WO2006066046A1

WO2006066046A1 - Emi gasket for plug connector with latch mechanism

Info

Publication number: WO2006066046A1
Application number: PCT/US2005/045510
Authority: WO
Inventors: Bruece Reed; Brian Keith Lloyd
Original assignee: Molex Incorporated
Priority date: 2004-12-16
Filing date: 2005-12-15
Publication date: 2006-06-22

Abstract

A plug connector having an improved shielding structure. The plug connector includes a base housing portion and a cover housing portion with an integrated de-latching mechanism contained within the housings. The de-latching mechanism having a pair of exposed ends extending outside one end of the housings. A first and second elastomeric gasket are disposed in respective recesses formed in the housings. The first gasket being of a non-linear shape provides EMI protection between the sliding portion of the de-latching mechanism and the plug connector and the second gasket being of a linear shape provides EMI protection between the base housing portion and the cover housing portion. The gaskets are received in separate recesses and are orientated in mutually different directions.

Description

Agent's Ref. A5-269PCT

EMIGASKETFORPLUGCONNECTORWITHLATCHMECHANISM

Background of the Invention

The present invention is directed generally to small size connectors and to manners of shielding such connectors from electromagnetic interference ("EMI").

High speed data transfer systems require electrical connectors in which the electrical impedance can be controlled in order to maintain the required data transfer rate of the electrical system. Low profile connectors, such as those used in SFP (Small Form Factor Pluggable) applications are desired in electronic devices in which space is a premium and thus it is difficult to guide the opposing mating plug connectors into contact with such connectors. The plug connector typically includes a circuit card that has a projecting edge that is received within a card opening in the SFP connector. Shielding cages are typically utilized with such connectors to control the emission of electromagnetic interference. These cages often serve as a secondaiy housing for the connector in that they will substantially enclose the connectors. The small size of the SFP style connectors make sit difficult for ensuring that the opposing mating connectors mate properly with the SFP connectors.

The small size of the connectors makes it difficult to provide a means for reducing or blocking the leakage of EMI from the connectors.

The present invention is therefore directed to an improved plug connector having a shielding structure that provides EMI protection for use with SFP connectors of reduced size.

Summary of The Invention

It is accordingly a general object of the present invention to provide a shielding structure incorporated into the body of a plug connector, wherein the shielding structure includes a first conductive elastomeric gasket held within the plug housing to shield EMI and to seal gaps that may occur between the plug housing and the delatching mechanism, and a second conductive elastomeric gasket also held within the plug housing, but EMI shielding and sealing gaps that may occur between respective housing halves of the plug connector, the first and second gaskets being disposed in two different planes within the plug connector housing. Another object of the present invention is to provide a small, low profile plug connector with a plug connector delatching mechanmism and an EMI gasket assembly that does not interfere with the delatching mechanism.

The present invention accomplishes the aforementioned and other objects by the way of its novel and unique structure.

A plug connector housing is provided with recesses that receive the engagement tabs of the shielded housing when the plug connector is inserted therein to mate with the SFP-style circuit board connector enclosed in the shielded housing. A delatching assembly has a handle portion that is disposed at a rear end of the plug connector housing, and two arms that extend forwardly therefrom in a spaced-apart fashion through the plug connector housing. The two latch arms are capable of lengthwise linear movement in this embodiment and move forwardly and rearwardly within the housing of the plug connector. Two free ends of the actuator arms extend forwardly from the plug connector housing into the area that is partially bounded by the conductive metal shell disposed at the forward end of the plug connector. When the actuator handle is pulled, the actuator arm free ends are moved between first and second operative positions. In one of the two positions, the free ends are in a rest position and in the other of the two positions, the free ends are urged against engagement members of an opposing mating shielded housing.

The shielded housing includes one or more engagement members that are preferably formed as tabs which are bent inwardly at an angle and are angled downwardly into the shielded housing interior and extend at a downward angle toward the rear of the shielded housing. These engagement members are aligned with the T-shaped openings of the plug connector and the cam portions of the latching mechanism. The engagement tabs extend into the T-shaped openings when the plug connector is fully engaged with the shielded housing and so prevent the plug connector from working free from engagement with the circuit board connector. The cam portions are moveable, in a linear fashion, within the T-shaped openings, and their angled surfaces may be moved against the engagement tabs, lifting them up and out of engagement with the plug connector housing to unlatch the plug connector from the shielded housing so that it may be removed. The actuator arms may have incorporated therewith, a return mechanism that returns the actuator arms back to an initial position. This mechanism may utilize two return springs formed as spring arms which extend transversely to the lengthwise extent of the actuator arms. The free ends of these return spring arms contact a reaction surface that takes the form of a block that is disposed on an inner surface of the plug connector housing. These return spring arms provide a biasing force to the actuator and forces it to return to an initial position after it has been moved to delatch the plug connector from the shielded housing. Alternatively, a torsional return spring may be formed with a center loop and the plug connector may have a mounting post formed on one of its upper or lower portions. The center loop of the spring engages the post and the spring further has two arms that extend outwardly from the center loop, each of which terminates in a free end. The free ends of the spring are coupled to the actuator arms so that the spring extends in a direction transverse to the lengthwise extent of the actuator arms. The EMI gasket arrangement includes a first and second gasket secured within recesses disposed in the plug connector housing. The first gasket includes a non-linear shape that generally surrounds the actuator arm delatching mechanism, while the second gasket includes a linear shape and is disposed between the base and cover portions of the plug connector housing. Both of the gaskets having a generally circular cross-section and are formed from a conductive elastomeric material.

These and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be clearly understood through a consideration of the following detailed description.

Brief Description of the Drawings

In the course of this detailed description, the reference will be frequently made to the attached drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a circuit board with two arrangements of conductive contact pads disposed thereon and with a SFP-style connector mounted to one of the two contact pad arrangements;

FIG. 2 is a the same view as FIG. 1, but with a shield housing constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention shown removed away from and above the circuit board;

FIG. 3 is a same view as FIG. 2, but with the shield housing shown in place upon the circuit board and encompassing the SFP-style connector;

FIG.4 is a perspective view, taken from underneath, of the shield housing of FIGS. 2 & 3; FIG. 5 is the same view as FIG. 4, but with a second shield housing mounted adjacent to the first shield housing;

FIG. 6 is a the same view as FIG. 5, but with a mounting bracket in place across the two shield housings and with two opposing mating plug connectors shown removed from engagement with the SFP-style connectors;

FIG. 7 is an enlarged perspective view of the connector housing of FIG. 4 and an opposing mating connector of FIG. 6 shown in alignment with each other;

FIG. 7 A is an elevational view of the front end of the opposing mating connector, taken along lines A-A of FIG. 7; FIG. 7B is an elevational view of the front end of the shield housing of the invention, taken along lines B-B of FIG. 7 and with the shield housing removed from a circuit board and with the interior SFP-style connector removed for clarity;

FIG. 8 is an exploded perspective view of another embodiment of a shield housing and mating connector assembly constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention;

FIG. 8 A is an elevational view of the front end of the opposing mating connector, taken along lines A-A of FIG. 8;

FIG. 8B is an elevational view of the front end of the shield housing of the invention, taken along lines B-B of FIG. 8 and with the shield housing removed from a circuit board and with the interior SFP-style connector removed for clarity;

FIG. 9 is a view illustrating another embodiment of a guide mechanism incorporating the principles of the present invention;

FIG. 10 is an exploded view of another embodiment of a shielded housing assembly incorporating the principles of the present invention; FIG. 11 is a perspective view illustrating a side-by-side arrangement of the shielded housings of FIG. 10;

FIG. 12 is a perspective view of two of the housings of FIG. 10 arranged in a belly-to- belly arrangement on opposite sides of a circuit board;

FIG. 13 is a perspective view of a plug connector incorporating a latching mechanism constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention;

FIG. 14 is a perspective view of the latching mechanism used in the plug connector of FIG. 14; FIG. 15 is an exploded view of the plug connector of FIG. 13;

FIG. 16 is a cross-sectional view of the plug connector of FIG. 13, taken along a line that permits view of the latching arm free ends;

FIG. 16A is an enlarged detail view of the latching mechanism cam block in place in the plug connector and with the engagement tab of the shielded housing fully engaged with the plug connector;

FIG. 16B is the same view as FIG. 16A, but showing the latching mechanism cam block being moved rearwardly within the plug connector and the shielded housing into contact with the engagement tab thereof; FIG. 16C is the same view as FIG. 16B, but showing the latching mechanism cam block fully engaged with the engagement tab of the shielded housing;

FIG. 17 is a perspective view of another embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 18 is a perspective view of a plug connector with another embodiment of a detaching mechanism constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention; FIG. 19 is the same view as FIG. 18, but with the plug connector cover removed for clarity;

FIG. 20 is a perspective view of the delatching actuating mechanism used in the plug connector of FIG. 18;

FIG. 21 is the same view as FIG. 18, but at a different angle and illustrating, in phantom, the actuating mechanism of FIG. 20 in place within the plug connector;

FIG. 22 is a perspective view of the interior of the top half of the plug connector of FIG. 18, and illustrating it in contact with the reaction block of the plug connector;

FIG. 23 is an exploded perspective view of a guide frame used in conjunction with the plug connector of FIG. 18; FIG. 24 is a partial detail view of a surface mount connector and an assembled guide frame of FIG. 23 shown in position for fixing to a printed circuit board;

FIG. 25 is a side sectional view of the plug connector engaged in place within a shielded housing and in the detail inset, the engagement between the shielded housing engagement tab and the plug connector housing; FIG. 26 is the same view as FIG. 25, but illustrating the delatching mechanism in operation and in the inset the contact made by the actuator arm cam portion against the shielded housing engagement tab; FIG. 27 is a diagrammatic view of an alternate embodiment of a delatching mechanism that may be used with the plug connector embodiment of FIG. 17;

FIG. 28 is an exploded view of the plug connector illustrating the interior of the bottom half of the plug connector showing the return mechanism; FIG. 29 is a perspective view of the spring used for the return mechanism;

FIG. 30 is a perspective view of an alternative delatching actuating mechanism used in the plug connector;

FIG. 31 is an exploded view of the delatching actuating mechanism shown in FIG. 30 in conjunction with one of the housings of the plug connector; FIG. 32 is a perspective view of the delatching actuating mechanism of FIG. 30, but showing the center loop engaged with the post in one of the connector plug housings;

FIG. 33 is an exploded view of another embodiment of the present invention which illustrates the placement and structure of EMI gasket shields with the plug connector housing;

FIG. 34 is the same view as FIG. 33, but showing the plug connector with only its cover half removed for clarity;

FIG. 35 is a sectional view of the plug connector housing, illustrating the location of the linear gasket;

FIG. 36 is an exploded view of FIG. 35;

FIG. 37 is the same view as FIG. 3, but with the linear gasket removed for clarity; and, FIG. 38 is a front elevation view of FIG. 35.

Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiments

FIG. 1 illustrates the environment in which the invention is used. The environment shown includes a planar circuit board 100, with two designated connector areas 102 defined therein, each including a plurality of conductive contact pads 104. One such area has a SFP- style connector 106 in place. This connector 106 has an insulative housing 108 and supports a plurality of conductive terminals 110. Such a connector 106 typically includes a slot 112 that is intended to receive the edge of a circuit card 114 that is mounted to an opposing mating plug- style connector 200. (FIG. 6.)

FIG. 2 illustrates a shielded housing 130 formed from a sheet metal blank which includes a top wall 131, two side walls 132, 133, a back wall 134 and a bottom wall 135. These walls collectively define an opening 136 that leads to a hollow interior cavity 137. The back wall 134 may include a pair of flange ends 137 to secure the back wall to the housing and to seal off the rear of the internal cavity 137. The bottom wall 135 is preferably formed as only a partial bottom wall with a depth that is less than the depth of the entire housing to define an opening 139 on the bottom of the housing 130 which may be placed over the SFP-style connector 106. The bottom wall 135 may have an engagement flange 140 formed at an end thereof, which engages a tab 141 formed on side wall 133 to secure a framework for the entrance of the shield housing 130

As shown best in FIG. 4, the housing 130 may also include a series of flanges 150 bent at an angle in order to provide a flat mounting surface to the circuit board 100. These flanges 150 include openings 151 for screws or may be flat for soldering to the board 100. A U-shaped EMI gasket 170 may be placed over these flanges 150 as shown in FIG. 3 to prevent EMI leakage from the sides and rear of the housing 103.

Turning to FIG. 2, the housing 130 includes a means for guiding the opposing mating connector 200 into the housing 130. This is shown in FIG. 2 as a guide tab 160 formed along the front edge of the housing entrance 136. Although only one such guide tab 160 is illustrated, it will be understood that additional guide tabs 162 may be used, and such tabs 162 may be formed by making a U-shaped opening 161 in the top wall 131 and subsequently bending the guide tabs 162 down into the internal cavity 137 of the housing 130. The guide tab 160 (or tabs 162) serve to define positioning points for the plug 200. The tabs 160, 162 are preferably aligned along an imaginary line that extends toward the rear of the housing 130.

An opposing plug connector 200 is illustrated in FIG. 6 and it can be seen that the connector includes a housing 202 that is attached to one or more cables 201, each of which preferably includes a plurality of wires (not shown) which connect to circuits of the circuit board 100. The plug connector 200 includes a circuit cards 114 received in the slot 112 of the board connector 106. These projecting portions, as well as the rest of the front end 210 of the connector 200 are encompassed by a conductive shield 203. This shield 203 preferably includes a guide slot 205, that may be formed as either a slot 211 that separates the top portion of the shield 203 into two separate parts 212 (FIG. 7A), or as a recess, or channel, in the top portion of the plug connector shield 203, in which case, the top portion will not be divided into top separate portions. This guide slot 205, as shown in FIGS. 6 & 7, preferably extends the length of the plug connector. The entire shielded housing 130 may be integrally formed as a single die cast piece, with the guide tabs 160, 162 formed as part of the casting process, rather than being stamped from the top portion of the housing 130. In such an embodiment, the guide tabs may extend for the entire depth of the connector. In all of the embodiments of the shielded housing described herein, it is desirable to have some sort of means of engaging the opposing plug connector in place within the housing, and such a means is shown as a pair of engagement tabs 175 which are disposed in the top wall 131 of the housing 130 in FIGS. 7 & 8 and cast in the cover portion 602 in FIGS. 10-12.

FIGS. 8-8B illustrate another shielded housing 300 formed from multiple pieces including a die cast base portion 301 and a sheet metal cover portion 302, which includes an entrance portion 303 similar to the entrance 136 of the shield housing 130 described above. This cover portion 302 also includes an EMI gasket 305 incorporated therein, which takes the form of a metal strip that is slotted to provide a plurality of conductive spring fingers 306 that rise up into the internal cavity of the housing 130, 300 in order to contact a conductive bottom surface of the opposing plug connector, 200, 400.

The base portion 301 of the housing of FIG. 8 includes a pair of guide rails 310 formed on the interior surfaces 312 thereof and which provide a means for guiding the plug connector 400 into the housing 300. The plug connector 400 includes a housing 401 attached to a cable 402 and a conductive shield 405 that extends forwardly. The plug connector shield 405 has grooves 408 formed in its side walls 406 which mate with housing guide rails 310. FIGS. 8A & 8B illustrate the associated guide rails 310 and the grooves 408.

FIG. 9 illustrates a shielded housing 500 in which the top wall 501 of the housing 500 includes a groove 502 formed therein which extends for the depth of the housing top wall 501. An opposing plug connector 510 is provided with one or more guide tabs, or other projections 504 formed in a shield portion 505 of the connector 510 and which are aligned so as to mate with the shielded housing groove 502

FIG. 10 illustrates another die cast housing 600 with a base 601 and a top cover portion 602 . The base 601 includes side walls 603, 604 and each side wall 603, 604 includes attachment posts 606 with bolt holes 608. The posts 606 project out from the side walls 603, 604 and form a slot 612 therebetween and slots 613, 614 respectively ahead of and behind the posts 606. The posts 606 are staggered in their locations sidewall so that two such housings may be placed closely together on a circuit board 100 as shown in FIG. 11. The posts 606 on the right side wall 604 fit in the grooves 612-614 on the left side wall 604 of the housing 600. In order to accommodate an even closer spacing, the grooves 612-614 are preferably recessed, so that the cover portion 602 includes top edges 620 extending slightly outwardly to create a space thereunder into which the outer sides 621 of the posts 606 may fit. This is shown generally in FIG. 11₃ which illustrates two housings 600 of the invention arranged on opposite sides of a circuit board, which is commonly referred to in the art as a "belly-to-belly" arrangement. In this instance, the mounting screws 650 extend through the holes 608 in one set of mounting posts 606 for one housing 600 and into holes in the other set of mounting posts for the other housing. FIG. 13 illustrates the plug connector 200 with a mechanism 600 constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention that permits the user of the plug connector to disengage, eject, or otherwise delatch the plug connector from its mating engagement with the shielded housing of the board-mounted receptacle connector. As seen in FIG. 14, this delatching mechanism 600 includes an actuator having a base, or handle portion 602 with a hole 604 for a user's finger. Two actuator arms 605 extend spaced-apart and forwardly from the handle portion 602. The actuator arms 605 terminate in free ends 606. At the free ends 606, two tabs 607 extend inwardly from the actuator arms 605 to define a pair of slide surfaces 607. Each slide surface 607 includes an actuating end 608 illustrated as a cam block 609 having an angled cam surface 610. the cam surface 60 is angled downwardly in a direction from the actuating ends 608 to the handle 602 of the delatching mechanism 600. As shown in FIG. 15, part of the delatching mechanism 600 is contained in the plug connector housing 202, specifically the actuator arms 605. The free ends 606 of the actuator arms 605 project out of the connector housing 202 and the entire assembly 600 is slidable in the housing 202. The delatching arm free ends 606 extend into the forward area of the plug connector and into the area between the conductive shell portions 203 of the plug connector 200. The outer shell 203 of the plug connector includes a pair of T-shaped openings 620 that have a lateral part, or leg portion, 623 and a transverse part, or cap portion, 622. The cam portions of the actuator arms 605 are shown as solid blocks which are aligned with these openings 620.

The cap portions 622 of the plug connector openings 620 act as receptacles for the engagement tabs 175 of the board-mounted shielded housing as shown best in FIG. 16 A-C. The ends of the engagement tabs fit into these openings 622 and they bear against bottom surfaces 630 of the openings 620, as well as against an end wall 631 thereof. This interference fit prevents the plug connector 200 from disengaging from the connector 106 and the housing 130. In order to provide a means for unlatching , the cam portions 609 are aligned with and received within the openings 620, and the typically occupy the leg portion 623 of the openings 620. Movement of the delatching mechanism and the cam portions 609 will cause contact with the engagement tabs 175 and lift them out of their engagement with the plug connector shell 203. FIGS. 16A-C illustrate the manner of operation of the delatching mechanism best. In

FIG. 16A, the mechanism is in a first operative position, where the plug connector 200 is latched in engagement with the shielded housing 130. As shown, the end of the engagement tab 175 rests against the inner wall 631 of the opening 620. In FIG. 16B, the delatching mechanism has begun to be moved to its second operative position and the cam block cam surface 610 is confronting the end of the engagement tab 175. In FIG. 16C, the delatching mechanism has been pulled backward so that the cam portion 609 and its cam surface 610 have made contact with the end of the engagement tab 175, urging it upwardly within the opening 620 and out of contact with the end wall of the opening 620. In practice, the top part of the cam portion (block) preferably extends partially out of the openings 620 so that the lifting of the engagement tabs 175 of the shielded housing 130 is complete. The handle 602 is shown extending along one side of the cable 202. It may be extended as shown in dashed line to the other side of the cable 202, or below as shown in FIG. 13.

An alternate embodiment is shown in FIG. 17, where the handle of the delatching mechanism 700 includes a solid tab that may be drawn rearwardly. In this embodiment, only one actuator arm is used having a single cam block 703 at its free end, and the shielded housing has only a single engagement tab 175 formed therewith.

FIGS. 18-24 illustrate another plug connector 800 which terminates a plurality of wires housed in cables 802. The cables 802 enter a housing 804 formed from two halves, a top half 805 A and a bottom half 805B. Each half 805 A, 805B has a wide body portion 806 and a thin plug portion 808 that projects from the front face of the connector 804. A flexible and conductive gasket 810 may be applied to the exterior of the plug portion 808 to provide a suitable EMI seal between the plug connector 800 and an opposing guide frame into which it fits. (FIGS. 23 and 24.)

The plug portions 808 of the connector 800 include a pair of slots 812 formed in their opposing sides. These slots 812 receive complementary-shaped guide rails 902 of a corresponding guide frame 900. The guide frame is U-shaped and includes three walls 903 that cooperatively define a hollow enclosure 904 that encloses a connector 910 with a mating slot 914 that receives the edge of a circuit card 915 mounted in the plug connector 800. (FIG. 24.) The connector 912 is mounted to the surface of a printed circuit board 913 proximate to an edge 917ofthe board 913.

A conductive cover 925 is provided with a cover plate 926 having opposing side clips 928 that extend down over a part of each sidewall 903 to engage a slot 930 formed therein. A front frame portion 932 is also preferably formed as part of the cover 925 and includes two sidewalls 934 and a base wall 935 that are connected together, as at 936, with a tab 937. This front frame portion 932 forms an opening of the guide frame that receives the plug portion 808 of the plug connector 800. The base wall 935 may be slotted along one end thereof within the guide frame enclosure 904 to provide a plurality of conductive spring fingers 912 that are biased upwardly to contact the bottom of the connector plug portion 808 inserted into the guide frame 900. The cover 925 includes latch tabs 938 stamped into the cover. A portion of the base wall may project and fit into a slot 918 that is formed along the edge 917 of the circuit board in front of the connector 912. FIG. 20 illustrates the delatching mechanism 1000 that is utilized in connector 800. It includes a pair of arms 1002 extending lengthwise from a backbone portion 1003 that has a wide body with a central opening 1004 to define a pull tab structure for a user to grip. Each arm 1002 terminates in a free end 1005 and each such free end 1005 is folded over 90 degrees into a plane transverse to the length of the arms. The free ends 1005 have delatching tabs 1007 that sit in the transverse plane but are offset and spaced apart therefrom as shown. The tabs 1007 are spaced apart from the base of the ends by a spacing S. The offset end preferably includes a ramped surface 1010 that is moved rearwardly against the ends of the latching tabs 938, and which, due to the rearward movement of the free ends lifts the latching tabs up and out of engagement with the openings of the plug connector plug portion 808. As shown best in FIG. 19, the arms 1002 of the delatching mechanism are held in slots or channels 1100 that are preferably formed in both of the top and bottom plug connector halves 805A, 805B.

The delatching mechanism 1000 is provided with means for retaining it to an initial position after it has been actuated to delatch, or release the plug connector 800 from a corresponding receptacle connector. This return means is illustrated in FIGS. 19-22 as a pair of return springs 1050 taking the form of arms 1051 shown formed with the actuator arms 1002 and are stamped and formed, or otherwise bent over out of the lengthwise plane(s) in which the actuator arms 1002 extend and into their own plane that is generally transverse, or at least offset from the actuator arms 1002. In this manner, the return spring arms 1051 will lie in an open space underneath the plug connector top half 805 A. This relationship is illustrated best in FIG. 21.

As shown, the return spring arms 1051 extend slightly rearwardly at an angle θ (FIG. 20) to impart an initial bias to the return spring arms 1051 and the overall actuator 1000. The return spring arms 1051 are shown as having tree ends 1054 that include a rearward extending finger 1055. These fingers 1055 are aligned with a reaction block 1075 that is formed with or otherwise disposed on the inner surface of the plug connector top half 805A. (FIGS. 21 and 22.) In order to delatch the plug connector, the user pulls the finger tab 1003 rearwardly in the direction of arrow R in Fig. 18 and the return spring finger 1055 contact the reaction block 1075 and in particular, the front surface 1076 thereof. Rearward movement of the actuator causes the spring return arms to collect forwardly as shown in phantom lines in FIG. 22. The return spring arms 1051 are resilient due to their thin cross-section and their material, preferably a spring steel with high elastic properties, and they will tend to return to their original position when the user releases the actuator, thereby moving the actuator forward and the actuator arm ends back into position.

FIGS. 25 & 26 illustrate the action of the cam portions at the free ends of the actutaor arms. It can be seen that movement of the actuator rearwardly will bring the cam portions into contact with the engagement tabs of the shielded housing and present a slanted surface for the engagement tabs to ride up on and out of engagement with the openings of the plug connector housing.

FIG. 27 shows diagrammatically another return spring structure that may suitable for use on a single actuator as is shown in the embodiment of FIG. 17. The actuator 700 in that embodiment has a pull tab portion 701 a recessed portion 710 that is held within the plug connector housing and a free end with a cam portions 703. A single return arm 712 is shown as stamped out of the body of the recessed portions 71Od is brought into contact with a reaction surface, shown as shoulder 740, in phantom. Operation of this embodiment occurs in the same manner as explained above.

FIGS. 28-32 illustrate another return means used with the delatching mechanism. As best shown in FIG. 29, this return means includes a wire spring 1150 having a center loop 1152 and a pair of spring arms 1154 extending in lateral direction having distal ends 1156. The distal ends 1156 of the spring arms 1154 are received in holes 1158 in the arms 1002 of the latching actuator IOOOB as illustrated in FIG. 30. FIG. 32 shows the latching actuator mechanism with attached return means disposed in the cover half 804 of the plug connector. The arms 1002 of the latching actuator IOOOB are held in slots or channels in the housing with the center loop 1152 of the return means disposed around a post 1160 extending form the housing to the internal space of the plug connector. There exists an interference fit between the center loop of the return means and the post on the housing so that it will hold the delatching mechanism in place to aid in the assembly of the plug.

The spring arms 1154 of the return means extend forward to the front of the plug connector to bias the delatching mechanism in a closed position. Rearward movement of the actuator during separation of the connectors causes the spring arms of the return means to deflect rearward and exert a return force on the actuator. Upon release of the actuator, the return means brings the actuator back to its initial position.

FIGS. 33-38 illustrate an improved EMI shielding structure for use with the plug connector described above and that is best shown in FIG. 33 and FIG. 34. The improved EMI structure includes pairs of gaskets 1200, 1202 which are formed from a conductive elastomeric material, and which preferably have a circular cross-section although other cross-sections such as rectangular or hexagonal, for example, may also be used. The first gasket 1200 has a linear configuration and is received within a first recess 1214 that is disposed between the top and bottom halves 805 A, 805B of the plug connector housing. This gasket is provided to seal any gaps that may occur between the two plug connector housing halves 805A, 805B and thereby provide shielding to errant EMI emissions. The first recess 1214 may take the form of a groove in the plug connector housing, or as shown, it may include a raised flange 1216 projecting from an adjacent shoulder 1217. The flange 1216 is used to compress the first gasket 1200 against a base 1219 of an opposing slot (or recess) 1220 that is formed in the top housing half 805 A. The second gasket 1202 has a non-linear shape, or configuration, and is held within a second recess 1215 that is formed in the housing halves 805A, 805B. In the preferred embodiment illustrated, there are two of each of the first and second recesses and first and second gaskets. This gasket 1202 is provided to contact, in an encircling manner, the two actuator arms of the delatching mechanism and, as such, it may take the form of the inverted U- shape as shown in FIG. 33, or it may take a circular or oval configuration and completely encircle the actuator arms as shown in FIG. 36. The gasket 1202 is in electrical contact with both the actuator arms of the delatching mechanism IOOOB and the housing 805A, 805Bs. Since the delatching mechanism is slidably received in the housing, continuous wiping contact is made between the actuator arm and the second gaskets 1202. As shown in FIG. 36, it can be seen that the first and second recesses extend at angles to each other with the first recess extending generally horizontally within the connector housing 805 and the second recesses extending vertically therewithin.

As best shown in FIG. 36, the top and bottom connector halves have interlocking portions 1208, 1210 respectively that align the top and bottom connector halves when they are fitted together during assembly. The interlocking portion 1208 on the top connector half has an inclined surface 1204 that slopes toward the outer wall of the top connector housing. Similarly, the bottom connector half has an inclined surface 1206 on its respective interlocking portion 1210 that is also sloped to the outer wall of the bottom connector housing. As best shown in FIG 37 and FIG 38, the interlocking portions of the connector halves create a polygonal shaped pocket or recess. This recess retains the linear gasket in position upon assembly of the connector halves as best illustrated in FIG 35. The inclined surfaces 1204, 1206, when assembled, generate an interference fit with the gasket 1200, compressing the gasket and imparting a reactionary force on it to maintain it in position within the recess.

Claims

CLAIMS:

We claim:

1 A connector with improved EMI shielding, comprising: a connector housing including a base half and a cover half; a mechanism at least partially lengthwise within the connector housing, said mechanism including at least one end that extends out of said connector housing and which is accessible from exterior of said connector housing, said mechanism further including an interior portion that is slidable within said connector housing, said connector housing including at least first and second recesses formed therein; and a first conductive gasket disposed within the first recess and a second conductive gasket disposed within the second recess, the first gasket providing EMI shielding between said connector housing halves and the second gasket providing EMI shielding between said mechanism and said connector housing.

2. The connector of claim 1, wherein said first gasket is a linear gasket and said second gasket is an arcuate gasket.

3. The connector of claim 1 , wherein said first recess is disposed horizontally between said connector housing halves and said second recess is disposed vertically within said connector housing halves.

4. The connector of claim 1 , wherein said first gasket has a linear configuration and said second gasket has a non-linear configuration.

5. The connector of claim 1 , wherein said mechanism includes at least one arm member that extends through said connector housing and said second gasket encircles said arm member proximate to a rear portion of said connector housing.

6. The connector of claim 1 , wherein said connector housing includes a pair of first recesses and a pair of second recesses, the first and second recesses being angularly oriented with respect to each other, each of said first recesses receiving a first gasket therein and each of said second recesses receiving a second gasket therein.

7. The connector of claim 6, wherein said mechanism includes a pair arm members extending lengthwise through said connector housing, each of the arm members having an end that extends exteriorly of said connector housing, said second recesses being located in said connector housing where said arm member ends exit said housing, and each of said second recesses including a second gasket therein, the second gaskets encircling said arms members within said connector housing.

8. The connector of claim 7, wherein said connector housing includes two first recesses the recesses being disposed within said connector housing outboard of said arm members, and each of said first recesses including a linear first gasket, the first gaskets being interposed between said arm members and exterior surfaces of said connector housing.

9. The connector of claim 1, wherein said mechanism is a delatching mechanism for disengaging said connector from a mating connector.