Mezzanine connector

• US 8,491,313 B2
• Filed: 02/02/2012
• Issued: 07/23/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 02/02/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Amphenol Corporation
• Original Assignee: Amphenol Corporation
• Inventors: McNamara, David M., Kirk, Brian
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel, Tulsidas C
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen, Phuongchi T
• Application Number:
  US13/365,197
• Publication Number:
  US 20120202386A1
• Time in Patent Office: 537 Days
• Field of Search: 439/59, 439/218, 439/61, 439/502, 439/631
• US Class Current: 439/59
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 12/714 with contacts abutting directly the printed circuit; Button contacts therefore provided on the printed circuit
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 12/73 connecting to other rigid printed circuits or like structures
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/516 Means for holding or embracing insulating body, e.g. casing , hoods
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6461 Means for preventing cross-talk
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6587 for mounting on PCBs
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49208 by assembling plural parts
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49218 with deforming

Abstract

A two-piece mezzanine connector for high speed, high density signals. One piece of the connector may have conductive elements with beam-shaped mating contacts. The beams may include openings to control mechanical properties while allowing edge to edge spacing between adjacent beams to be selected to provide desired electrical properties. The openings may be teardrop shaped, with a larger width at a distal end of the beams. Beams associated with signal conductors may have openings that are shaped differently from openings of beams associated with ground conductors. For a first connector piece, mating contact regions of signal conductors may be wider than mating contact regions of ground conductors. For a second connector piece adapted to mate with the first connector piece, mating contact regions of signal conductors may be narrower than mating contact regions of ground conductors. These contact shapes may provide float while maintaining a high contact density.

Claims

1. A connector, comprising:

an insulative portion and a plurality of conductive elements, each of the plurality of conductive elements comprising a beam extending from the insulative portion, the beams being disposed in a plurality of columns, each column comprising a first beam and a second beam, wherein;

the first beam is associated with a first conductive element configured as a ground conductor;

the first beam comprises a first contact region near a distal end of the first beam, the first contact region having a first width;

the second beam is associated with a second conductive element configured as a signal conductor;

the second beam comprises a second contact region near a distal end of the second beam, the second contact region having a second width larger than the first width;

the connector is a first connector, the insulative portion is a first insulative portion, and the plurality of conductive elements is a first plurality of conductive elements;

the first connector is in combination with a second connector adapted to mate with the first connector, the second connector comprising a second insulative portion and a second plurality of conductive elements, each of the second plurality of conductive elements comprising a pad extending from the second insulative portion, the pads being disposed in a plurality of columns, each column comprising a first pad and a second pad;

the first pad is associated with a third conductive element configured as a ground conductor;

the first pad comprises a third contact region adapted to make electrical contact with the first contact region of the first beam, the third contact region having a third width;

the second pad is associated with a fourth conductive element configured as a signal conductor; and

the second pad comprises a fourth contact region adapted to make electrical contact with the second contact region of the second beam, the fourth contact region having a fourth width smaller than the third width;

the first connector further comprises a third beam, the third, first, and second beams being arranged in a sequence; and

the third width of the third contact region of the first pad is wider than a distance between the third and first beams, so that the third contact region is capable of making electrical connection with the third and first beams simultaneously.

2. The connector of claim 1, wherein, for each column, a first distance in a first direction along the column between a first center line of the first beam and a first edge of the first pad matches a second distance in a second direction along the column, between a second centerline of the second pad and a second edge of second beam.

3. The electrical interconnection system of claim 1, wherein:

the first and second beams are adjacent;

the connector further comprises third and fourth beams, the first, second, third, and fourth beams being arranged in a sequence;

the third beam is associated with a third conductive element configured as a signal conductor;

the third beam comprises a third contact region near a distal end of the third beam, the third contact region having the second width;

the fourth beam is associated with a fourth conductive element configured as a ground conductor; and

the fourth beam comprises a fourth contact region near a distal end of the fourth beam, the fourth contact region having the first width.

4. The electrical interconnection system of claim 1, wherein:

each of the plurality of conductive elements further comprises an attachment end; and

the connector further comprises a plurality of solder balls, each solder ball of the plurality of solder balls being attached to an attachment end of a respective conductive element of the plurality of conductive elements.

5. The electrical interconnection system of claim 4, wherein:

the attachment end of each of the plurality of conductive elements narrows at a tip to form a narrowed region, and the respective solder ball is attached to the narrowed region.

6. The connector of claim 1, wherein:

the second beam further comprises;

a tab portion at the distal end, the tab portion being adjacent to the second contact region, the tab portion having a tab width smaller than the second width; and

a neck portion adjacent to the second contact region, the neck portion being opposite from the tab portion, the neck portion having a neck width smaller than the second width.

7. The connector of claim 6, wherein:

a distance between the tab portion and the neck portion is between 0.2 mm and 1 mm.

8. The connector of claim 6, wherein:

a ratio between the second width and the neck width is between 2;

1 and 2.5;

1.

9. A wafer for an electrical connector, the wafer comprising:

an insulative portion; and

a plurality of conductive elements held by the insulative portion, each of the conductive elements comprising a beam-shaped contact portion, the contact portions of the plurality of conductive elements being disposed in a column, and each contact portion comprising an opening in the beam-shaped contact portion, the opening having a closed perimeter and being configured to control at least one mechanical property of the beam-shaped contact portion while providing a selected edge to edge spacing between adjacent beam-shaped contact portions, wherein;

the opening has a width that is larger towards a distal end of the beam-shaped contact portion than a proximal end of the beam-shaped contact portion so as to reduce an amount of material towards the distal end to thereby reduce stiffness of the beam-shaped contact portion and provide a selected distribution of spring force along a length of the beam-shaped contact portion when the beam-shaped contact portion is deflected, wherein the width of the opening is along a direction that is perpendicular to an inserting direction of a plurality of corresponding mating contact portions of a mating connector.

10. The wafer of claim 9, wherein:

the plurality of conductive elements comprises a plurality of pairs of conductive elements, and for each pair of conductive elements a first contact portion and a second contact portion have an edge to edge spacing, the edge to edge spacing being uniform over a region of each of the first contact portion and the second contact portion; and

the opening in the first contact portion and the second contact portion is disposed in the region.

11. The wafer of claim 9, wherein:

each of the plurality of conductive elements has a uniform width over a region of the beam-shaped contact portion; and

the opening in each of the plurality of conductive elements is disposed in the region.

12. The wafer of claim 9, wherein:

for each of the plurality of conductive elements, the opening is teardrop shaped.

13. The wafer of claim 9, wherein:

for each of the plurality of conductive elements, the beam-shaped contact portion extends from the insulative portion.

14. The wafer of claim 9, wherein:

the opening in each contact portion is shaped to distribute force uniformly along the length of the contact portion when the beam-shaped contact portion is deflected.

15. An electrical connector comprising:

an insulative portion; and

a plurality of conductive elements, each of the conductive elements comprising a beam extending from the insulative portion, the beams being disposed in a plurality of columns, each column comprising a pair of adjacent beams, the beams of the pair each comprising an opening, each opening being wider near a distal end of a respective beam and narrower near a proximal end of the respective beam, wherein the distal end of the respective beam comprises a single contact region and each opening is configured to control at least one mechanical property of the respective beam while providing a selected edge to edge spacing between the adjacent beams, wherein;

each opening has a width that is larger towards a distal end of the respective beam than a proximal end of the respective beam so as to reduce an amount of material towards the distal end to thereby reduce stiffness of the respective beam and provide a selected distribution of spring force along a length of the respective beam when the respective beam is deflected, wherein the width of the opening is along a direction that is wherein the width of the opening is along a direction that is perpendicular to an inserting direction of a plurality of corresponding mating contact portions of a mating connector.

16. The electrical connector of claim 15, wherein, for each pair of adjacent beams in each of the plurality of columns, an edge to edge spacing between the adjacent beams is uniform over a region enclosing the openings in the adjacent beams.

17. The electrical connector of claim 15, wherein:

for each pair in each of the plurality of columns, the beams and the openings of the pair are configured to provide uniform impedance and to distribute force uniformly along the beams upon deflection of the beams.

18. The electrical connector of claim 15, wherein:

each column of the plurality of conductive elements further comprises a third beam adjacent to the pair of adjacent beams;

the openings of the pair of adjacent beams have a first shape; and

the third beam has a third opening of a second shape different from the first shape.

19. The electrical connector of claim 18, wherein the third opening has a uniform width along at least a portion of the third beam.

20. The electrical connector of claim 15, wherein the beams each have a unitary structure.

21. An electronic assembly comprising:

a printed circuit board (PCB); and

a connector coupled to the PCB, the connector comprising an insulative shell and first and second wafers inserted into the insulative shell, wherein;

the first wafer comprises at least one first mating contact portion and at least one first contact tail, the at least one first contact tail being electrically coupled to at least one first conductive element in the PCB;

the second wafer comprises at least one second mating contact portion and at least one second contact tail, the at least one second contact tail being electrically coupled to at least one second conductive element in the PCB;

the first wafer is inserted into a first channel formed on an interior side wall of the insulative shell;

the second wafer is inserted into a second channel formed on the interior side wall of the insulative shell, the second channel being parallel to the first channel;

the insulative shell comprises first and second cover portions, the first cover portion mechanically engaging the at least one first mating contact portion of the first wafer, the second cover portion mechanically engaging the at least one second mating contact portion of the second wafer;

the connector further comprises a support member inserted into a third channel formed on the interior side wall of the insulative shell between the first and second channels,

the support member comprises at least one first support feature mechanically engaging the first cover portion to offset forces generated by the at least one first mating contact portion of the first wafer, the first support feature being electrically isolated from the PCB; and

the support member further comprises at least one second support feature mechanically engaging the second cover portion to offset forces generated by the at least one second mating contact portion of the second wafer.

22. The electronic assembly of claim 21, wherein the first and second cover portions are integral to the insulative shell.

23. The electronic assembly of claim 21, wherein the insulative shell comprises a cover component, and wherein the cover component comprises the first and second cover portions.

24. The electronic assembly of claim 21, wherein the first cover portion comprises first and second recesses, and wherein the at least one first mating contact portion of the first wafer is inserted into the first recess and the at least one first support feature of the support member is inserted into the second recess.

25. The electronic assembly of claim 21, wherein the support member comprises a planar insulative portion, and wherein the at least one first support feature and the at least one second support feature extend from the planar insulative portion.

26. The electronic assembly of claim 25, wherein the at least one first support feature and the at least one second support feature comprise compliant conductive material.

27. A connector comprising:

an insulative shell; and

first and second wafers inserted into the insulative shell, wherein;

the first wafer comprises a first plurality of conductive elements partially enclosed by a first insulative portion of the first wafer;

the second wafer comprises a second plurality of conductive elements partially enclosed by a second insulative portion of the second wafer;

the first wafer is inserted into a first channel formed on an interior side wall of the insulative shell;

the second wafer is inserted into a second channel formed on the interior side wall of the insulative shell, the second channel being parallel to the first channel;

the insulative shell comprises first and second cover portions, the first cover portion mechanically engaging mating contact portions of the first plurality of conductive elements of the first wafer, the second cover portion mechanically engaging mating contact portions of the second plurality of conductive elements of the second wafer;

the connector further comprises a support member inserted into a third channel formed on the interior side wall of the insulative shell between the first and second channels;

the support member comprises at least one first support feature mechanically engaging the first cover portion to offset forces generated by the mating contact portions of the first plurality of conductive elements of the first wafer; and

the support member further comprising at least one second support feature mechanically engaging the second cover portion to offset forces generated by the mating contact portions of the second plurality of conductive elements of the second wafer.

28. The connector of claim 27, wherein the first and second cover portions are integral to the insulative shell.

29. The connector of claim 27, wherein the insulative shell comprises a cover component, and wherein the cover component comprises the first and second cover portions.

30. The connector of claim 27, wherein the first cover portion comprises first and second recesses, and wherein the mating contact portions of the first plurality of conductive elements of the first wafer are inserted into the first recess and the at least one first support feature of the support member is inserted into the second recess.

31. The connector of claim 27, wherein the support member is a unitary member.

32. The connector of claim 27, wherein the support member comprises a planar insulative portion, and wherein the at least one first support feature and the at least one second support feature extend from the planar insulative portion.

33. The connector of claim 32, wherein the at least one first support feature and the at least one second support feature comprise compliant conductive material.

34. The connector of claim 27, wherein the first plurality of conductive elements of the first wafer are adapted to carry power.

35. The connector of claim 34, wherein the first plurality of conductive elements of the first wafer are adapted to carry power at a voltage higher than 38V.

36. The connector of claim 34, wherein each of the first plurality of conductive elements of the first wafer is adapted to carry a current of about 1 A to 2 A.