Connection module and electronic equipment

Abstract

A connection module and an electronic device, the connection module comprises a circuit board assembly, the circuit board assembly comprises a first end and a second end, each of the first end and the second end is provided with a plurality of terminals, and at least part of the terminals of the first end and the plurality of terminals of the second end are in one-to-one correspondence and communication connection; the terminal of the first end is used for being in communication connection with a first component, and the terminal of the second end is used for being in communication connection with a second component. The electronic equipment comprises a first component, a second component and the connecting module, the first component is in communication connection with the first end of the connecting module, and the second component is in communication connection with the second end of the connecting module. According to the connection module and the electronic equipment, the problem that a cable interconnection framework is not beneficial to heat dissipation of the electronic equipment can be solved, and the problem that impedance discontinuous points can be generated in a welding area of a cable and a connector in the cable interconnection framework is solved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present application relates to the technical field of electronic equipment, and in particular to a connection module and electronic equipment. Background Art

[0002] As processor performance continues to improve, the performance of the processor's high-speed interface is also improving. Among them, the rate at which the processor's high-speed interface transmits signals is getting higher and higher. For example, the high-speed peripheral component interconnect express (PCIe) bus technology is constantly improving. Specifically, the processor's high-speed interface has evolved from PCIe1.0 to PCIe5.0, and the signal transmission rate has increased from 2.5G to 32G. In addition, the current transmission rate of the high-speed bus has evolved to 112G. The traditional signal transmission method still relies on the cable interconnection architecture, that is, the printed circuit board (PCB) is connected by cables to achieve signal transmission. Specifically, Figure 1 A cable assembly is shown. Figure 1 As shown, the cable assembly includes a cable 10' and two connectors 20', and the two ends of the cable 10' are respectively welded to a connector 20'. When the cable assembly is used for the interconnection between a pair of objects to be connected in a high-speed link of an electronic device, one connector 20' is connected to one of the objects to be connected, and the other connector 20' is connected to the other of the objects to be connected, thereby realizing the interconnection between the objects to be connected, so that the two objects to be connected can be transmitted with signals. Although this cable assembly can realize signal transmission, its shortcomings are also increasingly prominent. On the one hand, in the cable assembly, the cable 10' usually includes a cable core composed of multiple signal lines and an insulating surface layer coated on the surface of the cable core, which makes the outer diameter of the cable 10' usually reach more than 5 mm. The numerous cable assemblies arranged in an interlaced manner in the electronic device make the internal wind resistance of the electronic device larger, which has an adverse effect on heat dissipation. On the other hand, the cable 10' is welded to the connector 20'. The existence of the welding area causes the cable assembly to produce an impedance discontinuity point, and the impedance discontinuity point affects the signal integrity (SI) of the signal transmitted by the cable assembly. Summary of the invention

[0003] A connection module and electronic device provided in the present application can solve the problem that the cable interconnection architecture is not conducive to the heat dissipation of electronic equipment, and improve the problem that impedance discontinuity points will be generated in the welding area of ​​the cable and the connector in the cable interconnection architecture.

[0004] In the first aspect, a connection module is provided, which includes a circuit board assembly, the circuit board assembly includes a first end and a second end, wherein the first end and the second end both have a plurality of terminals, and at least part of the terminals of the first end correspond to and are communicatively connected with the plurality of terminals of the second end. The terminals of the first end are used for communication connection with the first component, and the terminals of the second end are used for communication connection with the second component. In this scheme, the circuit board assembly is used as the connection module, and the thickness of the circuit board assembly is much smaller than the outer diameter of the cable assembly. In practical applications, the side surface of the circuit board can be made as perpendicular to the wind direction as possible, so that the windward cross-section of the connection module provided by the present application is greatly reduced compared with the traditional cable, thereby effectively reducing the wind resistance. At the same time, based on the manufacturing process of the circuit board, the wiring density of the connection module can be significantly improved, and the signal transmission path, that is, the path from each terminal of the second end to the terminal corresponding to the first end, is integrally formed, without welding, and impedance discontinuity points caused by welding can be avoided, thereby improving the signal integrity of the signal transmitted by the connection module and reducing the loss of the high-speed link.

[0005] In a possible implementation, the circuit board assembly includes a first flexible circuit board, a second flexible circuit board and an insulating reinforcement pad, wherein the first flexible circuit board includes a first connection end located at a first end and a second connection end located at a second end, the second flexible circuit board includes a third connection end located at the first end and a fourth connection end located at the second end, the first connection end is arranged opposite to the third connection end, and the second connection end is arranged opposite to the fourth connection end. The terminal at the first end includes a plurality of first terminals located at the first connection end and a plurality of third terminals located at the third connection end, the terminal at the second connection end includes a plurality of second terminals located at the second connection end and a plurality of fourth terminals located at the fourth connection end, at least part of the first terminals correspond to the plurality of second terminals one-to-one and are connected in communication, and at least part of the third terminals correspond to the plurality of fourth terminals one-to-one and are connected in communication. The first connection end and the third connection end constitute a first connection body, and the first connection body is used for communication connection with the first component. The second connection end and the fourth connection end constitute a second connection body, and the second connection body is used for communication connection with the second component, and at least one of the first connection body and the second connection body is a first direct connection body. An insulating reinforcement pad is provided between the two connection ends of each first direct connector, and the two connection ends are fixedly connected to the insulating reinforcement pad, and in each first direct connector, the terminal of each connection end is located on the surface of the connection end away from the other connection end. A direct connector is a connector that can be directly connected to an object to be connected without the aid of welding or the like. At least one of the first connector and the second connector is a first direct connector, which can reduce welding when the connection module is connected to the object to be connected to a certain extent, and can further improve the signal integrity of the signal transmitted by the connection module. At the same time, the connection module adopts the form of a flexible circuit board. The flexible circuit board has the characteristic of being flexible and bendable in the area without the insulating reinforcement pad. It can be bent according to the system design requirements, and can better meet the requirements of routing flexibility.

[0006] In a possible implementation, the first component includes a first plugging channel, and the second component includes a second plugging channel. The shape of the first direct connection body is adapted to the shape of the corresponding first plugging channel or the second plugging channel, so as to ensure a reliable connection between the first direct connection body and the corresponding first component or the second component on the basis of enabling signal transmission between the first direct connection body and the corresponding first component or the second component.

[0007] In a possible implementation, the connection module includes a first shell, each first direct connection body corresponds to a first shell, the first shell is covered on the corresponding first direct connection body, and is fixedly connected to the first flexible circuit board and the second flexible circuit board. In the plugging and unplugging direction of the first direct connection body, the end of the first shell facing away from the first direct connection body is open, and the surface of the terminal of the corresponding first end or second end is located in the opening of the first shell. The provision of the first shell facilitates the installation and fixation of the first direct connection body on the electronic device, and at the same time, facilitates the operation of the operator.

[0008] In a possible implementation, the first connector and the second connector are both first direct connectors to avoid the generation of impedance discontinuities in the connection module, further improve the signal integrity of the signal transmitted by the connection module, and reduce high-speed link losses.

[0009] In a possible implementation, the circuit board assembly includes at least one third end, each third end has a plurality of terminals, and at least some of the terminals of the first end correspond to and are communicatively connected with the plurality of terminals of each third end. The terminals of each third end are used for communicatively connecting with a third component, so that the connection module provided by the present application can be used for communication connection between multiple pairs of connection objects, making the function of the connection module more powerful.

[0010] Furthermore, the first flexible circuit board includes a fifth connection terminal located at the third end, the second flexible circuit board includes a sixth connection terminal located at the third end, the fifth connection terminal is spaced from the first connection terminal and the second connection terminal, the sixth connection terminal is spaced from the third connection terminal and the fourth connection terminal, and the fifth connection terminal is arranged opposite to the sixth connection terminal. The terminals at the third end include a plurality of fifth terminals located at the fifth connection terminal and a plurality of sixth terminals located at the sixth connection terminal, some of the first terminals correspond to the plurality of fifth terminals one-to-one and are communicatively connected, and some of the third terminals correspond to the plurality of sixth terminals one-to-one and are communicatively connected. The fifth connection terminal and the sixth connection terminal of each third end constitute a third connector, and the third connector is used for communicatively connecting with the third component.

[0011] Furthermore, at least one third connector is a second direct connector, an insulating reinforcement pad is fixed between two connection ends in each second direct connector, and in each second direct connector, a terminal of each connection end is located on a surface of the connection end away from another connection end. The provision of the second direct connector can further improve the integrity of the signal transmitted by the connection module provided in the present application.

[0012] In a possible implementation, the third component includes a third plug channel, and the shape of the second direct connection body is adapted to the shape of the corresponding third plug channel to ensure reliable connection between the second direct connection body and the third component on the basis of realizing signal transmission.

[0013] In a possible implementation, the connection module includes a second shell, each second direct connection body corresponds to a second shell, the second shell is covered on the second direct connection body, and the second shell is fixedly connected to the first flexible circuit board and the second flexible circuit board. In the plugging and unplugging direction of the second direct connection body, the end of the second shell facing away from the second direct connection body is open, and the surface of the terminal at the third end is located in the opening of the second shell. The second shell is arranged to facilitate the installation and fixation of the second direct connection body on the electronic device, and at the same time, provides a fulcrum for the operator to operate, which is convenient for the operator to operate.

[0014] In a second aspect, an electronic device is provided, the electronic device comprising a first component, a second component and the connection module in the first aspect, the first component is communicatively connected to the first end of the connection module, and the second component is communicatively connected to the second end of the connection module. For the technical effects that can be achieved by the second aspect, please refer to the description of the technical effects that can be achieved by the corresponding design scheme in the first aspect, and this application will not repeat them here.

[0015] In a possible implementation, the circuit board assembly in the connection module includes at least one third end, each third end has a plurality of terminals, and at least part of the terminals of the first end correspond one-to-one with the plurality of terminals of each third end and are communicatively connected. The terminals of each third end are used to communicate with a third component. The electronic device includes at least one third component, and the third component corresponds one-to-one with the third end and is communicatively connected. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0016] Figure 1 is a structural schematic diagram of a cable assembly;

[0017] Figure 2 A schematic diagram of the structure of an electronic device provided in this application;

[0018] Figure 3 A three-dimensional diagram of a connection module provided in this application;

[0019] Figure 4 for Figure 3 An exploded view of the connection module shown;

[0020] Figure 5 A front view of a first flexible circuit board in a connection module provided in the present application;

[0021] Figure 6 A front view of a first flexible circuit board in another connection module provided by the present application;

[0022] Figure 7 A front view of a second flexible circuit board in a connection module provided by the present application;

[0023] Figure 8 A front view of a second flexible circuit board in another connection module provided by the present application;

[0024] Fig. 9 for Figure 3 A front view of the connection module in another state;

[0025] Fig.10 An application scenario of a connection module provided in this application;

[0026] Fig.11 Another application scenario of the connection module provided in this application;

[0027] Fig.12 A three-dimensional diagram of a connection module provided in this application;

[0028] Fig.13 A front view of another connection module provided for this application;

[0029] Fig.14 A front view of another connection module provided for this application;

[0030] Fig.15 A three-dimensional diagram of another connection module provided for this application;

[0031] Fig.16 for Fig.15 A three-dimensional view of the connection module from another angle;

[0032] Fig.17 for Fig.15 An exploded view of the connection module shown;

[0033] Fig.18 A front view of another connection module provided in this application. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0034] In order to solve the problem that the cable interconnection architecture is not conducive to the heat dissipation of electronic devices and to improve the problem that impedance discontinuities will be generated in the welding area between the cable and the connector in the cable interconnection architecture, the present application provides a connection module and an electronic device.

[0035] The connection module and electronic device provided by the present application are described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0036] It is worth noting that the electronic device in the present application can be a communication device, such as a router; it can also be a computing device, such as a server. Typical scenarios for applying connection modules in servers include high-speed networking of multi-way servers, interconnection between components, and interconnection between interconnections. In addition, the electronic device in the present application can also be a network device, such as a switch; it can also be a storage device, such as a storage array. Obviously, this is not an exhaustive list. The present application does not limit the specific type of electronic device. As long as the electronic device needs to use a connection module to achieve connection, it can be used as the electronic device provided by the present application. The following embodiments are described by taking the electronic device as a server as an example.

[0037] like Figure 2 As shown, an electronic device provided by the present application includes a first component 200, a second component 300 and a connection module 100, one end of the connection module 100 is connected to the first component 200 for communication, and the second end of the connection module 100 is connected to the second component 300 for communication, so that the first component 200 and the second component 300 can transmit signals and realize communication. Exemplarily, the first component 200 and the second component 300 can be a circuit board assembly respectively, and it should be understood that the circuit board assembly includes a circuit board 210 and a chip 220 or a capacitor and other electronic devices arranged on the circuit board 210. For example: the first component 200 and the second component 300 both include a circuit board 210 and two processor (central processing unit, CPU) chips arranged on the circuit board. Each circuit board 210 is provided with an interface 211 for connecting to the connection module 100, the first end of the connection module 100 is connected to the interface 211 on the circuit board of the first component 200, and the second end of the connection module 100 is connected to the interface 211 on the circuit board in the second component 300. Of course, the types of the first component 200 and the second component 300 are not limited thereto. For example, the first component 200 and the second component 300 may be different devices on the same circuit board assembly. The first component 200 and the second component 300 may also be components such as a hard disk or a memory. In short, the first component 200 and the second component 300 provided in the present application refer to electronic structures with signal transmission requirements.

[0038] Further, Figure 3 FIG. 1 shows a three-dimensional diagram of a connection module 100 provided by the present application. Figure 3As shown, the connection module 100 includes a circuit board assembly 10, and the circuit board assembly 10 includes a first end D1 and a second end D2, wherein the first end D1 and the second end D2 both have a plurality of terminals, and at least part of the terminals of the first end D1 correspond one-to-one with the plurality of terminals of the second end D2 and are communicatively connected; the terminals of the first end D1 are used for communication connection with the first component 200, and the terminals of the second end D2 are used for communication connection with the second component 300. In the present application, the circuit board assembly 10 is used as the connection module, and the thickness of the circuit board assembly 10 is usually only a few tenths of a millimeter (for example: 0.2 mm), which is much smaller than the outer diameter of the cable assembly. In practical applications, the side surface of the circuit board can be made as perpendicular to the wind direction as possible, that is, the connection module 100 provided in the present application has a greatly reduced windward cross-section compared to the harness diameter of more than 5 mm of the traditional cable, thereby effectively reducing wind resistance. At the same time, based on the manufacturing process of the circuit board, the wiring density of the connection module 100 can be significantly improved, and the signal transmission path, that is, the path from each terminal at the second end to the corresponding terminal at the first end, is integrally formed without welding, which can avoid impedance discontinuities caused by welding, thereby improving the signal integrity of the signal transmitted by the connection module 100 and reducing high-speed link losses. Exemplarily, in some embodiments, when the connection module 100 provided by the present application is used, the high-speed signal integrity can be optimized by more than 1dB compared to the cable assembly, for example: the high-speed signal integrity is optimized by more than 1dB and less than 2dB compared to the cable assembly.

[0039] Figure 4 Shows Figure 3 The exploded view of the connection module 100 is shown in FIG. Figure 2 Based on the combination Figure 3 and Figure 4 The circuit board assembly 10 includes a first flexible printed circuit (FPC) 1 and a second flexible printed circuit 2, and the first flexible printed circuit 1 and the second flexible printed circuit 2 are arranged opposite to each other. Specifically, the first flexible printed circuit 1 has a first connection end 11 and a second connection end 12, and the second flexible printed circuit 2 has a third connection end 21 and a fourth connection end 22. The first connection end 11 and the third connection end 21 are both located at the first end D1 of the circuit board assembly 10, and the first connection end 11 is opposite to the third connection end 21, and the second connection end 12 and the fourth connection end 22 are both located at the second end D2 of the circuit board assembly 10, and the second connection end 12 is opposite to the fourth connection end 22. Further, please refer to Figure 5 and Figure 6 The front view of the first flexible circuit board 1 shown in FIG. 1 shows that the first connection end 11 of the first flexible circuit board 1 has a plurality of first terminals 111, and the second connection end 12 has a plurality of second terminals 121. At least some of the first terminals 111 correspond to and are in communication connection with the plurality of second terminals 121. In other words, the first connection end 111 of the first flexible circuit board 1 has a plurality of first terminals 111, and the second connection end 121 has a plurality of second terminals 121. Figure 5As shown in , the first terminals 111 and the second terminals 121 correspond to each other one by one, and each pair of the first terminals 111 and the second terminals 121 are connected in communication; Figure 6 As shown in , the number of first terminals 111 is greater than the number of second terminals 121, and a portion of the first terminals 111 correspond to the second terminals 121 one by one and are communicatively connected. Figure 7 and Figure 8 The front view of the second flexible circuit board 2 shown in FIG. 1 shows that the third connection end 21 of the second flexible circuit board 2 has a plurality of third terminals 211, and the fourth connection end 22 has a plurality of fourth terminals 221. At least some of the third terminals 211 correspond to and are in communication connection with the plurality of fourth terminals 221. Similarly, it can be as follows Figure 7 As shown, the number of third terminals 211 and fourth terminals 221 is the same and corresponds one to one, and each pair of third terminals 211 and fourth terminals 221 is connected in communication; it can also be as follows Figure 8 As shown, the number of the third terminals 211 is greater than the number of the fourth terminals 221, and a part of the third terminals 211 corresponds to the fourth terminals 221 one by one and is communicatively connected. It is not difficult to understand that, based on the manufacturing process of the flexible circuit board, each pair of the first terminal 111, the second terminal 121 and the wiring connecting the first terminal 111 and the second terminal 121 are integrally formed, and each pair of the third terminal 211, the fourth terminal 221 and the wiring connecting the third terminal 211 and the fourth terminal 221 are integrally formed. There is no direct correlation between the number of signal paths on the first flexible circuit board 1 and the number of signal paths on the second flexible circuit board 2, and the two can be the same or different. It should be understood that the terminals at the first end of the circuit board assembly 10 include a plurality of first terminals 111 located at the above-mentioned first connection end 11 and a plurality of third terminals 211 located at the above-mentioned third connection end 21, and the terminals at the second end 12 of the circuit board assembly 10 include a plurality of second terminals 121 located at the above-mentioned second connection end 12 and a plurality of fourth terminals 221 located at the above-mentioned fourth connection end 22.

[0040] Next, please continue to refer to Figure 3 and Figure 4For ease of understanding, the first connection end 11 and the third connection end 21 are used as the first connection body 110, and the second connection end 12 and the fourth connection end 22 are used as the second connection body 120. The first connection body 110 is communicatively connected to the first component 200, and the second connection body 120 is communicatively connected to the second component 300. At least one of the first connection body 110 and the second connection body 120 is a first direct connection body, that is, the first connection body 110 is a first direct connection body, or the second connection body 120 is a first direct connection body, or both the first connection body 110 and the second connection body 120 are first direct connections. An insulating reinforcement pad is provided between the two connection ends of each first direct connection body, and the two connection ends are fixedly connected to the insulating reinforcement pad. In each first direct connection body, the terminal of each connection end is located on the surface of the connection end facing away from the other connection end. Figure 4 For example, the first connector 110 and the second connector 120 are both first direct connectors, the two connection ends of the first connector 110 are the first connection end 11 and the third connection end 21, an insulation reinforcement pad A is provided between the first connection end 11 and the third connection end 21, and the first connection end 11 and the third connection end 21 are both fixedly connected to the insulation reinforcement pad A. Each first terminal 111 is located on the surface a of the first flexible circuit board 1 away from the second flexible circuit board 2, and each third terminal 211 is located on the surface b of the second flexible circuit board 2 away from the first flexible circuit board 1. The two connection ends of the second connector 120 are the second connection end 12 and the fourth connection end 22, an insulation reinforcement pad B is provided between the second connection end 12 and the fourth connection end 22, and the second connection end 12 and the fourth connection end 22 are both fixedly connected to the insulation reinforcement pad B. Each second terminal 121 is located on the surface a of the first flexible circuit board 1 away from the second flexible circuit board 2, and each fourth terminal 221 is located on the surface b of the second flexible circuit board 2 away from the first flexible circuit board 1.

[0041] As the name implies, a direct connector is a connector that can be directly connected to a to-be-connected object without the aid of welding or other methods. At least one of the first connector 110 and the second connector 120 is a first direct connector, which means that the connection module in the present application can be directly connected to a to-be-connected object without the aid of welding or other methods at least at one end, which also reduces welding to a certain extent and can further improve the signal integrity of the signal transmitted by the connection module 100. At the same time, based on the above embodiments, Fig. 9 As shown, the connection module 100 is in the form of a flexible circuit board. The flexible circuit board has the characteristic of being flexibly bendable in the area E where there is no insulating reinforcement pad. It can be bent according to system design requirements and can better meet the requirements of wiring flexibility.

[0042] In addition, the connection module 100 may include a reference layer, which may be a ground layer in the flexible circuit board or a layered structure disposed on the surface of the flexible circuit board. The provision of the reference layer may also improve the signal integrity of the signal transmitted by the connection module 100.

[0043] In some embodiments, the first component 200 includes a first insertion channel and the second component 300 includes a second insertion channel. Fig.10 As shown in the application scenario of the connection module 100 shown, in a specific implementation method, the first component 200 and the second component 300 both include two rows of metal pins 201 arranged opposite to each other, and the two rows of metal pins 201 are arranged at intervals to jointly define the corresponding first plug-in channel or the second plug-in channel. Accordingly, when the first direct connection body is specifically set, the shape of the first direct connection body is adapted to the shape of the corresponding first plug-in channel or the second plug-in channel. That is, when the first connection body 110 is the first direct connection body, the outer contour of the first direct connection body is adapted to the outer contour of the first plug-in channel, and when the second connection body 120 is the first direct connection body, the outer contour of the first direct connection body is adapted to the outer contour of the second plug-in channel. Further, the first direct connection body is inserted into the corresponding first plug-in channel or the second plug-in channel, and the terminals of each connection end of the connection module 100 are respectively connected to the corresponding metal pins 201 for communication.

[0044] It should be understood that the outer contour of the first direct connector is matched with the outer contour of the corresponding first plug-in channel or the second plug-in channel. The matching mentioned here does not mean that the dimensions are equal in a strict sense, but means that the connecting part of the first direct connector can be inserted into the corresponding first plug-in channel or the second plug-in channel and maintain a reliable connection therewith.

[0045] Fig.11 Another application scenario schematic diagram of the connection module 100 is shown. Fig.11 As shown, in some other embodiments, the first component 200 and the second component 300 may also each include two pin groups arranged at intervals, each pin group includes two rows of metal pins 301 arranged opposite to each other, and the two rows of metal pins 301 in each pin group are arranged on opposite sides of the connection module 100. The two pin groups together define a corresponding first plug channel or a second plug channel. Fig.12 A structural stereogram of a connection module 100 is shown. Fig.12 As shown, accordingly, each connection end of the connection module 100 includes two rows of terminals, and each row of terminals is communicatively connected to a corresponding row of metal pins 301 .

[0046] When the connection module 100 is installed in an electronic device, there are multiple ways to fix the connection module 100 in the electronic device, which are not limited in the present application. For example, the first direct connection body can be fixed to the electronic device by bonding or screw connection, or the electronic device is provided with a snap-in groove or snap-in column group for fixing the first direct connection body, and the first direct connection body is snapped into the corresponding snap-in groove or snap-in column group. The specific setting of the connection module 100 is described below by taking the example of the first direct connection body being fixed to the electronic device by screw connection. Fig.12 As shown, the first direct connection body and the corresponding insulation reinforcement pad both have a first positioning hole 3, and the first positioning hole 3 penetrates the first direct connection body and the corresponding insulation reinforcement pad along the thickness direction of the first direct connection body, so as to facilitate the preliminary determination of the position of the first direct connection body in the electronic device, making the fixation of the first direct connection body more convenient. The first direct connection body and the insulation reinforcement pad both have a first threaded hole 4, and the first threaded hole 4 penetrates the first direct connection body and the insulation reinforcement pad along the thickness direction of the first direct connection body.

[0047] It should be understood that the shape of each connection end is adapted to the shape of the interface of the corresponding first component 200 or second component 300, and is not limited to a certain shape. Fig.13 In the structure of the connection module 100 shown, the first connection end 11 and the second connection end 12 may also be in the shape of a square. Similarly, the third connection end 21 and the fourth connection end 22 may also be in the shape of a square. Fig.14 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a connection module 100 provided in this application. Fig.13 Based on the combination Fig.14 In a specific implementation, the connection module 100 includes a first shell 5, each first direct connection body corresponds to a first shell 5, the first shell 5 is covered on the first direct connection body, and is fixedly connected to the first flexible circuit board 1 and the second flexible circuit board 2. In the plugging and unplugging direction of the first direct connection body, the end of the first shell 5 away from the first direct connection body is open, and the surface of the terminal of the corresponding first end or second end of the circuit board assembly is located in the opening of the first shell. The setting of the first shell 5 facilitates the installation and fixation of the first direct connection body on the electronic device, and can also play a role in protecting the first direct connection body. At the same time, it can provide a gripping portion for the operator to hold the first direct connection body, which is more convenient for the operator to achieve the connection between the first direct connection body and the corresponding first component 200 or second component 300.

[0048] Furthermore, the connection module 100 may also include an insulating protective layer 500, which covers the first flexible circuit board and the second flexible circuit board located between the first connector 110 and the second connector 120, thereby protecting the first flexible circuit board 1 and the second flexible circuit board 2.

[0049] In some embodiments, the electronic device further includes at least one third component, that is, the third component may be one, two, three or more according to specific settings. Fig.15 A three-dimensional diagram of a connection module 100 provided by the present application is shown. Fig.16 for Fig.15 The connecting module 100 is shown in another perspective view. Fig.15 and Fig.16 As shown, the circuit board assembly 10 includes at least one third end D3, each third end D3 has a plurality of terminals, and at least part of the terminals of the first end D1 correspond to and are communicatively connected with the plurality of terminals of each third end D3. The terminals of each third end D3 are used for communicatively connecting with a third component, so that the connection module 100 provided by the present application can be used for communication connection between multiple pairs of connection objects, making the function of the connection module 100 more powerful.

[0050] In a specific implementation, the first flexible circuit board 1 includes at least one fifth connection terminal 13, and the fifth connection terminal 13 corresponds to the third component one-to-one, that is, the number is the same. Specifically, there is a gap between each fifth connection terminal 13 and the first connection terminal 11 and the second connection terminal 12. Correspondingly, the second flexible circuit board 2 includes a sixth connection terminal 23, and the sixth connection terminal 23 corresponds to the fifth connection terminal 13 one-to-one, that is, the number of the sixth connection terminal 23 and the fifth connection terminal 13 is the same, and each fifth connection terminal 13 is opposite to the corresponding sixth connection terminal 23. It is not difficult to understand that there is also a gap between each sixth connection terminal 23 and the third connection terminal 21 and the fourth connection terminal 22, and each pair of the fifth connection terminal 13 and the sixth connection terminal 23 is located at a third end D3 of the circuit board assembly. Next, please combine Fig.15 and Fig.16 . The fifth connection terminal 13 has a plurality of fifth terminals 131, and some of the first terminals 111 correspond one-to-one with the plurality of fifth terminals 131 and are communicatively connected. The sixth connection terminal 23 has a plurality of sixth terminals 231, and some of the third terminals 211 correspond one-to-one with the plurality of sixth terminals 231 and are communicatively connected. Each pair of the fifth connection terminal 13 and the sixth connection terminal 23 constitutes a third connection body 130, and the third connection body 130 is communicatively connected with the corresponding third component. It should be understood that the terminals of the third end include the plurality of fifth terminals of the above-mentioned fifth connection terminal and the plurality of sixth terminals of the above-mentioned sixth connection terminal. Exemplarily, the terminals of the fifth connection terminal 13 and the sixth connection terminal 23 can be one row or two rows.

[0051] In a specific implementation, at least one third connector 130 of the connection module 100 is a second direct connector, an insulating reinforcement pad C is fixed between two connection ends in each second direct connector, and in each second direct connector, the terminal of each connection end is located on the surface of the connection end away from the other connection end. Fig.17 A disassembled view of a connection module 100 is shown. Fig.16 and Fig.17 The connection module 100 has a fifth connection terminal 13 and a sixth connection terminal 23. The third connection body 130 formed by the fifth connection terminal 13 and the sixth connection terminal 23 is a second direct connection body. Each fifth terminal 131 is located on the surface a of the first flexible circuit board 1 away from the second flexible circuit board 2, and each sixth terminal 231 is located on the surface b of the second flexible circuit board 2 away from the first flexible circuit board 1.

[0052] Next, in Fig.15 Based on the combination Fig.16 and Fig.17A connection module 100 provided in this embodiment is specifically introduced. Specifically, in some embodiments, the first flexible circuit board 1 includes a first connection end 11, a second connection end 12 and a fifth connection end 13, the fifth connection end 13 is located between the first connection end 11 and the second connection end 12, and there is a gap between the fifth connection end 13 and the first connection end 11 and the second connection end 12. Further, the first connection end 11 has a plurality of first terminals 111, the second connection end 12 has a plurality of second terminals 121, and the fifth connection end 13 has a plurality of fifth terminals 131, and the first terminals 111, the second terminals 121 and the fifth terminals 131 are all located on the surface a of the first flexible circuit board 1 away from the second flexible circuit board 2. Some of the plurality of first terminals 111 of the first connection end 11 correspond to the second terminals 121 one by one and are communicatively connected, and the remaining terminals of the plurality of first terminals 111 of the first connection end 11 correspond to the fifth terminals 131 one by one and are communicatively connected. The second flexible circuit board 2 includes a third connection end 21, a fourth connection end 22 and a sixth connection end 23. The sixth connection end 23 is located between the third connection end 21 and the fourth connection end 22, and there is a gap between the sixth connection end 23 and the third connection end 21 and the fourth connection end 22. Furthermore, the third connection end 21 has a plurality of third terminals 211, the fourth connection end 22 has a plurality of fourth terminals 221, and the sixth connection end 23 has a plurality of sixth terminals 231. The third terminals 211, the fourth terminals 221 and the sixth terminals 231 are all located on the surface b of the second flexible circuit board 2 away from the first flexible circuit board 1. Some of the plurality of third terminals 211 of the third connection end 21 correspond to the fourth terminals 221 one by one and are connected in communication, and the remaining terminals of the plurality of third terminals 211 of the third connection end 21 correspond to the sixth terminals 231 one by one and are connected in communication. The third connection end 21 is opposite to the first connection end 11 and is fixedly connected through the insulation reinforcement pad A. The whole formed by the three is used for communication connection with the first component 200. The fourth connection terminal 22 is opposite to the second connection terminal 12 and is fixedly connected via the insulating reinforcement pad B. The whole formed by the three is used for communication connection with the second component 300. The sixth connection terminal 23 is opposite to the fifth connection terminal 13 and is fixedly connected via the insulating reinforcement pad C. The whole formed by the three is used for communication connection with the third component.

[0053] In a specific implementation, the third component may include a third plugging channel, and the shape of the second direct connection body is adapted to the shape of the corresponding third plugging channel. The specific setting of the third plugging channel can refer to the setting of the first plugging channel and the second plugging channel, which will not be repeated here.

[0054] In a specific implementation, the thickness of the first flexible circuit board 1 and the second flexible circuit board 2 can be 0.1 mm, the thickness of the insulation reinforcement pad can be 1.37 mm, and the thickness of the first flexible circuit board 1, the second flexible circuit board 2 and the insulation reinforcement pad after bonding is 1.57 mm, which is equal to the thickness of the corresponding plug-in channel of the first component 200, the second component 300 or the third component. Exemplarily, each terminal is a gold finger, and the plug-in channels of the first component 200, the second component 300 and the third component are also defined by gold fingers.

[0055] Similarly, there are many ways to fix the second direct connection body to the electronic device, for example: the second direct connection body can be fixed to the electronic device by bonding or screw connection, or the electronic device is provided with a snap-in slot or snap-in column group for fixing the second direct connection body, and the second direct connection body is snap-into the corresponding snap-in slot or snap-in column group. The specific setting of the connection module 100 is described below by taking the second direct connection body fixed to the electronic device by screw connection as an example. In some embodiments, the second direct connection body and the corresponding insulation reinforcement pad both have a second positioning hole 6, and the second positioning hole 6 penetrates the second direct connection body and the corresponding insulation reinforcement pad along the thickness direction of the second direct connection body, so as to facilitate the preliminary determination of the position of the second direct connection body in the electronic device, making the fixation of the second direct connection body more convenient. The second direct connection body and the corresponding insulation reinforcement pad have a second threaded hole 7, and the second threaded hole 7 penetrates the second direct connection body and the corresponding insulation reinforcement pad along the thickness direction of the second direct connection body.

[0056] Fig.18 Schematic diagram of the structure of a connection module 100 provided in this application. Fig.18 As shown, in a specific implementation, the connection module 100 includes a second shell 8, and each second direct connection body corresponds to a second shell 8. The second shell 8 is covered on the second direct connection body and is fixedly connected to the first flexible circuit board 1 and the second flexible circuit board 2. In the plugging and unplugging direction of the second direct connection body, the end of the second shell 8 away from the second direct connection body is open, and the surface of the terminal at the third end is located in the opening of the second shell. The arrangement of the second shell 8 facilitates the installation and fixation of the second direct connection body on the electronic device, and can also provide a gripping portion for the operator to hold the second direct connection body, and at the same time, facilitates the operator to achieve the connection between the second direct connection body and the corresponding third component.

[0057] Furthermore, the insulating protection layer 500 also covers the first flexible circuit board 1 and the second flexible circuit board 2 except for the third connector 130 , so as to better protect the first flexible circuit board 1 and the second flexible circuit board 2 .

[0058] Next, the manufacturing process of the cable assembly and a connection module 100 provided in the present application is briefly described. Exemplarily, the manufacturing process of the cable assembly is roughly as follows:

[0059] The first step is to form a plurality of terminals, and then inject the formed plurality of terminals into a carrier to obtain a terminal assembly;

[0060] Strip and organize the cables at the connecting end;

[0061] Step 2: Weld and connect the terminal assembly to the cable processed in the first step;

[0062] Step 3: Apply glue to the welding point between the terminal assembly and the cable;

[0063] Step 4: Cover the outer periphery of the terminal assembly with a shell and perform injection molding;

[0064] Step 5: Conduct performance test on the product obtained in step 4.

[0065] The manufacturing process of a connection module 100 provided in the present application is roughly as follows:

[0066] The first step is to provide an insulating reinforcement pad and a flexible circuit board;

[0067] Step 2: Fitting an insulating reinforcement pad between two connection ends of each directly connected body;

[0068] Step 3: After step 2, a shell is formed on the outer periphery of each directly connected body. At the same time, the structure obtained after the shell is formed can be reinforced. The reinforcement can be achieved by injection molding.

[0069] Step 4: Perform performance test on the product obtained in step 3.

[0070] By comparing the above two manufacturing processes, it is not difficult to see that the connection module 100 provided in the present application has simpler processing steps than the cable assembly, and thus can reduce manufacturing costs and improve manufacturing efficiency compared to the cable assembly.

[0071] Obviously, those skilled in the art can make various changes and modifications to the present application without departing from the scope of the present application. Thus, if these modifications and variations of the present application fall within the scope of the claims of the present application and their equivalents, the present application is also intended to include these modifications and variations.

Claims

1. A connection module, characterized in that: It includes a circuit board assembly, which includes a first end and a second end, wherein the first end and the second end each have a plurality of terminals, and at least part of the terminals of the first end correspond one-to-one with the plurality of terminals of the second end and are communicatively connected; the terminals of the first end are used for communication connection with a first component, and the terminals of the second end are used for communication connection with a second component.

2. The connection module according to claim 1, characterized in that: The circuit board assembly includes a first flexible circuit board, a second flexible circuit board and an insulating reinforcement pad, wherein the first flexible circuit board includes a first connection end located at the first end and a second connection end located at the second end, the second flexible circuit board includes a third connection end located at the first end and a fourth connection end located at the second end, the first connection end is arranged opposite to the third connection end, and the second connection end is arranged opposite to the fourth connection end; the terminals of the first end include a plurality of first terminals located at the first connection end and a plurality of third terminals located at the third connection end, the terminals of the second connection end include a plurality of second terminals located at the second connection end and a plurality of fourth terminals located at the fourth connection end, at least part of the first terminals correspond to the plurality of second terminals one-to-one and are communicatively connected, and at least part of the third terminals correspond to the plurality of fourth terminals one-to-one and are communicatively connected; The first connection end and the third connection end constitute a first connection body, and the first connection body is used to communicate with a first component; the second connection end and the fourth connection end constitute a second connection body, and the second connection body is used to communicate with a second component, and at least one of the first connection body and the second connection body is a first direct connection body; the insulating reinforcement pad is provided between the two connection ends of each of the first direct connection bodies, and the two connection ends are fixedly connected to the insulating reinforcement pad, and in each of the first direct connection bodies, the terminal of each connection end is located on the surface of the connection end facing away from the other connection end.

3. The connection module according to claim 2, characterized in that: The first component includes a first plug-in channel, and the second component includes a second plug-in channel; the shape of the first direct connector is adapted to match the shape of the corresponding first plug-in channel or the second plug-in channel.

4. The connection module according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that: It includes a first shell, each first direct connection body corresponds to one first shell, the first shell covers the corresponding first direct connection body and is fixedly connected to the first flexible circuit board and the second flexible circuit board; in the plugging and unplugging direction of the first direct connection body, the end of the first shell facing away from the first direct connection body is open, and the surface of the terminal of the corresponding first end or second end is located in the opening of the first shell.

5. The connection module according to any one of claims 2 to 4, characterized in that: The first connector and the second connector are both the first direct connector.

6. The connection module according to any one of claims 2 to 5, characterized in that: The circuit board assembly includes at least one third end, each of the third ends has a plurality of terminals, at least part of the terminals of the first end correspond one-to-one with the plurality of terminals of each third end and are communicatively connected; and the terminals of each third end are used for communicatively connecting with a third component.

7. The connection module according to claim 6, characterized in that: The first flexible circuit board includes a fifth connection end located at the third end, the second flexible circuit board includes a sixth connection end located at the third end, the fifth connection end is spaced from the first connection end and the second connection end, the sixth connection end is spaced from the third connection end and the fourth connection end, and the fifth connection end is disposed opposite to the sixth connection end; The terminals of the third end include a plurality of fifth terminals located at the fifth connection end and a plurality of sixth terminals located at the sixth connection end, some of the first terminals correspond one-to-one with the plurality of fifth terminals and are communicatively connected, and some of the third terminals correspond one-to-one with the plurality of sixth terminals and are communicatively connected; the fifth connection end and the sixth connection end of each third end constitute a third connection body, and the third connection body is used to communicate and connect with the third component.

8. The connection module according to claim 7, characterized in that: At least one of the third connectors is a second direct connector, an insulating reinforcement pad is fixed between two connection ends in each of the second direct connectors, and in each of the second direct connectors, a terminal of each connection end is located on a surface of the connection end facing away from the other connection end.

9. The connection module according to claim 8, characterized in that: The third component includes a third plug-in channel, and the outer shape of the second direct-connection body is adapted to match the shape of the corresponding third plug-in channel.

10. The connection module according to claim 8 or 9, characterized in that: It includes a second shell, each second direct connection body corresponds to a second shell, the second shell is covered on the second direct connection body, and the second shell is fixedly connected to the first flexible circuit board and the second flexible circuit board; in the plugging and unplugging direction of the second direct connection body, the end of the second shell facing away from the second direct connection body is open, and the surface of the terminal at the third end is located in the opening of the second shell.

11. An electronic device, characterized in that: The invention comprises a first component, a second component and a connection module as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the first component is communicatively connected to a first end of the connection module, and the second component is communicatively connected to a second end of the connection module.

12. The electronic device according to claim 11, characterized in that: The connection module is the connection module according to claim 6, and the electronic device includes at least one third component, and the third component corresponds to the third end one by one and is communicatively connected.

Images