Close pitch high speed floating connector

By setting a limiting structure and a mating structure in the small-pitch high-speed floating connector, the problem of the change in the spacing between adjacent conductive terminals during conductive terminal displacement compensation is solved, thereby improving the stability of the conductive terminal spacing and the reliability of the connector.

CN120933715BActive Publication Date: 2026-02-27SHENZHEN JINLING ELECTRONICS
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Patent Information

Application Number
CN202511463305.0
Authority / Receiving Office
CN · China
Patent Type
Patents(China)
Current Assignee / Owner
Filing Date
2025-10-14
Publication Date
2026-02-27
Estimated Expiration
2045-10-14

AI Technical Summary

Technical Problem

In small-pitch high-speed floating connectors, displacement compensation of conductive terminals can easily lead to changes in the spacing between adjacent conductive terminals, affecting electrical performance and safety.

Method used

A small-pitch high-speed floating connector was designed. By setting a limiting structure and a mating structure in the floating space, the floating shell and the fixed shell are restricted to be locked in the long direction, while allowing movement in the wide direction and the mating direction, thus ensuring the stability of the conductive terminal spacing.

Benefits of technology

It effectively prevents changes in the spacing between conductive terminals, improves the reliability and service life of the connector, reduces the risk of short circuits, and ensures the stability of the circuit and the reliability of the conductive terminals.

✦ Generated by Eureka AI based on patent content.

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Abstract

The application relates to the field of electrical equipment and discloses a small-interval high-speed floating connector, which comprises a fixed shell with a floating cavity, a floating shell located in the floating cavity, and a conductive terminal inserted into the fixed shell and the floating shell, and the floating cavity and the floating shell have a floating space therebetween; a limiting structure is arranged on the end face of the floating shell, a matching structure is arranged on the floating cavity, and the limiting structure is located in the floating space. According to the application, the limiting structure and the matching structure are arranged in the floating space, so that after the floating shell and the fixed shell are installed, the limiting structure and the matching structure are locked in the length direction and cannot move, meanwhile, the limiting structure and the matching structure are matched with each other to enable the floating shell to move in the width direction and the plug-in direction, so that the displacement compensation function of the floating shell is reserved, the interval between the small-interval conductive terminals is prevented from changing, and the reliability and the service life of the whole connector are improved.
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Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of electrical equipment, and in particular to a small-pitch high-speed floating connector. Background Technology

[0002] High-speed floating connectors are precision electronic components designed for transmitting high-speed signals in systems demanding high reliability and performance. Their core feature is the "floating" structure, which allows for minute axial and radial positional misalignments between the connector's plug and socket, automatically compensating for alignment errors caused by manufacturing tolerances, thermal expansion and contraction, or vibration and shock. This self-correcting capability effectively avoids installation stress, ensuring long-term connection stability. Furthermore, through meticulous impedance matching, shielding design, and differential signal transmission schemes, they can support high-speed data rates from several Gbps to tens of Gbps, perfectly combining high-reliability mechanical characteristics with excellent electrical performance. Therefore, high-speed floating connectors are widely used in communication base stations, data center servers, industrial equipment, and automotive electronics—fields with stringent requirements for signal integrity and connection durability.

[0003] To meet the growing demand for miniaturization and high-density integration of electronic products and to effectively save PCB space, small-pitch height floating connectors or small-pitch height floating connector assemblies are designed and manufactured. Small pitch refers to the extremely small center distance between the connector terminals, typically less than 1 mm.

[0004] Existing high-speed floating connectors with small pitch mainly consist of a fixed housing, a floating housing, and conductive terminals. The floating compensation capability of these connectors is achieved through the connection between the elastic conductive terminals and the spaced-out fixed and floating housings. To ensure the conductive terminals can be installed within the mating cavities on the fixed and floating housings, a certain gap must exist between the conductive terminals and the inner wall of the mating cavity. The conductive terminals are typically positioned by providing localized protrusions to press against the mating cavity, thus ensuring installation while preventing them from falling out. However, when the floating housing shifts due to elastic compensation, if the conductive terminals deform along their square arrangement, the gap between the conductive terminals and the inner wall of the mating cavity will change the spacing between adjacent conductive terminals. This alters the electrical clearance and creepage distance, potentially leading to short circuits and reducing safety. Summary of the Invention

[0005] In view of the shortcomings of the prior art, the technical problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a small-pitch high-speed floating connector to solve the problem that the spacing between adjacent conductive terminals is easily changed during displacement compensation.

[0006] To solve the above-mentioned technical problems, one technical solution adopted by the present invention is: to provide a small-pitch high-speed floating connector including a fixed housing with a floating cavity, a floating housing located in the floating cavity, and conductive terminals inserted into the fixed housing and the floating housing, wherein there is a floating space between the floating cavity and the floating housing; at least one end face of the floating housing along the longitudinal direction is provided with a limiting structure that can move along the width direction and is located in the floating space; the inner wall of the floating cavity corresponding to the limiting structure is provided with a mating structure that cooperates with the limiting structure and restricts its movement in the longitudinal direction; the limiting structure is movable relative to the mating structure along the insertion direction.

[0007] Furthermore, a groove extending in the width direction is recessed on the end face, and two sliding rods arranged in the width direction and spaced apart are provided in the groove. The limiting structure has a slider that is slidably sleeved on the two sliding rods. A spring with its two ends connected to the groove and the slider is sleeved on the sliding rod. The spring is in the normal state when the slider is in the middle position of the groove.

[0008] Furthermore, the limiting structure includes a connecting part connected to the floating shell and a limiting cylinder extending from the connecting part along the insertion direction; the mating structure includes a mating block fixedly connected to the inner wall of the floating cavity, and the mating block has an insertion cavity for the limiting cylinder to pass through in the insertion direction.

[0009] Furthermore, the length of the limiting cylinder is extendable.

[0010] Furthermore, the limiting cylinder includes an inner cylinder fixedly connected to the connecting part and an outer cylinder that is movably sleeved on the inner cylinder along the insertion direction. A first protruding post is provided on the outer wall of the inner cylinder, and a transverse groove for the first protruding post to pass through is provided on the inner wall of the outer cylinder, as well as a first vertical groove that is opened along the axial direction of the outer cylinder and communicates with one end of the transverse groove. Before the limiting cylinder is inserted into the insertion cavity, the first protruding post is located in the transverse groove and is in a locked state, and after the outer cylinder is inserted into the insertion cavity, the first protruding post rotates so that the first protruding post is located in the first vertical groove and is in a retractable state.

[0011] Furthermore, a second protruding post is provided on the outer wall of the outer cylinder, and an inclined groove for the second protruding post to pass through is provided on the inner wall of the insertion cavity, as well as a second vertical groove that connects to one end of the inclined groove and is opened along the insertion direction; when the limiting cylinder is inserted into the insertion cavity, the second protruding post and the inclined groove roll together to drive the outer cylinder to rotate until it enters the second vertical groove, and then the first protruding post moves from the horizontal groove to the first vertical groove so that the outer cylinder and the inner cylinder can move along the insertion direction respectively.

[0012] Furthermore, the fixed housing has a plurality of first insertion cavities spaced apart along the length direction and communicating inwardly with the floating cavity along the width direction. The floating housing has insertion and removal cavities and a plurality of second insertion cavities spaced apart along the length direction and communicating with the outside of the floating housing along the width direction. The conductive terminal is inserted into the first insertion cavity and the second insertion cavity. The conductive terminal includes a soldering part for soldering to the circuit board, a first fastening part for insertion into the first insertion cavity, an elastic compensation part that moves through the floating space and the second insertion cavity, and a second fastening part for insertion into the second insertion cavity, wherein the second fastening part has a guide contact part that extends into the insertion and removal cavity.

[0013] Furthermore, the first insertion cavity includes a first movable cavity segment and a first fastening cavity segment wider than the first movable cavity segment. The first fastening part is inserted into the first fastening cavity segment along the insertion direction and is abutted against the first fastening cavity segment by a first protrusion. The elastic compensation part includes a first segment extending along the inner wall of the first movable cavity segment and spaced apart, a second segment extending along the inner wall of the floating cavity from the first segment and spaced apart, and a third segment extending toward the second insertion cavity from the second segment after being bent and spaced apart.

[0014] Furthermore, the second insertion cavity includes two second fastening cavity sections opened along the insertion direction and respectively disposed on both sides of the insertion cavity along the width direction, and a second movable cavity section narrower than the second fastening cavity sections and surrounding each of the second fastening cavity sections. The elastic compensation part passes through the second movable cavity section. The second fastening part includes two fastening sections extending along the insertion direction and arranged at intervals, and a connecting section connecting the two fastening sections. The section of each of the two fastening sections away from the connecting section is arched inward to form the guide contact. The elastic compensation part is connected to one of the guide contact, and both of the guide contact sections are pressed against the second fastening cavity section by a second protrusion.

[0015] Furthermore, a compensation shell is provided on the outer wall of the fixed housing.

[0016] The small-pitch high-speed floating connector of the present invention has at least the following beneficial effects: By setting a limiting structure and a mating structure in the floating space, the present invention locks the limiting structure and the mating structure in the longitudinal direction so that they cannot move after the floating shell and the fixed shell are installed. At the same time, the limiting structure and the mating structure cooperate with each other to allow the floating shell to move in the width direction and the insertion direction. This retains the displacement compensation function of the floating shell while preventing changes in the spacing between the small-pitch conductive terminals, thereby improving the reliability and service life of the entire connector. Attached Figure Description

[0017] The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a further understanding of this application and form part of this application, illustrate exemplary embodiments and are used to explain this application, but do not constitute an undue limitation of this application. In the drawings:

[0018] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the connector structure of the present invention;

[0019] Figure 2 This is a side sectional view of the connector of the present invention;

[0020] Figure 3 This is an exploded view of the connector of the present invention;

[0021] Figure 4 for Figure 3 An enlarged view of part A shown;

[0022] Figure 5 This is a side sectional view of the fixed housing of the present invention;

[0023] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the compensation shell of the present invention;

[0024] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the conductive terminal of the present invention;

[0025] Figure 8 This is a side sectional view of the floating hull of the present invention;

[0026] Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the floating shell of the present invention;

[0027] Figure 10 for Figure 9 An enlarged view of part B shown;

[0028] Figure 11 This is a front sectional view of the connector of the present invention;

[0029] Figure 12 for Figure 11 An enlarged view of section C shown;

[0030] Figure 13 This is a front exploded sectional view of the limiting structure (partial) and the mating structure of the present invention.

[0031] The meanings of the labels in the attached diagram are as follows:

[0032] Fixed housing 1, floating cavity 11, first insertion cavity 12, first cavity segment 121, second cavity segment 122, third cavity segment 123, first fastening cavity segment 124, welding cavity segment 125, connecting surface 13, inner layer 14, spacer cavity 141, clearance cavity 142, first pair of insertion surfaces 15, stepped surface 16, buckle 171, protrusion 172, through hole 173, compensation shell 2, locking hole 21, concave edge 221, extension piece 222, bending foot 223, floating housing 3, wide segment 31, inclined surface 311, narrow segment 32, insertion cavity 33, second insertion cavity 34, fourth cavity segment 341, fifth cavity segment 342, second fastening cavity segment 343, second pair of insertion surfaces 351, mating surface 352, center part 36. End face; 37. Slide groove; 381. Slide rod; 392. Spring; 383. Conductive terminal; 4. Welding part; 41. First fastening part; 42. Elastic compensation part; 43. First section; 431. Second section; 432. Third section; 433. Second fastening part; 44. Fastening section; 441. Connecting section; 442. Guide contact part; 45. First convex hull; 461. Second convex hull; 462. Limiting structure; 5. Connecting part; 51. Slider; 511. Connecting block; 512. Limiting cylinder; 52. Outer cylinder; 521. Inner cylinder; 522. First convex post; 523. Horizontal groove; 524. First vertical groove; 525. Second convex post; 526. Mating structure; 6. Mating block; 61. Insertion cavity; 62. Second vertical groove; 621. Inclined groove; 622. Third vertical groove; 623. Detailed Implementation

[0033] The invention will now be further described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0034] Please see Figures 1 to 13 The small-pitch high-speed floating connector of the present invention includes a fixed housing 1, a compensation shell 2 surrounding the outer wall of the fixed housing 1, a floating housing 3 movably disposed within the fixed housing 1, conductive terminals 4 inserted into the fixed housing 1 and the floating housing 3, a limiting structure 5 disposed on at least one end face 37 of the floating housing 3 along the longitudinal direction, and a mating structure 6 that cooperates with the limiting structure 5, wherein the limiting structure 5 is movable relative to the mating structure 6 along the width direction and the insertion / removal direction.

[0035] Please see Figures 1 to 5The fixed housing 1 is shaped according to the application scenario. In this embodiment, the fixed housing 1 is a cuboid structure formed by plastic injection molding, and thus has length, width, and height. A floating cavity 11 with openings on both sides along its height direction is formed through the fixed housing 1, and the floating housing 3 is installed in the floating cavity 11 along its height direction. One side of the fixed housing 1 along its height direction is defined as a connecting surface 13. A first insertion cavity 12 is also formed on the fixed housing 1, which extends through the connecting surface 13 along its height direction. A conductive terminal 4 is inserted into the first insertion cavity 12. The height direction is defined as the insertion direction, and the conductive terminal 4 is inserted into the first insertion cavity 12 along the insertion direction. It should be noted that the aforementioned width and length directions refer to the directions in which the width and length of the fixed housing 1 are located.

[0036] To limit the floating housing 3 from moving indefinitely in the insertion direction, facilitate the arrangement of the first insertion cavity 12 and the installation of the conductive terminals 4, and also to save material, two inner layer portions 14 are integrally connected to both sides of the fixed housing 1 along the width direction. The length of the two inner layer portions 14 is arranged along the length direction of the fixed housing 1 and integrally connected to the inner wall of the fixed housing 1. The inner layer portions 14 are spaced apart from the inner wall of the fixed housing 1 to form a spacer cavity 141. The side of the two inner layer portions 14 closest to the connecting surface 13 along the insertion direction is shorter than the connecting surface 13 and recessed relative to the connecting surface 13, so that a clearance cavity 142 communicating with the spacer cavity 141 is separated between the inner layer portion 14 and the connecting surface 13. The side of the fixed housing 1 facing away from the connecting surface 13 along the insertion direction is defined as the first pair of insertion surfaces 15. The side of the two inner layers 14 away from the connecting surface 13 along the insertion direction is shorter than the first pair of insertion surfaces 15. The two inner layers 14 extend along the width direction away from the connecting surface 13 and are integrally connected to the fixed housing 1, forming a stepped surface 16 on the side close to the first pair of insertion surfaces 15. The floating cavity 11 is formed in a T shape by the fixed housing 1 and the inner layers 14 including the stepped surface 16. The first insertion cavities 12 are formed in two symmetrical groups, respectively located on the two inner layers 14 and the two side walls along the width direction of the fixed housing 1. Each group of first insertion cavities 12 has several cavities distributed at equal intervals. Each first insertion cavity 12 is connected to the spacer cavity 141 and the clearance cavity 142. The spacer cavity 141 not only reduces the material used in the fixed housing 1, but also reduces the processing difficulty of the first insertion cavity 12. At the same time, the formation of the spacer cavity 141 can also improve the heat dissipation effect of the conductive terminal 4 inserted therein and the first insertion cavity 12. The distance between any two adjacent first insertion cavities 12 is within 1 mm. In particular, in this embodiment, the distance between two adjacent first insertion cavities 12 can be 0.4 mm, achieving an ultra-small distance. The conductive terminal 4 is matched with it, and after assembly, the distance between two adjacent conductive terminals 4 is about 0.4 mm, achieving high-density integration and miniaturization. The first insertion cavity 12 includes a first cavity segment 121 formed on the side wall of the fixed housing 1, a second cavity segment 122 formed on the spacer cavity 141, and a third cavity segment 123 formed on the inner layer portion 14. The first cavity segment 121 is recessed in the side wall of the fixed housing 1 and extends inwardly through the spacer cavity 141 in the width direction. The second cavity segment 122 is recessed in the side cavity surface of the spacer cavity 141 near the first pair of insertion surfaces 15 and communicates with the first cavity segment 121. The third cavity segment 123 is recessed in the inner layer portion 14 on the side near the connecting surface 13 in the insertion direction and communicates with the floating cavity 11 and the spacer cavity 141 in the width direction. The third cavity segment 123 also communicates with the clearance cavity 142 in the insertion direction.

[0037] Please see Figure 4 and Figure 6The compensating shell 2 is a rectangular frame structure with a width adapted to the height of the fixed shell 1 and surrounding the outer wall of the fixed shell 1. The compensating shell 2 is made of metal such as steel to strengthen the overall strength of the fixed shell 1 and prevent damage from external impacts. To enhance the strength between the compensating shell 2 and the fixed shell 1, triangular buckles 171 are protruded from any two opposite outer walls of the fixed shell 1. The buckles 171 are wider near the connecting surface 13 and gradually narrower near the first pair of insertion surfaces 15 until they are flush with the outer wall of the fixed shell 1, thus forming a guide slope 311 on the buckles 171 to facilitate the installation of the compensating shell 2. Slots or holes 21 are provided on the compensating shell 2 corresponding to the positions of each buckle 171. After the compensating shell 2 is fitted onto the fixed shell 1, the buckles 171 engage with the slots or holes 21, thereby securing the compensating shell 2 to the fixed shell 1.

[0038] To further enhance the connection strength between the compensation shell 2 and the fixed shell 1, slots or holes 21 are provided on one of the opposite sides of the compensation shell 2. On the other opposite sides of the compensation shell 2, a recessed edge 221 is provided on one side of the corresponding connecting surface 13 along its width direction. An extension piece 222 and a bent foot 223 extending away from the compensation shell 2 after being vertically bent from the extension piece 222 are integrally formed in the recessed edge 221. A buckle 171 is provided on the fixed shell 1 corresponding to the slot or hole 21, and a protrusion 172 is provided on the fixed shell 1 corresponding to the extension piece 222. A through hole 173 is provided on the protrusion 172 for the extension piece 222 to pass through. The bent foot 223 is formed by the uniform extension of the extension piece 222. After the extension piece 222 passes through the through hole 173, the part of it that passes through the through hole 173 is bent to form the bent foot 223. The concave edge 221 and the bent foot 223 are used to restrict the movement of the compensation shell 2 along the insertion direction.

[0039] Please see Figures 1 to 3 , Figures 8 to 11The floating shell 3, corresponding to the formation of the floating cavity 11, has an integrally connected wide section 31 and narrow sections 32 on both sides that are narrower than the wide section 31. Both the wide section 31 and the narrow section 32 are approximately cuboid in shape, and their length, width, and height are aligned with the length, width, and height of the fixed shell 1. The overall height of the floating shell 3 is less than the depth of the floating cavity 11. The width and length of the wide section 31 are both less than the width and length of the portion of the floating cavity 11 enclosed by the inner wall of the fixed shell 1, and the width and length of the narrow section 32 are both less than the width and length of the portion of the floating cavity 11 enclosed by the inner layer 14. This allows the floating shell 3, after being installed within the floating cavity 11, to be spaced apart from the floating cavity 11, thus forming a floating space. In order to reduce interference when the floating shell 3 moves in the floating space, inclined surfaces 311 are formed on both sides of the wide section 31 that are wider than the narrow section 32 in the width direction, extending obliquely to the outer wall of the narrow section 32. After the floating shell 3 is installed in the floating cavity 11, the inclined surfaces 311 are spaced apart and directly opposite the inner side of the step surface 16 and the inner side of the inner layer 14, thereby increasing the range of movement of the floating shell 3 and reducing interference.

[0040] The floating housing 3 has a insertion cavity 33 and a second insertion cavity 34. A complementary connector, which is complementary to the connector of the invention, is inserted and removed into the insertion cavity 33 along the insertion direction. A portion of the conductive terminal 4 is inserted into the insertion cavity 33. The side of the wide section 31 facing away from the narrow section 32 along the insertion direction is defined as the second pair of insertion surfaces 351, and the side of the narrow section 32 facing away from the wide section 31 along the insertion direction is defined as the mating surface 352. The insertion cavity 33 is recessed from the second pair of insertion surfaces 351 and is symmetrically arranged in two sets corresponding to the two sets of first insertion cavities 12. The length of both sets of insertion cavities 33 is arranged along the length direction of the floating housing 3, and each end of the two sets of insertion cavities 33 is connected to the end of the other set, so that the two sets of insertion cavities 33 are in a cuboid frame structure, so as to facilitate the insertion and removal of the male connector and improve the bonding force. The insertion cavity 33 extends through the second pair of insertion surfaces 351 along the insertion direction and has a U-shaped inner wall, so that the floating shell 3 is located inside the two sets of insertion cavities 33, forming a central part 36 located in the middle of the entire floating shell 3.

[0041] The second insertion cavity 34 is formed on the narrow section 32 and the wide section 31 and is also arranged in two groups. Each group has a number of second insertion cavities 34 that are consistent with the number and position of the first insertion cavities 12, and the spacing between adjacent second insertion cavities 34 is consistent with the spacing between the first insertion cavities 12. The second insertion cavity 34 is opened inward from the outer wall of the floating housing 3 to the outer wall of the center portion 36 along the width direction, including a fourth cavity segment 341 and a fifth cavity segment 342. The fourth cavity segment 341 is located on the portion of the floating housing 3 located around the insertion cavity 33 and penetrates the outer wall of the floating housing 3 and the insertion cavity 33 along the width direction. The fourth cavity segment 341 also penetrates the mating surface 352 along the insertion direction and is L-shaped, so that the conductive terminal 4 can be inserted into the second insertion cavity 34 along the insertion direction and extend out of the second insertion cavity 34 along the width direction to mate with the first insertion cavity 12. The fifth cavity 342 is recessed in the center portion 36 along the width direction and connects to the insertion cavity 33 along the width direction. The fifth cavity 342 also passes through the mating surface 352 along the insertion direction and connects to the fourth cavity 341, so that the second insertion cavity 34 connects to the floating space after being installed in the floating cavity 11.

[0042] Please see Figure 7The conductive terminal 4 includes a soldering portion 41 for soldering to a circuit board, a first fastening portion 42 for insertion into a first insertion cavity 12, an elastic compensation portion 43 that movably passes through a floating space and a second insertion cavity 34, and a second fastening portion 44 for insertion into the second insertion cavity 34, wherein the second fastening portion 44 has a guide portion 45 that extends into the insertion cavity 33 to abut against the male connector. Corresponding to the structure of the conductive terminal 4, the first insertion cavity 12 includes a first movable cavity section and a first fastening cavity section 124 that is wider than the first movable cavity section. The first fastening portion 42 is inserted into the first fastening cavity section 124 along the insertion direction and abuts against the first fastening cavity section 124 through a first protrusion 461. The first movable cavity is composed of a first cavity 121, a second cavity 122, and a third cavity 123. A welding cavity 125 is recessed on the connecting surface 13 and located outside the spacer cavity 141, allowing the welding part 41 to pass through. This allows the welding part 41 to be bent from the first fastening part 42 and extend out of the fixing housing 1 along the width direction from the welding cavity 125, where it can be soldered to the circuit board. A first fastening cavity 124 is formed along the length of the first cavity 121, fitting against the inner wall of the fixing housing 1 and recessed within the inner wall of the first cavity 121. Therefore, the width of the first fastening cavity 124 is greater than the width of the first movable cavity. The first fastening cavity 124 extends through the connecting surface 13 along the insertion direction. The first protrusions 461 are provided on both sides of the first fastening part 42. The first fastening part 42 of the conductive terminal 4 is inserted into the first fastening cavity 124 from the side of the connecting surface 13 along the insertion direction. The first protrusions 461 abut against the inner wall of the first fastening cavity 124 to limit the conductive terminal 4. The elastic compensation part 43 includes a first segment 431 extending and spaced apart along the inner wall of the first movable cavity, a second segment 432 extending and spaced apart from the first segment 431 along the inner wall of the floating cavity 11, and a third segment 433 extending and spaced apart from the second segment 432 after being bent toward the second insertion cavity 34. The first segment 431 extends inward in the width direction after being bent from the first fastening part 42, then bends and extends toward the side of the connecting surface 13 along the insertion direction, and then bends and extends inward in the width direction. The second segment 432 extends from the first segment 431 along the insertion direction toward the first pair of insertion surfaces 15, and together with the first segment 431, surrounds the inner layer 14 on the inside. The inner layer 14 provides a certain degree of restraint to prevent excessive deformation and improve stability. The third segment 433 is formed by bending a section of the second segment 432 away from the first segment 431 and extending inward along the width direction.

[0043] To correspond to the structure of the conductive terminal 4, the second insertion cavity 34 includes two second fastening cavity sections 343 that are opened along the insertion direction and are respectively disposed on both sides of the insertion cavity 33 in the width direction, and a second movable cavity section that is narrower than the second fastening cavity sections 343 and surrounds each of the second fastening cavity sections 343. The elastic compensation part 43 passes through the second movable cavity section. The second movable cavity section is composed of a fourth cavity section 341 and a fifth cavity section 342. The two second fastening cavity sections 343 are respectively opened in the fourth cavity section 341 and the fifth cavity section 342, and the two second fastening cavity sections 343 pass through the mating surface 352 along the insertion direction. The second fastening part 44 includes two fastening sections 441 extending along the insertion direction and spaced apart, and a connecting section 442 connecting the two fastening sections 441. The connecting section 442 causes the fastening sections 441 to form two units. The section of each fastening section 441 away from the connecting section 442 is arched inward to form the guide contact 45, thereby enabling communication with the complementary connector from both sides through the guide contact 45, improving the reliability with the complementary connector. The elastic compensation part 43 is connected to a guide contact 45 located in the second movable cavity section, and both guide contacts 45 are abutted against the second fastening cavity section 343 by a second protrusion 462.

[0044] In use, after aligning the first fastening part 42 with the first fastening cavity 124 and the second fastening part 44 with the second fastening cavity 343 from the side of the connecting surface 13, push the conductive terminal 4 along the insertion direction to insert the conductive terminal 4 into the first insertion cavity 12 and the second insertion cavity 34 until the welding part 41 is located in the welding cavity 125. The elastic compensation part 43 is located in the first movable cavity, the floating space and the second movable cavity. The first protrusion 461 and the second protrusion 462 prevent the conductive terminal 4 from falling off and abut against the complementary connector from both sides, ensuring the stability and firmness between the complementary connector and the conductive terminal.

[0045] Please see Figures 9 to 13 The mating structure 6 is disposed on the inner wall of the floating cavity 11 and is provided with the end face 37 of the limiting structure 5 corresponding to the floating shell 3. After the floating shell 3 is located in the floating cavity 11 and a floating space is formed between it and the floating cavity 11, the limiting structure 5 is located in the floating space and can move relative to the mating structure 6 in the insertion direction after it is mated with the mating structure 6. After the limiting structure 5 and the mating structure 6 are mated with each other, the limiting structure 5 and the mating structure 6 restrict each other in the longitudinal direction and lock them so that they cannot move. This further prevents the floating shell 3 and the fixed shell 1 from moving in the longitudinal direction, so that the floating shell 3 cannot move relative to the fixed shell 1 in the longitudinal direction. Therefore, it avoids the possibility that the spacing of the conductive terminals 4 will be changed due to movement in the longitudinal direction, and keeps the spacing between each conductive terminal 4 in the longitudinal direction, thereby improving the stability of the circuit and the reliability of the conductive terminals 4.

[0046] In this embodiment, the limiting structure 5 is configured as two and is movably connected to the two end faces 37 of the floating shell 3 (both referring to the end faces 37 of the floating shell 3 along the length direction) along the width direction. Specifically, a groove 381 extending in the width direction is recessed on the corresponding end face 37. Two sliding rods 392, both arranged in the width direction and spaced apart in the insertion direction, are provided in the groove 381. The limiting structure 5 is slidably sleeved on the two sliding rods 392. A spring 383, with its two ends connected to the groove 381 and the limiting structure 5 respectively, is sleeved on the sliding rod 392. The spring 383 is in normal state when the limiting structure 5 is in the middle position of the groove 381. Therefore, when the limiting structure 5 and the mating structure 6 are engaged and the floating shell 3 is displaced in the width direction due to external reasons, the presence of the sliding rod 392 can ensure that the limiting structure 5 is stationary in the width direction relative to the mating structure 6 without affecting the movement of the floating shell 3 in the width direction. At this time, the spring 383 is in a compressed state. After the movement, the floating shell 3 will automatically reset under the action of the elastic compensation part 43, and the limiting structure 5 will reset to the middle under the compression of the spring 383.

[0047] The limiting structure 5 includes a connecting portion 51 connected to the floating shell 3 and a limiting cylinder 52 extending from the connecting portion 51 along the insertion direction. The connecting portion 51 includes a slider 511 slidably sleeved on two sliding rods 392 and a connecting block 512 fixedly connected to the slider 511. The slider 511 is parallel to the end face 37, while the connecting block 512 is perpendicular to the slider 511 and protrudes longitudinally from the sliding groove 381. The limiting cylinder 52 extends from the side of the connecting block 512 away from the slider 511 towards the mating surface 352 along the insertion direction. The limiting cylinder 52 has a cylindrical structure and is axially arranged along the insertion direction. The end of the limiting cylinder 52 away from the connecting block 512 is conical to facilitate quick engagement with the mating structure 6.

[0048] The mating structure 6 includes a mating block 61 fixedly connected to the inner wall of the floating cavity 11. The mating block 61 has an insertion cavity 62 for the limiting cylinder 52 to be inserted into along the insertion direction. The tapered end of the limiting cylinder 52 allows it to quickly enter the insertion cavity 62. To improve the fit between the limiting cylinder 52 and the insertion cavity 62, a wide-mouthed frustum structure is provided at the opening of the insertion cavity 62. When the limiting cylinder 52 and the insertion cavity 62 are aligned and inserted along the insertion direction, the limiting cylinder 52 cannot move relative to the mating block 61 in the width direction.

[0049] In one embodiment, the limiting cylinder 52 slides directly relative to the insertion cavity 62 in the insertion direction to ensure the displacement of the floating shell 3 in the insertion direction. However, to ensure that the limiting cylinder 52 does not wobble when inserted into the insertion cavity 62 and to improve the stability of the limiting cylinder 52, the outer diameter of the limiting cylinder 52 is the same as the inner diameter of the insertion cavity 62, so that there is basically no gap after the limiting cylinder 52 is inserted into the insertion cavity 62. However, without gaps, the movement of the limiting cylinder 52 relative to the insertion cavity 62 in the insertion direction will be difficult and not smooth. Therefore, preferably, the length of the limiting cylinder 52 is telescopic. Specifically, the limiting cylinder 52 includes an inner cylinder 522 fixedly connected to the connecting part 51 and an outer cylinder 521 that is movably sleeved on the inner cylinder 522 along the insertion direction. A first protrusion 523 is provided on the outer wall of the inner cylinder 522. The first protrusion 523 is used to prevent the inner cylinder 522 from detaching from the outer cylinder 521. The cooperation between the inner cylinder 522 and the outer cylinder 521 is achieved by the expansion and contraction of the outer cylinder 521 and the inner cylinder after the outer cylinder 521 is inserted into the insertion cavity 62, which ensures that the floating shell 3 can move smoothly in the insertion direction.

[0050] To further ensure that the outer cylinder 521 provides strong support when inserted into the insertion cavity 62, and to make it easier for the outer cylinder 521 to enter the insertion cavity 62, a transverse groove 524 for the first protrusion 523 to pass through is recessed on the inner wall of the outer cylinder 521, and a first vertical groove 525 is formed along the axial direction of the outer cylinder 521 and connects to one end of the transverse groove 524. Before the limiting cylinder 52 is inserted into the insertion cavity 62, the first protrusion 523 is located in the transverse groove 524 to lock the inner cylinder 522 and the outer cylinder 521. At this time, the inner cylinder 522 and the connecting block 512 can provide support for the outer cylinder 521. The outer cylinder 521 and the inner cylinder 522 are in a non-extendable state, so the outer cylinder 521 can be easily inserted into the insertion cavity 62. A second protruding post 526 is provided on the outer wall of the outer cylinder 521. An inclined groove 622 for the second protruding post 526 to pass through is recessed on the inner wall of the insertion cavity 62, and a second vertical groove 621 connected to one end of the inclined groove 622 and opened along the insertion direction is provided. When the limiting cylinder 52 is inserted into the insertion cavity 62, the second protruding post 526 and the inclined groove 622 roll and cooperate to drive the outer cylinder 521 to rotate until it enters the second vertical groove 621. The first protruding post 523 moves from the horizontal groove 524 to the first vertical groove 525 as the outer cylinder 521 rotates until it enters the first vertical groove 525. After that, the limiting cylinder 52 is in a telescopic state. The outer cylinder 521 can move freely along the second vertical groove 621 in the insertion direction, and the inner cylinder 522 can move freely in the outer cylinder 521 along the insertion direction through the first vertical groove 525. To facilitate the engagement of the second protrusion 526 and the inclined groove 622, the end of the second protrusion 526 can be spherical, and the end of the second protrusion 526 or the spherical end can rotate. This allows the spherical end to rotate the outer cylinder 521 through rolling engagement with the wall of the inclined groove 622 as the outer cylinder 521 moves along the insertion direction. The inclined groove 622 is inclined towards the bottom of the groove along the inner wall of the insertion cavity 62, thereby driving the outer cylinder 521 to rotate. Since the entire limiting cylinder 52 also moves downward during the rotation of the outer cylinder 521, the first protrusion 523 can move within the transverse groove 524 during the rotation of the outer cylinder 521. It should be noted that, in order to ensure that the outer cylinder 521 can rotate after being partially inserted into the insertion cavity 62, a third vertical groove 623 is provided on the side of the inclined groove 622 near the groove opening. The third vertical groove 623 extends outward along the insertion direction and passes through the groove opening of the insertion cavity 62. The inclined groove 622 can be set at the middle position of the insertion cavity 62 along the insertion direction.

[0051] It should be noted that the limiting structure 5, mating structure 6, spring 383, etc., are all made of plastic to reduce or minimize their impact on the connector. Spring 383 can also be made of metal to ensure its elasticity. To facilitate the installation of the inner cylinder 522, the outer cylinder 521 can be divided into two sections axially. The side of the first vertical groove 525 away from the conical end has a stop to prevent the first protrusion 523 from disengaging from the first vertical groove 525. Therefore, the inner cylinder 522 can be installed on each section separately, and then the two sections can be fixed together.

[0052] The operation of one embodiment of the small-pitch high-speed floating connector of the present invention is as follows: The compensation shell 2 is mounted on the fixed shell 1, and the conductive terminal 4 is mounted in the first insertion cavity 12, with the soldering part 41 abutting against the soldering cavity section 125. The second fastening part 44 and the elastic compensation part 43 of the conductive terminal 4 are both located within the floating cavity 11. After the insertion / extraction side of the floating shell 3 is oriented towards the floating cavity 11 and the second fastening part 44 is aligned with each of the second fastening cavity sections 343, the floating shell 3 is moved along the insertion direction to allow the second fastening part... 44 is installed in the second insertion cavity 34; during this process, the locked limiting cylinder 52 is inserted into the insertion cavity 62, the second protrusion 526 gradually inserts into the third vertical groove 623 until it enters the inclined groove 622, the second protrusion 526 and the inclined groove 622 roll and rub against each other, causing the outer cylinder 521 to rotate into the second vertical groove 621, and then the first protrusion 523 rotates into the first vertical groove 525, so that the outer cylinder 521 and the inner cylinder 522 can move relative to each other in the insertion direction. Then, a circuit board is welded onto the fixed housing 1, and the welding part 41 is welded to the circuit board.

[0053] Compared with the prior art, the small-pitch high-speed floating connector of the present invention, through the cooperation of the limiting structure 5 and the mating structure 6, prevents the floating housing 3 from moving in the longitudinal direction after it is installed in the floating cavity 11, while allowing it to move freely in the width and insertion directions. This ensures that the elastic compensation part 43 can still provide displacement compensation between the floating housing 3 and the fixed housing 1, guaranteeing protection for the floating housing 3 and preventing changes in the spacing between adjacent conductive terminals 4 that could affect conductivity. This effectively improves the reliability and service life of the conductive terminals 4 and reduces the possibility of short circuits in the conductive terminals 4.

Claims

1. A small-pitch high-speed floating connector comprising a fixed housing having a floating cavity, a floating housing located in the floating cavity, and a conductive terminal interposed in the fixed housing and the floating housing, a floating space being provided between the floating cavity and the floating housing; characterized in that: The floating shell is provided with a limiting structure capable of moving along the width direction and located in the floating space on at least one end surface along the length direction, the floating cavity is provided with a cooperating structure on the inner wall corresponding to the limiting structure, which cooperates with the limiting structure and limits the movement of the limiting structure along the length direction, and the limiting structure is capable of moving along the plugging direction relative to the cooperating structure; The end surface is concavely provided with a sliding groove extending along the width direction, the sliding groove is provided with two sliding rods arranged along the width direction and spaced apart, the limiting structure has a sliding block slidingly sleeved on the two sliding rods, and two springs are sleeved on the sliding rods and connected to the sliding groove and the sliding block at two ends, respectively, the spring is in a normal state when the sliding block is located at the middle position of the sliding groove; The limiting structure includes a connecting portion connected to the floating shell and a limiting cylinder extending from the connecting portion along the plugging direction, and the cooperating structure includes a cooperating block fixedly connected to the inner wall of the floating cavity, and the cooperating block is provided with a plugging cavity for the limiting cylinder to pass through along the plugging direction; The length of the limiting cylinder is telescopic, the limiting cylinder includes an inner cylinder fixedly connected to the connecting portion and an outer cylinder movably sleeved on the inner cylinder along the plugging direction, a first protruding column is protruded on the outer wall of the inner cylinder, a transverse groove for the first protruding column to pass through is concavely provided on the inner wall of the outer cylinder, and a first vertical groove is opened and communicated with one end of the transverse groove along the axial direction of the outer cylinder; before the limiting cylinder passes through the plugging cavity, the first protruding column is located in the transverse groove and is in a locked state, and the first protruding column is rotated after the outer cylinder passes through the plugging cavity so that the first protruding column is located in the first vertical groove and is in a telescopic state; A second protruding column is protruded on the outer wall of the outer cylinder, an inclined groove for the second protruding column to pass through is concavely provided on the inner wall of the plugging cavity, and a second vertical groove is opened and communicated with one end of the inclined groove along the plugging direction; when the limiting cylinder passes through the plugging cavity, the second protruding column is in rolling cooperation with the inclined groove to drive the outer cylinder to rotate until it enters the second vertical groove, and then the first protruding column moves from the transverse groove to the first vertical groove so that the outer cylinder and the inner cylinder can move along the plugging direction, respectively.

2. The close pitch high speed floating connector of claim 1, wherein: The fixed shell is provided with a plurality of first plugging cavities distributed along the length direction and communicated with the floating cavity along the width direction, the floating shell is provided with a plugging cavity and a plurality of second plugging cavities distributed along the length direction and communicated with the plugging cavity and the outside of the floating shell along the width direction, and the conductive terminal is inserted into the first plugging cavity and the second plugging cavity; the conductive terminal includes a welding portion for welding to the circuit board, a first fastening portion for being inserted into the first plugging cavity, an elastic compensation portion movably passing through the floating space and the second plugging cavity, and a second fastening portion for being inserted into the second plugging cavity, which are connected in sequence, and the second fastening portion has a guide contact portion extending into the plugging cavity.

3. The close pitch high speed floating connector of claim 2, wherein: The first plugging cavity includes a first movable cavity section and a first fastening cavity section wider than the first movable cavity section, the first fastening portion is inserted into the first fastening cavity section along the plugging direction and abuts against the first fastening cavity section through a first protruding block; the elastic compensation portion includes a first section extending along the inner wall of the first movable cavity section and spaced apart, a second section extending along the inner wall of the floating cavity and spaced apart from the first section, and a third section extending along the inner wall of the floating cavity and spaced apart from the second section after being bent towards the second plugging cavity.

4. The close pitch high speed floating connector of claim 3, wherein: The second plug cavity comprises two second fastening cavity sections arranged along the plug direction and on both sides of the plug cavity in the width direction, and two second movable cavity sections arranged around the second fastening cavity sections and narrower than the second fastening cavity sections, and the elastic compensation part is arranged in the second movable cavity sections; the second fastening part comprises two fastening sections arranged along the plug direction and spaced apart, and a connecting section connected to the two fastening sections, and the two fastening sections are each inwardly curved to form the contact guiding part on a section away from the connecting section, the elastic compensation part is connected to one of the contact guiding parts, and the two contact guiding parts are each abutted to the second fastening cavity section through a second convex part.

5. The close pitch high speed floating connector of claim 1, wherein: The outer wall of the fixed shell is surrounded by a compensation shell.

Citation Information

Patent Citations

  • Floating connector

    CN112542714A

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    CN117117567A