Connectors, electronic systems, and subassemblies

Abstract

Embodiments of the present application provide a connector, an electronic system and a subassembly, wherein the connector includes a housing and at least one subassembly, the at least one subassembly is arranged in the housing, each subassembly includes a pair of first terminals and a shielding structure, the pair of first terminals is configured to transmit differential signals, and the shielding structure is configured to surround the pair of first terminals to provide electromagnetic shielding. Embodiments of the present application use the shielding structure surrounding the pair of differential signals to provide a shielding design for the connector, which can effectively suppress electromagnetic interference and protect the quality of high-speed signals to meet the specifications of PCIe Gen7 or Ethernet 224G.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of electrical connector technology, and more particularly to a connector, electronic system, and sub-component. Background Technology

[0002] With the rapid development of artificial intelligence and big data, modern computing systems and network architectures face increasingly complex electromagnetic environments, posing severe challenges to the integrity and reliability of high-speed signals. Electromagnetic interference (EMI) not only affects signal transmission quality but can also lead to data loss and system failures, thereby impacting overall performance and security. Traditional high-speed signal solutions, such as PCIe Gen6 and Ethernet 112G, have reached their technological limits and struggle to meet the demands of higher frequencies and greater bandwidths, resulting in signal attenuation, distortion, and increased bit error rates.

[0003] Existing technologies have shortcomings in electromagnetic shielding and anti-interference capabilities, and the increasing density of devices and the improvement of communication speed have made EMI problems more prominent. In addition, the design complexity of supporting higher specifications (such as PCIe Gen7 or Ethernet 224G) has increased significantly, and traditional design solutions are difficult to meet the requirements of new specifications, resulting in longer development cycles and increased costs. Utility Model Content

[0004] This application provides a connector, electronic system, and sub-components to solve or alleviate one or more technical problems in the prior art.

[0005] As one aspect of the embodiments of this application, this application provides a connector, including:

[0006] shell;

[0007] At least one sub-component is disposed within the housing, each sub-component including a pair of first terminals and a shielding structure, the pair of first terminals being configured to transmit differential signals, and the shielding structure being configured to surround the pair of first terminals to provide electromagnetic shielding.

[0008] In one embodiment, the shielding structure has a shielding cavity, and a pair of first terminals are disposed within the shielding cavity.

[0009] In one embodiment, the first terminal includes a mating end, and the shielding structure includes:

[0010] The first wall extends beyond the mating end of the first terminal;

[0011] The second wall extends below the mating end of the first terminal, so that the mating contact portion of the mating end of the first terminal is exposed through the second wall.

[0012] In one embodiment, the shielding structure includes a first portion having a first wall and a second portion having a second wall, the first portion and the second portion being joined to define a shielding cavity.

[0013] In one embodiment, the first portion of the shielding structure has an elastic arm configured to abut against a second portion of the shielding structure to apply a biasing force to the second portion.

[0014] In one embodiment, the first portion includes a third wall, and the second portion includes a fourth wall. The third wall has an elastic arm configured to abut against the fourth wall to apply a biasing force to the fourth wall.

[0015] In one embodiment, the first part of the shielding structure is configured to be welded to the second part.

[0016] In one embodiment, the shielding structure has a grounding mating terminal with a grounding mating surface, and the grounding mating surface of the shielding structure is configured to be mounted to a circuit board.

[0017] In one embodiment, the first terminal includes a contact tail, the contact tail of the first terminal being configured to be mounted to a circuit board via solder balls.

[0018] In one embodiment, the housing includes a sorting base having two slots configured to receive and allow corresponding solder balls to pass through for mounting onto a circuit board.

[0019] In one embodiment, the housing includes a first receiving portion configured to receive at least one sub-component. The first receiving portion includes at least one mating interface configured to allow a pair of first terminals and a shielding structure of the at least one sub-component to pass through for mounting to a circuit board.

[0020] In one embodiment, the connector further includes an electromagnetic loss structure configured to dissipate electromagnetic energy, the electromagnetic loss structure being disposed at the mating interface and configured to engage with the shielding structure.

[0021] In one embodiment, the first receiving portion of the connector housing has a mounting groove on the side facing the circuit board, the mounting groove defining at least one mating interface.

[0022] The electromagnetic loss structure is installed inside the mounting slot.

[0023] In one implementation, there are multiple sub-components, which are configured to be arranged in rows along a second direction and in columns along a third direction different from the second direction.

[0024] The first accommodating part has multiple mating interfaces, which are configured to be arranged in an array corresponding to each of the multiple sub-components.

[0025] In one embodiment, the electromagnetic loss structure includes a frame and a plurality of connecting beams, the plurality of connecting beams connecting two opposite sides of the frame in a second direction and spaced apart along a third direction.

[0026] The mounting groove of the first receiving portion of the housing has a first receiving area located between adjacent rows of mating interfaces and a second receiving area located around the periphery of the plurality of mating interfaces; the first receiving area is configured to receive a connecting beam and the second receiving area is configured to receive a frame.

[0027] In one embodiment, both the frame and the connecting beam have clearance interfaces, which are configured to avoid the grounding mating terminal of the shielding structure.

[0028] In one embodiment, the first receiving portion of the housing includes a first cover and a second cover, the first cover being configured to protrude toward the circuit board from an edge of the mating interface on one side and engage with the shielding structure; the second cover being configured to protrude away from the circuit board from an edge of the mating interface on one side and engage with the shielding structure.

[0029] In one embodiment, the connector further includes at least one second terminal; the housing includes a second receiving portion configured to receive at least one second terminal, the second terminal being configured to transmit a clock signal or a low-power signal.

[0030] In one embodiment, the connector further includes at least one third terminal; the housing includes a third receiving portion configured to receive at least one third terminal, the third terminal being configured to transmit a low-power signal, and the second terminal being configured to transmit a clock signal.

[0031] In one embodiment, both the second terminal and the third terminal have contact surfaces, and the contact surfaces of the second terminal and the third terminal are respectively configured to be mounted to a circuit board.

[0032] In one embodiment, the housing includes a guide portion adjacent to an end of the housing.

[0033] As another aspect of the embodiments of this application, the embodiments of this application provide an electronic system, including:

[0034] Two circuit boards,

[0035] The connectors of any of the preceding items are configured as two mating connectors, and the two circuit boards are connected by a pair of connectors.

[0036] In one implementation, two circuit boards are arranged in parallel, and a pair of connectors are configured to be mirror images of a plane parallel to the circuit boards.

[0037] In one implementation, the connector is configured to transmit data signals between two circuit boards at a rate of 224 gigabits per second.

[0038] In one implementation, a pair of connectors may have the same or different heights.

[0039] In one embodiment, the connector's shielding structure includes a resilient arm configured to engage with the resilient arm of the mating connector's shielding structure in two locations to generate a biasing force between the resilient arm of the connector and the resilient arm of the mating connector.

[0040] In one embodiment, the first terminal of the connector includes a mating end having a first contact portion and a second contact portion, and the mating end of the first terminal is configured to make contact with the mating end of the first terminal of the mating connector at the first contact portion and the second contact portion.

[0041] In one embodiment, the shielding structure of a pair of connectors has a shielding overlap area configured to maintain electromagnetic shielding of the first terminal of the sub-assemblies when the sub-assemblies of the pair of connectors undergo relative displacement along the mating direction.

[0042] In one implementation, the maximum relative displacement is 0.5 mm.

[0043] As another aspect of the embodiments of this application, the embodiments of this application provide a sub-component of a connector, including:

[0044] A pair of first terminals, configured to transmit differential signals;

[0045] A shielding structure is configured to surround a pair of first terminals to provide electromagnetic shielding.

[0046] In one embodiment, the shielding structure has a shielding cavity, and a pair of first terminals are disposed within the shielding cavity.

[0047] In one embodiment, the first terminal includes a mating end, and the shielding structure includes:

[0048] The first wall extends beyond the mating end of the first terminal;

[0049] The second wall extends below the mating end of the first terminal, so that the mating contact portion of the mating end of the first terminal is exposed through the second wall.

[0050] In one embodiment, the shielding structure includes a first portion having a first wall and a second portion having a second wall, the first portion and the second portion being joined to define a shielding cavity.

[0051] In one embodiment, the first portion of the shielding structure has an elastic arm configured to abut against a second portion of the shielding structure to apply a biasing force to the second portion.

[0052] In one embodiment, the first portion includes a third wall, and the second portion includes a fourth wall. The third wall has an elastic arm configured to abut against the fourth wall to apply a biasing force to the fourth wall.

[0053] In one embodiment, the first part of the shielding structure is configured to be welded to the second part.

[0054] In one embodiment, the shielding structure has a grounding mating terminal with a grounding mating surface, and the grounding mating surface of the shielding structure is configured to be mounted to a circuit board.

[0055] In one embodiment, the first terminal includes a contact tail, the contact tail of the first terminal being configured to be mounted to a circuit board via solder balls.

[0056] The connector according to the embodiments of this application utilizes a shielding structure surrounding the differential signal pairs to provide shielding design for the connector, which can effectively suppress electromagnetic interference, ensure the quality of high-speed signals, and meet the specifications of PCIe Gen7 or Ethernet 224G.

[0057] The above overview is for illustrative purposes only and is not intended to be limiting in any way. In addition to the illustrative aspects, embodiments, and features described above, further aspects, embodiments, and features of this application will become readily apparent from the accompanying drawings and the following detailed description. Attached Figure Description

[0058] In the accompanying drawings, unless otherwise specified, the same reference numerals throughout the various drawings denote the same or similar parts or elements. These drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale. It should be understood that these drawings depict only some embodiments disclosed in this application and should not be construed as limiting the scope of this application.

[0059] Figure 1A This diagram shows a three-dimensional structural schematic of an electronic system according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0060] Figure 1B This diagram shows an exploded view of an electronic system according to an embodiment of the present application.

[0061] Figure 1C An exploded view of the connector according to an embodiment of this application is shown;

[0062] Figure 2A , Figure 2B , Figure 2C Front views of electronic systems with three different stacking heights according to embodiments of this application are shown respectively;

[0063] Figure 3A A side view of the connector sub-assembly and mating connector sub-assembly according to an embodiment of this application is shown.

[0064] Figure 3B This diagram illustrates a three-dimensional structure of a connector sub-assembly and a mating connector sub-assembly according to an embodiment of this application.

[0065] Figure 3C An exploded structural diagram of a connector sub-assembly and a mating connector sub-assembly according to an embodiment of this application is shown.

[0066] Figure 4A This diagram illustrates the combined structure of sub-components according to an embodiment of this application.

[0067] Figure 4B An exploded view of the sub-components according to an embodiment of this application is shown;

[0068] Figure 5 This diagram shows a partial structural schematic of an electronic system according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0069] Figure 6 A schematic diagram showing the structure of the first terminal of the connector of the electronic system according to an embodiment of the present application mating with the first terminal of the mating connector;

[0070] Figure 7A A schematic diagram of the connector housing according to an embodiment of this application is shown from one view.

[0071] Figure 7B A schematic diagram of the connector housing according to an embodiment of this application is shown from another perspective.

[0072] Figure 8A A schematic diagram of the connector structure according to an embodiment of this application is shown;

[0073] Figure 8B Show Figure 8A Enlarged view of region A in the middle;

[0074] Figure 8C An exploded view of the connector according to an embodiment of this application is shown;

[0075] Figure 8D Show Figure 8C Enlarged view of region A in the middle;

[0076] Figure 9 This diagram shows a structural schematic of a connector holder according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0077] Figure 10 A schematic diagram of the electromagnetic loss structure of a connector according to an embodiment of this application is shown. Detailed Implementation

[0078] In the following description, only certain exemplary embodiments are briefly described. As those skilled in the art will recognize, the described embodiments can be modified in various ways without departing from the spirit or scope of this application. Therefore, the drawings and description are considered to be exemplary in nature and not restrictive.

[0079] With the rapid development of artificial intelligence and big data, modern computing systems and network architectures face increasingly complex electromagnetic environments, posing severe challenges to the integrity and reliability of high-speed signals. Traditional high-speed solutions can only meet the specifications of PCIe Gen6 and Ethernet 112G, making it difficult to cope with the needs of higher frequencies and greater bandwidth.

[0080] To address the aforementioned problems, embodiments of this application provide an electronic system including two circuit boards and a pair of connectors. The pair of connectors are configured to cooperate with each other, i.e., the two connectors are mating connectors, one being a single connector and the other a mating connector. The two circuit boards are connected via the pair of connectors. (Reference) Figure 1A , Figure 1B As shown, a pair of connectors 100 and 100' can be board-to-board connectors. The pair of connectors 100 and 100' are two mating connectors, with connector 100 configured to mate with mating connector 100'. Two circuit boards 101 and 101' are respectively configured as two printed circuit boards. Connector 100 is configured to be mounted on circuit board 101, and mating connector 100' is configured to be mounted on circuit board 101', so that the two circuit boards 101 and 101' are connected via the pair of connectors 100 and 100', thereby electrically connecting the two circuit boards 101 and 101'.

[0081] Connector 100 can be configured to mate with mating connector 100' along the mating direction. Two circuit boards 101 and 101' can be arranged in parallel, and the mating direction can be a direction perpendicular to circuit boards 101 and 101', such as the first direction L1 shown in the figure.

[0082] A pair of connectors 100, 100' can be configured to be mirror images of a plane parallel to circuit boards 101, 101' (i.e., a plane defined by the second direction L2 and the third direction L3 perpendicular to the mating direction). Understandably, although they are mirror images, connectors 100 and mating connectors 100' can be offset relative to each other to facilitate mating. Furthermore, it should be noted that a mirror image pair of connectors can refer to a pair of connectors whose structures are mirror images of each other, and the dimensions of the connectors are not limited; for example, the heights of the connectors and the mating connectors can be the same or different.

[0083] In this application embodiment, the pair of connectors are mating board-to-board connectors, meaning the connectors in this application embodiment can be dual-type board-to-board connectors, which can function as both plugs and sockets. This design reduces the types of connectors, making them interchangeable between different devices or different circuit boards. Furthermore, dual-type board-to-board connectors have a more compact structure, making them suitable for high-density, high-reliability applications, such as servers, communication equipment, and industrial electronic products.

[0084] like Figure 1C As shown, connector 100 may include an electrically insulated housing 110 and at least one sub-assembly 121 disposed within housing 110. Each sub-assembly 121 includes a pair of first terminals 123 and a shielding structure 122. The pair of first terminals 123 are configured to transmit differential signals, and the shielding structure 122 is configured to surround the pair of first terminals 123 to provide electromagnetic shielding. This embodiment utilizes the shielding structure 122 surrounding the differential signal pair to provide shielding for connector 100, effectively suppressing electromagnetic interference, ensuring the quality of high-speed signals, and meeting PCIe Gen7 or Ethernet 224G specifications.

[0085] The shielding design of connector 100 can also meet various stacking height requirements. For example, the stacking height of a pair of connectors can be in the range of 2mm to 11mm, including 5mm to 11mm, such as 5mm, 8mm, and 11mm. It is understood that, in the embodiments of this application, the stacking height of a pair of connectors refers to the distance between the farthest surfaces of the two connectors when they are in the mated state.

[0086] In the three specific examples, connector 100 can be configured with three height dimensions: 2.5mm, 4mm, and 5.5mm. Correspondingly, mating connector 100' can be configured with heights of 2.5mm, 4mm, and 5.5mm. When connector 100 and mating connector 100' are mated, the stacking height can be 5mm, 8mm, and 11mm. For example... Figure 2A As shown, a pair of connectors 100, each 2.5mm high, form a stack height of 5mm after mating. (As...) Figure 2B As shown, connector 100 with a height of 2.5mm and mating connector 100' with a height of 5.5mm form a stack height of 8mm after mating. Figure 2C As shown, when the connector 100 with a height of 5.5mm and the mating connector 100' with a height of 5.5mm are mated, they form a stack height of 11mm.

[0087] Connector 100, with its varying stacking heights, can accommodate diverse board spacings, meeting the structural requirements of various devices. The shielding design of connector 100 ensures high signal transmission quality across different stacking heights, meeting the demands of cutting-edge applications requiring high-speed signal integrity, such as PCIe Gen7 or Ethernet 224G specifications.

[0088] In some implementations, the shielding structure of the connector's sub-assemblies can provide complete electromagnetic shielding for a pair of first terminals of the sub-assemblies. The full shielding design can be applied to more complex electromagnetic environments, ensuring signal transmission quality under complex electromagnetic environments.

[0089] The following is for reference Figures 3A to 3C as well as Figure 4A and Figure 4B The shielding structure 122 of the connector sub-component 121 of this application embodiment will be described in detail.

[0090] In some implementations, such as Figures 3A to 3C As shown, the shielding structure 122 may have a shielding cavity 121a, within which a pair of first terminals 123 are disposed. The shielding cavity 121a is configured to mate with the shielding cavity 121a' of the mating connector to surround the first terminals 123 and 123'. The mating of the shielding cavities 121a and 121a' forms a fully shielded design, providing complete electromagnetic shielding. This effectively suppresses internal and external electromagnetic radiation, enhancing the anti-interference capability of the electronic system, and is particularly suitable for complex electromagnetic environments, such as those required by AI systems. The fully shielded design effectively protects the signal transmission path between the first terminal 123 of the connector 100 and the first terminal 123' of the mating connector 100', improving transmission efficiency and quality.

[0091] In some implementations, such as Figure 4BAs shown, the shielding structure 122 includes a first wall 124a and a second wall 125a. The first wall 124a extends beyond the mating end of the first terminal 123, and the second wall 125a extends below the mating end of the first terminal 123, so that the mating contact portion of the mating end of the first terminal 123 is exposed through the second wall 125a. The first wall 124a and the second wall 125a of the shielding structure 122 have a height difference, which helps in the positioning and mating of the shielding structure 122 of the connector and the shielding structure 122' of the mating connector. The mating contact portion of the mating end of the first terminal 123 is not surrounded by the second wall 125a, which helps in the mating of the first terminal 123 of the connector and the first terminal 123' of the mating connector at the mating contact portion.

[0092] In some implementations, such as Figure 4A As shown, the shielding structure 122 includes a first portion 124 having a first wall 124a and a second portion 125 having a second wall 125a, the first portion 124 and the second portion 125 being joined to define a shielding cavity 121a.

[0093] For example, such as Figure 4B As shown, the first portion 124 includes a first wall 124a and two third walls 124b connected to both sides of the first wall 124a in the second direction L2. The second portion 125 includes a second wall 125a directly opposite the first wall 124a in the third direction L3 and two fourth walls 125b connected to both sides of the second wall 125a in the third direction L3. The first portion 124 and the second portion 125 join along the third direction L3 to define a shielding cavity 121a. The second direction L2, the third direction L3, and the first direction L1 intersect each other. For example, the first direction L1 is vertical, and the second direction L2 and the third direction L3 are perpendicular horizontal directions.

[0094] For example, the two third walls 124b of the first portion 124 are joined to the outer surfaces of the two fourth walls 125b of the second portion 125, that is, when the first portion 124 and the second portion 125 are joined along the third direction L3, the two third walls 124b of the first portion 124 surround the two fourth walls 125b of the second portion 125 to increase the compactness of the joint between the first portion 124 and the second portion 125.

[0095] For example, the first portion 124 can be configured to be welded to the second portion 125. For example, the first portion 124 and the second portion 125 are welded using a laser welding process, which helps to connect the first portion 124 and the second portion 125, eliminates gaps between them, and improves the fit accuracy between them. For example, a plurality of laser weld points 124c are provided on the third wall 124b of the first portion 124, and the third wall 124b of the first portion 124 is welded to the fourth wall 125b of the second portion 125 through the laser weld points 124c.

[0096] The first part 124 and the second part 125 of the shielding structure 122 are joined by laser welding. After the shielding structure 122 is combined with the shielding structure 122', it can form a complete coaxial full shielding structure.

[0097] In some embodiments, the first portion 124 of the shielding structure 122 may be configured to extend along the mating direction beyond the mating ends of the pair of first terminals 123, and the second portion 125 of the shielding structure 122 may be configured to extend along the mating direction below the mating ends of the pair of first terminals 123, so that the contact portions of the mating ends of the pair of first terminals 123 are exposed. That is, the height dimension of the first shielding cover 124 of the shielding structure 122 extending along the first direction L1 is greater than the height dimension of the second shielding cover 125 extending along the first direction L1, and the contact portions of the mating ends of the first terminals 123 are not surrounded by the second shielding cover 125.

[0098] The first portion 124 of the connector's shielding structure 122 can be configured to engage with the second portion 125 of the mating connector's shielding structure 122', and the second portion 125 of the shielding structure 122 can be configured to engage with the first portion 124 of the shielding structure 122', so as to surround the contact portion of the mating end of the first terminal 123 and the contact portion of the mating end of the first terminal 123', forming a full shielding structure 122.

[0099] The shielding structure 122' of the mating connector can be mirrored with respect to the second direction L2, and the shielding structures 122' and 122 can be offset relative to each other. In the example where the shielding structure 122 includes a first portion 124 and a second portion 125, the first portion 124 of the shielding structure 122 and the second portion 125 of the shielding structure 122' are opposite each other in the mating direction (first direction L1) and offset in the third direction L3; the second portion 125 of the shielding structure 122 and the first portion 124 of the shielding structure 122' are opposite each other in the mating direction (first direction L1) and offset in the third direction L3. That is, the shielding structures 122 and 122' are not perfectly aligned in the first direction L1, but are slightly offset relative to each other. This design allows the shielding structures 122 and 122' to mate in a plug-in manner.

[0100] For example, the shielding structure 122 of the connector is plugged into the shielding structure 122' of the mating connector. For instance, the first portion 124 of the shielding structure 122 is engaged with the outer wall surface of the second portion 125 of the shielding structure 122', and the second portion 125 of the shielding structure 122 is engaged with the inner wall surface of the first portion 124 of the shielding structure 122'.

[0101] In some embodiments, the shielding structure 122 has an elastic arm 1241 that is capable of deforming in a third direction L3 perpendicular to the mating direction.

[0102] For example, the elastic arm 1241 of the connector and the elastic arm 1241' of the mating connector may be mirrored relative to a plane (the plane formed by the second direction L2 and the third direction L3) perpendicular to the mating direction (first direction L1), and slightly offset on the third direction L3, so that one side of the elastic arm 1241 on the third direction L3 can form a contact position with one side of the elastic arm 1241' on the third direction L3.

[0103] For example, the resilient arm 1241 is configured to engage with the resilient arm 1241' of the shielding structure of the mating connector in two locations to generate a biasing force between the resilient arm 1241 of the connector and the resilient arm 1241' of the mating connector. In a specific example, such as Figure 3A As shown, the elastic arm 1241 of the shielding structure 122 has a first contact position 1241b and a second contact position 1241c distributed at intervals along the mating direction. The elastic arm 1241 of the shielding structure 122 is configured to contact the elastic arm 1241' of the shielding structure 122' at the first contact position 1241b and the second contact position 1241c, so as to generate a biasing force along the third direction L3 between the elastic arm 1241 and the elastic arm 1241'.

[0104] Understandably, the elastic arm 1241' has a first contact position 1241b and a second contact position 1241c. The elastic arm 1241 is in contact with the second contact position 1241c of the elastic arm 1241 at the first contact position 1241b, and the elastic arm 1241 is in contact with the first contact position 1241b of the elastic arm 1241 at the second contact position 1241c.

[0105] When the connector and the mating connector are assembled along the mating direction, the elastic arm 1241 of the shielding structure 122 comes into contact with the elastic arm 1241' of the shielding structure 122' and undergoes elastic deformation, generating a normal force perpendicular to the mating direction (i.e., a normal force along a third direction) between them. This normal force acts on the contact surface of the elastic arm 1241 and the elastic arm 1241', forming a continuous mechanical preload, ensuring that the shielding structure 122 and the shielding structure 122' can be tightly joined after assembly.

[0106] In addition, in actual production, the dimensions of the shielding structure 122 may have manufacturing tolerances (such as stamping and injection molding deviations), and assembly tolerances may also arise due to alignment deviations during assembly. The elastic deformation of the elastic arm 1241 can absorb dimensional deviations or assembly deviations (alignment offsets), and compensate for the errors of the shielding structure 122 through its own deformation, ensuring reliable contact even with minor deviations.

[0107] The double-contact position of the elastic arms 1241 and 1241' generates two opposite normal forces perpendicular to the mating direction at their contact surfaces. This normal force biasing allows the connector to move to a substantially centered alignment with the mating connector along the third direction L3. Therefore, misalignment between the connector and the mating connector along the third direction L3, thus eliminating mating tolerances, can be eliminated. This design allows the mating ends of the first terminal 123 to be substantially ideally fitted to each other, such that the corresponding edges at the mating ends of the first terminal 123 and the first terminal 123' are substantially coplanar. This reduces impedance drop at the mating point and improves the performance of the electronic system.

[0108] In addition, the double-contact design of the elastic arm 1241 and the elastic arm 1241' is equivalent to a parallel conductive path. The total contact resistance is significantly lower than that of a single-point contact, which can ensure that the interference current flows smoothly through the shielding structure 122 and reduce electromagnetic energy leakage.

[0109] In some embodiments, the elastic arm 1241 of the shielding structure 122 is capable of deforming in a second direction L2 perpendicular to the mating direction.

[0110] For example, the elastic arm 1241 of the first portion 124 of the shielding structure 122 can be configured to abut against the second portion 125 of the shielding structure 122 to apply a bias force to the second portion 125, so that the first portion 124 and the second portion 125 are tightly joined. The elastic force eliminates the micro gaps on the contact surface, so that the metal portions of the first portion 124 and the second portion 125 can reliably conduct electricity, ensuring that the interference current flows smoothly through the shielding structure and preventing electromagnetic energy from leaking from the gaps.

[0111] In a specific example, both third walls 124b of the first part 124 have elastic arms 1241.

[0112] In a specific example, the two third walls 124b of the first part 124 are joined to the outer wall surfaces of the two fourth walls 125b of the second part 125. Each of the two third walls 124b of the first part 124 has an elastic arm 1241. The elastic arm 1241 of the first part 124 abuts against the outer wall surface of the corresponding fourth wall 125b of the second part 125 to apply a biasing force along the second direction L2 to the fourth wall 125b.

[0113] For example, the elastic arm 1241 is configured to extend along a first direction L1, and the elastic arm 1241 of the shielding structure 122 is in the form of a cantilever extending downward along the first direction L1 from the connection point of the third wall 124b of the first portion 124. The lower end of the elastic arm 1241 has a protrusion 1241a protruding toward the second portion 125 of the shielding structure 122 (e.g., Figure 4B As shown, the protrusion of the elastic arm 1241 abuts against the fourth wall 125b of the second portion 125. Correspondingly, the elastic arm 1241' of the shielding structure 122' of the mating connector is a cantilever extending upward along the first direction L1 from the connection point of the third wall 124b of the first portion 124. The upper end of the elastic arm 1241' has a protrusion protruding toward the second portion 125 of the shielding structure 122', and the protrusion of the elastic arm 1241' abuts against the fourth wall 125b of the second portion 125.

[0114] The two contact positions of the elastic arm 1241 can be located at the upper end and the lower end of the elastic arm 1241, respectively. That is, the lower end of the elastic arm 1241 abuts against the lower end of the elastic arm 1241', and the upper end of the elastic wall abuts against the upper end of the elastic arm 1241'.

[0115] In some embodiments, the shielding structure 122 of the connector and the shielding structure 122' of the mating connector have a shielding overlap area. The shielding overlap area can be configured to maintain electromagnetic shielding of the first terminal of the sub-assembly when the sub-assemblies of the pair of connectors undergo relative displacement along the mating direction. It is understood that the shielding overlap area is configured to surround the mating contact portion of the mating end of the first terminal 123 of the connector and the mating contact portion of the mating end of the first terminal 123' of the mating connector, so as to maintain electromagnetic shielding of the first terminal 123 and the first terminal 123' when the sub-assemblies of the connector and the mating connector undergo relative displacement along the mating direction and the first terminal 123 and the first terminal 123' remain in contact.

[0116] Understandably, when the connector and mating connector are subjected to external force, they may undergo relative displacement along the mating direction, resulting in relative displacement between shielding structure 122 and shielding structure 122', and between first terminal 123 and first terminal 123', along the mating direction. However, even if the first terminal 123 and first terminal 123' undergo relative displacement, as long as the relative displacement does not cause the first terminal 123 and first terminal 123' to separate, the shielding structure 122 and shielding structure 122' still have a shielding overlap area, which can maintain electromagnetic shielding for the first terminal and first terminal. That is, when the sub-assemblies of the connector and the mating connector undergo relative displacement, and the mating contact portion of the mating end of the first terminal 123 remains in contact with the mating contact portion of the mating end of the first terminal 123, the shielding overlap area can still surround the mating contact portions of the mating ends of the first terminal 123 and the first terminal 123'. This design effectively increases the maximum pull-out distance of the first terminal 123 and the first terminal 123', thereby providing mechanical stability and reliability to the electronic system.

[0117] For example, the maximum relative displacement is 0.5 mm when the shielding overlap area maintains electromagnetic shielding for the first terminals 123 and 123'. That is, the size of the shielding overlap area between the connector's shielding structure and the mating connector's shielding structure allows for electromagnetic shielding of the first terminals 123 and 123' even when the relative displacement between the connector's sub-assemblies and the mating connector's sub-assemblies reaches 0.5 mm. In other words, the maximum pull-out distance of the first terminals 123 and 123' can reach 0.5 mm.

[0118] For example, the first portion 124 of the shielding structure 122 is joined to the outer wall surface of the second portion 125 of the shielding structure 122', and the second portion 125 of the shielding structure 122 is joined to the inner wall surface of the first portion 124 of the shielding structure 122', thereby defining a shielding overlap area.

[0119] In some embodiments, the shielding structure 122 has a grounding mating end 121b with a grounding mating surface, the grounding mating surface of the shielding structure 122 being configured to be mounted to a circuit board. The circuit board has a ground portion that mates with the grounding mating surface. For example, the first portion 124 and the second portion 125 of the shielding structure 122 both have outwardly projecting grounding mating ends 121b at their respective ends facing the circuit board. The lower ends of the first portion 124 and the second portion 125 of the shielding structure 122 along the mating direction each have a plurality of grounding mating ends 121b, the grounding mating surfaces of which contact the ground portion of the circuit board below. The upper ends of the second portion 125 of the shielding structure 122' and the upper ends of the first portion 124 along the mating direction each have a plurality of grounding mating ends 121b, the grounding mating surfaces of which contact the ground portion of the circuit board above.

[0120] In a specific example, both third walls 124b of the first part 124 have elastic arms 1241, both third walls 124b of the first part 124 have laser solder joints 124c, and both the first part 124 and the second part 125 have grounding terminals 121b. The grounding terminals 121b, laser solder joints 124c, and elastic arms 1241b of the shielding structure 122', together with the grounding terminals 121b, laser solder joints 124c, and elastic arms 1241 of the shielding structure 122, can form a grounding connection line. The laser solder joints 124c and elastic arms 1241 of the shielding structure 122 can help to construct a shorter grounding connection path, thereby improving anti-interference performance.

[0121] Reference Figure 6 As shown, the first terminal 123 includes a mating end 123b, a contact tail 123a, and an intermediate portion 123c (the intermediate portion of the first terminal 123' is 123c') located between the mating end 123b and the contact tail 123a. The mating end 123b of the first terminal 123 is configured to mate with the mating end 123b' of the first terminal 123' of the mating connector, and the contact tail 123a of the first terminal 123 is configured to be mounted to the circuit board 101. The circuit board 101 has a first contact portion 1011 that mates with the contact tail 123a of the first terminal 123.

[0122] like Figure 4B As shown, a pair of first terminals 123 of the sub-component may be disposed on the mounting structure 126, and the mounting structure 126 and the pair of first terminals 123 disposed on the mounting structure 126 are surrounded by a shielding structure 122. For example, the pair of first terminals 123 are disposed at a distance along a second direction L2 on the mounting structure 126.

[0123] The mounting structure 126 may include a mounting base 1261 and a shielding plate 1262. The middle portion 123c of the first terminal 123 is connected to the mounting base 1261. The mating end 123b and the contact tail 123a of the first terminal 123 extend away from the mounting base 1261 along a first direction L1, respectively. The shielding plate 1262 is disposed on the mounting base 1261 and configured to shield the side of the pair of first terminals 123 opposite to the pair of first terminals 123'. The first terminals 123 and 123' are in contact and mating on a third direction L3, and the shielding plate 1262 is disposed on the side of the mounting base 1261 on the third direction L3 to shield the side of the pair of first terminals 123 opposite to the pair of first terminals 123'. This enhances the electromagnetic shielding effect.

[0124] The mounting base 1261 of the mounting structure 126 is insulated from the part that contacts the first terminal 123, and the shielding plate 1262 of the mounting structure 126 can be made of conductive resin.

[0125] For example, the mating end 123b of the first terminal 123 has a first contact portion 123b1 and a second contact portion 123b2. The mating end 123b of the first terminal 123 is configured to make contact with the mating end 123b' of the mirror-image first terminal 123' at the first contact portion 123b1' and the second contact portion 123b2'. The dual-contact design of the mating end 123b of the first terminal 123 and the mating end 123b' of the first terminal 123' helps to achieve a shorter signal trail.

[0126] like Figure 6 As shown, the first terminal 123 extends along the first direction L1 and has an overhanging end 123b3 at the mating end 123b. The first contact portion 123b1 of the mating end 123b of the first terminal 123 may be adjacent to the end 123b3 of the mating end (the end of the mating end of the first terminal 123' is 123b3'), and the second contact portion 123b2 of the mating end 123b of the first terminal 123 may be away from the end 123b3 of the mating end. That is, the distance between the first contact portion 123b1 of the mating end 123b and the end 123b3 of the mating end 123b is less than the distance between the second contact portion 123b2 and the end 123b3. The overhanging length of the end 123b3 can be the distance between the first contact portion and the edge of the end. The lower limit of the overhanging length can be 1 mm, and the upper limit can be 3 mm. For example, the overhanging length is 1 mm.

[0127] The first terminal 123 and its mirror image, the first terminal 123', can make contact and engage on the third direction L3. Specifically, when the first contact portion 123b1 of the engaging end 123b abuts against the engaging end 123b', the first contact portion 123b1 of the engaging end 123b can travel a certain distance across the engaging end 123b'. This distance is called the scraping distance, which can be defined as a straight-line distance. Along this distance, the first contact portion 123b1 abuts against and travels across the engaging end 123b' until each of the first contact portions 123b1 of the engaging end 123b and the engaging end 123b' abuts against the second contact portion 123b2 of the engaging end 123b' and the engaging end 123b. The lower limit of the scraping distance is approximately 1 mm, for example, 2 mm; the upper limit is approximately 5 mm, for example, 4 mm. For example, the scraping distance can be approximately 3 mm. In a specific example, the scraping distance is approximately 2 mm.

[0128] After each contact portion 123b1, 123b1' of mating end 123b and mating end 123b' abuts against the second contact portions 123b2', 123b2 of mating end 123b' and mating end 123b, the connector and the connector are substantially fully mated relative to each other. The first terminal 123 and the first terminal 123' define a gap G between the mating ends between the first contact portion 123b1 and the second contact portion 123b2. The gap G can be the width along a third direction L3 between the corresponding surfaces of the mating ends of the first terminal 123 and the mating ends of the first terminal 123', which is less than the end overhang length.

[0129] Through the use of electrical simulation surfaces, connectors and connectors are able to transmit data signals between two circuit boards at a rate of 224 gigabits per second.

[0130] The following combination Figure 7A , Figure 7B , Figures 8A to 8D as well as Figure 9 and Figure 10 The housing 110 of the sub-components in this application embodiment will be described in detail.

[0131] In some embodiments, the housing 110 of the sub-component includes a first receiving portion 111 configured to receive at least one sub-component. The first receiving portion 111 includes at least one mating interface 111a configured to allow a pair of first terminals 123 and a shielding structure 122 of the at least one sub-component to pass through for mounting to a circuit board.

[0132] For example, the connector may include a component module 120 comprising a plurality of sub-components. The plurality of sub-components are configured to be arranged in rows along a second direction L2 and in columns along a third direction L3, i.e., the plurality of sub-components are configured to be arranged in an array along the second direction L2 and the third direction L3. For example, the connector may include 16 pairs of first terminals 123, 32 pairs of first terminals 123, 64 pairs of first terminals 123, or other differential pair quantities.

[0133] The first receiving portion 111 has multiple mating interfaces 111a, which are configured to be arranged in an array corresponding to each of the multiple sub-components.

[0134] For example, the first receiving portion 111 of the housing 110 includes a first cover 1112 and a second cover 1111. The first cover 1112 is configured to protrude toward the circuit board from the edge of the mating interface 111a on the side facing the circuit board and engage with the shielding structure 122. The second cover 1111 is configured to protrude away from the circuit board from the edge of the mating interface 111a on the side facing away from the circuit board and engage with the shielding structure 122. It is understood that in examples where the first receiving portion 111 has multiple mating interfaces 111a, the number of first covers 1112 and second covers 1111 is correspondingly multiple, and the first cover 1112 and the second cover 1111 correspond one-to-one with the mating interface 111a.

[0135] In a specific example, the first cover 1112 may include two first cover walls located on the side of the mating interface 111a facing the circuit board, the two first cover walls protruding from opposite sides of the mating interface 111a toward the circuit board in the second direction L2. The two first cover walls may engage with two opposite walls of the shielding structure 122 in the second direction L2.

[0136] In a specific example, the second cover 1111 may include three second cover walls located on the side of the mating interface 111a facing away from the circuit board. The three second cover walls protrude from opposite sides of the mating interface 111a in the second direction L2 and one side in the third direction L3 in the direction away from the circuit board. The three second cover walls may engage with the two opposite walls in the second direction L2 and one side wall in the third direction L3 of the shielding structure 122.

[0137] Understandably, along the first direction L1, the shielding structure 122 of each sub-assembly has a portion above the mating interface 111a and a portion below the mating interface 111a. Two first cover walls can engage with the portions of the shielding structure 122 opposite to each other in the second direction L2, located below the mating interface 111a. Three second cover walls can engage with the portions of the shielding structure 122 opposite to each other in the second direction L2, located above the mating interface 111a, and with the portion of the shielding structure 122 on the third direction L3, located above the mating interface 111a. This securely fastens each sub-assembly to the first receiving portion 111 of the housing 110.

[0138] For example, such as Figure 5 As shown ( Figure 5 Only the first terminals 123 and 123' of two sub-components are shown (other sub-components are omitted). The contact tails 123a of a pair of first terminals 123 of each sub-component can be mounted to the circuit board 101 via solder balls 105. Figure 9 and combined Figures 8A to 8C As shown, the housing 110 may include a mounting base 161 having two slots 160a configured to receive and allow corresponding solder balls 105 to pass through for mounting onto a circuit board. In an example where there are multiple sub-assemblies arranged in an array along a second direction L2 and a third direction L3, there are multiple mounting bases 161. The multiple mounting bases 161 arranged along the second direction L2 can be connected sequentially. The multiple mounting bases 161 arranged along the second direction L2 are divided into multiple mounting base groups 160 arranged along the second direction L2. Each mounting base group 160 includes multiple mounting bases 161 connected sequentially. For example, the multiple mounting bases 161 arranged along the second direction L2 are divided into two mounting base groups 160 arranged along the second direction L2.

[0139] For example, the organizer 161 can be configured to be inserted into the shielding cavity 121a of the shielding structure 122 from one end of the shielding structure 122 toward the circuit board, and engage with the mounting base 1261 of the mounting structure 126 disposed in the shielding cavity 121a.

[0140] A portion of the solder balls 105 located at the contact tails of a pair of first terminals 123 of each sub-assembly is accommodated in the corresponding slot 160a of the consolidation base 161, while a portion is exposed for soldering to the first contact portion 1011 of the circuit board.

[0141] In some implementations, such as Figure 8B , Figure 8C and Figure 10As shown, the connector also includes an electromagnetic loss structure 150, which can be disposed at the mating interface 111a and joined with the shielding structure. The electromagnetic loss structure 150 is configured to dissipate electromagnetic energy affecting the connector.

[0142] For example, such as Figure 8D and combined Figure 8C As shown, the first receiving portion 111 has a mounting groove 111b on the side facing the circuit board, and a first receiving groove on the side facing away from the circuit board. The top wall of the mounting groove in the first direction L1 defines the bottom wall of the first receiving groove in the first direction L1. All mating interfaces 111a are formed on the top wall of the mounting groove 111b / bottom wall of the first receiving groove. An electromagnetic loss structure 150 may be disposed within the mounting groove 111b.

[0143] For example, the electromagnetic loss structure 150 includes a frame 151 and a plurality of connecting beams 152, the plurality of connecting beams 152 connecting two opposite sides of the frame 151 in a second direction L2 and spaced apart along a third direction L3; the mounting groove of the first receiving portion 111 of the housing 110 has a first receiving area located between adjacent rows of mating interfaces 111a and a second receiving area located around all mating interfaces 111a; the first receiving area is configured to receive the connecting beams 152, and the second receiving area is configured to receive the frame 151. It is understood that the channel defined between adjacent connecting beams 152 and the channel 150a defined between the two sides of the connecting beams 152 and the frame 151 in the third direction L3 and the adjacent connecting beams 152 communicate with the corresponding mating interfaces 111a, and the shield and a pair of first terminals 123 surrounded by the shield contact the corresponding parts of the circuit board in sequence through the mating interfaces 111a and the channel 150a.

[0144] For example, both the frame 151 and the connecting beam 152 may have a clearance interface 150b, which is configured to clearance the grounding mating terminal 121b of the shielding structure 122.

[0145] For example, the electromagnetic shielding structure 121 has a joint 121c (such as...) Figure 4A and Figure 4B As shown), the electromagnetic loss structure 150 has a mating part 150c (as shown). Figure 10 As shown, the mating part 150c is configured to engage with the mating part 121c so that the electromagnetic loss structure 150 and the electromagnetic shielding structure 121 are engaged.

[0146] In a specific example, both the frame 151 and the connecting beam 150 may have a mating part 150c, and the electromagnetic shielding structure 121 has a mating part 121c that mates with the corresponding mating part 150c.

[0147] like Figure 4B As shown, the second wall 125a of the second part 124 of the electromagnetic shielding structure 121 may have a joint 121c protruding in a direction away from the second wall 125a.

[0148] For example, the two sides of the frame 151 in the third direction L3 and the two sides of the connecting beam 152 in the third direction L3 can be configured to engage with the two opposing walls of the shield in the third direction L3. The two opposing walls of the shield in the second direction L2 can engage with the two first cover walls of the first cover 1112 of the first receiving portion 111. With this design, each sub-assembly can be securely fixed to the first receiving portion 111, thereby effectively preventing loosening or displacement due to external forces or vibrations.

[0149] Electromagnetic loss structure 150 is made of a lossy material. Such a material can be considered lossy because it dissipates a sufficient portion of the electromagnetic energy interacting with it that would significantly affect connector performance. The significant effect is due to attenuation within the frequency range that is critical to the connector. In some configurations, the lossy material may suppress resonance within the connector's grounding structure, and the critical frequency range may include the inherent frequencies of the resonant structure in the absence of the lossy material. In other configurations, the critical frequency range may be the entire or a portion of the connector's operating frequency range.

[0150] To test whether a material is lossy, it can be tested within a frequency range that is less than or different from the frequency range that is relevant to connectors using the material. For example, the test frequency range could be from 10 GHz to 25 GHz or from 1 GHz to 5 GHz. Alternatively, lossy materials can be identified from measurements taken at a single frequency such as 10 GHz or 15 GHz.

[0151] Losses can be caused by the interaction between the electric field component of electromagnetic energy and the material; in this case, the material can be called electrically destructive. Alternatively or additionally, losses can be caused by the interaction between the magnetic field component of electromagnetic energy and the material; in this case, the material can be called magnetically destructive.

[0152] Electrically dissipative materials can be formed from dissipative dielectric materials and / or poorly conductive materials. They can also be formed from materials traditionally considered dielectric materials, such as those with an electric loss tangent greater than approximately 0.01, greater than 0.05, or between 0.01 and 0.2 in the relevant frequency range. The "electric loss tangent" is the ratio of the imaginary part to the real part of the material's complex permittivity.

[0153] Dissipative materials can also be formed from materials that are generally considered conductors but are relatively poor conductors in the relevant frequency range. These materials can conduct electricity in the relevant frequency range, but with some loss, making their conductivity weaker than that of the conductors in an electrical connector, but better than that of the insulator used in that connector. Such materials can contain conductive particles or regions that are sufficiently dispersed to not provide high conductivity, or these particles or regions can be otherwise prepared to have the property that results in relatively weak bulk conductivity compared to good conductors such as pure copper in the relevant frequency range. For example, die-cast metals or alloys of poorly conductive metals can provide sufficient loss in certain configurations.

[0154] This type of electrically dissipative material typically has a bulk conductivity of about 1 siemens / meter to about 100,000 siemens / meter, or about 1 siemens / meter to about 30,000 siemens / meter, or about 1 siemens / meter to about 10,000 siemens / meter. In some embodiments, materials with a bulk conductivity between about 1 siemens / meter and about 500 siemens / meter can be used. As a specific example, materials with a conductivity between about 50 siemens / meter and 300 siemens / meter can be used. However, it should be understood that the conductivity of the material can be selected empirically or through electrical simulation using known simulation tools to determine the conductivity that provides suitable signal integrity (SI) characteristics in the connector. For example, the SI characteristics obtained by measurement or simulation can be low crosstalk combined with low signal path attenuation or insertion loss, or low insertion loss deviation as a function of frequency.

[0155] It should also be understood that a lossy component does not need to have uniform properties throughout its entire volume. For example, a lossy component may have, for instance, an insulating skin or a conductive core. A component can be identified as lossy if its properties, when averaged over the region interacting with electromagnetic energy, are sufficient to attenuate that electromagnetic energy.

[0156] In some embodiments, the lossy material is formed by adding a filler containing particles to a binder. In such embodiments, the lossy component can be formed by molding or otherwise shaping the binder with filler into a desired form. The lossy material can be molded onto a conductor and / or molded into a conductor through an opening, which may be a ground conductor or shielding of a connector. Molding the lossy material onto the conductor or molding it into the conductor through an opening ensures close contact between the lossy material and the conductor, which can reduce the likelihood that the conductor supports resonance at a relevant frequency. This close contact may, but does not necessarily, result in ohmic contact between the lossy material and the conductor.

[0157] Optionally or additionally, the dissipative material can be molded onto or injected into the insulating material, for example, in a secondary injection molding operation, or vice versa. The dissipative material can be positioned against or sufficiently close to a grounding conductor, thus achieving significant coupling with the grounding conductor. Close contact does not require electrical coupling between the dissipative material and the conductor, as sufficient electrical coupling, such as capacitive coupling, between the dissipative component and the conductor can produce the desired results. For example, in some cases, a 100 pF coupling between the dissipative component and the grounding conductor can have a significant effect on suppressing resonance in the grounding conductor. In other examples employing frequencies in the range of approximately 10 GHz or higher, the reduction in electromagnetic energy in the conductor can be provided by sufficient capacitive coupling between the dissipative material and the conductor, having a mutual capacitance of at least about 0.005 pF, such as mutual capacitance in the range of about 0.01 pF to about 100 pF, about 0.01 pF to about 10 pF, or about 0.01 pF to about 1 pF. To determine whether a lossy material is coupled to a conductor, the coupling can be measured at a test frequency such as 15 GHz or within a test range such as 10 GHz to 25 GHz.

[0158] To form electrically dissipative materials, the filler can be conductive particles. Examples of conductive particles that can be used as fillers to form electrically dissipative materials include carbon or graphite formed as fibers, flakes, nanoparticles, or other types of particles. Various forms of fibers can be used, in woven or nonwoven form, coated or uncoated. Nonwoven carbon fibers are a suitable material. Metals in the form of powder, flakes, fibers, or other particles can also be used to provide suitable electrical dissipation characteristics. Alternatively, combinations of fillers can be used. For example, metal-plated carbon particles can be used. Silver and nickel are metal platings suitable for fibers. Coated particles can be used alone or in combination with other fillers such as carbon flakes.

[0159] Preferably, the filler will be present in a volume percentage sufficient to allow the formation of conductive paths from particle to particle. For example, when metal fibers are used, the fibers may be present in a volume percentage of about 3% to 30%. The amount of filler can affect the conductivity of the material, and the volume percentage of filler will be lower within this range to provide sufficient losses.

[0160] The binder or matrix can be any material that solidifies to position the filler, cures to position the filler, or can otherwise be used to position the filler. In some embodiments, the binder can be a thermoplastic material conventionally used in the manufacture of electrical connectors to facilitate the molding of the dissipative material into the desired shape and into the desired location as part of the manufacture of the electrical connector. Examples of such materials include liquid crystal polymers (LCPs) and nylon. However, many alternative forms of binder materials can be used. Curable materials such as epoxy resins can be used as binders. Alternatively, materials such as thermosetting resins or adhesives can be used.

[0161] While the aforementioned binder materials can be used to form dissipative materials by forming a binder around conductive particulate fillers, other binders or other methods can also be used to form dissipative materials. In some examples, conductive particles can be impregnated into or coated onto the formed matrix material, for example, by applying a conductive coating to a plastic or metal component. As used herein, the term "binder" includes materials that encapsulate fillers, impregnate fillers, or otherwise act as retaining fillers in a substrate.

[0162] For example, magnetically depleting materials can be formed from materials traditionally considered ferromagnetic, such as those with a magnetic loss tangent greater than approximately 0.05 in the relevant frequency range. The magnetic loss tangent is the ratio of the imaginary to the real part of the material's complex permittivity. Materials with even higher loss tangents can also be used.

[0163] In some embodiments, the magnetic lossy material may be formed from a binder or matrix material filled with particles, wherein the particles impart magnetic loss properties to the layer. The magnetic lossy particles may be in any convenient form, such as sheets or fibers. Ferrites are common magnetic lossy materials. Materials such as magnesium ferrite, nickel ferrite, lithium ferrite, yttrium garnet, or aluminum garnet can be used. Ferrites typically have a magnetic loss tangent greater than 0.1 in the relevant frequency range. Currently preferred ferrite materials have a loss tangent between approximately 0.1 and 1.0 in the frequency range of 1 GHz to 3 GHz, and more preferably a magnetic loss tangent greater than 0.5 in this frequency range.

[0164] Practical magnetically depleting materials, or mixtures containing magnetically depleting materials, can also exhibit dielectric or conductive loss effects of useful magnitude in portions of the relevant frequency range. Similar to the methods described above for forming electrically depleting materials, suitable materials can be formed by adding fillers that generate magnetic losses to the binder.

[0165] The material may be both a lossy dielectric or a lossy conductor and a magnetically lossy material. For example, such a material can be formed by using a partially conductive magnetically lossy filler or by using a combination of magnetically lossy fillers and electrically lossy fillers.

[0166] The lossy portion can also be formed in a variety of ways. In some examples, the binder material and filler can be molded into a desired shape and then fixed in that shape. In other examples, the binder material can be formed into a sheet or other shape from which lossy components with desired shapes can be cut. In some embodiments, the lossy portion can be formed by interleaving layers of lossy and conductive materials, such as metal foil. These layers can be firmly attached to each other, for example, by using epoxy resin or other adhesives, or can be held together in any other suitable manner. The layers have the desired shape before they can be fixed to each other, or can be stamped or otherwise shaped after they are held together. As a further alternative, the lossy portion can be formed by coating a plastic or other insulating material with a lossy coating, such as a diffused metallic coating.

[0167] In some implementations, such as Figure 1C As shown, and in combination Figure 7A and Figure 7B As shown, the connector also includes at least one second terminal 131; the housing 110 includes a second receiving portion 112 configured to receive at least one second terminal 131, the second terminal 131 being configured to transmit a clock signal or a low-power signal. Exemplarily, the number of second terminals 131 can be multiple, all of which constitute a low-power module 140 or a clock signal module 130. All second terminals 131 can be configured to be arranged in rows along a second direction L2 and in columns along a third direction L3.

[0168] The second receiving portion 112 may have a second receiving groove and a plurality of first protrusions 1121 protruding from the side of the second receiving groove away from the circuit board in a direction away from the circuit board. The plurality of first protrusions 1121 may be spaced apart along a third direction L3. The first protrusions 1121 may have a plurality of first receiving grooves spaced apart along a second direction L2 on both sides of the third direction L3. Each first receiving groove is configured to receive a second terminal 131.

[0169] The second terminal 131 has a first contact surface at one end facing the circuit board. The first contact surface of the second terminal 131 is configured to be mounted to the circuit board to contact the second contact portion 1013 of the circuit board. The second receiving groove has a first through hole 112a, which is configured to allow the second terminal 131 to pass through for mounting to the circuit board.

[0170] In some embodiments, the connector further includes at least one third terminal 141; the housing 110 includes a third receiving portion 113 configured to receive at least one third terminal 141, the third terminal 141 being configured to transmit a low-power signal, and the second terminal 131 being configured to transmit a clock signal. Exemplarily, the number of third terminals 141 can be multiple, and all third terminals 141 constitute a low-power module 140. All third terminals 141 can be configured to be arranged in rows along a second direction L2 and in columns along a third direction L3. The number of third terminals 131 can also be multiple, and all second terminals 131 constitute a clock signal module 130. All second terminals 131 can be configured to be arranged in rows along a second direction L2 and in columns along a third direction L3.

[0171] The third receiving portion 113 may have a third receiving groove and a plurality of second protrusions 1131 protruding from the side of the third receiving groove away from the circuit board in a direction away from the circuit board. The plurality of second protrusions 1131 may be arranged at intervals along a third direction L3. The second protrusions 1131 have a plurality of second receiving grooves arranged at intervals along a second direction L2 on both sides of the third direction L3. Each second receiving groove is configured to receive a third terminal 141.

[0172] The third terminal 141 has a second contact surface at one end facing the circuit board. The second contact surface of the third terminal 141 is configured to be mounted to the circuit board to contact the third contact portion 1014 of the circuit board. The third receiving groove has a second through hole 113a, which is configured to allow the third terminal 141 to pass through for mounting to the circuit board.

[0173] For example, the connector may include two clock signal modules 130 and two low-power modules 140. Accordingly, the connector housing 110 includes two second receiving portions 112 and two third receiving portions 113, wherein one third receiving portion 113 and one second receiving portion 112 may be located on one side of the first receiving portion 111 in the second direction L2, and the other third receiving portion 113 and the other second receiving portion 112 may be located on the other side of the first receiving portion 111 in the second direction L2.

[0174] Understandably, the clock signal module 130 can provide a unified clock reference for all components of the electronic system, ensuring the timing consistency of data transmission and instruction execution; and generate or allocate clock signals of specific frequencies to support the collaborative operation of multi-rate systems; through differential signals (the second terminals 131 can be set in pairs, and a pair of second terminals 131 is configured as a differential pair to transmit high-speed clock signals, and the anti-interference characteristics of differential signals are used to improve reliability) and impedance matching design, electromagnetic interference and signal attenuation are reduced to make it suitable for high-speed data transmission scenarios.

[0175] The low-power module 140 can perform dynamic power management, such as adjusting the power supply strategy according to the electronic system load, such as shutting down unnecessary modules in sleep mode, or reducing energy consumption through dynamic voltage regulation; it can also perform wake-up and status monitoring, such as supporting external triggers (such as button, sensor events) to wake up the system, and providing real-time feedback on power status (such as battery level, temperature); it can also provide multi-rail regulated output, and integrate overvoltage and overcurrent protection functions, making it suitable for battery-powered devices.

[0176] For example, the housing 110 may also include a guide 114 adjacent to an end of the housing 110, and the guide 114 of the connector is configured to mate with the guide 114 of the connector. For example, the housing 110 may include two guides 114, which are respectively disposed at two end regions of the housing 110 in a first direction L1.

[0177] The guide portion 114 may include a guide groove 1142 and a guide protrusion 1141. For example... Figure 7A As shown, the guide portion 114 includes two guide grooves 1142 and two guide protrusions 1141. The two guide grooves 1142 are staggered in the third direction L3, and the two guide grooves 1142 are respectively directly opposite to the two guide protrusions 1141 in the third direction L3. The guide portion 114 can be mirrored with respect to the plane defined by the first direction L1 and the second direction L2. That is, along the first direction L1, the two guide grooves 1142 of the guide portion 114 are respectively directly opposite to the two guide protrusions 1141 of the guide portion 114 and are configured to receive the corresponding guide protrusions 1141 of the guide portion 114; along the first direction L1, the two guide protrusions 1141 of the guide portion 114 are respectively directly opposite to the two guide grooves 1142 of the guide portion 114 and are configured to be disposed in the corresponding guide grooves 1142 of the guide portion 114.

[0178] One of the guide protrusions 1141 of the guide portion 114 may have a first bayonet 1141a, and the circuit board has a second bayonet 1016 corresponding to the first bayonet 1141a of the corresponding guide portion 114. The connector is fixed to the corresponding circuit board by a board lock 104 passing through the first bayonet 1141a and the second bayonet 1016.

[0179] The end of the housing in the first direction L1 facing the circuit board may have a positioning post 103 protruding into the circuit board, and the circuit board has a positioning hole 1015 corresponding to the positioning post 103.

[0180] This application provides a hybrid bipolar connector for high-speed applications. The provided connector supports data transmission rates of 224 Gbps and above, even in complex electromagnetic environments, such as those required by AI systems. The connector of this application embodiment can provide multiple configurations (e.g., different numbers of differential pairs, with optional addition of clock signal terminals and low-power terminals). Furthermore, the connector of this application embodiment supports multiple stacking heights (e.g., 5 mm, 8 mm, 11 mm). The high-speed section (sub-assembly) includes a shielding structure, enabling the bipolar connector configuration to provide coaxial-like shielding, effectively suppressing electromagnetic interference.

[0181] This application embodiment also provides a method for operating a sub-assembly of a connector, the method being applied to a sub-assembly of a connector in any of the foregoing embodiments, the method comprising the steps of: mating the sub-assembly of the connector and the sub-assembly of a mating connector along a mating direction, such that the shielding structure of the sub-assembly of the connector and the shielding structure of the sub-assembly of the mating connector are mated to define an electromagnetic shielding that surrounds the first terminal of the sub-assembly of the connector and the first terminal of the sub-assembly of the mating connector.

[0182] The first terminal 123 of the connector sub-assembly has a mating end 123b, and the mating end 123b of the first terminal 123 has a first contact portion 123b1 and a second contact portion 123b2. The connector and the mating connector are mated along the mating direction.

[0183] The method further includes the step of engaging the mating end of the first terminal 123 of the connector with the mating end of the first terminal 123' of the mating connector such that the first contact portion and the second contact portion come into contact with each other.

[0184] The method also includes the following steps:

[0185] The first contact portion of the mating end of the first terminal 123 of the connector is abutted against the mating end of the first terminal 123' of the mating connector (this mating end is referred to as the complementary mating end), and a scraping distance is made along the complementary mating end until each of the first contact portions of the mating end and the complementary mating end abuts against the second contact portion of the complementary mating end and the mating end.

[0186] After each contact point in the mating end and the complementary mating end abuts against the second contact point in the complementary mating end and the mating end, the connector and the mating connector are essentially fully mated relative to each other.

[0187] In some embodiments, the shielding structure 122 of the sub-component has a resilient arm 1241, which has a first contact position and a second contact position. The method further includes the step of:

[0188] The elastic arm 1241 of the shielding structure 122 of the connector subassembly is engaged with the elastic arm 1241' of the shielding structure 122' of the mating connector subassembly to achieve biased contact at the first contact position and the second contact position.

[0189] When the connector and the mating connector are assembled along the mating direction, the elastic arm 1241 of the shielding structure 122 of the connector comes into contact with the elastic arm 1241' of the shielding structure 122' of the mating connector and undergoes elastic deformation, generating a normal force perpendicular to the mating direction (i.e., a normal force along a third direction) between them. This normal force acts on the contact surface of the elastic arm 1241 and the elastic arm 1241', forming a continuous mechanical preload, ensuring that the shielding structure 122 and the shielding structure 122' can be tightly joined after assembly.

[0190] In addition, in actual production, the dimensions of the shielding structure 122 may have manufacturing tolerances (such as stamping and injection molding deviations), and assembly tolerances may also arise due to alignment deviations during assembly. The elastic deformation of the elastic arm 1241 can absorb dimensional deviations or assembly deviations (alignment offsets), and compensate for the errors of the shielding structure 122 through its own deformation, ensuring reliable contact even with minor deviations.

[0191] The double-contact position of the elastic arms 1241 and 1241' generates two opposite normal forces perpendicular to the mating direction at their contact surfaces. This normal force biasing allows the sub-assembly to move to substantially center alignment relative to the sub-assembly along the third direction L3. Therefore, misalignment between the sub-assemblies along the third direction L3, thus eliminating mating tolerances, can be eliminated. This design allows the mating end of the first terminal 123 and the mating end of the first terminal 123' to be substantially ideally fitted relative to each other, such that the corresponding edges at the mating ends of the first terminal 123 and the first terminal 123' are substantially coplanar. This reduces impedance drop at the mating point between the sub-assemblies and improves the performance of the electronic system.

[0192] In addition, the double-contact design of the elastic arm 1241 and the elastic arm 1241' is equivalent to a parallel conductive path. The total contact resistance is significantly lower than that of a single-point contact, which can ensure that the interference current flows smoothly through the shielding structure 122 and reduce electromagnetic energy leakage.

[0193] In some embodiments, the shielding structure 122 of the connector sub-assembly and the shielding structure 122' of the mating connector sub-assembly have a shielding overlap area, which is configured to surround the mating contact portion of the mating end of the first terminal 123 of the sub-assembly and the mating contact portion of the mating end of the first terminal 123'.

[0194] The method further includes the step of: fitting the shielding structure of the sub-component with the shielding structure of the sub-component to form a shielding overlap area, so as to maintain electromagnetic shielding of the first terminal 123 and the first terminal 123' when the sub-component of the connector and the sub-component of the mating connector are relatively displaced along the mating direction.

[0195] Understandably, when the connector and mating connector are subjected to external force, relative displacement may occur along the mating direction, resulting in relative displacement between shielding structure 122 and shielding structure 122', and between first terminal 123 and first terminal 123', along with the mating direction. However, even if the first terminal 123 and first terminal 123' undergo relative displacement, as long as the relative displacement does not cause the first terminal 123 and first terminal 123' to disengage, the shielding structure 122 and shielding structure 122' still have a shielding overlap area, which can maintain electromagnetic shielding for the first terminal and first terminal. That is, when the sub-assemblies undergo relative displacement, and the mating contact portion of the mating end of the first terminal 123 remains in contact with the mating contact portion of the mating end of the first terminal 123, the shielding overlap area can still surround the mating contact portion of the mating end of the first terminal 123 and the mating contact portion of the mating end of the first terminal 123'. Through this design, the maximum pull-out distance of the first terminal 123 and first terminal 123' can be effectively increased, thereby providing mechanical stability and reliability of the electronic system.

[0196] For example, the maximum relative displacement is 0.5 mm when the shielding overlap area maintains electromagnetic shielding for the first terminals 123 and 123'. That is, the size of the shielding overlap area between the connector's shielding structure and the mating connector's shielding structure allows for electromagnetic shielding of the first terminals 123 and 123' even when the relative displacement between the connector's sub-assemblies and the mating connector's sub-assemblies reaches 0.5 mm. In other words, the maximum pull-out distance of the first terminals 123 and 123' can reach 0.5 mm.

[0197] Other components of the electronic system in the above embodiments can be derived from various technical solutions that are now and will be known to those skilled in the art, and will not be described in detail here.

[0198] In the description of this specification, it should be understood that the terms "length", "upper", "lower", "front", "rear", "left", "right", "vertical", etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are only for the convenience of describing this application and simplifying the description, and 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. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on this application.

[0199] Furthermore, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Thus, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of that feature. In the description of this application, "multiple" means two or more, unless otherwise explicitly specified.

[0200] In this application, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, the terms "connected" and "linked" can refer to electrical connection or communication; they can be direct connection or indirect connection through an intermediate medium; they can refer to the internal connection of two components or the interaction between two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this application according to the specific circumstances.

[0201] In this application, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, "above" or "below" the second feature can include direct contact between the first and second features, or contact between the first and second features through another feature between them. Furthermore, "above," "over," and "on top" of the second feature includes the first feature being directly above or diagonally above the second feature, or simply indicates that the first feature is at a higher horizontal level than the second feature. "Below," "below," and "under" the second feature includes the first feature being directly below or diagonally below the second feature, or simply indicates that the first feature is at a lower horizontal level than the second feature.

[0202] The foregoing disclosure provides many different implementations or examples for carrying out different structures of this application. To simplify the disclosure, specific examples of components and arrangements are described above. Of course, these are merely examples and are not intended to limit the scope of this application. Furthermore, reference numerals and / or letters may be repeated in different examples; such repetition is for simplification and clarity and does not in itself indicate a relationship between the various implementations and / or arrangements discussed.

[0203] The above description is merely a specific embodiment of this application, but the scope of protection of this application is not limited thereto. Any person skilled in the art can easily conceive of various variations or substitutions within the technical scope disclosed in this application, and these should all be included within the scope of protection of this application. Therefore, the scope of protection of this application should be determined by the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A connector, comprising: shell; At least one sub-component disposed in the housing, each sub-component including a pair of first terminals and a shielding structure, the pair of first terminals being configured to transmit differential signals, and the shielding structure being configured to surround the pair of first terminals to provide electromagnetic shielding.

2. The connector according to claim 1, wherein, The shielding structure has a shielding cavity, and the pair of first terminals are disposed within the shielding cavity.

3. The connector according to claim 1, wherein, The first terminal includes a mating end, and the shielding structure includes: The first wall extends beyond the mating end of the first terminal; The second wall extends below the mating end of the first terminal, so that the mating contact portion of the mating end of the first terminal is exposed through the second wall.

4. The connector according to claim 3, wherein, The shielding structure includes a first portion having the first wall and a second portion having the second wall, the first portion and the second portion being joined to define a shielding cavity.

5. The connector according to claim 4, wherein, The first portion of the shielding structure has an elastic arm configured to abut against the second portion of the shielding structure to apply a biasing force to the second portion.

6. The connector according to claim 5, wherein, The first portion includes a third wall, and the second portion includes a fourth wall, the third wall having the elastic arm configured to abut against the fourth wall to apply a biasing force to the fourth wall.

7. The connector according to claim 4, wherein, The first part of the shielding structure is configured to be welded to the second part.

8. The connector according to claim 1, wherein, The shielding structure has a grounding terminal, the grounding terminal has a grounding surface, and the grounding surface of the shielding structure is configured to be mounted to a circuit board.

9. The connector according to claim 1, wherein, The first terminal includes a contact tail, which is configured to be mounted to a circuit board via solder balls.

10. The connector according to claim 9, wherein, The housing includes a sorting base having two slots configured to receive and allow the corresponding solder balls to pass through for mounting onto the circuit board.

11. The connector according to claim 1, wherein, The housing includes a first receiving portion configured to receive the at least one sub-component, the first receiving portion including at least one mating interface configured to allow the pair of first terminals of the at least one sub-component and the shielding structure to pass through for mounting to a circuit board.

12. The connector according to claim 11, wherein, The connector further includes an electromagnetic loss structure configured to dissipate electromagnetic energy, the electromagnetic loss structure being disposed at the mating interface and engaging with the shielding structure.

13. The connector according to claim 12, wherein, The first receiving portion of the connector housing has a mounting groove on the side facing the circuit board, the mounting groove defining the at least one mating interface; The electromagnetic loss structure is disposed within the mounting groove.

14. The connector according to claim 13, wherein, The number of sub-components is multiple, and the multiple sub-components are configured to be arranged in rows along the second direction and in columns along a third direction different from the second direction; The first accommodating portion has multiple mating interfaces, which are configured to be arranged in an array corresponding to each of the multiple sub-components.

15. The connector according to claim 14, wherein, The electromagnetic loss structure includes a frame and multiple connecting beams, the multiple connecting beams connecting two opposite sides of the frame in a second direction and distributed at intervals along a third direction; The mounting groove of the first receiving portion of the housing has a first receiving area located between adjacent rows of mating interfaces and a second receiving area located around the plurality of mating interfaces; the first receiving area is configured to receive the connecting beam and the second receiving area is configured to receive the frame.

16. The connector according to claim 15, wherein, Both the frame and the connecting beam have clearance interfaces, which are configured to avoid the grounding connection terminal of the shielding structure.

17. The connector according to claim 11, wherein, The first receiving portion of the housing includes a first cover and a second cover, the first cover being configured to protrude toward the circuit board from an edge on one side of the mating interface and engage with the shielding structure; The second cover is configured to protrude from the edge of the mating interface on the side opposite to the circuit board in a direction opposite to the circuit board, and engage with the shielding structure.

18. The connector according to claim 1, wherein, The connector further includes at least one second terminal; the housing includes a second receiving portion configured to receive the at least one second terminal, the second terminal being configured to transmit a clock signal or a low-power signal.

19. The connector according to claim 18, wherein, The connector further includes at least one third terminal; the housing includes a third receiving portion configured to receive the at least one third terminal, the third terminal being configured to transmit a low-power signal, and the second terminal being configured to transmit a clock signal.

20. The connector according to claim 19, wherein, Both the second terminal and the third terminal have contact surfaces, and the contact surfaces of the second terminal and the third terminal are respectively configured to be mounted on a circuit board.

21. The connector according to claim 1, wherein, The housing includes a guide portion adjacent to an end of the housing.

22. An electronic system comprising: Two circuit boards, A pair of connectors as described in any one of claims 1 to 21, wherein the pair of connectors is configured as two mating connectors, and the two circuit boards are connected via the pair of connectors.

23. The electronic system according to claim 22, wherein, The two circuit boards are arranged in parallel, and the pair of connectors are configured to be mirror images of a plane parallel to the circuit boards.

24. The electronic system according to claim 22, wherein, The connector is configured to transmit data signals between the two circuit boards at a rate of 224 gigabits per second.

25. The electronic system according to claim 22, wherein, A pair of connectors may have the same or different heights.

26. The electronic system according to claim 22, wherein, The shielding structure of the connector includes a resilient arm configured to engage with the resilient arm of the shielding structure of the mating connector in two positions to generate a biasing force between the resilient arm of the connector and the resilient arm of the mating connector.

27. The electronic system according to claim 22, wherein, The first terminal of the connector includes a mating end, the mating end having a first contact portion and a second contact portion, and the mating end of the first terminal is configured to make contact with the mating end of the first terminal of the mating connector at the first contact portion and the second contact portion.

28. The electronic system according to claim 27, wherein, The shielding structure of a pair of connectors has a shielding overlap area configured to maintain electromagnetic shielding of a first terminal of the sub-assemblies when the sub-assemblies of the pair of connectors are relatively displaced along the mating direction.

29. The electronic system according to claim 28, wherein, The maximum value of the relative displacement is 0.5 mm.

30. A sub-component of a connector, comprising: A pair of first terminals, the pair of first terminals being configured to transmit differential signals; A shielding structure configured to surround the pair of first terminals to provide electromagnetic shielding.

31. The sub-component of claim 30, wherein, The shielding structure has a shielding cavity, and the pair of first terminals are disposed within the shielding cavity.

32. The sub-component of claim 30, wherein, The first terminal includes a mating end, and the shielding structure includes: The first wall extends beyond the mating end of the first terminal; The second wall extends below the mating end of the first terminal, so that the mating contact portion of the mating end of the first terminal is exposed through the second wall.

33. The sub-component of claim 32, wherein, The shielding structure includes a first portion having the first wall and a second portion having the second wall, the first portion and the second portion being joined to define a shielding cavity.

34. The sub-component of claim 33, wherein, The first portion of the shielding structure has an elastic arm configured to abut against the second portion of the shielding structure to apply a biasing force to the second portion.

35. The sub-component of claim 34, wherein, The first portion includes a third wall, and the second portion includes a fourth wall, the third wall having the elastic arm configured to abut against the fourth wall to apply a biasing force to the fourth wall.

36. The sub-component of claim 33, wherein, The first part of the shielding structure is configured to be welded to the second part.

37. The sub-component of claim 30, wherein, The shielding structure has a grounding terminal, the grounding terminal has a grounding surface, and the grounding surface of the shielding structure is configured to be mounted to a circuit board.

38. The sub-component of claim 30, wherein, The first terminal includes a contact tail, which is configured to be mounted to a circuit board via solder balls.

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