Low cost, high performance RF connector

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9583853-B2
Application number	US-201313930447-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 28, 2013
Priority date	Jun 29, 2012
Publication date	Feb 28, 2017
Grant date	Feb 28, 2017

Abstract

An RF connector module and associated printed circuit board providing high isolation and controlled impedance at RF frequencies. The connector module may be manufactured using conventional manufacturing techniques, such as stamping, insert molding, multi-shot molding and interference fit between components, to provide low cost. A connector module constructed with these techniques may implement a co-planar waveguide structure, with conductive shields for isolation and lossy material to enforce co-planar propagation modes. The printed circuit board may similarly be manufactured using conventional manufacturing techniques, including drilling to form vias. As a result, an interconnection system may be manufactured with low cost. These techniques may be applied to provide performance, including in the form of isolation between RF signals, comparable to that provided by more expensive components.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An electrical connector module adapted for RF signals, comprising:
a lead frame providing a coplanar waveguide structure, the lead frame comprising:
at least one signal conductor; and
a plurality of ground conductors disposed adjacent the at least one signal conductor, wherein the conductors are arranged in an order comprising a first ground conductor of the plurality of ground conductors, the at least one signal conductor, and a second ground conductor of the plurality of ground conductors; and
at least one shield member parallel to the lead frame; and
at least one lossy region, each lossy region adjacent to a ground conductor of the plurality of ground conductors and adjacent and in contact with a planar shield member of the at least one planar shield members,
wherein greater than 85% of the energy of an RF signal propagates along the coplanar waveguide structure.

2. The electrical connector module of claim 1 , wherein:
a shield member of the at least one shield member comprises an opening therethrough; and
the at least one lossy region extends through the opening.

3. The electrical connector module of claim 1 , wherein:
the lead frame is shaped to provide an impedance between 45Ω and 85Ω over a frequency range of 3 GHz to 6 GHz.

4. The electrical connector module of claim 1 , wherein:
the at least one shield member parallel to the lead frame comprises a first shield member disposed on a first side of the lead frame and a second shield member disposed on a second side of the lead frame.

5. The electrical connector module of claim 4 , wherein:
the first shield member and the second shield member are spaced from the lead frame by a distance such that the primary mode of propagation of an RF signal on the signal conductor is between the signal conductor and the plurality of ground conductors.

6. The electrical connector module of claim 4 , wherein:
the electrical connector module further comprises an insulative housing with an intermediate portion of the lead frame being disposed within the insulative housing and a mating contact portion of the lead frame extending from the insulative housing, the housing comprising a first surface and a second surface;
the first shield member comprises a first portion mounted adjacent the first surface and second portion extending beyond the insulative housing adjacent the mating contact portion of the lead frame; and
the second shield member comprises a third portion mounted adjacent the second surface and a fourth portion extending beyond the insulative housing adjacent the mating contact portion of the lead frame.

7. The electrical connector module of claim 6 , wherein:
the second portion of the first shield member comprises a first tab extending from the first shield member towards a ground conductor of the plurality of ground conductors; and
the fourth portion of the second shield member comprises a second tab extending from the first shield member towards the ground conductor.

8. The electrical connector module of claim 6 , further comprising:
a plurality of lossy regions extending through the electrical connector module, the plurality of lossy regions being coupled to the first shield member, the second shield member and the plurality of ground conductors.

9. The electrical connector module of claim 1 , wherein:
the at least one signal conductor comprises a first signal conductor and a second signal conductor; and
each of the first signal conductor and second signal conductor comprises a press-fit contact tail.

10. The electrical connector module of claim 1 in combination with a printed circuit board, wherein:
each of the at least one signal conductor comprises a contact tail extending from the electrical connector module;
each of the plurality of ground conductors comprises at least one contact tail extending from the electrical connector module;
the printed circuit board comprises:
a matrix material having a first dielectric constant;
a first plated via;
a plurality of second plated vias, the second plated vias disposed around the first plated via and aligned with the at least one contact tails extending from the plurality of ground conductors when the contact tail of the signal conductor is aligned with the first plated via; and
a plurality of third vias, disposed in a region between the first plated and the second plated vias, the third vias being filled with a material having a second dielectric constant, different than the first dielectric constant.

11. The electrical connector module in the combination of claim 10 , wherein: the third vias are un-plated.

12. The electrical connector module in the combination of claim 11 , wherein: the third vias are filled with air.

13. The electrical connector module of claim 1 , wherein a separation distance between the at least one signal conductor and the at least one shield member is 0.5 mm or greater.

14. The electrical connector module of claim 1 , wherein:
the at least one shield member comprises two shield members; and
the lead frame is centered between the two shield members.

15. An electrical connector module comprising:
a lead frame providing a coplanar waveguide structure, the lead frame comprising:
a signal conductor; and
a plurality of ground conductors disposed adjacent the signal conductor;

at least one shield member parallel to the lead frame; and
at least one lossy region, each lossy region adjacent to a ground conductor of the plurality of ground conductors and adjacent to a planar shield member of the at least one planar shield members;
wherein:
a shield member of the at least one shield member comprises an opening therethrough; and
the at least one lossy region extends through the opening;
the electrical connector module further comprises an insulative housing with at least an intermediate portion of the lead frame being disposed within the insulative housing, the housing comprising a surface;
the at least one lossy region extends through the surface; and
the shield member is adjacent the surface.

16. The electrical connector module of claim 15 , wherein:
the shield member is held against the surface by an interference fit with the at least one lossy region.

17. The electrical connector module of claim 16 , wherein:
each of the plurality of ground conductors is in contact with a lossy region of the at least one lossy region.

18. The electrical connector module of claim 16 , wherein:
the surface is a first surface;
the insulative housing comprises a second surface;
the shield member is a first shield member;
the at least one shield member comprises a second shield member;
the at least one lossy region extends through the second surface; and
the second shield member is held against the second surface via an interference fit with the at least one lossy region.

19. The electrical connector module of claim 18 , wherein:
the at least one lossy region is positioned to suppress parallel plate modes between the first shield member and the second shield member.

20. The electrical connector module of claim 18 , wherein:
the at least one lossy region is positioned such that it suppresses non-TEM modes between the signal and ground conductors.

21. The electrical connector module of claim 18 , wherein:
the at least one lossy region is positioned such that it extends the coplanar waveguide bandwidth.

22. The electrical connector module of claim 15 , wherein:
the signal co

Assignees

• Cartier Jr Marc B
• Manter David
• Atkinson Prescott B
• Stokoe Philip T
• Cohen Thomas S
• Gailus Mark W
• Amphenol Corp

Inventors

• Cartier Jr Marc B
• Manter David
• Atkinson Prescott B
• Stokoe Philip T
• Cohen Thomas S
• Gailus Mark W

Classifications

• Y10T29/49121

  Beam lead frame or beam lead device · CPC title

• H05K2201/09063

  Holes or slots in insulating substrate not used for electrical connections · CPC title

• H01R43/20

  for assembling or disassembling contact members with insulating base, case or sleeve · CPC title

• H05K1/0251

  related to vias or transitions between vias and transmission lines · CPC title

• H05K1/0222

  for shielding around a single via or around a group of vias, e.g. coaxial vias or vias surrounded by a grounded via fence · CPC title