electrical connectors

Abstract

To provide an electric connector capable of improving transmission characteristics of signals.SOLUTION: In a receptacle connector, a folded section 11c includes a first arm 41 extending from one end in a press-fitting direction of an insulation housing and a second arm 42 extending from the other end in the press-fitting direction. A top section 34 is formed by coupling an end portion opposite to an end portion of the first arm 41 connected to the one end with an end portion opposite to an end portion of the second arm 42 connected to the other end. The top section 34 is press-fitted into the insulation housing and locked with the insulation housing. On an orthogonal surface, a size of a clearance between the first arm 41 and the second arm 42 in a direction along a substrate 2 is larger than a width of the first arm 41 and the second arm 42 in a direction orthogonal to the press-fitting direction.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 on a substrate with 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 plate. In this electrical connector, impedance can be adjusted by changing the width of the signal transmission line in the conductive contacts between the part that is located between two partition walls formed by an insulating housing and the part that is not located 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 Patent Document 1, the conductive contacts are formed with stub-shaped bases that engage with the insulating housing in order to lock the conductive contacts into the insulating housing, and 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 circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide an electrical connector that can improve 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 that is a linear member formed from a flat plate, has a uniform width in the plate thickness direction, and extends while bending in a plane perpendicular to the plate thickness direction, and that comes into contact with an electrode of the board and a mating contact that transmits an electrical signal in the mating connector, thereby transmitting the electrical signal between the board and the mating connector; an insulating housing for holding the conductive contacts; The conductive contacts are a contact portion that comes into contact with the mating contact on a first surface including a line segment extending in the plate thickness direction; a substrate connection portion that connects to an electrode of the substrate at a second surface including a line segment extending in the plate thickness direction; a folded portion having one end connected to the contact portion and the other end connected to the board connection portion, and 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 of the first arm portion opposite to an end connected to the one end and an end of the second arm portion opposite to an end connected to the other end are connected to form a top; The top is press-fitted into the insulating housing to engage with the insulating housing; In the orthogonal plane, the size of the gap between the first arm portion and the second arm portion in the direction along the substrate is larger than the width of the first arm portion and the second arm portion in the direction orthogonal to the press-fitting direction. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] 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 explanation of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view of a connector pair according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] 2 is a perspective view of a receptacle connector and a plug connector that constitute the connector pair of FIG. 1 before they are mated together. [Figure 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 direction and the Y-axis direction, and FIG. 4B is a perspective view of the conductive contacts of FIG. [Figure 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] FIG. 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] 10A and 10B are schematic diagrams showing deformation of conductive contacts that constitute the 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 according to Comparative Example 1. FIG. 1B is a graph showing the characteristic impedance of a signal transmission line according to Comparative Example 1. FIG. [Figure 12] 10A is a diagram showing the shape of a conductive contact according to Comparative Example 2. FIG. 10B is a graph showing the characteristic impedance of a signal transmission line according to Comparative Example 2. FIG. [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. FIG. [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. FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0010] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the drawings, the same or equivalent parts are designated by the same reference numerals.

[0011] 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.

[0012] Among the in-plane directions of the main surface 2a of the substrate 2 (the mounting surface of the connector pair 1), 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. Furthermore, 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 made with appropriate reference to this XYZ Cartesian coordinate system.

[0013] The connector pair 1 includes a receptacle connector 10 as an electrical connector according to this 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 recessed shape as a whole, and the plug connector 20 fits into this recessed portion, resulting in the mated shape shown in FIG. 1. This mating allows the board 2 and the multiple coaxial cables 3 to be connected in the connector pair 1.

[0014] 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 cables 3 are 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 has 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).

[0015] [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.

[0016] The conductive contacts 11 are made of a conductive material, such as 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 a 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 the plug connector 20.

[0017] As shown in FIG. 4(A), the conductive contacts 11 are members formed from a conductive flat plate 4. The conductive contacts 11 are formed by punching the flat plate 4. Therefore, the width dimension of the conductive contacts 11 in the thickness direction of the flat plate 4 is uniform. As shown in FIGS. 3 and 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 contacts 11 are linear members that extend while bending within an imaginary orthogonal plane 4a that is 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 a single stroke without branching.

[0018] 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.

[0019] Returning to FIG. 3 , the insulating housing 12 is made 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 toward the +Z direction and are held by the insulating housing 12. The press-fit holes are arranged in the X-axis direction to match the arrangement of the conductive contacts 11.

[0020] The shell 13 is made of a conductive material, such as metal. A plurality of shells 13 are provided and arranged in a row along the X-axis direction. The insulating housing 12 has press-fit holes into which each shell 13 is press-fitted and locked. The press-fit holes penetrate in the Z-axis direction. The shells 13 are press-fitted into the press-fit holes from above the insulating housing 12 in the -Z direction, locked to 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 positioned so as to enclose the pair of conductive contacts 11, which transmit differential signals, within the U-shape while being spaced apart (insulated) from the pair of conductive contacts 11 when viewed in the Z-axis direction. As shown in FIG. 6, the shell 13 is soldered to the ground electrode 2c of the substrate 2.

[0021] The fixing brackets 14 are used to secure the receptacle connector 10 to the board 2. A pair of fixing brackets 14 are provided. Each fixing bracket 14 is engaged with the insulating housing 12, sandwiching the insulating housing 12 from both ends in the X-axis direction. As shown in FIG. 1 , the fixing brackets 14 are 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 brackets 14.

[0022] [Plug connector] Next, a description will be given of the configuration of the plug connector 20. As shown in Fig. 5, the plug connector 20 includes the above-mentioned plug contacts 21, a first insulating housing 22, a second insulating housing 23, a shell 24, and a cover 25.

[0023] 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 contacts 11 of the receptacle connector 10.

[0024] 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 an electrically conductive member. The shell 24 is arranged so as to surround the pair of plug contacts 21 that connect to the pair of signal wires 3a of the coaxial cable 3. The shell 24 is sandwiched between and held by the first insulating housing 22 and the second insulating housing 23. The cover 25 is an electrically 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.

[0025] [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 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.

[0026] 8, when the receptacle connector 10 and the plug connector 20 are mated, the plug contacts 21 of the plug connector 20 come into contact with the conductive contacts 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 contacts 21, the conductive contacts 11, and the signal electrodes 2b of the substrate 2. A pair of the signal line 3a, the plug contacts 21, the conductive contacts 11, and the signal electrodes 2b transmits a differential signal.

[0027] 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.

[0028] 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 prevents noise from entering and leaking from the transmission line of the differential signal, thereby improving the transmission characteristics.

[0029] [Detailed configuration of conductive contacts] A more detailed description will be given of the configuration of the conductive contacts 11 that make up 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.

[0030] 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. In other words, 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.

[0031] As shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B, a virtual line segment extending in the thickness direction of the flat plate 4 is assumed. In the conductive contact 11, the plane including this line segment corresponds to the cut surface formed by punching out the flat plate 4. The 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. 4A, for example, the main surface of the flat plate 4 is illustrated as one of the orthogonal surfaces 4a.

[0032] 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 of the folded portion 11c in the longitudinal direction. The first end 32 of the folded portion 11c 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 within 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 the first end 32 in the +Z direction, then bends in the +Y direction, and further bends in the −Z direction to reach the second end 33.

[0033] As shown in Fig. 8, the apex 34 of the folded portion 11c closer to the +Z direction is press-fit into a press-fit hole in the insulating housing 12 and engages with the insulating housing 12. This engagement 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 making portion 11a comes into contact with the plug contact 21. During this contact, the contact making 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 making portion 11a at this time acts as a pressing force against the plug contact 21.

[0034] Furthermore, 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, thereby enabling the conductive contact 11 to maintain a stable connection with the signal electrode 2b of the substrate 2.

[0035] Furthermore, 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.

[0036] 4(A), the folded portion 11c includes a first arm 41 extending from the first end 32 in the press-fitting direction of the insulating housing 12, and a second arm 42 extending from the second end 33 in the press-fitting direction of the insulating housing 12. The end of the first arm 41 opposite the first end 32 and the end of the second arm 42 opposite the second end 33 are connected to form the folded portion 11c.

[0037] As shown in FIG. 4A, the width L1 of the contact portion 11a in a direction perpendicular to the first surface 30 (the Y-axis direction) is larger than the width L2 of the first arm 41 in the thickness direction of the flat plate 4 and in a direction perpendicular to the extension direction of the first arm 41 and the second arm 42 on the orthogonal surface 4a (the Y-axis direction), and is also larger than the width L3 of the second arm 42 in the Y-axis direction. If the width L1 of the contact portion 11a, the width L2 of the first arm 41, and the width L3 of the second arm 42 were the same, the characteristic impedance of the contact portion 11a, which transmits signals by contacting the plug contact 21, would increase. To reduce the characteristic impedance of this portion, the width L1 of the contact portion 11a is increased. This is because increasing the width L1 increases the capacitive component of the characteristic impedance.

[0038] 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.

[0039] Furthermore, the width L1 of the contact portion 11a in the direction perpendicular to the first surface 30 (the 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 wide along the Z-axis direction, it is conceivable that the contact portion 11a would not deform sufficiently even when the plug contact 21 abuts against it. Therefore, in this embodiment, by narrowing the contact portion 11a toward the first end 32, it becomes easier to deform around the X-axis, and the elastic force for pressing the plug contact 21 is maintained at an appropriate value.

[0040] The contact portion 11a extends from the first end 32, bends in a direction away from the substrate 2, and is disposed opposite the first arm portion 41, but 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, which faces the first arm portion 41, of the cross section taken 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 when the contact portion 11a comes into contact with the plug contact 21 on the surface closer to -Y.

[0041] Furthermore, since the plug contacts 21 can be configured to fit between the contact contact portions 11a and the first arm portions 41, it is possible to reduce the size of the connector pair 1. Furthermore, as shown in Fig. 8, the reaction force caused by the deformation of the contact contact portions 11a when the plug connector 20 is inserted into the receptacle connector 10 acts in a direction that presses the folded portions 11c into the press-fit holes of the insulating housing 12, making it difficult for the conductive contacts 11 to come off from the insulating housing 12.

[0042] 4(A), the height H1 of the first surface 30 of the contact portion 11a from the board 2 is slightly higher than or approximately the same as the height H2 of the folded portion 11c from the board 2. The height H1 is determined based on the elastic force required for contact with the plug contact 21, and the height H2 of the folded portion 11c is determined based on the locking force required for the insulating housing 12. If the heights H1 and H2 are approximately the same, the entire conductive contact 11 can be contained within a rectangle when viewed in the X-axis direction, thereby reducing the overall space required for the conductive contact 11. The heights H1 and H2 and the length of the conductive contact 11 in the X-axis direction can be determined appropriately depending on the specifications required for the receptacle connector 10.

[0043] 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, we will explain how to evaluate the characteristic impedance of a signal transmission line when the conductive contacts 11 are used. This evaluation can be performed using the TDR (Time Domain Reflectometry) method.

[0044] 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.

[0045] 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 indicate 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.

[0046] 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 90Ω, in order to match the characteristic impedance, it is desirable that the characteristic impedance of the connector pair 1 is also 90Ω. As shown in Figure 10, the characteristic impedance in ranges A and B drops slightly, but remains near 90Ω (range of 83Ω to 91Ω).

[0047] 11(A) shows a conductive contact 51 that is engaged with the insulating housing 12 by a stub 11d. The thickness of this conductive contact 51 in the X-axis direction is the same as that of the conductive contact 11 according to this embodiment. The external size of this stub 11d is the same as that of the folded portion 11c.

[0048] 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 is used. In other words, when the conductive contact 11 is used, the decrease in the characteristic impedance is suppressed in range A.

[0049] 12(A) shows a conductive contact 61 having two stubs 11e and 11f as locking portions. The thickness of this conductive contact 61 in the X-axis direction is the same as that of the conductive contact 11. In addition, in this conductive contact 61, the area of ​​the two stubs 11e and 11f when 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 when viewed in the X-axis direction.

[0050] 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 this 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 less than that of 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 this embodiment.

[0051] 13(A) shows a conductive contact 71 having two stubs 11e and 11f as locking portions. The thickness of this conductive contact 71 in the X-axis direction is the same as that of the conductive contact 11 according to this embodiment. Furthermore, in this conductive contact 71, the transmission line 11g between the stubs 11e and 11f is spaced 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 that of the conductive contact 11 according to this embodiment.

[0052] 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 characteristic impedance is less than that of the conductive contact 61 using stubs 11e and 11f (see Fig. 12(B)) in range A, but the characteristic impedance is lower (solid line) than that of the conductive contact 11 according to this embodiment (dotted line).

[0053] 14(A) 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 in the X-axis direction as the conductive contact 11.

[0054] 14(B) shows a graph comparing the characteristic impedance when the conductive contact 81 (solid line) is used and when the conductive contact 11 according to this embodiment is used. As shown in FIG. 14(B), when the conductive contact 81 is used (solid line), the characteristic impedance is 95 Ω or higher at the boundary between range A and range B, i.e., near the contact portion 11a. However, by increasing the width L1 of the contact portion 11a as in the case of the conductive contact 11, the characteristic impedance near the contact portion 11a can be adjusted to 90 Ω.

[0055] As described above in detail, the receptacle connector 10 according to the above embodiment is engaged with the insulating housing 12 at the top 34 of the folded portion 11c, which serves as a transmission line for transmitting electrical signals 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 comes into contact with 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 electrical signals.

[0056] 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 the first end 32 in the press-fitting direction of the insulating housing 12, and a second arm 42 extending from the second end 33 in the press-fitting direction of the insulating housing 12. The folded portion 11c is formed by connecting an end of the first arm 41 opposite the first end 32 to an end of the second arm 42 opposite the second end 33. In this case, the folded portion 11c only protrudes once toward +Z, which allows the length of the transmission line in the folded portion 11c to be minimized.

[0057] 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 made lower than that of the present embodiment. Also, it is not necessary to make the height of each folded portion 11c the same.

[0058] Furthermore, in the receptacle connector 10 according to the above embodiment, the width L1 of the contact portion 11a in a direction perpendicular to the first surface 30 is greater than the width L2 of the first arm 41 and greater than the width L3 of the second arm 42 in the plate thickness direction and in a direction perpendicular to the direction in which the first arm 41 and the second arm 42 extend on the orthogonal surface 4a. In this way, the characteristic impedance near the contact portion 11a can be adjusted to around 90 Ω, as shown in FIG.

[0059] 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 set to a different size. 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.

[0060] 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 gradually decreases toward the first end 32. In this way, even if the width L1 of the contact portion 11a is large, it can be deformed around the X-axis and can come into contact with the plug contact 21 with an appropriate pressing force.

[0061] Furthermore, in the receptacle connector 10 according to the above embodiment, the 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 portion 11a contacts the plug contact 21 at the surface of the first surface 30 that faces the first arm portion 41. This not only improves the transmission characteristics of the signal transmission line, but also enables the entire connector pair 1 to be miniaturized.

[0062] 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 the conductive contacts 11 can be arranged at a narrow pitch in the X-axis direction. This allows the entire connector pair 1 to be miniaturized.

[0063] In the above embodiment, the receptacle connector 10 is provided with a shell 13 that surrounds the conductive contacts 11. However, the present invention is not limited to this. The receptacle connector 10 does not necessarily have to be provided with the shell 13.

[0064] 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. Alternatively, a coaxial cable 3 may be used that transmits three or more electrical signals.

[0065] 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.

[0066] Furthermore, the connector pair 1 according to the above embodiment connects a plurality of coaxial cables 3 to the substrate 2. However, the present invention is not limited to this. A single coaxial cable 3 may also be connected to the substrate 2.

[0067] Furthermore, the receptacle connector 10 according to the above embodiment connects the substrate 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 substrates together. Such substrates include not only the substrate 2 but also flexible substrates such as FPCs (Flexible Printed Circuits).

[0068] This invention allows various embodiments and modifications without departing from the broad spirit and scope of this invention. Furthermore, the above-described embodiments are intended to explain this invention and do not limit the scope of this invention. That is, the scope of this invention is defined by the claims, not the embodiments. Various modifications made within the scope of the claims and the meaning of the invention equivalent thereto are considered to be within the scope of this invention. [Industrial Applicability]

[0069] The present invention can be applied to an electrical connector that connects electrical components together and transmits electrical signals. [Explanation of symbols]

[0070] 1 connector pair, 2 substrate, 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 substrate 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 that is a linear member formed from a flat plate, has a uniform width in the plate thickness direction, and extends while bending in a plane perpendicular to the plate thickness direction, and that comes into contact with an electrode of the board and a mating contact that transmits an electrical signal in the mating connector, thereby transmitting the electrical signal between the board and the mating connector; an insulating housing for holding the conductive contacts; The conductive contacts are 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 substrate connection portion that connects to an electrode of the substrate at a second surface including a line segment extending in the plate thickness direction; a folded portion having one end connected to the contact portion and the other end connected to the board connection portion, and 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 of the first arm portion opposite to an end connected to the one end and an end of the second arm portion opposite to an end 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 size of the gap between the first arm portion and the second arm portion in a direction along the substrate is larger than the width of the first arm portion and the second arm portion in a direction orthogonal to the press-fitting direction. Electrical connector.

2. a size of the gap between the first arm portion and the second arm portion in a direction along the substrate is larger than a minimum width of the first portion in a direction perpendicular to the first direction; 2. The electrical connector of claim 1.

3. In the orthogonal plane, the width of the first portion in a direction orthogonal to the first direction gradually decreases toward the second portion.

2. The electrical connector of claim 1.

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

4. The electrical connector according to claim 1.

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