosure. Preferably, the rectangular portions  113 ,  115  extend to cover holes in the shield  300  designed to accommodate the top  316  and bottom  308  support members, discussed below. 
       FIG. 6  illustrates a perspective view of the shield  300  with the bottom surface  302  adjacent to the board  400  face up. Preferably, the EMI shield is rectangular. In at least one embodiment, the EMI shield comprises sides and a bottom surface  302  of less than 0.089 inches thick. In at least one embodiment, the EMI shield comprises sides and a bottom surface  302  of less than 0.052 inches thick. Preferably, the EMI shield comprises sides and a bottom surface  302  of 0.01 inches thick. Preferably, the bottom surface  302  comprises peg holes  304 , through which pegs  202  (seen in  FIG. 3 ) of the receptacle  200  are used to mount the receptacle  200  to the board  400 . As illustrated, the peg holes  304  are square, but any shape or number is within the scope of this disclosure. The bottom surface  302  also preferably comprises a contact hole  306  through which the contacts  204  of the receptacle  200  electrically couple to the board  400 . As illustrated, the contact hole  306  is rectangular, but any shape or number is within the scope of this disclosure. In at least one embodiment, the contact hole  306  is large enough to accommodate the full form factor of the receptacle  200  as well as nearby elements used to gain access to the board  400 , e.g., vias. As illustrated, the bottom surface  302  comprises bottom support members  308  that are displaced into the support holes  402  of the board  400  by the connector  100  when the connector  100  is coupled to the receptacle  200 . Preferably, bottom support members  308  comprise a finger-shaped member cut out in relief from the bottom of the shield  300 , much like the left and right support members  310  except having one “finger.” Each of these members is curved toward the inside of the shield  300  to provide a securing force to prevent excess motion of the connector  100  perpendicular to the board  400  when the connector  100  is coupled to the receptacle  200 . Preferably, the bottom support members  308  are made of the same material as the rest of the shield  300 , but any material, number, location, or shape suitable for support is within the scope of this disclosure. 
     As illustrated, eight shield stabilizers  312  protrude from the bottom of the shield  300 , and the shield stabilizers  312  have a hollow rectangular shape. Preferably, the shield stabilizers  312  are made of the same material as the shield  300 , but any number, shape, location, or material is within the scope of this disclosure. The shield stabilizers  312  mate with the shield holes  404  on the board  400  to stabilize the shield  300 . 
     Preferably, the bottom surface  302  lies adjacent to the board  400  such that the bottom surface  302  covers a portion of the board  400 . In at least one embodiment, the portion of the board  400  that is covered is equal to the surface area of the board underneath any part of the shield  300 . Preferably, the bottom surface  302  covers at least 11% of the portion of the board  400  covered. For example, if the length, l, of the entire shield  300  is 29 mm and the width, w, of the entire shield  300  is 23 mm, then the surface area of the board  400  underneath any part of the shield is  300  is 667 mm 2 . Therefore, the surface area of the bottom surface  302  is at least 73.37 mm 2 , so that the bottom surface  302  can cover at least 11% of the board  400 . However, any percentage is within the scope of this disclosure. 
       FIG. 7  illustrates a perspective view of the shield  300  with the surface  302  adjacent to the board  400  face down. The shield  300  preferably comprises top support members  316 , which are similar to bottom support members  308 , except that top support members  316 , when displaced, are not displaced into holes in the board  400 . In at least one embodiment, the shielding on the connector  100  is sufficient to cover the holes created by the top and bottom support members  308 ,  316  similar to the tabs  114 ,  118  being of sufficient size and location to cover the holes created by the left and right support members  310 . As such, the system preferably provides EMI shielding in all directions. 
     Preferably, the shield  300  comprises an opening through which the connector  100  is inserted to be coupled to the receptacle  200 . In at least one embodiment, in addition to the shielded connector  100  described above, the shield  300  also accepts an unshielded internal cable connector. Preferably, such an unshielded connector is a Mini Multilane unshielded connector. In at least one embodiment, the left and right support members  310 , as well as the top and bottom support members  308 ,  316 , provide support to the unshielded connector as well as the shielded connector. 
     In addition to the support members  308 ,  310 ,  316 , there are many ways to further secure the connector  100  into the shield  300  including latches, keys, grooves, detents, etc., and each method of securing the connector  100  to the shield  300  and supporting the connection of the connector and the receptacle  200  is within the scope of this disclosure. 
       FIG. 8  illustrates the system further comprising a computer. In at least one embodiment, the computer comprises a display  802 , an input device  804 , and a chassis  806 . Preferably, the user input device  804  is a keyboard. However, any method suitable for input is within the scope of this disclosure. For example, the input device comprises a computer mouse in at least one embodiment. Preferably, the chassis  806  houses the board  400 , and the board  400  comprises a circuit board. The shield  300  and receptacle  200  are mounted to the board  400 , and an internal Mini Multilane shielded connector  100  is coupled to the board  400  via the receptacle  200  and housed by the shield  300 . The shielding prevents corruption of data by protecting against EMI in all directions. In at least one embodiment, the board  400  is a computer card designed to provide specific functionality to the system, e.g., a video card. 
     Other conditions and combinations of conditions will become apparent to those skilled in the art, including the combination of the conditions described above, and all such conditions and combinations are within the scope of the present disclosure. The above disclosure is meant to be illustrative of the principles and various embodiment of the present invention. Numerous variations and modifications will become apparent to those skilled in the art once the above disclosure is fully appreciated. It is intended that the following claims be interpreted to embrace all variations and modifications.