Connector and communication equipment

Abstract

The embodiment of the invention provides a connector and communication equipment, which can effectively reduce the crosstalk of signal transmission under the condition that the signal rate is improved. The connector comprises a male head connector and a female head connector which are connected in an inserted mode, a first male head terminal is arranged on the first surface of the male head connector in a protruding mode, a socket is arranged on the second surface of the female head connector in a concave mode, and the female head terminal is contained in the socket. The connector comprises a first surface and a second surface, a target gap exists between the first surface and the second surface, the connector further comprises an elastic module, the elastic module has conductivity, the elastic module deforms in the radial direction of the target gap so that the elastic module can be compressed in the target gap, and the elastic module accommodates the first male head terminal.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of communication technologies, and in particular, to a connector and a communication device. Background Art

[0002] A connector is used to achieve signal transmission between two circuit boards. The inside of the connector includes multiple channels for transmitting signals. By isolating different channels, the purpose of reducing crosstalk between channels is achieved.

[0003] To achieve the purpose of isolating different channels, inside the connector, metal sheets or electrically lossy materials are used to isolate different channels.

[0004] However, with the continuous increase in signal rate and bandwidth, the crosstalk between different channels in the connector becomes worse, resulting in limited isolation of different channels by the connector. Then, in the scenario of increasing signal rate and bandwidth, the crosstalk between channels cannot be effectively reduced, which restricts the development of the connector towards high-rate and high-bandwidth scenarios. Summary of the Invention

[0005] Embodiments of this application provide a connector and a communication device. The connector can effectively reduce the crosstalk of signal transmission when the signal rate is increased.

[0006] In a first aspect, embodiments of this application provide a connector, including a male connector and a female connector. A first male terminal protrudes from a first surface of the male connector, and a socket is recessed in a second surface of the female connector, and female terminals are accommodated in the socket. When the first male terminal is inserted into the socket and the first male terminal is electrically connected to the female terminals, there is a target gap between the first surface and the second surface. The connector further includes an elastic module. The elastic module has electrical conductivity, and the elastic module deforms along the radial direction of the target gap so that the elastic module is compressed in the target gap, and the elastic module houses the first male terminal. Specifically, the elastic module includes a hollow accommodation space along the radial direction of the target gap, and the area of the first male terminal in the target gap is located in this accommodation space.

[0007] Using the connector shown in this aspect, the elastic module has elastic and conductive properties. Since the elastic module deforms along the radial direction of the target gap, the elastic module can abut in the target gap, thus preventing the first male terminal from being exposed to the air in the target gap, so that the elastic module can attenuate the electromagnetic waves generating noise to the first male terminal, reduce the crosstalk of the signal transmitted by the connector, and thus achieve the effect of noise shielding. Since the connector shown in this aspect can effectively reduce crosstalk, the connector can be applied to the transmission of high-rate signals.

[0008] Based on the first aspect, in an optional implementation, the elastic module includes a first mating surface, a module body, and a second mating surface. The module body is located between the first mating surface and the second mating surface. Among them, the first mating surface abuts against the first surface, the second mating surface abuts against the second surface, the module body is elastically compressed in the target gap, and the module body houses the first male terminal. Specifically, the module body includes a receiving space that is hollow along the radial direction of the target gap, and the area of the first male terminal in the target gap is located within the receiving space.

[0009] Adopting this implementation, the elastic module is a device that is separate from both the male connector and the female connector. When the elastic module is abutted in the target gap, the plug connection between the male connector and the female connector is realized, reducing the crosstalk of the signals transmitted by the connector, thereby achieving the effect of noise shielding.

[0010] Based on the first aspect, in an optional implementation, the first surface of the male connector extends to form the elastic module along the direction away from the male connector, or the second surface of the female connector extends to form the elastic module along the direction away from the female connector.

[0011] Adopting this implementation, the elastic module can be integrally formed with the male connector, or the elastic module can be integrally formed with the female connector, improving the efficiency of assembling the elastic module to the connector. When the male connector and the female connector are plugged together, the electromagnetic waves that generate noise to the first male terminal are directly attenuated, reducing the crosstalk of the signals transmitted by the connector, thereby achieving the effect of noise shielding.

[0012] Based on the first aspect, in an optional implementation, the conductivity of the elastic module is not less than 2*10^5 Siemens per meter (S / m). The elastic module shown in this optional manner has a high conductivity, effectively reducing the crosstalk of the signals transmitted by the connector.

[0013] Based on the first aspect, in an optional implementation, the male connector includes a plurality of male terminals, the first male terminal is any one of the plurality of male terminals, and the outer peripheral wall of the module body surrounds the target area of the first male terminal, where the target area is the area of the first male terminal located in the target gap. Adopting this implementation, the elastic module can attenuate the electromagnetic waves that generate noise to each first male terminal, thereby effectively reducing the crosstalk of the signals transmitted by each first male terminal.

[0014] Based on the first aspect, in an optional implementation, the male connector includes a plurality of male terminals, the plurality of male terminals including the first male terminal and the second male terminal. Among the first male terminal and the second male terminal, the elastic module only surrounds the outer peripheral wall of the target area of the first male terminal, and the target area is the area where the first male terminal is located within the target gap. With this implementation, the elastic module can, as needed, only attenuate the electromagnetic waves generating noise for some of the male terminals included in the connector, thereby effectively reducing the crosstalk of the signals transmitted by the first male terminal.

[0015] Based on the first aspect, in an optional implementation, the signal rate transmitted by the first male terminal is greater than the signal rate transmitted by the second male terminal. With this implementation, since the signal rate transmitted by the first male terminal is greater than that of the second male terminal, the elastic module only attenuates the first male terminal transmitting high-speed signals. Then, while ensuring the reduction of the connector crosstalk, the manufacturing difficulty of the connector can also be reduced.

[0016] Based on the first aspect, in an optional implementation, the male connector includes a plurality of male terminals, and the plurality of male terminals further includes a third male terminal. The first male terminal and the third male terminal are adjacent in position among the plurality of male terminals, and the data signals transmitted by the first male terminal and the data signals transmitted by the third male terminal are a pair of differential signals; the elastic module has a shielding space, and the target area of the first male terminal and the target area of the third male terminal are located within the shielding space. The target area of the first male terminal is the area where the first male terminal is located within the target gap, and the target area of the third male terminal is the area where the third male terminal is located within the target gap. With this implementation, the connector can reduce the crosstalk between different differential pairs.

[0017] Based on the first aspect, in an optional implementation, the target gap has a first orthographic projection on a target plane, and the elastic module has a second orthographic projection on the target plane, and the second orthographic projection is located within the coverage range of the first orthographic projection. With this implementation, the elastic module is constrained within the target gap, effectively avoiding interference of the elastic module with other devices.

[0018] Based on the first aspect, in an optional implementation, the connector and another connector are respectively connected to the same circuit board, and on the circuit board, the target gap of the connector and the position of the other connector are close to each other. The elastic module extends out from within the target gap of the connector, and there is a gap between the elastic module and the other connector. With this implementation, the elastic module extending out from the target gap of the connector will not interfere with the other connector. Then, a high-density layout of the connectors on the circuit board can be achieved.

[0019] Based on the first aspect, in an optional implementation, the length of the elastic module extending out from the target gap is not greater than 0.05 millimeters (mm). With this implementation, due to the limited length of the elastic module extending out from the target gap, the volume expanded by the elastic module from the target gap is limited, and it will not interfere with adjacent connectors, achieving a high-density layout between the connectors.

[0020] Based on the first aspect, in an optional implementation, when the first male terminal is inserted into the socket and the first male terminal is electrically connected to the female terminal, if the target gap is hollow, the target gap has a first width in the radial direction. If the target gap includes the elastic module, the target gap has a second width in the radial direction, and the first width is equal to the second width. With this implementation, when the first width is equal to the second width, it shows that even if the elastic module is inserted into the target gap, since the elastic module has elasticity, it will not increase the first width, thereby ensuring the reliability of the electrical connection between the male terminal and the female terminal.

[0021] Based on the first aspect, in an optional implementation, the material of the elastic module is at least one of conductive plastic, conductive rubber, or electroplated plastic. With this implementation, it is ensured that the elastic module has a high electrical conductivity and high elasticity, effectively reducing the crosstalk of the signals transmitted by the connector.

[0022] Based on the first aspect, in an optional implementation, the elastic module includes an elastic substrate, and the substrate is filled with conductive metal. The form of the conductive metal includes at least one of the following: metal fiber, metal film, metal grid, metal powder, or nano-scale metal particles. With this implementation, it is ensured that the elastic module has a high electrical conductivity and high elasticity, effectively reducing the crosstalk of the signals transmitted by the connector.

[0023] Based on the first aspect, in an optional implementation, the male connector includes a male ground terminal, and the female connector includes a female ground terminal. The male ground terminal and the female ground terminal are respectively used for grounding, and the elastic module is electrically connected to the male ground terminal, or the elastic module is electrically connected to the female ground terminal. With this implementation, the elastic module is electrically connected to the male ground terminal, or the elastic module is electrically connected to the female ground terminal, which is beneficial to the quality of the signal transmitted by the connector and improves the electromagnetic wave isolation effect of the elastic module. Description of the Drawings

[0024] Figure 1 It is a schematic diagram of the structure of a circuit board assembly;

[0025] Figure 2 It is a schematic diagram of the packaging structure of an optoelectronic conversion module;

[0026] Figure 3 It is a schematic diagram of the structure of an existing connector;

[0027] Figure 4 It is a schematic diagram of the structure of the first embodiment of the connector provided by the present application;

[0028] Figure 5 For Figure 4 The side view structure schematic diagram of the connector shown;

[0029] Figure 6 It is a schematic diagram of the circuit board assembly structure provided by the present application;

[0030] Figure 7 It is a schematic diagram of the structure of the second embodiment of the circuit board provided by the present application;

[0031] Figure 8 It is a schematic diagram of the structure of the third embodiment of the circuit board provided by the present application;

[0032] Figure 9 It is a schematic diagram of the structure of the communication device provided by the present application. Detailed Embodiments

[0033] The embodiments of the present application provide a connector, which can effectively reduce the crosstalk of signal transmission. The embodiments of the present application do not limit the application fields of the connector. For example, the connector can be applied to industries such as power systems, communication networks, financial manufacturing, elevators, industrial automation, medical equipment, office equipment, and home appliance manufacturing.

[0034] First, in combination with Figure 1 Shown to illustrate the structure of the connector, where Figure 1This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a circuit board assembly. The circuit board assembly includes a first circuit board 101, a connector 102, and a second circuit board 103. Among them, the connector 102 is connected between the first circuit board 101 and the second circuit board 103. The type of the connector 102 shown in this example can be a board-to-board electronic connector (BTB). The type of the connector is not limited in this example. Taking the first circuit board 101 as an example, the type of the first circuit board 101 can be a printed circuit board (PCB) or a substrate, etc., which is not specifically limited. For the description of the type of the second circuit board 103, please refer to the description of the first circuit board 101, and no further details will be elaborated here. The connector 102 is a device that realizes the connection between the first circuit board 101 and the second circuit board 103 and transmits different types of signals such as data signals, power signals, and control signals. The circuit board assembly shown in this example can be applied to communication devices. The type of the communication device is not limited in this example. For example, the communication device can be an optical transmission device, an optical access device, a router, a switch, a wireless base station, a wireless remote access device, a wireless baseband signal processing device, etc., or it can also be a computing server (usually abbreviated as a server), a high performance computer (HPC), a storage server, a memory resource pool, an access point (AP), a station (STA), an evolved Node B (eNB), a radio network controller (RNC), a Node B (NB), a base station controller (BSC), a base transceiver station (BTS), a home evolved Node B (or home Node B, HNB), a baseband unit (BBU), an access point (AP) in a wireless fidelity (WIFI) system, a wireless relay node, a wireless backhaul node, a transmission point (TP), a transmission and reception point (TRP), etc.The communication device can also be applied to user equipment, access terminals, subscriber units, subscriber stations, mobile stations, mobile handsets, remote stations, remote terminals, mobile devices, user terminals, terminals, wireless communication devices, user agents, user devices, cellular phones, cordless phones, session initiation protocol (SIP) phones, wireless local loop (WLL) stations, personal digital assistants (PDAs), handheld devices with wireless communication capabilities, computing devices, or other processing devices connected to a wireless modem, in-vehicle devices, wearable devices, etc.

[0035] Figure 1 Taking the example that the connector 102 is used to connect two different circuit boards, in other examples, the connector can also be used to connect a circuit board and electronic components. For example, Figure 2 It is an example diagram of the packaging structure of an optoelectronic conversion module. The packaging structure of the optoelectronic conversion module includes a PCB 201 and a connector 202 packaged on the PCB 201. One end of the connector 202 is connected to the PCB 201, and the other end is connected to the optoelectronic conversion module, and the optoelectronic conversion module 203 is used to implement the conversion between optical signals and electrical signals. In other examples, the connector can also be used to connect two different electronic components, and the specific details are not limited.

[0036] To better understand the connector provided in the embodiments of the present application, the structure of the existing connector will be described first. Figure 3 It is an example diagram of the structure of an existing connector. The existing connector includes a male connector 300 and a female connector 310. Among them, the male connector 300 includes a first surface 301, and the female connector 310 includes a second surface 311. To realize the connection between the male connector 300 and the female connector 310, the first surface 301 and the second surface 311 need to face each other. Along the direction away from the male connector 300, a plurality of male terminals 302 protrude from the first surface 301 of the male connector 300. A socket 312 is recessed in the second surface 311 of the female connector 310, and a plurality of female terminals 313 are accommodated in the socket 312. When the male terminals 302 are inserted into the socket 312, the male terminals 302 are in contact with the female terminals 313 for electrical connection. Combining Figure 1 As shown, the male connector 300 is connected to the first circuit board, and the female connector 310 is connected to the second circuit board. Then, when the male terminals 302 and the female terminals 313 are electrically connected, the electrical connection between the first circuit board and the second circuit board is realized, and further the transmission of different types of signals such as data signals, power signals, and control signals is realized.

[0037] When designing the male connector 300 and the female connector 310, although a zero-gap fit is desired, that is, when the male terminal 302 is electrically connected to the female terminal 313, it is expected that the first surface 301 of the male connector 300 and the second surface 310 of the female connector 310 are in contact with each other and closely fit, that is, there is no gap between the first surface 301 and the second surface 310. Both the male connector 300 and the female connector 310 include an injection-molded insulating housing, and the injection molding process will cause injection molding tolerances. Connecting the male connector 300 and the female connector 310 will also have assembly tolerances. The electrical connection between the male terminal 302 and the female terminal 313 will also have mating tolerances. Due to the existence of the above-mentioned tolerances and factors such as the limitation of the connector processing technology accuracy, the male connector 300 and the female connector 310 cannot achieve a zero-gap fit, that is, there is a target gap 320 between the first surface 301 of the male connector 300 and the second surface 310 of the female connector 310. The existence of this target gap 320 will cause a part of the male terminal 302 (that is, the part of the male terminal 302 located within the target gap 320) to be exposed to the air when the male terminal 302 is electrically connected to the female terminal 313. The part of the male terminal 302 exposed to the air will generate electrical noise in the form of, for example, emission, crosstalk, or electromagnetic radiation, thereby increasing the crosstalk of the signal transmitted by the connector. As the signal frequency and bandwidth transmitted by communication devices continue to increase, with the increase in the signal frequency, the electrical noise generated by the part of the male terminal 302 exposed to the air will become larger and larger, resulting in continuous deterioration of the crosstalk of the signal transmitted by the connector, thus inhibiting the development of the connector for high-speed signal transmission.

[0038] Figure 4This is a structural example diagram of the first embodiment of the connector provided by this application. The connector shown in this embodiment includes a male connector 400 and a female connector 410. A first male terminal 402 protrudes from the first surface 401 of the male connector 400. In this embodiment, multiple male terminals protrude from the male connector 400, and the first male terminal 402 is any one of the multiple male terminals. In this embodiment, the positions and forms of the multiple male terminals arranged on the first surface are not limited. For example, the multiple male terminals can be arranged in a row. Another example is that the multiple male terminals can be arranged in a multi-row and multi-column array. Another example is that the multiple male terminals can be arranged randomly, etc. The male connector 400 further includes a first electrical contact end that protrudes from the third surface of the male connector 400, where the third surface of the male connector 400 is different from the first surface. For example, the first surface is perpendicular to the third surface. Another example is that the first surface and the third surface are parallel. In this embodiment, the angle between the third surface and the first surface is not limited as long as the first surface is different from the third surface. It can be understood that the male connector 400 is formed into a housing by injection molding. The housing has multiple surfaces, and the first surface and the third surface are two different surfaces included in the housing of the male connector 400. The first end of the first electrical contact end protruding from the third surface is electrically connected to the first male terminal 401 to form a channel for transmitting signals. The second end of the first electrical contact end is connected to Figure 1 the first circuit board shown to achieve signal transmission between the male connector 400 and the first circuit board. The second end of the first electrical contact end can be connected to the first circuit board through press-fit contacts, pressure-mount contacts, or paste-in-hole solder attachment. In this embodiment, the manner in which the second end of the first electrical contact end is connected to the first circuit board is not limited as long as signal transmission between the male connector 400 and the first circuit board can be achieved.

[0039] A socket 412 is recessed in the second surface 411 of the female connector 410, and female terminals 413 are accommodated in the socket 412. The socket 412 shown in this embodiment includes a plurality of female terminals, and the arrangement form of the plurality of female terminals accommodated in the socket 412 can be the same as the arrangement form of the plurality of male terminals, so that when the male connector 400 and the female connector 410 are plugged together, each male terminal can be electrically connected to a female terminal included in the socket 412. The female connector 410 further includes a second electrical contact end that extends from the fourth surface of the female connector 410, wherein the fourth surface of the female connector 410 is different from the second surface. For the description of the positional relationship between the second surface and the fourth surface, please refer to the description of the first surface and the third surface of the male connector 400, and details are not elaborated here. The first end of the second electrical contact end extending from the fourth surface is electrically connected to the female terminal, and the second end of the second electrical contact end is connected to Figure 1 the second circuit board shown to achieve signal transmission between the female connector 410 and the second circuit board. It can be understood that when the first male terminal is electrically connected to the female terminal, signal transmission between the first circuit board and the second circuit board is achieved.

[0040] To achieve the electrical connection between the first male terminal 402 and the female terminal 413, the male connector 400 and the female connector 410 need to be in a plugged-together state, and the specific plugging-together method is not limited. For example, a plug is protruded on the first surface 401 of the male connector 400, and a plurality of male connectors are accommodated in the plug. When the plug is inserted into the socket of the female connector 410, each male terminal is electrically connected to a female terminal. Another example is that a buckle is protruded on the first surface, and a slot is recessed on the second surface. When the buckle is snapped into the slot, the plugging-together between the male connector 400 and the female connector 410 is achieved. When the male connector 400 and the female connector 410 are in a plugged-together state, there is a target gap between the first surface 401 of the male connector 400 and the second surface 411 of the female connector 410. For the description of the target gap, reference can also be made to Figure 3 the corresponding description, and details are not limited. It can be understood that the male connector 400 and the female connector 410 can be plugged together in any form such as a fixed type, a spring type, or a press-fit type.

[0041] The connector shown in this embodiment further includes an elastic module 421. The elastic module 421 shown in this embodiment is discrete from the male connector and the female connector respectively. The elastic module 421 shown in this embodiment has two properties. Property 1, the elastic module 421 is made of an elastic material. Property 2, the elastic module 421 has the property of being conductive. Since the elastic module 421 shown in this embodiment is made of an elastic material, then, the elastic module 421 can deform along the radial direction (i.e., direction X) of the target gap. Specifically, the elastic module 421 includes a first mating surface 422, a module body 423, and a second mating surface 424. The first mating surface 422 is the surface of the module body 423 facing the first surface 401, and the second mating surface 424 is the surface of the module body 423 facing the second surface 411. The module body 423 is located between the first mating surface 422 and the second mating surface 424. The elastic module 421 shown in this embodiment is located within the target gap. Specifically, the first mating surface 422 abuts against the first surface 401 of the male connector 400, and the second mating surface 424 abuts against the second surface 411 of the female connector 410. Since the elastic module 421 shown in this embodiment has elasticity, then, the module body 423 of this embodiment is elastically compressed within the target gap between the first surface 401 and the second surface 411, and the module body 423 houses the first male terminal. Specifically, the module body 423 surrounds the outer peripheral wall of the target area of the first male terminal 402, and the target area is the area where the first male terminal 402 is located within the target gap. It can be understood that the target area of the first male terminal 402 shown in this embodiment is the part exposed to the air. Then, in the case where the module body 423 surrounds the outer peripheral wall of the target area of the first male terminal 402, the target area of the first male terminal 402 is housed within the module body 423, so that there is no part of the first male terminal 402 exposed to the air.

[0042] Describe the function of the elastic module 421 shown in this embodiment. The elastic module 421 shown in this embodiment has the property of being conductive. Then, the elastic module 421 can be used for isolating and shielding electromagnetic radiation. For this reason, the elastic module 421 shown in this embodiment needs to have good electrical conductivity and shielding effect. The shielding effect of the elastic module 421 is mainly achieved through its good electrical conductivity. When the electromagnetic wave transmitted by the first male terminal acts on the surface of the elastic module 421, the free electrons in the elastic module 421 will be affected by the electromagnetic wave and move, thus forming an electric current. This electric current will generate an electromagnetic field inside the elastic module 421, interact with the external electromagnetic wave, thereby weakening or eliminating the radiation of the electromagnetic wave, and further achieving the purpose of suppressing crosstalk of the connector. Since the elastic module 421 shown in this embodiment can achieve the purpose of isolating and shielding electromagnetic radiation, then, the connector can effectively improve the supported signal bandwidth.

[0043] Since the elastic module 421 is made of an elastic material, and the module body 423 is elastically compressed within the target gap between the first surface 401 and the second surface 411, it effectively ensures the sealing of the target area of the first male terminal 402 by the module body 423, thereby ensuring that the target area of the first male terminal 402 is accommodated within the module body 423, effectively suppressing the electromagnetic wave radiation of the first male terminal 402 outward, and reducing crosstalk. The elastic module 421 shown in this embodiment has high conductivity. For example, the conductivity of the elastic module 421 is not less than 2*10^5 Siemens / meter (S / m). It should be clear that this embodiment does not limit the conductivity of the elastic module 421, as long as the elastic module 421 can achieve the function of isolating and shielding electromagnetic radiation. The elastic module 421 shown in this embodiment has elasticity. For example, the reduction of the elastic module 421 is not less than 50%, where the reduction of the elastic module 421 refers to the volume ratio of the elastic module 421 before and after compression. During the use of the connector, the temperature will constantly change. If there is a mismatch in the coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) between the male connector and the female connector, then the deformation between the first surface of the male connector and the second surface of the female connector will be inconsistent, resulting in stress between the first surface and the second surface, and this stress will reduce the reliability of the connection between the male connector and the female connector. However, the elastic module 421 shown in this embodiment has elasticity, so the elastic module 421 can deform at any time, and this elastic module can timely release the stress between the first surface and the second surface, thereby ensuring the reliability of the connection between the first surface and the second surface.

[0044] In this embodiment, when the first male terminal 402 of the male connector 400 is inserted into the socket 412 of the female connector 410 and the first male terminal 402 is electrically connected to the female terminal, if the target gap between the male connector 400 and the female connector 410 is hollowed out, that is, when the elastic module 421 has not been inserted into the target gap, the target gap has a first width in the radial direction (i.e., direction X). The radial direction refers to the direction perpendicular to the axial direction (i.e., direction Y) of the target gap. The direction Y is the extension direction of the target gap. If the elastic module 421 is inserted into the target gap, the target gap has a second width in the radial direction (i.e., direction X). The first width shown in this embodiment is equal to the second width. In the case where the first width is equal to the second width, it means that even if the elastic module is inserted into the target gap, due to the elasticity of the elastic module, it will not increase the first width, thereby ensuring the reliability of the electrical connection between the male terminal and the female terminal.

[0045] To endow the elastic module 421 with the above two properties, the material of the elastic module 421 shown in this embodiment can be electrically conductive plastics, electrically conductive rubber, electroplated plastics or other electrically conductive and elastic materials. For another example, the elastic module includes an elastic substrate, which can be rubber, resin, etc., without specific limitation. Conductive metal is filled in the substrate, and the form of the conductive metal can be metal fibers, metal films, metal meshes, metal powders, nano-scale metal particles, etc., and is filled in the elastic substrate. The conductive metal can be copper, aluminum, steel or an alloy of at least two conductive metals. Fillers can also be filled in the substrate shown in this embodiment, and the Young's modulus of the filling material can be lower than that of the substrate, so as to improve the elasticity of the elastic module. For another example, the filling material can also be fiber cloth, so as to improve the mechanical strength and toughness of the elastic module to ensure that the connector is not easily broken or deformed during use.

[0046] Illustrate the optional positional relationship between the module body 423 of the elastic module 421 and the target gap. Optional positional relationship 1: Combine Figure 4 and Figure 5 shown, where Figure 5 is Figure 4 a side view structural example diagram of the connector shown. Specifically, Figure 4 shown is a top view structural example diagram of the connector in the XY plane, Figure 5The figure shows an example of the side view structure of a connector in the XZ plane. Among them, the surface of the connector is parallel to the XY plane, and the surface of the connector is perpendicular to the XZ plane. It should be clear that in this embodiment, the surfaces of the male connector and the female connector are both parallel to the XY plane. In other examples, there may be a certain angle between the surfaces of the male connector and the female connector, which is not specifically limited in this embodiment. The target gap has a first orthographic projection on the target plane, and the elastic module 421 has a second orthographic projection on the target plane. Since the elastic module shown in this embodiment elastically abuts within the target gap, the second orthographic projection is located within the coverage range of the first orthographic projection. For example, if the target plane is the XY plane, then the target gap is irradiated by a plurality of projection rays 501 to form a first orthographic projection on the XY plane, where the plurality of projection rays 501 are parallel to each other and perpendicular to the plane XY. Similarly, the elastic module 421 is irradiated by the plurality of projection rays 501 to have a second orthographic projection on the target plane. For the description of the formation of the second orthographic projection, please refer to the description of the formation of the first orthographic projection, which will not be elaborated here. In the XY plane, the second orthographic projection is located within the coverage range of the first orthographic projection. Another example is that if the target plane is the YZ plane, then the target gap is irradiated by a plurality of projection rays 502 to form a first orthographic projection on the YZ plane, where the plurality of projection rays 502 are parallel to each other and perpendicular to the YZ plane. Similarly, the elastic module 421 is irradiated by the plurality of projection rays 502 to have a second orthographic projection on the target plane. For the description of the formation of the second orthographic projection, please refer to the description of the formation of the first orthographic projection, which will not be elaborated here. In the YZ plane, the second orthographic projection is located within the coverage range of the first orthographic projection. The elasticity of the elastic module 421 shown in this embodiment can be clamped within the target gap and always constrained within the target gap, and the elastic module 421 can completely fill the target gap so that the elastic module 421 will not extend out of the target gap.

[0047] Optional positional relationship 2: In combination with Figure 6 As shown, where Figure 6 This is an example diagram of the circuit board assembly structure provided by the present application. With the improvement of the integration degree of communication devices, the number of connectors connected to a single circuit board will be increasing. As Figure 6 shown, the circuit board 601 is connected to multiple connectors. It can be understood that Figure 6 the multiple connectors shown are connected to the same circuit board 601. For example, the male connectors of the multiple connectors are connected to the circuit board 601, or the female connectors of the multiple connectors are connected to the circuit board 601, which is not specifically limited. For the description of the structure of each connector connected to the circuit board 601, please refer to Figure 4The corresponding description will not be elaborated here. The circuit board 601 is connected to the first connector 611 and the second connector 612. Among the multiple connectors connected to the circuit board 601, the first target gap of the first connector 611 and the second target gap of the second connector 612 are adjacent to each other and close to each other. The first elastic module 613 is elastically abutted in the first target gap, and the second elastic module 614 is elastically abutted in the second target gap. The first elastic module 613 extends out from the first target gap, and the second elastic module 614 extends out from the second target gap. It can be understood that in the XY plane, the orthographic projection of the first target gap is within the coverage of the orthographic projection of the first elastic module 613, and the orthographic projection of the second target gap is within the coverage of the orthographic projection of the second elastic module 614. For the description of the orthographic projections of the first target gap, the first elastic module 613, the second target gap, and the second elastic module 614 in the XY plane, please refer to Figure 4 and Figure 5 The corresponding description will not be elaborated here. In this embodiment, there is a gap between the first elastic module 613 extending from the first target gap and the second elastic module 614 extending from the second target gap. Taking the example that there is a gap between the first elastic module 613 and the second elastic module 614 as shown in this example, in other examples, there may be a gap between the first elastic module 613 extending from the first target gap and any position of the second connector 612. For example, there is a gap between the first elastic module 613 and the male connector or the female connector of the second connector. It can be understood that even if multiple connectors are connected to the same circuit board 601, due to the limited length of the elastic module included in each connector extending from the target gap, the part of the first elastic module of the first connector extending from the first target gap will not interfere with other connectors. Then, a high-density layout of the connectors on the circuit board can be achieved. For example, the length of the elastic module extending from the target gap is not greater than 0.05 millimeters (mm). Because the length of the elastic module extending from the target gap shown in this embodiment is limited, the volume expanded by the elastic module from the target gap is limited, and it will not interfere with adjacent connectors, realizing a high-density layout between the connectors.

[0048] Among the multiple male terminals included in the male connector shown in this embodiment, there is a male ground terminal, which is used to connect to the first circuit board for ground return or as a reference. Among the multiple female terminals included in the female connector, there is a female ground terminal, which is used to connect to the second circuit board for ground return or as a reference. The female ground terminal and the male ground terminal can reduce signal crosstalk, thus being beneficial to the quality of the signals transmitted by the connector. To improve the isolation effect of the elastic module on electromagnetic waves, the conductive elastic module can be electrically connected to the male ground terminal, or the elastic module can be electrically connected to the female ground terminal, effectively improving the intersymbol interference (ISI) performance of the signals transmitted by the connector. In other examples, the elastic module may not be electrically connected to the female ground terminal or the male ground terminal, and the electromagnetic wave shielding is achieved by the conductive performance of the elastic module itself.

[0049] Figure 7 It is a structural example diagram of the second embodiment of the circuit board provided by this application. Figure 7 The shown connector includes a male connector 700 and a female connector 710. For the descriptions of the structures of the male connector 700 and the female connector 710 shown in this embodiment, please refer to Figure 4 the corresponding descriptions, which will not be elaborated here specifically. The male connector 700 shown in this embodiment includes multiple male terminals. Among the multiple male terminals, specifically, there are a first male terminal 701 and a second male terminal 702. The signal rate transmitted by the first male terminal 701 is greater than the signal rate transmitted by the second male terminal 702. The first male terminal 701 shown in this embodiment is a terminal for transmitting high-speed data signals. The second male terminal 702 is a terminal for transmitting low-speed data signals, a power signal terminal, or a ground terminal. In this embodiment, the connector includes an elastic module 721, and the elastic module 721 is elastically compressed between the first surface of the male connector 700 and the second surface of the female connector 710. The elastic module 721 shown in this embodiment only surrounds the outer peripheral wall of the target area of the first male terminal 701. For the description of the target area of the elastic module surrounding the first male terminal 701, please refer to Figure 4 the corresponding descriptions, which will not be elaborated here specifically. The data signal transmitted by the first male terminal 701 shown in this embodiment is a single-ended signal.

[0050] Figure 8 It is a structural example diagram of the third embodiment of the circuit board provided by this application. Figure 8 The shown connector includes a male connector 800 and a female connector 810. For the descriptions of the structures of the male connector 800 and the female connector 810 shown in this embodiment, please refer to Figure 4The corresponding description will not be elaborated here. Among the multiple male terminals included in the male connector 800, there are a first male terminal 811 and a third male terminal 812. The first male terminal 811 and the third male terminal 812 are adjacent in position among the multiple male terminals. For example Figure 8 As shown, the first male terminal 811 and the third male terminal 812 are adjacent in position along the direction Y. In other examples, the first male terminal 811 and the third male terminal 812 may also be adjacent in position along the direction Z, which is not specifically limited. The data signal transmitted by the first male terminal 811 and the data signal transmitted by the third male terminal 812 are a pair of differential signals, which can also be called a "differential pair". The elastic module 821 shown in this embodiment has a shielding space 822. The target areas of the first male terminal 811 and the third male terminal 812 are located within the shielding space 822. The target area of the first male terminal 811 is the area of the first male terminal 811 located within the target gap, and the target area of the third male terminal 812 is the area of the third male terminal located within the target gap. Among the multiple male terminals included in the male connector 800, there are a fourth male terminal 813 and a fifth male terminal 814. The fourth male terminal 813 and the fifth male terminal 814 are adjacent in position among the multiple male terminals. For the specific description of the adjacency, please refer to the description of the adjacency between the first male terminal 811 and the third male terminal 812, which will not be elaborated here. The data signal transmitted by the fourth male terminal 813 and the data signal transmitted by the fifth male terminal 814 are a pair of differential signals. The elastic module 823 shown in this embodiment has a shielding space 824. The target areas of the fourth male terminal 813 and the fifth male terminal 814 are located within the shielding space 824. The target area of the fourth male terminal 813 is the area of the fourth male terminal 813 located within the target gap, and the target area of the fifth male terminal 814 is the area of the fifth male terminal located within the target gap. Due to the shielding effect of the elastic module 821 on the first male terminal 811 and the third male terminal 812, and the shielding effect of the elastic module 823 on the fourth male terminal 813 and the fifth male terminal 814, the crosstalk between different differential pairs is effectively reduced.

[0051] In the above embodiments, taking the example that the elastic module is discrete from the male connector and the female connector, the elastic module shown in this embodiment can also be integrally formed with the male connector. For example, on the first surface of the male connector, the elastic module is formed by extending in a direction away from the male connector. In specific applications, the elastic module and the male connector can be integrally injection-molded. The elastic module shown in this embodiment can also be integrally formed with the female connector. For example, on the second surface of the female connector, the elastic module is formed by extending in a direction away from the female connector. In specific applications, the elastic module and the female connector can be integrally injection-molded. For the description of the structure of the elastic module, please refer to any of the above embodiments, and details are not described here. When the elastic module is integrally formed with the male connector or the female connector, the assembly efficiency of the connector is effectively improved. When the male connector and the female connector are plugged together, the electromagnetic waves generating noise to the male terminals are directly attenuated, reducing the crosstalk of the signals transmitted by the connector, thereby achieving the effect of noise shielding.

[0052] An embodiment of the present application also provides a communication device. Figure 9 FIG. is a structural example diagram of the communication device provided by the present application. The communication device includes components such as an input unit 901, a processor unit 902, an output unit 903, a communication unit 904, a storage unit 905, and a radio frequency circuit 906. Among them, some of the devices in the input unit 901, the processor unit 902, the output unit 903, the communication unit 904, the storage unit 905, and the radio frequency circuit 906 are packaged on the surface of the first circuit board, and the other part of the devices are packaged on the surface of the second connection board. Between the first circuit board and the second circuit board, they are connected through a connector. For the description of the connector structure, please refer to the above embodiments, and details are not described here. It can be understood that Figure 9 the structure of the communication device shown in does not limit the present application. In specific applications, the communication device may include more or fewer components than shown in the figure, or combine some components, or have different component arrangements, etc.

[0053] The communication device includes: an output unit 903 for outputting an image to be displayed. For example, specifically, the output unit 903 includes, but is not limited to, an image output unit and a sound output unit. The image output unit is used to output text, pictures, and / or videos. The image output unit may include a display panel, for example, a display panel configured in the form of a liquid crystal display (LCD), an organic light-emitting diode (OLED), a field emission display (FED), etc. Alternatively, the image output unit may include a reflective display, such as an electrophoretic display or a display using interferometric modulation of light. The image output unit may include a single display or multiple displays of different sizes. In a specific embodiment of the present invention, the touch screen may also serve as the display panel of the output unit 903.

[0054] A processor unit 902 for running corresponding code and processing received information. Specifically, the processor unit 902 is the control center of the communication device, connecting various parts of the entire communication device through various interfaces and lines, and executing various functions and / or processing data of the communication device by running or executing software programs and / or modules stored in the storage unit and calling data stored in the storage unit. The processor unit 902 may be one or more chips, or one or more integrated circuits. For another example, the controller may be one or more optical digital signal processors (oDSPs), field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), application specific integrated circuits (ASICs), system on chips (SoCs), central processor units (CPUs), network processors (NPs), microcontroller units (MCUs), programmable logic devices (PLDs), network card chips, storage interface chips, or other integrated chips, or any combination of the above chips or processors, which will not be elaborated here specifically.

[0055] A storage unit 905 is used to store codes and data, and the codes are for the processor unit 902 to run. Specifically, the storage unit 905 can be used to store software programs and modules. The processor unit 902 executes various functional applications of the communication device and realizes data processing by running the software programs and modules stored in the storage unit 905. The storage unit 905 mainly includes a program storage area and a data storage area. Among them, the program storage area can store an operating system and application programs required for at least one function, such as a sound playback program, an image playback program, etc.; the data storage area can store data created according to the use of the communication device. In a specific embodiment of the present invention, the storage unit 905 may include a volatile memory, such as a nonvolatile random access memory (NVRAM), a phase change RAM (PRAM), a magnetoresistive random access memory, etc., and may also include a nonvolatile memory, such as at least one disk storage device, an electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), or a flash memory device.

[0056] An input unit 901 is used to realize the interaction between the user and the communication device and / or input information into the communication device. For example, the input unit 901 can receive digital or character information input by the user to generate a signal input related to user settings or function control. In a specific embodiment of the present invention, the input unit 901 can be a touch screen, or other human-computer interaction interfaces, such as physical input keys, microphones, etc., and can also be other external information acquisition devices, such as cameras, etc.

[0057] A communication unit 904 is configured to establish a communication channel for the communication device to connect to a remote server via the communication channel and download media data from the remote server. The communication unit 904 may include communication modules such as a wireless local area network (WLAN) module, a Bluetooth module, a baseband module, etc., and corresponding radio frequency (RF) circuits for the communication modules to perform wireless local area network communication, Bluetooth communication, infrared communication, and / or cellular communication system communication, such as wideband code division multiple access (W-CDMA) and / or high speed downlink packet access (HSDPA). The communication module is configured to control the communication of each component in the communication device and may support direct memory access.

[0058] A radio frequency (RF) circuit 906 is configured to receive and transmit signals during information transceiver or call processes. For example, after receiving the downlink information from a base station, it is sent to the processor unit 902 for processing; in addition, the data designed for uplink is sent to the base station. Generally, the RF circuit 906 includes well-known circuits for performing these functions, including but not limited to an antenna system, an RF transceiver, one or more amplifiers, a tuner, one or more oscillators, a digital signal processor, a codec chipset, a subscriber identity module (SIM) card, a memory, etc. In addition, the RF circuit 906 can also communicate with the network and other devices via wireless communication. The wireless communication can use any communication standard or protocol, including but not limited to global system of mobile communication (GSM), general packet radio service (GPRS), code division multiple access (CDMA), wideband code division multiple access (WCDMA), high speed uplink packet access (HSUPA), long term evolution (LTE), email, short messaging service (SMS), etc.

[0059] As described above, the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present application, rather than limiting it; although the present application has been described in detail with reference to the foregoing embodiments, those of ordinary skill in the art should understand that: they can still modify the technical solutions described in the foregoing embodiments, or perform equivalent replacements on some of the technical features; and these modifications or replacements do not make the essence of the corresponding technical solutions deviate from the spirit and scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present application.

Claims

1. A connector, characterized in that, it includes a male connector and a female connector. A first male terminal protrudes from a first surface of the male connector, and a socket is recessed in a second surface of the female connector, and female terminals are accommodated in the socket; when the first male terminal is inserted into the socket and the first male terminal is electrically connected to the female terminals, there is a target gap between the first surface and the second surface. The connector further includes an elastic module. The elastic module has electrical conductivity. The elastic module deforms in the radial direction of the target gap so that the elastic module is compressed in the target gap, and the elastic module houses the first male terminal.

2. The connector according to claim 1, characterized in that, the elastic module includes a first mating surface, a module body, and a second mating surface. The module body is located between the first mating surface and the second mating surface. Among them, the first mating surface abuts against the first surface, the second mating surface abuts against the second surface, the module body is elastically compressed in the target gap, and the module body houses the first male terminal.

3. The connector according to claim 1, characterized in that, the elastic module is formed by extending the first surface of the male connector in a direction away from the male connector, or the elastic module is formed by extending the second surface of the female connector in a direction away from the female connector.

4. The connector according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that, the male connector includes a plurality of male terminals, the first male terminal is any one of the plurality of male terminals, and the module body surrounds an outer peripheral wall of a target area of the first male terminal, and the target area is the area where the first male terminal is located in the target gap.

5. The connector according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that, the male connector includes a plurality of male terminals, the plurality of male terminals include the first male terminal and a second male terminal. Among the first male terminal and the second male terminal, the elastic module only surrounds the outer peripheral wall of the target area of the first male terminal, and the target area is the area where the first male terminal is located in the target gap.

6. The connector according to claim 5, characterized in that, the signal rate transmitted by the first male terminal is greater than the signal rate transmitted by the second male terminal.

7. The connector according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that, the male connector includes a plurality of male terminals, the plurality of male terminals further include a third male terminal. The first male terminal and the third male terminal are adjacent in position among the plurality of male terminals, and the data signal transmitted by the first male terminal and the data signal transmitted by the third male terminal are a pair of differential signals; The elastic module has a shielding space, and the target areas of the first male terminal and the third male terminal are located within the shielding space. The target area of the first male terminal is the area of the first male terminal located within the target gap, and the target area of the third male terminal is the area of the third male terminal located within the target gap.

8. The connector according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein, the target gap has a first orthographic projection on a target plane, and the elastic module has a second orthographic projection on the target plane, and the second orthographic projection is located within the coverage of the first orthographic projection.

9. The connector according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein, the connector and another connector are respectively connected to the same circuit board, and on the circuit board, the target gap of the connector and the position of the other connector are close to each other. The elastic module extends out from the target gap of the connector, and there is a gap between the elastic module and the other connector.

10. The connector according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein, when the first male terminal is inserted into the socket and the first male terminal is electrically connected to the female terminal, if the target gap is hollow, the target gap has a first width in the radial direction; if the target gap includes the elastic module, the target gap has a second width in the radial direction, and the absolute value of the difference between the first width and the second width is less than a preset value.

11. The connector according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein, the material of the elastic module is at least one of conductive plastic, conductive rubber or electroplated plastic.

12. The connector according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein, the elastic module includes an elastic substrate, and the substrate is filled with conductive metal. The form of the conductive metal includes at least one of the following: metal fiber, metal film, metal grid, metal powder, or nano-scale metal particles.

13. The connector according to any one of claims 1 to 12, wherein, the male connector includes a male ground terminal, and the female connector includes a female ground terminal. The male ground terminal and the female ground terminal are respectively used for grounding, and the elastic module is electrically connected to the male ground terminal, or the elastic module is electrically connected to the female ground terminal.

14. A communication device, wherein, the communication device includes a housing body, and the housing body includes a first circuit board, a second circuit board, and the connector according to any one of claims 1 to 13. The male connector is used to connect the first circuit board, and the female connector is used to connect the second circuit board.

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