Shielding assembly, cable connector and electronic system

Abstract

The embodiment of the utility model provides a shielding assembly, a cable connector and an electronic system. A shielding assembly for a cable connector includes a housing assembly, at least a portion of which is electrically conductive, the housing assembly having a mating end for mating with an adaptive electrical connector, and the mating end having a mating surface for mating with a shielding shell of the adaptive electrical connector, and an electrically conductive member. The conductive member is disposed on the mating end portion of the housing assembly and protrudes out of the mating surface, and the conductive member is electrically connected with the conductive portion of the housing assembly. Therefore, the conductive member can be clamped between the matching end part of the cable connector and the shielding shell of the adaptive electric connector, so that the conductive part of the shell assembly is electrically connected with the shielding shell, and the shielding effect is further achieved. Therefore, the overall anti-interference performance of an electronic system adopting the cable connector can be enhanced.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present disclosure relates generally to the field of connector technology, and in particular, to high speed, high density electrical connectors. The electrical connectors have improved electromagnetic compatibility performance, especially suitable for harsh environments with strong vibration such as vehicles, and more particularly, the electrical connectors are suitable for new energy vehicles. BACKGROUND

[0002] Connectors are used in many electronic systems. It is often easier and less costly to manufacture an electronic system on several printed circuit boards (PCBs) that are connected to each other by connectors than to manufacture the electronic system as a single assembly. A conventional arrangement for interconnecting several PCBs typically uses one PCB as a master board. Other PCBs, referred to as daughter boards or daughter cards, are then connected to the master board by connectors to achieve the interconnection of the PCBs.

[0003] Electronic systems have generally become smaller, faster, and functionally more complex. These changes mean that the number of circuits in a given area of an electronic system, along with the frequency at which the circuits operate, has increased significantly in recent years. Current systems transfer more data between printed circuit boards, and require electrical connectors that can transmit signals at higher speeds than electrical connectors of a few years ago.

[0004] One of the problems that needs to be solved in manufacturing high density, high speed electrical connectors is to ensure the stable operation of the electronic system using the electrical connectors, and the application of electromagnetic shielding on high speed connectors is crucial because it can effectively reduce electromagnetic interference (EMI) and ensure the integrity of signals. SUMMARY

[0005] To at least partially solve the problems existing in the prior art, a first embodiment of the present disclosure provides a shielding assembly for a cable connector, comprising: a housing assembly, at least a portion of the housing assembly being electrically conductive, the housing assembly having a mating end for mating with a mating electrical connector, and the mating end having a mating surface for mating with a shielding shell of the mating electrical connector; and an electrically conductive member disposed on the mating end of the housing assembly and protruding from the mating surface, the electrically conductive member being electrically connected with the electrically conductive portion of the housing assembly.

[0006] Illustratively, the electrically conductive member is an electrically conductive ring, and the electrically conductive ring is sleeved on the mating end of the housing assembly.

[0007] Illustratively, the electrically conductive ring has elasticity.

[0008] Illustratively, the mating surface is provided with a recess, the electrically conductive ring is embedded into the recess, and a portion of the electrically conductive ring protrudes out of the recess.

[0009] Exemplarily, the three sides of the conductive ring are attached to the groove walls of the recess.

[0010] Exemplarily, the housing assembly is configured to receive end portions of the plurality of flexible flat cables and a divider disposed between the end portions of the plurality of flexible flat cables.

[0011] Exemplarily, the housing assembly includes an insulating body including a mating surface, and a conductive layer covering at least on the mating surface to form a conductive portion of the housing assembly, the conductive layer being electrically connected with the conductive member.

[0012] Exemplarily, the insulating body is made of plastic.

[0013] Exemplarily, the outer surface of the insulating body includes the mating surface, and the conductive layer covers the entire outer surface of the insulating body.

[0014] Exemplarily, the conductive layer also covers the entire inner surface of the insulating body.

[0015] Exemplarily, the conductive layer on the inner surface of the insulating body is electrically connected with the conductive layer on the outer surface of the insulating body.

[0016] Exemplarily, the housing assembly is made of metal.

[0017] Exemplarily, the housing assembly includes a top shell and a bottom shell, the top shell includes a structure configured to operate with the connector latching assembly, one of the top shell and the bottom shell includes a snap, and the other of the top shell and the bottom shell includes an engagement portion,

[0018] The snap is engaged with the engagement portion, such that the top shell is fixed to the bottom shell.

[0019] Exemplarily, the conductive member is a conductive ring, the conductive ring is sleeved on both the top shell and the bottom shell.

[0020] Another aspect of the present disclosure provides a conductive ring for a cable connector, the conductive ring being configured to be sleeved on a mating end of the cable connector that mates with an adapter electrical connector, the conductive ring having elasticity.

[0021] Another aspect of the present disclosure provides a cable connector, including: a shielding assembly as described above; and a flexible flat cable, an end portion of the flexible flat cable being fixed in the housing assembly of the shielding assembly.

[0022] Exemplarily, cable conductors on the end portion of the flexible flat cable are exposed to form contact pads for mating with the adapter electrical connector.

[0023] Exemplarily, a shielding layer is covered on a surface of the flexible flat cable, the shielding layer being electrically connected with the conductive portion of the housing assembly of the shielding assembly.

[0024] Another aspect of this disclosure provides an electronic system comprising: a cable connector including a shielding assembly as described above; and an adapter connector mateable to a mating end of a housing assembly of the cable connector, the adapter connector including a shielding shell, wherein: when the adapter connector is mated to the cable connector, the shielding shell is electrically connected to a conductive member.

[0025] For example, the conductive member is a flexible conductive ring, which is also configured to form a seal between the housing assembly of the cable connector's shielding component and the shielding shell of the adapter connector when the adapter connector is mated to the cable connector.

[0026] For example, the electronic system also includes: a circuit board, an adapter electrical connector mounted to the circuit board, and a shielding housing electrically connected to a grounding line on the circuit board.

[0027] This utility model description introduces a series of simplified concepts, which will be further explained in detail in the detailed description section. This utility model description is not intended to limit the key features and essential technical features of the claimed technical solution, nor is it intended to determine the scope of protection of the claimed technical solution.

[0028] The advantages and features of this disclosure are described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Attached Figure Description

[0029] The following drawings, which are incorporated herein by reference as part of this disclosure, are provided for understanding the disclosure. The drawings illustrate embodiments of the disclosure and their descriptions, serving to explain the principles of the disclosure. In the drawings,

[0030] FIG. 1A A perspective view of a portion of an electronic system according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, wherein a first electrical connector and a mating second electrical connector are connected in place;

[0031] FIG. 1B According to FIG. 1A A cross-sectional view of the electronic system shown;

[0032] FIG. 2 According to FIGS. 1A-1B A perspective view of a portion of the electronic system shown, in which the first electrical connector and the mating second electrical connector are separated from each other;

[0033] FIG. 3 An exploded view of a cable connector according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0034] FIG. 4A According to FIG. 3 The cable connector shown is a sectional perspective view taken by the longitudinal center plane;

[0035] FIG. 4B is a corresponding sectional view; FIG. 4A

[0036] FIG. 4C is a sectional view of a cable connector according to another exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0037] FIG. 5 is a sectional view of a cable connector according to FIG. 3 shown in Fig. 6 is taken from a plane offset to the right relative to the longitudinal center plane;

[0038] FIG. 6A and FIG. 6B is a perspective view of a top housing of a cable connector according to FIG. 3 at different angles;

[0039] FIG. 7A and FIG. 7B is a perspective view of a bottom housing of a cable connector according to FIG. 3 at different angles;

[0040] FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a divider of a cable connector according to FIG. 3

[0041] FIGS. 9-15 is a perspective view of a cable connector according to FIG. 3 at different assembly stages;

[0042] FIG. 16 is a perspective view of a board connector according to one exemplary embodiment of the disclosure; and

[0043] FIG. 17 is an exploded view of a board connector according to FIG. 5

[0044] wherein the above figures include the following reference signs:

[0045] ​​​10, cable connector; 20, board connector; 21, main housing; 20A, second mating end; 20B, second mounting end; 22, second conductive assembly; 23, shield housing; 23A, board lock; 24, outer housing; 25, retention member; 26, second lock feature; 27, second annular recess; 30, first circuit board; 31, pad via; 100, first housing assembly; 101, first mating end; 102, first connection end; 103, mounting channel; 104, 104', inner conductive layer; 105, 105', outer conductive layer; 106, first annular recess; 110, top housing; 111, snap; 112, first lock feature; 113, second positioning pin; 120, bottom housing; 121, engagement portion; 122, positioning hole; 130, divider; 131, first groove; 133, divider tab; 134, first positioning pin; 140, slot portion; 150, reinforcement rib; 151, first reinforcement rib; 152, second reinforcement rib; 160, tab groove; 170, positioning slot; 180, recess; 181, first recess; 182, second recess; 200, flexible flat cable; 200A, first flexible flat cable; 200B, second flexible flat cable; 210, base; 220, cable conductor; 230, insulating layer; 241, inner side surface; 242, outer side surface; 250, shielding layer; 251, inner side shielding layer; 252, outer side shielding layer; 260, cable tab; 270, contact pad; 281, first cable portion; 282, second cable portion; 283, third cable portion; 300, conductive ring; 400, connector lock assembly. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0046] In the following description, numerous specific details are provided for a thorough understanding of the present disclosure. One of ordinary skill in the art will recognize, however, that the disclosure can be practiced without one or more of these specific details. In other instances, well-known features have not been described in order not to unnecessarily obscure the present disclosure.

[0047] Flexible flat cables (FFCs) are increasingly being used in high speed, high density electrical connectors. FFCs can transmit both data signals and power, and have excellent compatibility; they also have good flexibility. In traditional EMI solutions, elastic sheet retainers or die cast metal components are often used to resist electromagnetic interference. However, it is difficult for the above structures to form an electromagnetic interference resistant structure between a cable connector and a mating electrical connector, such as a board connector.

[0048] The inventors understand and recognize a novel design for a shielding assembly for a cable connector. The shielding assembly may include a housing assembly and a conductive member. At least a portion of the housing assembly may be conductive. The conductive member may be disposed on a mating end of the housing assembly for mating with an adapter connector. The conductive member may protrude from the mating surface of the mating end. Furthermore, the conductive member may be electrically connected to the conductive portion of the housing assembly. When the mating end of the cable connector mates with the adapter connector, the mating surface mates with the shielding shell of the adapter connector. Because the conductive member protrudes from the mating surface, it can be sandwiched between the mating end of the cable connector and the shielding shell of the adapter connector, thereby electrically connecting the conductive portion of the housing assembly to the shielding shell, thus providing shielding. Therefore, the overall anti-interference performance of electronic systems using this cable connector can be enhanced.

[0049] In some embodiments, an insulating material that is easily processed into complex structures can be used as the body of the housing assembly of the cable connector. In the field of electrical connectors, commonly used insulating materials typically include plastics. Optionally, a molding process can be used to process the insulating body. A conductive layer can then be formed on the surface of the insulating body, allowing for good shielding of portions within the housing assembly and improving electromagnetic compatibility performance such as EMI. This allows the insulating body to be processed into desired complex shapes according to design requirements. Furthermore, it can reduce the weight of the housing assembly. The conductive layer on the surface of the insulating body provides good shielding. The insulating body may include mating ends, connecting ends, and mounting channels extending from the connecting ends to the mating ends. The mounting channels may be enclosed by the inner surface of the insulating body. The conductive layer may cover at least the mating surface, serving as a conductive portion of the housing assembly. Conductive members disposed on the mating ends are electrically connected to the conductive layer. The outer surface of the insulating body may include the mating surface. The conductive layer may cover the entire outer surface of the insulating body, thereby achieving a fully enclosed electromagnetic interference (EMI) room. Exemplarily, the conductive layer may also cover the entire inner surface of the insulating body. For example, when the conductive layer covers the entire inner surface and the entire outer surface of the insulating body, the conductive layer on the inner surface and the conductive layer on the outer surface can be electrically connected.

[0050] In other embodiments, the housing assembly may be made entirely of metal. Metal housing assemblies are robust and durable, and there is no issue of decreased conductivity due to conductive layer peeling.

[0051] In some embodiments, the housing assembly may be configured to receive the ends of a plurality of flexible flat cables. Exemplarily, a spacer may also be provided between the ends of the plurality of flexible flat cables. The portion of the flexible flat cable with the contact pad can be fully supported on the spacer to ensure that the contact pad rests against a flat surface. When the cable connector mates with a board connector, the board connector terminal assembly can preferably press against the contact pad supported by the spacer to ensure good electrical contact.

[0052] In some embodiments, the insulating body may include a top shell and a bottom shell. The top shell may include a first locking feature configured for operation with a connector locking assembly (CPA). Dividing the insulating body into a top shell and a bottom shell facilitates the mounting of separators and the ends of flexible flat cables therein. Furthermore, the top and bottom shells are positioned vertically opposite each other, rather than as two sub-shells, such as a left and right shell, positioned in other directions. This facilitates injection molding and reduces the likelihood of accidental separation of the top and bottom shells during routine operation. In some embodiments, one of the top and bottom shells may include a snap-fit, and the other may include a joint that engages with the snap-fit. This allows for the assembly of the insulating body at a lower cost.

[0053] In some embodiments, the conductive member may include a conductive ring. The conductive ring may be fitted onto the mating end of the housing assembly. This facilitates the installation of the conductive ring. In some embodiments, the conductive ring may be elastic. When the mating end of the cable connector mates with the adapter connector, the conductive member not only electrically connects the conductive portion of the housing assembly of the cable connector and the shielding shell of the adapter connector, but also forms a seal between the two. In some embodiments, a recess may be provided on the mating surface of the housing assembly. The conductive ring may be embedded in the recess, with a portion of the conductive ring protruding beyond the recess. In some embodiments, three sides of the conductive ring may all conform to the groove wall of the recess to ensure that the conductive ring is reliably held on the housing assembly and reliably electrically connected to the conductive portion. When the insulating body includes a top shell and a bottom shell, the conductive ring may be fitted onto both the top shell and the bottom shell. This also helps to secure the top shell and the bottom shell together.

[0054] In some embodiments, the cable conductors at the ends of the flexible flat cable are exposed to form contact pads for mating with an adapter connector. When the adapter connector mates with the mating end of the cable connector, the conductors of the adapter connector are electrically connected to the contact pads accordingly.

[0055] In some embodiments, the surface of the flexible flat cable may be covered with a shielding layer, such as aluminum foil or copper foil. This serves to shield the conductor while minimizing the impact on the flexibility of the flexible flat cable. The shielding layer can make electrical contact with the conductive parts of the housing assembly, thereby forming full shielding. In some embodiments, a shielding layer is formed on the surface of each of a plurality of flexible flat cables.

[0056] In some embodiments, a plurality of flexible flat cables may include a first flexible flat cable and a second flexible flat cable. The first and second flexible flat cables may have inner surfaces opposite each other and outer surfaces opposite to each other. Exemplarily, the shielding layer may include an inner shielding layer disposed on the inner surface and / or an outer shielding layer disposed on the outer surface. The inner shielding layer may extend to the end of the corresponding flexible flat cable end, or even through the entire length of the corresponding flexible flat cable. The outer shielding layer may be spaced apart from the end of the corresponding flexible flat cable end to expose the end of the cable conductor of the corresponding flexible flat cable and form a contact plate. Exemplarily, the outer shielding layer may extend along the length direction to the other end of the flexible flat cable. Thus, the cable conductor within the flexible flat cable can be enclosed in the shielding layer as much as possible, exposing only the necessary contact plate, thereby improving electromagnetic compatibility performance. Exemplarily, the first and second flexible flat cables may have the same construction.

[0057] The inventors understand and recognize a novel design for an electronic system. This electronic system may include a cable connector and an adapter connector, such as a board connector. The adapter connector mates with the mating end of a housing assembly of the cable connector. The adapter connector may include a shielding shell. When the adapter connector mates with the cable connector, the shielding shell is electrically connected to a conductive component. Thus, the shielding shell and the conductive portions of the housing assembly can shield the signal conductors within both connectors.

[0058] In some embodiments, the electronic system may further include a circuit board. An adapter connector may be mounted to the circuit board. A shielding housing may be electrically connected to a ground line on the circuit board.

[0059] like FIGS. 1A-1BA portion of an electronic system, such as that used in an automobile, is shown for interconnecting multiple electronic devices within the system. The electronic system includes electrical connectors and adapter connectors, one of which may be a cable connector 10 and the other a board connector 20. To improve the signal integrity of the electronic system including the electrical connectors and adapter connectors, the electrical connectors also include a shielding assembly, which may be formed by at least a portion of the housing assembly of the electrical connector. In some embodiments, the shielding assembly may also be the entire housing assembly. Specifically, this portion of the housing assembly may be conductive. The adapter connector may mate with this portion of the housing assembly of the electrical connector.

[0060] The housing assembly has a mating end for mating with an adapter connector, and the mating end has a mating surface for mating with the shield of the adapter connector. Specifically, the adapter connector may include a shield, which is at least partially conductive to provide shielding. When the adapter connector is mated to the electrical connector, the shield can be electrically connected to a conductive member. The conductive member may be disposed on the mating end of the housing assembly and protrude from the mating surface of the mating end. The conductive member is electrically connected to a conductive portion of the housing assembly. Thus, an electrical connection is formed between the electrical connector and the shield of the adapter connector via the conductive member, thereby extending the shielding protection range and reducing the possibility of electromagnetic interference passing through the shield.

[0061] The electronic system may include a conductive ring 300 for an electrical connector. The conductive ring 300 can serve as the aforementioned conductive member. The conductive ring 300 is configured to be fitted onto the mating end of the electrical connector that mates with an adapter connector, and the conductive ring 300 is elastic. The conductive ring 300 as a conductive member will be described in detail below by way of specific embodiments.

[0062] As shown in the figure, the electronic system may include a cable connector 10 and a board connector 20 that are mutually adapted and detachably connected to each other. The board connector 20 may be mounted to a circuit board, such as a first circuit board 30. The cable connector 10 may include a cable. The cable connector 10 can be electrically connected to an electronic device, such as another circuit board (e.g., a second circuit board), via the cable to allow the second circuit board to be at a certain distance from the first circuit board 30. The cable may include one or more of a flexible flat cable 200 and a conventional cable including an inner core and an outer insulating layer. The cable connector 10 and the board connector 20 may provide interconnection between the first circuit board 30 and the second circuit board. Typically, the first circuit board 30, to which the board connector 20 is mounted, may be fixed to another electronic device. In harsh environments such as those presented by automobiles, the electronic system can transmit data signals while being subjected to vibration.

[0063] Reference FIGS. 2-5The cable connector 10 may include a first housing assembly 100 and a first conductive component held by the first housing assembly 100. In some embodiments, the first housing assembly 100 may be made of metal, for example, formed by stamping a metal sheet or by casting. Thus, the entire first housing assembly 100 may be conductive. In some embodiments, the metal housing may also be provided with screw holes, solder points, and other structures for fixing the shielding wire. In other embodiments, the first housing assembly 100 may include an insulating body. The insulating body may be made of non-metallic materials, including but not limited to plastics and ceramics. In some embodiments, the insulating body may be molded from a material such as plastic. Plastics may include, but are not limited to, liquid crystal polymers (LCP), polyphenylene sulfide (PPS), high-temperature nylon or poly(p-phenylene oxide) (PPO) or polypropylene (PP), or any other suitable material. In some cases, the plastic may be a thermosetting plastic. In some cases, the insulating plastic may contain insulating materials such as glass fiber reinforced materials. Plastics are lightweight and have a certain degree of deformation under external force, so multiple parts of the insulating body can be assembled together by setting snaps, thereby reducing assembly costs. The insulating body can be coated with a metal or other conductive material to make at least a portion conductive. Specifically, in some embodiments, a metal sheet can be stamped and then fitted onto the surface of the insulating body, with the insulating body serving as a support for the metal sheet. In other embodiments, the insulating body can be coated with conductive paint, electroplated, or chemically plated with a metal coating. In some embodiments, conductive plastic may also be secondary-formed onto the insulating body. In summary, at least a portion of the first housing assembly can be conductive to provide a shielding effect.

[0064] A connector locking assembly 400 may be mounted on the first housing assembly 100. Exemplarily, the first housing assembly 100 may include a first locking feature 112. The connector locking assembly 400 may engage with the first locking feature 112 to remain on the first housing assembly 100. In use, for ease of observation and operation, the first locking feature 112 is typically facing upwards when the cable connector 10 is fitted to the board connector 20. Thus, the side having the first locking feature 112 may be referred to as the top side of the first housing assembly 100. Exemplarily, the board connector 20 may include a second locking feature 26. After the cable connector 10 is fitted to the board connector 20, by operating the connector locking assembly 400, the first locking feature 112 and the second locking feature 26 can be locked together to prevent accidental separation of the two connectors. One of the first locking feature 112 and the second locking feature 26 may be configured to include a protrusion, and the other may be configured to include a recess and / or groove capable of engaging with the protrusion.

[0065] Exemplarily, the insulating body of the first housing assembly 100 may include a first mating end 101, which may be shaped to fit the board connector 20. The first mating end 101 has a mating surface for mating with the shielding shell 23 of the board connector 20 (as described below). In the illustrated embodiment, the mating surface may include at least a portion of the outer surface of the first mating end 101. In other embodiments not shown, the mating surface may include at least a portion of the front end face or at least a portion of the inner surface of the first mating end 101; or may include multiple of the aforementioned faces. The insulating body may also include a first connecting end 102. The first connecting end 102 and the first mating end 101 may be located at two ends of the insulating body. A first conductive component may include a cable such as a flexible flat cable 200. The end of the flexible flat cable 200 may be mounted from the first connecting end 102 into the insulating body and extends to the first mating end 101. In the illustrated embodiment, the axes of the first mating end 101 and the first connecting end 102 are substantially parallel, thus the end of the flexible flat cable 200 within the insulating body is substantially straight. In an embodiment not shown, the axes of the first mating end 101 and the first connecting end 102 may be perpendicular to each other, and the end of the flexible flat cable 200 within the insulating body may have a bend. Exemplarily, the insulating body may include a mounting channel 103 extending from the first connecting end 102 to the first mating end 101, in which the end of the flexible flat cable 200 may be mounted.

[0066] refer to FIG. 3 The flexible flat cable 200 may include a substrate 210, a cable conductor 220 formed on the substrate 210, and an insulating layer 230 covering the cable conductor 220. The substrate 210 may be insulating. The substrate 210 typically has a greater thickness and mechanical strength than the insulating layer 230, but possesses a certain degree of flexibility. The cable conductor 220 may be formed on the substrate 210 by means of bonding or heat fusion. The insulating layer 230 may expose the cable conductor 220 at the end of the corresponding flexible flat cable 200 end to form a contact pad 270. The contact pad 270 may be located within a first mating end 101. In other embodiments, the first conductive component may further include a printed circuit board located within the first mating end 101. The printed circuit board may include the contact pad. The contact pad may be electrically connected to the cable conductor 220 of the flexible flat cable 200 or the inner core of a conventional cable by means of welding, crimping, or conductive adhesive bonding.

[0067] The board connector 20 may include a second housing assembly, a second conductive component 22 held by the second housing assembly, and a shielding shell 23. The second housing assembly may include a second mating end 20A and a second mounting end 20B located at both ends. The second mating end 20A is configured to mate in shape with a first mating end 101. Exemplarily, the second mating end 20A and the first mating end 101 may be complementary in shape to allow the cable connector 10 to be precisely positioned on the board connector 20. The second conductive component 22 may extend from the second mating end 20A to the second mounting end 20B. The second conductive component 22 may include a plurality of conductive terminals for corresponding electrical connection with a contact pad 270 after the cable connector 10 mates with the board connector 20. As shown, the second mounting end 20B may be mounted to a first circuit board 30 such that the plurality of conductive terminals of the second conductive component 22 form an electrical connection with a circuit on the first circuit board 30, thereby interconnecting the first circuit board 30 with the cable connector 10. The shielding shell 23 may be a metal shell fitted over the second housing assembly. The shielding shell 23 extends along the length of the second conductive component to surround it. In some embodiments not shown, the shielding shell 23 may also be an insulating shell covered with a conductive material. To reliably secure the board connector 20 to the first circuit board 30, the board connector 20 may also include a board lock 23A. In some embodiments, the board lock 23A may be part of the shielding shell 23. In other embodiments, the board lock may also be fixed to the second housing assembly, formed of a metal part insulated from the second conductive component. Exemplarily, the first circuit board 30 may have pad vias 31. The board lock 23A may be mounted into the pad vias 31 to secure the board connector 20 to the first circuit board 30. In some exemplary embodiments where the shielding shell 23 includes the board lock 23A, the pad via 31 to which the board lock 23A is fixed may be grounded, thus eliminating the need for an additional connection between the shielding shell 23 and the ground line of the first circuit board 30. Thus, in some embodiments, the shielding shell 23 is electrically connected to the ground line on the circuit board. In some embodiments, the second housing assembly may also be molded from a material such as plastic. Plastics may include, but are not limited to, liquid crystal polymers (LCP), polyphenylene sulfide (PPS), high-temperature nylon, or poly(p-phenylene oxide) (PPO) or polypropylene (PP), or any other suitable material. In some cases, the plastic may be a thermosetting plastic. In some cases, the insulating plastic may contain insulating materials such as glass fiber reinforced materials. Plastics are lightweight, flexible, easy to process, and inexpensive. Optionally, the surfaces of the contact pad 270 of the first conductive component and / or the second conductive component 22 may be formed with a noble metal layer to prevent poor contact caused by oxidation.

[0068] Specifically, the conductive component in the aforementioned electronic system may include one or more conductive media such as conductive contacts, conductive foam, and conductive adhesive. In one embodiment, the conductive component may be disposed on one surface of the first mating end 101. In another embodiment, the conductive component may be disposed on multiple surfaces of the first mating end 101. In yet another embodiment, the conductive component may be disposed around the first housing assembly 100 one or more times. In the illustrated embodiment, the mating surface is located on the outer surface of the first mating end 101. When the cable connector 10 is mated to the board connector 20, the conductive component is clamped on the outer side of the second mating end 20A of the board connector 20. In an embodiment not shown, the conductive component may be disposed on the inner side of the first mating end 101. When the cable connector 10 is mated to the board connector 20, the second mating end 20A of the board connector 20 may be inserted into the inner side of the conductive component. The conductive component may electrically connect the cable connector's first housing assembly 100 and the board connector 20's shielding shell 23 through a gap. The conductive component may directly contact the conductive portion of the first housing assembly 100 or be electrically connected to the conductive portion via a circuit. In some preferred embodiments, the conductive components do not obstruct the process of mating the cable connector 10 with the board connector 20, or during their separation. Even with a sufficient number of mating and separation cycles, the conductive components will not fail to form an electrical connection after mating.

[0069] In one specific embodiment, such as FIG. 1B and FIG. 2 As shown, the conductive component can be a conductive ring 300. The conductive ring can be more reliably fixed to the first housing assembly 100, with a sufficiently large contact area and strength to ensure that it will not detach from the first housing assembly 100. The conductive ring can be sleeved on the portion of the housing assembly that mates with the adapter electrical connector. In some embodiments where the shielding shell 23 surrounds the second conductive component, the conductive ring can achieve electrical connection from 360 degrees. When the cable connector 10 is subjected to an upward external force, the conductive ring makes closer contact with the upper part of the shielding shell 23; when the cable connector 10 is subjected to a downward external force, the conductive ring makes closer contact with the lower part of the shielding shell 23. In short, regardless of the direction of the external force, the conductive ring always has at least one side in close contact with the shielding shell 23, ensuring reliable electrical contact.

[0070] In some embodiments, the conductive member may be rigid. In some embodiments, the conductive member may be made of a conductive, self-lubricating material. During the mating of the cable connector 10 to the board connector 20, the shield 23 of the board connector 20 may undergo elastic deformation under the pressure of the conductive member, thereby maintaining a certain pressure between the two to avoid poor electrical contact caused by factors such as vibration.

[0071] In other embodiments, the conductive ring 300 may be made of an elastic material such as conductive rubber. In these embodiments, the shielding shell 23 may be constructed as rigid to protect the second housing assembly. The elasticity of the conductive ring also makes it easier to mount onto the first housing assembly 100. The elastic conductive ring is easier to manufacture than the elastic shielding shell 23, and the elastic conductive ring 300 can also provide a sealing function to prevent foreign matter intrusion when the cable connector 10 is mated to the board connector 20.

[0072] like FIG. 3 , FIGS. 4A-4B and FIG. 5 As shown, to increase the density of the contact pads of the cable connector 10, a flexible flat cable 200 may optionally be used. To further increase the density, the cable connector 10 may include a plurality of flexible flat cables 200 stacked together. The ends of the plurality of flexible flat cables 200 extend from a first connecting end 102, for example, via a mounting channel 103 to a first mating end 101, and are held within the mounting channel 103. In the illustrated embodiment, the flexible flat cable 200 may be configured to have contact pads 270. The contact pads 270 may be located within the first mating end 101. Optionally, the plurality of flexible flat cables 200 are arranged in pairs, with each pair of flexible flat cables 200 stacked along the thickness direction of the flexible flat cable 200. The contact pads 270 of each pair of flexible flat cables 200 may face opposite directions to facilitate electrical contact with terminals on a mating electrical connector. In the illustrated embodiment, the cable connector 10 may include a pair of flexible flat cables 200. In other embodiments, the cable connector 10 may include multiple pairs of flexible flat cables 200, which may be arranged in a row along the width direction of the flexible flat cables 200. Optionally, more than two flexible flat cables 200 may be provided along the stacking direction of the flexible flat cables 200. In this case, the flexible flat cables 200 facing the same side of the contact pad 270 may be staggered along their length direction to expose the contact pad 270 of the lower flexible flat cable 200.

[0073] Exemplarily, the cable connector 10 may further include a spacer 130 located between a plurality of flexible flat cables 200. Optionally, the spacer 130 is held by a first housing assembly 100 along the stacking direction of the plurality of flexible flat cables 200. Typically, each spacer 130 may correspond to two flexible flat cables 200. For ease of description, the two flexible flat cables 200 are defined as a first flexible flat cable 200A and a second flexible flat cable 200B. Specifically, the two opposing surfaces of the spacer 130 may respectively abut against the back of the first flexible flat cable 200A and the back of the second flexible flat cable 200B. In the illustrated embodiment, the portions of the first flexible flat cable 200A and the second flexible flat cable 200B having contact pads 270 may be fully supported on the spacer 130 to ensure that the contact pads 270 abut against a flat surface. When the cable connector 10 mates with the board connector 20, the terminals of the board connector 20 can be preferably pressed against the contact plate 270 supported by the separator 130, ensuring good electrical contact. Optionally, along the length of the flexible flat cable 200, the separator 130 can be significantly longer than the contact plate 270, allowing more of the flexible flat cable 200 to be supported on the separator 130. In this case, through the cooperation of the separator 130 with the first housing assembly 100, the first flexible flat cable 200A and the second flexible flat cable 200B on both sides can be clamped between the separator 130 and the top shell 110 of the first housing assembly 100 (as mentioned later) and between the separator 130 and the bottom shell 120 of the first housing assembly 100 (as mentioned later), respectively.

[0074] Optionally, this application may also include embodiments in which only a single layer of flexible flat cable is provided along the stacking direction.

[0075] Exemplarily, the separator 130 can be installed within the mounting channel 103 to separate at least two stacked flexible flat cables 200 and to position the ends of the flexible flat cables 200. Therefore, the separator 130 can be a flat, sheet-like structure as shown in the figure. In some embodiments, the separator 130 can be inserted into the mounting channel 103 from the first connecting end 102 and can be fixed within the mounting channel 103 by means of clips, screws, or other structures. Return to Reference FIG. 2 and FIG. 3In the embodiment shown in the figure, the first housing assembly 100 may include multiple parts, whereby the separator 130 and the flexible flat cable 200 can be mounted onto the first cable portion of the multiple parts before the multiple parts are assembled, and then the remaining second part is assembled with the first part, thereby positioning the separator 130 and / or the flexible flat cable 200, at which point the flexible flat cable 200 extends from the rear opening of the mounting channel 103 to the outside of the first housing assembly 100. Since the separator 130 has two large and opposing flat surfaces, one end of the flexible flat cable 200 can be supported on each of these two surfaces. In an embodiment not shown, the width of these two flat surfaces may be greater than the width of the end of the flexible flat cable 200, such that each flat surface can support the ends of multiple flexible flat cables 200 side by side.

[0076] For example, the separator 130 can divide at least the front portion of the mounting channel 103 into a first mounting channel 103A and a second mounting channel 103B. Both the first mounting channel 103A and the second mounting channel 103B extend from the first mating end 101 toward the first connecting end 102 and are spaced apart from the first connecting end 102. FIGS. 4A-4B and FIG. 5 As shown, along the stacking direction of the flexible flat cable 200, the separator 130 is located in the middle of the mounting channel 103 to separate the first mounting channel 103A and the second mounting channel 103B on the upper and lower sides of the separator 130, respectively. The ends of the first flexible flat cable 200A and the second flexible flat cable 200B can be inserted into the first mounting channel 103A and the second mounting channel 103B, respectively. Within the first mating end 101, along the width direction of the flexible flat cable 200, the separator 130 is also spaced apart from the first housing assembly 100. Thus, the inner layer of the second mating end 20A of the board connector 20 can be inserted into the first annular cavity 106 between the separator 130 and the first housing assembly 100 to increase the mechanical strength of the connection. As will be described later, the second mating end 20A of the board connector 20 also has an outer layer that can be fitted over the outside of the first mating end 101 of the first housing assembly 100 to further enhance the strength of the mechanical connection. The position of the separator 130 in the first mating end 101 of the first housing assembly 100 is related to the mating connector.

[0077] like FIG. 3In the illustrated embodiment, the insulating body of the first housing assembly 100 may include a top housing 110 and a bottom housing 120. The top housing 110 and the bottom housing 120 may be closed to form a mounting channel 103. By separate processing, grooves 140 can be injection molded inside the top housing 110 and the bottom housing 120 to reduce material consumption and weight. Reinforcing ribs 150 may be retained in the grooves 140 to ensure the mechanical strength of the top housing 110 and the bottom housing 120. On the other hand, it also facilitates the installation of the separator 130 and the flexible flat cable 200 within the mounting channel 103. The separator 130 may be clamped between the top housing 110 and the bottom housing 120. A first mounting channel 103A may be formed between the separator 130 and the top housing 110, and a second mounting channel 103B may be formed between the separator 130 and the bottom housing 120. In use, the user typically pinches the top shell 110 and the bottom shell 120 with their fingers and inserts the cable connector 10 into the board connector 20. This divides the first housing assembly 100 into two parts, the top shell 110 and the bottom shell 120, which not only facilitates injection molding but also prevents accidental separation of the top shell 110 and the bottom shell 120 during daily operation. The top shell 110 may include a first locking feature 112 configured for operation with the connector locking assembly 400, facilitating operation of the connector locking assembly 400.

[0078] Exemplarily, the connector locking assembly 400 can move forward or backward along the length of the flexible flat cable 200. The directional term "forward" as used herein and hereinafter refers to the direction along the length of the flexible flat cable 200 toward the mating electrical connector. Conversely, the directional term "rear" refers to the direction along the length of the flexible flat cable 200 away from the mating electrical connector. When it is necessary to lock the interconnected cable connector 10 and board connector 20, it can be pushed forward until the connector locking assembly 400 is inserted into the gap between the first locking feature 112 and the top shell 110. Exemplarily, the first locking feature 112 can be configured to have a locking protrusion that can engage with a locking opening on the board connector 20, thereby locking the cable connector 10 and the board connector 20. When it is necessary to unlock the cable connector 10 and the board connector 20, the connector locking assembly 400 can be moved backward. The connector locking assembly 400 disengages from the gap between the first locking feature 112 and the top shell 110, allowing the first locking feature 112 to move toward the top shell 110 under external force. This allows the locking protrusion to disengage from the locking opening of the board connector 20, thereby enabling the cable connector 10 and the board connector 20 to separate under external force. Of course, this application does not exclude embodiments using other forms of connector locking assemblies.

[0079] Exemplarily, one of the top shell 110 and the bottom shell 120 may include a snap fastener, and the other of the top shell 110 and the bottom shell 120 includes a connecting portion 121. In the illustrated embodiment, the top shell 110 is provided with an outwardly protruding snap fastener 111, and the bottom shell 120 is provided with a connecting portion 121 extending toward the top shell 110. Exemplarily, the connecting portion 121 may have a certain degree of elasticity and include an opening. When the top shell 110 and the bottom shell 120 are engaged, the connecting portion 121 may be offset outward under the guidance of the inclined surface of the snap fastener 111, thereby fitting the opening onto the snap fastener 111 and locking it by the blocking surface. This arrangement facilitates the demolding of the top shell 110 and the bottom shell 120 during injection molding. In an embodiment not shown, the connecting portion 121 may also be provided in the bottom shell 120, and the snap fastener may be provided in the top shell 110. Through the snap fastener 111 and the connecting portion 121, the top shell 110 can be detachably fixed to the bottom shell 120 at a lower cost.

[0080] Reference FIGS. 6A-6B and FIGS. 7A-7B A second positioning pin 113 may be provided on the top shell 110. The second positioning pin 113 can be inserted into the positioning hole 122 of the bottom shell 120, thereby preventing misalignment between the top shell 110 and the bottom shell 120. In other embodiments not shown, the second positioning pin may also be provided on the bottom shell and the positioning hole may be provided on the top shell, or the second positioning pin may be provided on both the top shell and the bottom shell, and the positioning hole may also be provided on the top shell and the bottom shell respectively. FIG. 5 An example is shown where the second locating pin 113 is inserted into the locating hole 122.

[0081] Exemplarily, the first housing assembly 100 may also be provided with a positioning groove 170, and the separator 130 includes a first positioning pin 134, which is inserted into the positioning groove 170 to position the separator 130 in the first housing assembly 100. In some embodiments, the first positioning pin 134 may fit tightly with the positioning groove 170. Thus, after the first positioning pin 134 is inserted into the positioning groove 170, it can act as a limit along the length and width directions of the flexible flat cable 200. Exemplarily, the two side edges of the separator 130 may include separator lugs 133, such as... FIG. 3 , FIG. 5 and FIGS. 8-11 As shown. The top shell 110 and the bottom shell 120 can also clamp the partition lugs 133 on the upper and lower sides respectively, thereby limiting the partition 130 along the stacking direction of the flexible flat cable 200.

[0082] Exemplarily, the two side edges of the end of each flexible flat cable 200 may include cable lugs 260. Cable lugs 260 may be positioned in a one-to-one correspondence with separator lugs 133. Cable lugs 260 may be formed on the portion of the flexible flat cable 200 excluding the cable conductor 220. Cable lugs 260 and separator lugs 133 may engage together with a first housing assembly 100 to limit the position of the plurality of flexible flat cables 200 and separators 130 along the length direction of the plurality of flexible flat cables 200. In an embodiment not shown, top housing 110 and bottom housing 120 may also position the flexible flat cables 200 and separators 130 along the length direction by clamping the cable lugs 260 toward the separator lugs 133, respectively. FIG. 5 and FIG. 6A As shown, both the top shell 110 and the bottom shell 120 of the first housing assembly 100 may be provided with lugs and grooves 160. Cable lugs 260 and separator lugs 133 can mate with the lugs and grooves 160. The cable lugs 260 and separator lugs 133 can be embedded into the lugs and grooves 160. After the top shell 110 and the bottom shell 120 of the first housing assembly 100 are connected, the flexible flat cable 200 and the separator 130 can be positioned from the stacking direction of the flexible flat cable 200. Specifically, in some embodiments, the first housing assembly 100, such as the top shell 110 and the bottom shell 120, can directly press against the flexible flat cable 200. In some preferred embodiments, the first housing assembly 100 can press against only the cable lugs 260 in the stacking direction. In some embodiments, the first housing assembly 100 only presses against the separator 130, without pressing against the flexible flat cable 200. The separator 130 can position the flexible flat cable 200 along the stacking direction. In the length direction, the edges of the cable lug 260 and the separator lug 133 abut against the lug groove 160 for positioning. In the width direction, the first housing assembly 100 can tightly engage with both sides of the flexible flat cable 200 when it is installed, thus providing a limiting function. In the embodiment shown in the figure, the flexible flat cable 200 and the separator 130 are limited by the cable lug 260 and the separator lug 133 being positioned against the first housing assembly 100 in the length direction, rather than by clamping in the stacking direction. This eliminates the need for a large clamping force between the top shell 110 and the bottom shell 120, reduces the requirements for material strength and assembly precision, and lowers costs.

[0083] In some embodiments, each flexible flat cable 200 may include a plurality of cable lugs 260 disposed along the length direction of the flexible flat cable 200. The separator 130 may also include a plurality of separator lugs 133 disposed along the length direction of the flexible flat cable 200. After the flexible flat cable 200 and the separator 130 are installed to the first housing assembly 100, exemplaryly, the projections of the cable lugs 260 onto the separator 130 may all fall within the separator lugs 133. In this way, the separator lugs 133 can provide support for the cable lugs 260, preventing damage to the cable lugs 260.

[0084] During use, the flexible flat cable 200 may warp due to aging, vibration, or its own stress. This may damage the flexible flat cable 200 or the conductive terminals of the board connector 20 when the cable connector 10 mates with the board connector 20. For example, for each of the plurality of flexible flat cables 200, the separator 130 may include a first groove 131 and a second groove. FIGS. 8-9 The first groove 131 is shown. The second groove may be symmetrically arranged with respect to the axis along the length direction of the flexible flat cable 200. The first groove 131 and the second groove extend along the length direction of the corresponding flexible flat cable 200 and are opposite each other along the width direction of the corresponding flexible flat cable 200. The two side edges of the corresponding flexible flat cable 200 are respectively inserted into the first groove 131 and the second groove. (Refer to reference...) FIG. 8 , FIG. 9 and FIG. 11 The separator 130 can be axisymmetric, meaning it can be symmetrical not only along its width centerline but also along its stacking centerline. Both the top and bottom surfaces of the separator 130 can have a first groove 131 and a second groove. Thus, for each flexible flat cable 200, the first groove 131 and the second groove can press the flexible flat cable 200 against the surface of the separator 130 from both sides, thereby limiting the flexible flat cable 200 from warping and extending its service life.

[0085] Cable connector 10 may include a first shielding assembly. Board connector 20 may include a second shielding assembly. The first shielding assembly may include a conductive layer, as described below. The second shielding assembly may include a shielding shell 23, such as... FIGS. 16-17As shown, the shielding shell 23 can partially or fully surround the second conductive component 22 along the circumferential direction of the board connector 20. The first and second shielding components form a full shield when the cable connector 10 and the board connector 20 mate. In some embodiments, the first and second shielding components can substantially completely surround the contact portion of the first and second conductive components 22 along the circumferential direction to form a full shield. In other embodiments, the first and second shielding components can substantially completely surround the portion of the second conductive component 22 within the board connector 20 and the portion of the first conductive component within the first housing assembly 100 of the cable connector 10 along the circumferential direction to form a full shield. Exemplarily, the first and / or second shielding components can be electrically connected to the same reference voltage, such as ground. Exemplarily, the first and second shielding components can be electrically connected to the same reference voltage, respectively. Exemplarily, the first and second shielding components can be electrically contacted to each other after the cable connector 10 and the board connector 20 mate. In this case, the first and second shielding components can be selectively electrically connected to the reference voltage. For example, board connector 20 is mounted to first circuit board 30, and second shielding assembly can be electrically connected to a reference voltage on first circuit board 30.

[0086] like FIG. 4B As shown, the first housing assembly 100 may further include conductive layers disposed on the surface of the insulating body, such as an inner conductive layer 104 and / or an outer conductive layer 105. The first shielding assembly may include a conductive layer. In an exemplary embodiment, the conductive layer at least covers the mating surface of the first mating end 101 to form a conductive portion of the housing assembly. The conductive layer may be electrically connected to the aforementioned conductive member. Optionally, the inner conductive layer 104 may partially cover the inner surface of the insulating body, i.e., the inner wall of the mounting channel 103. Exemplarily, the inner conductive layer 104 may substantially surround the flexible flat cable 200 in the circumferential direction, thereby providing good electromagnetic shielding and improving the electromagnetic interference (EMI) resistance of the electrical connector. Exemplarily, the inner conductive layer 104 may be located at the first mating end 101. The inner conductive layer 104 may extend rearward from the front surface of the first mating end 101 facing the adapter electrical connector, for example, extending at least beyond the contact pad 270. For example, the inner conductive layer 104 may extend rearward from the front surface of the first mating end 101 for 20%, 25%, 30%, 35%, 40%, 45%, 50%, 55%, 60%, 65%, 70%, 75%, 80%, 85%, 90%, 95%, or 100% of the total length of the insulating body, or any value between them. FIG. 4CAn embodiment is shown in which the inner conductive layer 104' extends the entire length of the insulating body. Optionally, the outer conductive layer 105 may partially cover the outer surface of the insulating body. Exemplarily, the outer conductive layer 105 may substantially surround the flexible flat cable 200 in the circumferential direction, thereby providing good electromagnetic shielding and improving the electromagnetic compatibility performance of the electrical connector. Exemplarily, the outer conductive layer 105 may be located at the first mating end 101. The outer conductive layer 105 may extend rearward from the front surface of the first mating end 101 facing the adapter electrical connector, for example, extending at least to the conductive ring 300. The conductive ring 300 is electrically connected to the shielding components on the board connector 20 when the cable connector 10 mates with the board connector 20. For example, the outer conductive layer 105 may extend rearward from the front surface of the first mating end 101 for 20%, 25%, 30%, 35%, 40%, 45%, 50%, 55%, 60%, 65%, 70%, 75%, 80%, 85%, 90%, 95%, or 100% of the total length of the insulating body, or any value between them. FIG. 4C An embodiment is shown in which the outer conductive layer 105' extends the entire length of the insulating body. Optionally, when the outer conductive layer 105' covers the outer surface of the insulating body along its entire length, an inner conductive layer 104 covering a portion of the inner surface of the insulating body may be used. Optionally, when the outer conductive layer 105' covers a portion of the outer surface of the insulating body along its length, an inner conductive layer 104' covering the entire inner surface of the insulating body may be used. Optionally, the outer surface of the insulating body may include a mating surface, in which case the outer conductive layer 105 may cover the entire outer surface of the insulating body. Further, the inner conductive layer 104 may also cover the entire inner surface of the insulating body. The inner conductive layer 104 may also be electrically connected to the outer conductive layer 105, thereby enhancing the shielding effect.

[0087] In a preferred embodiment, the conductive layer can cover the entire surface of the insulating body. The conductive layer is closed on the surface of the insulating body, with no edges showing its cross-section. Based on this, with appropriate adhesion between the conductive layer and the insulating body, different areas of the conductive layer can exert tensile stress on each other, further preventing the conductive layer from peeling off from the insulating body. Furthermore, a more desirable method for forming the conductive layer on the insulating body includes electrochemical plating, which is ideal, at least in terms of precisely controlling the layer thickness and ensuring layer uniformity. When forming the conductive layer using this process, it is easier to achieve a continuous and complete conductive layer across the entire surface of the insulating body.

[0088] The fully enclosed conductive layer also ensures that the outer conductive layer 105 on the outer surface of the insulating body is electrically connected to the inner conductive layer 104 on the inner surface of the insulating body. In embodiments where the flexible flat cable 200 has a shielding layer 250 on its surface, the shielding layer 250 can be electrically connected to the shielding shell 23 of the board connector 20 through the fully enclosed conductive layer. Based on this, the conductive layer and the shielding shell 23 together can form a complete shield for the conductors within the cable connector 10 and the board connector 20. In addition, the shielding layer 250 can be substantially covered with the cable along the length and width directions of the flexible flat cable 200, except for the contact pad 270 which needs to be exposed. However, since the contact pad 270 is located within the insulating shell shielded by the conductive layer, the contact pad 270 can also be well shielded. Thus, the shielding layer 250, combined with the conductive layer and the shielding shell 23, can form a complete shield for all conductors within the cable connector 10 and the board connector 20. Furthermore, the fully enclosed conductive layer prevents foreign matter, such as moisture and organic vapors, from penetrating between the conductive layer and the insulating body, ensuring sufficient adhesion between them and preventing peeling. In some embodiments, the conductive layer can also be configured to protect the insulating body, improving its resistance to wear, high temperatures, and corrosion.

[0089] In some embodiments, the conductive layer may include a conductive varnish sprayed onto an insulating body. In other embodiments, the conductive layer may include a plating formed on the insulating body by, for example, electrochemical plating. Electrochemical plating allows the conductive layer to be formed at virtually all locations on the insulating body, resulting in a conductive layer of uniform thickness and a smooth surface. In the embodiment shown in the figures, the first housing assembly 100 may include multiple independent portions. In this case, the conductive layers of the multiple portions of the first housing assembly 100 may be in electrical contact with each other, thereby forming the shielding structure surrounding the mounting channel 103 described above. In other embodiments, the first housing assembly 100 may also be integral. The first mating end 101 may be complementary in shape to the second mating end 20A of the adapted board connector 20. In some embodiments, when the first mating end 101 can be inserted into the second mating end 20A of the board connector 20, the complementary configuration can improve the connection strength between the first housing assembly 100 and the board connector 20.

[0090] As described above, by way of example, the first shielding assembly may further include a conductive ring 300 sleeved on the first housing assembly 100. The conductive ring 300 may be in electrical contact with the outer conductive layer 105 or 105'. The conductive ring 300 may be made of an elastic material such as conductive rubber. FIGS. 1A-1B and FIG. 2As shown, the board connector 20 may include a shielding shell 23, which can serve as at least part of a second shielding assembly. A conductive ring 300 is electrically connected between the outer conductive layer 105 or 105' and the shielding shell 23 when the cable connector 10 and the board connector 20 are mated. Thus, the outer conductive layer 105 or 105' and the shielding shell 23 can form a reliable electrical connection, achieving full shielding. Furthermore, the conductive ring 300 can also form a seal at the interface between the first housing assembly 100 and the board connector 20.

[0091] In embodiments where the first housing assembly 100 includes a top housing 110 and a bottom housing 120, the outer surfaces of the assembled top housing 110 and bottom housing 120 may be flat. A conductive ring 300 is configured to fit over a first mating end 101 of an electrical connector that mates with an adapter connector. The conductive ring 300 secures the top housing 110 and bottom housing 120 together. In some embodiments, the conductive ring 300 itself is made of a high-strength material. In other embodiments, the conductive ring 300 may contain reinforcing material, such as steel wire or nylon rings, capable of withstanding greater forces. Thus, in some embodiments, the top housing 110 and bottom housing 120 may not require mating structures such as snap-fits or screw holes; at least at the positions corresponding to the first mating ends 101, the conductive ring 300 alone prevents separation between them. In the above embodiment where the top shell 110 and the bottom shell 120 are fixed by the conductive ring 300, at least a positioning structure for the mating direction, such as a positioning pin, can be provided between the top shell 110 and the bottom shell 120 to prevent misalignment of the top shell 110 and the bottom shell 120 when fixed by the conductive ring 300 alone.

[0092] Exemplarily, a recess 180 surrounding the mounting channel 103 is provided on the outer surface of the first housing assembly 100, the recess 180 being configured to receive the conductive ring 300. In some embodiments, the conductive ring 300 may be made of conductive rubber. By placing the conductive ring 300 in the recess 180, its surface is nearly flush with the outer surface of the insulating body. This prevents excessive resistance when the cable connector 10 is inserted into the board connector 20, and also prevents the conductive ring 300 from being excessively compressed and damaged. On the other hand, the conductive rubber conductive ring 300 has high friction. The recess 180 can limit the conductive ring 300, preventing it from shifting due to friction during insertion or removal of the cable connector 10 from the board connector 20. In other embodiments, the conductive ring 300 may be made of, for example, a metal material, such as an aluminum strip pressed around the recess 180 onto the outer surface of the insulating body. In a preferred embodiment, a recess 180 is provided on a mating surface, a conductive ring 300 is embedded in the recess 180, and a portion of the conductive ring 300 protrudes out of the recess 180.

[0093] In another embodiment of the first housing assembly 100, which includes a top shell 110 and a bottom shell 120, a first recess 181 and a second recess 182 may be provided on the top shell 110 and the bottom shell 120, respectively, and the first recess 181 and the second recess 182 together form an annular recess 180. The conductive ring 300 can further ensure reliable electrical connection between the conductive layers of the top shell 110 and the bottom shell 120, and reliably connect the conductive layer of the first housing assembly 100 and the shielding shell 23 of the board connector 20 when the cable connector 10 is inserted into the board connector 20, while also providing a sealing and dustproof function. In some embodiments, the conductive ring 300 can also reduce the force borne by the aforementioned latch 111 and engagement portion 121 by virtue of its strength or elasticity.

[0094] For example, the conductive ring 300 is fitted to the groove wall of the recess 180 on three sides. During the mating and disassembly of the cable connector 10 and the board connector 20, the conductive ring 300 can be evenly stressed and is less prone to twisting or excessive compression causing damage under friction. When the recess 180 is at least partially covered by the outer conductive layer 105 or 105', the conductive ring 300 can achieve the largest possible contact area with the outer conductive layer 105 or 105' by fitting to the groove wall on three sides, thereby improving the conductivity between the conductive ring and the conductive layer.

[0095] To further enhance the shielding effect, by way of example, the first shielding assembly also includes a shielding layer 250 formed on the surface of each of the plurality of flexible flat cables 200. Continuing to refer to... FIG. 3 As previously described, the flexible flat cable 200 may include a substrate 210, a cable conductor 220 sequentially formed on the inner surface of the substrate 210, and an insulating layer 230. The sides of the flexible flat cable 200 may have portions that do not include the cable conductor 220. These portions may consist only of the substrate 210, or may consist only of the substrate 210 and the insulating layer 230. Exemplarily, a shielding layer 250 may be provided on a second surface of the substrate 210 opposite to the first surface. Exemplarily, a shielding layer 250 may be provided on the surface of the insulating layer 230. Exemplarily, shielding layers 250 may be provided on both the second surface of the substrate 210 and the surface of the insulating layer 230. The shielding layer 250 may be spaced apart from the cable conductor 220 by the substrate 210 or the insulating layer 230. The shielding layer 250 may include one or more of the following: a metal sheet, conductive adhesive, and metal foil, to give the shielding layer 250 good conductivity and flexibility. This serves both to shield the conductor and minimizes the impact on the flexibility of the flexible flat cable 200. FIG. 3In the illustrated embodiment, the shielding layer 250 can be copper foil or aluminum foil. As described above, exemplarily, a plurality of flexible flat cables 200 include a first flexible flat cable 200A and a second flexible flat cable 200B. Each of the first flexible flat cable 200A and the second flexible flat cable 200B may include an inner surface 241 and an outer surface 242 opposite to the inner surface 241, with the inner surfaces 241 of the first flexible flat cable 200A and the second flexible flat cable 200B facing each other. In the embodiment shown in the figure, the contact pads 270 of the first flexible flat cable 200A and the second flexible flat cable 200B may be disposed on the outer surface 242 of each of them, such that the contact pads of the two cables face opposite directions. When the cable connector 10 mates with the board connector 20, the two sets of conductive terminals of the board connector 20 may press against the contact pads 270 of the first flexible flat cable 200A and the second flexible flat cable 200B respectively, facing opposite directions.

[0096] In some exemplary embodiments, the shielding layer is electrically connected to the conductive portion of the housing assembly of the shielding component. Specifically, the shielding layer may make electrical contact with the conductive layer of the housing assembly, or a reliable electrical connection may be formed between the conductive layer and the shielding layer by means of, for example, conductive adhesive. In some embodiments where the housing assembly is metal, the shielding layer may also be connected to the metal housing assembly by means of conductive adhesive, soldering, or flying wires.

[0097] Exemplarily, the shielding layer 250 may include an inner shielding layer 251 disposed on the inner surface 241 of at least one of the first flexible flat cable 200A and the second flexible flat cable 200B. The inner shielding layer 251 extends forward to the end of the corresponding flexible flat cable 200A and / or 200B. In high-speed, high-density cable connectors, the distance between the first flexible flat cable 200A and the second flexible flat cable 200B is relatively small. Providing one or two inner shielding layers 251 between the first flexible flat cable 200A and the second flexible flat cable 200B can effectively improve signal integrity. Optionally, the first flexible flat cable 200A and the second flexible flat cable 200B may have the same construction, allowing for component standardization. Exemplarily, the inner shielding layer 251 may penetrate the flexible flat cable 200 along its length. By way of example, along the width direction of the flexible flat cable 200, the inner shielding layer 251 may at least cover all the cable conductors 220 on the flexible flat cable 200. However, this application does not preclude embodiments in which the inner shielding layer 251 exposes a portion of the cable conductors 220 of the flexible flat cable 200 along the length and / or width direction.

[0098] Exemplarily, the shielding layer 250 may include an outer shielding layer 252 disposed on the outer surface 242. The outer shielding layer 252 is spaced apart from the end of the corresponding flexible flat cable to expose the end of the cable conductor 220 of the corresponding flexible flat cable and form a contact plate 270. This can further improve the shielding effect. Exemplarily, in embodiments where conductive layers, such as inner conductive layers 104, 104' and outer conductive layers 105, 105', are disposed on the first housing assembly 100, the conductive layers and the outer shielding layer 252 may have overlapping portions along the length direction of the flexible flat cable 200 to improve the shielding effect. Exemplarily, along the length direction of the flexible flat cable 200, the outer shielding layer 252 may extend rearward to the other end of the corresponding flexible flat cable 200. However, this application does not exclude embodiments in which the outer shielding layer 252 also exposes other portions of the cable conductor 220 of the flexible flat cable 200 along the length direction. By way of example, along the width direction of the flexible flat cable 200, the outer shielding layer 252 may at least cover all the cable conductors 220 on the flexible flat cable 200. However, this application does not preclude embodiments in which the outer shielding layer 252 exposes a portion of the cable conductors 220 of the flexible flat cable 200 along the width direction.

[0099] The inner shielding layer 251 can be disposed on the inner surface 241 of the flexible flat cable 200 without the contact plate 270. Therefore, the extension of the inner shielding layer 251 to the end of the flexible flat cable 200 will not affect the function of the contact plate 270. In other words, the inner shielding layer 251 can extend to the back of the contact plate 270, spaced apart from the contact plate 270 by the substrate 210. In contrast, the outer shielding layer 252 can only extend to the outer surface 242 near the contact plate 270, and its end can not exceed the end of the insulating layer 230 to prevent contact with the contact plate 270. Thus, the cable terminals within the flexible flat cable 200 can be wrapped in the shielding layer 250 as much as possible, exposing only the contact plate 270 that must be exposed, thereby improving electromagnetic compatibility performance. On the other hand, this facilitates the processing of the flexible flat cable 200. For example, the flexible flat cable 200 with an inner shielding layer 251 and an outer shielding layer 252 attached to its two surfaces can be cut, and the shielding layer 250 and the insulation layer 230 at the end of the inner surface 241 of the flexible flat cable 200 can be peeled off to form a contact plate 270.

[0100] In the case where an inner shielding layer 251 and an outer shielding layer 252 are respectively provided on two opposite surfaces of the flexible flat cable 200, further, at least a portion of each of the inner shielding layer 251 and the outer shielding layer 252 is wider than the corresponding flexible flat cable 200, and the widened portions of the inner shielding layer 251 and the outer shielding layer 252 are electrically connected to each other. FIG. 3 and 9As shown, the portions of the inner shielding layer 251 and the outer shielding layer 252 on the separator 130 can have the same width as the flexible flat cable 200, allowing them to be mounted on the separator 130. For other portions of the flexible flat cable 200 accommodated within the mounting channel 103, the inner shielding layer 251 and the outer shielding layer 252 can be wider than the flexible flat cable 200, allowing them to make electrical contact. Exemplarily, the portions of the inner shielding layer 251 and the outer shielding layer 252 outside the first housing assembly 100 can also have a width greater than the flexible flat cable 200 and can make electrical contact with each other, thereby forming full shielding along the entire length of the flexible flat cable 200. This improves the electromagnetic compatibility performance of the flexible flat cable 200. The inner shielding layer 251 and the outer shielding layer 252 can be joined together by welding or adhesive. In some embodiments, the portions of the inner shielding layer 251 and the outer shielding layer 252 wider than the flexible flat cable 200 can only be located outside the first housing assembly 100. Exemplarily, as... FIG. 14 As shown, the first housing assembly 100, such as the top housing 110 and the bottom housing 120, has space reserved to accommodate the widened portion of the shielding layer 250. Thus, the widened portion of the shielding layer 250 can extend into the first housing assembly 100, thereby enabling the cable connector 10 to have better electromagnetic compatibility performance.

[0101] As previously described, conductive layers, such as inner conductive layers 104 and 104' and outer conductive layers 105 and 105', may be formed on the inner and outer surfaces of the first housing assembly 100. These conductive layers can act as shielding layers, enhancing electromagnetic compatibility (EMC). In some embodiments, the conductive layers may also make electrical contact with the shielding layer 250 of the flexible flat cable 200, achieving even better EMC. In embodiments where the inner shielding layer 251 and outer shielding layer 252 are wider than a portion of the flexible flat cable 200 extending into the first housing assembly 100, the cable conductor 220 is completely surrounded by the inner shielding layer 251, the outer shielding layer 252, and the conductive layers of the first housing assembly 100, leaving no gaps that could allow electromagnetic interference to intrude.

[0102] For example, such as FIGS. 4A-4B and FIG. 13As shown, each flexible flat cable 200 may include a first cable portion 281 located on the separator 130, a second cable portion 282 located outside the first housing assembly 100, and a third cable portion 283 connecting the first cable portion 281 and the second cable portion 282. The first cable portion 281 and the third cable portion 283 are ends located within the first housing assembly 100. The aforementioned cable lug 260 may be located on the first cable portion 281. Along the stacking direction, the first housing assembly 100 is spaced apart from the first cable portions 281 of the plurality of flexible flat cables 200. Along the stacking direction, the size of the third cable portion 283 of the mounting channel 103 that accommodates the plurality of flexible flat cables 200 may be larger than the total size of the stacked flexible flat cables 200. In this way, the third cable portions 283 can have a certain gap between each other or between themselves and the inner wall of the mounting channel 103 within the mounting channel 103, preventing the first housing assembly 100, such as the top shell 110 and the bottom shell 120, from exerting a large external force on the third cable portions 283. As shown in the figure, the first cable portion 281 of the flexible flat cable 200 is fixed in the stacking direction by the separator 130, but the first housing assembly 100 will not press against the shielding layer of the flexible flat cable 200, such as the outer shielding layer 252. Similarly, for the third cable portion of the flexible flat cable 200, the first flexible flat cable 200A and the second flexible flat cable 200B will not be clamped by the first housing assembly 100. This effectively prevents damage to the cable conductor 220 or the shielding layer 250 due to compression from the first housing assembly 100. Especially in applications where the flexible flat cable 200 may be subjected to pulling, the above-mentioned arrangement can prevent the shielding layer 250 from being damaged due to clamping when the part of the first housing assembly 100 in contact with the shielding layer 250 is pulled.

[0103] like FIGS. 4A-4B As shown, the separator 130 does not completely occupy the entire mounting channel 103 along its length. Exemplarily, the mounting channel 103 may include a first channel portion accommodating the separator 130 and a second channel portion located behind the first channel portion. Along the stacking direction of the plurality of flexible flat cables 200, at least a portion of the size (i.e., height) of the second channel portion may be smaller than the ends of the plurality of flexible flat cables 200 and the total size of the separator 130, such that the inner wall of the second channel portion can compress the plurality of flexible flat cables 200. Exemplarily, protruding reinforcing ribs, such as reinforcing ribs 150 of the top shell 110 and the bottom shell 120, may be provided within the first housing assembly corresponding to the second channel portion. See also FIG. 6B and FIG. 7AThe corresponding first channel portions of the top shell 110 and bottom shell 120 have first reinforcing ribs 151, and the corresponding first channel portions of the top shell 110 and bottom shell 120 have second reinforcing ribs 152. The second reinforcing ribs 152 can protrude from the first reinforcing ribs 151 toward the inward side of the mounting channel 130. Therefore, after the top shell 110 and bottom shell 120 are fastened together, the height of the first channel portion defined by the first reinforcing ribs 151 can be greater than the height of the first channel portion defined by the second reinforcing ribs 152. In this way, the second reinforcing ribs 152 can compress a plurality of flexible flat cables 200 toward the inward side. Although the flexible flat cables 200 are flexible, they also have a certain degree of rigidity, giving them the ability to maintain their original straight shape. Therefore, the flexible flat cables 200 tend to abut against the second reinforcing ribs 152. In other embodiments not shown, the top shell 110 and bottom shell 120 can also be solid, as long as they can compress the flexible flat cables 200 toward the inward side.

[0104] When an inner conductive layer 104 or 104' is provided on the inner surface of the first housing assembly 100, the surface of the second reinforcing rib 152 may also have an inner conductive layer, such as 104 or 104'. Since the flexible flat cable 200 abuts against the second reinforcing rib 152, the shielding layer 250 (e.g., the outer shielding layer 252) on the flexible flat cable 200 can make electrical contact with the inner conductive layer 104 or 104' on the second reinforcing rib 152. This allows the shielding layer 250 of the flexible flat cable 200 to make electrical contact with the conductive layer of the first housing assembly 100, facilitating connection of both to a reference voltage. Exemplarily, the conductive layer of the first housing assembly 100 can be electrically connected to the shielding shell 23 of the board connector 20 via a conductive ring 300, and the shielding shell 23 can be electrically connected to the grounding conductor on the first circuit board 30.

[0105] This disclosure also provides an economical method for assembling electrical connectors. For example... FIG. 9 As shown, the end of the first flexible flat cable 200A is attached to the first side of the separator 130. Exemplarily, when the separator 130 includes a plurality of first positioning pins 134 arranged along the length of the first flexible flat cable 200A, the separator lugs 133 on both sides of the separator 130 can be correspondingly positioned with cable lugs 260. During assembly, the first flexible flat cable 200A can be placed on the first side of the separator 130 along the stacking direction, such that the cable lug 260 near the front is positioned between two first positioning pins 134. After the first flexible flat cable 200A is attached to the first side of the separator 130, the first flexible flat cable 200A can be pushed forward so that the two sides of the front end of the first flexible flat cable 200A can be inserted into the corresponding first groove 131 and second groove, respectively. FIG. 10As shown. Thus, the cable lug 260 and the separator lug 133 can be aligned.

[0106] Then, the separator 130, on which the first flexible flat cable 200A is mounted, can be installed onto the bottom housing 120, with the first side facing the bottom housing 120. For example... FIG. 11 As shown, the separator 130 and the first flexible flat cable 200A mounted thereon can be flipped so that the first side of the separator 130 faces the bottom shell 120. The first positioning pin 134 of the separator 130 is aligned with the positioning groove 170 of the bottom shell 120, and the separator 130 and the first flexible flat cable 200A are installed onto the bottom shell 120. Since the first flexible flat cable is fixed only by the first groove 131 and the second groove, this prevents the installed first flexible flat cable 200A from falling off during the installation of the second flexible flat cable 200B. After the separator 130 is installed onto the bottom shell 120, the bottom shell 120 can support the first flexible flat cable 200A, and the lug groove 160 can position the first flexible flat cable 200A in the length direction, preventing its position from changing. As described above, the first positioning pin 134 of the separator 130 can be inserted into the positioning groove 170 of the bottom shell 120, thereby providing a limiting function in both the stacking direction and the length direction. Therefore, it is not necessary to constantly press the first flexible flat cable 200A to prevent it from shifting or falling off. The structure after installation is as follows. FIG. 12 As shown.

[0107] Continue to refer to FIG. 12 The end of the second flexible flat cable 200B is attached to the second side of the separator 130, with the second side opposite to the first side. The process of attaching the end of the second flexible flat cable 200B to the second side of the separator 130 is the same as the process of attaching the first flexible flat cable 200A described above. The structure after installation is as follows: FIG. 13 As shown.

[0108] Next, as FIG. 14 As shown, the top shell 110 is mounted to the bottom shell 120. Exemplarily, the second locating pin 113 on the top shell 110 can be aligned with the locating hole 122 on the bottom shell 120 until the snap-fit ​​111 on the top shell 110 and the bottom shell 120 engages with the joint 121 on the bottom shell 120. Thus, the separator 130, the first flexible flat cable 200A, and the second flexible flat cable 200B can be held between the top shell 110 and the bottom shell 120. This simplifies connector assembly and reduces assembly costs.

[0109] In the above steps, the bottom shell 120 is assembled first, followed by the top shell 110. In other embodiments, the top shell 110 may be assembled first, followed by the bottom shell 120. However, the top shell 110 and the bottom shell 120 are simply given different names for distinction. Unless otherwise specified, the structure and function of the top shell and the bottom shell in this application are interchangeable. In some embodiments, the shell on which the connector locking assembly 400 is mounted may be referred to as the top shell. That is, the top shell may include a first locking feature 112 configured for operation with the connector locking assembly 400.

[0110] For example, after the top shell 110 and the bottom shell 120 are assembled, the conductive ring 300 can also be fitted onto the installed top shell 110 and bottom shell 120.

[0111] The board connector 20, which is adapted to the cable connector 10, will now be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. FIG. 16 and FIG. 17 As shown, the board connector 20 may include a second housing assembly and a second conductive component 22 held by the second housing assembly. The second housing assembly may include a main housing 21 and an outer housing 24. The second conductive component 22 may be held on the main housing 21. Exemplarily, the second conductive component 22 may include a plurality of conductive terminals. Exemplarily, the plurality of conductive terminals may be secured together by a retaining member 25 as shown in the embodiment, the retaining member 25 being held in the main housing 21 by a snap-fit, thereby holding the plurality of conductive terminals on the main housing 21. The retaining member 25 may be insulated. Exemplarily, in other embodiments, the plurality of conductive terminals may also be directly held on the main housing 21.

[0112] Exemplarily, board connector 20 may include a second shielding assembly. Exemplarily, the second shielding assembly may include a shielding shell 23. The shielding shell 23 may be held between the main shell 21 and the outer shell 24. The shielding shell 23 may surround the main shell 21 in a circumferential direction surrounding the second conductive assembly 22. Board connector 20 is used to establish an electrical connection between a circuit board to be mounted (not shown) and an adapter electrical connector (e.g., the cable connector described above). The circuit board to be mounted may be a first circuit board 30 (also referred to as a "first printed circuit board" or "first PCB"). Board connector 20 may be mounted to the circuit board to be mounted, and a first mating portion of cable connector 10 may be inserted into board connector 20, thereby establishing an electrical connection between the circuit board to be mounted and the cable connector 10 through board connector 20.

[0113] The main housing 21 may be made of an insulating material. Examples of insulating materials suitable for manufacturing the main housing 21 include, but are not limited to, plastics, nylon, liquid crystal polymer (LCP), polyphenylene sulfide (PPS), high-temperature nylon or polyphenylene oxide (PPO) or polypropylene (PP). The shielding shell 23, the main housing 21 and the outer shell 24 together form a second mating portion 20A for mating with the first mating end 101 of the cable connector 10.

[0114] The conductive terminals can be formed of a conductive material. Suitable conductive materials for manufacturing conductive terminals can be metals or metal alloys, such as copper or copper alloys. The conductive terminals can include electrical contact ends and mounting ends. The electrical contact ends can extend to a second mating portion 20A. The electrical contact ends can be configured to mate with a corresponding mating portion of an electrical component, such as the aforementioned cable connector 10. The mounting ends can extend beyond the second housing assembly and the second shielding assembly. The mounting ends can be configured for mounting to a circuit board, such as the aforementioned first circuit board 30. Specifically, the first circuit board 30 can include conductive portions such as conductive pads or conductive vias, and the mounting ends of the conductive terminals can be configured to be connected to the conductive portions of the first circuit board 30 by any suitable process known in the art (e.g., press-fit or soldering). Each conductive terminal can include a bent section that is bent such that the mounting end and the electrical contact end of the conductive terminal are oriented substantially perpendicular to each other. This configuration makes each conductive terminal generally straight.

[0115] Exemplarily, the main housing 21 can be secondary-formed onto the conductive terminals. In some embodiments, the main housing 21 may further include a retaining member 25 for spacing the mounting ends of the plurality of conductive terminals apart from each other. In some embodiments, the main housing 21 includes a main body portion and a reserved groove, through which all conductive terminals can be mounted onto the main body of the main housing 21, and then a retaining member 25 for fixing the mounting ends of the conductive terminals is secondary-formed by filling the groove with adhesive.

[0116] For example, the shielding shell 23 can completely enclose the main housing 21 of the board connector 20. The shielding shell 23 can be connected to the signal ground, thereby effectively shielding against external interference. Preferably, the metal sheet can be stamped into a suitable shape using a stamping process. After the main housing 21 and the second conductive component 22 of the board connector 20 are assembled, the semi-finished stamped shielding shell 23 is placed inside, and the portion of the shielding shell 23 that needs to be bent is bent, so that the shielding shell 23 completely encloses the main housing 21. For example, the lower part of the shielding shell 23 can be formed with a tenon and mortise structure. After bending, the edges of the originally separate metal sheets of the shielding shell 23 are connected to each other, thereby being able to withstand a larger force parallel to the direction of the metal sheets. Compared with welding the metal sheets of the shielding shell 23 together to form a complete whole, the tenon and mortise structure can be mass-produced quickly using a stamping process, resulting in lower cost, higher reliability, and higher yield.

[0117] Exemplarily, the shielding shell 23 may include a plate lock 23A for mounting to the first circuit board 30. As described above, the shielding shell 23 can be fixed to the first circuit board 30. Since the board connector 20 may be subjected to a certain tensile force after being connected to the cable connector 10, there are certain requirements for the connection strength between the shielding shell 23, which is the main load-bearing component, and the first circuit board 30. Preferably, the shielding shell 23 can be connected to the first circuit board 30 by soldering. In some embodiments, one side of the shielding shell 23 can be integrally soldered to the first circuit board 30 to form a reliable connection. In a preferred embodiment, the surface of the shielding shell 23 includes a plate lock 23A composed of protruding metal portions, which can be embedded in the pad vias and / or through holes of the first circuit board 30 and can also be soldered to further ensure that the shielding shell 23 is firmly locked to the first circuit board 30. The plate lock 23A can match the pad vias 31 of the first circuit board 30, which are typically slightly larger than the plate lock 23A. After the board lock 23A is inserted into the through-hole 31 of the first circuit board 30, the gap between the through-hole and the board lock 23A can be filled by soldering, thereby reliably fixing it and enabling electrical connection with the reference voltage in the first circuit board 30, such as grounding. Compared with the embodiment of directly soldering the shielding shell 23 to the first circuit board 30, the form of board lock 23A not only eliminates the need to heat the entire shielding shell 23 to ensure that the temperature at the solder joint reaches the soldering requirements, reducing the soldering difficulty; the board lock 23A passes through the first circuit board 30, and when the shielding shell 23 is under force, not only the solder joint is under force, but the substrate of the first circuit board 30 also disperses the force on the shielding shell 23, thereby preventing the solder pads at the solder joint from separating from the substrate of the first circuit board 30 under large tensile force, ensuring the firmness of the board connector 20. Preferably, the end of the board lock 23A can have a reduced size, thereby forming a step at a position where the board lock 23A is nearly flush with the lower surface of the shielding shell 23. The smaller size of the end of the plate lock 23A allows it to be inserted into the through-hole of the pad on the first circuit board 30, while the step can be locked onto the surface of the first circuit board 30 without entering the through-hole, thus limiting the shielding shell 23 and ensuring that the shielding shell 23 does not tilt. Optionally, the shielding shell 23 can be fixed to the first circuit board 30 by any suitable means such as adhesive or clips, thereby providing support and limiting the main shell 21.

[0118] For board connector 20, such as FIG. 1B and FIG. 17As shown, the outer sidewall of the front portion of the main housing 21 can be spaced apart from the inner sidewall of the shielding shell 23, thereby forming a second annular cavity 27 around the main housing 21. This second annular cavity 27 can receive the first mating end 101 of the cable connector 10. Since the front portion of the main housing 21 can be inserted into the first mating end 101, the front portion of the main housing 21 can be referred to as the inner layer portion of the second mating end 20A. This inner layer portion can be inserted into the first annular cavity 106 between the separator 130 of the cable connector 10 and the first housing assembly 100.

[0119] Exemplarily, the shield 23 may extend flush with the front end face of the main housing 21 (i.e., the end face of the cable connector 10 along the mating direction), extend beyond the front end face of the main housing 21, or not reach the front end face of the main housing 21. The shield 23 can provide better support for the cable connector 10 when mated with the adapted cable connector 10. Compared to the main housing 21 or the first housing assembly 100 of the adapted cable connector 10, the shield 23 can withstand greater external forces, preventing the mating position of the cable connector 10 and the board connector 20 from being broken by external forces. The front portion of the shield 23 may fit over the outside of the first housing assembly 100 of the cable connector 10 when the cable connector 10 mates with the board connector 20. Exemplarily, if the surface of the first housing assembly 100 has a conductive layer, the shield 23 may extend towards the cable connector 10 beyond the front end face of the main housing 21. In this way, the shielding shell 23 can reach the position of the conductive ring 300 on the first housing assembly 100, so that the shielding shell 23 can make electrical contact with the conductive layer on the first housing assembly 100 through the conductive ring 300.

[0120] The outer shell 24 can surround the shielding shell 23 in the circumferential direction. Exemplarily, the outer shell 24 can be installed to the shielding shell 23 by means of adhesive bonding, welding, snap-fitting, etc. The outer shell 24 may include a second locking feature 26 that mates with the connector locking assembly 400, thereby locking the cable connector 10 to the board connector 20. Exemplarily, along the front of the cable connector 10, the outer shell 24 can extend beyond or be flush with the shielding shell 23, such that after the cable connector 10 mates with the board connector 20, the outer shell 24 can surround the first mating end 101 of the cable connector 10 and lock with the connector locking assembly 400 on the cable connector 10, improving the reliability of the mating. Thus, the outer portion of the second mating end 20A of the board connector 20 can be formed by the shielding shell 23 and the outer shell 24.

[0121] Therefore, this disclosure has been described through the above-described embodiments. However, it should be understood that those skilled in the art can make many more variations, modifications, and improvements based on the teachings of this disclosure, all of which fall within the spirit and scope of the disclosure and the claims. The scope of protection of this disclosure is defined by the appended claims and their equivalents. The above embodiments are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit this disclosure to the described embodiments.

[0122] Although many inventive aspects of the electronic system have been described above with reference to mutually compatible electrical connectors, it should be understood that the aspects of this disclosure are not limited thereto. As such, any one of the inventive features, whether alone or in combination with one or more other inventive features, can also be used for two mutually compatible electrical connectors or multiple mutually compatible electrical connectors, etc. Furthermore, the electrical connector can be used as a plug connector or a socket connector, and can also be an orthogonal connector, a perpendicular connector, a coplanar connector, or a right-angle connector, etc.

[0123] In the description of this disclosure, it should be understood that the orientation or positional relationship indicated by directional terms such as "front", "rear", "up", "down", "left", "right", "horizontal", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", and "bottom" is usually based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings and is only for the convenience of describing this disclosure and simplifying the description. Unless otherwise stated, these directional terms do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation on the scope of protection of this disclosure; the directional terms "inner" and "outer" refer to the inner and outer contours relative to the outline of each component itself.

[0124] For ease of description, spatial relative terms such as "above," "over," "on the upper surface of," and "above" are used herein to describe the spatial positional relationship between one or more components or features shown in the figures and other components or features. It should be understood that spatial relative terms include not only the orientation of the component as depicted in the figures but also different orientations during use or operation. For example, if the components in the figures are inverted as a whole, "above" or "above other components or features" will include cases where the component is "below" or "under" other components or features. Thus, the exemplary term "above" can include both "above" and "below." Furthermore, these components or features may also be positioned at other different angles (e.g., rotated 90 degrees or other angles), and this document intends to include all such cases.

[0125] It should be noted that the terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular implementations only and is not intended to limit the exemplary implementations according to this disclosure. As used herein, the singular form is intended to include the plural form as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. Furthermore, it should be understood that when the terms “comprising” and / or “including” are used in this specification, they indicate the presence of features, steps, operations, parts, components and / or combinations thereof.

[0126] It should be noted that the terms "first," "second," etc., used in the specification, claims, and accompanying drawings of this disclosure are used to distinguish similar objects and are not necessarily used to describe a specific order or sequence. It should be understood that such data can be interchanged where appropriate so that the embodiments of this disclosure described herein can be implemented in sequences other than those illustrated or described herein.

Claims

1. A shielding assembly for a cable connector, characterized by, Comprising: a housing assembly, at least a portion of which is electrically conductive, the housing assembly having a mating end for mating with a mating electrical connector, the mating end having a mating surface for mating with a shield shell of the mating electrical connector; and a conductive member disposed on the mating end of the housing assembly and protruding from the mating surface, the conductive member being electrically connected to the electrically conductive portion of the housing assembly. The conductive member comprises a conductive ring that is fitted on the mating end of the housing assembly.

2. The shield assembly of claim 1, wherein, The conductive ring is elastic.

3. The shield assembly of claim 2, wherein, The mating surface is provided with a recess, the conductive ring is embedded into the recess, and a portion of the conductive ring protrudes out of the recess.

4. The shield assembly of claim 2, wherein, Three sides of the conductive ring are in contact with the groove walls of the recess.

5. The shielding assembly of claim 4, wherein, The housing assembly is configured to receive ends of a plurality of flexible flat cables and a separator disposed between the ends of the plurality of flexible flat cables.

6. The shield assembly of claim 1, wherein, The housing assembly comprises:

7. The shield assembly of claim 1, wherein, an insulating body comprising the mating surface; and an electrically conductive layer covering at least the mating surface to form the electrically conductive portion of the housing assembly, the electrically conductive layer being electrically connected to the conductive member. The insulating body is made of plastic.

8. The shield assembly of claim 7, wherein, An outer surface of the insulating body comprises the mating surface, and the electrically conductive layer covers the entire outer surface of the insulating body.

9. The shield assembly of claim 7, wherein, The electrically conductive layer also covers the entire inner surface of the insulating body.

10. The shielding assembly of claim 9, wherein, The electrically conductive layer on the inner surface of the insulating body is electrically connected to the electrically conductive layer on the outer surface of the insulating body.

11. The shielding assembly of claim 10, wherein, The housing assembly is made of metal.

12. The shield assembly of claim 1, wherein, The housing assembly comprises a top shell and a bottom shell, the top shell comprising a structure configured to operate with a connector detent assembly, 13. The shield assembly of claim 1, wherein, one of the top shell and the bottom shell comprises a buckle, and the other of the top shell and the bottom shell comprises an engaging portion, the buckle engages with the engaging portion, so that the top shell is fixed to the bottom shell. The conductive member is a conductive ring that is fitted on both the top shell and the bottom shell.

14. The shield assembly of claim 13, wherein, Comprising:

15. A cable connector, characterized by the shielding assembly of any one of claims 1-14; and a flexible flat cable, ends of which are fixed in the housing assembly of the shielding assembly. Cable conductors on the ends of the flexible flat cable are exposed to form contact pads for mating with a mating electrical connector.

16. The cable connector of claim 15, wherein, A shielding layer is covered on a surface of the flexible flat cable, the shielding layer being electrically connected to the electrically conductive portion of the housing assembly of the shielding assembly.

17. The cable connector of claim 15, wherein, Comprising:

18. An electronic system, characterized by a cable connector comprising the shielding assembly of any one of claims 1-14; and a mating electrical connector that can be mated to a mating end of the housing assembly of the cable connector, the mating electrical connector comprising a shield shell, wherein: when the mating electrical connector is mated to the cable connector, the shield shell is electrically connected to the conductive member. ​ 19. The electronic system of claim 18, wherein, The conductive member is a conductive ring having elasticity, which is further configured to form a seal between a housing assembly of the shielding assembly of the cable connector and the shielding shell of the mating electrical connector when the mating electrical connector is mated to the cable connector.

20. The electronic system of claim 18, wherein, Also included are: a circuit board to which the mating electrical connector is mounted, the shielding shell being electrically connected to a ground trace on the circuit board.

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