Method of manufacturing an electrical connector and electrical connector

Abstract

The application discloses a manufacturing method of an electric connector and the electric connector, and the method comprises the following steps: stamping a metal plate to form a grounding sheet and a connecting material belt which are integrally connected; the grounding sheet is provided with a base arranged along a first direction and a second direction, a first connecting strip and a second connecting strip which are arranged along the first direction and the second direction respectively and connect adjacent bases, and a via hole is formed; the first connecting strip is formed into a first elastic arm through secondary stamping, one end of the first elastic arm is integrally formed with a fixed end of one base, the other end of the first elastic arm is disconnected with an adjacent base to form a free end, and a plurality of disconnected grounding units are formed along the first direction; the grounding units are integrally picked up through the connecting material belt and fixed to one side of a conductive seat body containing groove; and finally, the connecting part of the material belt is cut; the split grounding units are integrated into a material belt assembly which can be integrally picked up through the connecting material belt, the material belt assembly is mounted and attached at one time, the efficiency is greatly improved, and the first elastic arm is disconnected, so that the force arm is not limited by the continuous structure, and the first elastic arm has the advantages of the whole-piece mounting convenience and the split elastic arm performance.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of electrical connectors, and more particularly to an electrical connector with excellent high-frequency performance. Background Technology

[0002] Electrical connectors are widely used in electronic devices to achieve electrical connections between chip modules and circuit boards. A typical electrical connector includes a conductive base, an insulating base, a signal unit, and a grounding unit. The conductive base has multiple through-holes, and the insulating base is snap-fitted or injection-molded into the conductive base. The signal unit is held in the insulating base and correspondingly located in the through-holes. The grounding unit covers the upper surface of the conductive base and makes electrical contact with it. The grounding unit has through holes corresponding to each through-hole and grounding spring arms formed around the through holes. The chip module achieves electrical conduction by pressing against the signal unit and the grounding spring arms.

[0003] In existing technologies, grounding units typically adopt two structural forms: the first is a monolithic grounding unit, where the grounding unit is stamped from a single sheet of metal and then welded onto the conductive base. The advantage of this approach is convenient installation, allowing for one-time positioning and fixing of the grounding unit. However, to ensure the grounding unit remains a single unit after stamping, especially to maintain continuity between rows, a significant amount of material must be retained in the connection area between the grounding spring arms. This limits the size of the grounding spring arms, often requiring them to be small or narrow. This restricts the lever arm length and elastic deformation capacity of the grounding spring arms, consequently affecting the contact reliability and shielding effect when pressed against the chip module.

[0004] The second type is the split-type grounding unit, which consists of multiple independent grounding components. Each grounding component includes a welded main body and grounding spring arms extending from the welded main body around its perimeter. Each receiving slot has an independent grounding component around its perimeter. The advantage of this scheme is that each grounding component is independent of each other and not affected by adjacent structures. The grounding spring arms can be set wider and longer, and the two grounding spring arms on the same side of the receiving slot can be staggered to achieve better elasticity and shielding performance. However, this scheme requires positioning and fixing each grounding component one by one during installation, which is cumbersome, inefficient, and not conducive to mass production.

[0005] It can be seen that the existing grounding units either lack ease of installation or compromise on the performance of the grounding spring arm, making it difficult to achieve both.

[0006] Therefore, it is necessary to provide an electrical connector manufacturing method and an electrical connector that can improve the contact performance of the grounding spring arm while ensuring the assembly efficiency of the grounding unit, so as to overcome the above-mentioned defects. Summary of the Invention

[0007] In view of the problems in the background art, the purpose of the present invention is to provide an electrical connector manufacturing method and an electrical connector that improves the contact performance of the grounding spring arm while ensuring the assembly efficiency of the grounding unit.

[0008] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention adopts the following technical solution: a method for manufacturing an electrical connector, comprising: step S1: providing a metal sheet, stamping the metal sheet to obtain a grounding plate and at least one connecting strip integrally connected to the grounding plate, wherein the stamped grounding plate has a plurality of bases, a plurality of first connecting strips and a plurality of second connecting strips, the plurality of bases being arranged along a first direction and a second direction, the first direction being perpendicular to the second direction, each first connecting strip integrally connecting two adjacent bases along the first direction, each second connecting strip integrally connecting two adjacent bases along the second direction, two first connecting strips opposite each other along the second direction, two second connecting strips opposite each other along the first direction, and four bases connecting the first connecting strips and the second connecting strips forming a through hole; the connecting strip includes a strip body and a plurality of strip connecting portions extending from the strip body along the second direction, the plurality of strips connecting... Step S2: The grounding plate is integrally connected to at least one end of the grounding plate in the second direction; Step S3: The grounding plate is stamped again to form a first elastic arm. One end of the first elastic arm is integrally connected to one of two adjacent bases in the first direction to form a fixed end. The other end of the first elastic arm is disconnected from the other base to form a free end, so that the grounding plate forms multiple disconnected grounding units along the first direction; Step S4: An electrical connector body is provided, including a conductive base. The conductive base includes multiple receiving grooves that penetrate the conductive base along a third direction. The third direction is perpendicular to the first and second directions. By moving the connecting strip, the multiple grounding units connected to the connecting strip are moved to one side of the conductive base in the third direction, and at least a portion of the base is fixed to the conductive base, so that the first elastic arm is located on one side of the receiving groove in the second direction; Step S5: The connecting part of the strip connected to the grounding unit is cut off.

[0009] Further, in step S1, two first connecting strips are formed between each two adjacent bases in the first direction, and the two first connecting strips are spaced apart along the second direction; in step S2, stamping disconnects the two first connecting strips between each two adjacent bases from different bases, and bending is performed to form the first elastic arm.

[0010] Further, in step S1, while stamping the grounding sheet, two perforations are also stamped on each second connecting strip. For the same second connecting strip, the two perforations extend along the second direction and are adjacent to two different bases one by one, and are staggered and not connected in the first direction. In step S2, the second connecting strip is punctured to form a connecting arm and two second elastic arms located on both sides of the connecting arm in the first direction. At the same time, the perforation is formed into a notch facing the opening of the corresponding second elastic arm, and the side edge of the second elastic arm away from the corresponding notch in the second direction is the side edge of the corresponding second connecting strip adjacent to the through hole. Each second elastic arm includes a root and a tip. The root of each of the two second elastic arms is integrally connected to two adjacent different bases, and the tip is disconnected from the other base.

[0011] Further, in step S1, the metal sheet is stamped and cut to obtain a grounding plate and two connecting strips integrally connected to the grounding plate. The two connecting strips are connected to both ends of the grounding plate in a second direction.

[0012] Further, the manufacturing method of the electrical connector body includes: Step 31: providing multiple metal layers, the multiple metal layers being divided into multiple first-type metal layers and multiple second-type metal layers, the first-type metal layers being different from the second-type metal layers, each first-type metal layer having multiple first through holes formed by stamping, the multiple first through holes being independently arranged with each other, each second-type metal layer having multiple second through holes and multiple connecting holes formed by stamping, some adjacent second through holes being interconnected through a connecting hole; Step 32: stacking and fixing the multiple first-type metal layers and multiple second-type metal layers along a third direction to form a conductive base, with two of the first-type metal layers positioned on the outermost side, the remaining metal layers sandwiched between the two outermost first-type metal layers in the third direction. The first type of metal layer is called the outer metal layer, and the layer sandwiched between the two outer metal layers is called the middle metal layer. The multiple first through holes of the outer metal layer and the multiple second through holes of the middle metal layer are arranged one-to-one in the first direction. The corresponding first through holes and second through holes in the third direction are stacked to form a receiving groove. Step 33: One or more receiving grooves connected by connecting holes are provided with corresponding glue inlets. The number of glue inlets is less than the number of receiving grooves. Molten plastic is injected into the glue inlets. The molten plastic flows into the other receiving grooves connected by the connecting holes to form an insulating block at each receiving groove and a connecting bridge at each connecting hole, so as to form at least one insulating base that is combined with the conductive base. Multiple signal terminals are provided. Before or after the grounding unit is fixed to the conductive base, the multiple signal units are installed on the multiple insulating blocks.

[0013] Furthermore, in step 31, more than two first-type metal layers are provided, and in step 32, a portion of the first-type metal layers are disposed between the two outer metal layers as an intermediate metal layer, such that the outer metal layers are adjacent to the second-type metal layer serving as the intermediate metal layer but not adjacent to the first-type metal layer serving as the intermediate metal layer.

[0014] The present invention also discloses an electrical connector for mating with a mating component, comprising: a conductive base having a mating side, a mounting side, and a plurality of receiving slots, the plurality of receiving slots being arranged in an array along a first direction and a second direction, each receiving slot penetrating the mating side of the conductive base along a third direction, the third direction, the first direction, and the second direction being mutually perpendicular; a plurality of signal units housed in the plurality of receiving slots, each signal unit having at least one signal terminal, the signal terminal being electrically isolated from the conductive base; and a grounding module disposed on the mating side and in contact with the conductive base to achieve a grounding connection, comprising a plurality of grounding units arranged along the first direction, each grounding unit... It includes multiple bases, multiple connecting arms, and multiple first elastic arms. The multiple bases are spaced apart along a second direction. Each connecting arm is integrally connected to two adjacent bases along the second direction. Each first elastic arm extends along a first direction and is located between two adjacent bases in the first direction. Each first elastic arm includes a fixed end and a free end. The fixed end is integrally connected to one of the two adjacent bases in the first direction, and the free end is disconnected from the other base. Each grounding unit also includes at least one connecting part. The connecting part is located on one side of each grounding unit in the second direction. The multiple connecting parts of multiple grounding units located on the same side in the second direction are used to connect the same strip.

[0015] Furthermore, two first elastic arms are provided between every two adjacent bases in the first direction, the two first elastic arms are spaced apart in the second direction, the two first elastic arms extend towards each other in the second direction, and are integrally connected with different bases.

[0016] Furthermore, the grounding unit is provided with two second spring arms on opposite sides of the connecting arm in the first direction, and the second spring arms extend along the second direction.

[0017] Furthermore, each second spring arm includes a root and a tip, and the roots of two second spring arms between each pair of adjacent bases along the second direction are integrally connected to different bases, while the tip is disconnected from the other base.

[0018] Furthermore, a notch is recessed at the root of each second spring arm on the side of the connecting arm facing the second spring arm in the first direction.

[0019] The manufacturing method of this invention integrates multiple independent grounding units into a single, pick-up and positionable strip assembly by maintaining the integral connection between the connecting strip and multiple separate grounding units during stamping. Compared to the previous method that required picking up and installing separate grounding components one by one, this method can accurately attach and fix all grounding units to the conductive base in one go, significantly improving assembly efficiency and greatly reducing the number of repetitive picking operations by manual labor or robotic arms. During stamping, the free end of the first elastic arm in each grounding unit is disconnected from the adjacent base. This design allows the first elastic arm to be cut to a longer lever arm through stamping, resolving the technical contradiction in the previous monolithic solution where the elastic arm size had to be sacrificed to ensure structural continuity, resulting in better elasticity and more stable contact stress. The connecting strip acts as a high-precision transport carrier and limiting clamp during re-welding or fixing, ensuring the relative position accuracy of each base on the conductive base and avoiding the cumulative tolerances that may occur during individual installation. After fixing, the material strip is cut to obtain multiple grounding units with independent electrical performance and excellent shielding effect, which combines the installation convenience of the whole-piece solution with the elastic arm performance advantage of the split solution. Attached Figure Description

[0020] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of a metal sheet being stamped to obtain a grounding plate and a connecting strip integrally connected to the grounding plate in this invention; Figure 2 for Figure 1 A magnified view of a section at point A in the middle; Figure 3 for Figure 1 A schematic diagram showing how multiple grounding units are formed after the grounding sheet is stamped again. Figure 4 for Figure 3 A magnified view of a section at point B in the middle; Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the main body of an electrical connector in this invention; Figure 6 for Figure 5 A schematic diagram showing multiple grounding units integrated into the body of an electrical connector via connecting strips; Figure 7 for Figure 6 A schematic diagram showing the cutting of the strip connecting to the grounding unit and the preparation for installing the chip module and circuit board; Figure 8 This is an exploded perspective view of the electrical connector of the present invention; Figure 9 for Figure 8 An exploded perspective view of the metal base comprising multiple first-type metal layers and multiple second-type metal layers; Figure 10a for Figure 9Top view and partial enlarged view of a first embodiment of the second type of metal layer; Figure 10b for Figure 9 Top view and partial enlarged view of a second embodiment of the second type of metal layer; Figure 10c for Figure 9 Top view and partial enlarged view of a third embodiment of the second type of metal layer; Figure 11 for Figure 9 A three-dimensional view of a metal base formed by stacking multiple metal layers along the first direction X; Figure 12 for Figure 11 A magnified view of a section at point C; Figure 13 for Figure 11 A three-dimensional view of the electrical connector of the present invention is formed by injection molding an insulating base into a metal base and inserting a signal terminal thereon. Figure 14 for Figure 13 A sectional view cut along a plane defined by ZY. Figure 15 for Figure 13 Exploded view of CEC connectors; Figure 16 for Figure 15 Partial exploded view of the signal terminal assembly on the insulator; Figure 17a for Figure 13 A partial cross-sectional view of the first embodiment, taken along a plane defined by XY; Figure 17b for Figure 13 A partial sectional view of the second embodiment, cut along a plane defined by XY; Figure 17c for Figure 13 A partial sectional view of the third embodiment, cut along a plane defined by XY.

[0021] Explanation of icon numbers: Detailed Implementation To facilitate a better understanding of the purpose, structure, features, and effects of this invention, the invention will now be further described in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments.

[0022] In the following description, unless otherwise specified, the directional terms "up," "down," "left," "right," "front," and "back" are all based on the reference direction in the typical application environment of this invention, that is, a primary perspective is selected to determine the aforementioned directions. Specifically, taking the entire electrical connector as an example, it can be understood that the directional positioning of this invention is for a better understanding of the relative positional relationships and directions of movement between the components. In actual use, the directional positioning of this invention can be adjusted according to the application environment; for example, the first direction X and the second direction Y can be interchanged.

[0023] like Figures 1 to 17c As shown, this is the electrical connector of the present invention, wherein, with reference to Figure 7 and Figure 8 As shown, the electrical connector 100 includes a conductive base 1, at least one insulating base 2, a plurality of signal units having at least one signal terminal 3, and a grounding module 4 disposed on one side of the conductive base 1. The insulating base 2 is disposed on the conductive base 1, and the signal units are housed in the conductive base 1 and electrically isolated from the conductive base 1 through the insulating base 2. It can be understood that the signal units are disposed on the insulating base 2, and the grounding module 4 is fixed to the outside of the conductive base 1 and contacts the conductive base 1 to achieve a grounding connection. The electrical connector 100 mates with two mating parts, which can be a chip module 200 or a circuit board 300. Specifically, the electrical connector 100 is used to electrically connect a chip module 200 and a circuit board 300. The electrical connector 100 is located between the chip module 200 and the circuit board 300 in the third direction Z. In other embodiments, the two mating parts mating with the electrical connector 100 can be arranged perpendicularly to each other.

[0024] like Figure 5 and Figure 8 As shown, the conductive base 1 has a mating side 10a, a mounting side 10b, and a plurality of receiving grooves 11. The receiving grooves 11 extend between the mating side 10a and the mounting side 10b and penetrate the mating side 10a of the conductive base 1 along a third direction Z. Specifically, the mating side 10a and the mounting side 10b are arranged opposite each other in the third direction Z. The receiving grooves 11 penetrate the conductive base 1 along the third direction Z. Specifically, the plurality of receiving grooves 11 are arranged in an array along the second direction Y and the first direction X, that is, the plurality of receiving grooves 11 are arranged in multiple columns in the first direction X. Each column of receiving grooves 11 is arranged along the second direction Y. The plurality of signal units are housed in the plurality of receiving grooves 11.

[0025] like Figure 5 and Figure 8 , Figure 9 and Figure 11As shown, the conductive base 1 includes a metal base 1a and a conductive pad 1b. The conductive pad 1b is attached to the metal base 1a in the third direction Z and is in electrical contact with the metal base 1a. The receiving groove 11 penetrates the metal base 1a in the third direction Z to form a receiving groove 11a on the metal base 1a. The insulating base 2 is connected by Insert... Molding is used to integrate the metal base 1a, which is formed by stacking multiple metal layers along a third direction Z. Specifically, the metal layers are formed by stamping metal sheets. The two outermost metal layers in the third direction Z are defined as outer metal layers 12, and the metal layer between the two outer metal layers 12 is defined as the middle metal layer 13. Each receiving groove 11a forms a first through hole 121 on the outer metal layer 12 and a second through hole 131 on the middle metal layer 13. Thus, multiple first through holes 121 on the same metal layer are also arranged in multiple rows in the first direction X, with each row of first through holes 121 arranged along the second direction Y. Similarly, multiple second through holes 131 on the same metal layer are also arranged in multiple rows in the first direction X, with each row of second through holes 131 arranged along the second direction Y. In other embodiments, the metal base 1a and the conductive pad 1b can be fixed together, and then the insulating base 2 can be fixed to the metal base 1a by injection molding. Of course, the conductive pad 1b can also be omitted.

[0026] like Figure 9 As shown, multiple first through holes 121 on the same outer metal layer 12 are independently arranged. At least some of the adjacent second through holes 131 in each of the intermediate metal layers 13 are interconnected through a connecting hole 132. Specifically, for the same intermediate metal layer 13, in each column, every two adjacent second through holes 131 arranged in the second direction Y are interconnected through a connecting hole 132, while the second through holes 131 between adjacent columns are independently arranged. Thus, each column of second through holes 131 corresponds to one insulating base 2, so the insulating base 2 is provided with multiple Of course, in other embodiments, each pair of adjacent second through holes 131 arranged along the first direction X can be connected by a connecting hole 132. Alternatively, some of the second through holes 131 can be connected to each other along the second direction Y, and other parts of the second through holes 131 can be connected to each other along the first direction X. Thus, for a single connecting hole 132, it can extend along the second direction Y to connect two adjacent second through holes 131, or it can extend along the first direction X to connect two adjacent second through holes 131. The insulating base 2 can also be provided in only one form, or in other forms.

[0027] like Figures 10a to 10cAs shown, specifically, the connecting hole 132 connects two adjacent second through holes 131 in the second direction Y. Along the first direction X, the width of the connecting hole 132 is smaller than the width of the corresponding connected second through hole 131. With this configuration, the two second through holes 131 on both sides of the connecting hole 132 can be partially isolated from each other, so as not to seriously affect the signal crosstalk between the signal units located in the two adjacent receiving slots 11.

[0028] like Figures 10a to 10c As shown, the intermediate metal layer 13 has a protrusion 133 protruding from at least one side of the connecting hole 132 in the first direction X. The protrusion 133 separates the corresponding two first through holes 121. Specifically, the connecting hole 132 has protrusions 133 on both sides of the first direction X. In other words, the connecting hole 132 is disposed between two opposing protrusions 133. In other embodiments, only one protrusion 133 may be provided on the left or right side of one connecting hole 132. That is, the connecting hole 132 is defined by a protrusion 133 and a hole edge that is flush with one side of the hole edge of the second through hole 131. Here, the structure of the protrusion 133 is described by the connecting hole 132 connecting two adjacent second through holes 131 in the second direction Y. If the orientation of the two adjacent second through holes 131 connected by the connecting hole 132 changes, there is still a protrusion 133 structure, but the positional relationship and comparison relationship of the protrusions 133 also change.

[0029] like Figure 10a As shown, in the first embodiment, each protrusion 133 has a convex arc surface 1331 on the side adjacent to the connecting hole 132.

[0030] like Figure 10b As shown, in the second embodiment, two opposing protrusions 133 are provided with a bevel 1332 on the side adjacent to the connecting hole 132. The two bevels 1332 corresponding to the connecting hole 132 are inclined on the same side relative to the second direction Y. Compared with the straight side edge of the connecting hole 132, the two inclined bevels 1332 can at least partially block each other in the second direction Y, thereby increasing the shielding area and reducing signal crosstalk.

[0031] like Figure 10c As shown, in the third embodiment, each protrusion 133 has a proximal end N and a distal end F on the side facing the corresponding connecting hole 132 along the first direction X. For the same connecting hole 132, the distal end F of one protrusion 133 protrudes further from its proximal end N in the first direction X towards the other protrusion 133. The distal ends F of the two protrusions 133 are aligned in the second direction Y. Alternatively, the distal end F of one protrusion 133 may extend beyond the distal end F of the other protrusion 133 along the first direction X. In this way, the two protrusions 133 on both sides of the connecting hole 132 can block the connecting hole 132 from each other in the second direction Y, further reducing crosstalk.

[0032] like Figures 10a to 10c As shown, the width of the connecting hole 132 in the second direction Y is not greater than half the width of the second through hole 131 in the second direction Y.

[0033] like Figure 9 , Figure 11 and Figure 12 As shown, multiple intermediate metal layers 13 are provided. The multi-layered intermediate metal layer 13 design allows each metal layer to be made thinner, facilitating stamping. The multiple intermediate metal layers 13 include at least two first intermediate layers 13a and at least one second intermediate layer 13b arranged alternately along the third direction Z. The first intermediate layer 13a is provided with a connecting hole 132. The second intermediate layer 13b is provided with a partition 134 at the position corresponding to the connecting hole 132 in the third direction Z. The partition 134 separates two adjacent second through holes 131 and separates two connecting holes 132 in the third direction Z. In this way, multiple connecting holes 132 can be provided between adjacent receiving grooves 11, which can accelerate the flow of molten plastic during injection molding. The partition 134 also increases the shielding gap in the third direction Z by separating two corresponding connecting holes 132, which helps to reduce crosstalk.

[0034] Continue to refer to Figure 9 , Figure 11 and Figure 12 As shown, in the third direction Z, the outer metal layer 12 is adjacent to one of the first intermediate layers 13a. The outer metal layer 12 has a stop 122 at each position corresponding to a connecting hole 132 in the third direction Z. The stop 122 separates two adjacent first through holes 121 and blocks the corresponding connecting hole 132 in the third direction Z. This prevents molten plastic from forming an insulating layer on the surface of the metal base 1a. Specifically, the first intermediate layer 13a is a first-type metal layer, and the outer metal layer 12 and the second intermediate layer 13b have the same structure, both being second-type metal layers. Ideally, the first-type metal layers and the second-type metal layers are alternately arranged, meaning adjacent metal layers are of different types. However, in other embodiments, adjacent metal layers can also be of the same type, as long as the outer metal layer 12 is a second-type metal layer.

[0035] like Figure 11 and Figure 12 As shown, in the third direction Z, the thickness of the outer metal layer 12 and the thickness of the middle metal layer 13 are the same, and the outer metal layer 12 and the middle metal layer 13 are made of the same metal material, which makes it easy to use metal sheets of the same thickness for stamping and forming, and the same material can be selected.

[0036] like Figure 5and Figure 8 As shown, the conductive pad 1b is located between the grounding module 4 and the outer metal layer 12 in the third direction Z and is in contact with the grounding module 4. Each receiving groove 11 forms a through hole 11b on the conductive pad 1b. In the direction perpendicular to the third direction Z, the edge of the through hole 11b is set at a distance from the edge of the receiving groove 11a. Specifically, the thickness of the conductive pad 1b in the third direction Z is less than the thickness of the outer metal layer 12 and the middle metal layer 13. The conductive pad 1b is specifically made of a thin metal sheet by stamping. However, in other embodiments, it may also include a composite conductive film of metal particles, graphene material, conductive polymer, etc., as long as it has conductive function.

[0037] like Figure 13 and Figure 14 As shown, the insulating base 2 is fixed to the metal base 1a by insert molding. It includes multiple insulating blocks 21 formed in multiple receiving grooves 11a and at least one connecting bridge 22. In this embodiment, the insulating base 2 includes multiple connecting bridges 22; in other embodiments, it may include only one connecting bridge 22. Specifically, each insulating block 21 is embedded in a corresponding receiving groove 11a on the metal base 1a, and each connecting bridge 22 is embedded in a corresponding connecting hole 132, thereby connecting multiple insulating blocks 21 into a whole to form the insulating base 2.

[0038] like Figure 5 and Figure 8 As shown, the periphery of the insulating block 21 is attached to the peripheral wall of the receiving groove 11a on the metal base 1a. The conductive pad 1b protrudes from the periphery of the insulating block 21 in the third direction Z, away from the outer metal layer 12. After injection molding, the periphery of the insulating block 21 may overflow onto the surface of the outer metal layer 12. If the grounding module 4 is directly installed, there may be residual glue between the grounding module 4 and the metal base 1a, resulting in a gap between the grounding module 4 and the metal base 1a. This not only affects the electrical connection between the grounding module 4 and the metal base 1a, but also affects the continuous shielding effect of the electrical connector 100 in the third direction Z. Therefore, the conductive pad 1b is set to raise the grounding module 4 as a whole, which facilitates the welding between the grounding module 4 and the conductive pad 1b.

[0039] like Figure 17a As shown, the connecting bridge 22 has two concave arc surfaces 221 on both sides in the first direction X, which are adapted to the two convex arc surfaces 1331. The convex arc surface 1331 of the protrusion 133 fits into the concave arc surface 221 of the connecting bridge 22.

[0040] like Figure 8 , Figures 17a to 17cAs shown, the signal unit is inserted and fixed to the insulating block 21. Specifically, each signal unit includes a pair of signal terminals 3 for transmitting differential signals. Each insulating block 21 is provided with a pair of terminal slots (not shown). Each pair of terminal slots contains a pair of signal terminals 3. Between two adjacent second through holes 131 that connect to the same through hole 132, the two pairs of signal terminals 3 of the two adjacent signal units are correspondingly arranged along the first direction X with two corresponding protrusions 133 and separated by the corresponding protrusions 133. In other embodiments, the signal unit can also be arranged individually, that is, one signal terminal 3 is arranged in the insulating block 21.

[0041] like Figure 15 and Figure 16 As shown, signal terminal 3 is specifically a double-sided compression terminal, which includes a main body 31 and two elastic arms 32 extending from the upper and lower ends of the main body 31. The two elastic arms 32 abut against each other after compression. In other embodiments, signal terminal 3 may also be a POGO PIN.

[0042] like Figure 3 , Figure 4 as well as Figure 8 As shown, the grounding module 4 includes a plurality of grounding units 41 arranged along a first direction X. Each grounding unit 41 includes a plurality of bases 411, a plurality of connecting arms 413, a plurality of first elastic arms 412, a plurality of second elastic arms 414, and a plurality of connecting parts 4111. The plurality of bases 411 are arranged at intervals along a second direction Y. Each connecting arm 413 is integrally connected to two adjacent bases 411 along the second direction Y. Each first elastic arm 412 extends along the first direction X and is located between two adjacent bases 411 in the first direction X. Each second elastic arm 414 extends along the second direction Y and is located between two bases 411 of two adjacent grounding units 41 in the second direction Y. In a specific embodiment, the grounding module 4 is only provided on the mating side 10a of the conductive base 1. However, in other embodiments, the grounding module 4 may also be provided on the mounting side 10b of the conductive base 1, or grounding modules 4 may be provided on both the mating side 10a and the mounting side 10b.

[0043] like Figure 3 and Figure 4As shown, the first elastic arm 412 includes a fixed end 4121 and a free end 4122. The fixed end 4121 is integrally connected to one of two adjacent bases 411 in the first direction X, and the free end 4122 is disconnected from the other base 411. Specifically, two first elastic arms 412 are provided between every two adjacent bases 411 in the first direction X. The two first elastic arms 412 are spaced apart in the second direction Y. The two first elastic arms 412 extend towards each other in the second direction Y and are integrally connected to different bases 411, thus forming an interlocking elastic contact layout. This layout can apply balanced and symmetrical contact pressure to the mating parts, preventing crimping deviation and lateral slippage. At the same time, the elastic arms extending towards each other interlock and cover each other in the second direction Y, reducing the electromagnetic leakage gap between adjacent signal terminals 3 and improving the crosstalk suppression capability of the root 4141.

[0044] like Figure 3 and Figure 4 As shown, the grounding unit 41 has two second elastic arms 414 on opposite sides of the connecting arm 413 in the first direction X, and the second elastic arms 414 extend along the second direction Y. Each second elastic arm 414 includes a root portion 4141 and a tip portion 4142. The root portions 4141 of the two second elastic arms 414 between each pair of adjacent base portions 411 along the second direction Y are integrally connected to different base portions 411, while the tip portion 4142 is disconnected from the other base portion 411. This makes each second elastic arm 414 an independent cantilever elastic structure, and its deformation is not constrained by the opposite elastic arm. It can independently adapt to the pressing displacement of the mating parts, and the contact stress is uniform. At the same time, the staggered connection enhances the symmetry of the grounding loop in the second direction Y, which is beneficial to the consistency of the return path of high-frequency signals. Specifically, on the side of the connecting arm 413 facing the second elastic arm 414 in the first direction X, a notch 415 is recessed at the root 4141 of each second elastic arm 414. The notch 415 provides stress relief space for the root 4141 of the elastic arm, thus avoiding stress concentration at the root 4141 of the connecting arm 413 and preventing breakage during stamping and repeated pressing.

[0045] like Figure 8 As shown, each grounding unit 41 also includes at least one connecting part 4111. The connecting part 4111 is located on one side of each grounding unit 41 in the second direction Y. The multiple connecting parts 4111 of multiple grounding units 41 located on the same side in the second direction Y are used to connect the same material strip. This allows multiple grounding units 41 to be connected into a whole through the same material strip during manufacturing, enabling one-time pickup and installation, which significantly improves assembly efficiency.

[0046] This invention also discloses a method for manufacturing an electrical connector 100, wherein, in this method, the first direction X specifically refers to the left-right direction, the second direction Y specifically refers to the front-back direction, and the third direction Z specifically refers to the up-down direction. However, it is understood that the definitions of the first direction X, the second direction Y, and the third direction Z are only for ease of understanding and are not fixed. For example, the first direction X and the second direction Y can be interchanged. Figures 1 to 8 As shown, the method includes: Step S1: As Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, a metal sheet is provided. The metal sheet is stamped to obtain a grounding plate 4a and two connecting strips 5 integrally connected to the grounding plate 4a. The two connecting strips 5 are connected to both ends of the grounding plate 4a in the second direction Y. The stamped grounding plate 4a has multiple bases 411, multiple first connecting strips 4a1, and multiple second connecting strips 4a2. The multiple bases 411 are arranged along the first direction X and the second direction Y. The first direction X is perpendicular to the second direction Y. In the first direction X, two first connecting strips 4a1 are formed between every two adjacent bases 411. The two first connecting strips 4a1 are spaced apart in the second direction Y. Each first connecting strip 4a1 is integrally connected to two adjacent bases 411 in the first direction X. Each second connecting strip 4a2 is integrally connected in the second direction Y. Two adjacent bases 411 are connected, and two through holes 4a4 are punched on each second connecting strip 4a2. For the same second connecting strip 4a2, the two through holes 4a4 extend along the second direction Y and are adjacent to two different bases 411 in a one-to-one correspondence, and are staggered and not connected in the first direction X. Two first connecting strips 4a1 opposite each other along the second direction Y, two second connecting strips 4a2 opposite each other along the first direction X, and four bases 411 connecting the first connecting strip 4a1 and the second connecting bridge 22 form a through hole 4a3. The connecting strip 5 includes a strip body 51 and a plurality of strip connecting parts 52 extending from the strip body 51 along the second direction Y. The plurality of strip connecting parts 52 are integrally connected to the grounding piece 4a at least one end in the second direction Y. Step S2: As Figure 3 and Figure 4As shown, the grounding piece 4a is stamped again, and the two first connecting strips 4a1 between each pair of adjacent bases 411 are disconnected from the different bases 411 and bent to form a first elastic arm 412. One end of the first elastic arm 412 is integrally connected to one of the two adjacent bases 411 in the first direction X to form a fixed end 4121. The other end of the first elastic arm 412 is disconnected from the other base 411 to form a free end 4122, so that the grounding piece 4a forms multiple disconnected grounding units 41 along the first direction X. At the same time, the second connecting strip 4a2 is pierced to form a connecting arm 41. 3. Two second spring arms 414 located on both sides of the connecting arm 413 in the first direction X, forming a notch 415 in the perforation 4a4 facing the opening of the corresponding second spring arm 414, and the side edge of the second spring arm 414 away from the corresponding notch 415 in the second direction Y is the side edge of the corresponding second connecting strip 4a2 adjacent to the through hole 4a3. Each second spring arm 414 includes a root 4141 and a tip 4142. The root 4141 of each of the two second spring arms 414 is integrally connected to two adjacent different bases 411, and the tip 4142 is disconnected from the other base 411. Step S3: As Figure 5 and Figure 6 As shown, an electrical connector 100 body is provided, including a conductive base 1. The conductive base 1 includes a plurality of receiving grooves 11a extending through the conductive base 1 along a third direction Z. The third direction Z is perpendicular to the first direction X and the second direction Y. By moving the connecting strip 5, a plurality of grounding units 41 connected to the connecting strip 5 are moved to one side of the conductive base 1 in the third direction Z, and at least a portion of the base 411 is fixed to the conductive base 1, so that the first spring arm 412 is located on the side of the receiving groove 11a in the second direction Y. Step S4: As Figure 6 and Figure 7 As shown, the strip connection part 52 connected to the grounding unit 41 is cut off.

[0047] It is understood that, in the extended embodiment, only one connecting strip 5 may be provided, that is, it can be provided at one end of the grounding piece 4a. Only one first connecting strip 4a1 may be formed, that is, one first connecting strip 4a1 forms only one first elastic arm 412. The second connecting strip 4a2 may only serve to connect two adjacent bases 411 in the second direction Y, without punching to form a perforation 4a4, and without forming a second elastic arm 414.

[0048] like Figures 9 to 13 As shown, the manufacturing method of the electrical connector body includes: like Figures 9 to 12As shown, multiple metal layers are provided, which are divided into multiple first-type metal layers and multiple second-type metal layers. The first-type metal layers are different from the second-type metal layers. Each first-type metal layer has multiple first through holes 121 formed thereon, and the multiple first through holes 121 are independently arranged. Each second-type metal layer has multiple second through holes 131 and multiple connecting holes 132 formed thereon. Some adjacent second through holes 131 are interconnected through a connecting hole 132. The multiple first-type metal layers and the multiple second-type metal layers are stacked and fixed along the third direction Z to form a shape. A metal base 1a is formed, with two first-type metal layers disposed on the outermost side, and the remaining metal layers sandwiched between the two outermost first-type metal layers. The two outermost first-type metal layers located in the third direction Z are called outer metal layers 12, and the metal layers sandwiched between the two outer metal layers 12 are called intermediate metal layers 13. The multiple first through holes 121 of the outer metal layer 12 and the multiple second through holes 131 of the intermediate metal layer 13 are arranged one-to-one in the third direction Z. The corresponding first through holes 121 and second through holes 131 in the third direction Z are stacked to form a receiving groove 11a.

[0049] like Figures 13 to 15 As shown, a metal base 1a is placed in an injection mold. One or more of the receiving grooves 11a connected by the connecting hole 132 are provided with corresponding glue inlets. The number of glue inlets is less than the number of receiving grooves 11a connected by the connecting hole 132. Molten plastic is injected into the corresponding receiving groove 11a through the glue inlet. The molten plastic flows into the other receiving grooves 11a connected by the connecting hole 132 to form an insulating block 21 at each receiving groove 11a. At least one terminal groove (not labeled) is formed on the insulating block 21. A connecting bridge 22 is formed at each connecting hole 132, thus forming at least one insulating base 2 that is combined with the metal base 1a.

[0050] like Figure 8 As shown, a conductive pad 1b is provided, which has multiple through holes 11b. It is disposed on one side of the metal base 1a along the third direction Z, so that the multiple through holes 11b correspond one-to-one with multiple insulating blocks 21 in the third direction Z. The conductive pad 1b is welded and fixed to one of the outer metal layers 12.

[0051] The beneficial effects of this invention are as follows: 1. This manufacturing method integrates multiple independent grounding units 41 into a single, pickable and positionable strip assembly by maintaining the integral connection between the connecting strip 5 and multiple separate grounding units 41 during stamping. Compared to the previous method that required picking up and installing separate grounding components one by one, this method can accurately attach and fix all grounding units 41 to the conductive base 1 at once, significantly improving assembly efficiency and greatly reducing the number of repetitive picking operations by manual labor or robotic arms. During stamping, the free end 4122 of the first elastic arm 412 in each grounding unit 41 is disconnected from the adjacent base 411. This design allows the first elastic arm 412 to be cut with a longer lever arm through stamping, resolving the technical contradiction in the previous monolithic solution where the elastic arm size had to be sacrificed to ensure structural continuity, resulting in better elasticity and more stable contact stress. The connecting strip 5 acts as a high-precision transport carrier and limiting clamp during the reflow or fixing process, ensuring the accurate relative position of each base 411 on the conductive base 1 and avoiding the cumulative tolerances that may occur during individual installation. After fixing, the strip is cut to obtain multiple grounding units 41 with independent electrical performance and excellent shielding effect, combining the installation convenience of the whole-piece solution with the flexible arm performance advantage of the split solution.

[0052] 2. By forming two first connecting strips 4a1 spaced apart along the second direction Y between every two adjacent bases 411 in the first direction X, and breaking them apart from different bases 411 and bending them into first elastic arms 412 in step S2, two independent first elastic arms 412 connected to different bases 411 can be obtained simultaneously between adjacent bases 411. The two first elastic arms 412 can be arranged in an alternating manner on one side of the receiving groove 11, which enhances the uniformity of the contact point distribution during butt pressing, reduces the lateral torque on the butt joint, prevents skewing, and improves the long-term contact reliability.

[0053] 3. During the stamping of the grounding piece 4a in step S1, two misaligned and non-connected perforations 4a4 are pre-stamped on the second connecting strip 4a2. This allows for precise guidance of the material fracture path when the second connecting strip 4a2 is pierced in step S2, ensuring that the root 4141 and tip 4142 of the second elastic arm 414 are accurately and controllably positioned. The perforations 4a4 then form notches 415 facing the opening of the corresponding second elastic arm 414, which is used to avoid mechanical interference between the second elastic arm 414 and the connecting arm 413 when the force is applied, ensuring the elastic stroke, preventing additional stress caused by interference, and improving the fatigue life of the elastic arm.

[0054] 4. Connecting strips 5 are set at both ends of the grounding plate 4a in the second direction Y to form symmetrical picking and positioning support points; when picking up as a whole, tilting or rotation caused by a single cantilever can be avoided, further improving the positional accuracy and posture stability of multiple grounding units 41 during handling and mounting, and ensuring that the alignment of each first spring arm 412 and the receiving groove 11 in the second direction Y is more accurate.

[0055] 5. The conductive base 1 adopts a multi-layer metal stack, and uses the connecting holes 132 on the second type of metal layer to connect some of the receiving grooves 11a to each other during injection molding. Only a few gates are needed to guide the molten plastic through the connecting holes 132 to all the connected receiving grooves 11a. Multiple insulating blocks 21 and connecting bridges 22 are injection molded at one time, which greatly reduces the number of mold gates, simplifies the injection molding process, and improves the molding efficiency and structural integrity of the insulating base 2. The connecting bridges 22 also enhance the connection strength between multiple insulating blocks 21, making the insulating base 2 more reliably fixed in the conductive base 1.

[0056] 6. By directly abutting the outer metal layer 12 with the second type of metal layer 13, which serves as the intermediate metal layer, it is ensured that when the injection port is located on the outside, the molten plastic can directly enter the connecting hole 132 of the second type of metal layer and then be distributed to each receiving groove 11a. This avoids the first type of intermediate metal layer 13, which lacks connecting holes 132, from blocking the flow channel, ensuring unobstructed injection filling path and reducing the risk of insufficient glue or incomplete filling. At the same time, the first type of metal layer, as another intermediate layer, can maintain the structural rigidity and electromagnetic shielding effectiveness of the conductive base 1.

[0057] 7. The grounding module 4 is composed of multiple grounding units 41 arranged along the first direction X. Each grounding unit 41 has a connecting part 4111 on the second direction Y side, which allows multiple grounding units 41 to be connected into a whole by the same material strip during manufacturing, enabling one-time pickup and installation, significantly improving assembly efficiency. In each grounding unit 41, the fixed end 4121 of the first elastic arm 412 is integrally connected to a base 411, and the free end 4122 is disconnected from another base 411, forming an independent cantilever structure. The lever arm can be designed to be longer, with excellent elasticity, and reliable contact when pressed with the mating part. At the same time, the disconnection structure breaks the constraint of the elastic arm size limited by the whole grounding unit 41 to ensure continuous connection, and takes into account the excellent elasticity and assembly convenience under high density arrangement.

[0058] 8. Two first elastic arms 412 are provided between every two adjacent bases 411 in the first direction X, spaced apart and extending towards each other in the second direction Y, and are respectively connected to different bases 411 to form an interlocking elastic contact layout, which can apply balanced and symmetrical contact pressure to the mating parts and prevent crimping deviation and side slippage; at the same time, the elastic arms extending towards each other in the second direction Y interlock and cover each other, reducing the electromagnetic leakage gap between adjacent signal terminals 3 and improving the crosstalk suppression capability of the root 4141.

[0059] 9. Second elastic arms 414 extending along the second direction Y are provided on both sides of the connecting arm 413 in the first direction X, which can provide elastic grounding contact points in the receiving groove 11 in the first direction X, and together with the first elastic arm 412, form a closed-loop shielding structure around the signal unit, further reducing signal crosstalk and improving the integrity of high-frequency signal transmission.

[0060] 10. Two second elastic arms 414 between two adjacent bases 411 along the second direction Y, with their roots 4141 integrally connected to different bases 411 and their tips 4142 disconnected, so that each second elastic arm 414 constitutes an independent cantilever elastic structure, and its deformation is not constrained by the elastic arm on the other side. It can independently adapt to the pressing displacement of the mating parts and the contact stress is uniform. At the same time, the staggered connection enhances the symmetry of the grounding circuit in the second direction Y, which is beneficial to the consistency of the return path of high frequency signals.

[0061] 11. The connecting arm 413 has a notch 415 recessed at the root 4141 of each second elastic arm 414 to provide stress relief space for the root 4141 of the elastic arm, so as to avoid mechanical interference between the second elastic arm 414 and the connecting arm 413 when the second elastic arm 414 is pressed down, to ensure the elastic stroke, to prevent additional stress caused by interference, and to improve the fatigue life of the elastic arm.

[0062] The above detailed description is only an illustration of a preferred embodiment of the present invention and is not intended to limit the patent scope of the present invention. Therefore, all equivalent technical changes made using the content of this invention's specification and illustrations are included within the patent scope of this invention.

Claims

1. A method of manufacturing an electrical connector, characterized by: include: Step S1: A metal sheet is provided, and the metal sheet is stamped to obtain a grounding plate and at least one connecting strip integrally connected to the grounding plate. The stamped grounding plate has multiple bases, multiple first connecting strips and multiple second connecting strips. The multiple bases are arranged along a first direction and a second direction, with the first direction perpendicular to the second direction. Each first connecting strip integrally connects two adjacent bases along the first direction, and each second connecting strip integrally connects two adjacent bases along the second direction. Two first connecting strips opposite each other along the second direction, two second connecting strips opposite each other along the first direction, and four bases connecting the first and second connecting strips form a through hole. The connecting strip includes a strip body and multiple strip connecting parts extending from the strip body along the second direction. The multiple strip connecting parts are integrally connected to at least one end of the grounding plate in the second direction. Step S2: Press the grounding piece again to form a first elastic arm from the first connecting strip. One end of the first elastic arm is integrally connected to one of the two adjacent bases in the first direction to form a fixed end. The other end of the first elastic arm is disconnected from the other base to form a free end, so that the grounding piece forms multiple disconnected grounding units along the first direction. Step S3: Provide an electrical connector body, including a conductive base, the conductive base including a plurality of receiving grooves extending through the conductive base along a third direction, the third direction being perpendicular to the first direction and the second direction; by moving the connecting strip, move a plurality of grounding units connected to the connecting strip to one side of the conductive base in the third direction, and fix at least a portion of the base to the conductive base, so that the first spring arm is located on one side of the receiving groove in the second direction. Step S4: Cut off the strip connection part that is connected to the grounding unit.

2. The method of manufacturing an electrical connector of claim 1, wherein: In step S1, two first connecting strips are formed between each two adjacent bases in the first direction, and the two first connecting strips are spaced apart along the second direction; in step S2, stamping disconnects the two first connecting strips between each two adjacent bases from different bases, and bending is performed to form a first elastic arm.

3. The method of manufacturing an electrical connector of claim 1, wherein: In step S1, while stamping the grounding sheet, two perforations are also stamped on each second connecting strip. For the same second connecting strip, the two perforations extend along the second direction and are adjacent to two different bases one by one, and are staggered and not connected in the first direction. In step S2, the second connecting strip is punctured to form a connecting arm and two second elastic arms located on both sides of the connecting arm in the first direction. At the same time, the perforation is formed into a notch facing the opening of the corresponding second elastic arm, and the side edge of the second elastic arm away from the corresponding notch in the second direction is the side edge of the corresponding second connecting strip adjacent to the through hole. Each second elastic arm includes a root and a tip. The root of each of the two second elastic arms is integrally connected to two adjacent different bases, and the tip is disconnected from the other base.

4. The method of manufacturing an electrical connector of claim 1, wherein: In step S1, the metal sheet is stamped and cut to obtain a grounding plate and two connecting strips integrally connected to the grounding plate. The two connecting strips are connected to both ends of the grounding plate in the second direction.

5. The method of manufacturing an electrical connector of claim 1, wherein: The manufacturing method of the connector body includes: Step 31: Provide multiple metal layers, which are divided into multiple first-type metal layers and multiple second-type metal layers. The first-type metal layers are different from the second-type metal layers. Multiple first through holes are formed on each first-type metal layer by stamping. The multiple first through holes are set independently to each other. Multiple second through holes and multiple connecting holes are formed on each second-type metal layer by stamping. Some adjacent second through holes are connected to each other through a connecting hole. Step 32: Stack and fix multiple first-type metal layers and multiple second-type metal layers along the third direction to form a conductive base. Set two first-type metal layers on the outermost side, and sandwich the remaining metal layers between the two outermost first-type metal layers. The two outermost first-type metal layers in the third direction are called outer metal layers, and the two outer metal layers sandwiched between them are called intermediate metal layers. Multiple first through holes in the outer metal layers and multiple second through holes in the intermediate metal layers are set one-to-one in the first direction. The corresponding first through holes and second through holes in the third direction are stacked to form a receiving groove. Step 33: Set one or more corresponding glue inlets in the receiving grooves connected by the connecting holes. The number of glue inlets is less than the number of receiving grooves. Inject molten plastic into the glue inlets. The molten plastic flows into the other receiving grooves connected by the connecting holes to form an insulating block at each receiving groove and a connecting bridge at each connecting hole, so as to form at least one insulating base that is combined with the conductive base. Multiple signal terminals are provided, and multiple signal units are mounted on multiple insulating blocks before or after the grounding unit is fixed to the conductive base.

6. The method of manufacturing an electrical connector of claim 5, wherein: In step 31, more than two first-type metal layers are provided. In step 32, a portion of the first-type metal layers is disposed between two outer metal layers as an intermediate metal layer, such that the outer metal layers are adjacent to the second-type metal layer serving as the intermediate metal layer but not adjacent to the first-type metal layer serving as the intermediate metal layer.

7. An electrical connector to mate with a counterpart, the electrical connector comprising: include: A conductive base has a docking side, a mounting side and multiple receiving slots. The multiple receiving slots are arranged in an array along a first direction and a second direction. Each receiving slot penetrates the docking side of the conductive base along a third direction. The third direction, the first direction and the second direction are perpendicular to each other. Multiple signal units are housed in multiple receiving slots, and each signal unit has at least one signal terminal, which is electrically isolated from the conductive base. A grounding module, disposed on the mating side and in contact with a conductive base to achieve grounding connection, includes multiple grounding units arranged along a first direction. Each grounding unit includes multiple bases, multiple connecting arms, and multiple first elastic arms. The multiple bases are spaced apart along a second direction. Each connecting arm is integrally connected to two adjacent bases along the second direction. Each first elastic arm extends along the first direction and is located between two adjacent bases in the first direction. Each first elastic arm includes a fixed end and a free end. The fixed end is integrally connected to one of the two adjacent bases in the first direction, and the free end is disconnected from the other base. Each grounding unit also includes at least one connecting part, which is located on one side of each grounding unit in the second direction. The multiple connecting parts of multiple grounding units located on the same side in the second direction are used to connect the same strip.

8. The electrical connector of claim 7, wherein: Two first elastic arms are provided between every two adjacent bases in the first direction. The two first elastic arms are spaced apart in the second direction. The two first elastic arms extend towards each other in the second direction and are integrally connected to different bases.

9. The electrical connector of claim 7, wherein: The grounding unit has two second spring arms on opposite sides of the connecting arm in the first direction, and the second spring arms extend along the second direction.

10. The electrical connector of claim 9, wherein: Each second spring arm includes a root and a tip. Along the second direction, the roots of two second spring arms between each pair of adjacent bases are integrally connected to different bases, while the tip is disconnected from the other base.

11. The electrical connector of claim 10, wherein: The connecting arm has a notch recessed at the root of each second spring arm on the side facing the second spring arm in the first direction.

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