WO2024098767A1

WO2024098767A1 - Lead module, electric connector, connector assembly, and electronic device

Info

Publication number: WO2024098767A1
Application number: PCT/CN2023/102118
Authority: WO
Inventors: 肖聪图; 熊旺; 张居旺; 叶涛
Original assignee: 华为技术有限公司
Priority date: 2022-11-10
Filing date: 2023-06-25
Publication date: 2024-05-16
Also published as: CN118017296A

Abstract

The present application provides a lead module, an electric connector, a connector assembly, and an electronic device. The lead module comprises a holder and a plurality of leads. The plurality of leads are held by the holder and secured relative to the holder. Each lead has a first side surface and a second side surface which are parallel to the arrangement direction of the plurality of leads and are opposite to one another. In a main body portion of each lead, the first side surface is in contact with the holder and is covered by the holder, and at least a part of the second side surface is separated from the holder so as to be exposed toward the outside. On the one hand, this helps adjust the impedance in the signal lead so as to reduce the insertion loss of the lead; and on the other hand, it is thus possible to adjust the structural characteristics of a non-conductive material so as to optimize an electric field balance between different signal pairs, thereby inhibiting crosstalk between adjacent lead pairs. An electrical connector, a connector assembly, and an electronic device which comprise said lead assembly have the same effect. The electronic device of the present application may be, but is not limited to, a router, a switch, or a network server.

Description

Lead module, electrical connector, connector assembly and electronic equipment

This application claims the priority of the Chinese patent application filed with the China Patent Office on November 10, 2022, with application number 202211405590.7 and invention name “Lead module, electrical connector, connector assembly and electronic device”, the entire contents of which are incorporated by reference in this application.

Technical Field

The present application relates to the structure of a connector for realizing information communication between electronic devices, and specifically to a lead module, an electrical connector including the lead module, a connector assembly including the electrical connector, and an electronic device including the above-mentioned electrical connector or connector assembly.

Background technique

In today's electronic devices, there is an interconnection architecture based on circuit boards and optical modules. As a connecting bridge between circuit boards and optical modules, electrical connectors (such as input/output connectors) are key components of the interconnection architecture, which can ensure the signal integrity of the optoelectronic/electro-optical conversion link in high-speed links. Therefore, whether it is to achieve short-distance interconnection or long-distance interconnection in the interconnection architecture, there are high requirements for the performance of electrical connectors. In order to transmit more information in a timely and effective manner, the transmission rate of electrical connectors needs to be continuously improved. With the increase in the transmission rate of electrical connectors, the number of devices used can be reduced while meeting the same information transmission requirements, and layout space for circuit boards can also be saved.

However, the increase in the signal transmission rate of the electrical connector places higher requirements on the integrity of the signal transmitted by the electrical connector, thereby requiring the electrical connector to achieve smaller link insertion loss and smaller crosstalk.

Summary of the invention

In view of this, a lead module is proposed, which can optimize the impedance of the lead to reduce the insertion loss of the lead for transmitting signals, and can also suppress the crosstalk between the lead pairs for transmitting signals. An electrical connector including the lead module and a connector assembly including the electrical connector are also proposed. The electrical connector, the connector assembly and the electronic device achieve the same technical effect by adopting the lead module according to the present application.

To this end, this application adopts the following technical solution.

In a first aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a lead module, including:

a retainer made of a non-conductive material; and

a plurality of leads, the plurality of leads are held by the holding member and fixed relative to the holding member, the plurality of leads are arranged at intervals, each of the leads has a first side surface and a second side surface facing oppositely, the first side surface and the second side surface are both parallel to the arrangement direction of the plurality of leads,

In the main body portion of each of the leads, the first side surface is in contact with and covered by the holder, and at least a portion of the second side surface is separated from the holder to be exposed to the outside.

By adopting the above technical solution, for the main body of the lead, the first side surface contacts the non-conductive material of the retainer, and at least a portion of the second side surface contacts the air because it is exposed to the outside. Since the dielectric constant of the non-conductive material of the retainer is different from the dielectric constant of the air, the dielectric constants of the media contacted by the two opposite sides of the lead are different, which is conducive to adjusting the impedance in the signal lead and reducing the insertion loss of the lead. In addition, since the main body of the lead The first side of the lead is covered by a non-conductive material, so the electric field balance between different signal pairs is optimized by adjusting the structural characteristics of the non-conductive material, thereby suppressing crosstalk between adjacent lead pairs.

In a possible implementation manner according to the first aspect, each of the leads further has a third side surface and a fourth side surface facing oppositely, and the third side surface and the fourth side surface are perpendicular to the arrangement direction.

In the main body portion of each of the leads, at least a portion of the third side surface is separated from the holder to be exposed to the outside, and at least a portion of the fourth side surface is separated from the holder to be exposed to the outside.

By adopting the above technical solution, it is possible to further facilitate adjusting the impedance in the signal lead and reduce the insertion loss of the lead.

In a possible implementation according to the first aspect, each of the leads has a rectangular cross-section, the short sides of the rectangle are located at the third side and the fourth side, and the third side of one lead and the fourth side of another lead adjacent to the arrangement direction face each other.

By adopting the above technical solution, by making the side surfaces with smaller widths between adjacent leads face each other, so-called narrow-side coupling can be achieved, thereby greatly reducing the interference of the target lead pair on the surrounding leads.

In a possible implementation manner according to the first aspect, the retaining member has a supporting surface in contact with the first side surface.

The retaining member is formed with a plurality of grooves, each of which is located between two adjacent leads, and each of which extends along an extending direction of the lead and is recessed relative to the supporting surface.

By adopting the above technical solution, the retaining member forms a groove between every two adjacent leads, which can optimize the electric field balance between different signal pairs, thereby further suppressing the crosstalk between the lead pairs.

In a possible implementation manner according to the first aspect, one side wall surface of the groove is flush with the third side surface of one of the leads, and another side wall surface of the groove is flush with the fourth side surface of another of the leads.

By adopting the above technical solution, crosstalk between leads can be further suppressed.

In a possible implementation manner according to the first aspect, the plurality of leads include a signal lead and a ground lead, two adjacent signal leads form a lead pair, and one ground lead is disposed between adjacent lead pairs.

By adopting the above technical solution, differential signals can be transmitted in the lead pairs composed of signal leads, thereby significantly reducing the interference of electromagnetic signals around the lead module on the signals in the leads. Moreover, a ground lead is provided between adjacent lead pairs transmitting differential signals, which can effectively suppress crosstalk between adjacent lead pairs.

In a possible implementation according to the first aspect, a shielding plate is further included, which is made of or includes a conductive material, and is fixedly mounted on the retaining member, and is spaced apart from the signal lead and faces the second surface of the main body of the signal lead.

By adopting the above technical solution, the interference of external signals of the lead module on the signal lead transmission signal can be reduced through the shielding sheet.

In a possible implementation manner according to the first aspect, all the signal leads share one shielding sheet, and the shielding sheet extends in the arrangement direction to cover all the signal leads.

By adopting the above technical solution, all signal leads share one shielding sheet, which can simplify the shielding structure for the leads and facilitate processing and manufacturing.

In a possible implementation manner according to the first aspect, the shielding sheet is electrically connected to all the grounding leads.

By adopting the above technical solution, all grounding leads and shielding sheets can realize common ground shielding, which is beneficial to the shielding The effect is stable.

In a possible implementation according to the first aspect, the shielding sheet includes a shielding sheet body and an elastic contact portion, the shielding sheet body is parallel to and spaced apart from the second side surface, and the elastic contact portion is tilted from the shielding sheet body and contacts the ground lead.

By adopting the above technical solution, common ground shielding can be achieved with a relatively simple structure.

In a possible implementation manner according to the first aspect, each of the lead wires includes a first end, a second end, and a main body, wherein the main body is located between the first end and the second end.

The first end portion includes a first embedded portion and a first protruding portion, wherein the first embedded portion is embedded in the retaining member and the first protruding portion protrudes from the retaining member.

The second end portion includes a second embedded portion embedded in the retainer and a second protruding portion protruding from the retainer.

By adopting the above technical solution, each lead can be stably held by the holding member, and the protruding portion of the lead can be electrically connected to the docking module through welding or other connection methods.

In a possible implementation manner according to the first aspect, more than 80% of the region or area of the second side surface of the main body of the lead is not covered by the retaining member.

By adopting the above technical solution, it is ensured that the main body of the lead has a sufficient area not covered by the retaining member, thereby effectively achieving the effect of reducing the insertion loss.

In a second aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides an electrical connector, which includes a lead module as described in any one of the above technical solutions.

By adopting the above technical solution, a typical application scenario of a lead module is provided.

In a possible implementation manner according to the second aspect, the first ends of all the lead modules are arranged in a matrix; and/or

The second ends of all the lead modules are arranged in a matrix.

By adopting the above technical solution, more lead modules can be integrated in a relatively small volume.

In a third aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a connector assembly, comprising a circuit board and an electrical connector as described in any one of the above technical solutions, wherein the electrical connector is mounted on the circuit board.

By adopting the above technical solution, a typical application scenario of an electrical connector is provided.

In a possible implementation according to the third aspect, in the lead module of the electrical connector, an arrangement direction of the plurality of leads is parallel to the circuit board.

By adopting the above technical solution, the connection component realizes the so-called horizontal architecture, which is beneficial to reduce insertion loss and suppress crosstalk.

In a fourth aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides an electronic device, comprising the electrical connector described in any one of the above technical solutions or the connector assembly described in any one of the above technical solutions.

By adopting the above technical solution, further optional application scenarios of the electrical connector and typical application scenarios of the electrical connector assembly are provided.

In a possible implementation manner according to the fourth aspect, an optical module is further included, and the optical module is connected to the corresponding electrical connector to achieve electrical conduction.

By adopting the above technical solution, when the optical interface and the electrical connector are connected to each other, the electronic device can transmit signals of various rates with higher efficiency.

In a possible implementation according to the fourth aspect, the electronic device is a router, a switch or a network server.

By adopting the above technical solution, a typical example of the electronic device of the present application is proposed.

These and other aspects of the present application will become more apparent from the following description of the embodiment(s).

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of the specification, illustrate exemplary embodiments, features, and aspects of the present application and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the present application.

FIG. 1A is a schematic three-dimensional diagram of a lead module according to a first embodiment of the present application.

FIG. 1B is a schematic longitudinal cross-sectional view of the lead module in FIG. 1A .

FIG. 1C is a partial cross-sectional view taken along line M1 - M1 in FIG. 1B .

FIG. 1D is a perspective schematic diagram of a partial structure of the lead module in FIG. 1A .

FIG. 1E is a schematic diagram of a first model of a lead module according to the first embodiment of the present application.

FIG. 1F is a schematic diagram showing the electric field state of the first model in FIG. 1E .

FIG. 1G is a schematic diagram of a second model of the lead mold assembly according to the first comparative example.

FIG. 1H is a schematic diagram showing the electric field state of the second model in FIG. 1G .

FIG. 1I is a schematic diagram of a third model of a lead mold assembly according to the second comparative example.

FIG. 1J is a schematic diagram showing the electric field state of the third model in FIG. 1I .

FIG. 1K is a graph showing insertion loss versus frequency for the models in FIGS. 1E , 1G , and 1I .

1L is a graph showing crosstalk as a function of frequency for the models in FIGS. 1E , 1G , and 1I .

1M is a graph showing the differential common mode conversion of the models in FIGS. 1E , 1G , and 1I as a function of frequency.

FIG. 2A is a schematic longitudinal cross-sectional view of a lead module according to a second embodiment of the present application.

FIG. 2B is a partial cross-sectional view taken along line M2 - M2 in FIG. 2A .

FIG. 3A is a schematic longitudinal cross-sectional view of a lead module according to a third embodiment of the present application.

FIG. 3B is a partial cross-sectional view taken along line M3 - M3 in FIG. 3A .

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of a connector assembly according to the present application, wherein the connector assembly includes the electrical connector and a circuit board of the present application.

FIG5 is a schematic diagram of an electronic device (switch) according to the present application, wherein the electronic device includes the electrical connector and the optical module of the present application.

Description of Reference Numerals
1 holding member; 1s supporting surface; 1c groove;
2 lead wire; 2a signal lead wire; 2b ground lead wire; 21 main body; 21s1 first side surface; 21s2 second side surface; 21s3 third side surface; 21s4 fourth side surface; 22 first end portion; 221 first embedded portion; 222 first extended portion; 23 second end portion; 231 second embedded portion; 232 second extended portion;
3 shielding sheet; 31 shielding sheet body; 32 elastic contact portion;
A arrangement direction; H height direction;
MU1 is the first model; MU2 is the second model; MU3 is the third model;
C electrical connector; P circuit board; EB switch; T optical module.

Detailed ways

Various exemplary embodiments, features and aspects of the present application will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. The same reference numerals in the accompanying drawings represent elements with the same or similar functions. Although various aspects of the embodiments are shown in the accompanying drawings, the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale unless otherwise specified.

The word “exemplary” is used exclusively herein to mean “serving as an example, example, or illustration.” Any embodiment described herein as “exemplary” is not necessarily to be construed as preferred or advantageous over other embodiments.

In addition, in order to better illustrate the present application, numerous specific details are provided in the exemplary embodiments below. It should be understood by those skilled in the art that the present application can also be implemented without certain specific details. In some examples, methods, means, and elements well known to those skilled in the art are not described in detail in order to highlight the subject matter of the present application.

In this application, unless otherwise specified, "height direction" refers to the height direction of the lead module of this application, that is, the thickness direction of the lead. However, this height direction should not be understood as a limitation on the use direction or posture of the lead module and electrical connector of this application.

The following inventive concept is implemented in the lead module according to the present application. In the lead module, for the main body of the lead, the first side of the lead contacts the non-conductive material of the retaining member used to retain the lead, and the second side of the lead does not contact the retaining member but is exposed to the outside, thereby contacting the air. In this way, since the dielectric constant of the non-conductive material of the retaining member is different from the dielectric constant of the air, the dielectric constants of the medium contacted by the two opposite sides of the lead are different, which is beneficial to adjusting the impedance in the signal lead and reducing the insertion loss of the lead. In addition, since the first side of the main body of the lead is covered with non-conductive material, the electric field balance between different signal pairs is optimized by adjusting the structural characteristics of the non-conductive material, thereby suppressing the crosstalk between adjacent signal lead pairs. Based on the above technical concepts, the present application implements different exemplary embodiments.

The structure of the lead module according to the first embodiment of the present application is first described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

(Lead module according to the first embodiment of the present application)

As shown in Figures 1A to 1D, the lead module according to the first embodiment of the present application includes a holder 1, a plurality of leads 2 and a shielding sheet 3 assembled together. The plurality of leads 2 and the shielding sheet 3 are fixedly mounted on the holder 1, so that the holder 1, the plurality of leads 2 and the shielding sheet 3 are integrated together to form a whole.

In this embodiment, the retainer 1 is made of a non-conductive insulating material such as plastic. In addition to being used to fix and retain the plurality of leads 2 and the shielding sheet 3, the retainer 1 can also form an assembly structure that cooperates with other devices (such as other lead modules), a foolproof design, etc.

In the present embodiment, as shown in Fig. 1A to Fig. 1D, a plurality of leads 2 are arranged in a row at intervals in the arrangement direction A, and all the leads 2 extend parallel to each other, and each lead 2 can be made of a conductive material (e.g., metal, particularly phosphor bronze). A plurality of leads 2 include a signal lead 2a and a ground lead 2b, as shown in Fig. 1C and Fig. 1D, two adjacent signal leads 2a form a lead pair, and a ground lead 2b is arranged between adjacent lead pairs. In this way, differential signals can be transmitted in the two signal leads 2a in the lead pair, thereby significantly reducing the interference of electromagnetic signals around the lead module to the signal in the signal lead 2a. Moreover, a ground lead 2b is arranged between adjacent lead pairs that transmit differential signals, which can effectively suppress the crosstalk between adjacent lead pairs. In addition, the lead 2 at the outermost position in the arrangement direction A can be a ground lead 2b, thereby further improving the shielding effect for interference signals. As shown in Fig. 1A, in the present embodiment, a plurality of leads 2 include five pairs of such lead pairs.

Further, as shown in FIG. 1C and FIG. 1D , the cross-sectional shape of each lead 2 is a rectangular shape, so that each The lead 2 includes four sides (a first side 21s1, a second side 21s2, a third side 21s3 and a fourth side 21s4) connected to each other, and each side 21s1, 21s2, 21s3, 21s4 is formed into a plane. The first side 21s1 and the second side 21s2 face oppositely, and the first side 21s1 and the second side 21s2 are parallel to the arrangement direction A of the plurality of leads 2. The third side 21s3 and the fourth side 21s4 face oppositely, and the third side 21s3 and the fourth side 21s4 are perpendicular to the arrangement direction A. In addition, in the extension direction of the lead 2, each lead 2 includes or is divided into a main body 21, a first end 22 and a second end 23, and the main body 21 is located between the first end 22 and the second end 23. The first end 22 includes a first embedded portion 221 and a first protruding portion 222, the first embedded portion 221 is embedded in the retaining member 1 and is covered and clamped by the retaining member 1, and the first protruding portion 222 protrudes from the retaining member 1. The second end portion 23 includes a second embedded portion 231 and a second extended portion 232, wherein the second embedded portion 231 is embedded in the holder 1 and covered and clamped by the holder 1, and the second extended portion 232 extends from the holder 1. Thus, by making the first embedded portion 221 and the second embedded portion 231 covered and clamped by the holder 1, it is beneficial for the lead 2 to be fixedly held by the holder 1. The first extended portion 222 and the second extended portion 232 can be electrically connected to a circuit board or other modules by welding or other connection methods.

Further, as shown in FIG. 1A to FIG. 1D , in order to reduce the impedance fluctuation of the lead 2 to reduce the insertion loss and suppress the crosstalk, in the main body 21 of the plurality of leads 2, the first side 21s1 contacts the retainer 1 and is covered by the retainer 1, and at least a portion of the second side 21s2 is separated from the retainer 1 to be exposed to the outside. Specifically, in the present embodiment, for the main body 21 of the lead 2, the first side 21s1 contacts the retainer 1 and is completely covered by the retainer 1, and the vast majority of the second side 21s2 is separated from the retainer 1 to be exposed to the outside air. Exemplarily, the vast majority of the second side 21s2 here may be an area or area of more than 80% of the second side 21s2 of the main body 21 of the lead 2. In this way, the first side 21s1 contacts the non-conductive insulating material of the retainer 1, and the second side 21s2 contacts the air due to being exposed to the outside. Since the dielectric constant of the non-conductive material of the retaining member 1 is different from the dielectric constant of the air, the dielectric constants of the media contacted by the two opposite surfaces of the lead 2 are different, which is conducive to adjusting the impedance in the signal lead 2a to reduce the insertion loss of the lead 2. In addition, since the first side surface 21s1 of the main body 21 of the lead 2 is covered by a non-conductive insulating material, the electric field balance between different signal pairs can be optimized by adjusting the structural characteristics of the insulating material, thereby suppressing the crosstalk between the lead pairs of adjacent signal leads 2a. In addition, in order to further effectively reduce the insertion loss of the lead 2, in this embodiment, on the one hand, for the main body 21 of the lead 2, most of the third side surface 21s3 and most of the fourth side surface 21s4 are also exposed to the outside and contact the air; on the other hand, the length of the portion of each lead 2 that is completely covered by the retaining member 1 (mainly the embedded portion) can be made shorter than the length of the portion of the main body 21 of each lead 2 that is exposed to the outside. Exemplarily, the vast majority of the third side surface 21s3 and the vast majority of the fourth side surface 21s4 here may be more than 80% of the region or area of the third side surface 21s3 and the fourth side surface 21s4 of the main body 21 of the guide line 2.

Further, as shown in FIG. 1C and FIG. 1D , the retaining member 1 has a supporting surface 1s in contact with the first side surface 21s1. At a position between the main bodies 21 of every two adjacent leads 2, the retaining member 1 is formed with a groove 1c that is recessed relative to the supporting surface 1s. The groove 1c extends along the extension direction of the lead 2. In the present embodiment, between the main bodies 21 of two adjacent leads 2, a plurality of grooves 1c spaced apart in the extension direction of the lead 2 are provided. In an optional scheme, between the main bodies 21 of two adjacent leads 2, only one groove that extends continuously in the extension direction of the lead 2 may be provided. In addition, in the present embodiment, the cross-sectional shape of the groove 1c is also rectangular, one side wall surface of the groove 1c is flush with the third side surface 21s3 of one lead 2, and the other side wall surface of the groove 1c is flush with the fourth side surface 21s4 of another lead 2. In this way, since the retaining member 1 is formed with a groove 1c between every two adjacent leads 2, the electric field balance between different signal pairs can be optimized, thereby further reducing the crosstalk between the leads 2. Disturbance.

Further, as shown in FIG. 1C and FIG. 1D , as described above, the cross-sectional shape of the lead 2 is a rectangle, that is, the lead 2 is actually formed into a flat strip shape. For the rectangular cross-section of the lead 2, the long side of the rectangle is located at the first side 21s1 and the second side 21s2, and the short side of the rectangle is located at the third side 21s3 and the fourth side 21s4. That is, the widths of the first side 21s1 and the second side 21s2 are equal, the widths of the third side 21s3 and the fourth side 21s4 are equal, and the widths of the third side 21s3 and the fourth side 21s4 are smaller than the widths of the first side 21s1 and the second side 21s2. Furthermore, the third side 21s3 of one lead 2 faces the fourth side 21s4 of another lead 2 adjacent in the arrangement direction. By making the sides with smaller widths between adjacent leads 2 face each other, the so-called narrow side coupling can be achieved, thereby greatly reducing the interference of the target lead pair to the surrounding lead pairs.

Furthermore, as shown in FIG1A and FIG1B , the positions of the first end 22 and the second end 23 of the lead 2 can be adjusted by changing the extension direction of the main body 21 of the lead 2. Thus, the lead module can be adapted to more application structures.

In the present embodiment, the shielding sheet 3 is made of metal (e.g., brass or phosphor bronze). As shown in FIGS. 1A to 1D , the shielding sheet 3 is fixedly mounted on the holder 1. The shielding sheet 3 may form a mounting hole, and the holder 1 may form a mounting protrusion, and the shielding sheet 3 is fixedly mounted on the holder 1 by means of the mounting hole and the mounting protrusion, such as interference fit. The shielding sheet 3 includes a shielding sheet body 31 and an elastic contact portion 32 formed as one. Specifically, the shielding sheet body 31 is formed in a flat plate shape, and the shielding sheet body 31 is spaced apart from all signal leads 2a in the height direction H, and the shielding sheet body 31 and the second side surface 21s2 of the main body 21 of the signal lead 2a face each other and are parallel to each other. Further, in the present embodiment, all signal leads 2a share one shielding sheet 3. For this reason, the shielding sheet 3 extends in the arrangement direction A to cover all signal leads 2a, that is, the width of the shielding sheet 3 is configured to at least cover all signal leads 2a. In addition, the elastic contact portion 32 can be an elastic contact piece punched out from the shielding sheet body 31, and the elastic contact portion 32 is tilted relative to the shielding sheet body 31, and each elastic contact portion 32 contacts the corresponding grounding lead 2b, so that the entire shielding sheet 3 is electrically conductive with all the grounding leads 2b. By providing such a shielding sheet 3, the interference of external signals of the lead module on the signal lead 2a can be reduced. All signal leads 2a share a shielding sheet 3, which can simplify the shielding structure for the lead 2 and facilitate processing and manufacturing. All grounding leads 2b and the shielding sheet 3 are shielded with the same ground, which is conducive to stabilizing the shielding effect.

In summary, the lead module according to the first embodiment of the present application achieves the reduction of the insertion loss of the signal in the lead 2 at a relatively low cost and effectively suppresses the crosstalk between the leads 2. In order to more intuitively understand the beneficial effects of the technical solution of the present application, the inventor of the present application prepared a first model MU1 of the lead module of the first embodiment of the present application (as shown in FIG. 1E ) and a second model MU2 of the lead module according to the first comparative example (as shown in FIG. 1G ) and a third model MU3 of the lead module according to the second comparative example (as shown in FIG. 1I ) for comparison.

As shown in FIG. 1E , in the first model MU1 of the lead module according to the first embodiment of the present application, plastic (equivalent to the structure of the retainer 1) is disposed above all leads 2 (including signal leads 2a and ground leads 2b). In the subsequent simulation experiment, as shown in FIG. 1F , the part other than the white part is an electric field with different field strengths (unit: V/m), and the electric field boundary rules with similar field strengths in the first model MU1 are provided.

As shown in FIG1G , in the second model MU2 of the lead module according to the first comparative example, plastic is only provided above the signal lead 2a. In the subsequent simulation experiment, as shown in FIG1H , the portion other than the white portion is an electric field with different field strengths (unit: V/m), and the electric field boundaries with similar field strengths in the second model MU2 are irregular.

As shown in FIG1I , in the third model MU3 of the lead module according to the second comparative example, plastic is only disposed above the signal lead 2a and a ground return structure is disposed. In the subsequent simulation experiment, as shown in FIG1J , the portion other than the white portion is an electric field with different field strengths (unit: V/m), and the electric field boundaries with similar field strengths in the third model MU3 are irregular.

Furthermore, FIG1K, FIG1L and FIG1M respectively show the curves of the insertion loss (unit: db), crosstalk (unit: db) and differential common mode conversion (unit: db) of the three models MU1, MU2 and MU3 as the frequency (unit: GHz) of the signal changes. By comparison, it can be seen that the insertion loss, crosstalk and differential common mode conversion corresponding to the first model MU1 are improved relative to the second model MU2 and the third model MU3. In the first model MU1, the differential signal transmission has good balance and no obvious resonance. In the second model MU2, the differential signal transmission has poor balance and there is obvious resonance. In the third model MU3, compared with the second model MU2, the resonance point moves toward the high frequency, but the resonance is not completely eliminated.

The structure of a lead mold according to a second embodiment of the present application is described below.

(Lead module according to the second embodiment of the present application)

The structure of the lead module according to the second embodiment of the present application is substantially the same as the structure of the lead module according to the first embodiment of the present application, and the structural differences between the two are mainly described below.

In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 2A and FIG. 2B , the shielding plate 3 is omitted compared to the first embodiment. Therefore, in this embodiment, the second side surface 21s2 of the main body 21 of all the leads 2 is substantially unobstructed. Although the shielding plate is omitted and the structural design is simplified, the effect of optimizing impedance to reduce insertion loss and suppress crosstalk can still be achieved in this embodiment.

It can be understood that in order to better hold the lead 2, one or more plastic protrusions or convex strips can be provided on at least one of the third side 21S3, the fourth side 21S4 and the second side 21S2 of the main body 21 of the lead 2, and these plastic protrusions or convex strips can be connected to the plastic of the retaining frame 1, or be part of the plastic of the retaining frame 1.

The structure of a lead mold according to a third embodiment of the present application is described below.

(Lead module according to the third embodiment of the present application)

The structure of the lead module according to the third embodiment of the present application is substantially the same as the structure of the lead module according to the first embodiment of the present application, and the structural differences between the two are mainly described below.

In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 3A and FIG. 3B , compared with the first embodiment, the groove 1c formed between the adjacent leads 2 of the holder 1 is omitted. Therefore, in this embodiment, the surface of the portion of the holder 1 located between the adjacent leads 2 is flush with the surface for contacting the leads 2. Although the groove 1c is omitted and the structural design is simplified, the effect of optimizing impedance to reduce insertion loss and suppressing crosstalk can still be achieved in this embodiment.

The structures of an electrical connector constructed using the lead mold according to the present application and a connector assembly including the electrical connector are described below.

(Electrical connector and connector assembly according to the present application)

The electrical connector according to the present application may include one or more of the above-mentioned lead modules. In the case of including multiple lead modules, the multiple lead modules can be stacked together in the height direction. It can be understood that the specific structures of different lead modules can be appropriately adjusted to assemble multiple lead modules together to form an electrical connector. In addition, the rows of leads 2 of different lead modules can be arranged in an array (e.g., a matrix), that is, the first ends 22 of all the lead modules are arranged in a matrix, and the second ends 23 of all the lead modules are arranged in a matrix. By adopting the lead modules of the present application, the crosstalk of the entire electrical connector can be suppressed and the insertion loss can be reduced. has been effectively reduced.

As shown in FIG4 , in the connector assembly according to the present application, the electrical connector C according to the present application is arranged at the edge of the circuit board P. When the electrical connector C according to the present application is engaged with a device such as an optical module, high-speed signal transmission can be achieved. In addition, in an optional scheme, in the connector assembly according to the present application, the arrangement direction A of the multiple leads 2 of each lead module of the electrical connector C is parallel to the circuit board P, thereby constructing a so-called horizontal architecture. By adopting the lead module of the present application, the crosstalk of the entire connector assembly can be suppressed and the insertion loss is effectively reduced.

The above content describes the exemplary embodiments and related variations of the specific implementation of the present application, and supplementary explanations are given below.

i. It can be understood that, under the premise that there is no contradiction or conflict, the features in different embodiments of the present application can be combined with each other.

ii. Although the shielding sheet 3 is made of a conductive metal material in the above specific embodiments, the present application is not limited thereto, and the shielding sheet 3 may be partially made of a conductive material, and the other part may be made of a non-conductive material. In other words, the shielding sheet 3 only needs to include a conductive material such as metal to achieve a shielding effect. For example, the shielding sheet 3 may be composed of a conductive layer and a non-conductive layer (e.g., a plastic layer), or a metal coating and a metal plating layer may be provided on the non-conductive material layer.

iii. It should be understood that the lead module of the present application and the electrical connector and connector assembly composed of the lead module can effectively suppress crosstalk and reduce insertion loss with a simple shielding structure, improve the structural reliability of the device, reduce manufacturing costs, and facilitate large-scale industrial production. In the link of the electronic device implemented by the technical solution of the present application, the link terminal impedance can be optimized to a central value of 90 ohms, and the crosstalk between links meets less than -45dB@0-60GHz, which greatly improves the signal integrity.

iv. The present application also provides an electronic device, which may include the electrical connector or connector assembly described above. Such an electronic device may be, but is not limited to, a router, a switch or a network server.

In an optional scheme of an electronic device of the present application, as shown in FIG5 , the electronic device is a switch EB. Specifically, the switch EB includes an electrical connector C and an optical module T of the present application. A plurality of electrical connectors C of the present application may be provided on the main body of the switch EB, and the optical module T may be plugged into the corresponding electrical connector C, so that the optical module T and the electrical connector C are electrically connected, and thus the switch EB can send and receive signals via the electrical connector C and the optical module T. Further, the optical module T may include an optoelectronic device, a functional circuit and an optical interface, and the optoelectronic device may include a transmitting part and a receiving part. Functionally speaking, in such an optical module T, the transmitting part converts the electrical signal into an optical signal and then transmits it through a medium such as an optical fiber, and the receiving part can convert the received optical signal into an electrical signal. Various rate signals can be transmitted through the optical interface and the electrical connector of the present application, including but not limited to various low-rate, 100M, 1G, 2.5G, 4.25G, 4.9G, 6G, 8G, 10G, 40G and even higher rate signals. In addition, in other optional solutions, the electronic device of the present application may include a separately provided electrical connector, or may include the connector assembly of the present application.

Although the present application is described herein in conjunction with various embodiments, in the process of implementing the present application for which protection is claimed, those skilled in the art may understand and implement other variations of the disclosed embodiments by viewing the drawings, the disclosure, and the appended claims. In the claims, the word "comprising" does not exclude other components or steps, and "a" or "an" does not exclude multiple situations. Certain measures are recorded in different dependent claims, but this does not mean that these measures cannot be combined to produce good results.

The embodiments of the present application have been described above, and the above description is exemplary, not exhaustive, and is not limited to the disclosed embodiments. Many modifications and changes will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the described embodiments. The selection of terms used herein is intended to best explain the principles of the embodiments, practical applications, or improvements to the technology in the market, or to enable other persons of ordinary skill in the art to understand the embodiments disclosed herein.

Claims

A lead module, characterized by comprising:

a retainer made of a non-conductive material; and

a plurality of leads, the plurality of leads are held by the holding member and fixed relative to the holding member, the plurality of leads are arranged at intervals, each of the leads has a first side surface and a second side surface facing oppositely, the first side surface and the second side surface are both parallel to the arrangement direction of the plurality of leads,

In the main body portion of each of the leads, the first side surface is in contact with and covered by the holder, and at least a portion of the second side surface is separated from the holder to be exposed to the outside.
The lead module according to claim 1, wherein each of the leads further has a third side surface and a fourth side surface facing opposite directions, and the third side surface and the fourth side surface are perpendicular to the arrangement direction.

In the main body portion of each of the leads, at least a portion of the third side surface is separated from the holder to be exposed to the outside, and at least a portion of the fourth side surface is separated from the holder to be exposed to the outside.
The lead module according to claim 2 is characterized in that each of the leads has a rectangular cross-section, the short sides of the rectangle are located at the third side and the fourth side, and the third side of one lead and the fourth side of another lead adjacent to the arrangement direction face each other.
The lead module according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that:

The retaining member has a supporting surface in contact with the first side surface,

The retaining member is formed with a plurality of grooves, each of which is located between two adjacent leads, and each of which extends along an extending direction of the lead and is recessed relative to the supporting surface.
The lead module according to claim 4 is characterized in that one side wall surface of the groove is flush with the third side surface of one of the leads, and the other side wall surface of the groove is flush with the fourth side surface of another of the leads.
The lead module according to any one of claims 1 to 3 is characterized in that the plurality of leads include signal leads and ground leads, two adjacent signal leads form a lead pair, and one ground lead is arranged between adjacent lead pairs.
The lead module according to claim 6 is characterized in that it also includes a shielding sheet, which is made of or includes a conductive material, and is fixedly mounted on the retaining member, and the shielding sheet is spaced apart from the signal lead and faces the second surface of the main body of the signal lead.
The lead module according to claim 7 is characterized in that all the signal leads share one The shielding sheet extends in the arrangement direction to cover all the signal leads.
The lead module according to claim 8 is characterized in that the shielding sheet is electrically connected to all the ground leads.
The lead module according to claim 9 is characterized in that the shielding sheet includes a shielding sheet body and an elastic contact portion, the shielding sheet body is parallel to and spaced apart from the second side surface, and the elastic contact portion is tilted from the shielding sheet body and contacts the grounding lead.
The lead module according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that each of the leads comprises a first end, a second end and the main body, wherein the main body is located between the first end and the second end.

The first end portion includes a first embedded portion and a first protruding portion, wherein the first embedded portion is embedded in the retaining member and the first protruding portion protrudes from the retaining member.

The second end portion includes a second embedded portion embedded in the retainer and a second protruding portion protruding from the retainer.
The lead module according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that more than 80% of the region or area of the second side surface of the main body of the lead is not covered by the retaining member.
An electrical connector, characterized in that the electrical connector comprises one or more lead modules according to any one of claims 1 to 12.
The electrical connector according to claim 13, characterized in that

All the first ends of the lead modules are arranged in a matrix; and/or

The second ends of all the lead modules are arranged in a matrix.
A connector assembly, characterized in that it comprises a circuit board and the electrical connector according to claim 13 or 14, wherein the electrical connector is mounted on the circuit board.
The connector assembly according to claim 15 is characterized in that, in the lead module of the electrical connector, the arrangement direction of the plurality of leads is parallel to the circuit board.
An electronic device, characterized by comprising the electrical connector according to claim 13 or 14 or the connector assembly according to claim 15 or 16.
The electronic device according to claim 17 is characterized in that it also includes an optical module, and the optical module is connected to the corresponding electrical connector to achieve electrical conduction.
The electronic device according to claim 17 or 18, characterized in that the electronic device is a router router, switch, or network server.