Patent Publication Number: US-9893446-B1

Title: High speed connector and transmission module thereof

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present disclosure relates to a connector; in particular, to a high speed connector and a transmission module thereof. 
     2. Description of Related Art 
     A conventional high speed connector is provided with a grounding sheet to connect with a plurality of grounding terminals thereof, thereby reducing insertion loss and crosstalk. A conventional grounding sheet has a sheet portion and a plurality of elastic arms integrally extended from the sheet portion. The elastic arms are formed in a cantilever beam mode, and are integrally formed with the sheet portion by using a punching process. However, the conventional grounding sheet does not have a good structural strength, and is not formed with any portion to shield the differential signal terminals of the conventional high speed connector. Thus, the performance of the conventional high speed connector cannot be increased by improving the conventional grounding sheet. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present disclosure provides a high speed connector and a transmission module thereof to solve the drawbacks associated with conventional high speed connectors. 
     The present disclosure discloses a high speed connector including a housing, an insulating core, a plurality of first conductive terminals, a plurality of second conductive terminals, and a shielding member. The insulating core is inserted into the housing. The first conductive terminals are fixed on the insulating core and are arranged in one row parallel to a width direction. Each of the first conductive terminals is substantially arranged in the housing. The first conductive terminals include two differential signal terminals and two grounding terminals, and the two grounding terminals are respectively arranged at two opposite outer sides of the two differential signal terminals. The second conductive terminals are fixed on the insulating core and are arranged in one row parallel to the width direction. Each of the second conductive terminals is substantially arranged in the housing, and a length of each of the second conductive terminals is less than or equal to that of each of the first conductive terminals. The shielding member includes a substrate and a metallic coating layer. The substrate is detachably fastened to the housing. The metallic coating layer is coated on the substrate, and is abutted against the two grounding terminals to establish an electrical connection between the two grounding terminals. The metallic coating layer is arranged at the two opposite outer sides of the two differential signal terminals. The metallic coating layer is configured to shield the two differential signal terminals in the width direction. 
     The present disclosure also discloses a transmission module of a high speed connector. The transmission module includes an insulating core, two differential signal terminals and two grounding terminals, and a shielding member. The differential signal terminals and the two grounding terminals are fixed on the insulating core and are arranged in one row parallel to a width direction. The two grounding terminals are respectively arranged at two opposite outer sides of the two differential signal terminals. The shielding member includes a substrate and a metallic coating layer. The metallic coating layer is coated on the substrate, and is abutted against the two grounding terminals to establish an electrical connection between the two grounding terminals. The metallic coating layer is arranged at the two opposite outer sides of the two differential signal terminals. The metallic coating layer is configured to shield the two differential signal terminals in the width direction. 
     In summary, for the high speed connector (or the transmission module) in the present disclosure, the shielding member has a shielding function for the differential signal terminals by using the metallic coating layer, so that the quality and the performance of signal transmission of the high speed connector (or the transmission module) can be effectively improved. Moreover, for the high speed connector (or the transmission module) in the present disclosure, the substrate having a better structural strength can be configured to support the metallic coating layer by coating the metallic coating layer on the substrate, so that the metallic coating layer is not easily deformed. 
     In order to further appreciate the characteristics and technical contents of the present disclosure, references are hereunder made to the detailed descriptions and appended drawings in connection with the present disclosure. However, the appended drawings are merely shown for exemplary purposes, and should not be construed as restricting the scope of the present disclosure. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view showing a high speed connector according to the present disclosure; 
         FIG. 2  is an exploded view of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  is an exploded view of  FIG. 1  from another perspective; 
         FIG. 4  is a cross-sectional view taken along a cross-sectional line IV-IV of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 5  is a cross-sectional view taken along a cross-sectional line V-V of  FIG. 4 ; 
         FIG. 6  is an enlarged view showing a portion VI of  FIG. 5 ; 
         FIG. 7  is a cross-sectional view taken along a cross-sectional line VII-VII of  FIG. 4 ; 
         FIG. 8  is an enlarged view showing a portion VIII of  FIG. 7 ; 
         FIG. 9  is a cross-sectional view taken along a cross-sectional line IX-IX of  FIG. 4 ; 
         FIG. 10  is a perspective view showing a shielding member of the high speed connector according to the present disclosure; and 
         FIG. 11  is an exploded view of  FIG. 10 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     References are hereunder made to the detailed descriptions and appended drawings in connection with the present disclosure. However, the appended drawings are merely provided for exemplary purposes, and should not be construed as restricting the scope of the present disclosure. 
     Reference is made to  FIGS. 1 to 11 , which illustrate an embodiment of the present disclosure. As shown in  FIGS. 1 to 3 , the present embodiment discloses a high speed connector  100 ; in particular, to a right angle connector, but the present disclosure is not limited thereto. For example, in other embodiments of the present disclosure, the high speed connector  100  can be a vertical connector. The high speed connector  100  in the present embodiment includes a housing  1 , an insulating core  2  inserted into the housing  1 , a plurality of first conductive terminals  3  fixed on the insulating core  2 , a plurality of second conductive terminals  4  fixed on the insulating core  2 , and a shielding member  5  detachably fastened to the housing  1 . The following description discloses the structure and connection relationships of each component of the high speed connector  100 . 
     In order to clearly describe the present embodiment, the housing  1  defines a width direction W, a longitudinal direction L, and a height direction H, the latter three of which are perpendicular to each other. As shown in  FIGS. 2 to 4 , the housing  1  includes a main portion  11  and two positioning sheets  12  respectively extended from two opposite sides of a rear end of the main portion  11 . The main portion  11  has an inserting channel  111  and a plurality of terminal slots  112  arranged in two rows. The two rows of the terminal slots  112  are respectively arranged above and under the inserting channel  111 , and are in air communication with the inserting channel  111 . Each row of the terminal slot  112  is arranged in the width direction W of the housing  1 . The main portion  11  has an inserting opening  113  formed on a front end thereof and a receiving slot  114  formed on the rear end thereof. The inserting opening  113  and the receiving slot  114  are respectively arranged at a front side and a rear side of the inserting channel  111 , and are in in air communication with the inserting channel  111 . 
     As shown in  FIGS. 2 to 4 , the insulating core  2  is inserted into the housing  1 , and the insulating core  2  in the present embodiment is inserted into the receiving slot  114  of the housing  1  to be a boundary of the inserting channel  111 , but the present disclosure is not limited thereto. The insulating core  2  includes a first plastic core  21  and a second plastic core  22 . The first plastic core  21  has a rugged structure  211 , the second plastic core  22  has a mating structure  221 , and the first plastic core  21  is fixed on the second plastic core  22  by detachably inserting the rugged structure  211  into the mating structure  221 . 
     In addition, the insulating core  2  in the present embodiment adapts the first plastic core  21  and the second plastic core  22  inserted into the first plastic core  21 , but the present disclosure is not limited thereto. That is to say, the insulating core  2  can be adjusted according to practical needs. In other embodiments of the present disclosure, the insulating core  2  can be integrally formed as one piece. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 2 to 4 , the first conductive terminals  3  are arranged in one row parallel to the width direction W, and are fixed on the first plastic core  21 . Each of the first conductive terminals  3  is substantially arranged in the housing  1 . Each of the first conductive terminals  3  has a first embedded segment  31  fixed and embedded in the first plastic core  21  of the insulating core  2 , a first contacting segment  32  extended from the first embedded segment  31  toward the inserting opening  113 , and a first fixing segment  33  extended from the first embedded segment  31  in a direction away from the inserting opening  113 . That is to say, the first contacting segments  32  are respectively arranged in the upper row of the terminal slots  112  of the main portion  11 , and each of the first contacting segments  32  is partially located in the inserting channel  111 . The first fixing segments  33  are arranged between the two positioning sheets  12 . Specifically, each of the first fixing segments  33  has a bending corner  331  arranged behind a portion thereof extended from the respective embedded segment  31  in the longitudinal direction L. In other words, each of the first fixing segments  33  has a first portion (not labeled) extended from the respect embedded segment  31  in the longitudinal direction L, a second portion parallel to the height direction H (not labeled), and the bending corner  331  connected to the first portion and the second portion. 
     Moreover, as shown in  FIGS. 5 to 9 , when the first conductive terminals  3  are named according to function or application thereof, the first conductive terminals  3  includes a plurality pairs of differential signal terminals  3 S and a plurality of grounding terminals  3 G and the pairs of differential signal terminals  3 S and the grounding terminals  3 G in the present embodiment are substantially arranged in a bilateral symmetry. The insulating core  2  (i.e., the first plastic core  21 ) has a plurality of notches  212  (as shown in  FIG. 2  or  FIG. 9 ), and parts of the grounding terminals  3 G (i.e., a rear portion of the first embedded segment  31  of each grounding terminal  3 G) are respectively exposed from the insulating core  2  though the notches  212  and each is defined as an externally connecting portion  311 . 
     Thus, the externally connecting portions  311  are embedded in the insulating core  2  (i.e., the first plastic core  21 ) having a higher structural strength, so that when each of the externally connecting portions  311  is abutted against the other component (i.e., the shielding member  5 ), the insulating core  2  can support each of the externally connecting portions  311  to prevent a deformation from occurring, thereby maintaining a stable connection between each of the externally connecting portions  311  and the abutted component. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 2 to 4 , the second conductive terminals  4  are arranged in one row parallel to the width direction W, and are fixed on the second plastic core  22 . Each of the second conductive terminals  4  is substantially arranged in the housing  1 . A length of each of the second conductive terminals  4  is less than or equal to that of each of the first conductive terminals  3 . Each of the second conductive terminals  4  has a second embedded segment  41  fixed and embedded in the second plastic core  22  of the insulating core  2 , a second contacting segment  42  extended from the second embedded segment  41  toward the inserting opening  113 , and a second fixing segment  43  extended from the second embedded segment  41  in a direction away from the inserting opening  113 . That is to say, the second contacting segments  42  are respectively arranged in the lower row of the terminal slots  112  of the main portion  11 , and each of the second contacting segments  42  is partially located in the inserting channel  111 . The second fixing segments  43  are arranged between the two positioning sheets  12 . 
     Specifically, a length of each of the second embedded segments  41  is equal to that of each of the first embedded segments  31 , a length of each of the second contacting segments  42  is equal to that of each of the first contacting segments  32 , and a length of each of the second fixing segments  43  is less than that of each of the second contacting segments  33 . 
     In other words, as shown in  FIGS. 5 to 9 , when the second conductive terminals  4  are named according to function or application thereof, the second conductive terminals  4  includes a plurality pairs of differential signal terminals (not labeled) and a plurality of grounding terminals (not labeled), and the arrangement of the differential signal terminals and the grounding terminals of the second conductive terminals  4  are substantially identical to the arrangement of the differential signal terminals  3 S and the grounding terminals  3 G of the first conductive terminals  3 . 
     As shown in  FIGS. 2, 4, 10, and 11 , the shielding member  5  in the present embodiment is an LDS shielding member  5 , but the present disclosure is not limited thereto. The shielding member  5  includes a substrate  51  and a metallic coating layer  52  coated on the substrate  51 . The metallic coating layer  52  is abutted against at least two of the grounding terminals  3 G of the first conductive terminals  3  to establish an electrical connection between the at least two abutted grounding terminals  3 G. Thus, the substrate  51  having a better structural strength can be configured to support the metallic coating layer  52  by coating the metallic coating layer  52  on the substrate  52 , so that the metallic coating layer  52  is not easily deformed. 
     In should be noted that the substrate  51  in the present embodiment is an LDS plastic. That is to say, the substrate  51  is a portion of the LDS shielding member  5 , which is not implemented in the laser structuring and activation process and the chemically coating process, so that the substrate  51  still has the insulating property. However, in other embodiments of the present disclosure, the substrate  51  can be a general plastic, which is not used in the LDS process. Moreover, in the present embodiment, a thickness of the substrate  51  in the width direction W is preferably more than that of the metallic coating layer  52 , but the present disclosure is not limited thereto. 
     The substrate  51  is detachably fastened to the housing  1 . The substrate  51  in the present embodiment is integrally formed as one piece, and includes a base portion  511 , a plurality of partitions  512 , a plurality of protruding portions  513 , and two hooks  514 . The base portion  511  has a substantially plate-like structure. Each of the partitions  512  having a plate-like structure is perpendicularly connected to a bottom surface of the base portion  511 . The protruding portions  513  are connected to a front edge of the base portion  511  and/or the partitions  512 . The two hooks  514  are respectively connected to two opposite sides of the base portion  511 . 
     The metallic coating layer  52  includes a plurality of shielding portions  521 , a plurality of abutting portions  522  respectively arranged adjacent to the shielding portions  521 , and a bridging portion  523  configured to establish an electrical connection between the shielding portions  521  and the abutting portions  522 . The shielding portions  521  are respectively coated on the partitions  512 , and the abutting portions  522  are respectively coated on the protruding portions  513 . The bridging portion  523  is coated on the base portion  511  and is connected to the shielding portions  521  and the abutting portions  522 . It should be noted that the metallic shielding layer  52  in the present embodiment is arranged in a concave structure  515  of the substrate  51 , but the present disclosure is not limited thereto. 
     The substrate  51  is fastened to the housing  1  by using the two hooks  514  to respectively buckle with the two positioning sheets  12 . The partitions  512  respectively correspond in position to the grounding terminals  3 G. The protruding portions  513  of the substrate  51  are respectively arranged in the notches  212  of the first plastic core  21 , and the abutting portions  522  are respectively abutted against the externally connecting portions  311  of the grounding terminals  3 G. Accordingly, the abutting portions  522  are coated on the protruding portions  513  having a higher structural strength, so that when the abutting portions  522  are respectively abutted against the externally connecting portions  311 , the protruding portions  513  can be used to respectively support the abutting portions  522  to prevent a deformation, thereby maintaining a stable connection between each of the abutting portions  522  and the abutted externally connecting portion  311 . 
     Moreover, as the differential signal terminals  3 S and the grounding terminals  3 G in the present embodiment are arranged in the bilateral symmetry, and the shielding member  5  is a mirror symmetry structure, the following description just discloses the structure of two differential signal terminals  3 S shown in the right side of  FIG. 5 , two grounding terminal  3 G respectively arranged at two opposite outer sides of the said two differential signal terminals  3 S, and the corresponding parts of the shielding member  5  for the sake of brevity. Moreover, as shown in  FIG. 6  or  FIG. 8 , the corresponding parts of the shielding member  5  includes two partitions  512 , two protruding portions  513 , and parts of the metallic coating layer  52  arranged on the two partitions  512  and the two protruding portions  513 . 
     Specifically, as shown in  FIGS. 6, 8, and 9 , the two partitions  512  are respectively arranged at two opposite sides (i.e., two opposite outer sides) of the two grounding terminals  3 G. The two shielding portions  521  are coated on surfaces of the two partitions  512  arranged adjacent to the two grounding terminals  3 G (i.e., as shown in  FIG. 8 , the two shielding portions  521  are respectively coated on surfaces of the two partitions  512  facing to each other). The two abutting portions  522  are respectively coated on the two protruding portions  513 , so that when the two protruding portions  513  are respectively arranged in the two notches  212 , the two abutting portions  522  are respectively abutted against the externally connecting portions  311  of the two grounding terminals  3 G. 
     Moreover, the two shielding portions  521  of the metallic coating layer  52  are respectively arranged at the two opposite outer sides of the two differential signal terminals  3 S, and the metallic coating layer  52  is configured to shield the two differential signal terminals  3 S in the width direction W. The two shielding portions  521  of the metallic coating layer  52  are configured to shield at least 25% of each of the first fixing segments  33  of the two differential signal terminals  3 S in the width direction W, and the at least 25% of each of the first fixing segments  33  of the two differential signal terminals  3 S is arranged adjacent to the insulating core  2 . Preferably, the two shielding portions  521  of the metallic coating layer  52  are configured to shield entirely a portion of each of the two differential signal terminals  3 S, which is arranged between the insulating core  2  and the bending corner  331  thereof, in the width direction W, but the present disclosure is not limited thereto. 
     Thus, the shielding member  5  have a shielding function for the differential signal terminals  3 S by using the metallic coating layer  52 , so that the quality and the performance of signal transmission of the high speed connector  100  in the present embodiment can be effectively improved. 
     It should be noted that each of the shielding portions  521  in the present embodiment is coated on a surface of the partition  512  being adjacent to the grounding terminal  3 G, so that the shielding member  5  can be applied to a condition, that is any two adjacent of the first conductive terminals  3  provided with a smaller gap there-between, for preventing each of the shielding portions  521  from contacting the adjacent differential signal terminal  3 S, but the present disclosure is not limited thereto. In other embodiments of the present disclosure, when any two adjacent of the first conductive terminals  3  are provided with a large gap there-between, two opposite surfaces of the partition  512  each can be coated with one shielding portion  521 . 
     In addition, the insulating core  2  (i.e., the first plastic core  21 ), the first conductive terminals  3  (i.e., the two differential signal terminals  3 S and the grounding terminals  3 G shown in the left side of  FIG. 7 ), and the shielding member  5  (i.e., parts of the shielding member  5  related to the two differential signal terminals  3 S and the grounding terminals  3 G) in the present embodiment can be co-defined as a transmission module of the high speed connector  100 . The components of the transmission module are not limited to the present embodiment. That is to say, in other embodiments of the present disclosure, the transmission module can be applied to the other high speed connector. 
     In summary, for the high speed connector (or the transmission module) in the present disclosure, the shielding member has a shielding function for the differential signal terminals by using the metallic coating layer, so that the quality and the performance of signal transmission of the high speed connector (or the transmission module) can be effectively improved. 
     Moreover, the substrate having a better structural strength can be configured to support the metallic coating layer by coating the metallic coating layer on the substrate, so that the metallic coating layer is not easily deformed. 
     Specifically, the externally connecting portions are embedded in the insulating core (i.e., the first plastic core) having a higher structural strength, so that the insulating core can support each of the externally connecting portions. The abutting portions are coated on the protruding portions having a higher structural strength, so that the protruding portions can respectively support the abutting portions. Accordingly, when the abutting portions are respectively abutted against the externally connecting portions, the abutting portions and the externally connecting portions are not easily deformed, thereby maintaining a stable connection between each of the abutting portions and the abutted externally connecting portion. 
     The descriptions illustrated supra set forth simply the preferred embodiments of the present disclosure; however, the characteristics of the present disclosure are by no means restricted thereto. All changes, alterations, or modifications conveniently considered by those skilled in the art are deemed to be encompassed within the scope of the present disclosure delineated by the following claims.