Multifunctional high-speed connector assembly for easy disassembly and maintenance

Abstract

This invention discloses a multi-functional high-speed connector assembly that is easy to disassemble and maintain, including a mounting frame, a PCB board, a connector module, and a quick-locking mechanism. The mounting frame has an outer panel with mounting holes and a support plate with screw holes. The connector module includes a base housing, a terminal module, and a seal. The front end of the base housing has a boss with a sealing ring for insertion into the mounting hole to achieve a seal, and its outer surface is provided with heat dissipation fins. The terminal module is inserted into the mounting cavity of the base housing, and its conductive terminals have elastic connecting feet that extend downwards to elastically contact and conduct with the gold fingers of the PCB board. The quick-locking mechanism uses screws to pass through the base housing and the PCB board in sequence and then lock into the screw holes of the support plate, quickly fixing the three components in place. This invention enables independent and quick replacement of the connector module, and combines high protection level, efficient heat dissipation, and excellent vibration resistance, greatly improving the maintainability and reliability of the equipment.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of electrical connectors, and in particular to a multifunctional high-speed connector assembly that is easy to disassemble and maintain. Background Technology

[0002] With the widespread application of high-speed data transmission (such as PCIe, SAS, Ethernet, etc.) in data centers, servers, communication equipment, and other fields, the reliability and maintainability of high-speed connectors, as key interconnection components, are of paramount importance. However, traditional high-speed connector assemblies have gradually revealed significant shortcomings in design and actual operation and maintenance, making it difficult to meet the needs of modern efficient and highly reliable infrastructure.

[0003] Firstly, regarding maintainability, traditional high-speed connectors are often tightly coupled to structural components such as equipment chassis and PCBs (printed circuit boards). When a single connector interface suffers physical damage, terminal failure, or seal aging, it typically requires powering off the entire device and disassembling multiple related PCBs, cables, or even the entire module for replacement. This "troubleshooting" approach results in extremely long downtime for equipment maintenance, severely impacting business continuity, and the overall disassembly process is complex and inefficient. Furthermore, because connectors are often fixed by soldering or riveting, replacement is not only costly (requiring the replacement of the entire connector module or PCB component), but the reinstallation and calibration procedures are also cumbersome and require highly skilled technicians.

[0004] Secondly, traditional designs present multiple contradictions regarding reliability and performance. On the one hand, to ensure signal integrity, connector terminals are often fixed to the PCB using soldering. However, under continuous vibration, solder joints are prone to fatigue cracking, leading to signal interruption or quality degradation, and poor vibration resistance. On the other hand, high-speed connectors generate significant heat during operation, and good heat dissipation is crucial for ensuring their performance and lifespan. However, many applications (such as outdoor communication and industrial control) require connectors to have high levels of waterproof and dustproof capabilities. Traditional structures often struggle to balance these two aspects: enhancing heat dissipation may require ventilation holes, but this compromises the protective seal; while achieving high protection levels (such as IP67 / IP68) through full-sealing potting or the addition of heavy seals severely hinders heat dissipation, leading to increased internal temperature rise. This conflict between heat dissipation and protection is particularly pronounced in harsh environments (such as high temperature, high humidity, and dust), directly threatening the long-term stable operation of the equipment.

[0005] Therefore, developing an integrated high-speed connector assembly that can achieve rapid assembly and disassembly, reduce maintenance costs and downtime, and effectively balance vibration resistance, efficient heat dissipation, and high-level protection has become a pressing technical challenge for the industry. This invention presents an innovative solution to these problems. Summary of the Invention

[0006] In view of this, the present invention addresses the shortcomings of existing technologies, and its main objective is to provide a multifunctional high-speed connector assembly that is easy to disassemble and maintain. This effectively solves the problems of traditional high-speed connectors requiring complete disassembly of the equipment for maintenance, resulting in high replacement costs, complex installation, long downtime for equipment maintenance, and low operational efficiency. Furthermore, it addresses the shortcomings of traditional connectors, such as poor reliability under vibration environments and the difficulty in balancing airtight protection with efficient heat dissipation, leading to temperature rise conflicts with protection levels under harsh operating conditions.

[0007] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention adopts the following technical solution: A multi-functional high-speed connector assembly that is easy to disassemble and maintain includes a mounting frame, a PCB board, a connector module, and a quick-locking mechanism. The mounting frame includes an outer panel and a support plate. The inner and outer sides of the outer panel have mounting holes. The support plate is disposed on the inner side of the outer panel and extends horizontally. The PCB is located inside the outer panel and is stacked together with the support plate. The surface of the PCB has multiple contact gold fingers. The connector module is located on the inner side of the outer panel and detachably abuts against the PCB board. It is detachably and sealed to the mounting hole. The connector module has flexible connecting pins and a plug hole. The flexible connecting pins make elastic contact with the gold fingers, and the plug hole protrudes through the mounting hole to the outer side of the outer panel. The connector module includes a base housing, a terminal module, and a seal. The plug hole is located on the base housing, which has a mounting cavity located behind and communicating with the plug hole. Multiple heat dissipation fins are formed on the outer surface of the base housing. A boss extends forward from the front end of the base housing, which mates with and inserts into the mounting hole. The plug hole is recessed rearward from the front end of the boss. A sealing ring is fitted onto the outer wall of the boss, clamping between the outer wall of the boss and the inner wall of the mounting hole. The terminal module is inserted into the mounting cavity from back to front. The terminal module includes an insulating body and multiple conductive terminals. The insulating body includes a base and a tongue extending forward from the base. The base is located in a mounting cavity, and the tongue extends into a plug hole. Multiple conductive terminals are embedded and fixed in the insulating body. Each conductive terminal has a contact portion and the aforementioned elastic connecting foot. The contact portion protrudes from the surface of the tongue, and the elastic connecting foot extends out of the base housing. A seal is formed and fixed in the mounting cavity by injecting adhesive into the mounting cavity. The seal is embedded and fixed together with the base. Furthermore, a retaining ring is integrally formed between the mounting cavity and the plug hole to prevent over-insertion of the connector. The retaining ring has a connecting hole that connects the mounting cavity and the plug hole. The connecting hole is adapted to the tongue, and the tongue extends into the plug hole through the connecting hole. Double-sided adhesive is bonded between the front end face of the base and the rear side face of the retaining ring to prevent adhesive overflow during injection. The double-sided adhesive is ring-shaped. The quick-locking mechanism locks the support plate, PCB board and connector module together.

[0008] As a preferred embodiment, the plurality of conductive terminals are arranged in two rows, and a hook shield is provided between the two rows of conductive terminals. The hook shield is embedded in the insulating body and has two elastic grounding feet. The two elastic grounding feet are located between the elastic connecting feet of the two rows of conductive terminals, and the two elastic grounding feet are in elastic contact with the corresponding contact gold fingers for conduction.

[0009] As a preferred embodiment, the bottom surface of the base housing is recessed with a cavity that communicates with the mounting cavity. The rear end of the base covers the rear opening of the cavity. The elastic connecting foot and the elastic grounding foot are both located in the cavity and protrude downward from the bottom surface of the base housing.

[0010] As a preferred embodiment, the bottom surface of the base shell is fitted to the surface of the PCB board to cover the cavity. The PCB board has multiple positioning holes, and multiple positioning posts extend downward from the bottom surface of the base shell. The multiple positioning posts are respectively inserted into the multiple positioning holes for positioning.

[0011] As a preferred embodiment, the support plate has multiple screw holes, the PCB board has multiple first through holes, the base housing has multiple second through holes, and the quick-locking mechanism includes multiple screws, which pass through the corresponding second through holes and the corresponding first through holes in sequence and then engage with the corresponding screw holes for fixation.

[0012] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has obvious advantages and beneficial effects. Specifically, as can be seen from the above technical solution: 1. Modular Design and Rapid Maintenance: By integrating core functions into independent connector modules and using a screw-locking quick-locking mechanism to secure them to the mounting frame and PCB board, the connector modules can be detachably installed. When a single connector interface is damaged, the module can be replaced individually simply by loosening the screws, without disassembling the entire device or PCB. This significantly reduces equipment downtime for maintenance, lowers replacement costs, and improves operational efficiency.

[0013] 2. Integration of efficient heat dissipation and high-level protection: Multiple heat dissipation fins are integrally molded on the outer surface of the base housing, effectively increasing the heat dissipation area and facilitating rapid heat dissipation while controlling temperature rise. Simultaneously, a sealing ring is fitted onto the front boss and pressed tightly against the wall of the mounting hole, combined with a potted sealant to seal the internal terminal module, achieving a reliable seal between the connector and the equipment housing, with a waterproof rating of IPX7 / 8. This design successfully resolves the traditional contradiction between heat dissipation requirements and sealing protection in harsh environments.

[0014] 3. High reliability and vibration resistance: The conductive terminals and snap-on shielding are connected to the PCB board via elastic connecting pins / grounding pins, replacing the traditional soldering method. This contact method not only avoids the risk of solder joints cracking due to vibration fatigue and enhances vibration resistance, but also simplifies the assembly process and facilitates disassembly.

[0015] 4. Compact structure and reliable assembly: The integrally molded retaining ring between the mounting cavity and the mating hole effectively prevents over-insertion of the connector, protecting the internal terminals. Before potting and sealing, a ring-shaped double-sided adhesive is applied between the base and the retaining ring to effectively prevent adhesive overflow and contamination of the mating hole. The positioning pins on the bottom of the base housing mate with the positioning holes on the PCB board, ensuring accurate alignment of the connector module with the PCB board. The recessed cavity on the bottom of the base housing provides the necessary deformation space for the flexible pins and forms a dustproof structure when bonded to the PCB board.

[0016] To more clearly illustrate the structural features and effects of the present invention, the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments. Attached Figure Description

[0017] Figure 1 This is a three-dimensional assembly schematic diagram of a preferred embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 This is an exploded view of a preferred embodiment of the present invention; Figure 3 This is a cross-sectional view of a preferred embodiment of the present invention; Figure 4 This is another cross-sectional view of a preferred embodiment of the present invention; Figure 5 This is an enlarged schematic diagram of the connector module in a preferred embodiment of the present invention; Figure 6 This is an enlarged schematic diagram of the connector module from another angle in a preferred embodiment of the present invention; Figure 7 This is an exploded view of the connector module in a preferred embodiment of the present invention; Figure 8 This is an exploded view of the connector module from another angle in a preferred embodiment of the present invention; Figure 9 This is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of the connector module in a preferred embodiment of the present invention; Figure 10 This is another cross-sectional schematic diagram of the connector module in a preferred embodiment of the present invention; Figure 11 This is an enlarged schematic diagram of another connector module in a preferred embodiment of the present invention; Figure 12 This is an enlarged schematic diagram of another connector module from a different angle in a preferred embodiment of the present invention; Figure 13 This is an exploded view of another connector module in a preferred embodiment of the present invention; Figure 14 This is an exploded view of another connector module from a preferred embodiment of the present invention from another angle; Figure 15 This is a schematic diagram of the usage state of a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

[0018] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached diagram: 10. Mounting frame 11. Outer panel 12. Support plate 101, mounting holes 102, Screw hole 20, PCB board 21. Contact gold fingers 22. Positioning holes 23. First through hole 30. Connector module 31. Base housing; 311. Mounting cavity 312, Second through hole; 313, Heat dissipation fins 314. Boss; 315. Cavity 316. Positioning pin; 317. Retaining ring 32. Terminal module; 321. Insulation body 3211, base 3212, tongue plate 322. Conductive terminal; 323. Hook shielding component 3231, Flexible grounding foot; 33, Sealing element 34. Sealing ring; 35. Double-sided adhesive. 301. Flexible connecting foot; 302. Plug-in hole 303, connecting hole; 304, contact part 40. Quick-locking mechanism; 41. Screw 50. Plug-in connector. Detailed Implementation

[0019] Please refer to Figures 1 to 15 As shown, it illustrates the specific structure of a preferred embodiment of the present invention, including a mounting frame 10, a PCB board 20, a connector module 30, and a quick-locking mechanism 40.

[0020] The mounting frame 10 includes an outer panel 11 and a support plate 12. Mounting holes 101 are formed through the inner and outer sides of the outer panel 11. The support plate 12 is disposed on the inner side of the outer panel 11 and extends horizontally. In this embodiment, the mounting holes 101 are circular, but can also be other shapes, without limitation. The support plate 12 is integrally formed and connected to the outer panel 11 or welded, without limitation. Furthermore, the support plate 12 has multiple screw holes 102.

[0021] The PCB board 20 is located inside the outer panel 11 and is stacked together with the support plate 12. The surface of the PCB board 20 has multiple contact gold fingers 21. The PCB board 20 has multiple positioning holes 22 and multiple first through holes 23.

[0022] The connector module 30 is located inside the outer panel 11 and detachably abuts against the PCB board 20. The connector module 30 is detachably and sealedly fitted with the mounting hole 101. The connector module 30 has a flexible connecting pin 301 and a mating hole 302. The flexible connecting pin 301 makes elastic contact with the contact gold finger 21, and the mating hole 302 is exposed on the outside of the outer panel 11 through the mounting hole 101. Specifically, the connector module 30 includes a base housing 31, a terminal module 32, and a seal 33.

[0023] The base housing 31 can be made of one-piece plastic or metal, and is not limited thereto. The insertion hole 302 is located on the base housing 31, and the base housing 31 has a mounting cavity 311 located behind and communicating with the insertion hole 302; the base housing 31 has multiple second through holes 312, such as... Figures 5 to 8 As shown, there are two second through holes 312, one on the left and one on the right. Figures 11 to 14 As shown, the second through holes 312 are three spaced apart on the left and right sides, but this is not a limitation. Multiple heat dissipation fins 313 are formed on the outer surface of the base housing 31 to facilitate rapid heat dissipation. Furthermore, a boss 314 extends forward from the front end of the base housing 31. This boss 314 is adapted to and inserted into the mounting hole 101. The boss 314 is cylindrical. The insertion hole 302 is recessed into the front end of the boss 314. A sealing ring 34 is fitted onto the outer wall of the boss 314. The sealing ring 34 is clamped between the outer wall of the boss 314 and the inner wall of the mounting hole 101 to provide a waterproof seal, achieving a waterproof rating of IPX7 / 8. Figures 5 to 8 As shown, there is one boss 314, and correspondingly, there is one insertion hole 302 and one mounting cavity 311. Figures 11 to 14 As shown, there are two bosses 314 arranged on the left and right sides. Correspondingly, there are two insertion holes 302 and two mounting cavities 311 arranged on the left and right sides, which is not limited to this configuration. The bottom surface of the base housing 31 has a recessed cavity 315, which communicates with the mounting cavity 311. The bottom surface of the base housing 31 fits against the surface of the PCB board 20 to cover the recessed cavity 315, thereby achieving a dustproof function. Multiple positioning posts 316 extend downward from the bottom surface of the base housing 31. These multiple positioning posts 316 are respectively inserted into multiple positioning holes 22 for positioning. There are at least three positioning posts 316 to achieve a stable positioning function. In addition, a retaining ring 317 is integrally formed between the mounting cavity 311 and the insertion hole 302 to prevent the connector 50 from being over-inserted. The retaining ring 317 has a connecting hole 303, which connects the mounting cavity 311 and the insertion hole 302.

[0024] The terminal module 32 is inserted into the mounting cavity 311 from back to front. The terminal module 32 includes an insulating body 321 and multiple conductive terminals 322. The insulating body 321 includes a base 3211 and a tongue plate 3212 extending forward from the base 3211. The base 3211 is located in the mounting cavity 311, and the tongue plate 3212 extends into the insertion hole 302. The multiple conductive terminals 322 are embedded and fixed in the insulating body 321. Each conductive terminal 322 has a contact portion 304 and the aforementioned elastic connecting foot 301. The contact portion 304 protrudes from the surface of the tongue plate 3212, and the elastic connecting foot 302 extends out of the base housing 31. In this embodiment, the connecting hole 303 is adapted to the tongue plate 3212, and the tongue plate 3212 extends into the insertion hole 302 through the connecting hole 303. The front end face of the base 3211 is bonded to the rear side face of the retaining ring 317 with a double-sided adhesive 35 for preventing glue overflow during dispensing. The double-sided adhesive 35 is ring-shaped.

[0025] The multiple conductive terminals 322 are arranged in two rows, with a hook shield 323 positioned between them. The hook shield 323 is embedded within the insulating body 321 and has two elastic grounding feet 3231 located between the elastic connecting feet 301 of the two rows of conductive terminals 322. These two elastic grounding feet 3231 make elastic contact with the corresponding contact gold fingers 21 to achieve grounding without soldering. Furthermore, the rear end of the base 3211 covers the rear opening of the cavity 315. Both the elastic connecting feet 301 and the elastic grounding feet 3231 are located within the cavity 315 and protrude downwards from the bottom surface of the base housing 31. The cavity 315 provides deformation space for the elastic connecting feet 301 and the elastic grounding feet 3231.

[0026] The seal 33 is molded and fixed in the mounting cavity 311 by injecting adhesive into the mounting cavity 311. The seal 33 is embedded and fixed together with the base 3211 to play a role in sealing and waterproofing, and at the same time fixes the terminal module 32 in the mounting cavity 311 without it moving backward. The seal 33 is made of epoxy adhesive and is not limited to this.

[0027] The quick-locking mechanism 40 locks and fixes the support plate 12, PCB board 20 and connector module 30 together. In this embodiment, the quick-locking mechanism 40 includes a plurality of screws 41, which pass through the corresponding second through hole 312 and the corresponding first through hole 23 in sequence and are screwed into the corresponding screw hole 102 for connection and fixation.

[0028] The assembly process of this embodiment is described in detail below: First, a hook shield 323 and multiple conductive terminals 322 are stamped and formed. The multiple conductive terminals 322 are divided into two rows, left and right, and the hook shield 323 is placed between the two rows of conductive terminals 322. Then, an insulating body 321 is injection molded to obtain the terminal module 32, and a base shell 31 is formed. Next, double-sided adhesive 35 is applied to the front end face of the base 3211. Then, the terminal module 32 is inserted into the mounting cavity 311 from back to front. After insertion, the double-sided adhesive 35 is adhered and fixed to the rear side of the retaining ring 317. Next, glue is poured in from the rear opening of the mounting cavity 311. After the glue cures, a seal 33 is formed. Then, on the boss 31... A sealing ring 34 is fitted onto the outer wall surface of 4 to obtain the connector module 30. Next, the PCB board 20 and the support plate 12 are stacked together. Then, the connector module 30 is placed against the surface of the PCB board 20, so that each elastic connecting pin 301 and each elastic grounding pin 3231 makes elastic contact with the corresponding contact gold finger 21. At the same time, the boss 314 is inserted into the mounting hole 101, so that the sealing ring 34 is clamped between the outer wall surface of the boss 314 and the inner wall surface of the mounting hole 101. Finally, multiple screws 41 are passed through the corresponding second through hole 312 and the corresponding first through hole 23 in sequence and then screwed into the corresponding screw hole 102 for connection and fixation.

[0029] When connector module 30 is damaged, loosen the multiple screws 41, remove the damaged connector module 30, and then install a new connector module 30 as described above.

[0030] The key design feature of this invention is that, through integrated design, it enables quick and independent replacement of connectors, reliable flexible electrical connections, efficient heat dissipation, and high-level sealing protection, thereby significantly improving the maintainability, environmental adaptability, and long-term operational reliability of the equipment.

[0031] The technical principles of the present invention have been described above with reference to specific embodiments. These descriptions are merely for explaining the principles of the invention and should not be construed as limiting the scope of protection of the invention in any way. Based on this explanation, those skilled in the art can readily conceive of other specific embodiments of the invention without inventive effort, and these embodiments will all fall within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A multi-functional high-speed connector assembly that is easy to disassemble and maintain, characterized in that: It includes a mounting frame, PCB board, connector module and quick-locking mechanism; The mounting frame includes an outer panel and a support plate. The inner and outer sides of the outer panel have mounting holes. The support plate is disposed on the inner side of the outer panel and extends horizontally. The PCB is located inside the outer panel and is stacked together with the support plate. The surface of the PCB has multiple contact gold fingers. The connector module is located on the inner side of the outer panel and detachably abuts against the PCB board. The connector module is detachably and sealed to the mounting hole. The connector module has flexible connecting pins and a plug hole. The flexible connecting pins make elastic contact with the contact gold fingers, and the plug hole protrudes through the mounting hole to the outer side of the outer panel. The connector module includes a base housing, a terminal module, and a seal. The plug hole is located on the base housing, which has a mounting cavity located behind and communicating with the plug hole. Multiple heat dissipation fins are formed on the outer surface of the base housing, and a boss extends forward from the front end of the base housing. This boss connects to the mounting hole... The mounting hole is adapted to fit and inserted into the mounting hole. The insertion hole is formed by a rearward recess on the front end face of the boss. A sealing ring is fitted on the outer wall surface of the boss. The sealing ring is clamped between the outer wall surface of the boss and the inner wall surface of the mounting hole. The terminal module is inserted into the mounting cavity from back to front. The terminal module includes an insulating body and multiple conductive terminals. The insulating body includes a base and a tongue plate extending forward from the base. The base is located in the mounting cavity. The tongue plate extends into the insertion hole. Multiple conductive terminals are embedded and fixed in the insulating body. Each conductive terminal has a contact portion and the aforementioned elastic connecting foot. The contact portion protrudes from the surface of the tongue plate. The elastic connecting foot extends out of the base shell. The seal is molded and fixed in the mounting cavity by injecting adhesive into the mounting cavity. The seal is embedded and fixed together with the base. Furthermore, a retaining ring is integrally formed between the mounting cavity and the plug hole to prevent over-insertion of the connector. The retaining ring has a connecting hole that connects the mounting cavity and the plug hole. The connecting hole is adapted to a tongue plate that extends into the plug hole through the connecting hole. Double-sided adhesive is bonded between the front end face of the base and the rear side face of the retaining ring to prevent adhesive overflow during injection. The double-sided adhesive is ring-shaped. The quick-locking mechanism locks the support plate, PCB board and connector module together.

2. The multi-functional high-speed connector assembly for easy disassembly and maintenance as described in claim 1, characterized in that: The plurality of conductive terminals are arranged in two rows, and a hook shield is provided between the two rows of conductive terminals. The hook shield is embedded in the insulating body and has two elastic grounding feet. The two elastic grounding feet are located between the elastic connecting feet of the two rows of conductive terminals and are in elastic contact with the corresponding contact gold fingers.

3. The multi-functional high-speed connector assembly for easy disassembly and maintenance as described in claim 2, characterized in that: The bottom surface of the base housing is recessed with a cavity that communicates with the mounting cavity. The rear end of the base covers the rear opening of the cavity. The elastic connecting foot and the elastic grounding foot are both located in the cavity and protrude downward from the bottom surface of the base housing.

4. The multi-functional high-speed connector assembly for easy disassembly and maintenance as described in claim 3, characterized in that: The bottom surface of the base shell is attached to the surface of the PCB board to cover the cavity. The PCB board has multiple positioning holes, and multiple positioning posts extend downward from the bottom surface of the base shell. These multiple positioning posts are respectively inserted into the multiple positioning holes for positioning.

5. The multi-functional high-speed connector assembly for easy disassembly and maintenance as described in claim 1, characterized in that: The support plate has multiple screw holes, the PCB board has multiple first through holes, and the base shell has multiple second through holes. The quick-locking mechanism includes multiple screws, which pass through the corresponding second through holes and the corresponding first through holes in sequence and are screwed into the corresponding screw holes for connection and fixation.

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