Mezzanine connector

• US 8,657,627 B2
• Filed: 02/02/2012
• Issued: 02/25/2014
• 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): LE, THANH TAM T
• Application Number:
  US13/365,203
• Publication Number:
  US 20120202363A1
• Time in Patent Office: 754 Days
• Field of Search: 43960701-60711, 439/108, 439/701
• US Class Current: 439/607.11
• 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. The connector is assembled from wafers that may be formed of identical wafer halves. The halves may have interior portions that form a channel in which a lossy member may be captured for selectively configuring the connector for high frequency performance. The lossy member may be serpentine, to both provide different spacing relative to signal and ground conductors and to provide compliance to press against ground conductors when captured between wafer halves. Instead of, or in addition to, the lossy member captured between two wafer halves, the wafer halves may each have lossy material overmolded on at least one side, so that an assembled wafer may have lossy material disposed on the outside. The wafers may have dovetail projections that are secured within dovetail channels, forming structural members of the connector.

Claims

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

a first component comprising;

a first insulative portion, the first insulative portion comprising a first surface and a second surface, the first surface having a first profile comprising a first plurality of alternating regions and recesses; and

a first plurality of conductive elements extending through the first insulative portion; and

a second component secured to the first component, the second component having a shape like the first component and comprising;

a second insulative portion, the second insulative portion comprising a third surface and a fourth surface, the third surface having a second profile comprising a second plurality of alternating regions and recesses; and

a second plurality of conductive elements extending through the second insulative portion;

wherein the second component is positioned with the third surface facing the first surface with each region of the first plurality of alternating regions and recesses aligned with a corresponding recess of the second plurality of alternating regions and recesses, and the first surface and the third surface are shaped to provide a channel between the regions of the first plurality of alternating regions and recesses and the corresponding recesses of the second plurality of alternating regions and recesses.

2. The wafer of claim 1, further comprising:

a lossy member disposed in the channel.

3. The wafer of claim 2, wherein the lossy member has a serpentine shape.

4. The wafer of claim 3, wherein:

each region of the second plurality of alternating regions and recesses comprises a raised portion; and

the second component is positioned such that each raised portion on the third surface extends into a corresponding recess on the first surface with a gap between the first surface and the third surface, the gap comprising the channel.

5. The wafer of claim 2, wherein:

each of the first plurality of conductive elements extends through the first insulative portion in a first direction;

the first plurality of conductive elements comprises wider conductive elements and narrower conductive elements;

each of the second plurality of conductive elements extends through the second insulative portion in the first direction;

the second plurality of conductive elements comprises wider conductive elements and narrower conductive elements; and

the lossy member extends in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction such that the lossy member is adjacent all of the wider conductive elements of the first plurality of conductive elements and all of the wider conductive elements of the second plurality of conductive elements.

6. The wafer of claim 2, wherein:

the first insulative portion and the second insulative portion each comprise a feature for positioning the lossy member in the channel.

7. The wafer of claim 6, wherein:

the feature comprises a hole; and

the lossy member comprises a projection positioned and sized to fit within the hole.

8. The wafer of claim 1, wherein:

the first plurality of conductive elements comprises wider conductive elements and narrower conductive elements;

each of the wider conductive elements of the first plurality of conductive elements is exposed in a floor of a respective recess.

9. The wafer of claim 8, wherein:

the second plurality of conductive elements comprises wider conductive elements and narrower conductive elements; and

each of the wider conductive elements of the second plurality of conductive elements is exposed in a floor of a respective recess in the third surface.

10. The wafer of claim 9, further comprising:

a lossy member disposed in the channel and compressed between the first component and the second component, the lossy member pressing against each of the wider conductive elements of the first plurality of conductive elements exposed in the floor of the respective recess of the first surface and pressing against each of the wider conductive elements of the second plurality of conductive elements exposed in the floor of the respective recess of the second surface.

11. The wafer of claim 1, wherein the first plurality of conductive elements comprises at least one conductive element configured as a signal conductor and at least one conductive element configured as a ground conductor, and wherein the at least one conductive element configured as a signal conductor is aligned with a region of the first plurality of alternating regions and recesses and the at least one conductive element configured as a ground conductor is aligned with a recess of the first plurality of alternating regions and recesses.

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

a first component comprising;

a first insulative portion, the first insulative portion comprising a first surface and a second surface, the first surface having a first profile comprising a first plurality of alternating regions and recesses; and

a first plurality of conductive elements extending through the first insulative portion;

a second component secured to the first component, the second component comprising;

a second insulative portion, the second insulative portion comprising a third surface and a fourth surface, the third surface having a second profile comprising a second plurality of alternating regions and recesses; and

a second plurality of conductive elements extending through the second insulative portion;

wherein the second component is positioned with the third surface facing the first surface with each region of the first plurality of alternating regions and recesses aligned with a corresponding recess of the second plurality of alternating regions and recesses; and

an elongated lossy member disposed between the first surface and the third surface, the elongated lossy member having a first side shaped to conform to the first profile and a second side shaped to conform to the second profile.

13. The wafer of claim 12, wherein:

the first component is identical to the second component.

14. The wafer of claim 13, wherein:

each region of the second plurality of alternating regions and recesses comprises a raised portion; and

the second component is positioned such that each raised portion on the third surface extends into a corresponding recess on the first surface with a gap between the first surface and the third surface.

15. The wafer of claim 14, wherein:

the elongated lossy member conforms to the gap between the first surface and the third surface.

16. The wafer of claim 12, wherein:

the lossy member is compliant; and

the lossy member is compressed between the first component and the second component.

17. The wafer of claim 12, wherein:

first component is secured to the second component such that the lossy member is captured between the first component and the second component.

18. The wafer of claim 12, wherein the first plurality of conductive elements comprises at least one conductive element configured as a signal conductor and at least one conductive element configured as a ground conductor, and wherein the at least one conductive element configured as a signal conductor is aligned with a region of the first plurality of alternating regions and recesses and the at least one conductive element configured as a ground conductor is aligned with a recess of the first plurality of alternating regions and recesses.

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

a first component comprising;

a first insulative portion, the first insulative portion comprising a first surface and a second surface, the first surface having a first profile comprising a plurality of recesses; and

a first plurality of conductive elements extending through the first insulative portion;

a second component secured to the first component, the second component comprising;

a second insulative portion, the second insulative portion comprising a third surface and a fourth surface, the third surface having a second profile comprising a plurality of regions; and

a second plurality of conductive elements extending through the second insulative portion;

wherein the second component is positioned with the third surface facing the first surface with each of the plurality of regions aligned with a recess of the plurality of recesses; and

an elongated lossy member disposed between the first surface and the third surface, the elongated lossy member having a first side shaped to conform to the first profile and a second side shaped to conform to the second profile;

wherein;

the first component is identical to the second component;

each of the plurality of regions comprises a raised portion;

the second component is positioned such that each raised portion on the third surface extends into a recess on the first surface with a gap between the first surface and the third surface;

the elongated lossy member conforms to the gap between the first surface and the third surface;

each of the first plurality of conductive elements comprises an elongated conductive member extending through the first housing in a first direction;

each of the second plurality of conductive elements comprises an elongated conductive member extending through the second housing in the first direction; and

the elongated lossy member is elongated in a direction perpendicular to the first direction.

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

a first component comprising;

a first insulative portion, the first insulative portion comprising a first surface and a second surface, the first surface having a first profile comprising a plurality of recesses; and

a first plurality of conductive elements extending through the first insulative portion;

a second component secured to the first component, the second component comprising;

a second insulative portion, the second insulative portion comprising a third surface and a fourth surface, the third surface having a second profile comprising a plurality of regions; and

a second plurality of conductive elements extending through the second insulative portion;

wherein the second component is positioned with the third surface facing the first surface with each of the plurality of regions aligned with a recess of the plurality of recesses; and

an elongated lossy member disposed between the first surface and the third surface, the elongated lossy member having a first side shaped to conform to the first profile and a second side shaped to conform to the second profile;

wherein;

each of the plurality of recesses has a floor;

a conductive element of the first plurality of conductive elements is exposed in a floor of a respective recess of the plurality of recesses; and

each of a plurality of regions of the lossy member presses against an exposed conductive element in the floor of a respective recess of the plurality of recesses.

21. The wafer of claim 20, wherein:

each of the first plurality of conductive elements comprises an elongated conductive member extending through the first housing in a first direction;

each of the second plurality of conductive elements comprises an elongated conductive member extending through the second housing in the first direction; and

the elongated lossy member is elongated in a direction perpendicular to the first direction.

22. The wafer of claim 21, wherein:

the first plurality of conductive elements comprises wider conductive elements and narrower conductive elements; and

the conductive elements exposed in the floor of the plurality of recesses are wider conductive elements.

23. An electrical connector comprising a plurality of wafers, each wafer comprising:

a first component comprising;

a first insulative portion, the first insulative portion comprising a first surface; and

a first plurality of conductive elements extending through the first insulative portion in a first direction with at least a first subset of the first plurality of conductive elements being exposed in the first surface;

a second component secured to the first component, the second component comprising;

a second insulative portion, the second insulative portion comprising a second surface; and

a second plurality of conductive elements extending through the second insulative portion in the first direction with at least a second subset of the second plurality of conductive elements being exposed in the second surface;

wherein;

the second component is positioned with the second surface adjacent the first surface; and

the first surface or the second surface is, or the first surface and the second surface are, shaped to provide a channel between the first component and the second component, the channel extending in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction past multiple conductive elements of the first plurality of conductive elements and the second plurality of conductive elements; and

a lossy member disposed in the channel and extending in the second direction perpendicular to the first direction, the lossy member being disposed adjacent the multiple conductive elements, the lossy member comprising a plurality of regions, each region pressing against a respective conductive element in the first subset or the second subset.

24. The electrical connector of claim 23, wherein, for each wafer:

the first plurality of conductive elements comprises wider conductive elements and narrower conductive elements, the wider conductive elements being wider in the second direction than the narrower conductive elements; and

the wider conductive elements comprise the first subset.

25. The electrical connector of claim 23, wherein, for each wafer, the lossy member is movably captured in the channel.

26. The electrical connector of claim 23, wherein the connector comprises a mezzanine connector.

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

a first component comprising;

a first surface and a second surface;

a first insulative portion; and

a first plurality of conductive elements extending through the first insulative portion; and

a second component secured to the first component, the second component having a shape like the first component and comprising;

a third surface and a fourth surface;

a second insulative portion; and

a second plurality of conductive elements extending through the second insulative portion;

wherein the second component is positioned with the third surface facing the first surface, and the first surface comprises a lossy portion, the lossy portion extending in a direction that is perpendicular to the first plurality of conductive elements,

wherein the lossy portion is a first lossy portion, and wherein the second surface comprises a second lossy portion, the second lossy portion extending in a direction that is perpendicular to the first plurality of conductive elements; and

wherein the first and second lossy portions are overmolded onto the first component, and wherein the first component comprises at least one feature configured to allow molten lossy material to flow from the first surface to the second surface or from the second surface to the first surface.

28. The wafer of claim 27, wherein the first plurality of conductive elements comprises a first conductive element, and wherein the at least one feature configured to allow molten lossy material to flow from the first surface to the second surface or from the second surface to the first surface comprises an opening in the first conductive element.

29. The wafer of claim 27, wherein the first lossy portion comprises an elongated lossy member attached to the first surface of the first component.

30. The wafer of claim 27, wherein the fourth surface comprises a third lossy portion, the third lossy portion extending in a direction that is perpendicular to the second plurality of conductive elements.