EP0540310A1 - Elektrischer Verbinder mit aussenseitig befestigten Erdpotentialschichten - Google Patents

Elektrischer Verbinder mit aussenseitig befestigten Erdpotentialschichten Download PDF

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Publication number
EP0540310A1
EP0540310A1 EP92309874A EP92309874A EP0540310A1 EP 0540310 A1 EP0540310 A1 EP 0540310A1 EP 92309874 A EP92309874 A EP 92309874A EP 92309874 A EP92309874 A EP 92309874A EP 0540310 A1 EP0540310 A1 EP 0540310A1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
connector
housing
ground plate
members
shielding
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Granted
Application number
EP92309874A
Other languages
English (en)
French (fr)
Other versions
EP0540310B1 (de
Inventor
Richard Allen Burgit
Warren Christian Hillbish
John Wilson Kaufman
Brian J. Vogl
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Whitaker LLC
Original Assignee
Whitaker LLC
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
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First worldwide family litigation filed litigation Critical https://patents.darts-ip.com/?family=27120559&utm_source=google_patent&utm_medium=platform_link&utm_campaign=public_patent_search&patent=EP0540310(A1) "Global patent litigation dataset” by Darts-ip is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Priority claimed from US07/786,644 external-priority patent/US5174771A/en
Priority claimed from US07/786,696 external-priority patent/US5137472A/en
Application filed by Whitaker LLC filed Critical Whitaker LLC
Publication of EP0540310A1 publication Critical patent/EP0540310A1/de
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of EP0540310B1 publication Critical patent/EP0540310B1/de
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01R—ELECTRICALLY-CONDUCTIVE CONNECTIONS; STRUCTURAL ASSOCIATIONS OF A PLURALITY OF MUTUALLY-INSULATED ELECTRICAL CONNECTING ELEMENTS; COUPLING DEVICES; CURRENT COLLECTORS
    • H01R12/00—Structural associations of a plurality of mutually-insulated electrical connecting elements, specially adapted for printed circuits, e.g. printed circuit boards [PCB], flat or ribbon cables, or like generally planar structures, e.g. terminal strips, terminal blocks; Coupling devices specially adapted for printed circuits, flat or ribbon cables, or like generally planar structures; Terminals specially adapted for contact with, or insertion into, printed circuits, flat or ribbon cables, or like generally planar structures
    • H01R12/70—Coupling devices
    • H01R12/71—Coupling devices for rigid printing circuits or like structures
    • H01R12/72—Coupling devices for rigid printing circuits or like structures coupling with the edge of the rigid printed circuits or like structures
    • H01R12/722—Coupling devices for rigid printing circuits or like structures coupling with the edge of the rigid printed circuits or like structures coupling devices mounted on the edge of the printed circuits
    • H01R12/724—Coupling devices for rigid printing circuits or like structures coupling with the edge of the rigid printed circuits or like structures coupling devices mounted on the edge of the printed circuits containing contact members forming a right angle

Definitions

  • This invention relates to an electrical connector assembly and more particularly to connector assemblies having externally mounted ground or shield plates.
  • High density electrical connectors include means to provide low inductance and a low resistance ground connection from the connector to the circuit board to which it is attached. It is further desirable that the ground connection be of a type that mates first and breaks last.
  • U.S. Patent 5,035,631 discloses a grounding shield for a card edge connector.
  • the ground shield is secured to the connector housing by a plurality of fingers that engage apertures along the mating face of the connector.
  • U.S. Patent Nos. 4,655,518 and 4,869,677 disclose a two-piece connector assembly that provides grounding contacts within the dielectric walls of the pin header and includes a plurality of ground plates secured by a plurality of tabs to the exterior wall adjacent the mating face of the receptacle member.
  • U.S. Patent Application Serial No. 07/767,344 discloses an electrical connector assembly having a plurality of ground pins in a pin header and ground plates mounted along the exterior walls of the mating receptacle member.
  • the ground plate lie against the dielectric housing material along the full length to assure proper mating of the connectors without stubbing the contacts in the mating connectors.
  • the problem of separation between the ground plate and housing wall is exacerbated if the dielectric member is at all bowed and tends to separate even slightly from the outer metal wall. It is desirable therefore to provide a means to secure these two layers approximate the mating face such that the overall dimension of the mating face of the connector is not increased.
  • the means for securing be one that minimizes the need for extra parts, one that does not greatly increase the assembly steps and furthermore be one that is cost effective.
  • the present invention is directed to an electrical connector having externally mounted ground plates that eliminates the problems and disadvantages of the prior art.
  • the ground plates are being shown attached to the elongate sides of a connector known as a "pin header".
  • the connector includes a housing having opposed elongate sides and opposed ends, which together define a mating face, and a plurality of electrical terminal members disposed within the housing and exposed at the mating face for electrical connection to corresponding terminals of a mating connector.
  • the connector further includes at least one ground plate secured along one of the elongate sides and having a leading edge thereof exposed at the connector mating face, the mating face of the connector being adapted to be received within a complimentary housing.
  • the improved means for securing the ground plate to the connector includes a pair of tabs extending from the side edges of the ground plate proximate the leading edges thereof and engagable with cooperating slots on the end walls of the housing.
  • the tabs further include locking lances that cooperate with the housing wall slots to lockingly secure the tabs of the ground plate to the housing end walls.
  • the leading edge of the ground plate further includes an inwardly directed rolled portion extending substantially along the entire length thereof.
  • the rolled portion is received within a recessed portion of the elongate side wall of the housing.
  • the recess is configured to receive the rolled edge such that the ground plate lies securely against the elongate side wall and the overall dimensions of the mating face are not substantially increased thereby.
  • the pair of locking tabs hold the ground plate securely along the end walls of the housing.
  • the rolled portion strengthens the leading edge of the ground plate and provides a gradually tapered surface at the connector mating face thereby minimizing stubbing of the ground plate when the connector mating face is received in the complimentary connector.
  • the plate member is also provided with a plurality of inwardly directed stop portions rearwardly of the leading edge, which locate and align the leading edge of the plate with respect to the forward edge of the associated elongate housing wall.
  • Another object of the invention is to provide a means for securing a ground plate to a connector to ensure that the ground shield mates first and breaks last.
  • FIG 1 shows an exploded view of a pin header connector 10 made in accordance with the invention.
  • Connector 10 includes a housing 12 and upper and lower ground plates 50,70 respectively.
  • Housing 12 includes a mating face 14, mounting face 16 and opposed upper and lower elongate side walls 18,22, opposed end walls 26 and rear wall 38.
  • the opposed elongate side walls 18,22 and opposed end walls 26 define the mating face 14.
  • the upper and lower side walls 18,22 further include recessed portions 20,24 respectively. These portions 20,24 are adapted to cooperate with the respective upper and lower ground plate members 50,70 as more fully described below.
  • a plurality of electrical terminal members 42 are disposed within respective terminal receiving passageways 40 and include first and second connecting portions 44,46 as best seen in Figure 3. Referring now to Figures 1 and 3, first terminal connecting portions 44 are exposed at the mounting face for electrical connection to corresponding terminal members 86 of a mating connector 84.
  • Housing end walls 26 further include outwardly extending first and second flange portions 28,36.
  • First flange portion 28 extends outwardly from the end wall and includes oppositely directed wall portions 30 spaced from wall 26 and defining ground tab receiving cavities therebetween, as best seen in Figures 5 and 6.
  • the inner wall portion of 30 further includes a stop ledge 32 at the end thereof for lockingly engaging the ground plate tabs as described more fully below.
  • the upper ground plate 50 includes a top or plate portion 52 having a forward or leading edge 54 that extends to the mating face 14 of connector housing 12 and opposed side edges 57.
  • the leading edge 54 includes a rolled portion 56 which extends substantially along the entire leading edge thereof and is adapted to be received within the cooperating recess 20 of the elongate housing wall 18.
  • Recess 20 is configured to receive rolled edge 56 such that the ground plate 50 lies securely against side wall 18 and the overall dimensions of the mating face 14 are not substantially increased as best seen by Figures 2 and 3.
  • Upper ground plate 50 further includes a pair of tabs 58 extending from the side 57 thereof and proximate the leading edge 54.
  • Tabs 58 include outwardly directed locking lances 60 which cooperate with locking surfaces 32 within the tab receiving slots 34 proximate end wall 26 as best seen in Figures 5 and 6. Tabs 58 are preferably located as close to the mating face as possible to minimize the problem of separation of the housing side wall and plate member 50.
  • ground plate 50 further includes a rear wall 64 having a plurality of terminal portions 66 for engaging the ground conductors within a circuit board (not shown) when connector 10 is mounted thereto.
  • the ground plate construction disclosed herein is not limited to right angle pin header connectors only.
  • the connector shown herein is merely representative of various connectors with which the ground plate may be used.
  • US Patent Application Serial No 07/796 696 filed concomitantly herewith, and a certified copy of which accompanies the present application, discloses another method for securing a ground plate to a connector housing, in which the leading edges of the wall and ground plate are interlocked at a plurality of locations.
  • lower ground plate 70 includes a plate portion 72 having a leading edge 74 and side edges 77.
  • Lower ground plate 70 further includes a rolled portion 76 extending substantially along the entire length thereof, the rolled portion being adapted to be received within the corresponding recess portion 24 of lower housing wall 22.
  • Recess 24 is configured to receive rolled edge 76 such that the ground plate 70 lies securely against side wall 22 and the overall dimensions of the mating face 14 are not substantially increased as best seen by Figures 2 and 3.
  • Lower ground plate 70 also includes tabs 78 extending from the side 77 of plate 72 proximate the leading edge 74 thereof.
  • Tabs 78 include locking lances 80 which are secured in the corresponding lower tab receiving cavity 34 of housing 12 in the same manner as previously described and as best seen in Figures 5 and 6.
  • the lower ground plate 70 includes terminal members 82 extending downwardly therefrom for being received in a ground plane of the circuit board.
  • ground plate members 50, 70 further include at least one locating or positioning stops formed in the plate portion 52, 72 rearwardly of the connector mating face 14 to keep the respective leading edges 54, 74 of the ground plate members 50, 70 aligned with the housing walls 18, 22 at the mating face 14.
  • the positioning means may comprise an elongate groove extending along the entire width of the ground plate, or the ground plate may be shaped to conform to the actual shape of the housings.
  • the terminal members 42 are inserted into the housing prior to attaching the ground plates 50, 70.
  • the ground plates are then positioned so that the stop means abut the shoulder of the housing 12 and the respective leading edges 54,74 are received in the associated wall recesses 20, 24.
  • the ground plate tabs 58, 78 are inserted into the tab receiving cavities 34 and are locked within the cavities by lances 60, 80 engaging corresponding locking ledges 32.
  • the ground plates 50,70 are preferably stamped from a formable, electrically conductive metal, such as copper alloys, or the like.
  • Suitable dielectric materials for the connector housing include glass filled polyesters and other similar materials, as known in the art.
  • the respective rolled portions 56,76 at the forward or leading edge 54,74 of the respective ground plates 50,70 strengthens the leading edge of the assembled connector. Furthermore by providing a recess in the leading wall edges of the housing member and filling that recess with the respective rolled portions 56,76 there is less chance that stubbing will occur when connector 10 is mated to another connector, since there is a continuous surface along the bulk of the mating face of the connector. Stubbing is thereby minimized and insertion force is reduced by the gradual tapered rolled surface of the plate members 50,70.

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  • Details Of Connecting Devices For Male And Female Coupling (AREA)
EP92309874A 1991-11-01 1992-10-28 Elektrischer Verbinder mit aussenseitig befestigten Erdpotentialschichten Expired - Lifetime EP0540310B1 (de)

Applications Claiming Priority (4)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US786644 1991-11-01
US786696 1991-11-01
US07/786,644 US5174771A (en) 1991-11-01 1991-11-01 Electrical connector having externally mounted ground plates
US07/786,696 US5137472A (en) 1991-11-01 1991-11-01 Means for securing ground plates to electrical connector housing

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0540310A1 true EP0540310A1 (de) 1993-05-05
EP0540310B1 EP0540310B1 (de) 1996-07-03

Family

ID=27120559

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP92309874A Expired - Lifetime EP0540310B1 (de) 1991-11-01 1992-10-28 Elektrischer Verbinder mit aussenseitig befestigten Erdpotentialschichten

Country Status (2)

Country Link
EP (1) EP0540310B1 (de)
DE (1) DE69211949T2 (de)

Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB2163305A (en) * 1984-08-17 1986-02-19 Teradyne Inc Backplane connector
EP0344972A1 (de) * 1988-06-03 1989-12-06 The Whitaker Corporation Einstückiger, verriegelbarer Schirm für einen kreisförmigen DIN Verbinder
EP0412331A1 (de) * 1989-08-10 1991-02-13 Siemens Aktiengesellschaft Vorrichtung zur elektrischen Verbindung von Abschirmungen mehrpoliger Stecker mit der Erdpotentialschicht einer Verdrahtungsplatte

Family Cites Families (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE69114094T2 (de) * 1990-09-21 1996-05-30 Whitaker Corp Elektrische Steckverbinderanordnung.

Patent Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB2163305A (en) * 1984-08-17 1986-02-19 Teradyne Inc Backplane connector
EP0344972A1 (de) * 1988-06-03 1989-12-06 The Whitaker Corporation Einstückiger, verriegelbarer Schirm für einen kreisförmigen DIN Verbinder
EP0412331A1 (de) * 1989-08-10 1991-02-13 Siemens Aktiengesellschaft Vorrichtung zur elektrischen Verbindung von Abschirmungen mehrpoliger Stecker mit der Erdpotentialschicht einer Verdrahtungsplatte

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
DE69211949D1 (de) 1996-08-08
EP0540310B1 (de) 1996-07-03
DE69211949T2 (de) 1997-02-13

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