Patent Publication Number: US-8118600-B2

Title: Inserting connector, connector unit, and backplane

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This patent application is based upon and claims the benefit of priority of Japanese Patent Application No. 2009-234156 filed on Oct. 8, 2009, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention generally relates to inserting connectors, connector units, and backplanes. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     A communication device or the like may have a structure where a backplane and plural boards vertically connected to the backplane are provided inside the communication device or the like. Plug connectors are provided at the back plane. Jack connectors are provided at end parts of the boards to be connected. By connecting the jack connectors and the plug connectors, the backplane and each of the boards are electrically connected to each other. 
     In recent years, transmission rates of signals have become high. Therefore, a structure where signal transmission contacts are arranged two-dimensionally is applied to the above-mentioned jack connector. In other words, members where there are contact modules having signal transmission contacts and shield members mutually arranged in close proximity are provided in a multi-step manner. See, for example, Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application Publication No. 2001-319753. 
     However, there is a limitation of the number of the connectors which can be connected to the backplane. Because of this, there is limitation of making the transmission rate high. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Accordingly, embodiments of the present invention may provide a novel and useful inserting connector, connector unit, and backplane solving one or more of the problems discussed above. 
     More specifically, the embodiments of the present invention may provide a structure whereby a large number of connectors can be connected between a board and a backplane so that a transmission rate between the board and the backplane can be improved. 
     Another aspect of the embodiments of the present invention may be to provide an inserting connector, including 
     a plurality of plug electrodes where plug connecting terminals are provided at first ends of the plug electrodes and plug terminals are provided at second ends of the plug electrodes, the plug connecting terminals being configured to be connected to a board, the plug terminals being configured to be connected to jack terminals; 
     wherein the plug connecting terminals extend in a direction perpendicular to a surface of the board; 
     the plug terminals extend in a movable direction where the plug terminals are attached to or detached from the jack terminals; 
     the plug electrodes are bent at an angle α in longitudinal directions of the plug electrodes, the angle α being greater than 0 degrees and less than 90 degrees. 
     Another aspect of the embodiments of the present invention may be to provide a connector unit, including 
     the above-mentioned inserting connector; and 
     a receiving connector provided at another board to be connected to the board, the receiving connector including the jack terminals where the plug terminals are inserted in the movable direction where the plug terminals are attached to or detached from the jack terminals. 
     Another aspect of the embodiments of the present invention may be to provide a backplane provided as the above-mentioned board, the backplane being where the inserting connector as claimed in claim  1  is attached. 
     According to the embodiments of the present invention, it is possible to provide a large number of connectors between the board and the backplane. Therefore, it is possible to provide an inserting connector whereby the transmission rate is improved, a connector unit, and a backplane. 
     Additional objects and advantages of the embodiments are set forth in part in the description which follows, and in part will become obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The object and advantages of the invention will be realized and attained by means of the elements and combinations particularly pointed out in the appended claims. It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory and are not restrictive of the invention as claimed. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a schematic view of plural boards configured to be connected to a backplane of an embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a top view of the board configured to be connected to the backplane of the embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the board configured to be connected to the backplane of the embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 4  is a first perspective view of a receiving connector forming a connector unit of the embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 5  is a first perspective view of the receiving connector forming the connector unit of the embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 6  is a first perspective view of an inserting connector of the embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 7  is a second perspective view of the inserting connector of the embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 8  is a perspective view of an electrode module forming the inserting connector of the embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 9  is a structural view of the electrode module forming the inserting connector of the embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 10  is a top view of an electrode module lower part; 
         FIG. 11  is a bottom view of an electrode module upper part; 
         FIG. 12  is a perspective view of a ground electrode; 
         FIG. 13  is a top view of the inserting connector of the embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 14  is a first perspective view of a housing forming the inserting connector of the embodiment; and 
         FIG. 15  is a second perspective view of the housing forming the inserting connector of the embodiment. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     A description is given below, with reference to the  FIG. 1  through  FIG. 15  of embodiments of the present invention. 
     (Backplane) 
     First, a backplane of the embodiment of the present invention and a board to be connected to the backplane are discussed. 
     As illustrated in  FIG. 1 , in the embodiment of the present invention, four backplanes  11 ,  12 ,  13 , and  14  which are kinds of boards, are provided at right angles (90 degrees) to each other. Plural inserting connectors  21  are provided at both surfaces of each of the backplanes  11 ,  12 ,  13 , and  14 . The backplane of the embodiment of the present invention includes not only a backplane where the connectors are provided at one of surfaces of the backplane but also a midplane where the connectors are provided at both surfaces of the backplane. Plural receiving connectors  41  corresponding to the inserting connectors  21  are provided at boards  21 ,  32 ,  33 , and  34  which are connected to the backplanes  11 ,  12 ,  13 , and  14 . 
     Electrical connection between the boards  31 ,  32 ,  33 , and  34  and the backplanes  11 ,  12 ,  13 , and  14  is made by connecting plural receiving connectors  41  provided at the boards  31 ,  32 ,  33 , and  34  and corresponding plural inserting connectors  21  provided at the backplanes  11 ,  12 ,  13 , and  14 . 
     More specifically, in this embodiment, plural inserting connectors  21  are provided, in a single-line manner, at both sides of the backplanes  11 ,  12 ,  13 , and  14 . On the other hand, each of the boards  31 ,  32 ,  33 , and  34  has a substantially pentagonal shaped configuration having three right angle corners. The receiving connectors  41  are provided, in a single-line manner, along two sides forming one of the right angle corners. 
     The receiving connectors  41  of the board  31  and the inserting connectors  21  provided at the backplanes  11  and  12  are connected to each other so that the board  31  and the backplanes  11  and  12  are connected to each other. In addition, the receiving connectors  41  of the board  32  and the inserting connectors  21  provided at the backplanes  12  and  13  are connected to each other so that the board  32  and the backplanes  12  and  13  are connected to each other. In addition, the receiving connectors  41  of the board  33  and the inserting connectors  21  provided at the backplanes  13  and  14  are connected to each other so that the board  33  and the backplanes  13  and  14  are connected to each other. In addition, the receiving connectors  41  of the board  34  and the inserting connectors  21  provided at the backplanes  11  and  14  are connected to each other so that the board  34  and the backplanes  11  and  14  are connected to each other. In other words, the board  31  and two backplanes  11  and  12  are connected to each other; the board  32  and two backplanes  12  and  13  are connected to each other; the board  33  and two backplanes  13  and  14  are connected to each other; and the board  34  and two backplanes  11  and  14  are connected to each other. The boards  31 ,  32 ,  33 , and  34  can be taken out from the backplanes  11 ,  12 ,  13 , and  14  by pulling out the boards  31 ,  32 ,  33 , and  34  in directions indicated by corresponding arrows A so that the inserting connectors  21  and the receiving connectors  41  are separated from each other. In addition, the boards  31 ,  32 ,  33 , and  34  and the backplanes  11 ,  12 ,  13 , and  14  can be connected to each other by pushing in the boards  31 ,  32 ,  33 , and  34  to the backplanes  11 ,  12 ,  13 , and  14  in the directions indicated by the arrows A so that the inserting connectors  21  and the receiving connectors  41  are connected to each other. The directions indicated by the arrows A are called, hereinafter removable directions. 
     Details of connections between the boards  31 ,  32 ,  33 , and  34  and the backplanes  11 ,  12 ,  13 , and  14  are discussed with reference to  FIG. 2  and  FIG. 3 . Here,  FIG. 2  is a top view of the board  31  configured to be connected to the backplanes  11  and  12  of the embodiment of the present invention.  FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the board  31  configured to be connected to the backplanes  11  and  12  of the embodiment of the present invention. As shown in  FIG. 2  and  FIG. 3 , two sides of the board  31  to be connected to the backplanes  11  and  12  are formed in step shape manners. Plural receiving connectors  41  are provided at step shape parts of the board  31 . 
     On the other hand, plural inserting connectors  21  corresponding to plural receiving connectors  41  are provided at the backplanes  11  and  12 . A case where a single board  31  is provided at two backplanes  11  and  12  is illustrated in  FIG. 2  and  FIG. 3 . However, by the same method, plural boards  31  can be provided so as to be stacked in a direction orthogonal to the sheet of  FIG. 2 . In this case, plural inserting connectors  21  are provided at the backplanes  11  and  12  in the direction orthogonal to the sheet of  FIG. 2 . By engaging the inserting connectors  21  with the receiving connectors  41  provided at the board  31 , it is possible to provide plural boards  31 . 
     (Receiving Connector) 
     Next, the receiving connector  41  is discussed with reference to  FIG. 4  and  FIG. 5 .  FIG. 4  is a perspective view seen in a rear surface direction of the receiving connector  41 .  FIG. 5  is a perspective view seen in a front surface direction of the receiving connector  41 . In the receiving connector  41 , plural opening parts  43  and  44  are mutually provided at a front surface of the housing  42  in a two-dimensional manner. A ground jack is provided inside the opening part  43 . A jack contact is provided inside the opening part  44 . The ground jack and the jack contact have substantially 90-degree bent configurations so that lower parts of the ground jack and the jack contact extending from a housing  42  form connecting terminals  45 . The connecting terminals  45  and terminals provided at the boards  31 ,  32 ,  33 , and  34  shown in  FIG. 2  and others are electrically connected to each other. 
     (Inserting Connector) 
     Next, the inserting connector  21  is discussed with reference to  FIG. 6  and  FIG. 7 . Here,  FIG. 6  is a perspective view seen in a front surface left direction of an inserting connector  21  of the embodiment of the present invention.  FIG. 7  is a perspective view seen in a front surface right direction of the inserting connector  21  of the embodiment of the present invention. In the inserting connector  21 , plural ground plugs  23  as ground plug terminals and plural plug contacts  24  as plug terminals are provided at a front surface of a housing  22  in a two-dimensional manner. In addition, connecting terminals  25  configured to be electrically connected with the ground plugs  23  and the plug contacts  24  are provided at the rear surface of the inserting connector  21 . The connecting terminals  25  and terminals of the backplane  11  are electrically connected to each other. The ground plug  23  and the plug contact  24  have configurations where the ground plug  23  and the plug contact  24  extend in the removable direction indicated by the arrow A. The ground plug  23  and the plug contact  24  are electrically connected to the receiving connector  41 . 
     Next, the ground plug  23  and the plug contact  24  are discussed with reference to  FIG. 8  and  FIG. 9 . The inserting connector  21  is formed, as illustrated in  FIG. 8 , by receiving electrode modules  51  stacked in a multi-step manner (five steps in the example illustrated in  FIG. 6  and  FIG. 7 ) into the housing  22 . The electrode module  51  is formed by unifying the ground plugs  23  arranged in a single line and the plug contacts  24  arranged in a single line. 
     The electrode module  51 , as illustrated in  FIG. 9 , is formed by an electrode module upper part  52 , a ground electrode  53 , and an electrode module lower part  54 . The connecting terminal  25  of the electrode module  51  includes a plug connecting terminal  25   a  and a ground connecting terminal  25   b.    
     The electrode module upper part  52  is formed by arranging plural stick-shaped plug electrodes  56  and unifying the plug electrodes  56  with an insulative resin material part  55   a . The plug contact  24  is provided at one side of the plug electrode  56 . The plug connecting terminal  25   a  is provided at another side of the plug electrode  56 . The plug electrode  56  is made of a conductive material such as metal. The plug electrode  56  is bent at approximately 45 degrees inside the resin material part  55   a . The plug electrodes  56  are arranged in a single-line manner so that the head ends of the plug contacts  24  and the head ends of the plug connecting terminals  25   a  are regularly situated. In other words, the plug contacts  24  are arranged so that the head ends of the plug contacts  24  are aligned at a surface perpendicular to a direction in which the plug contacts  24  extend. The plug connecting terminals  25   a  are arranged so that the head ends of the plug connecting terminals  25   a  are aligned at a surface perpendicular to a direction in which the plug connecting terminals  25   a  extend. Because of this, the plug electrodes  56  are arranged in order so that lengths of the successive plug electrodes  56  are longer as the plug electrodes  56  are situated from one side end to another side end. In an example illustrated in  FIG. 9 , ten plug electrodes  56  are arranged in order of their lengths and unified by the resin material part  55   a . Insulation among the plug electrodes  56  is provided by the resin material  55   a . As discussed below, a groove is provided at a rear surface of the electrode module upper part  52  so that the ground electrode  53  is fixed. 
     The ground electrode  53  is made of a plate-shaped conductive material such as metal. In the ground electrode  53 , a ground plug  23  is provided at one end and ground connecting terminal  25   b  is provided at another end. The ground electrode  53 , similar to the plug electrode  56 , is bent at approximately 45 degrees. The head ends of the ground plugs  23  and the head ends of the plug connecting terminals  25   b  are regularly situated. In other words, the ground plugs  23  are arranged so that the head ends of the ground plugs  23  are aligned at a surface perpendicular to a direction in which the ground plugs  23  extend. The ground connecting terminals  25   b  are arranged so that the head ends of the ground connecting terminals  25   b  are aligned at a surface perpendicular to a direction in which the ground connecting terminals  25   b  extend. Because of this, the ground electrodes  53  are arranged in order so that lengths of the successive ground electrodes  53  are longer as the ground electrodes  53  are situated from one side end to another side end. In an example illustrated in  FIG. 9 , eleven ground electrodes  53  are arranged in order of their lengths. 
     The electrode module lower part  54 , similar to the electrode module upper part  52 , is formed by arranging the plural stick-shaped plug electrodes  56  and unifying the plug electrodes  56  with an insulative resin material part  55   b . The plug contact  24  is provided at one side of the plug electrode  56 . The plug connecting terminal  25   a  is provided at another side of the plug electrode  56 . The plug electrode  56  is made of a conductive material such as metal. The plug electrode  56  is bent at approximately 45 degrees inside the resin material part  55   b . The plug electrodes  56  are arranged in a single-line manner so that the head ends of the plug contacts  24  and the head ends of the plug connecting terminals  25   a  are regularly situated. In other words, the plug contacts  24  are arranged so that the head ends of the plug contacts  24  are aligned at a surface perpendicular to a direction in which the plug contacts  24  extend. The plug connecting terminals  25   a  are arranged so that the head ends of the plug connecting terminals  25   a  are aligned at a surface perpendicular to a direction in which the plug connecting terminals  25   a  extend. Because of this, the plug electrodes  56  are arranged in order so that lengths of the successive plug electrodes  56  are longer as the plug electrodes are situated from one side end to another side end. In an example illustrated in  FIG. 9 , ten plug electrodes  56  are arranged in order of their lengths and unified by the resin material part  55   b . Insulation among the plug electrodes  56  is provided by the resin material  55   b . In addition, a groove part is provided at a top surface of the electrode module lower part  54  so that the ground electrodes  53  are fixed. Similarly, the ground electrodes  53  are sandwiched by the groove part provided at the top surface of the electrode module lower part  54  and the groove part provided at the rear surface of the electrode module upper part  52  so as to be fixed. Thus, the electrode module  51  is formed by sandwiching the ground electrodes  53  with the electrode module upper part  52  and the electrode module lower part  54  and fixing the ground electrodes  53 . 
     Next, details of the electrode module upper part  52  and the electrode module lower part  54  are discussed with reference to  FIG. 10  and  FIG. 11 . Here,  FIG. 10  is a top view of the electrode module lower part  54 .  FIG. 11  is a bottom view of the electrode module upper part  52 . As discussed above, the groove parts  57  are provided at the electrode module upper part  52  and the electrode module lower part  54  so that the ground electrodes  53  are fixed. The plug electrode  56  is bent at a bending part  60  situated in the substantially center part of the plug electrode  56  at approximately 45 degrees. The plug electrodes  65  are arranged in order of the lengths of the plug electrodes  65 . A bulge part  61  is provided at the bending part  60  side of the vicinity of the contact plug  24  of the plug electrode  56 . When the electrode module  51  is attached to the housing  22 , the plug electrode  56  is held by the bulge part  61 . In addition, the plug connecting terminal  25   a  of the plug electrode  56  includes a connecting part  62  having a compliant pin structure and therefore the plug electrodes  56 , the backplane  11  and other parts can be electrically connected to each other without using solder. In order to connect the electrode module upper part  52  and the electrode module lower part  54  to each other, lock parts  63  are provided at the electrode module upper part  52  and lock parts  64  are provided at the electrode module lower part  54 . The lock parts  63  and  64  are formed at the same time when the resin material part  55   a  of the electrode module upper part  52  and the resin material part  55   b  of the electrode module lower part  54  are formed. By connecting the lock parts  63  and the lock parts  64  to each other, the electrode module upper part  52  and the electrode module lower part  54  are unified so that the electrode module  51  is formed where the ground electrode  53  is sandwiched. 
     Next, details of the ground electrode  53  are discussed with reference to  FIG. 12 .  FIG. 12  is a perspective view of the ground electrode  53 . The ground electrode  53  is, as discussed above, bent at a bending part  70  situated in the substantially center part of the ground electrode  53  at approximately 45 degrees. A bulge part  71  is provided at the bending part  70  side of the vicinity of the ground plug  23  of the ground electrode  53 . In addition, a bulge part  72  is provided at the bending part  70  side of the vicinity of the ground connecting terminal  25   b . The bulge parts  71  and  72  hold the ground electrode  53  at the groove part  57  when the ground electrode  53  is fixed by the electrode module upper part  52  and the electrode module lower part  54 . In addition, the ground connecting terminal  25   b  of the ground electrode  53  includes a connecting part  73  having a compliant pin structure and therefore the ground electrode  53 , the backplane  11  and other parts can be electrically connected to each other without using solder. Since the ground electrode  53  is fixed at the groove parts  57  of the electrode module upper part  52  and the electrode module lower part  54 , insulation of the plug electrodes  56  and the ground electrodes  53  is made via the resin material parts  55   a  and  55   b . Thus, the electrode module  51  is formed. 
     The inserting connector  21  is made by attaching plural electrode modules  51  into the housing  22 . Here,  FIG. 13  is a top view of the inserting connector  21  of the embodiment of the present invention. As shown in  FIG. 13 , the electrode module  51  to be attached to the housing  22  includes parallel parts  81   a ,  81   b , and  81   c  including a surface parallel with the surface of the backplane  11  where the inserting connector  21  is attached. The parallel parts  81   a ,  81   b , and  81   c  may be provided on at least one portion of a single electrode module  51  and are used for positioning or the like. 
     The housing  22  of the inserting connector  21  is discussed with reference to  FIG. 14  and  FIG. 15 .  FIG. 14  is a perspective view seen in a front surface direction of the housing  22  and  FIG. 15  is a perspective view seen in a rear surface direction of the housing  22 . An engaging surface  82  is formed at the front surface of the housing  22 . The engaging surface  82  is configured to engage with the receiving connector  41 . The engaging surface  82  forms an angle of approximately 45 degrees with respect to the backplane  11  or the like. Groove parts  83  are provided at the rear surface side of the engaging surface  82  of the housing  22  so that plural electrode modules  51  are regularly provided. By regularly providing the plural electrode modules  51 , the head ends of the ground plugs  23  and the plug contacts  24  are regularly provided at a vertical surface of a direction in which the head ends of the ground plugs  23  and the plug contacts  24  extend. With this structure, the head ends of the ground plugs  23  and the plug contacts  24  can be regularly provided in a vertical direction. All of the head ends of the ground plugs  23  and the plug contacts  24  can be regularly provided, in a two-dimensional manner, at the vertical surface of a direction in which the head ends of the ground plugs  23  and the plug contacts  24  extend. 
     In the above-discussed embodiment, a structure where four backplanes  11 ,  12 ,  13 , and  14  are provided at right angles (90 degrees) with each other is discussed. However, the backplanes may be provided at any angles except that the backplanes may not be provided in parallel. In other words, as long as an angle β formed by two backplanes is greater than 0 degrees and less than 180 degrees (0 degrees &lt;β&lt;180 degrees), any arrangement of the backplanes is available. In this case, bending angles of the ground electrodes  53  and the plug electrodes  56  of the inserting connector  21  are equal to β/2. Accordingly, the angle α is greater than 0 degrees and less than 90 degrees (0 degrees&lt;α&lt;90 degrees). In the above-discussed example, a is equal to approximately 45 degrees. 
     The bending angles α of the ground electrodes  53  and the plug electrodes  56  of the inserting connector  21  provided at two backplanes may be different from each other in the two backplanes. When a bending angle of the ground electrodes  53  and the plug electrodes  56  of the inserting connector  21  provided at one backplane is defined as α1 and a bending angle of the ground electrodes  53  and the plug electrodes  56  of the inserting connector  21  provided at another backplane is defined as α2, the following equation may be satisfied. That is, α1+α2=β. 
     Furthermore, in the embodiment of the present invention, three backplanes may be provided at 120 degrees to each other. In this case, it is possible to achieve the same effect as that of the embodiment of the present invention by providing the inserting connectors at both surfaces of the backplanes so that α is approximately 60 degrees. 
     All examples and conditional language recited herein are intended for pedagogical purposes to aid the reader in understanding the invention and the concepts contributed by the inventor to furthering the art, and are to be construed as being without limitation to such specifically recited examples and conditions, nor does the organization of such examples in the specification relate to a showing of the superiority or inferiority of the invention. Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail, it should be understood that the various changes, substitutions, and alterations could be made hereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.