Patent Publication Number: US-7585185-B2

Title: Connector

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   1. Field of the Invention 
   This invention relates to a connector device for connecting two circuit boards, and more particularly to a connector device having shielding means. 
   2. Description of the Related Art 
   Conventionally, there has been proposed a connector formed by a pair of connectors fitted to each other (see Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication (Kokai) No. H11-233201 (Paragraphs [0018], [0022], and [0028], and  FIG. 8 ). 
   One of the connectors is provided with a housing, a plurality of contacts, a plurality of shield plates, and a plurality of reinforcing end plates. 
   The housing has a frame portion in the form of a frame, and a protrusion extending in the longitudinal direction of the frame portion and located in the center of the frame portion. A receiving space for receiving the fitting portion of a mating connector is formed between the frame portion and the protrusion. The protrusion has a plurality of holding grooves formed at predetermined spaced intervals in the longitudinal direction thereof. 
   The contacts are received in the respective holding grooves, and held therein. Each contact has one end formed with a contact portion and the other end formed with a connection portion. The contact portion protrudes into the receiving space. The connection portion is soldered to an associated conductor trace of a circuit board. 
   The shield plates are mounted on opposite side surfaces of the housing, parallel to the longitudinal direction thereof, respectively. 
   The reinforcing end plates are mounted on longitudinal opposite end faces of the housing. The reinforcing end plates are generally U-shaped, and have electrically conductive and elastic properties. The opposite ends of the respective reinforcing end plates overlap the ends of the shield plates to press the shield plates against the housing. The outer periphery of the housing is surrounded by the shield plates and the reinforcing end plates. 
   The other connector is provided with a housing, a plurality of contacts, and a shield plate. 
   The housing of the other connector is substantially in the form of a frame. The foremost end of the housing in a fitting direction is inserted into the receiving space of the one connector. 
   The contacts has contact portions arranged on the inner peripheral surface of the housing, for being brought into contact with the contact portions of the contacts of the one connector, which protrude from the holding grooves of the housing of the one connector. 
   The shield plate covers the outer periphery of the housing. 
   When the foremost end of the housing of the other connector in the fitting direction is inserted into the receiving space of the housing of the one connector, the shield plate of the other connector is inserted into the receiving space of the one connector together with the housing of the other connector, whereby the shield plates of the one connector and the shield plate of the other connector are brought into contact with each other. As a result, the connectors are shielded by the shield plates thereof. 
   In the above-described prior art, the shield plates are mounted to the respective connectors, and when the connectors are fitted to each other, the shield plates of the one connector surround the shield plate of the other connector. 
   This increases the size of the one electric connector. To reduce the size of the one connector, it is only required to remove the shield plates from the one connector, but this makes it impossible to sufficiently shield the connectors. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention has been made in view of these circumstances, and an object thereof is to provide a connector which is capable of sufficiently shielding two connectors for electrically connecting two circuit boards, and making the connectors compact in size. 
   To attain the above object, in a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a connector comprising a housing that has a fitting portion for being fitted to a mating fitting portion of a mating connector, and is disposed on a circuit board, a plurality of contacts that are arranged in the fitting portion, and a shell that has a shell body disposed around the fitting portion and is mounted on the housing, the shell having a shell contact portion brought into contact with a mating ground contact of the mating connector, and a shell terminal portion fixed to a first ground trace of the circuit board. 
   With the arrangement of the connector according to the first aspect of the present invention, the connector includes a housing that has a fitting portion for being fitted to the mating fitting portion of the mating connector, and is disposed on a circuit board, a plurality of contacts that are arranged in the fitting portion, and a shell that has a shell body disposed around the fitting portion, and is mounted on the housing. The shell has a shell contact portion brought into contact with a mating ground contact of the mating connector, and a shell terminal portion fixed to a first ground trace of the circuit board. Therefore, when the connector and the mating connector are fitted to each other, the shell of the connector and the mating ground contact of the mating connector are brought into contact with each other, whereby the ground trace of the circuit board on which is mounted the connector and the ground trace of a circuit board on which is mounted the mating connector are connected to each other. Further, when the connectors are fitted to each other, the mating fitting portion of the mating connector is surrounded by the shell body of the shell of the connector. 
   Preferably, the plurality of contacts include at least one ground contact, and the shell has a fixedly engaging portion that is connected to the shell body, and causes the shell body to be fixedly engaged with the housing, and an auxiliary shell terminal portion adjacent to the one ground contact, the auxiliary shell terminal portion being connected to the shell body and fixed to a second ground trace. 
   To attain the above object, in a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a mating connector comprising a mating housing that has a mating fitting portion for being fitted to a fitting portion of a connector, and is disposed on a mating circuit board, and a plurality of mating contacts that are arranged in the mating fitting portion, the plurality of mating contacts including a mating ground contact, the mating ground contact having a mating shell contact portion brought into contact with a shell mounted in a housing of the connector, and a mating terminal portion fixed to a ground trace of the mating circuit board. 
   With the arrangement of the mating connector according to the second aspect of the present invention, a plurality of mating contacts include a mating ground contact, and the mating ground contact has a mating shell contact portion brought into contact with a shell mounted in the housing of a connector, and a mating terminal portion fixed to a ground trace of a mating circuit board. Therefore, when the connector and the mating connector are fitted to each other, the mating ground contact of the mating connector and the shell of the connector are brought into contact with each other, whereby a ground trace of a circuit board on which is mounted the connector and the ground trace of the circuit board on which is mounted the mating connector are connected to each other. Further, when the connectors are fitted to each other, the mating fitting portion of the mating connector is surrounded by the shell body of the shell of the connector. 
   As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to sufficiently shield two connectors for connecting two circuit boards and attain the reduction of the sizes of the connectors. 
   The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a connector device according to an embodiment of the present invention, in a non-fitted state; 
       FIG. 2  is a side view of the  FIG. 1  connector device in the non-fitted state; 
       FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the  FIG. 1  connector device in a fitted state; 
       FIG. 4  is a side view of the  FIG. 1  connector device in the fitted state; 
       FIG. 5  is a perspective view of a receptacle connector of the  FIG. 1  connector device; 
       FIG. 6  is a perspective view of one end of the  FIG. 5  receptacle connector; 
       FIG. 7  is a perspective view of a central portion of the  FIG. 5  receptacle connector; 
       FIG. 8  is a cross-sectional view of one end of the  FIG. 3  connector device; 
       FIG. 9  is a perspective view of the  FIG. 3  connector device, in a state cross-sectioned at a central portion thereof; 
       FIG. 10  is a perspective view of the central portion of the  FIG. 3  connector device; 
       FIG. 11  is a perspective view of a shell of the  FIG. 5  receptacle connector; 
       FIG. 12  is a perspective view of a plug connector of the connector device shown in  FIG. 1 , in a state presented in an inverted position; 
       FIG. 13  is a perspective view of one end of the  FIG. 12  plug connector; 
       FIG. 14  is a side view of a plug-side contact of the  FIG. 12  plug connector; and 
       FIG. 15  is a perspective view of the  FIG. 14  plug-side contact. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
   The present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the drawings showing a preferred embodiment thereof. 
   Referring to  FIGS. 1 to 4 , the connector device  100  is comprised of the receptacle connector (connector)  1  and a plug connector (mating connector)  12 , The receptacle connector  1  is mounted on a first printed circuit board (circuit board)  21  (see  FIG. 9 ) and the plug connector  12  is mounted on a second printed circuit board (mating circuit board), not shown. 
   As shown in  FIG. 5 , the receptacle connector  1  includes a receptacle-side housing (housing)  3 , receptacle-side contacts (contacts)  5 , and the shell  7 . 
   As shown in  FIGS. 6 to 8 , the receptacle-side housing  3  includes a plate-like portion  31  and a receptacle-side fitting portion (fitting portion)  32 . 
   The plate-like portion  31  is disposed on the first printed circuit board  21 . The plate-like portion  31  is slightly lifted from the first printed circuit board  21 . 
   The receptacle-side fitting portion  32  is formed on an upper surface of the plate-like portion  31 . The receptacle-side fitting portion  32  is comprised of a frame-like portion  32   a  and a central protrusion  32   b . The frame-like portion  32   a  has a pair of side wall portions  32   c  and  32   c  and a pair of ends  32   d  and  32   d . The pair of side wall portions  32   c  and  32   c  are arranged in parallel with each other, and each side wall portion  32   c  is formed with a plurality of grooves  32   e  at predetermined spaced intervals. The pair of ends  32   d  and  32   d  are arranged in parallel with each other, and are connected to the ends of the pair of side wall portions  32   c  and  32   c.    
   The central protrusion  32   b  is disposed in parallel with the pair of side wall portions  32   c  and  32   c . The central protrusion  32   b  is formed with a plurality of grooves  32   f  at the same spaced intervals as those of the plurality of grooves  32   e.  The grooves  32   f  are opposed to the grooves  32   e,  respectively. The central protrusion  32   b  is surrounded by the frame-like portion  32   a . A receiving space  32   g  is formed between the frame-like portion  32   a  and the central protrusion  32   b . The receptacle-side fitting portion  32  receives a plug-side fitting portion  142  of a plug-side housing, described hereinafter. 
   As shown in  FIGS. 9 and 10 , each receptacle-side contact  5  includes a first contact portion  5   a,  a second contact portion  5   b,  a held portion  5   c,  and a terminal portion  5   d . The first contact portion  5   a  is formed at the intermediate portion of the receptacle-side contact  5 . The second contact portion  5   b  is substantially e-shaped, and is connected to one end of the first contact portion  5   a . The second contact portion  5   b  is elastically deformably received in each groove  32   f . The held portion  5   c  is substantially inverted L-shaped, and is connected to the other end of the first contact portion  5   a . The held portion  5   c  is received in each groove  32   e  to be held therein. The terminal portion  5   d  is substantially I-shaped, and is connected to the held portion  5   c . The lower surface of the terminal portion  5   d  is located below the lower surface of the plate-like portion  31 . The first contact portion  5   a  is in contact with a plug-side first contact portion  16   a , and the second contact portion  5   b  is in contact with a plug-side second contact portion  16   b  and is connected to the same. Further, the first contact portion  5   a  is improved in a force in a direction of withdrawal of the connector, by a stepped portion  16   e  (see  FIG. 14 ) of the plug-side first contact portion  16   a , which increases a withdrawing force. 
   The receptacle-side contacts  5  include two kinds of contacts, i.e. receptacle-side signal contacts  5 S and receptacle-side ground contacts (ground contacts)  5 G. The shapes, sizes and materials of the contacts  5 S and  5 G are the same. The receptacle-side signal contact  5 S is formed by soldering the terminal portion  5   d  to a signal pad  21   a  of the printed circuit board  21 , while the receptacle-side ground contact  5 G is formed by soldering the terminal portion  5   d  to a ground pad (second ground trace)  21   b  of the first printed circuit board  21 . However, the arrangement of the signal contacts  5 S and the receptacle-side ground contacts  5 G on the receptacle-side housing  3  is determined in advance, and the signal pads  21   a  and the ground pad  21   b  of the first printed circuit board  21  are formed in a manner associated with the arranged contacts  5 S and  5 G. 
   Further, the plurality of the receptacle-side contacts  5  are grouped into four contact groups A, B, C, and D, with the central protrusion  32   b  and two second shell terminal portions  74  of the shell  7 , described hereinafter, as boundaries (see  FIG. 5 ). 
   Referring to  FIG. 11 , the shell  7  is comprised of a shell body  71 , shell contact portions  72 , first shell terminal portions (shell terminal portions)  73 , the second shell terminal portions (auxiliary shell terminal portions)  74 , fixedly engaging portions  75 , and hold-down and shell terminal portions  76 . 
   The shell body  71  is substantially frame-like, and includes a pair of side plates  71   a  and  71   a,  and a pair of end plates  71   b  and  71   b.  The pair of side plates  71   a  and  71   a  are arranged in parallel with each other, and cover side surfaces of the side wall portions  32   c  and  32   c  of the receptacle-side fitting portion  32 . The pair of end plates  71   b  and  71   b  are arranged in parallel with each other, and are connected to the ends of the pair of side plates  71   a  and  71   a . The end plates  71   b  cover the respective outer surfaces of the ends  32   d  of the receptacle-side fitting portion  32 . 
   The shell contact portions  72  are connected to the upper edges of the opposite ends of the side plates  71   a.  Each shell contact portion  72  protrudes inward from the side plate  71   a.  The shell contact portion  72  is bent into a substantially U-shape, and is generally T-shaped in developed plan view. The shell contact portion  72  has a foremost end formed with two contact points  72   a . The distance between the two contact points  72   a  is equal to the distance between plug-side ground contacts  16 G (see  FIGS. 6 and 13 ). The two contact points  72   a  are brought into contact with two of the plug-side ground contacts  16 G, described hereinafter, respectively. 
   The first shell terminal portions  73  are connected to the lower edges of the ends of the side plates  71   a.  Each first shell terminal portion  73  protrudes outward from the side plate  71   a.  The first shell terminal portion  73  is soldered to a ground pad (first ground trace), not shown, of the first printed circuit board  21 . The first shell terminal portion  73  has a large width, and hence it is possible to enhance a soldering strength. 
   The second shell terminal portions  74  are connected to the lower edges of the central portions of the side plates  71   a.  Each second shell terminal portion  74  protrudes outward from the side plate  71   a . The second shell terminal portion  74  is disposed between two receptacle-side ground contacts  5 G, and is soldered to the ground pad  21   b  of the first printed circuit board  21 . The second shell terminal portion  74  is located at the intermediate portion of each side plate  71   a,  so that the rigidity of the shell  7  is enhanced by the soldering of the second shell terminal portion  74  to the ground pad. 
   The fixedly engaging portions  75  are connected to the upper edges of the central portions of the side plates  71   a.  Each fixedly engaging portion  75  protrudes inward from the side plate  71   a.  The fixedly engaging portion  75  is bent into a substantially U-shape. The fixedly engaging portion  75  is disposed between the two receptacle-side ground contacts  5 G (see  FIG. 9 ). The fixedly engaging portion  75  is engaged with an engaging portion  32   h  (see  FIG. 9 ) formed on an associated one of the side wall portions  32   c  of the receptacle-side housing  3 . The side plates  71   a  are in contact with the respective side wall portions  32   c.    
   The pair of end plates  71   b  each have the two hold-down and shell terminal portions  76  connected to a lower edge thereof. Each hold-down and shell terminal portion  76  protrudes outward from the end plate  71   b . The hold-down and shell terminal portion  76  is soldered to the ground pad of the first printed circuit board  21 . This causes the receptacle connector  1  to be positively shielded by the shell  7 , and be rigidly fixed to the first printed circuit board  21 . 
   The pair of end plates  71   b  each have an upper edge formed with two holding portions  77 . Each holding portion  77  is bent into a substantially U-shape. The holding portion  77  is held by being press-fitted into an associated one of the ends  32   d  of the receptacle-side fitting portion  3  (see  FIG. 6 ). It should be noted that the holding portions  77  may be held by being integrally formed with the receptacle-side housing  3  during insert molding of the housing  3 . 
   As shown in  FIGS. 12 and 13 , the plug connector  12  is comprised of a plug-side housing (mating housing)  14  and a plurality of plug-side contacts (mating contacts)  16 . 
   The plug-side housing  14  includes a plate-like portion  141  and a plug-side fitting portion (mating fitting portion)  142 . 
   The plate-like portion  141  is disposed on a second printed circuit board, not shown. The plate-like portion  141  is slightly lifted from the second printed circuit board. 
   The plug-side fitting portion  142  is formed on a lower surface of the plate-like portion  141 . The plug-side fitting portion  142  has a frame-like shape. The plug-side fitting portion  142  has a pair of side wall portions  142   a  and a pair of ends  142   b . The pair of side wall portions  142   a  are arranged in parallel with each other, and each side wall portion  142   a  is formed with a plurality of grooves  142   c  at predetermined spaced intervals. The pair of ends  142   b  and  142   b  are arranged in parallel with each other, and are connected to the ends of the pair of side wall portions  142   a  and  142   a.    
   As shown in  FIGS. 14 and 15 , each plug-side contact  16  includes a first contact portion (mating shell contact portion)  16   a,  a second contact portion  16   b,  a terminal portion (mating terminal portion)  16   c , and an embedded portion  16   d.  The first contact portion  16   a  is formed in the vicinity of the foremost end of the plug-side contact  16 . The first contact portion  16   a  is in contact with an associated one of the first contact portions  5   a  of the receptacle-side contacts  5 . The second contact portion  16   b  is connected to one end of the first contact portion  16   a.  The second contact portion  16   b  is in contact with an associated one of the second contact portions  5   b  of the receptacle-side contacts  5 . The first contact portion  16   a  and the second contact portion  16   b  enclose an associated one of the side wall portions  142   a  (see  FIG. 9 ). The terminal portion  16   c  is generally crank-shaped, and is connected to the second contact portion  16   b.  The upper surface of the terminal portion  16   c  is located above the upper surface of the plate-like portion  141  (see  FIG. 10 ). The embedded portion  16   d  is connected to the other end of the first contact portion  16   a.  The embedded portion  16   d  is embedded during insert molding of the plug-side housing  14 . Although in the present embodiment, the plug-side housing  14  and the plug-side contact  16  are integrally formed with each other, the foremost end of the first contact portion  16   a  may be press-fitted into the plug-side housing  14  to hold the plug-side contact  16 , by removing the embedded portion  16   d.    
   Although the plug-side contacts  16  include two kinds of contacts, i.e. plug-side signal contacts  16 S and plug-side ground contacts (mating ground contacts)  16 G, the shapes, sizes and materials of the contacts  16 S and  16 G are the same. The plug-side signal contact  16 S is formed by soldering the terminal portion  16   c  to a signal pad of the second printed circuit board, while the plug-side ground contact  16 G is formed by soldering the terminal portion  16   c  to a ground pad (ground trace) of the second printed circuit board. However, the arrangement of the plug-side signal contacts  16 S and the plug-side ground contacts  16 G on the plug-side housing  14  is determined in advance, and the signal pads and the ground pad of the second printed circuit board are formed in a manner associated with the arranged contacts  16 S and  16 G. 
   The plug-side signal contacts  16 S each have the first contact portion  16  and the second contact portion  16   b  exposed, whereas as to the plug-side ground contacts  16 G, only the four plug-side ground contacts  16 G arranged on opposite ends of the plug connector  12  each have only the first contact portion  16   a  exposed, with the second contact portion  16   b  embedded in an end  142   b  of the plug-side housing  14  together with the embedded portion  16   d.    
   The plug connector  12  is disposed above the receptacle connector  1  (see  FIGS. 1 and 2 ), and from this state, when the plug connector  12  is lowered, as indicated by an arrow in  FIG. 2 , to push the plug-side fitting portion  142  of the plug connector  12  into the receptacle-side fitting portion  32  of the receptacle connector  1 , the receptacle connector  1  and the plug connector  12  are fitted to each other (see  FIGS. 3 and 4 ). As a result, the first and second printed circuit boards are electrically connected to each other via the connectors  1  and  12 . 
   At this time, the plug-side fitting portion  142  of the plug connector  12  is received in the receptacle-side fitting portion  32  of the receptacle connector  1 , and the plug-side ground contacts  16 G of the plug connector  12  are brought into contact with the shell contact portions  72  of the shell  7  of the receptacle connector  1 , so that the ground pad of the first printed circuit board  21  on which is mounted the receptacle connector  1 , and the ground pad of the second printed circuit board on which is mounted the plug connector  12  are connected to each other. Further, when the connectors  1  and  12  are fitted to each other, the plug-side fitting portion  142  of the plug connector  12  is surrounded by the shell body  71  of the shell  7  of the receptacle connector  1 . This makes it possible to obtain more stable grounding effects. 
   According to the present embodiment, since the shell can be removed from the plug connector  12 , it is possible to reduce the size of the plug connector  12 . 
   Further, since the receptacle connector  1  includes the hold-down and shell terminal portions  76 , it is possible to mount the receptacle connector  1  on the first printed circuit board  21  more positively and shield the connectors  1  and  12  more positively. 
   Further, the second shell terminal portion  74  is located at the intermediate portion of the receptacle connector  1 , and located between the two adjacent contact groups, which makes it possible to realize further enhancement of the ground. It should be noted that although one second shell terminal portion  74  and one fixedly engaging portion  75  are arranged on one and the other of each pair of side plates  71   a,  respectively, a plurality of second shell terminal portions  74  and a plurality of fixedly engaging portions  75  may be arranged on one and the other of each pair of side plates  71   a.    
   It should be noted that although in the present embodiment, the shell  7  has the second shell terminal portions  74 , the fixedly engaging portions  75 , the hold-down and shell terminal portions  76 , and the holding portions  77 , it is possible to omit them. 
   Further, although the four shell contact portions  72  and the four shell terminal portions  73  are provided in the shell  7 , the number of the shell contact portions  72  and that of shell terminal portions  73  are not particularly limited. 
   It is further understood by those skilled in the art that the foregoing are the preferred embodiments of the present invention, and that various changes and modification may be made thereto without departing from the spirit and scope thereof.