Patent Publication Number: US-11387605-B2

Title: Conductive sheet structure and high-speed connector

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application claims priority to Chinese Patent Application No. 202010505716.2 filed Jun. 5, 2020, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. 
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present disclosure relates to the technical field of communication device and, in particular, to a conductive sheet structure and a high-speed connector. 
     BACKGROUND 
     A high-speed connector is a key component of a communication device. The stability of the high-speed connector directly affects the signal transmission of the communication device. 
     In the related art, a high-speed connector typically includes a plastic housing, a plurality of terminals fixed to the plastic housing, and conductive sheets in contact with the terminals. Specifically, the terminals include a plurality of ground pin terminals and two signal terminals which are disposed between each two adjacent ground pin terminals with spacings, the conductive sheet is of an integral structure, the conductive sheet is provided with a plurality of lower concave surfaces corresponding to the ground pin terminals, and each lower concave surface is in contact with the corresponding ground pin terminal. That is, in the related art, the mode of contact between the conductive sheet and the ground pin terminals is integral surface contact or single-point contact. Such contact mode has a high requirement on the planeness of the ground pin terminals as well as the stamping height of the ground pin terminals. Thus, the ground pin terminals are prone to ineffective contact with the conductive sheet. That is, the high-speed connector in the related art is prone to poor contact, thereby affecting the signal integrity (SI) performance of the high-speed connector and further affecting the signal transmission of a communication device. 
     SUMMARY 
     The present disclosure provides a conductive sheet structure and a high-speed connector, in which the conductive sheet can be in effective contact with a grounding terminal, so that the probability of poor contact of the high-speed connector is reduced, and signal transmission of a communication device is guaranteed. 
     The conductive sheet structure includes a conductive sheet, and a plurality of elastic arms disposed on the conductive sheet with spacings. Each elastic arm includes a connecting section, a tilt section and a contact section which are connected in sequence. The connecting section is fixedly connected to the conductive sheet. The tilt section is tilted relative to the conductive sheet and the tilt angle between the tilt section and the conductive sheet is variable. The contact section is used for contacting with a grounding terminal on a high-speed connector. 
     Optionally, the conductive sheet is provided with a plurality of openings, and at least one elastic arm is fixed in each opening. 
     Optionally, each opening is a rectangle opening, two elastic arms are arranged in each opening, the two elastic arms are respectively fixed to two opposite inner walls of a respective opening, and the two elastic arms can be in contact with a same grounding terminal. 
     Optionally, the two elastic arms are staggered, or the two elastic arms are symmetrically arranged. 
     Optionally, the openings are arranged in an array on the conductive sheet. 
     Optionally, the elastic arms include a plurality of first elastic arms and a plurality of second elastic arms. The first elastic arms are arranged on the edge of one side of the conductive sheet with spacings, the second elastic arms are arranged on the edge of another side of the conductive sheet with spacings, and each second elastic arm corresponds to a respective first elastic arm and is connectable to the same grounding terminal as the respective first elastic arm. 
     Optionally, a surface, which is contacted with the grounding terminal, of the contact section is flat. 
     The present disclosure provides a high-speed connector, which includes a housing; a plurality of grounding terminals and a plurality of signal terminals, both of which are fixed to the housing; and the preceding conductive sheet structure, where the conductive sheet structure is fixed to the housing, and each contact section abuts against one grounding terminal. 
     Optionally, the high-speed connector includes one or more conductive sheet structures, and when the high-speed connector includes a plurality of conductive sheet structures, a part of the conductive sheet structures is fixed to an upper wall of the housing, and the other part of the conductive sheet structures is fixed to a side wall of the housing. 
     Optionally, at least one of the upper wall or the side wall of the housing is provided with a fixing groove in which the conductive sheet structure is welded or glued. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a schematic view of a conductive sheet structure according to embodiments of the present disclosure; 
         FIG. 2  is a schematic view of another conductive sheet structure according to embodiments of the present disclosure; 
         FIG. 3  is a top view of another conductive sheet structure according to embodiments of the present disclosure; 
         FIG. 4  is a section view taken along line A-A of the conductive sheet structure of  FIG. 3  according to embodiments of the present disclosure; 
         FIG. 5  is a schematic view of another conductive sheet structure according to embodiments of the present disclosure; 
         FIG. 6  is a schematic view of another conductive sheet structure according to embodiments of the present disclosure; 
         FIG. 7  is a schematic view of another conductive sheet structure according to embodiments of the present disclosure; 
         FIG. 8  is a schematic view of another conductive sheet structure according to embodiments of the present disclosure; 
         FIG. 9  is a schematic view illustrating the structure of a high-speed connector according to embodiments of the present disclosure; 
         FIG. 10  is an exploded view of the high-speed connector according to embodiments of the present disclosure; and 
         FIG. 11  is a schematic view illustrating the structure of a part of the high-speed connector according to embodiments of the present disclosure. 
     
    
    
     REFERENCE LIST 
     
         
         
           
               1  conductive sheet structure 
               11  conductive sheet 
               111  opening 
               12  elastic arm 
               121  connecting section 
               122  tilt section 
               123  contact section 
               124  first elastic arm 
               125  second elastic arm 
               2  housing 
               21  upper wall 
               22  side wall 
               23  fixing groove 
               3  grounding terminal 
               4  signal terminal 
           
         
       
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     The solution of the present disclosure is further described in conjunction with drawings and embodiments. It is to be understood that the embodiments described herein are intended to illustrate and not to limit the present disclosure. 
     In the description of the present disclosure, it is to be noted that orientations or position relations indicated by terms such as “center”, “upper”, “lower”, “left”, “right”, “vertical”, “horizontal”, “in”, “out” are orientations or position relations based on the drawings. These orientations or position relations are intended only to facilitate the description of the present disclosure and simplify the description and not to indicate or imply that a device or element referred to must have such specific orientations or must be configured or operated in such specific orientations. Thus, these orientations or position relations are not to be construed as limiting the present disclosure. In addition, terms such as “first” and “second” are used only for the purpose of description and are not to be construed as indicating or implying relative importance. 
     In the description of the present disclosure, it is to be noted that terms “mounted”, “joined” and “connected” are to be understood in a broad sense unless otherwise expressly specified and limited. For example, the term “connected” may refer to “fixedly connected” or “detachably connected”, may refer to “mechanically connected” or “electrically connected” or may refer to “connected directly”, “connected indirectly through an intermediary” or “connected in two components”. For those of ordinary skill in the art, specific meanings of the preceding terms in the present disclosure may be understood based on specific situations. 
     An embodiment provides a conductive sheet structure  1  which can be in elastic contact with a grounding terminal  3  and thus can reduce the probability of poor contact of a high-speed connector. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 1 to 8 , the conductive sheet structure  1  includes a conductive sheet  11  and a plurality of elastic arms  12  disposed on the conductive sheet  11 . 
     The elastic arms  12  are arranged on the conductive sheet  11  with spacings. Each elastic arm  12  includes a connecting section  121 , a tilt section  122  and a contact section  123  which are connected in sequence. The connecting section  121  is fixedly connected to the conductive sheet  11 . The tilt section  122  is tilted relative to the conductive sheet  11 . The tilt angle between the tilt section  122  and the conductive sheet  11  is variable. That is, the distance from the end of the tilt section  122  closer to the contact section  123  to the conductive sheet  11  can be varied. The contact section  123  is used for contacting with a grounding terminal  3  on a high-speed connector. 
     When the contact section  123  is in contact with the grounding terminal  3 , the elastic arm  12  is in a state of compression, that is, the distance between the end of the tilt section  122  closer to the contact section  123  and the conductive sheet  11  is smaller than the original distance (that is, the distance between the end of the tilt section  122  closer to the contact section  123  and the conductive sheet  11  when the contact section  123  is not in contact with the grounding terminal  3 ). In this manner, when the grounding terminal  3  has a different height, only the extent to which the elastic arm  12  is compressed is affected, and the contact section  123  is still able to be in contact with the grounding terminal  3 . 
     According to the conductive sheet structure  1  provided by this embodiment, the elastic arms  12  are arranged on the conductive sheet  11 , and the elastic arms  12  can be elastically deformed. In this manner, the conductive sheet  11  can be in elastic contact with the grounding terminal  3  through each elastic arm  12 , so even if the top surface of the grounding terminal  3  is uneven, the contact section  123  of each elastic arm  12  can be in effective contact with the grounding terminal  3  due to the existence of the tilt section  122 . Thus, the probability of poor contact of the high-speed connector is reduced, and signal transmission of communication device is guaranteed. 
     Optionally, the conductive sheet  11  may have various structures, and this embodiment provides two types of conductive sheets  11  as described below. 
     In the structure of one type of conductive sheet  11 , as shown in  FIGS. 1 to 7 , the conductive sheet  11  is provided with a plurality of openings  111 , and at least one elastic arm  12  is fixed in each opening  111 . In the drawings,  FIG. 1  is a schematic view showing one elastic arm  12  disposed in each opening  111 , and  FIGS. 2 to 7  are schematic views showing two elastic arms  12  disposed in each opening  111 . Optionally, as shown in  FIG. 1 , when one elastic arm  12  is disposed in each opening  111 , the elastic arm  12  may be located on any edge of each opening  111 , or the orientations of the elastic arms  12  disposed on the conductive sheet  11  may be the same or different. When two or more elastic arms  12  are disposed in each opening  111 , two or more elastic arms  12  located in the same opening  111  can be in contact with the same grounding terminal  3 , ensuring that the grounding terminal  3  can be in effective contact with the conductive sheet  11 . 
     Further, each opening  111  in the conductive sheet  11  may be a rectangle opening, and when two elastic arms  12  are disposed in each opening  111 , as shown in  FIGS. 2 to 7 , each of the two elastic arms  12  may be fixed to a respective one of the opposite inner walls of each opening  111 , and the two elastic arms  12  can be in contact with the same grounding terminal  3 . When two elastic arms  12  are disposed in each opening  111 , it is possible to make the conductive sheet structure  1  lighter and facilitate the mounting of the conductive sheet structure  1  while ensuring that the conductive sheet  11  is in effective contact with the grounding terminal  3 . 
     Optionally, when two elastic arms  12  are disposed in each opening  111 , as shown in  FIGS. 3, 4 and 6 , two elastic arms  12  located in the same opening  111  may be staggered, or as shown in  FIG. 5  or  FIG. 7 , two elastic arms  12  located in the same opening  111  may be symmetrically arranged. When two elastic arms  12  are staggered in one opening  111 , as shown in the first opening  111  from the left of  FIG. 3 , the elastic arm  12  fixed to the left inner wall of the opening  111  may be located below the elastic arm  12  fixed to the right inner wall of the opening  111 , or as shown in the second opening  111  from the left of  FIG. 3 , the elastic arm  12  fixed to the left inner wall of the opening  111  may be located above the elastic arm  12  fixed to the right inner wall of the opening  111 , which is not limited in this embodiment. 
     Optionally, the openings  111  are arranged in an array on the conductive sheet  11 . For example, the openings  111  may be arranged in a plurality of rows and columns on the conductive sheet  11  to apply to high-speed connectors having different structures. Exemplarily, as shown in  FIG. 3  or  FIG. 5 , a plurality of openings  111  are arranged in sequence along the length direction of the conductive sheet  11 . In this case, it can be considered that the openings  111  are arranged in one row and a plurality of columns, and each opening  111  can correspond to one grounding terminal  3 . For example, the openings  111  may be in one row and four columns. As another example, as shown in  FIGS. 6 and 7 , the openings  111  are arranged in two rows and a plurality of columns on the conductive sheet  11 , and the openings  111  located in the same column can correspond to the same grounding terminal  3 . That is, the elastic arms  12  located in the openings  111  in the same column can be in contact with the same grounding terminal  3 . For example, the openings  111  may be in two rows and seven columns. Such arrangement mode can be used for high-speed connectors having long grounding terminals. 
     In the structure of another type of the conductive sheet  11 , as shown in  FIG. 8 , the conductive sheet  11  is strip-shaped, the conductive sheet  11  is not provided with openings, and the elastic arms  12  include a plurality of first elastic arms  124  and a plurality of second elastic arms  125 . The first elastic arms  124  are arranged on the edge of one side of the conductive sheet  11  with spacings, the second elastic arms  125  are arranged on the edge of the other side of the conductive sheet  11  with spacings, and each second elastic arm  125  corresponds to a respective first elastic arm  124  and is connectable to the same grounding terminal  3  as the respective first elastic arm  124 . Exemplarily, the first elastic arms  124  and the second elastic arms  125  may be staggered on two sides of the conductive sheet  11 , and the orientations of a first elastic arm  124  and a second elastic arm  125  corresponding to each other are opposite. 
     A conductive sheet structure  1  having either of the preceding two structures can be in stable and effective contact with the grounding terminal  3 . Such conductive sheet structure  1  is simple in structure, convenient to manufacture and low in cost. 
     Optionally, as shown in  FIG. 4 , the surface, which is contacted with the grounding terminal  3 , of the contact section  123  of the elastic arm  12  is flat so that the area, which is contacted with the grounding terminal  3 , of the elastic arm  12  can be relatively large, further ensuring effective contact between the elastic arm  12  and the grounding terminal  3 . Exemplarily, as shown in  FIG. 4 , the contact section  123  of the elastic arm  12  is sheet-shaped and parallel to the conductive sheet  11 . 
     Another embodiment provides a high-speed connector. As shown in  FIGS. 9 to 11 , the high-speed connector includes a housing  2 , a grounding terminal  3  and a signal terminal  4  fixed to the housing  2 , and the preceding conductive sheet structure  1 . The conductive sheet structure  1  is fixed to the housing  2 . The contact section  123  in the elastic arm  12  abuts against the grounding terminal  3 . Grounding terminals  3  and signal terminals  4  are arranged in sequence with spacings, and two signal terminals  4  are arranged between each two adjacent grounding terminals  3 . 
     Further, the high-speed connector may include one or more conductive sheet structures  1 , and when the high-speed connector includes a plurality of conductive sheet structures  1 , a part of the conductive sheet structures  1  is fixed to an upper wall  21  of the housing  2 , and the other part of the conductive sheet structures  1  is fixed to a side wall  22  of the housing  2 . Exemplarily, as shown in  FIGS. 9 and 10 , the high-speed connector may include two conductive sheet structures  1 , one of which is located on the upper wall  21  of the housing  2  and the other of which is located on the side wall  22 , specifically the front side wall, of the housing  2 . 
     Optionally, at least one of the upper wall  21  or the side wall  22  of the housing  2  is provided with a fixing groove  23  in which the conductive sheet structure  1  is welded or glued to prevent separation of the conductive sheet structure  1  from the housing  2 . 
     In an exemplary embodiment, when the high-speed connector includes one conductive sheet structure  1 , the upper wall  21  or the side wall  22  of the housing  2  may be provided with one fixing groove  23  in which the one conductive sheet structure  1  is welded or glued. In an exemplary embodiment, when the high-speed connector includes a plurality of conductive sheet structures  1 , a part of the conductive sheet structures  1  is disposed on an upper wall  21  of the housing  2  and the other part of the conductive sheet structures  1  is disposed on a side wall  22  of the housing  2 , only the upper wall  21  of the housing  2  may be provided with one or more fixing grooves  23  in which a respective conductive sheet structure disposed on the upper wall  21  of the housing  2  is welded or glued, or only the side wall  22  of the housing  2  may be provided with one or more fixing grooves  23  in which a respective conductive sheet structure disposed on the side wall  22  of the housing  2  is welded or glued, or the upper wall  21  and the side wall  22  of the housing  2  are provided with fixing grooves in each of which a respective one of the plurality of conductive sheet structures is welded or glued. 
       FIG. 10  is a schematic view showing the side wall  22  of the housing  2  having the fixing groove  23 . When a fixing groove  23  is disposed on the upper wall  21  of the housing  2 , reference can be made to the structural arrangement in which the side wall  22  has a fixing groove  23 . 
     The preceding embodiments illustrate only the basic principles and features of the present disclosure. The present disclosure is not limited by the preceding embodiments. Various modifications and variations made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure fall within the scope of the present disclosure. The scope of the present disclosure is defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.