Contact terminal having at least one impedance control feature

Abstract

It is an object of the invention to provide a shielded contact terminal for high-frequency data transmission with improved transmission properties in terms of signal integrity. The above object is achieved by providing at least one impedance control feature (24) in a contact terminal (1) comprising a terminal shield (4), a contact carrier (6) and at least one contact element (8). The contact carrier (6) holds the at least one contact element (8) in a fixed position within the terminal shield (4), the terminal shield (4) having a functionally indispensable discontinuity (22) affecting the impedance of the at least one contact element (8). The at least one impedance control feature (24) serves to locally adjust the impedance of the at least one contact element (8) to compensate for the effect of the discontinuity (22). Thus, the impedance of the contact terminal (1) can be matched to the impedance of a corresponding signal receiver to prevent signal reflections and maintain signal integrity.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present invention relates to a contact terminal, more particularly to a shielded contact terminal for high-frequency data transmission. BACKGROUND

[0002] In the field of data transmission, transmission line components, such as connectors, cables, sockets, etc., are usually surrounded by a shielding device to maintain transmission performance. The shielding device is mainly used to prevent unwanted external influences, such as mechanical impact and electromagnetic effects.

[0003] In applications requiring high-frequency data transmission, the design of the shielding device itself can have an impact on the contained components, respectively deteriorating signal quality and transmission performance. The shielding device, due to its functionality, often has indispensable design features, especially at transition points between transmission line components. However, these can have such deteriorating effects. Thus, there are limiting factors in terms of design flexibility of the shielding device at the transition points.

[0004] Technical problem to be solved

[0005] It is an object of the present invention to provide a method that at least partially compensates for the deteriorating effects of the indispensable design features of a shielding device to allow greater design freedom and to improve the transition points between shielded transmission line components for high-frequency data transmission in terms of signal integrity. SUMMARY

[0006] The above problem is solved by providing at least one impedance control feature in the contact carrier, the contact terminal comprising a terminal shield, a contact carrier and at least one contact element for conducting electrical signals of a high-frequency data transmission, wherein the contact carrier holds the at least one contact element in a fixed position within the terminal shield, and the terminal shield has a discontinuity in its design that influences the impedance of the at least one contact element. More particularly, the problem is solved by providing at least one impedance control feature on the contact carrier and / or the at least one contact element in order to adjust the impedance of the at least one contact element to a predetermined desired value depending on the frequency of the data transmission, thereby compensating for the effects of the discontinuity.

[0007] Generally, impedance is a property of an electrical conductor that measures its resistance to alternating current. Impedance is influenced by various factors, such as the material and size of the electrical conductor itself, the medium surrounding the conductor (dielectric material), and other conductive components in the vicinity of the electrical conductor, in particular the relative distance between the respective surfaces.

[0008] Signal reflections can occur if the impedance of the load and the impedance of the transmission line do not match (impedance mismatch) when transmitting an electrical signal from a signal source to a signal receiver (load) via the transmission line. Signal reflections impair signal integrity and are therefore an unfavorable phenomenon. The cause of such an impedance mismatch and the subsequent signal reflections can be non-linear variations and / or discontinuities in the components of the transmission line.

[0009] Therefore, it is preferred to match the impedance of the transmission line to the impedance of the load. In other words, it is preferred to adjust the impedance of the transmission line to a predetermined desired value. Such a predetermined desired value can be the impedance of the load.

[0010] The above solution is advantageous because it compensates for at least one cause of the impedance mismatch, thereby reducing signal reflections. Thus, signal integrity of the transmitted signal is greatly improved.

[0011] The above solution can be further improved by adding one or more of the following optional features. Thus, each of the following optional features is advantageous on its own and can be combined independently with any other optional feature.

[0012] According to a first embodiment, the at least one impedance control feature can be aligned with the discontinuity of the terminal shield. More particularly, the impedance control feature can be near and / or locally limited by the influence area of the discontinuity, thereby concentrating and maximizing the effect of the impedance control feature.

[0013] Additionally or alternatively, the contact carrier and the at least one contact element each have at least one impedance control feature. This embodiment has the advantage that the impedance control features can collectively supplement the influence of the discontinuity on the impedance of the at least one contact element.

[0014] In another embodiment of the invention, all impedance control features can be aligned with the discontinuity in order to collectively concentrate and maximize their effect.

[0015] In another embodiment of the invention, the terminal shield can be a metal terminal shield. In particular, the metal terminal shield can be formed by bending a metal sheet circumferentially around the contact carrier, which represents a simple and reliable structure.

[0016] Additionally or alternatively, the terminal shield can be a metal terminal shield that surrounds the contact carrier and the at least one contact element along their entire length. This provides the contact carrier and the at least one contact element with protection against electromagnetic effects, further improving signal integrity.

[0017] Additionally or alternatively, the terminal shield can comprise at least one front end, the terminal shield being open at the front end to receive a mating connector along the insertion direction.

[0018] In one embodiment of the application, the discontinuity of the terminal shield can comprise or be a locking element formed in the outer circumference of the terminal shield, and the at least one impedance control feature can be aligned with said locking element. In particular, the locking element can be configured to interact with a suitable socket in order to secure the terminal shield within the socket. This increases the applicability of the application due to a broader compatibility with corresponding parts from the locking element.

[0019] In one embodiment of the application, the locking element can be a locking groove extending at least partially along the outer circumference of the terminal shield. In particular, the locking groove can extend radially inwards towards the contact carrier and provide a seat for a complementary locking element of e.g. a suitable socket. The locking groove represents an embodiment which can be easily manufactured by bending or stamping. Thus, manufacturing is facilitated.

[0020] In yet another embodiment, the at least one impedance control feature can comprise or be an adjusted cross section of the at least one contact element. In particular, the at least one contact element can extend longitudinally through the terminal shield along the insertion direction and comprise an impedance control portion with an adjusted cross section in the direct vicinity of the discontinuity of the terminal shield. The cross section adjustment is an impedance control feature which allows to adjust at least two impedance influencing factors at the same time, namely the cross sectional area of the electrical conductor and the distance between the electrical conductor and the surface of the adjacent conductor.

[0021] In applications where it is required to increase the impedance of the at least one contact element to reach a predetermined desired value and to compensate for the influence of the discontinuity of the terminal shield, the impedance control feature can comprise or be a portion with a reduced cross section. This can be the case e.g. in regions where the discontinuity of the terminal shield leads to a narrowed inner diameter compared to the rest of the terminal shield. In this case, the cross section reduction can be achieved by a reduced width of one or both sides of the at least one contact element. For a contact element formed from flat material, the width can be the dimension perpendicular to the material thickness and perpendicular to the insertion direction. Due to the reduced cross sectional area and due to the increased distance to the surface of the adjacent conductor, this will increase the impedance. The reduction can be stepwise or gradual, e.g. by forming a U-shaped recess.

[0022] Preferably, the above-mentioned width reduction can be achieved along the entire length of the discontinuity. Similarly, in applications where a reduced impedance is desired, the cross-sectional area can be increased to reach a predetermined desired value and to compensate for the effect of the discontinuity of the terminal shield. This can be the case, for example, in regions where the discontinuity of the terminal shield results in a widened inner diameter compared to the rest of the terminal shield. In this case, the at least one contact element can comprise a portion with an increased cross-section. This increase can be due to an increase in width on one or both sides (for contact elements formed from flat material, width can be the dimension perpendicular to the material thickness and perpendicular to the insertion direction). This will reduce the impedance due to the increased cross-sectional area and due to the reduced distance to the surface of the adjacent conductor.

[0023] The at least one contact element can further comprise a contact portion at at least one end portion. In particular, the contact portion can be configured to electrically contactingly engage a signal contact of a mating connector inserted into the terminal shield along the insertion direction. Preferably, during the engagement, the contact portion can be mechanically deflected by the signal contact to ensure sufficient electrical contact.

[0024] Additionally or alternatively, the at least one contact element can comprise a bonding portion opposite the contact portion at at least one other end portion. The bonding portion can be configured to connect it to an electrical conductor of an electrical cable. Preferably, the bonding portion can be connected (e.g. soldered or tinned) to the electrical conductor of the electrical cable.

[0025] The contact portion and / or the bonding portion allow the contact terminal to be used in combination with at least a mating connector and / or an electrical cable, thereby expanding the applicability of the contact terminal.

[0026] The above-mentioned width reduction or increase can be located between the contact portion and the bonding portion, i.e. in an intermediate portion of the at least one contact element.

[0027] In yet another embodiment, the at least one contact element can comprise a transition portion having a cross-section larger than a cross-section of the impedance control portion. In particular, the transition portion is arranged adjacent to and in a beveled transition connection with the impedance control portion. This embodiment is particularly advantageous for applications where the contact element is mechanically deflected, as the transition portion relieves the distribution of mechanical stress occurring within the at least one contact element.

[0028] Additionally or alternatively, the at least one contact element can comprise a retention portion having at least one retention tab projecting laterally. As will be further described below, the retention tab can prevent undesired misalignment of the at least one contact element and thus facilitate securing the at least one contact element by a contact carrier.

[0029] The at least one contact element can be a tab or a pin-like spring beam stamped from an electrically conductive sheet metal, e.g. a metal sheet.

[0030] According to another embodiment, the contact terminal can comprise a pair of contact elements which are spaced apart and electrically isolated from each other. Preferably, each of the pair of contact elements can be configured to transmit one signal of a differential signal pair for high frequency data transmission. This embodiment allows data transmission to be less susceptible to electromagnetic noise generated by the transmission of the differential signal pair.

[0031] Optionally, each of the pair of contact elements can have at least one impedance control feature to collectively compensate for the effect of the discontinuity on the impedance of the pair of contact elements.

[0032] Each of the pair of contact elements can have the same impedance control feature. More particularly, the pair of contact elements can be formed symmetrically and / or mirror-inverted.

[0033] According to yet another embodiment, the contact carrier is made of an insulating material, preferably an insulating material having a relative permittivity higher than air, which at least partially surrounds the at least one contact element. In particular, the insulating material surrounds the at least one contact element at and optionally around the impedance control portion. By surrounding the at least one contact element with an insulating material, the risk of an electrical short circuit can be prevented. Thus, the functionality of the contact terminal is ensured.

[0034] Further, the at least one impedance control feature can comprise or be an adjusted material thickness of the contact carrier. In particular, the material thickness of the contact carrier can be adjusted directly at the attachment of the discontinuity of the terminal shield. The adjustment of the material thickness is an impedance control feature which allows to easily adjust a further impedance influencing factor, namely the relative permittivity of the dielectric material.

[0035] In applications where an increase of the impedance of the at least one contact element is required to reach a predetermined desired value and to compensate for the effect of the discontinuity of the terminal shield, a thin material thickness should be implemented. This can be the case, for example, in regions where the discontinuity of the terminal shield leads to a narrowed inner diameter compared to the rest of the terminal shield. In such regions, a thin material thickness will result in air-filled spaces. Since the relative permittivity of air is lower than that of the insulating material, the resulting lower average relative permittivity will result in an increased impedance.

[0036] Similarly, in applications where a lower impedance is required, the material thickness should be increased to reach a predetermined desired value and to compensate for the effect of the discontinuity of the terminal shield. More particularly, air-filled spaces need to be occupied by the insulating material to achieve a higher average relative permittivity.

[0037] In another embodiment, the at least one impedance control feature can comprise or be at least one gap at least partially separating the at least one contact element from direct contact with the contact carrier. More particularly, the gap can be filled with air or any other dielectric material having a relative permittivity lower than the insulating material of the contact carrier. This embodiment is used for applications requiring an increased impedance and works according to the same principle as the adjustment of the material thickness described above.

[0038] In yet another embodiment, the at least one impedance control feature can comprise or be a lateral recess on the contact carrier and / or the at least one contact element. The lateral recess is an impedance control feature which is easy to manufacture and allows to simultaneously adjust up to two impedance influencing factors, namely the relative permittivity of the dielectric material or the cross-sectional area of the electrical conductor, and the distance between the surface of the electrical conductor and the adjacent conductor.

[0039] According to another embodiment, the contact carrier can comprise at least two parts which are connected to each other to form the contact carrier. In particular, the contact carrier can comprise a top part and a bottom part, wherein the bottom part comprises at least one holding recess formed complementary to the at least one contact element to embed the at least one contact element. In addition, at least a first section of the at least one holding recess has a width configured to form a form fit with the at least one contact element. The form fit prevents an undesired misalignment of the at least one contact element in a direction perpendicular to the insertion direction. At least a second section of the at least one holding recess has a width larger than the at least one contact element. In the second section, the above-mentioned air-filled space is formed as an impedance control feature.

[0040] In this way, the at least one contact element can be received within the at least one holding recess and clamped between the bottom part and the top part connected to the bottom part. This embodiment allows a pre-assembly of the contact carrier by an automated pick-and-place assembly process. Thus, this embodiment facilitates a simplified manufacturing process.

[0041] The two parts of the contact carrier can be connected together by laser welding. Since no additional mechanical connection means are required, the two parts can be designed in a small size. Thus, the contact terminal can be miniaturized which reduces the storage space and allows for shipping the contact terminal. Additional or alternative attachment means of the two parts can comprise ultrasonic welding, latching and / or gluing.

[0042] Optionally, the first section of the at least one holding groove can have a width configured to form a shape fit with the transition portion of the at least one contact element, and the second section of the at least one holding groove can have a width greater than the width of the impedance control portion of the contact element. In particular, the combination of the width of the impedance control portion of the at least one contact element and the width of the at least one holding groove of the bottom part can be configured such that the impedance of the at least one contact element equals a predetermined desired value. The two-part embodiment of the contact carrier is particularly advantageous for this configuration, as the respective widths can be set independently of each other before assembly.

[0043] At least one of the two parts of the contact carrier can further comprise a receptacle or a slot for interconnection with a protrusion or a ball bump of an adjacent component. This allows for a mechanical fixation of the contact terminal with at least one other assembly component, for example a protective cover for the joint portion, thereby expanding the applicability of the contact terminal.

[0044] In yet another embodiment, at least one of the at least two parts can comprise at least one support point to abut on at least one holding protrusion of the at least one contact element. Preferably, one part, for example the top part, can comprise at least one stepped protrusion protruding perpendicular to the insertion direction. The protrusion can further protrude towards the bottom part and the bottom part can comprise at least one stepped protrusion protruding towards the top part perpendicular to the insertion direction. Additionally, the stepped protrusions can be configured in pairs to jointly accommodate the at least one holding protrusion of the at least one contact element, thereby providing at least three support points. Each of the three support points can prevent an unfavorable misalignment of the at least one contact element in one spatial direction, thereby facilitating the fixation of the at least one contact element by the contact carrier.

[0045] Additionally or alternatively, the contact carrier can comprise a shoulder protruding laterally from the contact carrier and abutting against a locking element of the terminal shield. In particular, the top part can comprise a shoulder protruding perpendicular to the insertion direction on at least one side of the top part, and / or the bottom part can comprise a shoulder protruding perpendicular to the insertion direction on at least one side of the bottom part. The shoulder of the top part and / or the shoulder of the bottom part abut against a backside of the locking element of the terminal shield on the inside. This embodiment provides a measure for fixing the contact carrier within the terminal shield, thereby preventing an unfavorable misalignment of the contact carrier.

[0046] The person skilled in the art will recognize that instead of the two-piece embodiment, the contact carrier can also be formed as a single piece around the at least one contact element, for example, by means of an additive manufacturing process. In this case, the contact carrier can comprise at least one cavity for at least partially enclosing the transition portion and the impedance control portion of the at least one contact element. Preferably, the inner surface of the at least one cavity can abut against the transition portion, thereby preventing lateral movement of the at least one contact element by abutment and longitudinal movement by friction. In addition, the inner surface of the at least one cavity can be spaced apart from the impedance control portion, thereby forming the above-mentioned air-filled space as an impedance control feature.

[0047] According to a further advantageous embodiment, the contact terminal can be part of a cable assembly for high-frequency data transmission, further comprising a shielded cable, wherein the shielded cable comprises at least one electrical conductor, and the at least one electrical conductor is connected to the at least one contact element of the contact terminal within the terminal shield. Preferably, the connection is a bonding connection, a solder connection, a soldering connection and / or a crimp connection.

[0048] This embodiment allows data transmission over longer distances, thereby increasing the functionality of the present application.

[0049] Optionally, the cable assembly can have a substantially uniform impedance over its entire length, equal to a predetermined desired value, depending on the frequency of the data transmission. In particular, the impedance can vary within + / - 5% from the predetermined desired value. Deviations within this range are considered to be the predetermined desired value. In this way, the signal integrity of the entire cable assembly can be ensured. Thus, the overall transmission performance is improved. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0050] In the following, embodiments of the present application are explained with reference to the drawings. The shown and described embodiments are for illustrative purposes only. The combination of features shown in the embodiments can be varied in accordance with the foregoing description. For example, features not shown in the embodiments but described above can be added if the technical effect associated with the feature is beneficial for a particular application. Vice versa, features shown above as part of the embodiments can be omitted if the technical effect associated with the feature is not required in a particular application.

[0051] In the drawings, elements corresponding to each other in terms of function and / or structure have been provided with the same reference signs.

[0052] In the drawings:

[0053] Figure 1 a schematic diagram showing an exploded view of a contact terminal according to one possible embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0054] Figure 2 shows a contact terminal according to Figure 1schematic illustration of a perspective view of a contact carrier and a pair of contact elements of the illustrated embodiment;

[0055] Figure 3 schematic illustration of a perspective view of a contact carrier according to Figure 2 schematic illustration of a perspective view of a top part of a contact carrier of the illustrated embodiment;

[0056] Figure 4 schematic illustration of a perspective view of a contact carrier according to Figure 2 schematic illustration of a perspective view of a bottom part of a contact carrier and a pair of contact elements of the illustrated embodiment;

[0057] Figure 5 schematic illustration of an exploded view of a contact carrier and a pair of contact elements according to another possible embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0058] Figure 6 schematic illustration of a perspective view of a contact carrier and a pair of contact elements according to yet another possible embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0059] Figure 7 schematic illustration of a cross-sectional view of a contact terminal according to another possible embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0060] Figure 8 schematic illustration of another cross-sectional view of a contact terminal according to Figure 7 the illustrated embodiment mated with a mating connector; and

[0061] Figure 9 schematic illustration of a perspective view of a cable assembly with a contact terminal according to Figure 7 the illustrated embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0062] First, the structure of a contact terminal 1 according to the present application is explained with reference to the exemplary embodiment illustrated in Figures 1 to 8 Figure 9 for explaining the structure of a cable assembly 2 according to the present application.

[0063] Figure 1 schematic illustration of an exploded view of a contact terminal 1 according to one possible embodiment of the present disclosure, the contact terminal comprising a terminal shield 4, a contact carrier 6 and a pair of contact elements 8 for conducting electrical signals of a high frequency data transmission. As can be seen from Figure 2 The contact carrier 6 holds the pair of contact elements 8 in a fixed position within the terminal shield 4. More particularly, the terminal shield 4 can enclose the contact carrier 6 and the pair of contact elements 8 along its entire length.

[0064] ​In the illustrated embodiment, the terminal shield 4 is a bent sheet metal 10, preferably comprising at least four shield walls 12, which are arranged in a circumferential direction C around a lead-through opening 14 extending along the insertion direction I. At at least one front end 16, the terminal shield 4 can comprise an opening 18, at which the terminal shield 4 can receive a mating connector 20 inserted along the insertion direction I, as Figure 8 illustrated. Alternatively, the terminal shield 4 can be a metal shield made of a woven material.

[0065] The terminal shield 4 can also have discontinuities 22 in its design, which affect the impedance of the pair of contact elements 8. To compensate for the effect of the discontinuities 22, a plurality of impedance control features 24 can be implemented on the contact carrier 6 and / or the pair of contact elements 8. Preferably, the contact carrier 6 and each of the pair of contact elements 8 can have at least one impedance control feature 24, and all of the impedance control features 24 can be aligned with or at least proximate to the discontinuities 22 of the terminal shield 4. This is illustrated in Figure 1 , 4 and 5 and will be described in further detail below.

[0066] As illustrated in the embodiments of Figure 1 , 2 , 7, 8 and 9, the discontinuities 22 can be locking elements 26, preferably locking grooves 28, which are integrally formed by the terminal shield, extend along the outer circumference 30 of the terminal shield 4 and extend radially inwardly towards the contact carrier 6. In particular, the terminal shield 4 can have a reduced outer cross-section and a reduced inner cross-section at the locking grooves 28. The difference in cross-section between the locking grooves 28 and the rest of the terminal shield 4 is covered by the terminal shield 4. The locking grooves 28 can provide seats for complementary locking elements (not shown) of a suitable receptacle (not shown), for example.

[0067] The pair of contact elements 8 can be a pair of electrically conductive spring beams 32, which extend flat in the insertion direction I. The pair of spring beams 32 can be mirror-inverted to each other and arranged spaced apart from each other. Each spring beam 32 comprises a contact portion 34 at one end, a bonding portion 36 at the opposite end and an impedance control portion 38 between the contact portion 34 and the bonding portion 36. Each spring beam 32 can also comprise a transition portion 40 between the contact portion 34 and the impedance control portion 38, and a retention portion 42 between the impedance control portion 38 and the bonding portion 36.

[0068] The contact portion 34 can have a curved tip 44 with a contact area 46 configured to electrically engage in contact with a signal contact 48 of the mating connector 20, as Figure 8During the joining, the curved tip 44 of the contact portion 34 can be mechanically deflected in a direction perpendicular to the insertion direction I by the signal contact 48.

[0069] The transition portion 40 can be arranged adjacent to the contact portion 34 and comprises a first bevel transition which gradually widens the width of the transition portion 40 in the insertion direction I to a maximum width of the transition portion 40. A second bevel transition gradually narrows the width of the transition portion 40 in the insertion direction I towards the impedance control portion 38.

[0070] The impedance control portion 38 can be arranged adjacent to the transition portion 40 and extends together with the locking groove 28 of the terminal shield 4. In the illustrated embodiment, the impedance control portion 38 can have a width which is smaller than the maximum width of the transition portion 40. This adjustment of the width of the impedance control portion 38 represents one of the impedance control features 24. Figure 1 and Figure 4 In the illustrated embodiment, the impedance control portion 38 can have a width which is smaller than the maximum width of the transition portion 40. This adjustment of the width of the impedance control portion 38 represents one of the impedance control features 24.

[0071] Due to the discontinuity 22 of the terminal shield 4 of the illustrated embodiment, the inner diameter of the terminal shield 4 narrows, and the cross-sectional area of the spring beam 32 needs to be reduced at the impedance control portion 38 in order to adjust the impedance of the spring beam 32 (the principle of the impedance control features has been established in the above description of the invention and will be omitted in this section).

[0072] The retention portion 42 can be arranged adjacent to the impedance control portion 38 and comprises a retention tab 50 which laterally protrudes in a direction perpendicular to the insertion direction I. The retention tab 50 can be a plate-like member which is integrally formed from the material of the corresponding spring beam 32.

[0073] The joining portion 36 can be arranged adjacent to the retention portion 42 and comprises a joining tab 52 which protrudes in the insertion direction I as a continuation of the spring beam 32. The joining tab 52 can be a plate-like member which is integrally formed from the material of the corresponding spring beam 32. Preferably, the width of the joining tab 52 is equal to the impedance control portion 38 and is configured to join with the electrical conductor 54 of the cable 56, as illustrated in Figure 8 .

[0074] The contact carrier 6 is made of an insulating material which at least partially surrounds the pair of contact elements 8. Preferably, both contact elements 8 of the pair of contact elements 8 are surrounded by the same contact carrier 6. In particular, the contact carrier 6 surrounds the pair of contact elements 8 at and around the impedance control portion 38.

[0075] As Figures 1 to 6As shown, the contact carrier 6 can comprise at least two parts 58 which are connected to each other to form the contact carrier 6. Preferably, one of the two parts 58 is opaque and does not contain a color pigment. The other one of the two parts 58 contains a color pigment, preferably a black and / or dark color pigment, such that the two parts 58 can be connected by laser welding.

[0076] The contact carrier 6 can comprise a top part 60 and a bottom part 62, wherein the bottom part 62 can comprise a pair of holding grooves 64. The pair of holding grooves 64 extends parallel to each other in the insertion direction I. In particular, the pair of holding grooves 64 is separated by an inner wall 66. Further, at least a first section 68 of each holding groove 64 is configured to form a form fit with the transition portion of one of the pair of contact elements 8. Thus, the pair of contact elements 8 can be received within the pair of holding grooves 64 and clamped between the bottom part 62 and the top part 60 which is connected to the bottom part 62.

[0077] In the shown embodiment of Figure 1 and Figure 4 at least a second section 70 of each holding groove 64 has a width which is larger than the impedance control portion of one of the pair of contact elements 8. This forms a plurality of air-filled voids 72 between the inner surface of the pair of holding grooves 64 and the lateral surface 76 of each of the pair of contact elements 8. These air-filled voids 72 represent further impedance control features 24.

[0078] As can be seen in Figure 3 and Figure 4 at least one of the two parts 58 of the contact carrier 6, preferably both, can comprise at least one support point 78 to abut on the holding projection 50 of the spring beam 32. Preferably, the top part 60 can comprise at least one stepped protrusion 80 which protrudes perpendicular to the insertion direction I towards the bottom part 62 and the bottom part 62 can comprise at least one stepped protrusion 82 which protrudes perpendicular to the insertion direction I towards the top part 60. In particular, the stepped protrusions 80, 82 can be configured in pairs to jointly accommodate at least one holding projection of at least one contact element 50, thereby providing at least three support points 78a, 78b, 78c.

[0079] In the shown embodiment of Figure 5 and Figure 6In the illustrated embodiment, the spring beams 32 and / or the contact carrier 6 can each comprise a lateral recess 84 which is aligned with the impedance 22. These lateral recesses 84 represent impedance control features 24 which can be implemented in addition to or as an alternative to the above-described impedance control features 24. The lateral recesses 84 are essentially trapezoidal cutouts which extend through the material of the spring beams 32 and / or the contact carrier 6 in a direction perpendicular to the insertion direction I. The cutouts in the contact carrier 6 can at least partially expose the impedance control portions 38 of the spring beams 32. The skilled person will appreciate that the cutouts can also have a cuboid or circular shape.

[0080] Optionally, at least one of the two parts 58 of the contact carrier 6, preferably both, can comprise a slot 86 for interconnection with a ball stud (not shown) of an adjacent component (not shown) of the bonding portion 36, for example a protective cover (not shown). As Figure 5 and Figure 6 As illustrated, the slot 86 can be an essentially cuboid notch on a side of the contact carrier 6.

[0081] As Figure 1 , 7 and 8, the contact carrier 6 can comprise a shoulder 88 which projects laterally from the contact carrier 6 and abuts against the locking element 26 of the terminal shield 4. The shoulder 88 can be a collar 90 which extends along the outer circumference of the contact carrier 6. In particular, the top part 60 can comprise a section of the collar 90 on three sides of the top part 60 and the bottom part 62 can comprise the remainder of the collar 90 on three sides of the bottom part 62.

[0082] Figure 9 A cable assembly 2 for high-frequency data transmission is shown which comprises a contact terminal 1 and a shielded cable 92 connected thereto, preferably by a crimp connection. To this end, the terminal shield 4 of the contact terminal 1 comprises a crimp portion 94 opposite the front end 16. The crimp portion 94 is formed as an integral part of the terminal shield 4 and extends coaxially with the shielded cable 92. In addition, the crimp portion 94 is wrapped around the shielded cable 92 in the circumferential direction C.

[0083] As Figure 7 and Figure 8 can be seen, the shielded cable 92 comprises a pair of electrical conductors 54 each of which is connected with one bonding lug 52 of one of the pair of spring beams 32 of the contact terminal 1. Preferably, the connection is a solder connection.

[0084] Reference signs

[0085] 1 contact terminal

[0086] 2 cable assembly

[0087] 4 terminal shield

[0088] 6 contact carrier

[0089] 8 contact element

[0090] 10 curved metal sheet

[0091] 12 shielding wall

[0092] 14 lead-through opening

[0093] 16 front end

[0094] 18 opening

[0095] 20 mating connector

[0096] 22 discontinuity

[0097] 24 impedance control feature

[0098] 26 locking element

[0099] 28 locking groove

[0100] 30 circumference

[0101] 32 spring beam

[0102] 34 contact portion

[0103] 36 joining portion

[0104] 38 impedance control portion

[0105] 40 transition portion

[0106] 42 holding portion

[0107] 44 curved end

[0108] 46 contact area

[0109] 48 signal contact

[0110] 50 holding tab

[0111] 52 joining tab

[0112] 54 electrical conductor

[0113] 56 electrical cable

[0114] 58 two parts

[0115] 60 top part

[0116] 62 bottom part

[0117] 64 holding groove

[0118] 66 inner wall

[0119] 68 first section

[0120] 70 second section

[0121] 72 air-filled gap

[0122] 74 inner surface

[0123] 76 transverse surface

[0124] 78 support points (a, b, c)

[0125] 80 stepped protrusion

[0126] 82 stepped protrusion

[0127] 84 transverse recess

[0128] 86 slot

[0129] 88 shoulder

[0130] 90 collar

[0131] 92 shielded cable

[0132] 94 crimped portion

[0133] 96 portion with reduced cross-section

[0134] 98 portion with increased cross-section

Claims

1. A contact terminal (1) comprising a terminal shield (4), a contact carrier (6), and at least one contact element (8) for conducting electrical signals of a high-frequency data transmission, wherein the contact carrier (6) holds the at least one contact element (8) in a fixed position within the terminal shield (4); the terminal shield (4) comprises a discontinuity (22) affecting an impedance of the at least one contact element (8); and at least one of the contact carrier (6) and the at least one contact element (8) has at least one impedance control feature (24) configured to adjust the impedance of the at least one contact element (8) to a predetermined desired value depending on a frequency of the data transmission, wherein the at least one impedance control feature (24) is aligned with the discontinuity (22), impedance control feature being an adjusted cross section of at least one contact element at the impedance control portion, wherein cross section refers at least to a cross-sectional area of an electrical conductor and a distance between a surface of the electrical conductor and an adjacent conductor.

2. The contact terminal (1) of claim 1, wherein the contact carrier (6) and the at least one contact element (8) each have at least one impedance control feature (24).

3. The contact terminal (1) of claim 1, wherein the discontinuity (22) of the terminal shield (4) comprises a locking element (26) formed in an outer periphery (30) of the terminal shield (4); and the at least one impedance control feature (24) is aligned with the locking element (26).

4. The contact terminal (1) of claim 3, wherein the locking element (26) is a locking groove (28) extending at least partially along the outer periphery (30) of the terminal shield (4).

5. The contact terminal (1) of claim 1, wherein the at least one contact element (8) comprises a transition portion (40) having a larger cross section than a cross section of the impedance control portion (38).

6. The contact terminal (1) of any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the at least one contact element (8) comprises a holding portion (42) having at least one laterally protruding holding tab (50).

7. The contact terminal (1) of any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the contact terminal (1) comprises a pair of contact elements (8) arranged spaced apart and electrically isolated from each other; and each contact element (8) is configured to transmit one signal of a differential signal pair for the high-frequency data transmission.

8. The contact terminal (1) of any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the contact carrier (6) is made of an insulating material at least partially surrounding the at least one contact element (8); and the at least one impedance control feature (24) comprises an adjusted material thickness of the contact carrier (6).

9. The contact terminal (1) of any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein The at least one impedance control feature (24) comprises at least one gap (72) at least partially separating the at least one contact element (8) from direct contact with the contact carrier (6).

10. The contact terminal (1) according to any of claims 1 to 5, wherein The at least one impedance control feature (24) comprises a lateral recess (84) on the contact carrier (6) and / or the at least one contact element (8).

11. The contact terminal (1) according to any of claims 1 to 5, wherein The terminal shield (4) comprises a portion (96) having a reduced cross section; and The at least one contact element (8) comprises a cross section reduction.

12. The contact terminal (1) according to claim 11, wherein The terminal shield (4) comprises a portion (98) having an increased cross section; and The at least one contact element (8) comprises a cross section increase.

13. The contact terminal (1) according to claim 12, wherein In a direction perpendicular to the insertion direction (I), the cross section reduction overlaps the portion (96) having a reduced cross section and / or the cross section increase overlaps the portion (98) having an increased cross section.

14. The contact terminal (1) according to any of claims 1 to 5, wherein The terminal shield (4) and the contact carrier (6) are joined in a form fit connection; and A discontinuity (22) of the terminal shield (4) is part of the form fit connection.

Images