High performance, small form factor connector

• US 9,028,281 B2
• Filed: 11/12/2010
• Issued: 05/12/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 11/13/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Amphenol Corporation
• Original Assignee: Amphenol Corporation
• Inventors: Kirk, Brian, Kasturi, Vijay
• Primary Examiner(s): Riyami, Abdullah
• Assistant Examiner(s): PATEL, HARSHAD C
• Application Number:
  US13/509,411
• Publication Number:
  US 20130012038A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,642 Days
• Field of Search: 439/701, 439/55, 439325-329, 439/733.1, 439/108, 439492-495, 439/607.07, 439/607.05, 439/607.11, 439/719, 439/188, 439/189, 439/660, 439/637, 439/79, 439/869
• US Class Current: 439/701
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 12/721 cooperating directly with the edge of the rigid printed circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 12/724 containing contact members forming a right angle
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 25/006 the coupling part being secured to apparatus or structure, e.g. duplex wall receptacle

Abstract

Techniques for improving electrical performance of a connector. The techniques are compatible with the form factor of a standardized connector, such as an SFP connector or stacked SFP. The resulting connector has reduced insertion loss for high speed signals. Such techniques, which can be used separately or together, include shaping of conductive elements within the connector while still retaining the same mating contact arrangement. Changes may be made at the contact tail portions or in the intermediate portions where engagement to a connector housing occurs. The techniques also include the incorporation of lossy bridging members between conductive elements designated to be ground conductors. For connectors according to the stacked SFP configuration, multiple bridging members may be incorporated at multiple locations within the connector.

Claims

1. An electrical connector, comprising:

a housing comprising;

a front face;

a rear face;

a cavity with an opening in the front face shaped to receive a mating connector; and

a plurality of slots in the rear face, each of the plurality of slots opening into the cavity;

a plurality of conductive contact elements, each contact element comprising;

a contact tail,

a mating portion and

an intermediate portion connecting the contact tail and the mating portion,

each of the plurality of contact elements being positioned within the housing with the intermediate portion disposed within a slot of the plurality of slots and the mating portion projecting into the cavity;

a bridging member disposed external to the housing, the bridging member being fully or partially conductive and having a first portion contacting the intermediate portion of a first contact element of the plurality of contact elements and a second portion contacting the intermediate portion of a second contact element of the plurality of contact elements, the first contact element and the second contact element being separated by at least one other contact element of the plurality of contact elements, the at least one other contact element not contacting the bridging member.

2. The electrical connector of claim 1, wherein the bridging member comprises metal.

3. The electrical connector of claim 1, wherein the bridging member comprises an insulative binder filled with conductive particles.

4. The electrical connector of claim 1, wherein the at least one other contact element comprises two contact elements.

5. The electrical connector of claim 4, wherein the two contact elements are shaped and positioned as a differential pair of signal conductors.

6. The electrical connector of claim 5, wherein the first contact element and the second contact element comprise ground conductors.

7. The electrical connector of claim 1, wherein the intermediate portion of each of the at least one other contact elements has a first segment extending in a first direction and a second segment, extending in a second direction, perpendicular to the first direction, the first segment extending from the contact tail to the second segment and having a smooth profile.

8. The electrical connector of claim 7, wherein, for each of the at least one other contact elements:

the second segment comprises a barb engaging the housing;

the first segment comprises a curved section;

the housing has a curved surface conforming to the shape of the curved section; and

the contact element is positioned with the curved section disposed adjacent the curved surface.

9. The electrical connector of claim 1, wherein

the plurality of conductive contact elements comprises a first plurality of conductive contact elements and the bridging member comprises a first bridging member;

and

the electrical connector further comprises a second plurality of conductive contact elements and a second bridging member contacting a first and second of the second plurality of conductive contact elements without contacting a third conductive contact element disposed between the first and second of the second plurality of conductive contact members.

10. An electronic assembly, comprising:

a printed circuit board;

an electrical connector mounted to the printed circuit board, the electrical connector comprising;

a housing comprising;

a lower surface;

a front face and a rear face; and

a cavity with an opening in the front face shaped to receive a mating connector, the connector being mounted to the printed circuit board with the lower surface of the housing adjacent the printed circuit board and the front face and the rear face extending perpendicular to the printed circuit board,

a plurality of conductive contact elements, each contact element comprising;

a contact tail connected to the printed circuit board;

a mating portion; and

an intermediate portion connecting the contact tail and the mating portion, each of the plurality of contact elements being positioned within the housing with the contact tail adjacent the lower surface and the mating portion projecting into the cavity;

a bridging member disposed external to the housing, the bridging member being fully or partially conductive and having a first portion contacting the intermediate portion of a first contact element of the plurality of contact elements and a second portion contacting the intermediate portion of a second contact element of the plurality of contact elements, the first contact element and the second contact element being separated by at least one other contact element of the plurality of contact elements, the at least one other contact element not contacting the bridging member.

11. The electrical connector of claim 10, wherein the bridging member is formed from a binder filled with conductive particles.

14. The electrical connector of claim 10, wherein:

the housing comprises a shell and a plurality of insulative members, each of the plurality of insulative members having conductive contact elements of the plurality of conductive contact elements embedded therein.

12. An electronic assembly, comprising:

a printed circuit board;

an electrical connector mounted to the printed circuit board, the electrical connector comprising;

a housing comprising;

a lower surface;

a front face and a rear face; and

a cavity with an opening in the front face shaped to receive a mating connector, the connector being mounted to the printed circuit board with the lower surface of the housing adjacent the printed circuit board and the front face and the rear face extending perpendicular to the printed circuit board,

a plurality of conductive contact elements, each contact element comprising;

a contact tail connected to the printed circuit board;

a mating portion; and

an intermediate portion connecting the contact tail and the mating portion, each of the plurality of contact elements being positioned within the housing with the contact tail adjacent the lower surface and the mating portion projecting into the cavity;

a bridging member disposed adjacent the rear face, the bridging member comprising a lossy material and having a first portion contacting the intermediate portion of a first contact element of the plurality of contact elements and a second portion contacting the intermediate portion of a second contact element of the plurality of contact elements, the first contact element and the second contact element being separated by at least one other contact element of the plurality of contact elements, the at least one other contact element not contacting the bridging member, wherein;

the bridging member comprises a planar member;

the intermediate portion of each of the first contact element and the second contact element comprises a plurality of tabs; and

the bridging member is connected to the plurality of tabs of each of the first and second contact elements.

13. An electronic assembly, comprising:

a printed circuit board;

an electrical connector mounted to the printed circuit board, the electrical connector comprising;

a housing comprising;

a lower surface;

a front face and a rear face; and

a cavity with an opening in the front face shaped to receive a mating connector, the connector being mounted to the printed circuit board with the lower surface of the housing adjacent the printed circuit board and the front face and the rear face extending perpendicular to the printed circuit board,

a plurality of conductive contact elements, each contact element comprising;

a contact tail connected to the printed circuit board;

a mating portion; and

an intermediate portion connecting the contact tail and the mating portion, each of the plurality of contact elements being positioned within the housing with the contact tail adjacent the lower surface and the mating portion projecting into the cavity;

a bridging member disposed adjacent the rear face, the bridging member comprising a lossy material and having a first portion contacting the intermediate portion of a first contact element of the plurality of contact elements and a second portion contacting the intermediate portion of a second contact element of the plurality of contact elements, the first contact element and the second contact element being separated by at least one other contact element of the plurality of contact elements, the at least one other contact element not contacting the bridging member, wherein;

the first contact element and the second contact element each have first elongated portion extending in a first direction and a second elongated portion extending in a second direction, perpendicular to the first direction;

the bridging member is a first bridging member and is connected to the first portion of each of the first contact element and second contact element; and

the electrical connector further comprises a second bridging member connected to the second portion of each of the first contact element and second contact element.

15. An electrical connector adapted for mounting to a planar substrate, the electrical connector comprising:

a housing having a cavity therein, the cavity being bounded by a lower surface and an upper surface, the lower surface being disposed to be closer to the substrate than the upper surface when the electrical connector is mounted to the substrate;

a first plurality of conductive contact elements, each of the first plurality of conductive contact elements comprising;

a contact tail adapted for attachment to the planar substrate;

a mating portion extending through the lower surface of the cavity; and

an intermediate portion connecting the contact tail and the mating portion; and

a second plurality of conductive contact elements, each of the second plurality of conductive contact elements comprising;

a contact tail adapted for attachment to the planar substrate;

a mating portion extending through the upper surface of the cavity; and

an intermediate portion connecting the contact tail and the mating portion, the intermediate portion comprising;

a first segment connected to the contact tail and extending perpendicularly to the planar substrate and

a second segment connected to the mating portion extending parallel to the planar substrate; and

a bridging member interconnecting multiple ones of the second plurality of conductive contact elements, the bridging member being formed of a lossy conductor and connected to the intermediate portion of each of the interconnected ones of the second plurality of contact elements.

16. The electrical connector of claim 15, wherein the bridging member is coupled to the intermediate portion of each of the interconnected ones of the second plurality of contact elements at a central region of the contact element, the central region being 25 to 75 percent of the linear distance along the contact element from the contact tail.

17. The electrical connector of claim 16, wherein:

the central region of the intermediate portion of each of the interconnected ones of the second plurality of contact elements comprises a plurality of tabs extending from the housing;

the bridging member comprises a planar, lossy member with a plurality of slots,

each of the plurality of slots of the bridging member engages a tab of the plurality of tabs of the interconnected ones of the second plurality of contact elements.

18. The electrical connector of claim 17, wherein:

the bridging member is a first bridging member;

the cavity is a first cavity;

the housing comprises a second cavity;

the electrical connector comprises;

a third plurality of conductive contact elements, each of the third plurality of conductive contact elements comprising;

a contact tail adapted for attachment to the planar substrate;

a mating portion extending through the lower surface of the second cavity; and

an intermediate portion connecting the contact tail and the mating portion;

a fourth plurality of conductive contact elements, each of the fourth plurality of conductive contact elements comprising;

a contact tail adapted for attachment to the planar substrate;

a mating portion extending through the upper surface of the second cavity; and

an intermediate portion connecting the contact tail and the mating portion; and

a second bridging member interconnecting multiple ones of the third plurality of conductive contact elements, the bridging member being at least partially conductive and connected to the intermediate portion of each of the interconnected ones of the third plurality of contact elements.

19. The electrical connector of claim 16, wherein the bridging member is connected to the second segment of the intermediate portion of each of the interconnected ones of the second plurality of contact elements.

20. An electrical connector, comprising:

a housing comprising;

a front face;

a rear face;

a lower face;

a cavity with an opening in the front face shaped to receive a mating connector; and

a plurality of slots in the rear face, each of the plurality of slots opening into the cavity;

a plurality of conductive contact elements, each contact element comprising;

a contact tail extending through the lower face,

a mating portion and

an intermediate portion connecting the contact tail and the mating portion,

each of the plurality of contact elements being positioned within the housing with the intermediate portion disposed within a slot of the plurality of slots and the mating portion projecting into the cavity,

wherein;

the intermediate portion of each contact element comprises a retention segment, the retention segment comprising a plurality of sub-segments, wherein a first sub-segment of the retention segment extends from the intermediate portion at a first acute angle with respect to a centerline of the intermediate portion and a second sub-segment of the retention segment extends from the intermediate portion at a second acute angle with respect to the centerline of the intermediate portion;

each of the plurality of slots comprising a feature with a shape complementary to the retention segment of a contact element of the plurality of contact elements; and

each of the plurality of contact elements is positioned in a slot of the plurality of slots with the retention segment disposed in the feature of the slot.

21. The electrical connector of claim 20, wherein:

for each contact element;

the intermediate portion comprises a first portion and a second portion, transverse to the first portion, the first portion being adjacent the contact tail and the second portion being adjacent the mating portion; and

the retention segment comprises a segment of the first portion.

22. The electrical connector of claim 21, wherein the first portion of the intermediate portion of each contact elements is free of barbs.

23. The electrical connector of claim 21, wherein, for each contact element, the width of the contact element is uniform throughout the retention segment.

24. The electrical connector of claim 23, wherein, for each contact element, the second portion comprises a barb extending from an edge adjacent the first portion.

25. The electrical connector of claim 24, wherein, for each contact element, the intermediate portion comprises a transition region between the retention segment and the contact tail, the transition region comprising a region over which the width of the contact element increases.

26. The electrical connector of claim 25, further comprising:

a bridging member disposed adjacent the rear face, the bridging member being at least partially conductive and having a first portion contacting the intermediate portion of a first contact element of the plurality of contact elements and a second portion contacting the intermediate portion of a second contact element of the plurality of contact elements, the first contact element and the second contact element being separated by at least one other contact element of the plurality of contact elements, the at least one other contact element not contacting the bridging member.

27. The electrical connector of claim 26, wherein the cavity and the mating portions of the plurality of contact elements are sized and positioned in accordance with an SFP standard.

28. An electronic assembly, comprising:

a printed circuit board; and

a connector mounted to the printed circuit board, the connector comprising;

a housing comprising;

a front face;

a rear face;

a lower face;

a cavity with an opening in the front face shaped to receive a mating connector; and

a plurality of conductive contact elements, each contact element comprising;

a contact tail extending through the lower face, the contact tail being attached to the printed circuit board,

a mating portion and

an intermediate portion connecting the contact tail and the mating portion,

each of the plurality of contact elements being positioned within the housing with the mating portion projecting into the cavity,

wherein, for each of the plurality of contact elements;

the intermediate portion comprises a first portion and a second portion, transverse to the first portion, the second portion being adjacent the mating portion, and the width of the contact element being uniform over the first portion; and

the contact element comprises a transition region between the first portion and the contact tail, the transition region comprising a first region over which the width of the contact element is less than the width in the first portion and a second region over which the width of the contact element increases, the second region over which the width increases being adjacent the contact tail; and

a bridging member disposed external to the housing, the bridging member being at least partially conductive and having a first portion contacting the intermediate portion of a first contact element of the plurality of contact elements and a second portion contacting the intermediate portion of a second contact element of the plurality of contact elements, the first contact element and the second contact element being separated by at least one other contact element of the plurality of contact elements, the at least one other contact element not contacting the bridging member.

29. The electronic assembly of claim 28, wherein for each of the plurality of contact elements:

the transition region creates a localized increase in inductive impedance of the contact element; and

the contact tail is soldered to a pad on the printed circuit board, creating a localized increase in capacitance impedance of the contact element, whereby the impedance of the contact element is equalized by the inductive impedance offsetting the capacitance impedance.

30. The electronic assembly of claim 28, wherein:

the first portion comprises a retention segment, the retention segment being formed as a jog in the first portion;

the housing comprises a plurality of slots through the rear face, each of the slots comprising a segment complimentary to jog; and

each of the plurality of contact elements is positioned within a slot of the plurality of slots with the jog positioned with the segment complimentary to the jog.

31. The electronic assembly of claim 28, wherein the bridging member is connected to the first contact element and the second contact element at a location of the first portion of the intermediate portion between the jog and the second portion.

32. The electronic assembly of claim 31, wherein:

each of the plurality of contact elements comprises a barb extending from the second portion, the barb engaging the housing, the barb of each of the plurality of contact elements extending from an edge of the second portion adjacent the first portion.

33. An electrical connector, comprising:

a housing comprising;

a front face;

a lower face;

a cavity with an opening in the front face, the cavity being shaped to receive a mating connector; and

a plurality of slots within the housing;

a plurality of contact elements, each contact element comprising;

a contact tail extending through the lower face,

a mating portion and

an L-shaped intermediate portion connecting the contact tail and the mating portion, the L-shaped intermediate portion comprising a first portion and a second

portion, the second portion being at a right angle relative to the first portion;

wherein;

the first portion of the intermediate portion of each contact element comprises a retention segment of uniform width, the retention segment comprising a first sub-segment and a second sub-segment, the first sub-segment pressing against a wall of a slot of the plurality of slots at a first angle relative a centerline of the intermediate portion, and the second sub-segment pressing against a wall of the slot at a second angle relative a centerline of the intermediate portion, the first angle being different than the second angle.

34. The electrical connector of claim 33, wherein, for each contact element, the first angle and the second angle are supplementary angles.

35. The electrical connector of claim 33, wherein, for each contact element, the first portion is free of barbs.

36. The electrical connector claim 35, wherein, for each contact element, the second portion comprises a barb on an edge of the second portion, the edge of the second portion being adjacent the first portion.

37. The electrical connector of claim 36, wherein, for each contact element, the first portion is separated from the contact tail by a transition region, the transition region comprising a region over which the width of the contact element increases.