Electrical connector for a data or communication cable

Abstract

Electrical connector (1) for a data or communication cable with the following features: - a case (10), - first (41) and second contact elements (42), - the first contact elements (41) are connected to the second contact elements (42) via conductor tracks (64, 65), with two conductor tracks (64, 65) forming a differential line (61), - a first circuit board (86), - the first circuit board (86) has compensation units (68), - the first circuit board (86) is at least partially arranged in the housing (10), characterized by the following additional features: - the first circuit board (86) is designed as a flexible circuit board, - the first circuit board (86) is arranged on a support element (75).

Description

[0001] The invention relates to an electrical connector according to the features of the preamble of claim 1.

[0002] In electrical connectors, particularly in high-frequency applications, conductors and contacts exhibit frequency-dependent capacitive coupling. This results in unwanted crosstalk between the conductors or contacts. To largely compensate for this unwanted crosstalk, it has proven advantageous to position the compensation elements as close as possible to the point of crosstalk. Due to the relatively strong capacitive coupling between the contact elements at the contact point of two complementary electrical connectors, it is beneficial to position the compensation elements as close as possible to these contact points. Because of space constraints in electrical connectors, flexible printed circuit boards are frequently used for this purpose to better utilize the available installation space.

[0003] Flexible printed circuit boards (PCBs) are used in electrical connectors as described in publications EP3363083A4, US9088106B2, EP2191541B1, and CN100557899C. In addition to a rigid or flexible main PCB, these publications describe the use of an additional flexible compensation PCB. The flexible PCB is positioned within the electrical connector so that the compensation elements on it are located as close as possible to the contact points and conform to the available installation space.

[0004] Flexible printed circuit boards are difficult to handle and assemble due to their nature, especially their flexibility, which significantly increases the time required and therefore the costs of assembly.

[0005] This problem is solved by an electrical connector having the features of claim 1.

[0006] Advantageous embodiments and further developments of the invention are specified in the dependent claims.

[0007] According to the invention, an electrical connector comprises a housing, first and second contact elements, wherein the first contact elements are connected to the second contact elements via conductive traces, and wherein two conductive traces form a differential line. The electrical connector includes a first circuit board, the first circuit board having compensation units, and the first circuit board being at least partially arranged in the housing. The first circuit board is designed as a flexible circuit board and is arranged on a support element.

[0008] By arranging the first circuit board on a support element, the compensation units in the form of capacitors can be designed to be particularly compact due to the thin substrate height, without compromising ease of handling during assembly. Preferably, the first circuit board is designed as a two-layer board. This results in extremely low costs for the first circuit board. The first circuit board can also have only one layer or more than two layers.

[0009] Advantageously, the first circuit board is formed from a substrate with a substrate height of less than or equal to 50 µm, preferably less than or equal to 25 µm. The smaller the substrate height of the first circuit board, the more compact the board can be, since the compensation units, especially the capacitors, need to have smaller surface areas to provide the same capacitance. In parallel-plate capacitors, two conductive surfaces face each other. A dielectric is arranged between the conductive surfaces, which in the first circuit board forms its substrate. The capacitance value of a capacitor is directly proportional to the smaller area of ​​the respective conductive surface and inversely proportional to the distance between the two surfaces. For example, if a circuit board has a substrate that is ten times thinner, the area of ​​the capacitors can be ten times smaller to provide the same capacitance.

[0010] Additionally, the choice of dielectric is crucial for the capacitance. The dielectric-dependent relative permittivity is directly proportional to the capacitance. The relative permittivity of polyimide material is typically between 3.2 and 3.7. For FR4 material, the relative permittivity is typically between 3.8 and 4.8. The relationships described above assume a homogeneous electric field between the capacitor plates. In applications where a homogeneous field cannot be assumed, other relationships may arise. In particular, linearity of the parameters plate area, plate spacing, and relative permittivity may no longer be guaranteed, which significantly complicates the calculation and design. Furthermore, the arrangement of the conductive plates relative to each other, as well as the arrangement of the dielectric, is crucial for the calculation and the underlying model.

[0011] According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the first circuit board is arranged to completely overlap the support element. This complete overlap prevents the support element from taking up unnecessary space and avoids the first circuit board protruding beyond the support element. This protrusion, due to the flexibility of the first circuit board, could lead to kinking at the edges and consequently increased wear or damage. The support element can be smaller or larger than the outer dimensions of the first circuit board.

[0012] In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the support element has approximately the same shape as the first circuit board. The support element can also have exactly the same shape as the first circuit board. The first circuit board can be square, round, oval, trapezoidal, or parallelogram-shaped.

[0013] According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the support element is thicker than the first circuit board, and the support element is preferably rigid. To facilitate handling during assembly, the first circuit board is pre-mounted on the support element and then installed in the composite body, consisting of the first circuit board and the support element, during subsequent assembly processes. A rigid body is significantly easier to handle and connect to the other components of the electrical connector. Since the first circuit board is flexible, the support element, or at least the composite body consisting of the support element and the first circuit board, must be rigid to achieve this stiffness or rigidity of the composite body.

[0014] According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the support element is attached to a housing or to a composite body connected to the housing, in particular a plastic support element. This eliminates the need to connect the flexible first circuit board within the housing of the electrical connector via a complex and expensive fastening mechanism.

[0015] Advantageously, a second circuit board is at least partially arranged within the housing, with first and second contact elements connected to the second circuit board. The first and second contact elements are interconnected via conductor tracks, with two conductor tracks forming a differential line. The first conductor track of the differential line is defined as a positive or tip conductor track, whereas the second conductor track of the differential line is defined as a negative or ring conductor track. One signal is transmitted via each differential line. Preferably, the electrical connector is designed as an RJ connector, such that the electrical connector has four differential lines.A conductor track consists of a first contact pad, a second contact pad and a conductor path, with the first contact pad being connected to the second contact pad via the conductor path.

[0016] The first contact elements are electrically and mechanically connected to the first contact pads. This connection is made by soldering or crimping. The second contact elements are also electrically and mechanically connected to the second contact pads, again by soldering or crimping. The first contact pads are arranged around the first through-holes. The first contact pad can be formed on one or more PCB layers, with the copper-plated edges of the through-holes forming part of the first contact pad. The same applies to the second contact pads.

[0017] According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the second circuit board is arranged perpendicular, at an angle, or parallel to the first circuit board. The second circuit board is preferably longer along the transverse axis of the electrical connector than along the longitudinal axis of the electrical connector, with the first circuit board preferably oriented along the longitudinal axis of the electrical connector. The first circuit board is preferably smaller than the second circuit board.

[0018] In a particularly preferred embodiment of the invention, the first circuit board is designed as a polyimide circuit board, wherein the substrate material of the support element is preferably made of FR4 material, plastic, or another non-conductive material. Advantages of polyimide circuit boards include their high flexibility, the resulting space savings compared to rigid circuit boards, and their good electromagnetic shielding properties, which can be advantageous in high-frequency applications or in environments with high levels of electromagnetic interference.

[0019] Advantageously, the first contact elements are designed as insulation displacement connectors (IDCs) and the second contact elements as plug-in connectors. Insulation displacement connectors, also known as IDCs, are characterized by their quick and easy installation. The wires can be electrically connected using the IDCs without having to strip the insulation separately, thus saving time and reducing the risk of errors. Furthermore, no special tools are required for stripping the wires. IDCs are characterized by an extremely reliable connection. When assembled, the terminals of the IDCs cut through the insulation, creating a gas-tight connection between the wire and the IDC, preventing the ingress of moisture and other contaminants.

[0020] In a particularly preferred embodiment of the invention, the plug contacts are spring-loaded. A plug contact has four sections, which are electrically connected to each other via three connecting sections. The sections are rod-shaped and run parallel to the longitudinal axis of the socket. The transverse axis is orthogonal to the longitudinal axis. Along the transverse axis, the sections of a plug contact are arranged on four different planes, one plane being defined as a two-dimensional surface extending infinitely in space, and the third dimension representing the transverse axis in space. The third section is only electrically contacted when the electrical connector is assembled with the first circuit board. The plug contacts are designed and fixed in such a way that, in the assembled state, the third section presses against the corresponding contact surface of the first circuit board.The plug contacts can also be soldered directly onto the first circuit board. These plug contacts are connected to traces on the second circuit board. The plug contacts, which are connected to traces of a differential line or different differential lines, can cross each other on the first circuit board. The plug contacts can also cross in sections or connection segments that are not located near the first circuit board.

[0021] The first circuit board can be held in position within the housing by clamping the composite assembly (comprising the first circuit board and the support element) between the plug contacts and the plastic support element. The plastic support element is snap-fit ​​to the housing, eliminating the need for additional fasteners such as screws or rivets and allowing for tool-free removal of the plastic support element from the housing. The plastic support element is designed so that the composite assembly (comprising the support element and the first circuit board) can be inserted onto it. When assembled, the plug contacts press the composite assembly onto the contact surface of the plastic support element.

[0022] Advantageously, the carrier element has pins that can be inserted through a recess in the first circuit board. In the assembled state, the first circuit board is held onto the carrier element by the restoring force of the plug contacts and the plastic carrier element as its counterpart. The pins allow the first circuit board to move in one spatial direction. The pins can have a round, polygonal, or, in particular, a square cross-section. The recess can be located within the first circuit board or at its edge and is complementary to the pin. The plastic carrier element can also have a pin that can be inserted through an additional recess in the carrier element and the recess in the first circuit board. The first circuit board can be glued, screwed, clipped, riveted, or pressed onto the carrier element.The support element can be glued, screwed, clipped, riveted or pressed onto the plastic support element.

[0023] According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, compensation units are arranged on the first circuit board. The compensation units are configured as capacitors and inductors, the capacitors preferably being designed as capacitors and the inductors preferably as coils. The capacitor can be configured as a plate capacitor or as an interdigital capacitor. A capacitor can be connected between two first conductor tracks of different differential lines or between a first and second conductor track of different differential lines, so that crosstalk occurs between the conductor tracks to which the capacitor is connected.

[0024] In electrical connectors, data transmission preferably takes place on differential lines. A differential line has two conductors. One conductor carries a signal, while the other carries the inverted signal. The receiver calculates the difference between the two signals, which corresponds to the original signal to be transmitted. In electrical connectors, undesirable capacitive coupling exists between conductors, especially when they are close together. This undesirable capacitive coupling between a first conductor and a second conductor, for example, between different differential lines one and two, can be compensated for by inserting an additional capacitance between the first two conductors of the aforementioned differential lines one and two.The first trace of differential line two now sees both the unwanted crosstalk resulting from the unwanted capacitive coupling and the desired crosstalk due to the additionally inserted capacitor. Since the first trace of the second differential line is capacitively coupled to both the first and second traces of differential line one, and the signals to be transmitted on these traces are inverted relative to each other, the crosstalk signals cancel each other out. The capacitance of the capacitor must be designed such that the desired crosstalk is just large enough to negate the unwanted crosstalk. The same applies to all other components that exhibit unwanted capacitive coupling to each other. If the capacitance is too large, it must be compensated for by a counter-capacitance elsewhere.

[0025] It has proven advantageous to place the capacitor at the point where unwanted crosstalk occurs between two conductor tracks. Since crosstalk is particularly high in the area of ​​the contact point between an electrical plug and a complementary electrical connector, the first circuit board is positioned close to this contact point. Under certain circumstances, it is necessary to insert an interference capacitance between a first conductor track and a second conductor track of the same differential line to meet the normative requirements for the electrical connector. This interference capacitance artificially amplifies the unwanted crosstalk.

[0026] According to a particularly preferred embodiment of the invention, the compensation units on the first and second circuit boards are configured as capacitors and inductors, the capacitors being configured as capacitors and the inductors as meandering conductor track structures. The capacitors can also be configured as fins. Fins are conductive surfaces arranged on a circuit board layer that do not have a mating surface. The conductive surface is connected to the conductor track via a stub line, which can be connected to the conductor track as well as to a first or second contact pad. The advantage of coils configured with a meandering conductor track structure is that the structure can be implemented cost-effectively.

[0027] Advantageously, the electrical connector is designed as a socket, in particular as an RJ45 socket.

[0028] Overlap is defined in the preceding, present, and subsequent sections as follows: at least one vector exists that intersects two surfaces arranged in space along a single spatial direction. The surfaces are then arranged in an overlapping manner. Complete overlap occurs when there is no vector that runs in a single spatial direction and, if it intersects one of the two surfaces, also intersects the other.

[0029] An embodiment of the invention is explained below with reference to the figures. The figures show: Fig. 1. A perspective exploded view of an electrical connector showing the housing, first circuit board, second circuit board, charging piece and contact elements. Fig. 2. A perspective view of the first circuit board, the support element, the plug contacts and the plastic support element in exploded view. Fig. 3 a perspective view of assembled sub-components of the electrical connector of the first circuit board, the second circuit board, the support element, the plastic support element and the plug contacts, Fig. 4 a perspective circuit board of the second circuit board made of Fig. 3, Fig. 5 a perspective view of the composite body consisting of the first circuit board and the support element made of Fig. 3, Fig. 6 a perspective view of the compensation circuit of the first circuit board from Fig. 5, and Fig. 7 a perspective view of assembled sub-components of the electrical connector of the first circuit board, the second circuit board, the support element and the plug contacts.

[0030] In the following figures, identical reference symbols denote identical parts with the same meaning.

[0031] Fig. Figure 1 shows an electrical connector 1, which is configured as a socket 2. The socket 2 has a housing 10, which comprises a front part 20 and a rear part 30. The front side 11 of the socket 2 is defined as the side that receives the mating face (not shown), for example, of an RJ45 connector. The rear side 12 of the socket 2 is defined as the side through which a cable (not shown) can be inserted into the socket 2 and whose individual conductors can then be inserted into the charging piece 70. The front side 11 of the socket 2 is formed on the end face of the housing front part 20. The rear part 30 comprises the rear side 12 of the socket 2. In addition to the front side 11, the housing front part 20 forms four side surfaces 21, one of which is longer than the other three.The rear housing part 30 is U-shaped and has three side surfaces 31, wherein the longer side surface 21 of the front housing part 20 fits into the missing side surface 31 of the rear housing part 30 when assembled.

[0032] The rear housing part 30 is pivotally mounted on the upper housing part 20. For this purpose, the rear housing part 30 has a recess 32 on two side surfaces 31, this recess 32 being in the shape of a semicircle. The recess 32 can also be oval or circular in shape. Viewed from the front 11 of the bushing 2, the recess 32 has a conical, trapezoidal, or parallelogram-shaped profile.

[0033] The front housing part 20 has a connecting element 22 on two side surfaces 21. The connecting element 22 consists of a rod 23 and a plate 24. In its assembled state, the connecting element 22 of the front housing part 20 engages in the recess 32 of the rear housing part 30 and is rotatably mounted. The rear housing part 30 can also be clipped into the front housing part 20, fixed by means of a screw, glued, or pressed on.

[0034] The front housing part 20 and the rear housing part 30 are preferably made of a conductive material, for example, sheet metal or a die-cast metal part, in particular a zinc die-cast part. Due to the conductive properties of the housing material 10, the socket 2 has electrical shielding. This significantly improves the electromagnetic compatibility of the socket 2. Furthermore, the interference emitted by the socket 2 and its interaction with other electronic devices are reduced. In addition, the socket 2 is more robust against external mechanical influences than, for example, a socket 2 with a plastic housing 10.

[0035] Within the housing 10, at least partially, a second circuit board 40 is arranged, with first contact elements 41 and second contact elements 42 being connected to the second circuit board 40. The first contact elements 41 are designed as insulation displacement connectors (IDCs) 43. The IDCs 43 are at least partially made of a conductive material. The IDCs 43 have a base 44, which is guided through a first contact opening 45 in the second circuit board 40 and can be electrically connected to the first contact pad 46. The connection is made by soldering or crimping. In addition, the IDCs 43 form a feed-through opening 47 through which the insulation of the individual conductors of a cable is stripped during the assembly of the socket 2, and an electrical connection is established between the IDC 43 and the individual conductor of the cable.

[0036] A total of eight insulation displacement connectors (IDCs) 43 are connected to the second circuit board 40. The number of IDCs 43 connected to the second circuit board 40 can vary. The IDCs 43 can be arranged in rows, preferably in four rows. The individual IDCs 43 in a row can be offset from other IDCs 43 in other rows. The IDCs 43 form an IDC contact area 48. The IDC contact areas 48 can be arranged in a line, parallel, or at an angle to each other. The IDC contact areas 48 of one IDC row can be arranged parallel or at an angle to another IDC row. The second circuit board 40 is arranged transversely to the insertion direction in the housing 10. The second circuit board 40 is preferably soldered using the through-hole reflow (THR) process.

[0037] The second contact elements 42 are designed as plug contacts 49. A plug contact 49 has four different sections 50-53, which are electrically connected to each other via three connecting elements 55-57. The sections 50-53 are rod-shaped and run parallel to the longitudinal axis L of the socket 2. The transverse axis Q is arranged orthogonally to the longitudinal axis L.

[0038] Along the transverse axis Q, the subsections 50-53 of a plug connector 49 are arranged on four different planes, where a plane is defined as a two-dimensional surface extending infinitely in space, the third dimension being the transverse axis Q. Subsection one 50 can be inserted through the second contact opening 54 of the second circuit board 40 and is mechanically fastened and electrically connected to the second circuit board 40 by soldering or crimping. The subsections one 50 of the individual plug connectors 49 can be arranged on different planes. Preferably, the subsections one 50 are arranged in rows, where a row means that the subsections one 50 are arranged on one plane. The subsections one 50 can also be arranged in one row or in more than two rows. Subsection one 50 and subsection two 51 are connected via a first connecting element 55.

[0039] The second subsection 51 lies on a different plane along the transverse axis Q than the first subsection 50. The second connecting element 56 electrically connects the second subsection 51 to subsection three 52. The second connecting element 56, the second subsection 51, and the third connecting element 57 are part of the contact point 58. The contact point 58 is the point where the inserted connector (not shown) and the socket 2 make electrical contact when inserted. Subsection three 52 establishes an electrical connection to a compensation board 60. The connecting path three 57 connects subsection three 52 to subsection four 53. Subsections two 51, three 52, and four 53 each lie on a plane along the transverse axis Q. The plug contacts can have more or fewer than four subsections 50-53.Furthermore, subsections 50-53 or any combination of subsections can be arranged in the same plane.

[0040] A first circuit board 86 is at least partially arranged within the housing 10. The first circuit board 86 is arranged on a support element 75. The first circuit board 86 and the support element 75 together form a composite body 77. The composite body 77 can be inserted into a plastic support element 90. The plastic support element 90 has a recess 93 into which the plug contacts 49 can be inserted. The plastic base element 100 can be connected to the plastic support element 90. The plastic support element 90 can be connected to the housing 10 via a snap-fit ​​connection.

[0041] A charging piece 70 is at least partially arranged within the housing 10. The charging piece 70 is made of a non-conductive material, preferably plastic, in particular an injection-molded plastic part. When the cable is inserted through the rear 12 of the socket 2, the individual conductors of the cable, which were previously twisted together in pairs, are separated and inserted into the retaining clips 71 of the charging piece 70 and mechanically fixed. The individual conductors can be mechanically fixed to the charging piece 70 by means of a screw, an adhesive, or preferably by means of a clamp. The charging piece 70 has recesses 72 into which the insulation displacement connectors 43 penetrate during assembly, stripping the individual conductors of the inserted cable and establishing an electrical connection. The housing 10 and the charging piece 70 can be snapped together by means of snap-fit ​​connections, so that no additional aids, such as clamps, are required.Screws or similar fasteners are required for fixing. The insulation displacement connectors 43 can be arranged along the transverse axis Q in different planes, in rows, individually or in pairs.

[0042] In Fig. 2 are subcomponents of the electrical connector 1 made of Fig. Figure 1 shows the first circuit board 86, the carrier element 75, the plastic carrier element 90 and the plug contacts 49.

[0043] The first circuit board 86 is arranged in the area of ​​the contact point 58, the contact point 58 representing the contact area of ​​the plug contacts 49 of the socket 2 with the plug contacts of the connector (not shown) in the connected state. On the first circuit board 86, compensation units 68 are arranged such that crosstalk between different differential lines 61 or conductor tracks 64, 65 of the same differential line 61 is increased or decreased. The section three 52 of the plug contacts 49 can be contacted with the first circuit board 86 via contact surfaces 83. The plug contacts 49, in particular the section three 52, are pressed onto the contact surfaces 83 of the first circuit board 86 in the assembled state. For this purpose, it is advantageous if the plug contacts 49 are slightly spring-loaded or yielding. The plug contacts 49 can also be soldered to the contact surfaces 83 of the first circuit board 86.The first circuit board 86 lies along the longitudinal axis L in the electrical connector 1. According to the invention, the first circuit board 86 is designed to be very thin and flexible, which makes it unwieldy during assembly. The first circuit board 86 has the shape of a square. The first circuit board 86 can also have any desired shape, for example, the shape of an oval or a trapezoid. The first circuit board 86 has a recess 84 through which a pin can be inserted or a protrusion formed on the housing 10 or on a body attachable to the housing 10 can be inserted. According to the invention, the first circuit board 86 is arranged on a support element 75.

[0044] The support element 75 preferably has the same shape as the first circuit board 86, but can also have a completely different shape. The support element 75 is preferably made of plastic or, for environmental reasons, of bioplastic. The support element 75 is preferably thicker than the first circuit board 86. The support element 75 is preferably rigid, but can also be flexible. Recesses 76 are formed at the edges of the support element 75. The recesses 76 of the support element 75 can be located within the surface of the support element 75 or directly at the edge. The recess 84 of the first circuit board 86 and the recess 76 of the support element 75 are preferably arranged to completely overlap each other. The recess 84 of the first circuit board 86 and the recess 76 of the support element 75 can be arranged to partially overlap or not overlap at all.The composite body 77 consisting of support element 75 and first circuit board 86 is preferably rigid.

[0045] A plastic support element 90 is at least partially arranged within the housing 10. The plastic support element 90 is L-shaped. It has indentations 93 into which the plug contacts 49 can be inserted. The indentations 93 can form small protrusions, which ensure that the plug contacts 49 are securely held within the indentations 93 and cannot be easily removed. The plastic support element 90 has a support surface 94 onto which the first circuit board 86 can be placed. The support surface 94 is U-shaped. A wall 98 is formed at least partially on the sides of the support surface 94, so that the first circuit board 86 cannot be moved laterally away from the support surface 94. The side of the L-shaped plastic support element 90 facing the second circuit board 40 and extending in the direction of the transverse axis Q has a back wall 96 and a free surface 95. The back wall 96 abuts the second circuit board 40.The free area 95 allows the plug contacts 49, in particular the first subsections 50 thereof, to be made and connected to the second circuit board 40.

[0046] Additionally, the plastic carrier element 90 has a retaining element 91 on each side, namely a locking lug 92 on each side. The locking lug 92 is the complementary counterpart to a recess 25, which is formed on the side surface 21 of the front housing part 20. In the assembled state, the locking lug 92 engages in the recess 25 of the front housing part. An advantage of this locking mechanism is that no tool is required to connect or disconnect the individual components. The plastic carrier element 90 can also be connected to the rear housing part 30. The plastic carrier element 90 can be screwed, glued, or pressed to the housing 10.

[0047] The plastic support element 90 has pins 97 on its underside, which can engage in recesses 101 of a plastic base element 100. The plastic base element 100, which is in Fig. The plastic base element 100, as shown in Figure 1, is located below the plastic support element 90. Additionally, the plastic base element 100 has recesses 102 into which the plug contacts 49 can be inserted. The plastic base element 100 can be attached to the housing 10 or to a body connected to the housing 10.

[0048] In Fig. Figure 3 shows the subcomponents plug contacts 49, composite body 77, consisting of first circuit board 86 and carrier element 75, plastic carrier element 90, second circuit board 40 and first contact elements 41, which are preferably designed as insulation displacement connectors 43.

[0049] The second circuit board 40 is arranged on the rear wall 96 of the plastic carrier element 90. The insulation displacement connectors (IDCs) 43 are aligned on the side of the second circuit board 40 facing away from the rear wall 96 of the plastic carrier element 90. The IDCs 43 are arranged in four rows, with each row having two IDCs 43. A row characterizes an arrangement of IDCs 43 in a plane. The IDCs 43 can be arranged in more or fewer than four rows. The IDCs 43 also have IDC contact surfaces 48. The IDC contact surfaces 48 of a row are arranged in a line with each other. The IDC contact surfaces 48 of different rows can be parallel to each other or arranged at an angle to each other. The IDC contact surfaces 48 of a row can be at an angle to each other.The insulation displacement connection (IDC) surfaces 48 of a first row are parallel to the IDC surfaces 48 of the second, third, or fourth row. The IDCs 43 have a foot 44 which can be inserted through a first contact opening 45 of the second circuit board 40. The foot 44 is mechanically and electrically connected to the first contact pad 46 of the second circuit board 40 by means of soldering or crimping. The feet 44 of the IDCs 43 protrude on the side of the second circuit board 40 facing away from the IDCs 43. The rear wall 46 of the plastic carrier element 90 conforms around these protruding feet 44 of the IDCs 43, in particular around the protruding feet 44 of the first row of IDCs 43.

[0050] Section one 50 is guided through the free area 95 of the plastic carrier element 90 and connected to the second contact pads 59 of the second circuit board 40 by soldering or crimping. Section one 50 protrudes on the side of the second circuit board 40 on which the insulation displacement connectors 43 are arranged.

[0051] Sections three 52 and four 53 of the plug contacts 49 are arranged above the first circuit board 86 with respect to the transverse axis Q, and sections one 50 and two 51 of the plug contacts 49 are arranged below the first circuit board 86. Section three 52 is pressed onto the contact surfaces 83 of the first circuit board 86. The composite body 77, consisting of the first circuit board 86 and the support element 75, is held clamped between section three 52 of the plug contacts 49 and the contact surface 94 of the plastic support element 90 in the housing of the socket 2. This clamping creates an electrical connection between section three 52 of the plug contacts 49 and the contact surfaces 83 of the first circuit board 86. The plug contacts 49 are spring-loaded to compensate for minor manufacturing variations and to maintain constant pressure on the contact surfaces 83.A protrusion of the plastic carrier element 90 engages in the recess of the first circuit board 86 and the recess 76 of the carrier element 75.

[0052] Fig. Figure 4 shows the second circuit board 40. Fig. 1. The second circuit board 40 has four differential lines 61. Each differential line 61 consists of a first conductor track 64 and a second conductor track 65, each conductor track 64, 65 having a first contact pad 46, a second contact pad 59, and a conductor path 63. The conductor path 63 establishes an electrical connection between the first contact pad 46 and the second contact pad 59. The first contact element 41, which is preferably designed as an insulation displacement connector 43, is directly electrically connected to the first contact pad 46. The second contact element 42, which is preferably designed as a plug-in contact 49, is directly electrically connected to the second contact pad 59. The second circuit board 40 can be made of PTFE or FR4 material. The second circuit board 40 can be designed as a flexible or rigid second circuit board 40. The second circuit board 40 has four layers. The circuit board 40 can have fewer or more than four circuit board layers 62.The individual conductor tracks 64, 65 can be routed on different circuit board layers 62 via vias 66 or the side surfaces of the first 45 and the second contact openings 54, which are preferably copper-plated. The copper-plated side surfaces of the first 45 contact opening 45 are assigned to the first contact pad 46, and the copper-plated side surfaces of the second 45 contact opening 45 are assigned to the second contact pad 46. Capacitors 80 are also provided on the second circuit board 40.

[0053] The capacitors 80 are preferably designed as plate capacitors 81. For this purpose, conductive surfaces 82 of similar shape are positioned opposite each other on different circuit board layers 62. This can be the nearest circuit board layer 62 or a completely different circuit board layer 62. The capacitors 80 can also be designed as interdigital capacitors 67, which are usually arranged on the same circuit board layer 62. The capacitors 80 are used to reduce or increase crosstalk or to optimize insertion loss, return loss, and bandwidth. In addition, the first conductor 64 and the second conductor 65 of the differential line 61 each have an inductor 69. The inductor 69 is designed as a coil, which is realized by a meandering path of the conductor 63. The conductors 64 and 65 can have different widths.The widths can be adapted to the topology-related impedances such as plug contacts 49 and insulation displacement connectors 43.

[0054] In Fig. Figure 5 shows the composite body 77 consisting of the first circuit board 86 with compensation units 68 and a support element 75. The compensation units 68 are designed as plate capacitors 81. Contact pads 83 are arranged in a row along one edge of the first circuit board 86, whereby the contact pads 83 can also be arranged along several edges, in pairs, or in several rows. In the assembled state, the three sections 52 of the plug contacts 49 press against the contact pads 83 of the first circuit board 86 and establish an electrical connection. An RJ45 socket has eight conductor tracks 64, 65, with each pair of conductor tracks 64, 65 forming a differential line 61. The specific conductor tracks 64, 65 forming a differential line are defined by the standard. Conductor tracks 64, 65 one and two form a differential line. The conductor tracks 64, 65, three and six form a differential conductor 61.Conductor tracks 64, 65 four and five form a differential line 61, and conductor tracks 64, 65 seven and eight form a differential line 61. The contact pads 83, which are arranged in a row on the first circuit board 86, are each connected to a conductor track 64, 65 via the third sections 52 of the plug connector 49. The contact pad 83 that is furthest from the longer side surface 21 of the front part of the housing 20 is the contact pad 83 that is connected to conductor track 64, 65 eight via the third section 52 of the plug connector 49. The contact pad 83 that is closest to the longer side surface 21 of the front part of the housing 20 is the contact pad 83 that is connected to conductor track 64, 65 one via the third section 52 of the plug connector 49. The other contact surfaces 83 are subsequently connected to the other conductor tracks 64, 65.

[0055] A capacitor 80 on the first circuit board 86 is connected to contact pads 83 one and three. Another capacitor 80 on the first circuit board 86 is connected to contact pads 83 one and seven. Another capacitor 80 on the first circuit board 86 is connected to contact pads 83 two and six. Another capacitor 80 on the first circuit board 86 is connected to contact pads 83 two and eight. Another capacitor 80 on the first circuit board 86 is connected to contact pads 83 three and five. Another capacitor 80 on the first circuit board 86 is connected to contact pads 83 three and seven. Another capacitor 80 on the first circuit board 86 is connected to contact pads 83 four and six. A capacitor 80 can be arranged between two first conductor tracks 64 or between two second conductor tracks 65. A capacitor 80 can be arranged between a first conductor track 64 and a second conductor track 65.Starting from a conductive surface 82 of one capacitor 80, a second conductive surface 82 of another capacitor 80 can be connected via a spur line 85. A conductive surface 82 of one capacitor 80 can be capacitively coupled to two conductive surfaces 82 of different capacitors 80.

[0056] Both the support element 75 and the first circuit board 86 have recesses 76, 84. The first circuit board 86 is extremely thin, preferably 50 µm, and more preferably 25 µm. However, the first circuit board 86 can also be 500 µm thick, resulting in higher strength but lower flexibility. The corresponding compensation units 68 on the first circuit board 86 must be correspondingly larger. The first circuit board 86 can also have a thickness of 360 µm. This thickness is one of the most common and offers a good combination of flexibility and strength. However, the first circuit board 86 can also have thicknesses of 200 µm or 100 µm.

[0057] In Fig. 6 is the compensation unit 68 of the first circuit board 86 shown separately.

[0058] In Fig.Figure 7 shows the subcomponents: second circuit board 40, composite body 77, consisting of first circuit board 86 and support element 75, and plug contacts. The second circuit board 40 has a conductor track 64, 65 of the differential line 61, which includes a capacitor 80 and an inductor 69, which is designed as a meandering coil 73. The capacitor 80 is designed as an interdigital capacitor 67. An interdigital capacitor 67 is preferably formed on a circuit board layer 62, wherein interdigital capacitors 67 have two conductive surfaces 82 that are isolated from each other. The conductive surfaces 82 are designed as fingers 74, and the fingers 74 of different conductive surfaces 82 alternately interlock. In addition to the interdigital capacitor 67, further plate capacitors 81 can be arranged between the same conductor tracks 64, 65. List of reference symbols 1 Electrical connector 2 sockets 10 housings 11 Front 12 Back 20 Front of housing 21 side surfaces 22 Connecting element 23 Staff 24 plates 25 Exclusion 30 Rear of housing 31 side surface 32 indentation 40 Second circuit board 41 First contact element 42 Second contact element 43 Insulation clamp 44 feet 45 Initial Contact 46 First contact pad 47 Feedthrough opening 48 cutting surface 49 Plug contact 50 Subsection one 51 Subsection two 52 Subsection three 53 Subsection four 54 Second contact opening 55 First connecting element 56 Second connecting element 57 Third connecting element 58 Contact point 59 Second contact pad 60 Auxiliary section 61 Differential line 62 PCB layer 63 Ladder path 64 First conductor track 65 Second conductor track 66 Via 67 Interdigital capacitor 68 compensation units 69 Inductance 70 loading piece 71 retaining clamps 72 Hollowing 73 coil 74 fingers 75 Support element 76 recess 77 composite bodies 80 Capacitor 81 Plate capacitor 82 Conducting surface 83 Contact area 84 recess 85 branch lines 86 First circuit board 90 plastic carrier element 91 Holding devices 92 Rastnase 93 Notch 94 contact area 95 open space 96 Back panel 97 pens 98 Wall 100 plastic base elements 101 Hollowing 102 Indentation L Longitudinal axis Q transverse axis QUOTES CONTAINED IN THE DESCRIPTION

[0000] This list of documents cited by the applicant was automatically generated and is included solely for the reader's convenience. The list is not part of the German patent or utility model application. The DPMA accepts no liability for any errors or omissions. Cited patent literature

[0000] EP 3363083A4

[0003] US 9088106B2

[0003] EP 2191541B1

[0003] CN 100557899C

[0003]

Claims

[1] Electrical connector (1) for a data or communication cable having the following features: - a housing (10), - first (41) and second contact elements (42), - the first contact elements (41) are connected to the second contact elements (42) via conductor tracks (64, 65), two conductor tracks (64, 65) forming a differential line (61), - a first board (86), - the first board (86) has compensation units (68), - the first circuit board (86) is at least partially arranged in the housing (10), characterized by the other features: - the first circuit board (86) is designed as a flexible circuit board, - the first circuit board (86) is arranged on a carrier element (75). [2] Electrical connector (1) according to claim 1, characterized bythat the first circuit board (86) is formed from a substrate, wherein the substrate height is less than or equal to 50 µm, preferably less than or equal to 25 µm. [3] Electrical connector (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the first circuit board (86) is arranged completely overlapping the carrier element (75). [4] Electrical connector (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the carrier element (75) has approximately the same shape or at least approximately the same shape as the first circuit board (86). [5] Electrical connector (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the carrier element (75) is thicker than the first circuit board (86), wherein the carrier element (75) is preferably rigid. [6] Electrical connector (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized bythat the carrier element (75) can be fastened to the housing (10) or to a subcomponent connected to the housing (10). [7] Electrical connector (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that a second circuit board (40) is arranged at least partially in the housing (10), wherein first contact elements (41) and second contact elements (42) are connected to the second circuit board (40), wherein the second circuit board (40) is connected to the second contact elements (42). [8] Electrical connector (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the second board (40) is arranged perpendicularly or at an angle or parallel to the first board (86). [9] Electrical connector (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the first circuit board (86) is designed as a polyimide circuit board, wherein the carrier material of the carrier element (75) is preferably made of the material FR4. [10] Electrical connector (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the first contact elements (41) are designed as insulation displacement terminals (43) and the second contact elements (42) are designed as plug contacts (49). [11] Electrical connector (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the plug contacts (49) are spring-loaded. [12] Electrical connector (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the carrier element (75) forms pins, wherein the pins can be passed through a recess (84) of the first circuit board (86), so that in the assembled state the first circuit board (86) is held on the carrier element (75) by the restoring force of the plug contacts (49). [13] Electrical connector (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized bythat compensation units (68) are arranged on the first circuit board (86), wherein the compensation units (68) are capacitive, wherein the capacitive compensation units (68) are designed as capacitors (80), wherein the capacitors (80) are designed either as plate capacitors (81) or as interdigital capacitors (67). [14] Electrical connector (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that compensation units (68) are arranged on the second circuit board (40), wherein the compensation units (68) are capacitances and inductances (69), wherein the capacitances are designed as capacitors (80) and the inductance (69) is designed as a meander-shaped conductor path (63). [15] Electrical connector (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the electrical connector (1) is designed as a socket (2), in particular as an RJ45 socket.

Images