Patent Publication Number: US-11050194-B2

Title: Connector

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a connector, particularly to a connector having a plurality of contacts and a conductive mid-plate. 
     A connector having a plurality of contacts and a conductive mid-plate facing the plurality of contacts has been conventionally known. For instance, as shown in  FIG. 12 , TW I630763B discloses a connector in which a plurality of contacts  2  face one surface of a mid-plate  1  of flat plate shape made of metal and a plurality of contacts  3  face the other surface of the mid-plate  1 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 13 , each of the contacts  2  has a contact portion  2 A that is disposed at a front end portion in a fitting direction and makes contact with a contact of a counter connector (not shown), a connecting portion  2 B that is disposed at a rear end portion in the fitting direction and is connected to a substrate or the like (not shown), and a holding portion  2 C that is disposed between the contact portion  2 A and the connecting portion  2 B. As with the contacts  2 , each of the contacts  3  also has a contact portion  3 A, a connecting portion  3 B and a holding portion  3 C. 
     As shown in  FIG. 14 , the mid-plate  1 , the contacts  2  and the contacts  3  are integrally formed with a housing  4  to thereby form the connector. The contact portions  2 A of the plurality of contacts  2  and the contact portions  3 A of the plurality of contacts  3  are disposed to be exposed from the housing  4 , and the connecting portions  2 B of the plurality of contacts  2  and the connecting portions  3 B of the plurality of contacts  3  project behind the housing  4 . 
     While the mid-plate  1  is provided to electrically isolate the plurality of contacts  2  and the plurality of contacts  3  from each other, in the connector having the mid-plate  1 , the plurality of contacts  2  and the plurality of contacts  3  as above, the plurality of contacts  2  and the plurality of contacts  3  are disposed close to the mid-plate  1 , whereby crosstalk may occur among the plurality of contacts  2  or among the plurality of contacts  3  via the mid-plate  1 , so that transmission characteristics may be deteriorated. 
     To cope with it, as shown in  FIG. 13 , deformed portions  2 D and  3 D that are deformed to be away from the mid-plate  1  are formed at part of the holding portion  2 C of the contact  2  and part of the holding portion  3 C of the contact  3 , respectively. The presence of the deformed portions  2 D and  3 D allows the occurrence of crosstalk via the mid-plate  1  to be suppressed. 
     However, as presumed from  FIG. 14 , while the contact portions  2 A and  3 A of the contacts  2  and  3  are exposed from the housing  4 , the deformed portions  2 D and  3 D are embedded in the housing  4 . That is, since the provision of the deformed portions  2 D and  3 D of the contacts  2  and  3  that are deformed to be away from the mid-plate  1  is limited to a portion embedded in the housing  4 , the deformed portions  2 D and  3 D that extend long along the fitting direction cannot be ensured, and thus it is difficult to sufficiently suppress the occurrence of crosstalk. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIION 
     The present invention has been made in order to solve the conventional problem described above and is aimed at providing a connector capable of sufficiently suppressing the occurrence of crosstalk even when the connector is provided with a plurality of contacts and a conductive mid-plate. 
     A connector according to the present invention is a connector having a predetermined effective connection length and comprises: 
     a plurality of contacts having conductivity, the plurality of contacts extending in a fitting direction for fitting with a counter connector and being arranged in an arrangement direction perpendicular to the fitting direction; 
     a mid-plate of flat plate shape and having conductivity, the mid-plate extending in the fitting direction and the arrangement direction and being disposed to face the plurality of contacts; and 
     a housing having insulating properties, the housing holding the plurality of contacts and the mid-plate, 
     wherein the plurality of contacts comprise a first contact row and a second contact row that are separately arranged to face both surfaces of the mid-plate, 
     wherein each of the first contact row and the second contact row includes a plurality of pairs of contacts, 
     wherein each of the plurality of contacts has a contact portion that is disposed at a front end portion in the fitting direction, has a length corresponding to the effective connection length along the fitting direction, is exposed from the housing and makes contact with a contact of the counter connector, an exposed portion that is disposed adjacent to a rear end of the contact portion in the fitting direction and is exposed from the housing, a connecting portion that is disposed at a rear end portion in the fitting direction and is connected to a connection target, and a holding portion that is disposed between the exposed portion and the connecting portion and is at least partially embedded in the housing, 
     wherein the contact portion of each of the plurality of contacts is disposed away from the mid-plate by a predetermined distance in a direction perpendicular to the mid-plate, 
     wherein each of at least the plurality of pairs of contacts of the plurality of contacts has a separation portion that are separated from the mid-plate in the direction perpendicular to the mid-plate by a separation distance longer than the predetermined distance, and 
     wherein the separation portion includes the exposed portion and a part of the holding portion adjacent to a rear end of the exposed portion in the fitting direction. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view showing a connector according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is an exploded perspective view of the connector according to the embodiment. 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view showing a contact assembly in the connector according to the embodiment. 
         FIG. 4  is a perspective view showing a mid-plate and a plurality of contacts used in the connector according to the embodiment. 
         FIG. 5  is a diagram schematically showing the mid-plate and the plurality of contacts used in the connector according to the embodiment. 
         FIG. 6  is a side view showing a first contact used in the connector according to the embodiment. 
         FIG. 7  is a side view showing a second contact used in the connector according to the embodiment. 
         FIG. 8  is a cross-sectional side view of the connector according to the embodiment. 
         FIG. 9  is a partial cross-sectional view schematically showing the mid-plate, the first contact and the second contact that are held by a housing in the connector according to the embodiment. 
         FIG. 10  is a cross-sectional side view showing a state where a counter connector is fitted with the connector according to the embodiment. 
         FIG. 11  is a partial cross-sectional view schematically showing a mid-plate, a first contact and a second contact that are held by a housing in a connector according to a modification. 
         FIG. 12  is a perspective view showing a mid-plate and a plurality of contacts used in a conventional connector. 
         FIG. 13  is a side view showing the mid-plate and the plurality of contacts used in the conventional connector. 
         FIG. 14  is a cross-sectional side view showing the conventional connector. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     An embodiment of the present invention is described below based on the appended drawings. 
       FIG. 1  shows a connector  11  according to an embodiment. The connector  11  is a receptacle connector to be mounted on a circuit board or the like in an electronic device and has a plurality of conductive contacts  12  that extend in a fitting direction along a fitting axis C 1  and are arranged in a direction perpendicular to the fitting axis C 1 . 
     A conductive peripheral shell  13  extending along the fitting axis C 1  is disposed to cover the periphery of the front end portions, in the fitting direction, of the plurality of contacts  12 , and a counter connector accommodating portion  13 A that opens frontward in the fitting direction and into which a counter connector (not shown) is to be inserted is formed inside the peripheral shell  13 . An insulating housing  14  is disposed inside the counter connector accommodating portion  13 A and holds the plurality of contacts  12 . The peripheral shell  13  surrounds an outer periphery of the housing  14 . 
     A conductive mid-plate  15  of flat plate shape is embedded and held in the housing  14 . 
       FIG. 2  shows an exploded view of the connector  11 . The plurality of contacts  12  has a first contact row  21  arranged to face one surface of the mid-plate  15  and a second contact row  31  arranged to face the other surface of the mid-plate  15 . The first contact row  21  is constituted of a plurality of first contacts  22  that form a first module  24  modularized with an insulator  23 . Similarly, the second contact row  31  is constituted of a plurality of second contacts  32  that form a second module  34  modularized with an insulator  33 . 
     The connector  11  has an insulator  41  that integrally forms the mid-plate  15 , the first module  24  and the second module  34 , and the insulators  23 ,  33  and  41  constitute the housing  14 . 
     For convenience, the direction from front to back of the connector  11  along the fitting axis C is called “+Y direction,” the arrangement direction of the first contact row  21  and the second contact row  31  “X direction,” and the direction perpendicular to an XY plane and extending from the second module  34  to the first module  24  “+Z direction.” 
     As a result of the formation of the insulator  41 , as shown in  FIG. 3 , a contact assembly  42  in which the plurality of first contacts  22  of the first contact row  21 , the plurality of second contacts  32  of the second contact row  31  and the mid-plate  15  are integrally formed with the housing  14  is formed. In  FIG. 3 , the plurality of second contacts  32  of the second contact row  31  are not shown because they are hidden on the −Z direction side of the insulator  41 . 
     The connector  11  shown in  FIG. 1  is produced by attaching the peripheral shell  13  to the contact assembly  42 . 
       FIG. 4  shows the first contact row  21  disposed on the +Z direction side of the mid-plate  15  and the second contact row  31  disposed on the −Z direction side of the mid-plate  15  as sandwiching the mid-plate  15  therebetween. The plurality of first contacts  22  constituting the first contact row  21  are arranged in the X direction and are each formed from a metal member of plate shape extending substantially in the Y direction. Similarly, the plurality of second contacts  32  constituting the second contact row  31  are arranged in the X direction and are each formed from a metal member of plate shape extending substantially in the Y direction. 
     The mid-plate  15  is provided to electrically isolate the first contact row  21  and the second contact row  31  from each other and is formed from, for instance, a metal plate. 
     As shown in  FIG. 5 , the plurality of first contacts  22  constituting the first contact row  21  have twelve contacts S 1  to S 12  arranged from the −X direction to the +X direction. Of these contacts, two contacts S 6  and S 7  located at a middle part in the X direction constitute a first pair SP 1  of contacts for low-speed signal transmission, contacts S 1  and S 12  separately located on the outermost sides in the X direction are grounding contacts, and two contacts S 2  and S 3  adjacent to the contact S 1  and two contacts S 11  and S 10  adjacent to the contact S 12  separately constitute second pairs SP 2  of contacts for high-speed signal transmission. Remaining contacts S 4 , S 5 , S 8  and S 9  are contacts for a power supply or contacts for use in, for instance, detection of insertion and removal of the connector  11 . 
     Similarly, the plurality of second contacts  32  constituting the second contact row  31  have twelve contacts T 1  to T 12  arranged from the −X direction to the +X direction. Of these contacts, two contacts T 6  and T 7  located at a middle part in the X direction constitute a first pair TP 1  of contacts for low-speed signal transmission, contacts T 1  and T 12  separately located on the outermost sides in the X direction are grounding contacts, and two contacts T 2  and T 3  adjacent to the contact T 1  and two contacts T 11  and T 10  adjacent to the contact T 12  separately constitute second pairs TP 2  of contacts for high-speed signal transmission. Remaining contacts T 4 , T 5 , T 8  and T 9  are contacts for a power supply or contacts for use in, for instance, detection of insertion and removal of the connector  11 . 
     As above, each of the first contact row  21  and the second contact row  31  includes three pairs of contacts used for transmitting electric signals. 
     As shown in  FIG. 6 , a contact portion  22 A that is exposed from the housing  14  and makes contact with a contact of a counter connector (not shown) is formed at a −Y directional end of the first contact  22 , and an exposed portion  22 B having a predetermined length is formed on a rear end side in the fitting direction with respect to the contact portion  22 A, that is, adjacent to the +Y direction side of the contact portion  22 A. The exposed portion  22 B is a portion that is exposed from the housing  14  but does not make contact with the contact of the counter connector. 
     A connecting portion  22 C to be connected to a connection target such as a circuit board on which the connector  11  is mounted is disposed at a+Y directional end of the first contact  22 , and a holding portion  22 D that is held in the housing  14  by being at least partially embedded in the housing  14  is disposed between the exposed portion  22 B and the connecting portion  22 C. 
     The contact portion  22 A extends along the Y direction and has a length corresponding to an effective connection length of the connector  11 . The expression “an effective connection length of the connector  11 ” means a distance that a contact of a counter connector (not shown) moves in contact with a surface of the first contact  22  or the second contact  32  of the connector  11  when the counter connector is fitted with the connector  11 . The exposed portion  22 B also extends along the Y direction as with the contact portion  22 A but is located at a position deviated in the +Z direction from the contact portion  22 A, and a contact step portion  22 E is formed at a boundary portion between the contact portion  22 A and the exposed portion  22 B. 
     A −Y directional portion of the holding portion  22 D connected to the exposed portion  22 B extends along the Y direction in the same position in the Z direction as the exposed portion  22 B, and a step is not present at a boundary portion between the exposed portion  22 B and the holding portion  22 D. Therefore, the boundary portion between the exposed portion  22 B and the holding portion  22 D cannot be discerned from the first contact  22 , and when the contact assembly  42  is formed as shown in  FIG. 3 , a portion that is not embedded in and is exposed from the housing  14  serves as the exposed portion  22 B, and the +Y direction side from a portion that is embedded in the housing  14  serves as the holding portion  22 D. 
     As shown in  FIG. 7 , a contact portion  32 A that is exposed from the housing  14  and makes contact with a contact of a counter connector (not shown) is formed at a −Y directional end of the second contact  32 , and an exposed portion  32 B having a predetermined length is formed on a rear end side in the fitting direction with respect to the contact portion  32 A, that is, adjacent to the +Y direction side of the contact portion  32 A. The exposed portion  32 B is a portion that is exposed from the housing  14  but does not make contact with the contact of the counter connector. 
     A connecting portion  32 C to be connected to a connection target such as a circuit board on which the connector  11  is mounted is disposed at a+Y directional end of the second contact  32 , and a holding portion  32 D that is held in the housing  14  by being at least partially embedded in the housing is disposed between the exposed portion  32 B and the connecting portion  32 C. 
     The contact portion  32 A extends along the Y direction and has a length corresponding to the effective connection length of the connector  11 . The exposed portion  32 B also extends along the Y direction as with the contact portion  32 A but is located at a position deviated in the −Z direction from the contact portion  32 A, and a contact step portion  32 E is formed at a boundary portion between the contact portion  32 A and the exposed portion  32 B. 
     A −Y directional portion of the holding portion  32 D connected to the exposed portion  32 B extends along the Y direction in the same position in the Z direction as the exposed portion  32 B, and a step is not present at a boundary portion between the exposed portion  32 B and the holding portion  32 D. Therefore, the boundary portion between the exposed portion  32 B and the holding portion  32 D cannot be discerned from the second contact  32 , and when the contact assembly  42  is formed as shown in  FIG. 3 , a portion that is not embedded in and is exposed from the housing  14  serves as the exposed portion  32 B, and the +Y direction side from a portion that is embedded in the housing  14  serves as the holding portion  32 D. 
     The contact portion  32 A and the exposed portion  32 B of the second contact  32  respectively have the same Y directional lengths as those of the contact portion  22 A and the exposed portion  22 B of the first contact  22 . On the other hand, the holding portion  32 D of the second contact  32  has a shorter Y directional length than that of the holding portion  22 D of the first contact  22 . 
       FIG. 8  shows a cross-sectional side view of the connector cut along a YZ plane. The contact portion  22 A, the exposed portion  22 B and the −Y directional portion of the holding portion  22 D of the first contact  22  and the contact portion  32 A, the exposed portion  32 B and the −Y directional portion of the holding portion  32 D of the second contact  32  are surrounded by the peripheral shell  13  and disposed in the counter connector accommodating portion  13 A, the contact portion  22 A, the exposed portion  22 B and the −Y directional portion of the holding portion  22 D of the first contact  22  face the +Z directional surface of the mid-plate  15 , and the contact portion  32 A, the exposed portion  32 B and the −Y directional portion of the holding portion  32 D of the second contact  32  face the −Z directional surface of the mid-plate  15 . 
     The contact portion  22 A and the exposed portion  22 B of the first contact  22  are exposed in the +Z direction from the housing  14  in the counter connector accommodating portion  13 A without being embedded in the housing  14 . Similarly, the contact portion  32 A and the exposed portion  32 B of the second contact  32  are exposed in the −Z direction from the housing  14  in the counter connector accommodating portion  13 A without being embedded in the housing  14 . 
     On the other hand, the −Y directional portion of the holding portion  22 D adjacent to the exposed portion  22 B of the first contact  22  is embedded in the housing  14 , and the housing has a housing step portion  16  covering the −Y directional portion of the holding portion  22 D from the +Z direction. Similarly, the −Y directional portion of the holding portion  32 D adjacent to the exposed portion  32 B of the second contact  32  is embedded in the housing  14 , and the housing  14  has a housing step portion  17  covering the −Y directional portion of the holding portion  32 D from the −Z direction. 
     The connecting portion  22 C of the first contact  22  and the connecting portion  32 C of the second contact  32  protrude in the −Z direction from the housing  14  at the +Y directional end of the connector  11 . Since the holding portion  32 D of the second contact  32  has a shorter Y directional length than that of the holding portion  22 D of the first contact  22 , the connecting portion  32 C of the second contact  32  is located on the −Y directional side of the connecting portion  22 C of the first contact  22 . Thus, since the connecting portions  22 C of the plurality of first contacts  22  arranged in the X direction and the connecting portions  32 C of the plurality of second contacts arranged in the X direction are disposed at positions different from each other in the Y direction, respective installation spaces for the contact portions  22 C and  32 C are ensured, which facilitates connection to a connection target such as a circuit board. 
     Here, as shown in  FIG. 9 , the exposed portion  22 B of the first contact  22  is located at the position deviated in the +Z direction from the contact portion  22 A, the contact portion  22 A is disposed away from the mid-plate  15  by a predetermined distance D 1  in the +Z direction perpendicular to the mid-plate  15 , and the exposed portion  22 B is disposed away from the mid-plate  15  by a separation distance D 2  longer than the predetermined distance D 1  in the +Z direction. When the height of the contact step portion  22 E formed at the boundary portion between the contact portion  22 A and the exposed portion  22 B is H 1 , D 2 =D 1 +H 1  is satisfied. 
     Further, since the −Y directional portion of the holding portion  22 D adjacent to the exposed portion  22 B also extends along the Y direction in the same position in the Z direction as the exposed portion  22 B, a separation portion  22 F separated from the mid-plate  15  by the separation distance D 2  longer than the predetermined distance D 1  is formed to extend from the exposed portion  22 B to the −Y directional portion of the holding portion  22 D. 
     Similarly, the exposed portion  32 B of the second contact  32  is located at the position deviated in the −Z direction from the contact portion  32 A, the contact portion  32 A is disposed away from the mid-plate  15  by the predetermined distance D 1  in the −Z direction perpendicular to the mid-plate  15 , and the exposed portion  32 B is disposed away from the mid-plate  15  by the separation distance D 2  longer than the predetermined distance D 1  in the −Z direction. When the height of the contact step portion  32 E formed at the boundary portion between the contact portion  32 A and the exposed portion  32 B is H 1 , D 2 =D 1 +H 1  is satisfied. 
     Further, since the −Y directional portion of the holding portion  32 D adjacent to the exposed portion  32 B also extends along the Y direction in the same position in the Z direction as the exposed portion  32 B, a separation portion  32 F separated from the mid-plate  15  by the separation distance D 2  longer than the predetermined distance D 1  is formed to extend from the exposed portion  32 B to the −Y directional portion of the holding portion  32 D. 
     As above, in the connector  11 , the separation portion  22 F of the first contact  22  that is separated from the mid-plate  15  in the +Z direction by the separation distance D 2  extends not only to the holding portion  22 D embedded in the housing  14  but also to the exposed portion  22 B exposed from the housing  14 . Similarly, the separation portion  32 F of the second contact  32  that is separated from the mid-plate  15  in the −Z direction by the separation distance D 2  extends not only to the holding portion  32 D embedded in the housing  14  but also to the exposed portion  32 B exposed from the housing  14 . 
     Each of the plurality of first contacts  22  has the separation portion  22 F, each of the plurality of second contacts has the separation portion  32 F, and all of the separation portions  22 F and  32 F are separated from the mid-plate  15  by the same separation distance D 2 . 
     Therefore, the long separation portions  22 F and  32 F along the Y direction are ensured in the first contact  22  and the second contact  32 , respectively, and it is possible to sufficiently suppress the occurrence of crosstalk via the mid-plate  15  while the plurality of first contacts  22  and the plurality of second contacts  32  are electrically isolated from each other via the mid-plate  15 . Thus, electric signals can be transmitted with excellent characteristics. 
     The housing step portion  16  covering the −Y directional portion of the holding portion  22 D of the first contact  22  from the +Z direction has a thickness D 3  equal to the separation distance D 2  from the mid-plate  15  in the separation portion  22 F. Similarly, the housing step portion  17  covering the −Y directional portion of the holding portion  32 D of the second contact  32  from the −Z direction also has the thickness D 3  equal to the separation distance D 2  from the mid-plate  15  in the separation portion  32 F. 
       FIG. 10  shows the connector  11  in the fitting state with a counter connector  51 . The counter connector  51  has a metal shell  52 , a plurality of first contacts  53  of plate spring shape arranged in the X direction are disposed on the +Z direction side in the shell  52 , and a plurality of second contacts  54  of plate spring shape arranged in the X direction are disposed on the −Z direction side in the shell  52 . The plurality of first contacts  53  correspond to the plurality of first contacts  22  of the connector  11 , and the plurality of second contacts  54  correspond to the plurality of second contacts  32  of the connector  11 . 
     A pair of metal pressing portions  55  and  56  of plate spring shape electrically connected to the shell  52  are disposed to face each other in the Z direction in the shell  52  on the side close to the +Y directional end of the counter connector  51 . 
     The +Y directional end of the counter connector  51  is inserted in the counter connector accommodating portion  13 A of the connector  11  along the fitting axis C 1 , the pressing portion  55  of the counter connector  51  makes contact with the housing step portion  16  on the +Z direction side of the connector  11  and presses the housing step portion  16  in the −Z direction, and the pressing portion  56  of the counter connector  51  makes contact with the housing step portion  17  on the −Z direction side of the connector  11  and presses the housing step portion  17  in the +Z direction. As a result, the +Y directional end of the counter connector  51  is positioned in the counter connector accommodating portion  13 A of the connector  11 . 
     At this time, each of the plurality of first contacts  53  of the counter connector  51  makes contact with the contact portion  22 A of the corresponding first contact  22  of the connector  11 , and each of the plurality of second contacts  54  of the counter connector  51  makes contact with the contact portion  32 A of the corresponding second contact  32  of the connector  11 . As a result, the plurality of first contacts  53  and the plurality of second contacts  54  of the counter connector  51  are electrically connected to the plurality of first contacts  22  and the plurality of second contacts  32  of the connector  11 , respectively, and in this state, electric signals are transmitted. 
     Since the metal pressing portion  55  of the counter connector  51  makes contact with the housing step portion  16  on the +Z direction side of the connector  11 , the −Y directional portion of the holding portion  22 D of the first contact  22  is sandwiched between the conductive mid-plate  15  and the pressing portion  55  of the counter connector  51  in the Z direction; however, since the separation distance D 2  from the mid-plate  15  and the thickness D 3  of the housing step portion  16  are equal to each other, electric signals can be efficiently transmitted. 
     Similarly, since the metal pressing portion  56  of the counter connector  51  makes contact with the housing step portion on the −Z direction side of the connector  11 , the −Y directional portion of the holding portion  32 D of the second contact  32  is sandwiched between the conductive mid-plate  15  and the pressing portion  56  of the counter connector  51  in the Z direction; however, since the separation distance D 2  from the mid-plate  15  and the thickness D 3  of the housing step portion  17  are equal to each other, electric signals can be efficiently transmitted. 
     As shown in  FIG. 11 , conductive ground plates  18  and  19  of flat plate shape may be disposed on the housing step portion  16  on the +Z direction side and the housing step portion  17  on the −Z direction side, respectively. The ground plates  18  and  19  are formed from, for instance, a metal plate and electrically connected to the conductive peripheral shell  13  of the connector  11  shown in  FIG. 8  or the like. 
     With this configuration, as shown in  FIG. 10 , in the fitting state between the connector  11  and the counter connector  51 , when the pressing portions  55  and  56  of the counter connector  51  make contact with the ground plates  18  and  19  of the connector  11 , respectively, the peripheral shell  13  of the connector  11  and the shell  52  of the counter connector  51  can be electrically connected to each other. 
     Thus, when the ground plates  18  and  19  are disposed on the housing step portions  16  and  17 , respectively, the −Y directional portion of the holding portion  22 D of the first contact  22  is sandwiched between the conductive mid-plate  15  and the ground plate  18  in the Z direction; however, since the separation distance D 2  from the mid-plate  15  and the thickness D 3  of the housing step portion  16  are equal to each other, electric signals can be efficiently transmitted. Similarly, the −Y directional portion of the holding portion  32 D of the second contact  32  is sandwiched between the conductive mid-plate  15  and the ground plate  19  in the Z direction; however, since the separation distance D 2  from the mid-plate  15  and the thickness D 3  of the housing step portion  17  are equal to each other, electric signals can be efficiently transmitted. 
     In the embodiment described above, all of the plurality of first contacts  22  of the first contact row  21  have the separation portions  22 F, and all of the plurality of second contacts  32  of the second contact row  31  have the separation portions  32 F; however, the present invention is not limited thereto. 
     Since the separation portions  22 F and  32 F are provided to suppress the occurrence of crosstalk when electric signals are transmitted, as shown in  FIG. 5 , the connector may be configured such that, of the plurality of first contacts  22  of the first contact row  21 , only the first pair SP 1  of contacts S 6  and S 7  and the two second pairs SP 2  of contacts S 2  and S 3 , and S 10  and S 11  for electric signal transmission have the separation portions  22 F, while of the plurality of second contacts  32  of the second contact row  31 , only the first pair TP 1  of contacts T 6  and T 7  and the two second pairs TP 2  of contacts T 2  and T 3 , and T 10  and T 11  for electric signal transmission have the separation portions  32 F, and the remaining contacts of the first contact row  21  and the second contact row  31  have no separation portion. Even with the configuration as above, it is possible to sufficiently suppress the occurrence of crosstalk via the mid-plate  15  and transmit electric signals with excellent characteristics. 
     The number of the contacts of the first contact row  21  and the second contact row  31  is not limited, and it suffices if each of the first contact row  21  and the second contact row  31  includes a plurality of pairs of contacts for electric signal transmission.