Paddle card and cable assembly

Abstract

This invention discloses a miniaturized adapter card assembly providing high-speed, high-efficiency transmission. The adapter card has two or more rows of contact pads for mating with complementary conductors, two or more rows of terminals for cable termination, and alternating dielectric and metal layers. The two or more rows of terminals are disposed on their respective metal layers. This configuration allows the conductive traces for electrically connecting the corresponding contact pads and terminals to be substantially straight, thus reducing the length of these conductive traces. It also reduces the dimensions of the adapter card in both a lateral direction parallel to the rows and a longitudinal direction perpendicular to the lateral direction without changing the thickness of the adapter card. Using the adapter card assembly provided herein, the integrity of signals transmitted through it can be maintained and / or improved at higher speeds.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an electrical interconnection system for interconnecting electronic assemblies, such as an electrical interconnection system including electrical connectors. [Previous Technology]

[0002] Electrical connectors are used in many electronic systems. It is generally easier and more cost-effective to manufacture a system as separate electronic assemblies (such as printed circuit boards ("PCBs")) that can be connected together using electrical connectors. Some electrical connectors include at least one substrate, which may be a printed circuit board containing one of the electrical conductors. Such printed circuit boards may be referred to as adapter cards.

[0003] In a cable assembly comprising a signal cable terminated by a connector configured as a plug and mated to a connector configured as a receptacle, an adapter facilitates connection between the cable and terminals within the receptacle connector. An array of surface pads may be disposed on a surface of the adapter near a first side of the adapter. Conductors within the cable may be soldered to these pads. Contact pads may be disposed on a surface of the adapter near a second side of the adapter. The second side of the adapter may be shaped to fit within the receptacle connector, wherein terminals of the receptacle connector press against the contact pads to form an electrical connection to the contact pads. The contact pads are typically gold-plated and are sometimes referred to as "gold fingers".

[0004] The trace can extend through the adapter card to connect the surface pad to the contact pad. When the receptacle terminal is connected to the contact pad, the signal path from the cable to the receptacle connector is completed through the adapter card.

[0005] Electrical connector designs have been adapted to reflect trends in the electronics industry. Electronic systems have generally become smaller, faster, and more functionally complex. These changes mean that the number of circuits in a given area of ​​an electronic system and the frequency of circuit operation have increased significantly in recent years. Current systems transfer more data between printed circuit boards and require electrical connectors that are electrically capable of handling more data at speeds greater than, and even greater than, those of connectors from a few years ago. [Summary of the Invention]

[0006] The present invention relates to an adapter card and a method for manufacturing the same, and an electrical connector having the adapter card.

[0007] Some embodiments relate to an adapter card. The adapter card may include: a first surface including a first row of terminals for connection to a cable conductor and spaced a first distance from a center line of the adapter card; and a second surface facing the same direction as the first surface and spaced a second distance from the center line of the adapter card, different from the first distance, the second surface including a second row of terminals for connection to a cable conductor.

[0008] In some embodiments, the first surface may include contact pads that are coupled to the first column of terminals on the first surface and the second column of terminals on the second surface through the adapter card.

[0009] In some embodiments, the adapter card may include a plurality of conductive traces that electrically connect the contact pads of the first surface to the first column of terminals on the first surface and the second column of terminals on the second surface.

[0010] In some embodiments, the plurality of conductive traces may include pairs of conductive traces for transmitting differential signals. Each pair of conductive traces may have equal lengths.

[0011] In some embodiments, each of the plurality of conductive traces may include a first contact end, a second contact end, and an intermediate portion between the first contact end and the second contact end. The first contact end is electrically connected to a contact pad. The second contact end is electrically connected to a terminal. The intermediate portion is straight.

[0012] In some embodiments, each of the plurality of conductive traces may be straight for at least 85% of its length.

[0013] In some embodiments, the angle between the straight portions of the plurality of conductive traces and the center line may be in the range of -10 degrees to 10 degrees.

[0014] In some embodiments, the adapter card may include a plurality of metal layers. The plurality of conductive traces may be distributed in the plurality of metal layers.

[0015] In some embodiments, the contact pads of the first surface may include a first row of contact pads and a second row of contact pads disposed closer to the first row of terminals. The contact pads in the second row of contact pads may be electrically connected to their respective terminals in the first row of terminals.

[0016] In some embodiments, the plurality of conductive traces may include a conductive trace that is electrically connected to a contact pad and a terminal aligned with each other.

[0017] Some embodiments relate to an adapter card. The adapter card may include: a body comprising a plurality of dielectric layers and a plurality of metal layers disposed on each of the plurality of dielectric layers; and a first plurality of rows of contact pads and a second plurality of rows of terminals, the first plurality of contact pads and the second plurality of rows of terminals respectively disposed on two opposite ends of the body. The second plurality of rows of terminals are on each of the respective metal layers of the plurality of metal layers.

[0018] In some embodiments, the plurality of metal layers may include a plurality of conductive traces connecting the first plurality of rows of contact pads to the second plurality of rows of terminals.

[0019] In some embodiments, the plurality of conductive traces may include pairs of conductive traces for transmitting differential signals. The conductive traces of each pair of conductive traces may have equal lengths.

[0020] In some embodiments, each of the plurality of conductive traces may be straight for at least 85% of its length.

[0021] In some embodiments, the first plurality of contact pads can be coupled to the second plurality of terminals through the adapter card.

[0022] Some embodiments relate to a cable assembly. The cable assembly may include: an adapter card including: a leading edge; a trailing edge spaced apart from the leading edge in a longitudinal direction; a plurality of contact pads, including a first row of contact pads along the leading edge and a second row of contact pads spaced apart from the first row in the longitudinal direction; and a plurality of terminals, including a third row of terminals along the trailing edge and a fourth row of terminals spaced apart from the third row in a direction opposite to the longitudinal direction; a first plurality of cables electrically connected to the terminals in the third row; and a second plurality of cables electrically connected to the terminals in the fourth row.

[0023] In some embodiments, the third column of terminals may be offset from the fourth column of terminals in one of the transition directions perpendicular to the longitudinal direction.

[0024] In some embodiments, the plurality of terminals may include a fifth column of terminals along the trailing edge and a sixth column of terminals spaced apart from the fifth column in the direction opposite to the longitudinal direction. The adapter card may include a plurality of metal layers. The third, fourth, fifth, and sixth columns of terminals may be disposed on different metal layers of the plurality of metal layers.

[0025] In some embodiments, the cable assembly may include a third plurality of cables electrically connected to the terminals in the fifth column; and a fourth plurality of cables electrically connected to the terminals in the sixth column.

[0026] In some embodiments, the cable assembly may include at least partially enclosing one of the housings of the adapter card.

[0027] According to one aspect of the present invention, an adapter card is provided. The adapter card may include a substrate, n columns of first contact pads, m columns of terminals, and a plurality of conductive traces. The substrate may have a first end and a second end opposite to each other along a first direction. The n columns of first contact pads may be arranged along a second direction and disposed on a surface of the first end. n≥2 and may be an integer. The second direction may be different from the first direction. The m columns of terminals may be arranged along the second direction and disposed on a surface of the second end. m≥2 and is an integer. The plurality of conductive traces may be disposed inside the substrate, and the n columns of first contact pads may be connected to the m columns of terminals through the plurality of conductive traces.

[0028] In some embodiments, the first direction may be perpendicular to the second direction.

[0029] In some embodiments, one or more of the plurality of conductive traces may be conductive trace differential pairs for transmitting differential signals, and the two conductive traces of each conductive trace differential pair may have equal lengths.

[0030] In some embodiments, each of the plurality of conductive traces may include a first connection end, a second connection end, and an intermediate section connected between the first connection end and the second connection end. The first connection end may be electrically connected to a first contact pad, the second connection end may be electrically connected to a terminal, and the intermediate section may be straight.

[0031] In some embodiments, at least 85% of each of the plurality of conductive traces may be straight.

[0032] In some embodiments, the angle between the straight portion of the plurality of conductive traces and the first direction may be in the range of -10 degrees to 10 degrees.

[0033] In some embodiments, the plurality of conductive traces may be distributed in a plurality of layers to form a plurality of conductive trace layers, and the first direction and the second direction may be parallel to the conductive trace layers.

[0034] In some embodiments, m=n, and each column of the m columns of first contact pads can be electrically connected to one column of the n columns of terminals respectively.

[0035] In some embodiments, along the first direction, a row of first contact pads closer to the inner side of the substrate may be electrically connected to a row of terminals closer to the inner side of the substrate, and a row of first contact pads closer to the outer side of the substrate may be electrically connected to a row of terminals closer to the outer side of the substrate.

[0036] In some embodiments, a first contact pad and a terminal electrically connected to each other via a conductive trace can be aligned along the first direction.

[0037] In some embodiments, the adapter card can be configured for use with a plug electrical connector, and the first end can be one of the insertion ends of the adapter card.

[0038] In some embodiments, the n columns of first contact pads may be gold fingers, and the m columns of terminals may be configured for connecting cables.

[0039] In some embodiments, the second end may have a stepped shape, and each step may have a row of terminals disposed thereon.

[0040] According to another aspect of the present invention, an adapter card is provided. The adapter card may include a body. The body may include a plurality of alternately laminated dielectric layers and a plurality of patterned metal layers. The plurality of patterned metal layers may include outer patterned metal layers positioned on the surface of the outermost dielectric layer and inner patterned metal layers positioned between adjacent dielectric layers, and the inner patterned metal layers may be connected to the outer patterned metal layers through conductive vias. The outer patterned metal layers may form n columns of first contact pads and m columns of terminals. The n columns of first contact pads and the m columns of terminals may be respectively positioned at both ends of the body opposite each other along a first direction. The outer patterned metal layers forming different columns of terminals may be positioned on different layers.

[0041] In some embodiments, the internal patterned metal layer may include a plurality of conductive traces, and the two ends of the plurality of conductive traces may be connected to n columns of first contact pads and m columns of terminals through conductive vias, respectively.

[0042] In some embodiments, one or more pairs of the plurality of conductive traces may be conductive trace differential pairs for transmitting differential signals, and the two conductive traces of each conductive trace differential pair may have equal lengths.

[0043] In some embodiments, at least 85% of each of the plurality of conductive traces may be straight.

[0044] In some embodiments, a first contact pad and a terminal electrically connected to each other via a conductive trace can be aligned along a first direction.

[0045] In some embodiments, m=n, and each column of the m columns of first contact pads can be electrically connected to one column of the n columns of terminals respectively.

[0046] In some embodiments, along a first direction, a row of first contact pads closer to the inner side of the body can be electrically connected to a row of terminals closer to the inner side of the body, and a row of first contact pads closer to the outer side of the body can be electrically connected to a row of terminals closer to the outer side of the body.

[0047] According to another aspect of the present invention, an electrical connector is provided. The electrical connector may include the adapter card mentioned above, m rows of cables, and a housing assembly. The m rows of cables can be respectively connected to m rows of terminals. The housing assembly can enclose a second end of the base and the connection end of the m rows of cables connected to the m rows of terminals.

[0048] According to another aspect of the present invention, a method for manufacturing an adapter card is provided. The method for manufacturing the adapter card may include: forming a metal layer on a dielectric layer; patterning the metal layer to form a patterned metal layer; stacking a plurality of dielectric layers, each having a patterned metal layer, thereon; and connecting the plurality of dielectric layers together to form a body. The patterned metal layer positioned on the outer surface of the body may form n columns of first contact pads and m columns of terminals, and the n columns of first contact pads and the m columns of terminals may be respectively positioned at both ends of the body.

[0049] In some embodiments, the external patterned metal layers forming different column terminals can be positioned on different layers.

[0050] In some embodiments, the internal patterned metal layer located within the body may include a plurality of conductive traces. The method may further include forming conductive vias on a plurality of dielectric layers to connect the two ends of the plurality of conductive traces to n columns of first contact pads and m columns of terminals, respectively.

[0051] These techniques may be used alone or in any suitable combination. The foregoing overview is provided by illustration and is not intended to be limiting.

Implementation Method

[0066] Related Applications

[0067] This application claims priority and rights to Chinese patent applications Nos. 202121174748.5 and 202110592858.1, both filed on May 28, 2021. The entire contents of these applications are incorporated herein by reference.

[0068] The inventors have recognized and understand designs for adapter card assemblies that can be used in cable assemblies to support high-speed, high-efficiency transmission. The inventors have recognized and understand that current systems with more complex functions can result in adapter cards having a larger surface area to provide an increased number of terminals for connecting cables to the adapter card. Furthermore, as the number of terminals for connecting cables increases due to the lengthening of the terminal array, the longest trace within the adapter card can also be longer. Having longer traces and greater variation between the longest and shortest traces can cause signal integrity degradation. The inventors have recognized and understand techniques for providing adapter cards with a reduced width compared to conventional designs to support an increased number of contact terminals with less impact on the length of the longest trace between a terminal and a contact pad.

[0069] In some embodiments, an adapter card may have two or more rows of contact pads for mating with complementary conductors, two or more rows of second pads for cable termination, and alternating dielectric and metal layers. The two or more rows of terminals may be disposed on their respective metal layers. This configuration allows the conductive traces for electrically connecting corresponding contact pads and terminals to be substantially straight, thus reducing the length of the conductive traces. The size of the adapter card in a lateral direction parallel to the rows is also reduced compared to conventional adapter card designs. Alternatively or additionally, the size of an adapter card may be reduced in a direction perpendicular to the lateral direction and aligned with the direction along which the adapter card is inserted into a socket connector. Such size reduction can be achieved without changing the thickness of the adapter card. Using the adapter card assemblies provided herein, the integrity of signals transmitted through them can be maintained and / or improved at a higher speed.

[0070] Figures 1 and 2 illustrate a conventional design. As shown, a current plug connector 1 has two rows of gold fingers 11 at its front end (i.e., an insertion end) and a row of terminals 12 at its rear end. This necessarily results in the rear end of the connector 10 having a larger dimension than the front end, thus forming a structure resembling a T-shape. At the rear end, the conductive trace 13 connecting to the contact pad at an edge must be bent. Furthermore, the closer the terminal 12 is to the edge, the more pronounced the bend, and the longer the conductive trace 13 connected to it.

[0071] The inventors have recognized and understand that signal distortion typically varies with signal frequency, with more distortion occurring at higher signal frequencies. Shortening the transmission distance can reduce the probability of signal distortion occurring during transmission. Increasing the signal transmission distance can increase the probability of signal distortion occurring during transmission. Therefore, the increased length of the conductive trace 13 connecting to the terminal 12 at the edge can be a factor affecting signal integrity.

[0072] The plug electrical connector 1 can be used to transmit differential signals. The conduction trace 13 in the adapter card 10 (such as the conduction trace differential pairs S1 and S2) is connected in pairs to the differential signal winding (e.g., the winding on the right side of FIG. In the context of product miniaturization, crosstalk can occur between the conduction traces 13 of two adjacent pairs. In order to avoid excessive size D3 of the rear end of the adapter card 10 along one dimension D3 in one direction plotted by YY, the one spacing between the conduction traces 13 of two adjacent pairs is minimal within a region A at the bend, such that crosstalk may occur at this location. This can be another factor affecting signal integrity. To balance a relatively small D3 with a relatively better anti-crosstalk performance, for a dual density 0.80 mm connector, the front end of the adapter card 10 along one dimension D1 in the direction plotted by YY is roughly about 13 mm and D3 is roughly about 8.5 mm.

[0073] Another type of distortion is skew, which includes differential interpair skew and differential intrapair skew. The skew is a change in one of the timing relationships between the two differential signals that should be correlated in time. Deflection can occur when there is one difference in the length of the conduction trace 13 carrying those two differential signals. It takes longer time for one differential signal to travel through the longer trace, so the two differential signals that begin to correlate in time will be less correlated after passing through the plug electrical connector 1 . Makes the conduction trace length more uniform Reduces inter-pair deflection. Intrapair skew is similar to interpair skew but is related to the differential pair of conduction traces carrying a differential signal. Ideally, the signals on each pair will be out of phase 180 degrees. This means that the signals are opposite to each other and produce the maximum possible difference between the signals on the differential pair of the respective conduction trace. If one trace of the differential pair is longer, the phase of the signal comprising the differential signal changes and the difference between them becomes smaller. Referring to Fig. 2 , the length of the two conduction traces in the differential pair (e.g., S1 or S2) of each conduction trace having a bend is clearly different. This can be another factor affecting signal integrity.

[0074] The inventors have recognized and understood miniaturized adapter card assemblies that provide transmissions having maintained and / or improved signal integrity at higher speeds. An adapter card 100 of one embodiment of the present invention is described in detail below in conjunction with FIGS. The adapter card 100 may include a base body 200 , a contact pad 310 , a terminal 320 , and a conductive trace 400 .

[0075] The adapter card 100 can be used with a plug electrical connector. A portion of the adapter card 100 may protrude from a housing of the plug electrical connector. When mated with a receptacle electrical connector, the protruding portion of the adapter card 100 may be inserted into the receptacle electrical connector, and the contact pads on the protruding portion may be electrically connected to the contact pads of the receptacle electrical connector. The receptacle electrical connector may be mounted on another printed circuit board, on which a processor or other electronic component may be disposed.

[0076] A base 200 has a first end 210 and a second end 220 opposite each other along a first direction YY. In some embodiments, the first end 210 of the base 200 may be an insertion end of a plug electrical connector. In this case, the first end 210 is a protruding portion of an adapter card 100. The plug electrical connector can easily and conveniently connect the first end 210 to other circuitry by inserting it into a receptacle electrical connector. If possible, the adapter card 100 may also be used in a receptacle electrical connector or any other suitable electrical connector. In this case, the base 200 may take any other suitable configuration. In some embodiments, the second end 220 of the adapter card 100 may be connected to an edge of an additional printed circuit board. It may also be connected to one end of a cable 500. The other end of the cable 500 may be used to connect to other components at another location within an electronic system. In some embodiments, the first direction YY may be a longitudinal direction of the base 200. When the adapter card 100 is used in a plug electrical connector, the first direction YY can be one of the insertion and removal directions of the adapter card 100.

[0077] One surface of the first end 210 may have a plurality of contact pads 310. The plurality of contact pads 310 may be of various types known to those skilled in the art or that may appear in the future, such as gold fingers, conductive elastic sheets, etc. The plurality of contact pads 310 may be arranged in n columns. n≥2 and is an integer. Each column of contact pads 310 may be arranged along a second direction XX. The second direction XX is different from the first direction YY. An angle between the second direction XX and the first direction YY may be arbitrary. In some embodiments, the second direction XX may be a transverse direction of the substrate 200. The spacing between the contact pads 310 in each column, as well as the number and type of contact pads 310 in each column, may be the same or different. Contact pads 310 not in the same column may be the same or different. The first end 210 may be substantially the same as the front end of the adapter card 10 of the plug electrical connector 1. For a dual-density 0.80 mm connector, the first end 210 along the first direction YY, one of the dimensions D2, can be between 12.5 mm and 13.5 mm.

[0078] One surface of the second end 220 may have a plurality of terminals 320. The plurality of terminals 320 may be of various types known to those skilled in the art or that may appear in the future, such as gold fingers, conductive elastic sheets, solder pads, etc. The contact pads 310 and terminals 320 may be the same or different. The plurality of terminals 320 may be arranged in m columns. m ≥ 2 and is an integer. Each column of terminals 320 may be arranged along a second direction XX. The spacing between terminals 320 in each column, as well as the number and type of terminals 320 in each column, may be the same or different. Terminals 320 not in the same column may be the same or different.

[0079] The conductive trace 400 may be of various types known to those skilled in the art or that may appear in the future. The conductive trace 400 may be disposed inside the substrate 200. The contact pad 310 may be electrically connected to the terminal 320 through the conductive trace 400. The conductive trace 400 may be straight or nearly straight. Nearly straight means that the first connection end 410 and / or the second connection end 420 of the conductive trace 400 may have a specific curvature. However, a relatively long intermediate section 430 is straight, as illustrated in FIG5. These will be described in detail below.

[0080] As those skilled in the art will know, the conductive trace 400 is electrically connected between the contact pad 310 and the terminal 320, allowing signals to be transmitted between the contact pad 310 and the terminal 320. Signals may include GND signals, power signals, control command signals, clock signals, and / or data signals, etc.

[0081] Referring to Figures 1 and 2, for a current dual-density 0.80 mm connector, the spacing between the gold fingers 11 of the plug connector 1 is approximately 0.8 mm. The plug connector 1 has only one row of terminals 12. Since the terminals 12 typically need to be connected to components (such as cables or pins), the spacing between the terminals 12 depends on the size of those components. In other words, the space occupied by each of the terminals 12 may not be small enough. This causes the second end of the base 200 to have a relatively large dimension along the second direction XX. Based on this, the conductive traces 13 (e.g., S1 and S2) connected to the contact pads of the terminals 12 near both sides need to be bent. In some embodiments, S1 may have a length between 23.5 mm and 24.5 mm; and S2 may have a length between 13 mm and 14 mm. To prevent crosstalk between the conductive traces 13, there should be sufficient spacing between the conductive traces 13. This causes the second end of the adapter card 10 to have a relatively large dimension D3 along the first direction YY. Therefore, the adapter card 10 has a relatively large size along both the first direction YY and the second direction XX.

[0082] In the adapter card 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention, since the terminals 320 are arranged in m rows, the second end 220 of the base 200 is reduced in size along one dimension of the second direction XX. With proper configuration, conductive traces 400 (e.g., S3 and S4) can extend along a straight line or an approximately straight line and electrically connect between the contact pad 310 and the terminal 320. In this way, there are no gaps between the conductive traces 400 in the first direction YY. Therefore, the base 200 does not need to reserve space for them. Therefore, the second end 220 of the base 200 can be reduced in size D4 along one dimension of the first direction YY. In some embodiments, for a dual-density 0.80 mm connector, the second end 220 in size D4 along the first direction YY can be reduced to 5.5 mm to 7.5 mm. Furthermore, D4 ​​can be reduced to 6 mm to 7 mm. Even further, D4 can be reduced to about 6.5 mm. Furthermore, since the conductive trace 400 can extend in a straight line or approximately in a straight line, the length of the conductive trace 400 is reduced. In some embodiments, the length of one of S3 can be reduced to 13 mm to 14 mm, and the length of one of S4 can be reduced to 2.3 mm to 3.2 mm. Furthermore, the length of one of S3 can be reduced to 13.3 mm to 13.8 mm, and the length of one of S4 can be reduced to 2.5 mm to 3.0 mm. Even further, the length of one of S3 can be reduced to approximately 13.5 mm, and the length of one of S4 can be reduced to approximately 2.8 mm.

[0083] During signal transmission via the electrical connector of the adapter card 100, no signal distortion may be desired. If distortion occurs during signal transmission in the adapter card 100, it may affect communication between one circuit connected to the adapter card 100 and another circuit. The electronic device may fail to detect signals correctly or may encounter more errors when detecting signals. Improving the signal integrity of the adapter card 100 means that the likelihood of distortion occurring during signal transmission via the electrical connector is lower. Specifically, distortion is more likely to occur when transmitting high-frequency signals. Therefore, reducing the probability of distortion means that an electronic device with the electrical connector can operate at a higher frequency. In some embodiments, the electrical connector may meet the PCIe Gen5 32 Gbps requirement.

[0084] As previously mentioned, various types of distortion can occur during signal transmission via the electrical connector of the adapter card 100. Reducing the length of the conductive trace 400 and increasing the spacing between the conductive traces 400 can prevent signal distortion.

[0085] One type of distortion is crosstalk. When a differential signal is transmitted using an electrical connector of an adapter card 100 , the conductive trace 400 contains a conductive trace differential pair. In some embodiments, S1 and S2 in FIG. A differential signal is transmitted substantially in a conductive trace differential pair. However, some differential signals can reach the differential pairs of adjacent conduction traces. One phenomenon in which a differential signal is coupled from a differential pair of a first conduction trace to a differential pair of a second conduction trace is known as crosstalk. Crosstalk can produce a distortion in a signal intended to be carried differentially by the second conduction trace. The amount of crosstalk depends on the distance spanned by the first conduction trace differential pair wiring near the second conduction trace differential pair. Combined with reference to Figs. The overlap length is the length of the portion of the conduction trace that is too close to each other without causing crosstalk. Therefore, the electrical connector using the adapter card 100 has a better anti-crosstalk performance.

[0086] Another type of distortion is signal attenuation. The longer the conduction trace 400, the greater the attenuation. Therefore, the electrical connector using the adapter card 100 has a better anti-attenuation performance.

[0087] Another type of distortion is skew. As mentioned previously, for the Xizhi electrical connectors, differential inter-pair skew and differential-pair internal skew can exist simultaneously due to the clearly different lengths of S1, S2, and nearby conduction traces 13 . However, in the electrical connector using the adapter card 100 illustrated in FIG. Thus, their equal lengths are substantially equal, i.e., the lengths of the two conduction traces in the differential pair of each conduction trace are substantially equal. By means of a comparison between differential pairs of adjacent conduction traces, the lengths of the conduction traces are also substantially equal. Thus, the signal transmitted through the use of the electrical connector of the adapter card 100 substantially does not occur skew.

[0088] As described, the adapter card 100 may have smaller dimensions in both the first direction YY and the second direction XX, which realizes a miniaturization of the primary electrical connector of the adapter card 100 . The adapter card 100 can be widely used in one-electronic systems with fewer usage limitations. Materials used to make conductive traces 400 and matrix 200 can also be saved, thereby reducing the cost of manufacturing adapter cards 100 . At the same time, the integrity of the signal transmission can be ensured by effectively mitigating distortions (such as crosstalk, signal attenuation and signal skew) that occur during signal transmission by means of the adapter card 100 .

[0089] In some embodiments, at least 85% of each conductive trace may be straight. Furthermore, at least 90% of each conductive trace may be straight. In some embodiments, at least 95% of each conductive trace may be straight. As described below, the ends of the conductive trace 400 may be configured to be curved. In this configuration, when the conductive trace 400 is used to transmit differential signals, the two conductive traces 400 in each conductive trace differential pair can be as close as possible, and a relatively long distance is maintained between the non-straight portions of the conductive trace 400 and the two adjacent conductive trace differential pairs. In this way, differential signals can be better coupled and crosstalk can be effectively prevented, thus ensuring the integrity of the differential signal transmission. In this example, the length of the straight portion of the conductive trace 400 is also related to the total length of the conductive trace 400. Those skilled in the art can select the length of the straight portion of the conductive trace 400 as needed. Depending on the circumstances, when the conductive trace 400 is used to transmit other types of signals, each of the conductive traces 400 may be completely straight. In this case, the conductive trace 400 can be made as short as possible, thereby improving the integrity of signal transmission.

[0090] In some embodiments, the angle between the straight portions of the plurality of conductive traces 400 and the first direction YY can be in the range of -10 degrees to 10 degrees. In other embodiments, this configuration allows the substrate 200 to be more compact, thereby reducing the size of the substrate 200. Furthermore, the conductive traces 400 can be parallel to the first direction YY.

[0091] In some embodiments, the first direction YY and the second direction XX may be perpendicular to each other, which results in a more compact base 200 compared to other angles. Since electrical connectors are typically used in relatively narrow spaces, installation of the electrical connector is more convenient. In embodiments where a connector needs to be periodically plugged in or replaced (e.g., the connector is a plug connector), the electrical connector of the preferred adapter card 100 is more suitable.

[0092] In some embodiments, the two conductive traces 400 of each conductive trace differential pair may have equal lengths. Referring to FIG5, the two conductive traces 400 included in conductive trace differential pair S3 and the two conductive traces 400 included in conductive trace differential pair S4 may each have equal lengths. Combined with the above description, the intra-pair skew of the two conductive traces 400 with the same length in each pair can be minimized, thus ensuring better integrity of the signal transmitted by the electrical connector using the adapter card 100. S3 and S4 may also each have the same length as their respective adjacent conductive trace differential pairs to reduce inter-pair skew.

[0093] In some embodiments, as shown in FIG5, m=n. Each column of m columns of contact pads 310 is electrically connected to one column of n columns of terminals. Each column of contact pads 310 can be electrically connected to one column of terminals 320. For example, the first column of contact pads 310 can be electrically connected to the first column of terminals 320 through conductive traces 400; and the second column of contact pads 310 can be electrically connected to the second column of contact pads 310 through conductive traces 400. Based on this structure, the adapter card 100 can be easily manufactured by stacking and pressing. Therefore, the design and manufacturing cost of the adapter card 100 can be reduced.

[0094] Furthermore, as illustrated in FIG5, along the first direction YY, a row of contact pads 310 closer to the inner side of the substrate 200 is electrically connected to a row of terminals 320 closer to the inner side of the substrate 200. A row of contact pads 310 closer to the outer side of the substrate 200 is electrically connected to a row of terminals 320 closer to the outer side of the substrate 200. In the embodiment illustrated in the figure, the first row of contact pads 310 may be electrically connected to the second row of terminals 320, and the second row of contact pads 310 may be electrically connected to the first row of terminals 320. In this way, the conductive traces connecting the innermost row of contact pads 310 and the innermost row of terminals 320 have the shortest length. Therefore, the overlap length of the conductive traces connecting contact pads in different rows may be the shortest. For example, the overlap length of S3 and S4 can be shortened as much as possible. Therefore, the electrical connector using the adapter card 100 has better anti-crosstalk performance.

[0095] In some embodiments, a plurality of conductive traces 400 may be distributed in a plurality of layers, thereby forming a plurality of conductive trace layers (not shown). The number of conductive trace layers may be 2, 3 or more. Depending on the situation, the number of conductive trace layers may be the same as the number of rows of contact pads 310 or terminals 320. The number of conductive trace layers may be different from the number of rows of contact pads 310 or terminals. In some embodiments, as illustrated in FIG5, when both the number of rows of contact pads 310 and terminals 320 is 2, the number of conductive trace layers 400 may be 6, 7, 8, 9 or 10. The first direction YY and the second direction XX may be parallel to the conductive trace layers. In some embodiments, referring to FIG5, the plurality of conductive trace layers may be spaced ZZ along one of the vertical directions of the substrate 200. The spacing between the plurality of conductive trace layers may be the same or different.

[0096] In some embodiments, in the embodiment where the substrate 200 is a printed circuit board, the printed circuit board can be manufactured by pressing a plurality of sheets together. Each sheet may have a polymer substrate (e.g., epoxy resin). A metal layer is deposited on one side of the sheet and then patterned to form conductive traces 400. A plurality of such sheets are stacked and then pressed at a high temperature to fuse the sheets together, thereby forming the substrate 200 and the conductive traces 400 disposed within the substrate 200. By forming a plurality of conductive trace layers, the difficulty of manufacturing the adapter card 100 is easily reduced and the process of the adapter card 100 is optimized. A ground layer (not shown) may be disposed between the conductive trace layers. In this way, crosstalk between conductive traces 400 on adjacent conductive trace layers can be reduced. Therefore, the adapter card 100 has better anti-crosstalk performance. Those skilled in this art can select the number of conductive trace layers as needed.

[0097] In some embodiments, as illustrated in FIG5, a contact pad 310 and a terminal 320 connected to each other via the same conductive trace 400 can be aligned along a first direction YY. In this way, the conductive trace 400 can be parallel to the first direction YY, thereby minimizing the length of the conductive trace 400. Signals transmitted via the electrical connector using the adapter card 100 have better integrity.

[0098] In some embodiments, as illustrated in FIG5, each of the plurality of conductive traces 400 includes a first connection end 410, a second connection end 420, and an intermediate section 430. The intermediate section 430 connects the first connection end 410 and the second connection end 420. The first connection end 410 and the second connection end 420 may be the same or different. The first connection end 410 may be electrically connected to a contact pad 310. The second connection end 420 may be electrically connected to a terminal 320. The intermediate section 430 may be straight. In the embodiment illustrated in the figure, the first connection end 410 and the second connection end 420 are curved. In other embodiments not illustrated, the first connection end 410 and the second connection end 420 may also be straight. In some embodiments, the length of one of the intermediate sections 430 may be at least 85% of the total length of the conductive traces 400. In some embodiments, the length of the intermediate section 430 may be at least 90% of the total length of the conductive traces 400. In some embodiments, the length of the intermediate segment 430 may be at least 95% of the total length of the conductive trace 400. By arranging the first connection terminal 410 and the second connection terminal 420, the intermediate segments 430 of the two conductive traces in each conductive trace differential pair can be brought as close as possible, while maintaining a relatively long distance from the intermediate segments 430 of two adjacent conductive trace differential pairs. The differential signals will be better coupled, and crosstalk can be effectively prevented. This allows the adapter card 100 to have better performance.

[0099] In some embodiments, as shown in FIG3, the n-column contact pads 310 may be gold fingers. In other words, the adapter card 100 may be a gold finger adapter card. The type and specifications of the gold fingers are not limited, for example, gold fingers for transmitting power signals, gold fingers for transmitting control command signals, etc. The m-column terminals 320 may be used to connect the cable 500. The type and specifications of the cable 500 are not limited, for example, cables for transmitting high-speed signals, cables for transmitting power signals, etc. Other ends of the cable 500 may be connected to another circuit. Gold finger adapter cards have a wide range of applications. By placing the cable 500, the adapter card 100 can be remotely connected to a circuit connected to other ends of the cable 500. Referring to FIGS. 8 to 9, since the cable 500 generally has a certain degree of flexibility, the adapter card 100 may be configured as a coplanar adapter card, a vertical adapter card, or any other suitable adapter card by changing one of the extension directions of the cable 500. Therefore, the adapter card 100 is widely applicable and highly practical. In other embodiments, the m-row terminals 320 can be connected to pins or any other suitable housing assembly.

[0100] In some embodiments, as shown in FIG5, the second end 220 of the substrate 200 may be stepped. A row of terminals 320 may be disposed on each step 221. In this way, the terminals 320 in different rows are positioned on different planes. When the terminals 320 are connected to the cable 500 or other housing assembly, the terminals 320 provide more space on different planes to facilitate a connection process (such as soldering). Therefore, the manufacturing process of the adapter card 100 is optimized.

[0101] In one embodiment where the adapter card 100 is manufactured by stacking and pressing, referring to Figures 6 and 7, it may include a plurality of alternately laminated dielectric layers 710 and a plurality of patterned metal layers 720. A patterned metal layer 720 is disposed between every two adjacent dielectric layers 710. Adjacent patterned metal layers 720 are separated by a dielectric layer 710. These dielectric layers 710 together with the patterned metal layers 720 may be referred to as the body. The body may include other components thereon. A center line 740 can separate the adapter card 100 into two halves. The adapter card may have a first surface 750 having a first row of 770 terminals and spaced from the center line 740 by a first distance d1. The adapter card may have a second surface 760 facing the same direction as the first surface 750 and spaced from the center line 740 by a second distance d2, and including a second row of 780 terminals. As shown in the figure, the second distance d2 can be smaller than the first distance d1.

[0102] The plurality of patterned metal layers 720 may include an outer patterned metal layer positioned on the surface of the outermost dielectric layer 710 and an inner patterned metal layer positioned between adjacent dielectric layers 710. The inner patterned metal layers may be connected to the outer patterned metal layers through conductive vias 730. The outer patterned metal layers may form n rows of contact pads 310 and m rows of terminals 320. The n rows of contact pads 310 and m rows of terminals 320 may be positioned on the two ends 210 and 220 of a substrate opposite each other along a first direction YY, respectively. The outer patterned metal layers forming different rows of terminals are positioned on different layers.

[0103] In some embodiments, the internal patterned metal layer may include a plurality of conductive traces 400. The two ends of the plurality of conductive traces 400 may be connected to n rows of contact pads 310 and m rows of terminals 320 respectively through conductive vias 730. To illustrate the fabrication of the adapter card 100 by stacking, as illustrated in FIG. 6, a plurality of dielectric layers 710 are separated by dashed lines, which may not exist or be clearly visible in the actual product, as illustrated in FIG. 7. Additionally, to demonstrate that the surface of each dielectric layer 710 has a metal layer formed thereon, potential metal layers (such as those drawn with dashed outlines) that may not exist on the cut plane are hypothetically illustrated in FIGS. 6 and 7.

[0104] According to another aspect of the present invention, a method for manufacturing an adapter card is further provided. The method includes: firstly, forming a metal layer on a dielectric layer 710; patterning the metal layer to form a patterned metal layer; then stacking a plurality of dielectric layers 710, each having a patterned metal layer, thereon; and connecting the plurality of dielectric layers 710 together to form a body. The patterned metal layer forms n rows of contact pads 310 and m rows of terminals 320 on the outer surface of the body. The n rows of contact pads 310 and m rows of terminals 320 are respectively positioned at both ends of the body.

[0105] In some embodiments, the outer surfaces of the different column terminals are positioned on different layers by patterned metal layers.

[0106] In some embodiments, the internal patterned metal layer located in the body includes a plurality of conductive traces 400. The method further includes forming conductive vias 730 on the dielectric layer 710 to connect the two ends of the plurality of conductive traces 400 to n rows of contact pads 310 and m rows of terminals 320, respectively.

[0107] According to another aspect of the present invention, an electrical connector is further provided, as illustrated in FIG8. The electrical connector may include an adapter card 100, a cable 500, and a housing assembly 600. As shown in FIG3 to 5 and FIG8 in combination, m rows of terminals 320 can be connected to m rows of cables 500, and the housing assembly 600 encloses the second end of the base 200 and the connection end of the cable 500 connected to the terminals 320. The housing assembly 600 may include a housing for protecting the adapter card 100, a connection lock for connecting to other circuits (e.g., a mating electrical connector), or other types of components known to those skilled in the art or that may appear in the future. Different types of electrical connectors can be formed by manufacturing the housing assembly 600 in different structures. FIG8 shows a coplanar electrical connector. When a housing assembly 600' is configured as an L-shape as illustrated in FIG9, a right-angle electrical connector can be formed.

[0108] In some embodiments, the electrical connector having the adapter card 100 can be attached to a mating electrical connector 800 and detached from the mating electrical connector 800 via a housing assembly. Referring to FIG10, the adapter card 100 and the mating electrical connector 800 are separated, and the two cannot achieve electrical coupling. Referring to FIG11, by using a connection lock on the housing assembly 600, the electrical connector having the adapter card 100 can be attached to the mating electrical connector 800, thereby achieving a reliable electrical connection between the adapter card 100 and the mating electrical connector 800.

[0109] Therefore, the present invention has been described in accordance with the above-described embodiments. It should be understood that those skilled in the art can make further changes, modifications, and improvements based on the teachings of the present invention, and such changes, modifications, and improvements should fall within the spirit and scope of protection of the present invention. The scope of protection of the present invention is defined by the appended claims and their equivalents. The foregoing embodiments are for illustrative and descriptive purposes only and are not intended to limit the present invention to the scope of the described embodiments.

[0110] Various changes may be made to the illustrative structures shown and described herein. For example, the adapter card can be used with any suitable electrical connector, such as card edge connectors, backplane connectors, daughter card connectors, stacking connectors, mezzanine connectors, I / O connectors, chip sockets, Gen Z connectors, etc.

[0111] Furthermore, although many inventive embodiments are shown and described with respect to a plug electrical connector, it should be understood that the embodiments of the present invention are not limited in this respect. As mentioned, any inventive concept (whether alone or in combination with one or more other inventive concepts) can be used in other types of electrical connectors (such as right-angle connectors, coplanar electrical connectors, etc.).

[0112] In the description of this invention, it should be understood that the orientation or positional relationship indicated by orientation terms such as "front," "rear," "up," "down," "left," "right," "lateral," "vertical / perpendicular," "horizontal," "top," and "bottom" are generally based on the orientation shown in the drawings and are only for the convenience of describing the invention and simplifying the description. Unless otherwise stated, these orientation terms do not indicate or imply that a device or element must have a particular orientation or be constructed and operated in a particular orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention. The orientation terms "inner" and "outer" refer to the interior and exterior relative to the outline of each component itself.

[0113] For ease of description, spatial terms such as "above" or "over" may be used herein to describe the spatial relationship between one or more components or features shown in the figures and other components or features. It should be understood that spatial terms include not only the orientation of the components shown in the figures but also other orientations in use or operation. For example, if the components in the figures are inverted as a whole, then a component "above" other components or features becomes a component "below" other components or features. Thus, the exemplary term "above" may include two orientations, "above" and "below". In addition, such components or features may also be positioned at other different angles (e.g., rotated 90 degrees or other angles), and the present invention is intended to cover all such cases.

[0114] It should be noted that the terminology used herein is used only to describe particular embodiments and is not intended to be limited to the exemplary embodiments according to this application. As used herein, the singular form is intended to include the plural form as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. In addition, the use of "comprising," "including," "having," "containing," or "involving," and variations thereof, herein means to cover the items listed thereafter (or their equivalents) and / or as additional items.

[0115] It should be noted that the terms "first" and "second" in the description, scope of the invention, and drawings of this application are used to distinguish similar objects and are not necessarily used to describe a specific sequence. It should be understood that the numbers used in this manner can be interchanged where appropriate, so that the embodiments of the invention described herein can be implemented in a sequence other than that illustrated and described herein. [Simplified Explanation of the Diagram]

[0052] To understand this invention, the following accompanying drawings are used as a part of this invention. Embodiments of the invention and their descriptions are illustrated in the accompanying drawings to illustrate the principles of the invention. The accompanying drawings are not intended to be drawn to scale. In the drawings:

[0053] Figure 1 is a perspective view of a portion of a conventional electrical connector;

[0054] Figure 2 is a perspective view of an adapter card, one of the components of the electrical connector in Figure 1;

[0055] FIG3 is a perspective view of a portion of an electrical connector according to one of some embodiments;

[0056] Figure 4 is a perspective view of an adapter card, one of the components of the electrical connector in Figure 3;

[0057] Figure 5 is a perspective view of the adapter card in Figure 4, showing the conductive traces inside the adapter card;

[0058] Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view of one of the adapter cards in Figure 4;

[0059] Figure 7 is a perspective view of the adapter card in Figure 6, showing a cross-section of Figure 6;

[0060] FIG8 is a perspective view of one of the electrical connectors according to some embodiments;

[0061] FIG9 is a perspective view of another electrical connector according to some embodiments;

[0062] Figure 10 is a perspective view of an electrical connector assembly according to one of some embodiments, showing a plug electrical connector and a socket electrical connector in an unmating state; and

[0063] Figure 11 is a perspective view of the electrical connector assembly of Figure 10, showing the plug electrical connector and the socket electrical connector in a mated state.

[0064] The accompanying drawings include the following element symbols:

[0065] 1. Plug connector; 10. Adapter card; 11. Gold finger; 12. Terminal; 13. Conductive trace; 100. Adapter card; 200. Substrate; 210. First end; 220. Second end; 221. Step; 310. Contact pad; 320. Terminal; 400. Conductive trace; 410. First connection end; 420. Second connection end; 430. Intermediate section; 500. Cable; 600, 600'. Housing assembly; 710. Dielectric layer; 720. Patterned metal layer; 730. Conductive through hole; 740. Center line; 750. First surface; 760. Second surface; 770. First row of terminals; 780. Second row of terminals; 800. Mating connector.

Claims

1. An adapter card, comprising: A first surface including a first row of terminals for connection to a cable conductor and spaced a first distance from a center line of the adapter; a second surface facing the same direction as the first surface and spaced a second distance from the center line of the adapter, the second surface including a second row of terminals for connection to a cable conductor; a first plurality of conductive traces connecting the first row of terminals to a first row of contact pads; and a second plurality of conductive traces connecting the second row of terminals to a second row of contact pads, the second plurality of conductive traces at least partially overlapping the first plurality of conductive traces.

2. As in request item 1, the adapter card, wherein: The first surface includes contact pads that are coupled to the first row of terminals on the first surface and the second row of terminals on the second surface via the adapter card.

3. The adapter card as requested in item 1 includes: A plurality of conductive traces electrically connect the contact pad of the first surface to the first column of terminals on the first surface and the second column of terminals on the second surface.

4. As in request item 3, the adapter card, wherein: The plurality of conductive traces includes pairs of conductive traces for transmitting differential signals, and each pair of conductive traces has equal length.

5. As in request item 3, the adapter card, wherein: Each of the plurality of conductive traces includes a first contact end, a second contact end, and an intermediate portion between the first contact end and the second contact end. The first contact end is electrically connected to a contact pad, the second contact end is electrically connected to a terminal, and the intermediate portion is straight.

6. The adapter card as requested in item 3, wherein each of the plurality of conductive traces is straight for at least 85% of its length.

7. The adapter card as requested in item 6, wherein the angle between the straight portions of the plurality of conductive traces and the center line is in the range of -10 degrees to 10 degrees.

8. The adapter card as requested in item 3 includes: A plurality of metal layers, wherein the plurality of conductive traces are distributed in the plurality of metal layers.

9. As in request item 1, the adapter card, wherein: The contact pads of the first surface include a first row of contact pads and a second row of contact pads disposed closer to the first row of terminals, and the contact pads in the second row of contact pads are electrically connected to their respective terminals in the first row of terminals.

10. The adapter card as claimed in claim 3, wherein the plurality of conductive traces includes a contact pad and a terminal of which are electrically aligned with each other.

11. An adapter card comprising: A main body comprising a plurality of dielectric layers and a plurality of metal layers disposed on each of the plurality of dielectric layers; The main body comprises a first plurality of contact pads and a second plurality of terminals, the first plurality of contact pads and the second plurality of terminals being respectively disposed on two opposite ends of the main body, wherein: the second plurality of terminals are disposed on each of the plurality of metal layers; a first plurality of conductive traces are disposed on a first metal layer, the first plurality of conductive traces connecting a first row of contact pads and a first row of terminals; and a second plurality of conductive traces are disposed on a second metal layer, the second plurality of conductive traces connecting a second row of contact pads and a second row of terminals.

12. The adapter card as claimed in claim 11, wherein the plurality of metal layers comprises: The first array of contact pads is connected to the multiple conductive traces of the second array of terminals.

13. As in request item 12, the adapter card, wherein: The plurality of conductive traces includes pairs of conductive traces for transmitting differential signals, and the conductive traces of each pair of conductive traces have equal lengths.

14. The adapter card as requested in claim 12, wherein each of the plurality of conductive traces is straight for at least 85% of its length.

15. As in request item 11, the adapter card, wherein: The first array of contact pads is coupled to the second array of terminals through the adapter card.

16. A cable assembly comprising: An adapter card includes: a leading edge, a trailing edge spaced apart from the leading edge in a longitudinal direction, a plurality of contact pads including a first row of contact pads along the leading edge and a second row of contact pads spaced apart from the first row in the longitudinal direction, and a plurality of terminals including a third row of terminals along the trailing edge and a fourth row of terminals spaced apart from the third row in a direction opposite to the longitudinal direction, wherein the third row of terminals and the fourth row of terminals are disposed on different surfaces of the adapter card, the different surfaces facing the same direction; a plurality of conductive traces electrically connected to the first row of contact pads and the third row of terminals and electrically connected to the second row of contact pads and the fourth row of terminals; a first plurality of cables electrically connected to the terminals in the third row; and a second plurality of cables electrically connected to the terminals in the fourth row.

17. The cable assembly as requested in item 16, wherein: The third column of terminals is offset from the fourth column of terminals in one of the transition directions perpendicular to the longitudinal direction.

18. The cable assembly as requested in item 16, wherein: The plurality of terminals includes a fifth column of terminals along the trailing edge and a sixth column of terminals spaced apart from the fifth column in the direction opposite to the longitudinal direction. The adapter card includes a plurality of metal layers, and the third, fourth, fifth and sixth columns of terminals are disposed on different metal layers of the plurality of metal layers.

19. The cable assembly as claimed in claim 18, comprising: Electrically connected to the third plurality of cables of the terminals in the fifth column; And the fourth plurality of cables electrically connected to the middle terminal of the sixth column.

20. The cable assembly as claimed in claim 16, comprising: At least partially enclosing one of the adapter card's housings.

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