Electrical Connectors

Abstract

To provide an electric connector that can improve signal transmission characteristics.SOLUTION: In receptacle connectors, a conductive contact 11 is a linear member having a uniform width in the thickness direction and extending while bending in an orthogonal plane perpendicular to the thickness direction. The conductive contact 11 has a contact contacting portion 11a that contacts the plug contact 21 at the first side 30 including a line segment extending in the thickness direction, a substrate connection portion 11b that connects with the signal electrode 2b of the substrate 2 at the second side 31 including a line segment extending in the thickness direction, and a folded portion 11c in which a first end 32 in the longitudinal direction is connected to the contact contacting portion 11a and a second end 33 in the longitudinal direction is connected to the substrate connection portion 11b, and having a folded shape in the orthogonal plane 4a between the first end 32 and the second end 33. The top 34 of the folded portion 11c is press-fitted into the insulating housing to engage it.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to electrical connectors. [Background technology]

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses an electrical connector that connects a signal electrode of a substrate and a signal transmission member of a mating connector, is formed from a flat plate, and has a plurality of conductive contacts arranged in the thickness direction of the flat plate. In this electrical connector, the impedance can be adjusted by changing the width of the signal transmission line between the portion of the conductive contact that is disposed between two partition walls formed by an insulating housing and the portion that is not disposed between the partition walls. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Patent Publication No. 2021-22488 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] In the electrical connector disclosed in the above-mentioned Patent Document 1, in order to lock the conductive contacts to the insulating housing, the conductive contacts are formed with stub-shaped bases that lock with the insulating housing. These stub-shaped bases are a factor that deteriorates the signal transmission characteristics of the electrical connector.

[0005] The present invention has been made in light of the above-mentioned circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide an electrical connector capable of improving signal transmission characteristics. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] In order to achieve the above object, an electrical connector according to a first aspect of the present invention comprises: An electrical connector that is mounted on a substrate and mates with a mating connector, a conductive contact which is a linear member formed from a flat plate, has a uniform width in a plate thickness direction, and extends while bending in a plane perpendicular to the plate thickness direction, the conductive contact being in contact with an electrode of the board and in contact with a mating contact which transmits an electrical signal in the mating connector, and which transmits the electrical signal between the board and the mating connector; an insulating housing for holding the conductive contacts; The conductive contacts include a contact portion that comes into contact with the mating contact at a first surface including a line segment extending in the plate thickness direction; a board connection portion that connects to an electrode of the board at a second surface including a line segment extending in the board thickness direction; a folded portion having one end connected to the contact portion and the other end connected to the board connection portion, the folded portion having a shape folded back within the orthogonal plane between the one end and the other end, The contact portion is a first portion including the first surface and extending in a first direction away from the substrate; a second portion extending from a base portion of the first portion in a first direction in a second direction intersecting the first direction and connected to the one end, The folded portion is a first arm portion extending from the one end in a press-fitting direction of the insulating housing; a second arm portion extending from the other end in the press-fitting direction, an end portion of the first arm portion opposite to an end portion connected to the one end and an end portion of the second arm portion opposite to an end portion connected to the other end are connected to form a top portion; The top is press-fitted into the insulating housing to engage with the insulating housing; In the orthogonal plane, the first portion in a direction orthogonal to the first direction Minimum dimensions The width of the first arm portion and the second arm portion in a direction perpendicular to the press-fitting direction is greater than the width of the first arm portion and the second arm portion in a direction perpendicular to the press-fitting direction.

[0009] In the orthogonal plane, the width of the first portion in a direction perpendicular to the first direction is From a position where the mating contact is made to a position where the second portion is connected,gradually decreasing toward the second portion, This may also be the case.

[0011] The conductive contacts are arranged in the plate thickness direction. This may also be the case. Effect of the Invention

[0012] According to the present invention, the insulating housing is engaged at the top of the folded portion, which serves as a transmission line for transmitting electrical signals between the board connection portion that connects to the electrode of the board and the contact contact portion that contacts the mating contact, thereby improving the signal transmission characteristics. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0013] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view of a connector pair according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 2] 2 is a perspective view of a receptacle connector and a plug connector that constitute the connector pair in FIG. 1 before they are mated together. [Diagram 3] FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the receptacle connector of FIG. 2. [Figure 4] 4A is a view of the conductive contacts constituting the receptacle connector of FIG 3 as viewed in the X-axis and Y-axis directions, and FIG. 4B is a perspective view of the conductive contacts of FIG. [Diagram 5] FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the plug connector of FIG. 2. [Figure 6] 3 is a view of the receptacle connector of FIG. 2 as viewed in the Y-axis direction. [Figure 7] 7 is a cross-sectional view taken along line VII-VII in FIG. 6. [Figure 8] 7 is a cross-sectional view taken along line VII-VII in FIG. 6 when the receptacle connector and the plug connector are mated. [Figure 9] 11A and 11B are schematic diagrams showing deformation of conductive contacts constituting a receptacle connector. [Figure 10] 2 is a graph showing the characteristic impedance of a signal transmission line in the connector pair of FIG. 1. [Figure 11] 1A is a diagram showing the shape of a conductive contact serving as Comparative Example 1. FIG. 1B is a graph showing the characteristic impedance of a signal transmission line according to Comparative Example 1. [Figure 12] 1A is a diagram showing the shape of a conductive contact according to Comparative Example 2. FIG. 1B is a graph showing the characteristic impedance of a signal transmission line according to Comparative Example 2. [Figure 13] 10A is a diagram showing the shape of a conductive contact according to Comparative Example 3. FIG. 10B is a graph showing the characteristic impedance of a signal transmission line according to Comparative Example 3. [Figure 14] 10A is a diagram showing the shape of a conductive contact according to Comparative Example 4. FIG. 10B is a graph showing the characteristic impedance of a signal transmission line according to Comparative Example 4. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0014] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. In each drawing, the same or equivalent parts are designated by the same reference numerals.

[0015] As shown in Fig. 1, the connector pair 1 is mounted on a substrate 2. The connector pair 1 connects the substrate 2 to a plurality of coaxial cables 3. Since the coaxial cables 3 are arranged in the X-axis direction, the connector pair 1 also has its longitudinal direction in the X-axis direction.

[0016] Among the in-plane directions of the main surface 2a (mounting surface of the connector pair 1) of the substrate 2, the direction in which the coaxial cables 3 are arranged is defined as the X-axis direction, and the direction perpendicular to the X-axis direction is defined as the Y-axis direction. Also, the direction perpendicular to the main surface 2a of the substrate 2 is defined as the Z-axis direction. In this embodiment, the description will be given with appropriate reference to this XYZ orthogonal coordinate system.

[0017] The connector pair 1 includes a receptacle connector 10 as an electrical connector according to the present embodiment, and a plug connector 20 as a mating connector. As shown in Fig. 2, the receptacle connector 10 is mounted on a board 2, and the plug connector 20 is connected to a coaxial cable 3. The receptacle connector 10 is formed into a concave shape as a whole, and the plug connector 20 fits into the concave portion to form the mated shape shown in Fig. 1. This mating realizes the connection between the board 2 and the multiple coaxial cables 3 in the connector pair 1.

[0018] In this embodiment, the coaxial cable 3 has a pair of signal lines (inner conductors) 3a (see FIG. 5). An outer conductor 3b is provided around the pair of signal lines 3a with an insulator interposed therebetween. A differential signal is transmitted by the pair of signal lines 3a and the outer conductor 3b. The coaxial cable 3 is arranged in the X-axis direction with the signal lines 3a facing each other in the X-axis direction. As shown in FIG. 2, the plug connector 20 includes plug contacts 21 as mating contacts arranged in the X-axis direction. The plug contacts 21 are connected to the signal lines 3a of the coaxial cable 3 (see FIG. 8).

[0019] [Receptacle connector] First, a description will be given of the configuration of the receptacle connector 10. As shown in Fig. 3, the receptacle connector 10 includes conductive contacts 11, an insulating housing 12, a shell 13, and a fixing metal fitting 14.

[0020] The conductive contacts 11 are made of a conductive material, for example, metal. A plurality of conductive contacts 11 are provided and arranged in a row along the X-axis direction. A pair of conductive contacts 11 constitutes one set. A pair of conductive contacts 11 is arranged so as to be connected one-to-one to a pair of signal lines 3a of one coaxial cable 3 via plug contacts 21 of a plug connector 20.

[0021] As shown in FIG. 4(A), the conductive contact 11 is a member formed from a conductive flat plate 4. The conductive contact 11 is formed by punching the flat plate 4. Therefore, the width dimension of the conductive contact 11 in the thickness direction of the flat plate 4 is uniform. As shown in FIG. 3 and FIG. 4(A), the conductive contacts 11 are arranged so that the thickness direction of the flat plate 4 coincides with the X-axis direction. As shown in FIG. 4(A), the conductive contact 11 is a linear member extending while bending within a virtual orthogonal plane 4a perpendicular to the thickness direction of the flat plate 4. Here, linear refers to a shape that extends in one direction with a uniform width and can be formed in one stroke without branching.

[0022] 4(B), one end of the conductive contact 11 contacts the signal electrode 2b of the substrate 2, and the other end contacts the plug contact 21 of the plug connector 20. The conductive contact 11 transmits an electrical signal between the substrate 2 and the plug connector 20.

[0023] Returning to FIG. 3, the insulating housing 12 is formed of an insulating material, such as resin. The insulating housing 12 extends in the X-axis direction, and its length is equal to or greater than the length of the arrangement of the conductive contacts 11. The insulating housing 12 holds the conductive contacts 11. The insulating housing 12 is provided with press-fit holes into which a pair of conductive contacts 11 are press-fitted and locked. The press-fit holes penetrate in the Z-axis direction. The pair of conductive contacts 11 are press-fitted into the press-fit holes from below the insulating housing 12 in the +Z direction and held by the insulating housing 12. The press-fit holes are arranged in the X-axis direction in accordance with the arrangement of the conductive contacts 11.

[0024] The shell 13 is made of a conductive material, for example, a metal. A plurality of shells 13 are provided and arranged in a line along the X-axis direction. The insulating housing 12 is provided with a press-fit hole into which each shell 13 is press-fitted and locked. The press-fit hole penetrates in the Z-axis direction. The shell 13 is press-fitted into the press-fit hole from above the insulating housing 12 in the -Z direction, locked with the insulating housing 12, and held by the insulating housing 12. The shell 13 is U-shaped when viewed in the Z-axis direction. The shell 13 is disposed so as to include the pair of conductive contacts 11 between the U-shape while being spaced apart from the pair of conductive contacts 11 that transmit differential signals when viewed in the Z-axis direction (in an insulated state). As shown in FIG. 6, the shell 13 is soldered to the ground electrode 2c of the substrate 2.

[0025] The fixing bracket 14 is a bracket for fixing the receptacle connector 10 to the board 2. A pair of fixing brackets 14 is provided. Each fixing bracket 14 engages with the insulating housing 12 so as to sandwich the insulating housing 12 from both ends in the X-axis direction of the insulating housing 12. As shown in FIG. 1, the fixing bracket 14 is fixed to the ground electrode 2c of the board 2 by soldering. The receptacle connector 10 is attached to the board 2 by the fixing bracket 14.

[0026] [Plug connector] Next, a description will be given of the configuration of the plug connector 20. The plug connector 20 includes the above-mentioned plug contact 21, a first insulating housing 22, a second insulating housing 23, a shell 24, and a cover 25, as shown in FIG.

[0027] The plug contacts 21 are conductive members, and as described above, are provided for each signal line 3a of the coaxial cable 3. The first insulating housing 22 is an insulating member, and holds the plug contacts 21 arranged in the X-axis direction. The plug contacts 21 and the first insulating housing 22 are integrally molded (insert molded). One end of the plug contact 21 is connected to the signal line 3a of the coaxial cable 3 by soldering, and the other end is exposed to the outside so as to be able to come into contact with the conductive contact 11 of the receptacle connector 10.

[0028] The second insulating housing 23 is an insulating member, and together with the first insulating housing 22, constitutes the main body of the plug connector 20. The shell 24 is a conductive member. The shell 24 is disposed in a state in which it surrounds the periphery of a pair of plug contacts 21 that connect to a pair of signal lines 3a of the coaxial cable 3. The shell 24 is held by the first insulating housing 22 and the second insulating housing 23 in a state in which it is sandwiched between them. The cover 25 is a conductive member, and covers the upper part of the first insulating housing 22. The shell 24 is connected to the outer conductor 3b of the coaxial cable 3 by soldering. The cover 25 is connected to the shell 24 by soldering.

[0029] [Overall configuration of connector pair] As described above, as shown in Fig. 7, which is a cross-sectional view taken along line VII-VII in Fig. 6, the insulating housing 12 of the receptacle connector 10 is provided with a recess 12a formed with a depression in the -Z direction. As shown in Figs. 7 and 8, the plug connector 20 is inserted into this recess 12a. This allows the receptacle connector 10 and the plug connector 20 to be mated. In the mated state, the coaxial cable 3 extends in a direction inclined from the Z axis in the +Y direction.

[0030] 8, when the receptacle connector 10 and the plug connector 20 are mated, the plug contact 21 of the plug connector 20 comes into contact with the conductive contact 11 of the receptacle connector 10. As a result, a signal transmission line is formed by the signal line (inner conductor) 3a of the coaxial cable 3, the plug contact 21, the conductive contact 11, and the signal electrode 2b of the substrate 2. A pair of the signal line 3a, the plug contact 21, the conductive contact 11, and the signal electrode 2b form a set to transmit a differential signal.

[0031] Furthermore, when the receptacle connector 10 and the plug connector 20 are mated, the shell 24 and the cover 25 come into contact with the shell 13 of the receptacle connector 10. The shell 13 is connected to the ground electrode 2c of the substrate 2. As a result, the outer conductor 3b of the coaxial cable 3, the shell 24 and the cover 25, the shell 13, and the ground electrode 2c of the substrate 2 form a ground line.

[0032] The shell 24 and the cover 25 surround the pair of plug contacts 21, and the shell 13 surrounds the pair of conductive contacts 11. Therefore, the ground line surrounds the signal transmission line of the differential signal from the coaxial cable 3 to the substrate 2. This makes it possible to prevent the intrusion and leakage of noise in the transmission line of the differential signal, thereby improving the transmission characteristics.

[0033] [Detailed configuration of conductive contacts] A more detailed description will be given of the conductive contacts 11 constituting the receptacle connector 10. As shown in Figures 4(A) and 4(B), the conductive contacts 11 include a contact contact portion 11a, a board connecting portion 11b, and a folded portion 11c.

[0034] The contact portion 11a has a portion extending in the Z-axis direction that contacts the plug contact 21 and a portion extending in the Y-axis direction. The end of the portion extending in the Z-axis direction closer to the -Z direction is connected to the end of the portion extending in the Y-axis direction closer to the -Y direction. That is, the contact portion 11a is L-shaped when viewed in the X-axis direction. The board connection portion 11b is a linear portion extending in the Y-axis direction and is fixed to the signal electrode 2b of the board 2 by soldering. The folded portion 11c is a portion that extends linearly while bending and connects the contact portion 11a and the board connection portion 11b. When the board connection portion 11b is connected to the signal electrode 2b, the portion of the contact portion 11a extending in the Y-axis direction is separated from the board 2 and is elastically deformable around the X-axis.

[0035] As shown in Fig. 4(A) and Fig. 4(B), a virtual line segment extending in the thickness direction of the flat plate 4 is assumed. In the conductive contact 11, a surface including this line segment corresponds to a cut surface formed by punching out the flat plate 4. The contact contact portion 11a contacts the plug contact 21 on a first surface 30 of the cut surface including the line segment extending in the thickness direction of the flat plate 4. The board connection portion 11b connects to the signal electrode 2b of the board 2 on a second surface 31 of the cut surface including the line segment extending in the thickness direction of the flat plate 4. As described above, the orthogonal surface 4a is a virtual surface perpendicular to this line segment, but in Fig. 4(A), for example, the main surface of the flat plate 4 is illustrated as one of the orthogonal surfaces 4a.

[0036] The end of the folded portion 11c closer to the -Y direction is defined as a first end 32. The first end 32 is connected to the end of the contact portion 11a closer to the +Y direction of the portion extending in the Y-axis direction. The end of the folded portion 11c closer to the +Y direction is defined as a second end 33. The second end 33 is connected to the end of the board connection portion 11b closer to the -Y direction. The folded portion 11c extends while bending between the first end 32 and the second end 33. That is, the first end 32 and the second end 33 are both ends in the longitudinal direction of the folded portion 11c. In the folded portion 11c, the first end 32 is connected to the contact portion 11a, and the second end 33 is connected to the board connection portion 11b. The folded portion 11c has a shape folded back in the orthogonal plane 4a between the first end 32 and the second end 33. Specifically, the folded portion 11c has a shape that extends from a first end 32 in the +Z direction, then bends in the +Y direction, and then bends in the -Z direction to reach a second end 33.

[0037] As shown in Fig. 8, the apex 34 of the folded portion 11c on the +Z side is press-fitted into a press-fit hole in the insulating housing 12 and locked with the insulating housing 12. This locking holds the conductive contact 11 in the insulating housing 12. As a result, as shown in Fig. 9, when the receptacle connector 10 and the plug connector 20 are mated, the contact contact portion 11a comes into contact with the plug contact 21. At this time, the contact contact portion 11a rotates around the X-axis with the folded portion 11c fixed to the insulating housing 12 as a fulcrum. The elastic force generated in the contact contact portion 11a at this time becomes a pressing force against the plug contact 21.

[0038] In addition, since the folded portion 11c is provided between the contact portion 11a and the substrate connecting portion 11b, the reaction caused by the deformation of the contact portion 11a is not transmitted to the substrate connecting portion 11b, so that the conductive contact 11 can maintain a stable connection state with the signal electrode 2b of the substrate 2.

[0039] In addition, the folded portion 11c that engages with the insulating housing 12 also serves as a signal transmission line. Since the conductive contact 11 does not have a stub that engages with the insulating housing 12, the signal transmission characteristics can be improved.

[0040] 4(A), the folded portion 11c includes a first arm portion 41 extending from a first end 32 in the press-fitting direction of the insulating housing 12, and a second arm portion 42 extending from a second end 33 in the press-fitting direction of the insulating housing 12. An end portion of the first arm portion 41 opposite to the first end 32 and an end portion of the second arm portion 42 opposite to the second end 33 are connected to form the folded portion 11c.

[0041] As shown in FIG. 4A, the width L1 of the contact portion 11a in the direction perpendicular to the first surface 30 (Y-axis direction) is larger than the width L2 of the first arm portion 41 in the thickness direction of the flat plate 4 and in the direction perpendicular to the extension direction of the first arm portion 41 and the second arm portion 42 on the perpendicular surface 4a (Y-axis direction), and is also larger than the width L3 of the second arm portion 42 in the Y-axis direction. If the width L1 of the contact portion 11a is the same as the width L2 of the first arm portion 41 and the width L3 of the second arm portion 42, the characteristic impedance of the contact portion 11a that transmits a signal by contacting with the plug contact 21 increases. In order to reduce the characteristic impedance of this portion, the width L1 of the contact portion 11a is increased. This is because the capacitance component of the characteristic impedance can be increased by increasing the width L1.

[0042] In this embodiment, the width L2 of the first arm portion 41 is the same as the width L3 of the second arm portion 42. In this manner, the width of the folded portion 11c along the signal transmission direction within the orthogonal plane 4a is set to be as uniform as possible.

[0043] Moreover, the width L1 of the contact portion 11a in the direction perpendicular to the first surface 30 (Y-axis direction) gradually narrows from the first surface 30 where the plug contact 21 comes into contact toward the first end 32. If the width L1 of the contact portion 11a were made uniformly wider along the Z-axis direction, it is considered that the contact portion 11a would not deform sufficiently even when the plug contact 21 comes into contact with it. Therefore, in this embodiment, the contact portion 11a is made thinner toward the first end 32, making it easier to deform around the X-axis, and the elastic force for pressing the plug contact 21 is maintained at an appropriate value.

[0044] Although the contact portion 11a extends from the first end 32 and is bent in a direction away from the substrate 2 to face the first arm portion 41, the contact portion 11a may also come into contact with the plug contact 21 on the surface closer to -Y. However, in this embodiment, the contact portion 11a comes into contact with the plug contact 21 on the first surface 30 facing the first arm portion 41, of the cut surface along the thickness direction of the flat plate 4. This can improve the transmission characteristics of electrical signals in the connector pair 1 compared to the case where the contact portion 11a comes into contact with the plug contact 21 on the surface closer to -Y.

[0045] In addition, since the plug contact 21 can be fitted between the contact contact portion 11a and the first arm portion 41, it is possible to miniaturize the connector pair 1. In addition, as shown in Fig. 8, the reaction force caused by the deformation of the contact contact portion 11a when the plug connector 20 is inserted into the receptacle connector 10 acts in a direction that presses the folded portion 11c into the press-fit hole of the insulating housing 12, so that the conductive contact 11 is unlikely to come off from the insulating housing 12.

[0046] As shown in FIG. 4A, the height H1 of the first surface 30 from the substrate 2 of the contact portion 11a is equal to the height H2 of the folded portion 11c from the substrate 2. andThey are approximately the same. Height H1 is determined based on the elastic force required for contact with plug contact 21, and height H2 of folded portion 11c is determined based on the locking force required for insulating housing 12. If heights H1 and H2 are approximately the same, conductive contact 11 can be entirely contained within a rectangle when viewed in the X-axis direction, making it possible to reduce the overall space required for conductive contact 11. Heights H1 and H2 and the length of conductive contact 11 in the X-axis direction can be determined appropriately depending on the specifications required for receptacle connector 10.

[0047] Next, the operation of the receptacle connector 10 according to the embodiment of the present invention will be described. The shape of the conductive contacts 11 described above affects the transmission characteristics of electrical signals in the receptacle connector 10. Below, an evaluation of the characteristic impedance in the signal transmission line when the conductive contacts 11 are used will be described. This evaluation can be performed by the TDR (Time Domain Reflectometry) method.

[0048] 10 shows the characteristic impedance of the signal transmission line of the connector pair 1 according to this embodiment, with the vertical axis representing the characteristic impedance and the horizontal axis representing time. The characteristic impedance of the connector pair 1 was obtained when an electrical signal was transmitted from the signal electrode 2b of the substrate 2 to the signal line of the coaxial cable 3.

[0049] 10, ranges A and B indicate the characteristic impedance of the connector pair 1. Range A indicates the characteristic impedance of the conductive contact 11 of the receptacle connector 10, and range B indicates the characteristic impedance of the plug contact 21 of the plug connector 20. The other ranges represent the characteristic impedance of the circuit including the signal line 3a of the coaxial cable 3 and the signal electrode 2b of the substrate 2.

[0050] Since the characteristic impedance of the circuit including the signal line 3a of the coaxial cable 3 and the signal electrode 2b of the substrate 2 is 90 Ω, in order to match the characteristic impedance, it is desirable that the characteristic impedance of the connector pair 1 is also 90 Ω. As shown in Figure 10, the characteristic impedance in ranges A and B drops slightly, but remains near 90 Ω (range of 83 Ω to 91 Ω).

[0051] 11(A) shows a conductive contact 51 that is engaged with the insulating housing 12 by a stub 11d. The conductive contact 51 has the same thickness in the X-axis direction as the conductive contact 11 according to the present embodiment. The external size of the stub 11d is the same as the external size of the folded-back portion 11c.

[0052] Fig. 11(B) shows a graph comparing the characteristic impedance when the conductive contact 51 is used (solid line) and when the conductive contact 11 according to the present embodiment is used (dotted line). As shown in Fig. 11(B), when the conductive contact 51 is used, the characteristic impedance is significantly lower in range A than when the conductive contact 11 according to the present embodiment. In other words, when the conductive contact 11 is used, the decrease in the characteristic impedance is suppressed in range A.

[0053] 12(A) shows a conductive contact 61 having two stubs 11e, 11f as locking portions. The conductive contact 61 has the same thickness in the X-axis direction as the conductive contact 11. In addition, in the conductive contact 61, the area of ​​the two stubs 11e, 11f as viewed in the X-axis direction is the same as the area of ​​the folded portion 11c of the conductive contact 11 according to this embodiment as viewed in the X-axis direction.

[0054] Fig. 12(B) shows a graph comparing the characteristic impedance when the conductive contact 61 is used (solid line) and when the conductive contact 11 according to the present embodiment is used (dotted line). As shown in Fig. 12(B), when the conductive contact 61 is used, the decrease in the characteristic impedance is suppressed more than in the conductive contact 51 using the stub 11d (see Fig. 11(B)) in range A, but the characteristic impedance is lower than that of the conductive contact 11 according to the present embodiment.

[0055] 13A shows a conductive contact 71 having two stubs 11e and 11f as locking portions. The conductive contact 71 has the same thickness in the X-axis direction as the conductive contact 11 according to this embodiment. Furthermore, in the conductive contact 71, the transmission line 11g between the stub 11e and the stub 11f is separated from the substrate 2, and the stubs 11e and 11f and the transmission line 11g form an H-shaped member when viewed in the X-axis direction. The combined area of ​​the stubs 11e and 11f and the transmission line 11g when viewed in the X-axis direction is the same as the area of ​​the conductive contact 11 according to this embodiment.

[0056] Fig. 13(B) shows a graph comparing the characteristic impedance when a conductive contact is used (solid line) and when the conductive contact 11 according to this embodiment (see Fig. 4(A)) is used (dotted line). As shown in Fig. 13(B), when the conductive contact 71 is used, the decrease in the characteristic impedance is suppressed more than when the conductive contact 61 using stubs 11e, 11f (see Fig. 12(B)) is used in range A, but the characteristic impedance is lower (solid line) than the conductive contact 11 according to this embodiment (dotted line).

[0057] 14A shows a conductive contact 81 in which the width L1 of the contact portion 11a is smaller than that of the conductive contact 11. The conductive contact 81 has the same thickness as the conductive contact 11 in the X-axis direction.

[0058] 14(B) shows a graph comparing the characteristic impedance when the conductive contact 81 is used (solid line) and when the conductive contact 11 according to the present embodiment is used. As shown in FIG. 14(B), when the conductive contact 81 is used (solid line), the characteristic impedance is 95Ω or more at the boundary between range A and range B, i.e., near the contact contact portion 11a. However, by increasing the width L1 of the contact contact portion 11a as in the conductive contact 11, the characteristic impedance near the contact contact portion 11a can be adjusted to 90Ω.

[0059] As described above in detail, the receptacle connector 10 according to the above embodiment engages with the insulating housing 12 at the top 34 of the folded portion 11c, which serves as a transmission line for transmitting an electrical signal and is provided between the board connecting portion 11b, which connects to the signal electrode 2b of the board 2, and the contact contact portion 11a, which contacts the plug contact 21. This eliminates the need to provide a stub for engaging with the insulating housing 12, thereby improving the transmission characteristics of the transmission line for the electrical signal.

[0060] 4(A), in the conductive contact 11 of the receptacle connector 10 according to the above embodiment, the folded portion 11c includes a first arm 41 extending from a first end 32 in the press-fitting direction of the insulating housing 12, and a second arm 42 extending from a second end 33 in the press-fitting direction of the insulating housing 12. The folded portion 11c is formed by coupling an end of the first arm 41 opposite to the first end 32 and an end of the second arm 42 opposite to the second end 33. In this case, since the folded portion 11c is only protruded once toward +Z, the length of the transmission line in the folded portion 11c can be shortened as much as possible.

[0061] The shape of the folded portion 11c is not limited to the above. For example, a portion that is bent two or more times may be used as the folded portion 11c. In this case, the height of the folded portion 11c can be lower than that of the present embodiment. Also, it is not necessary to make the heights of the folded portions 11c uniform.

[0062] Furthermore, in the receptacle connector 10 according to the above embodiment, the width L1 of the contact portion 11a in the direction perpendicular to the first surface 30 is larger than the width L2 of the first arm portion 41 and larger than the width L3 of the second arm portion in the plate thickness direction and in the direction perpendicular to the direction in which the first arm portion 41 and the second arm portion 42 extend on the orthogonal surface 4a. In this way, the characteristic impedance near the contact portion 11a can be adjusted to approximately 90 Ω, as shown in FIG.

[0063] It should be noted that which of ranges A and B should be adjusted to 90 Ω depends on the required specifications. If it is desired to bring the entire ranges A and B as close to 90 Ω as possible, the width L1 of the contact portion 11a may be made different. The width L1 of the contact portion 11a can be finely adjusted so that the characteristic impedance in ranges A and B is as close to 90 Ω as possible.

[0064] Furthermore, according to the receptacle connector 10 of the above embodiment, the width L1 of the contact contact portion 11a in the direction perpendicular to the first surface 30 gradually decreases toward the first end 32. In this way, even if the width L1 of the contact contact portion 11a is set to a certain size, the contact contact portion 11a can be deformed around the X-axis and can come into contact with the plug contact 21 with an appropriate pressing force.

[0065] Furthermore, in the receptacle connector 10 according to the above embodiment, the contact contact portion 11a extends from the first end 32, bends in a direction away from the board 2, and is disposed opposite the first arm portion 41. The contact contact portion 11a contacts the plug contact 21 at a surface of the first surface 30 that faces the first arm portion 41. In this manner, the transmission characteristics of the signal transmission line can be improved, and the entire connector pair 1 can be made smaller.

[0066] Furthermore, in the receptacle connector 10 according to the above embodiment, the conductive contacts 11 are arranged in the plate thickness direction (X-axis direction). In this way, the conductive contacts 11 have a uniform width in the plate thickness direction, so that the conductive contacts 11 can be arranged at a narrow pitch in the X-axis direction. This makes it possible to miniaturize the entire connector pair 1.

[0067] In the above embodiment, the receptacle connector 10 includes the shell 13 that surrounds the conductive contacts 11. However, the present invention is not limited to this. The receptacle connector 10 does not necessarily need to include the shell 13.

[0068] In the above embodiment, each coaxial cable 3 has two signal lines 3a and is capable of transmitting a differential signal. However, the present invention is not limited to this. The coaxial cable 3 may transmit one electrical signal. Also, a coaxial cable 3 that transmits three or more electrical signals may be used.

[0069] In the connector pair 1 according to the above embodiment, the coaxial cable 3 is connected to the substrate 2 with the coaxial cable 3 tilted from the Z-axis direction with respect to the main surface 2a of the substrate 2. However, the present invention is not limited to this. The coaxial cable 3 may be connected to the substrate 2 along the Z-axis direction. The present invention is not limited to the orientation of the coaxial cable 3 with respect to the substrate 2.

[0070] Moreover, the connector pair 1 according to the above embodiment connects a plurality of coaxial cables 3 to the board 2. However, the present invention is not limited to this. A single coaxial cable 3 may be connected to the board 2.

[0071] The receptacle connector 10 according to the above embodiment connects the board 2 and the coaxial cable 3. However, the present invention is not limited to this. It is also possible to use a connector that connects boards together. Such boards include not only the board 2 but also flexible boards such as FPCs (Flexible Printed Circuits).

[0072] Various embodiments and modifications of the present invention are possible without departing from the broad spirit and scope of the present invention. The above-described embodiments are for the purpose of explaining the present invention and do not limit the scope of the present invention. That is, the scope of the present invention is indicated by the claims, not the embodiments. Various modifications made within the scope of the claims and the scope of the invention equivalent thereto are considered to be within the scope of the present invention. [Industrial Applicability]

[0073] The present invention can be applied to an electrical connector that connects electrical components together and transmits electrical signals. [Explanation of symbols]

[0074] 1 connector pair, 2 board, 2a main surface, 2b signal electrode, 2c ground electrode, 3 coaxial cable, 3a signal line (inner conductor), 3b outer conductor, 4 flat plate, 4a orthogonal surface, 10 receptacle connector, 11 conductive contact, 11a contact contact portion, 11b board connection portion, 11c folded portion, 11d, 11e, 11f stub, 11g transmission line, 12 insulating housing, 12a recess, 13 shell, 14 fixing bracket, 20 plug connector, 21 plug contact, 22 first insulating housing, 23 second insulating housing, 24 shell, 25 cover, 30 first surface, 31 second surface, 32 first end, 33 second end, 34 top, 41 first arm portion, 42 second arm portion, 51, 61, 71, 81 conductive contact

Claims

1. An electrical connector that is mounted on a substrate and mates with a mating connector, a conductive contact which is a linear member formed from a flat plate, has a uniform width in a plate thickness direction, and extends while bending in a plane perpendicular to the plate thickness direction, the conductive contact being in contact with an electrode of the board and a mating contact which transmits an electrical signal in the mating connector, and which transmits the electrical signal between the board and the mating connector; an insulating housing for holding the conductive contacts; The conductive contacts include a contact portion that comes into contact with the mating contact at a first surface including a line segment extending in the plate thickness direction; a board connection portion that is connected to an electrode of the board at a second surface including a line segment extending in the board thickness direction; a folded portion having one end connected to the contact portion and the other end connected to the board connection portion, the folded portion having a shape folded back within the orthogonal plane between the one end and the other end, The contact portion is a first portion including the first surface and extending in a first direction away from the substrate; a second portion extending from a base portion of the first portion in a first direction in a second direction intersecting the first direction and connected to the one end, The folded portion is a first arm portion extending from the one end in a press-fitting direction of the insulating housing; a second arm portion extending from the other end in the press-fitting direction, an end portion of the first arm portion opposite to an end portion connected to the one end and an end portion of the second arm portion opposite to an end portion connected to the other end are connected to form a top portion; The top is press-fitted into the insulating housing to engage with the insulating housing; In the orthogonal plane, a width of a minimum dimension of the first portion in a direction perpendicular to the first direction is greater than a width of the first arm portion and the second arm portion in a direction perpendicular to the press-fitting direction. Electrical connector.

2. In the orthogonal plane, a width of the first portion in a direction orthogonal to the first direction gradually decreases from a position at which the first portion contacts the mating contact to a position at which the first portion is connected to the second portion as the width of the first portion approaches the second portion.

2. The electrical connector of claim 1.

3. The conductive contacts are arranged in the plate thickness direction.

3. The electrical connector according to claim 1 or 2.

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