Electrical connector

• US 6,250,935 B1
• Filed: 04/26/1999
• Issued: 06/26/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 05/06/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: KEL Corporation (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Original Assignee: KEL Corporation (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Inventors: Mochizuki, Shoichi, Ono, Yasuhiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Gellner, Michael L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lee, Kyung S.
• Application Number:
  US09/299,343
• Time in Patent Office: 792 Days
• Field of Search: 439/74, 439/607, 439/608, 439/108, 439/660
• US Class Current: 439/74
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 12/716 Coupling device provided on the PCB
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/658 High frequency shielding arrangements, e.g. against EMI [Electro-Magnetic Interference] or EMP [Electro-Magnetic Pulse] coaxial coupling devices specially adapted for high frequency H01R24/40; for flat or ribbon cable connectors H01R12/774; for coaxial cable H01R9/05

Abstract

A plug connector 10 includes a central grounding plate 13, which is provided between two lateral rows of signal plug contacts 12a. In these rows, grounding plug contacts 12b are positioned to partition the signal plug contacts 12a and to establish electrical contact with the central grounding plate 13. A receptacle connector 30 includes a pair of lateral grounding plates 33, which are positioned outside two lateral rows of signal receptacle contacts 32a. Grounding receptacle contacts 32b are provided at locations which correspond with the locations of the grounding plug contacts 12b and are in electrical connection to the lateral grounding plates 33. This electrical connector assembly has a relatively small number of parts yet prevents crosstalk and reflection of signals effectively.

Claims

1. A plug connector comprising:

a plug housing including a plug cavity, which is open in a direction for engagement with a receptacle connector;

a plurality of signal plug contacts being aligned in lateral pairs, i.e., in two rows, in said plug cavity, said rows extending in a back-and-forth direction;

a first grounding plate, which extends between said lateral two rows of signal plug contacts in said back-and-forth direction; and

a plurality of grounding plug contacts for partitioning said rows of signal plug contacts, said grounding plug contacts being positioned to extend laterally to said first grounding plate and in contact and electrical connection with said first grounding plate;

wherein;

said plug housing comprises lateral side walls, a base wall and a protrusion, said lateral side walls and said base wall defining said plug cavity, said protrusion protruding from said base wall into said plug cavity and extending in said back-and-forth direction along a lateral center of said plug housing;

each of said signal plug contacts and said grounding plug contacts comprises a plug base portion, which extends laterally, and a plug contact portion, which extends from said plug base portion to the opening of said plug cavity;

said signal plug contacts and said grounding plug contacts are mounted in said plug housing with said plug contact portions extending along lateral side faces of said protrusion and said plug base portions extending along said base wall laterally outward;

said first grounding plate is provided inside said protrusion of said plug housing, extending in said back-and-forth direction;

portions of said first grounding plate which are exposed from said protrusion are in contact with central portions of said grounding plug contacts; and

plug lead portions which are extensions of said plug base portions of said signal plug contacts and said grounding plug contacts are exposed to outside from said base wall, said plug lead portions being for surface mounting said plug connector onto circuits provided on a plug-side printed circuit board.

2. A receptacle connector comprising:

a receptacle housing including a receptacle cavity, which is open in a direction for engagement with a plug connector;

a plurality of signal receptacle contacts being aligned in lateral pairs, i.e., in two rows, in said receptacle cavity, said rows extending in a back-and-forth direction;

a lateral pair of second grounding plates, which extend in said back-and-forth direction outside said lateral two rows of signal receptacle contacts; and

a plurality of grounding receptacle contacts for partitioning said rows of signal receptacle contacts, said grounding receptacle contacts being positioned to extend laterally to said second grounding plates and in

contact and electrical connection iwht said second grounding plates, wherein;

said receptacle housing comprises lateral side walls and a base wall, which define said receptacle cavity;

each of said signal receptacle contacts and said grounding receptacle contacts comprises a receptacle base portion, which extends laterally, and a receptacle contact portion, which extends from said receptacle base portion to the opening of said receptacle cavity;

said signal receptacle contacts and said grounding receptacle contacts are mounted in said receptacle housing with said receptacle contact portions extending along inside faces of said lateral side walls and said receptacle base portions extending along said base wall laterally outward;

said second grounding plates are positioned outside said lateral side walls of said receptacle housing, each grounding plate on one lateral side wall; and

receptacle lead portions which are extensions of said receptacle base portions of said signals receptacle contacts and said grounding receptacle contacts are exposed to outside from said base wall, said receptacle lead portions being for surface mounting said receptacle connector onto circuits provided on a receptacle-side printed circuit board.

3. The connector set forth in claim 2 wherein each of said grounding receptacle contacts is formed in lateral symmetry in a one-piece body.

4. An electrical connector comprising a plug connector and a receptacle connector, both of which are mated with each other for signal transmission, wherein;

said plug connector comprises;

a plug housing including a plug cavity, which is open in a direction for engagement with a receptacle connector;

a plurality of signal plug contacts being aligned in lateral pairs, i.e., in two rows, in said plug cavity, said rows extending in a back-and-forth direction;

a first grounding plate, which extends between said lateral two rows of signal plug contacts in said back-and-forth direction; and

a plurality of grounding plug contacts for partitioning said rows of signal plug contacts, said grounding plug contacts being positioned to extend laterally to said first grounding plate and in contact and electrical connection with said first grounding plate; and

said receptacle connector comprises;

a receptacle housing including a receptacle cavity, which is open in a direction for engagement with said plug connector;

a plurality of signal receptacle contacts being aligned in lateral pairs, i.e., in two rows, in said receptacle cavity, said rows extending in back-and-forth direction;

a lateral pair of second grounding plates, which extend in said back-and-forth direction outside said lateral two rows of signal receptacle contacts; and

a plurality of grounding receptacle contacts for partitioning said rows of signal receptacle contacts, said grounding receptacle contacts being positioned substantially orthogonally to said second grounding plates and in contact and electrical connection with said second grounding plates; and

when said plug connector and said receptacle connector are mated with each other, said signal plug contacts come into contact with said signal receptacle contacts, respectively, and said grouping plug contacts come into contact with said grounding receptacle contacts, respectively, wherein;

each of said grounding plug contacts includes a plug base portion, plug contact portions and arm portions, said arm portions extending in parallel with and in a same direction as said plug contact portions from lateral outside ends of said plug base portion; and

when said plug connector and said receptacle connector are mated with each other, said arm portions come into contact with said second grounding plates.

5. The electrical connector set forth in claim 4 wherein:

said arm portions include raised portions, which protrude laterally inward from ends of said arm portions; and

when said plug connector and said receptacle connector are brought into engagement with each other, said raised portions come into and engage with dents which are provided on said second grounding plates and generate a clicking sound.