Electrical connector having electrically commoned grounds

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10468829-B2
Application number	US-201616060276-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 7, 2016
Priority date	Dec 7, 2015
Publication date	Nov 5, 2019
Grant date	Nov 5, 2019

Abstract

A ground shield includes a plurality of contact members configured to contact the ground contacts of a column of contacts of an electrical connector, so as to electrically common the grounds to each other.

First claim

What is claimed:

1. An electrical connector comprising:
an electrically insulative connector housing;
a plurality of electrical signal contacts supported by the connector housing, each of the signal contacts having a mating end and a mounting end;
a plurality of ground contacts supported by the connector housing, each of the ground contacts having a mating end and a mounting end, wherein the electrical connector defines a plurality of columns that are spaced from each other along a lateral direction and each includes the mating ends of respective ones of the plurality of signal contacts and the mating ends of respective ones of the plurality of ground contacts;
an electrically conductive ground shield disposed between a first one of the columns and a second one of the columns with respect to the lateral direction, the ground shield having a shield body that defines a first side and a second side opposite the first side along the lateral direction,
wherein the ground shield includes a plurality of contact members that extend out from a first side of the shield body, are elongated in a longitudinal direction in which the plurality of signal contacts are elongated, and are in contact with a respective at least two of the ground contacts, respectively, of the first one of the columns, and the first side of the shield body faces at least one of the signal contacts of the first one of the columns and is spaced along the lateral direction from the at least one of the signal contacts of the first one of the columns so as to define a gap therebetween, with first and second contact members of the plurality of contact members forming first and second walls of the gap, the first and second contact members spaced from one another along a transverse direction perpendicular to the lateral direction;
a first leadframe assembly that includes a first leadframe housing and the mating ends of the plurality of signal contacts and the mating ends of the plurality of ground contacts of the first one of the columns; and
a second leadframe that includes a second leadframe housing and the mating ends of the plurality of signal contacts and the mating ends of the plurality of ground contacts of the second one of the columns.

2. The electrical connector as recited in claim 1 , wherein the mating ends of the plurality of signal contacts and the mating ends of the plurality of ground contacts of the first one of the columns are arranged in a pattern in a first transverse direction that is oriented along the transverse direction, and the mating ends of the plurality of signal contacts and the mating ends of the plurality of ground contacts of the second one of the columns are arranged in the pattern in a second transverse direction that is opposite the first transverse direction and oriented along the transverse direction.

3. The electrical connector as recited in claim 2 , wherein the ground shield defines a first ground shield supported by the first leadframe housing, the shield body defines a first shield body, the plurality of contact members defines a first plurality of contact members that are in contact with a respective at least two of the ground contacts of the first leadframe assembly, and the first shield body faces at least one of the signal contacts of the first leadframe assembly and is spaced along the lateral direction from the at least one of the signal contacts of the first leadframe assembly so as to define a gap therebetween.

4. The electrical connector as recited in claim 3 , wherein the first leadframe housing defines a first frame having a first opening that is open to the signal contacts and ground contacts of the first leadframe assembly, and the first ground shield is seated in the first frame.

5. The electrical connector as recited in claim 3 , wherein:
the second leadframe assembly comprises the signal contacts of the second one of the columns and the ground contacts of the second one of the columns, all supported by the second leadframe housing; and
the electrical connector further comprises a second electrically conductive ground shield supported by the second leadframe housing, the second electrically conductive ground shield having a second shield body that defines a first side and a second side opposite the first side along the lateral direction,
wherein the second ground shield includes a second plurality of contact members that extend out with respect to the second shield body and are in contact with a respective at least two of the ground contacts of the second leadframe assembly, and the second shield body faces at least one of the signal contacts of the second leadframe assembly and is spaced along the lateral direction from the at least one of the signal contacts of the second leadframe assembly so as to define a gap therebetween.

6. The electrical connector as recited in claim 5 , wherein the second ground shield is disposed between the second one of the columns and a third one of the columns that is positioned such that the second one of the columns is disposed between the first one of the columns and the third one of the columns, the third one of the columns including respective ones of the plurality of signal contacts and respective ones of the plurality of ground contacts.

7. The electrical connector as recited in claim 5 , wherein the mating ends of the signal contacts and ground contacts of the first leadframe assembly define tips that are convex with respect to a first lateral side of the first leadframe assembly, and concave with respect to a second lateral side of the first leadframe assembly that is opposite the first lateral side of the first leadframe assembly, and the first ground shield is supported by the first leadframe housing at the first lateral side of the first leadframe assembly.

8. The electrical connector of claim 1 , wherein:
the at least two ground contacts of the first one of the columns are connected along a first line; and
the first and second walls are connected along the first line.

9. The electrical connector of claim 1 , wherein:
the second contact member and a third of the plurality of contact members form third and fourth walls of a second gap between the at least one signal contact of the first one of the columns and the first side of the shield body, the third and fourth walls spaced from one another along the transverse direction;
first and second signal contacts of the at least one signal contact of the first one of the columns are disposed between the first and second walls; and
third and fourth signal contacts of the at least one signal contact of the first one of the columns are disposed between the third and fourth walls.

10. An electrical connector comprising:
an electrically insulative connector housing;
a plurality of electrical signal contacts supported by the connector housing, each of the signal contacts having a mating end and a mounting end;
a plurality of ground contacts supported by the connector housing, each of the ground contacts having a mating end and a mounting end, wherein the electrical connector defines a plurality of columns that are spaced from each other along a lateral direction and each includes the mating ends of respective ones of the plurality of signal contacts and the mating ends of respective ones of the plurality of ground contacts;
a first electrically conductive ground shield disposed between a first one of the columns and a second one of the columns with respect to the lateral direction, the first ground shield having a first shield body that defines a first side and a second side opposite the first side along the lateral direction,
wherein the first ground shield includes a first plurality of contact members that extend ou

Assignees

• Fci Usa Llc

Inventors

• Zerebilov Arkady Y
• Ellison Jason John

Classifications

• H01R13/6597

  the conductive member being a contact of the connector · CPC title

• H01R9/03

  Connectors arranged to contact a plurality of the conductors of a multiconductor cable {, e.g. tapping connections} · CPC title

• H01R13/516

  Means for holding or embracing insulating body, e.g. casing {, hoods} · CPC title

• H01R13/6461

  Means for preventing cross-talk · CPC title

• H01R13/6586 Primary

  for separating multiple connector modules · CPC title