Card edge connector

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12424776-B2
Application number	US-202217736128-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 4, 2022
Priority date	May 4, 2022
Publication date	Sep 23, 2025
Grant date	Sep 23, 2025

Abstract

A contact assembly includes a contact positioner having a front slot configured to receive a card edge of a module circuit board of a pluggable module. An upper contact array is coupled to the contact positioner and includes upper contacts and an upper ground shield. The upper ground shield includes an upper ground panel extending along a first side of the upper contacts and an upper ground plate extending along a second side of the upper contacts parallel to and spaced apart from the upper ground panel with the upper contacts therebetween. The contact assembly includes a lower contact array coupled to the contact positioner having lower contacts and a lower ground shield with lower ground panel and a lower ground plate parallel to and spaced apart from the lower ground panel with the lower contacts therebetween.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A contact assembly comprising:
a contact positioner having a central wall and a rear wall, the contact positioner including a front slot at a front of the contact positioner configured to receive a card edge of a module circuit board of a pluggable module;
an upper contact array coupled to the contact positioner, the upper contact array including upper contacts held by an upper contact holder, the upper contacts extending to the front slot to mate with the module circuit board, the upper contact array including an upper ground shield having an upper ground panel extending along a first side of the upper contacts, the upper contact array including an upper ground plate extending along a second side of the upper contacts, the second side of the upper contacts being opposite the first side of the upper contacts, the upper ground plate being parallel to and spaced apart from the upper ground panel, wherein the upper contacts pass between the upper ground plate and the upper ground panel in a space defined therebetween along a majority of lengths of the upper contacts, the upper ground plate being electrically connected to the upper ground shield; and
a lower contact array coupled to the contact positioner, the lower contact array including lower contacts held by a lower contact holder, the lower contacts extending to the front slot to mate with the module circuit board, the lower contact array including a lower ground shield having a lower ground panel extending along a first side of the lower contacts, the lower contact array including a lower ground plate extending along a second side of the lower contacts, the second side of the lower contacts being opposite the first side of the lower contacts, the lower ground plate being parallel to and spaced apart from the lower ground panel, wherein the lower contacts pass between the lower ground plate and the lower ground panel in a space defined therebetween along a majority of lengths of the lower contacts, the lower ground plate being electrically connected to the lower ground shield.

2. The contact assembly of claim 1 , wherein an upper shield space is defined between the upper ground panel and the upper ground plate, the upper contacts passing through the upper shield space, and wherein a lower shield space is defined between the lower ground panel and the lower ground plate, the lower contacts passing through the lower shield space.

3. The contact assembly of claim 1 , wherein the upper ground panel is coupled to the upper contact holder, the upper ground plate being coupled to the upper contact holder, the upper contact holder locating the upper ground panel relative to the upper ground plate, the upper contact holder locating the upper ground panel and the upper ground plate relative to the upper contacts, and wherein the lower ground panel is coupled to the lower contact holder, the lower ground plate being coupled to the lower contact holder, the lower contact holder locating the lower ground panel relative to the lower ground plate, the lower contact holder locating the lower ground panel and the lower ground plate relative to the lower contacts.

4. The contact assembly of claim 1 , wherein the upper ground panel and the upper ground plate are oriented parallel to the central wall, and wherein the lower ground panel and the lower ground plate are oriented parallel to the central wall.

5. The contact assembly of claim 1 , wherein the upper ground shield includes ground beams extending from the upper ground panel, the ground beams being interspersed with the upper contacts to provide shielding between the corresponding upper contacts, and wherein the lower ground shield includes ground beams extending from the lower ground panel, the ground beams being interspersed with the lower contacts to provide shielding between the corresponding lower contacts.

6. The contact assembly of claim 1 , wherein the upper ground plate includes connecting beams extending between corresponding upper contacts to interface with and electrically connect to the upper ground shield, and wherein the lower ground plate includes connecting beams extending between corresponding lower contacts to interface with and electrically connect to the lower ground shield.

7. The contact assembly of claim 1 , wherein the upper ground plate is laser welded to the upper ground shield, and wherein the lower ground plate is laser welded to the lower ground shield.

8. The contact assembly of claim 1 , wherein the upper ground panel is located between the upper contacts and the central wall, and wherein the lower ground panel is located between the lower contacts and the central wall.

9. The contact assembly of claim 1 , wherein the upper ground panel extends an entire width of the upper contact assembly to cover the first sides of all of the upper contacts and the upper ground plate extends the entire width of the upper contact assembly to cover the second sides of all of the upper contacts, and wherein the lower ground panel extends an entire width of the lower contact assembly to cover the first sides of all of the lower contacts and the lower ground plate extends the entire width of the lower contact assembly to cover the second sides of all of the lower contacts.

10. The contact assembly of claim 1 , wherein the upper contacts include forward sections and rearward sections with 90° bends between the forward sections and the rearward sections, the forward sections extending along the central wall, the rearward sections extending along the rear wall, the upper ground panel covering the forward sections, the upper ground plate covering the forward sections, the upper ground shield including an upper rear ground panel covering the rearward sections, and wherein the lower contacts include forward sections and rearward sections with 90° bends between the forward sections and the rearward sections, the forward sections extending along the central wall, the rearward sections extending along the rear wall, the lower ground panel covering the forward sections, the lower ground plate covering the forward sections, the lower ground shield including a lower rear ground panel covering the rearward sections.

11. The contact assembly of claim 1 , wherein the upper ground panel defines a primary ground for the upper contacts and the upper ground plate defines a secondary ground for the upper contacts, and wherein the lower ground panel defines a primary ground for the lower contacts and the lower ground plate defines a secondary ground for the lower contacts.

12. The contact assembly of claim 1 , wherein the upper ground panel extends between a front edge and a rear edge, the upper ground panel including ground beams extending forward from the front edge, the upper ground plate extending between a front edge and a rear edge, the upper ground plate including front connecting beams extending from the front edge of the upper ground plate and a rear connecting beams extending from the rear edge of the upper ground plate, the front connecting beams interfacing with the upper ground panel proximate to the front edge of the upper ground panel, the rear connecting beams interfacing with the upper ground panel proximate to the rear edge of the upper ground panel, and wherein the lower ground panel extends between a front edge and a rear edge, the lower ground panel including ground beams extending forward from the front edge, the lower ground plate extending between a front edge and a rear edge, the lower ground plate including front connecting beams extending from the front edge of the lower ground plate and a rear connecting beams extending from the rear edge of the lower ground plate, the fro

Assignees

• Te Connectivity Solutions Gmbh

Inventors

• Westman John Eugene
• Shirk Michael Eugene
• Phillips Michael John
• Patel Sandeep

Classifications

• H01R13/6586

  for separating multiple connector modules · CPC title

• H01R13/648

  Protective earth or shield arrangements on coupling devices {, e.g. anti-static shielding}   (coaxially arranged shields H01R24/38) · CPC title

• H01R12/724

  containing contact members forming a right angle · CPC title

• H01R12/721 Primary

  cooperating directly with the edge of the rigid printed circuits · CPC title

• H01R13/6596

  the conductive member being a metal grounding panel · CPC title