Contact module with improved shield and integrally folded housing - Patent Application 20070122997

Abstract

To provide a contact module with improved shielding performance and a simplified assembly.SOLUTION: A contact module for transmission of high-frequency signals, includes: at least one electrically conductive contact element; a dielectric insulator 4 sectionally surrounding; and an electrically conductive shielding housing 6 at least sectionally surrounding the dielectric insulator with the at least one contact element inside. The shielding housing 6 is monolithically folded around the dielectric insulator 4. The shielding housing 6 may be provided attached to a metal strip 58, and a bridge may be cut in a stage where an access opening 62 is closed. An electrical connector having improved shielding performance, a simplified assembly, and a reduced number of parts is realized including at least one contact module and a connector housing.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a contact module for transmitting high-frequency signals, a method for manufacturing such a contact module, a set including two such contact modules, and an electrical connector comprising at least one contact module and a connector housing. [Background technology]

[0002] Contact modules are used to interconnect electrical components, such as printed circuit boards, and connectors. They contain one or more conductors that must be provided with a dielectric and a shield.

[0003] Conventional contact modules, such as chiclet connectors, have two conductors in one component, and require complex manufacturing and assembly processes to provide the conductors with dielectric and shielding.

[0004] Generally, the contact module should provide good electrical shielding while at the same time being easy to assemble. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a contact module that has improved shielding performance and is easy to assemble. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The object is to provide a contact module for the transmission of high frequency signals, the contact module comprising at least one conductive contact element adapted to transmit high frequency signals, a dielectric insulator and a conductive shielding housing, a dielectric insulator at least partially surrounding the at least one contact element; a dielectric insulator having at least one contact element held and surrounded by a shield housing; The shield housing is solved by a contact module which is folded integrally around a dielectric insulator.

[0007] The integral, single-piece construction of the shield housing eases the assembly process and reduces the part count of the contact module.

[0008] The above invention can be further improved by adding one or more of the features described below, each of which is advantageous in itself and can be combined independently and / or in any desired manner with any of the other features described below. The features described below apply equally to contact modules and methods for manufacturing contact modules, even if a particular feature is described only in the context of one of the contact module and the method for manufacturing the contact module. For example, if a contact module is described as having a certain feature, it is clear that the manufacturing process can include this feature. Furthermore, if the manufacturing method includes a step of manufacturing a particular feature of the contact module, it is clear that the contact module can have this feature.

[0009] For ease of manufacturing, the entire shielding housing may be formed from folded sheet metal, and in this embodiment, the shielding housing may be folded around the dielectric insulator to enclose the dielectric insulator.

[0010] According to further embodiments of the present invention, at least one contact element can be inserted into a receptacle in the dielectric insulator and / or the dielectric insulator can be set-into an access opening in the shield housing. Good containment of the contact element within the dielectric insulator and shield housing improves shielding performance.

[0011] To improve guiding of the contact elements during assembly and thereby reduce the risk of damage, the receptacle of the dielectric insulator may include a through hole and / or a laterally open channel into which at least one contact element is inserted. The through hole may also be used to adjust impedance. The receptacle may include a groove into which the contact element can be inserted. After insertion, the contact element can be at least partially received in the groove of the receptacle. In particular, the contact element can then abut against a ground point of the receptacle.

[0012] According to another embodiment, the through-hole and / or channel can include at least two sections with different internal widths, thus providing an area with good accessibility and simplifying assembly. The two sections can also adjust the impedance.

[0013] According to another embodiment of the present invention, at least one contact element may include a ridge located in a narrow portion of the through hole and / or channel, the ridge forming a limit stop for lateral and / or torsional movement of the at least one contact element, preventing relative movement of the contact element with other components of the contact module, thereby reducing friction and resulting wear.

[0014] In another aspect, the contact module can form a connection portion configured to attach to a printed circuit board and / or a mating portion configured to mate with a mating contact of a high-frequency signal transmission line. The contact portion can include one or more tabs formed by the shield housing. The contact portion can be configured to be pressed into a complementary hole in, for example, a PCB.

[0015] According to a further aspect of the invention, at least one contact element can protrude from the dielectric insulator, and the dielectric insulator can include a locating pin extending parallel to the at least one contact element. In the assembled state, the locating pin improves axial guidance of the contact element and reduces mechanical loads, such as bending moments, on the contact element. The protrusion allows the contact element to contact another current-carrying component.

[0016] At least one contact element can also protrude from the shield housing. In particular, at least one contact element can protrude from the shield housing at the connection portion. Similarly, a locating pin of a dielectric insulator can be arranged at the connection portion.

[0017] In another embodiment, the locating pin can protrude further than at least one contact element. This structural feature has an advantage in the polarized insertion direction of the contact module when it is assembled into another component, such as a printed circuit board. Therefore, a user can recognize an assembly error, for example, when the contact module protrudes from the printed circuit board.

[0018] According to another aspect, at least one of the shielding housing, the dielectric insulator, and the at least one contact element can include two legs oriented at an angle relative to one another. In particular, the angle can be approximately 90°, so that the legs are arranged in an L-shape. Naturally, other shapes, such as a V-shape, are also possible. In this way, the contact module can connect components whose insertion directions are not parallel to one another. This is advantageous in terms of space-saving assembly of such components.

[0019] The angle between the legs can be formed by a bend in the contact element, the bend being located between the connecting portion and the mating portion. The bend can be spaced apart from the connecting portion and the mating portion.

[0020] At least one contact element can be inserted into the receptacle along a linear insertion direction. Alternatively, the contact element can be placed into the receptacle or slid, pushed, or forced into the receptacle. The insertion direction can extend along the longitudinal axis of one leg of the receptacle. If the dielectric insulator provides a through hole, the insertion direction can also extend along the longitudinal axis of the through hole. During insertion, the long leg of the contact element can enter the receptacle through an axial opening in the receptacle. The axial opening in the receptacle can be positioned at an axial end face of one leg of the dielectric insulator. The contact element can be moved along the insertion direction until the short leg of the contact element abuts a ground point on the receptacle. In this state, the contact element cannot be inserted further and both legs of the contact element can be received in the grooves of the receptacle.

[0021] The dielectric insulator having at least one contact element received in the groove of the receptacle can then be inserted into the shielding housing along a linear insertion direction. The insertion direction can extend along the longitudinal axis of the pre-bent long leg or short leg of the shielding housing. The longitudinal axes of the long legs of the shielding housing, the long legs of the dielectric insulator, and the long legs of the contact elements can be aligned along the linear insertion direction. In this manner, the shielding housing, the dielectric insulator, and the contact elements can be assembled along the same insertion direction.

[0022] During insertion along the insertion direction, the dielectric insulator having at least one contact element therein can be inserted into the shielded housing through the access opening. The insertion can follow a linear trajectory, i.e., be oriented along the insertion direction. A normal axis of the access opening can extend along the insertion direction. The access opening should be large enough so that at least one contact element having at least one contact element passes at least partially through it into the shielded housing. Thus, the dielectric insulator having at least one contact element therein can be inserted particularly completely into the shielded housing.

[0023] Each of the shielding housing, the dielectric insulator, and the at least one contact element may include a segment having a circular cross-section and a segment having a rectangular cross-section. Furthermore, a third segment having a square cross-section may be present between the other two segments, such that the segment having the circular cross-section or the segment having the square cross-section may be separated from the segment having the rectangular cross-section by a bend. In particular, the transition between the circular cross-section and the rectangular cross-section may include a shoulder or step extending away from the signal transmission path. Each of the shielding housing, the dielectric insulator, and the at least one contact element may include such a transition. The dielectric insulator may include a through-hole in the segment having the circular cross-section that extends along the signal transmission path. Additionally, the dielectric insulator may include laterally open channels in the rectangular cross-section segment that extend along the signal transmission path.

[0024] To enable transmission of signals that are resistant to interference, the contact module can comprise two contact elements forming a differential pair, both of which are at least partially surrounded by a dielectric insulator and a shielding housing.

[0025] According to another embodiment, a set can be provided that includes two contact modules according to one of the above embodiments, where the two contact modules have different lengths. The length is defined as the distance between the connecting portion and the mating portion of each contact module along the contact element. This embodiment establishes a polarized and therefore error-free mating process between the set and other components. Furthermore, this set can replace a chiclet. Both contact modules can have the same fixing plane and / or the same contact plane.

[0026] In another aspect of the present invention, an electrical connector can be provided, the electrical connector comprising: at least one contact module according to one of the above embodiments; and a connector housing having a mating surface and at least one contact opening communicating with the mating surface, the at least one contact module being received in the at least one contact opening projecting into the mating surface. Such a connector can be used to establish an electrical connection between several components and is easy to assemble.

[0027] According to another embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a method for manufacturing a contact module for transmitting high frequency signals, the method comprising the steps of: providing a conductive shielding housing folded around an interior volume accessible through an access opening in the conductive shielding housing, a dielectric insulator disposed in the interior volume of the shielding housing, and at least one conductive contact element received in the dielectric insulator; - closing the access opening by further folding the shield housing; A method may be provided which may include:

[0028] Contact modules produced in this way can be produced cost-effectively, particularly in automated production situations.

[0029] In another embodiment, the shielding housing can be provided as a part having a flat shape, and can be folded to surround the interior volume with an access opening leading to the interior volume, and the dielectric insulator can be inserted into the interior volume of the shielding housing through the access opening. Contact modules assembled by this method can be manufactured in a cost-effective and time-saving manner because the process steps can be fully automated.

[0030] According to another aspect, the shield housing may be provided attached to the metal strip and can remain on the metal strip at least until the access opening is closed, thus simplifying handling and transport of the shield housing prior to assembly.

[0031] The present invention will be exemplarily described in more detail below according to several embodiments with reference to the drawings. Different features of the embodiments can be combined with each other as needed according to the general description above. Furthermore, if the technical effect of a feature is not required in a particular application, the feature can be omitted from the following embodiments. Similarly, if the technical effect of the above feature not present in the embodiments described below is not essential for a particular application, the feature can be added.

[0032] In the following, the same reference numerals are used for elements that correspond to one another in terms of structure and / or function. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0033] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic perspective view of a contact module according to a possible embodiment of the invention; [Figure 2] 1 is a schematic exploded view of a contact element and a dielectric insulator according to a possible embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3] 1 is a schematic perspective view of a contact element and a dielectric insulator according to a possible embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 4] 1 is a schematic perspective view of a shield housing, contact elements, and a dielectric insulator according to a possible embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 5] 1 is a schematic perspective view of an unfolded shield housing provided as a part having a flat shape according to a possible embodiment of the invention; FIG. [Figure 6] 1 is a schematic perspective view of an electrical connector according to a possible embodiment of the invention, prior to assembly of the contact module; [Figure 7]1 is a schematic perspective view of an electrical connector according to a possible embodiment of the invention after assembly of the contact module; DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0034] In the following, the structure of the contact module 1 according to several possible embodiments will be described with reference to FIGS.

[0035] The contact module 1 comprises a contact element 2, a dielectric insulator 4 and a shielding housing 6. According to a preferred embodiment, the contact module 1 may further comprise a connecting part 8 and / or a mating part 10.

[0036] The contact element 2 includes two legs 12 and preferably a ridge 14. One leg 12 may be shorter than the other leg 12, or both legs may be the same length. The legs 12 may be oriented at right angles to each other. The legs 12 may also be oriented at any angle 15 relative to each other. The two legs 12 may span a plane.

[0037] The contact elements 2 may be stamped contact pins 16 that extend along a signal transmission path 18. The signal transmission path 18 extends along the longitudinal axis of the legs 12. The contact elements 2 may include a pin-like tip 22. The ridges 14 are protrusions that extend along the longitudinal axis 140 of one of the legs 12 of the contact element 2, e.g., the short leg. The ridges extend further away from the respective legs 12 and lie in the plane of the two legs.

[0038] The dielectric insulator 4 may be an injection-molded plastic part. The dielectric insulator 4 includes two legs 25 and a receptacle 24. The legs 25 are oriented at an angle 27 relative to each other. In particular, the legs 25 may be oriented perpendicular to each other. At the end of one of the legs 25, the dielectric insulator 4 may include a locating pin 26 extending parallel to the contact element 2. In particular, the locating pin 26 may protrude farther than the contact element 2.

[0039] The receptacle 24 includes an optional through hole 28 and a channel 30. Both the longitudinal axis 68 of the through hole 28 and the longitudinal axis of the channel 30 extend parallel to the longitudinal axis of one leg of the dielectric insulator 4, e.g., the long leg 25a. In particular, the through hole 28 can communicate with the channel 30. The through hole 28, and additionally the channel 30, can include at least two portions 32. The portions 32 each have a different inner width 34 measured in the width direction 36. In particular, one inner width 34a can correspond to the thickness 37 of the contact element 2, while the other width 34b can be larger. This has the advantage that a more stable core can be used in the mold during the manufacturing process of the dielectric insulator 4.

[0040] To assemble the contact module 1, the contact elements 2 can be inserted into the receptacles 24 of the dielectric insulator 4. In particular, the contact elements 2 can be removably set-in into the receptacle 24. The set-in process can mean inserting, sliding, pushing, or forcing the contact elements 2 into the receptacle 24, or placing the contact elements 2 in the receptacle 24. Alternatively, the contact elements 2 can be overmolded with the dielectric insulator 4.

[0041] During insertion, the contact element 2 moves toward the dielectric insulator 4 along the insertion direction 41. The longitudinal axis 134 of one leg of the contact element 2, e.g., the long leg 38, extends along the insertion direction 41, while the short leg 40 of the contact element 2 extends perpendicular to the insertion direction 41. If a through hole 28 is provided in the dielectric insulator 4, the longitudinal axis 68 of the through hole 28 extends along the insertion direction 41.

[0042] As the contact element 2 is inserted along the insertion direction 41, the tip 22 of the long leg 38 of the contact element 2 first enters the receptacle 30 at the long leg 25 a of the dielectric insulator 4. The tip 22 of the long leg 25 a enters the receptacle 30 through the axial opening 45. After passing through both the wide portion 43 and the narrow portion 44 along the insertion direction 41, the tip 22 enters the through-hole 28. The one leg 38 moves further along the insertion direction 41 until the other leg of the contact element 2, preferably the short leg 40, abuts the ground wall 42 (not visible) of the receptacle 24. After that, the contact element 2 cannot be further inserted into the receptacle 24 along the insertion direction 41.

[0043] In the assembled state 106 , the contact element 2 can extend completely through the through hole 28 and protrude from the dielectric insulator 4 .

[0044] Furthermore, the ridges 14 are located at the narrow portions 44. As the contact element 2 moves in the lateral direction 46 and / or along the torsional direction 48, the side walls 54 of the ridges 14 abut against the inner surface 50 of the receptacle 24. In this manner, the ridges 14 form limit stops 56, limiting the movement of the contact element 2 in the lateral direction 46 and along the torsional direction 48.

[0045] After the contact element 2 is fully fitted into the receptacle 24 as described above, the contact element 2 and the dielectric insulator 4 can be assembled into the shielding housing 6. Of course, it may also be possible to first insert the dielectric insulator 4 into the shielding housing 6, and then insert the contact element 2. Likewise, any other order of assembling the contact element 2 and the dielectric insulator 4 into the shielding housing 6 may be possible.

[0046] The shielding housing 6 can be formed from a single sheet of material and can be, in particular, stamped, bent, and / or folded. The shielding housing 6 is therefore a unitary, i.e., one-piece, part. The shielding housing 6 can be provided, for example, attached to the metal strip 58 via a material bridge 60. The material bridge 60 joining the shielding housing 6 and the metal strip 58 can remain until the access opening 62 is closed. To assemble the contact elements 2 and the dielectric insulator 4 into the shielding housing 6, the shielding housing 6 can be folded integrally around the dielectric insulator 4. In particular, the unfolded shielding housing 6 can be folded directly around the dielectric insulator 4. In the unfolded state 64, the shield housing 6 may be formed as a one-piece part 66. During folding, the shield housing 6 remains in one piece.

[0047] According to a possible embodiment method 108, the dielectric insulator 4 and contact element 2 can be inserted into the access opening 62 of the pre-folded shield housing 90. The pre-folded shield housing 90 can also be referred to collectively as the shield housing 6.

[0048] The pre-folded shield housing 90 includes two legs 91 oriented at an angle 93 relative to each other, such as a short leg 91a and a long leg 91b, or two legs of equal length. In particular, the legs 91 can be oriented at right angles to each other. The length of the legs 91 corresponds approximately to the length of the legs of the dielectric insulator.

[0049] The short leg 91 a of the pre-folded shield housing 90 is configured to receive both the short leg 25 a of the dielectric insulator 4 and the short leg 40 of the contact element 2. The long leg 91 b of the pre-folded shield housing 90 is configured to receive both the long leg 25 b of the dielectric insulator 4 and the long leg 38 of the contact element 2. The long leg 91 b of the pre-folded shield housing 90 may include a cylindrical end 92 configured to receive at least the tip 22 of the contact element 2.

[0050] The pre-folded shield housing 90 further includes an access opening 62 and a bottom opening 116. The normal axis 68 of the access opening 62 extends along the longitudinal axis 122 of the long leg 91b of the pre-folded shield housing 90. The normal axis 118 of the bottom opening 116 extends along the longitudinal axis 120 of the short leg 91a of the pre-folded shield housing 90. Both the dielectric insulator 4 and the contact element 2 can be inserted through the access opening 62. The bottom opening 116 is provided to allow the locating pin 26 and the tip 22 of the short leg 40 of the contact element 2 to protrude from the pre-folded shield housing 90 after the dielectric insulator 4 and the contact element 2 are inserted into the pre-folded shield housing 90.

[0051] The pre-folded shield housing 90 further includes at least one closure flap 72. The closure flap 72 may include a horizontal surface 124 and a vertical surface 126 that may be oriented at right angles to one another. Because different shapes of the closure flap 72 are possible, the closure flap 72 does not necessarily have a vertical surface 126 and a horizontal surface 124. The normal axis 128 of the vertical surface 126 of the open closure flap 72 extends along the longitudinal axis 120 of the long leg 91 b of the pre-folded shield housing 90. The horizontal surface 124 of the open closure flap 72 lies in the same plane as a side 132 of the pre-folded shield housing 90. The horizontal surface 124 of the closure flap 72 is joined to the side 132 of the pre-folded shield housing 90 via a bending edge 74 that extends parallel to the longitudinal axis 120 of the short leg 91 a of the pre-folded shield housing 90. The bending edge 74 may be perforated or weakened. The closure flap 72 may be bent about at least one bending edge 74 along a bending direction 76 that extends circumferentially about the bending edge 74.

[0052] The access opening 62 in the pre-folded shield housing 90 is accessible until the closure flap 72 is bent along the bending direction 76. The horizontal surface 124 of the closure flap 72 is large enough to close the access opening 62 in the pre-folded shield housing 90 after the closure flap 72 is bent along the bending direction 76.

[0053] The pre-folded shield housing 90 encloses an interior volume 88. The interior volume 88 is configured to receive a dielectric insulator 4 having at least one contact element 2 therein.

[0054] For insertion, the dielectric insulator 4 with the contact elements 2 therein moves toward the pre-folded shield housing 90 along an insertion direction 41. The insertion direction 41 extends along the longitudinal axis 122 of the long leg 91b of the pre-folded shield housing 90. The longitudinal axis 134 of the long leg 25a of the dielectric insulator 4 extends along the insertion direction 41, and the longitudinal axis 136 of the short leg 25b of the dielectric insulator 4 extends perpendicular to the insertion direction 41 or at another angle, depending on the angle between the legs 25 of the dielectric insulator 4. In order for the dielectric insulator 4 to fit within the interior volume 88 of the pre-folded shield housing 90, the longitudinal axis 136 of the short leg 25b must extend along the longitudinal axis 120 of the short leg 91a of the pre-folded shield housing 90. If the dielectric insulator 4 is provided with a through hole 28 , the longitudinal axis 68 of the through hole 28 extends along the insertion direction 41 .

[0055] When the dielectric insulator 4 having the contact element 2 therein is inserted along the insertion direction 41, the tip 22 of the long leg 38 of the contact element 2 first enters the access opening 62 of the pre-folded shield housing 90. Next, the dielectric insulator 4 moves further along the insertion direction 41 until the short leg 25b of the dielectric insulator 4 abuts the rear 110 of the internal volume 88. Therefore, the dielectric insulator 4 having the contact element 2 therein cannot be inserted further into the pre-folded shield housing 90. Thereafter, the short leg 25b and the long leg 25a of the dielectric insulator 4 and the contact element 2 are received within the pre-folded shield housing 90.

[0056] In this state, the locating pin 26 of the dielectric insulator 4 and the tip 22 of the short leg 40 of the contact element 2 can protrude from the pre-folded shield housing 90 through the bottom opening 116. In particular, the locating pin 26 and the tip 22 can protrude along the longitudinal axis 120 of the short leg 91 a of the pre-folded shield housing 90 and along the normal axis 118 of the bottom opening 116. The access opening 62 of the pre-folded shield housing 90 is still open.

[0057] After the dielectric insulator 4 and the contact element 2 are inserted into the pre-folded shield housing 90, the access opening 62 is closed. Thus, the at least one closure flap 72 is bent along the bend edge 74 in the bend direction 76. The horizontal surface 124 of the closure flap 72 is bent 90° to completely bend the at least one closure flap 72. The normal axis 130 of the horizontal surface 124 then extends along the longitudinal axis 122 of the long leg 91b of the pre-folded shield housing 90. The vertical surface 126 of the closed closure flap 72 abuts the ground surface 80 of the pre-folded shield housing 90. In this manner, the bent horizontal surface 124 closes the access opening 62, and the dielectric insulator 4 and the contact element 2 are at least partially enclosed by the pre-folded shield housing 90.

[0058] Prior to assembly, the shield housing 6 may be provided as a part having a flat shape 82. In particular, the shield housing 6 may be a stamped part. The shield housing 6 having the flat shape 82 may be provided attached to the metal strip 58. In particular, the metal strip 58 may remain connected to the shield housing 6 until the access opening 62 is closed.

[0059] The shielding housing 6 can be bent directly around the dielectric insulator 4 and the contact elements 2. Thus, the dielectric insulator 4 including the contact elements 2 is first positioned on the part having the flat shape 82. The shielding housing 6 is then bent. The dielectric insulator 4 and the contact elements 2 are then received within the interior volume 88 of the shielding housing 6.

[0060] All connections within the shielding housing 6 can be provided by a forming process, for example bending or folding. In particular, the connections within the shielding housing 6 are not soldered or glued. The mechanical connections within the shielding housing 6 can be designed as dovetail connections or folded connections.

[0061] 6 shows the electrical connector 98 before the contact module 1 is assembled into the electrical connector 98. The electrical connector 98 includes a connector housing 100 having a mating face 102 and a plurality of contact openings 104. The contact openings 104 communicate with the mating face 102. The contact openings 104 are configured to receive the mating portions 10 of the contact module 1.

[0062] To assemble the contact module 1 into the electrical connector 98, the contact module 1 is inserted through the rear part 110 of the connector housing 100. For this purpose, the contact module 1 is inserted into the contact openings 104 of the connector housing 100 along an insertion direction 112. The mating parts 10 of the assembled contact module 1 then protrude into the mating face 102 of the connector housing 100 (see FIG. 7).

[0063] According to a possible embodiment, the electrical connector 98 can comprise a printed circuit board 114. To assemble the contact module 1 into the electrical connector 98, the connection parts 8 of the contact module 1 are then joined to the printed circuit board 114. In particular, a press fit between the printed circuit board 114 and the connection parts 8 of the contact module 1 can be established. [Explanation of symbols]

[0064] 1 Contact Module 2 Contact Elements 4. Dielectric insulators 6 Shielded housing 8 Connection 10. Fitting part 12 Contact element legs 14 Ridge 15 angles 16 punched contact pin 18 Signal Transmission Path 20 Longitudinal Axis 22 Tip 24 receptacles 25 Dielectric insulator legs 25a Long leg of dielectric insulator 25b Short leg of dielectric insulator 26 Locating pin 27 Angle between legs of dielectric insulator 28 Through Hole 30 channels 32 parts 34 Inner width 34a One side inner width 34b Other inner width 36 Width direction 37 Thickness 38 Long leg of contact element 40 Short leg of contact element 41 Insertion direction 42 Ground wall 43 Wide part 44 Narrow part 45 Axial opening 46 Horizontal 48 Twist Direction 50 Inner 52 External surface 54 Side wall 56 Limit stop 58 Metal Strip 60 Material Bridge 62 Access opening 64 Unfolded 66 Integrated parts 68 Longitudinal axis of through hole 70 folded segments 72 Closure flap 74 Bent Edge 76 Bending direction 78 Vertical plane of folded segment 80 Shield housing ground surface 82 Parts with flat shapes 84 Flat shield housing 86 Normal axis of access opening 88 internal volume 90 Pre-folded shield housing 91a Pre-folded short leg of shield housing 91b Pre-folded long legs of shield housing 92 End 93 Angle between legs of pre-bent shield housing 94 sets 96 length 98 Electrical Connectors 100 Connector Housing 102 Mating surface 104 Contact opening 106 Assembly state 108 Method 110 rear 112 Insertion direction 114 Printed Circuit Board 116 Lower opening 118 Normal axis of lower opening 120 Longitudinal axis of the short leg of the shield housing 122 Longitudinal axis of the long leg of the shield housing 124 Horizontal plane 126 Vertical plane 128 Normal axis of a vertical plane 130 Normal axis of horizontal plane 132 Side 134 Longitudinal axis of the long leg of the dielectric insulator 136 Longitudinal axis of the short leg of the dielectric insulator 138 Longitudinal axis of the long leg of the contact element 140 Longitudinal axis of the short leg of the contact element

Claims

1. A contact module (1) for the transmission of high frequency signals, comprising: The contact module (1) comprises at least one conductive contact element (2) configured to transmit the high frequency signal, a dielectric insulator (4), and a conductive shield housing (6), The dielectric insulator (4) at least partially surrounds the at least one conductive contact element (2), The dielectric insulator (4) having the at least one conductive contact element (2) is held and surrounded by the conductive shield housing (6); The conductive shield housing (6) is integrally folded around the dielectric insulator (4), the receptacle (24) of the dielectric insulator (4) comprises a through hole (28) and / or a laterally open channel (30) into which the at least one conductive contact element (2) is inserted; the through-hole (28) and / or the channel (30) includes at least two portions (32) each having a different internal width (34); The at least one conductive contact element (2) has opposite outer surfaces in its width direction fitted into opposite inner surfaces that define the narrower width portions (44) of the different inner widths (34), and includes raised portions (14) located in the narrower width portions (44) of the through holes (28) and / or the channels (30), the raised portions (14) protruding along the inner surfaces of the narrower width portions (44) and forming limit stops (56) for lateral and / or torsional movement of the at least one conductive contact element (2). Contact module (1).

2. 2. The contact module (1) according to claim 1, wherein the at least one conductive contact element (2) is fitted into the receptacle (24) of the dielectric insulator (4) and / or the dielectric insulator (4) is fitted into an access opening (62) of the conductive shield housing (6).

3. The contact module (1) according to claim 1, wherein the contact module (1) forms a connecting portion (8) configured to be attached to a printed circuit board and / or a mating portion (10) configured to mate with a mating contact of a high-frequency signal transmission line.

4. 2. The contact module (1) of claim 1, wherein the at least one conductive contact element (2) protrudes from the dielectric insulator (4), and the dielectric insulator (4) includes a positioning pin (26) extending parallel to the at least one conductive contact element (2).

5. 5. The contact module (1) according to claim 4, wherein the locating pin (26) projects further than the at least one conductive contact element (2).

6. 2. The contact module (1) of claim 1, wherein at least one of the conductive shielding housing (6), the dielectric insulator (4), and the at least one conductive contact element (2) includes two legs (12, 25) that are angled (15) with respect to each other.

7. 2. The contact module (1) according to claim 1, comprising two conductive contact elements (2) forming a differential pair, both of which are at least partially surrounded by the dielectric insulator (4) and the conductive shielding housing (6).

8. A set (94) comprising two contact modules (1), each contact module (1) configured according to any one of claims 1 to 7, the two contact modules (1) having different lengths (96).

9. An electrical connector (98), At least one contact module (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 7, a connector housing (100) having a mating surface (102) and at least one contact opening (104) communicating with said mating surface (102); Equipped with The at least one contact module (1) is received in the at least one contact opening (104) projecting into the mating face (102).

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