Patent ID: 12191607

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENT(S)

The technical solutions of the present disclosure will be further specifically described below with reference to embodiments in conjunction with the drawings. The same or similar elements are indicated by the same or similar reference signs in the description. The following description of the embodiments of the present disclosure with reference to the drawings is intended to explain the general inventive concept of the present disclosure and should not be construed as a limitation on the present disclosure.

In addition, in the following detailed description, for purposes of explanation, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the embodiments of the present disclosure. It will be apparent, however, that one or more embodiments may be implemented without these specific details. In other instances, well-known structures and devices are schematically shown in order to simplify the drawing.

It should be noted that each kind of components/structures (such as first ground terminals, second ground terminals, first conductive protrusions, second conductive protrusions, upright walls, terminal passages) in the electric connector assembly according to the present disclosure are presented in multiple components/structures, and for the purpose of clear illustration in the drawings, only one or two of each kind of components/structures are indicated by reference signs. For example, only one first ground terminal221, one second ground terminal222, one first conductive protrusion311, one second conductive protrusion312, one upright with320, and one terminal passage340are indicated inFIG.6. However, it would be appreciated by those skilled in the art that these reference signs can also refer to components/structures that are not indicated in the drawings but are the same as those indicated by these reference signs.

As shown in the embodiment ofFIGS.1to6, there is provided an electric connector assembly1000including: an insulating housing100, a plurality of rows of contact terminals L1, L2disposed in the insulating housing100, and at least one conductive shell300. The plurality of rows of contact terminals L1, L2include a plurality of signal terminals210and a plurality of ground terminals221,222, as shown inFIGS.5and6.

The conductive shell300is assembled on the insulating housing100. The conductive shell300is respectively contacted and connected with the corresponding plurality of ground terminals221,222to electrically connect the plurality of ground terminals221,222together. As shown inFIG.4, the conductive shell300has a plurality of conductive protrusions311,312, and the plurality of conductive protrusions311,312are respectively contacted and connected with the corresponding plurality of ground terminals221,222, as shown inFIGS.5and6, to electrically connect the plurality of ground terminals221,222together.

In the electric connector assembly1000, the conductive shell300is formed on the basis of the insulating housing100, and all of the ground terminals221,222are connected together in such a way that the conductive shell300contacts the ground terminals221,222. Thereby, the electrical performance of the entire electric connector assembly1000is improved. In addition, the transmission performance of the electric connector assembly1000for high-frequency signals is improved, and at the same time, the high requirements on the manufacturing tolerance of the housing100which are imposed in order to ensure the transmission performance of the high-frequency signals in the related art are relatively reduced, thus alleviating the influence of the manufacturing tolerances of the insulating housing100and all of components (such as the terminals) on the transmission of the high-frequency signals.

As shown inFIG.4, the conductive shell300includes: a plurality of upright walls320arranged side by side and parallel to each other; two end walls330respectively connecting the plurality of upright walls320at opposite ends of the plurality of upright walls320; and a plurality of terminal passages340, each of which is delimited by every two adjacent ones of the plurality of upright walls320and the two end walls330together and through which the plurality of signal terminals210and the plurality of ground terminals221,222pass. The plurality of conductive protrusions311,312are formed on each of the plurality of upright walls320, and the plurality of conductive protrusions311,312are respectively contacted and connected with the corresponding plurality of ground terminals221,222passing through the plurality of terminal passages340. In other words, in the electric connector assembly1000, the plurality of signal terminals210and the plurality of ground terminals221,222are configured to pass through the terminal passages340formed in the conductive shell300, while the plurality of ground terminals221,222are respectively contacted and connected with the plurality of conductive protrusions311,312of the conductive shell300to electrically connect the plurality of ground terminals221,222together, thereby improving the electric shielding performance of the electric connector assembly1000.

In an embodiment, the conductive shell300may be formed integrally with the plurality of conductive protrusions311,312to simplify the manufacturing process.

As shown in the embodiment ofFIG.4, each of the plurality of upright walls320has opposite first and second side surfaces321,322respectively facing two corresponding adjacent ones of the plurality of terminal passages340, and the plurality of conductive protrusions311,312further include a plurality of first conductive protrusions311and a plurality of second conductive protrusions312. The plurality of first conductive protrusions311are formed on the first side surfaces321and the plurality of second conductive protrusions312are formed on the second side surfaces322. In other words, the conductive protrusions311,312are disposed on both sides of each upright wall320. Except for outer side surfaces of two outermost upright walls320, the conductive protrusions311,312on both sides of each upright wall320protrude towards the corresponding terminal passages340to be contacted and connected with the contact terminals located in the terminal passages340.

As shown inFIGS.5and6, in the illustrated exemplary embodiment, the plurality of rows of contact terminals L1, L2further include a first row of contact terminals L1and a second row of contact terminals L2, which are arranged alternately, and the plurality of ground terminals221,222further include a plurality of first ground terminals221and a plurality of second ground terminals222. The first row of contact terminals L1are formed by alternately arranging one first ground terminal221and one pair of signal terminals210, and the second row of contact terminals L2are formed by arranging a plurality of second ground terminals222. The first row of contact terminals L1are arranged in a corresponding one of the plurality of terminal passages340faced by the first side surface321of each of the plurality of upright walls320, and the second row of contact terminals L2are arranged in a corresponding one of the plurality of terminal passages340faced by the second side surface322of each of the plurality of upright walls320. In other words, as shown in the figures, one first row of contact terminals L1and one second row of contact terminals L2are disposed in each terminal passage340.

Each of the plurality of first conductive protrusions311is contacted and connected with a corresponding one of the plurality of first ground terminals221, and each of the plurality of second conductive protrusions312is contacted and connected with a corresponding one of the plurality of second ground terminals222. In other words, the ground terminals221and222are arranged around each pair of signal terminals210, and the ground terminals arranged around each pair of signal terminals210are electrically connected together through the conductive protrusions311or312to provide improved electric shielding performance for each pair of signal terminals210. Therefore, with the electric connector assembly1000, the resonance generated during transmission of the high-frequency signals is also alleviated, so that the signals are transmitted more stably.

In the shown embodiment, the first conductive protrusion311has a different shape from the second conductive protrusion312. Specifically, in the embodiment shown inFIGS.4and6, the first conductive protrusion311may take the shape of a two-level step protruding from the side of the upright wall320, and the second conductive protrusion312may take the shape of a one-level step protruding from the side of the upright wall320. Further, the shapes and/or sizes of the first and second conductive protrusions311,312are adapted to the shapes and/or sizes of the first and second ground terminals221,222respectively contacted and connected with them.

In the shown embodiment, the first ground terminal221has a different shape from the second ground terminal222. Specifically, in the embodiment shown inFIGS.4and6, since the positions of the first ground terminal221and the second ground terminal222relative to the pair of signal terminals210are different from each other, the shapes of the first ground terminal221and the second ground terminal222are also different from each other to better improve the electric shielding performance.

In addition, as shown inFIGS.1to6, in the illustrated exemplary embodiment, one of the conductive shell300and the insulating housing100is formed with a positioning hole301, and the other of the conductive shell300and the insulating housing100is provided with a positioning column101, and the positioning column101is inserted in the positioning hole301to fix the conductive shell300to the insulating housing100. In the exemplary embodiment shown in the figures, positioning holes301are formed in the two opposite end walls330of the conductive shell300, while positioning columns101are disposed at positions corresponding to the positioning holes301on the insulating housing100. In this way, the conductive shell300can be more effectively fixed and positioned on the insulating housing100.

In an embodiment, a plurality of conductive shells300are formed side by side and parallel to each other on the insulating housing100. As shown inFIG.3, six conductive shells300are formed side by side and parallel to each other on the insulating housing100. Of course, in other embodiments, any other number of conductive shells300may also be formed on the insulating housing100according to actual requirements. In addition, it is to be noted that, since the conductive protrusions311,312are disposed on both side surfaces of each upright wall320of the conductive shell300, between the outermost upright walls of two adjacent conductive shells300there are also the conductive protrusions311,312which may be used to be contacted and connected with the ground terminals221,222located between the two adjacent conductive shells300.

In an embodiment, the conductive shell300is formed by a Physical Vapor Deposition (PVD) technology or a Molded Interconnect Device (MID) technology, and is assembled on the insulating housing100. The MID technology refers to a technology of fabricating or mounting a component with an electrical function on a surface of an injection-molded plastic housing100, so as to combine the electrical interconnection function of the component with the mechanical support function of the plastic housing100. Of course, in other embodiments, any other technologies capable of metallizing the surface of the plastic insulating housing100may also be used to form the conductive shell300on the insulating housing100.

The insulating housing100includes a plastic housing, and the conductive shell300includes a metallized shell formed by depositing a layer of metal on the plastic housing. In an exemplary embodiment, the conductive shell300may be made by depositing a layer of nickel on the plastic housing. Of course, in other embodiments, the conductive shell300may also be made by depositing any other conducting metal material, or may also be made of any other conducting pure metal material by die casting or casting.

As shown inFIGS.1and2, the electric connector assembly1000may further include a bottom plate400. The bottom plate400is disposed above the insulating housing100and covers the conductive shell300and the plurality of rows of contact terminals L1, L2. By providing the bottom plate400, the impedance of the entire electrical connector assembly1000can be increased, thereby improving the transmission of the high-frequency signals.

It should be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the embodiments described above are all exemplary, and the structures described in the various embodiments can be freely combined unless they conflict in terms of structure or principle. Although the embodiments of the present disclosure have been described with reference to the drawings, the embodiments shown in the drawings are intended to illustrate embodiments of the present disclosure and shall not be construed as a limitation on the present disclosure. Although some embodiments of the present general inventive concept have been shown and described, it would be understood by those skilled in the art that changes may be made therein without departing from the principles and spirit of the present general inventive concept. The scope of the present disclosure is defined in the appended claims and their equivalents.