Electrical connectors

Abstract

In a socket connector, the conductive contact (11) is a linear member with a uniform width in the thickness direction and which bends and extends in an orthogonal plane orthogonal to the thickness direction. The conductive contact (11) includes: a contact portion (11a) that contacts a plug contact (21) on a first surface (30) including a line segment extending in the thickness direction; a substrate connecting portion (11b) that connects to a signal electrode (2b) of a substrate (2) on a second surface (31) including a line segment extending in the thickness direction; and a folded-back portion (11c) whose first end (32) in the length direction is connected to the contact portion (11a) and whose second end (33) in the length direction is connected to the substrate connecting portion (11b), having a shape that folds back in an orthogonal plane between the first end (32) and the second end (33). The top (34) of the folded-back portion (11c) is pressed into an insulating shell and locked in place.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an electrical connector. Prior Art

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses an electrical connector that connects a signal electrode on a substrate to a signal transmission member of a mating connector, comprising a plurality of conductive contacts formed from a flat plate and arranged in the thickness direction of the plate. This electrical connector adjusts the impedance of the conductive contacts by varying the width of the signal transmission line between the portion of the conductive contacts formed by the insulating housing positioned between two partitions and the portion not positioned between the partitions. [Prior Art Literature] [Patent Document]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2021-22488 Summary of the Invention

[0004] [Problems to be solved by the invention] In the electrical connector disclosed in Patent Document 1, a short columnar base is formed on the conductive contact to lock the conductive contact with the insulating housing. This short columnar base deteriorates the signal transmission characteristics of the electrical connector.

[0005] The present invention is completed under the above actual situation, and its purpose is to provide an electrical connector that improves the signal transmission characteristics. [Technical means to solve the problem]

[0006] To achieve the above-mentioned objectives, the electrical connector of the present invention is mounted on a substrate and engaged with a docking connector, and comprises: A conductive contact, formed from a flat plate and having a uniform width in the plate thickness direction, and a linear member that bends and extends in a plane perpendicular to the plate thickness direction, contacts the electrodes of the substrate and contacts the docking contact that transmits electrical signals in the docking connector, transmitting the electrical signals between the substrate and the docking connector; and an insulating housing that holds the aforementioned conductive contacts; and The aforementioned conductive contact comprises: A contact portion of the contact member, which contacts the aforementioned mating contact member on the first surface including a line segment extending in the direction of the plate thickness; a substrate connecting portion connected to the electrode of the substrate on the second surface including a line segment extending in the thickness direction of the substrate; and A folded portion, the first end of which in the longitudinal direction is connected to the contact portion of the contact member and the second end of which in the longitudinal direction is connected to the substrate connection portion, and has a shape folded back within the orthogonal plane between the first end and the second end; and The top of the folded portion is pressed into the insulating housing and locked with the insulating housing.

[0007] It is feasible that the aforementioned folding portion includes: a first arm portion extending from the first end along the pressing direction of the insulating housing; and A second arm portion extending from the second end along the pressing direction of the insulating housing; and The first arm portion is formed by connecting an end portion opposite to the first end of the first arm portion and an end portion opposite to the second end of the second arm portion.

[0008] It is feasible that the width of the contact portion of the aforementioned contact piece in a direction perpendicular to the aforementioned first surface is greater than the width of the aforementioned first arm and greater than the width of the aforementioned second arm in the aforementioned plate thickness direction and in a direction perpendicular to the direction in which the aforementioned first arm and the aforementioned second arm extend on the aforementioned orthogonal surface.

[0009] It is feasible that the width of the contact portion of the contact piece in a direction perpendicular to the first surface gradually decreases toward the first end.

[0010] It is feasible that the contact portion of the contact member extends from the first end and bends in a direction away from the substrate and is arranged opposite to the first arm portion. The contact portion of the contact piece contacts the docking contact piece at a surface of the first surface that is opposite to the first arm portion.

[0011] It is feasible that the aforementioned conductive contacts are arranged along the aforementioned plate thickness direction. [Effects of the Invention]

[0012] According to the present invention, since the top of the folded portion is locked with the insulating shell, the folded portion becomes a transmission line for transmitting electrical signals between the substrate connecting portion connected to the electrode of the substrate and the contact portion of the contact member in contact with the docking contact member, thereby improving the signal transmission characteristics. Simple diagram description

[0013] FIG1 is a perspective view of a connector pair according to a first embodiment of the present invention. FIG2 is a perspective view of the receptacle connector and the plug connector constituting the connector pair of FIG1 before being engaged. FIG3 is an exploded perspective view of the receptacle connector of FIG2 . FIG. 4A is a diagram showing the conductive contacts of the receptacle connector of FIG. 3 as viewed from the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction. FIG4B is a three-dimensional view of the conductive contact of FIG4A . FIG5 is an exploded perspective view of the plug connector of FIG2. FIG6 is a diagram showing the receptacle connector of FIG2 as viewed from the Y-axis direction. FIG7 is a cross-sectional view taken along line VII-VII of FIG6 . FIG8 is a cross-sectional view taken along line VII-VII of FIG6 when the receptacle connector and the plug connector are mated. FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram showing deformation of a conductive contact constituting a socket connector. FIG. 10 is a graph showing the characteristic impedance of the signal transmission line of the connector pair of FIG. 1 . FIG. 11A is a diagram showing the shape of a conductive contact of Comparative Example 1. FIG. FIG. 11B is a graph showing the characteristic impedance of the signal transmission line of Comparative Example 1. FIG. FIG. 12A is a diagram showing the shape of the conductive contact of Comparative Example 2. FIG. FIG. 12B is a graph showing the characteristic impedance of the signal transmission line of Comparative Example 2. FIG. FIG. 13A is a diagram showing the shape of a conductive contact of Comparative Example 3. FIG. FIG. 13B is a graph showing the characteristic impedance of the signal transmission line of Comparative Example 3. FIG. FIG. 14A is a diagram showing the shape of a conductive contact of Comparative Example 4. FIG. FIG. 14B is a graph showing the characteristic impedance of the signal transmission line of Comparative Example 4. FIG. Implementation Method

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

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

[0016] The direction in which the coaxial cables 3 are arranged within the plane of the main surface 2a of the substrate 2 (the mounting surface of the connector pair 1) 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 orthogonal coordinate system.

[0017] Connector pair 1 includes a receptacle connector 10, serving as the electrical connector of this embodiment, and a plug connector 20, serving as a mating connector. As shown in FIG2 , receptacle connector 10 is mounted on substrate 2, and plug connector 20 is connected to coaxial cables 3. Receptacle connector 10 is generally concave, and plug connector 20 fits into this concave portion, forming the mating configuration shown in FIG1 . This mating connection establishes a connection between substrate 2 and a plurality of coaxial cables 3 in connector pair 1.

[0018] In this embodiment, the coaxial cable 3 includes a pair of signal lines (inner conductors) 3a (see Figure 5 ). An outer conductor 3b is provided around the pair of signal lines 3a via an insulator. A differential signal is transmitted via the pair of signal lines 3a and the outer conductor 3b. The coaxial cable 3 is arranged along the X-axis, with the signal lines 3a facing each other in the X-axis direction. As shown in Figure 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 Figure 8 ).

[0019] [Socket connector] First, the structure of the socket connector 10 is described. As shown in FIG3 , the socket connector 10 includes a conductive contact 11 , an insulating housing 12 , a shell 13 , and a fixing fixture 14 .

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

[0021] As shown in FIG4A , the conductive contact 11 is formed from the conductive flat plate 4 . The conductive contact 11 is formed by stamping the flat plate 4 . Therefore, the conductive contact 11 has a uniform width in the thickness direction of the flat plate 4 . As shown in FIG3 and FIG4A , the conductive contact 11 is arranged so that the thickness direction of the flat plate 4 aligns with the X-axis. As shown in FIG4A , the conductive contact 11 is a linear member that bends and extends within an imaginary orthogonal plane 4a perpendicular to the thickness direction of the flat plate 4 . Here, the term "linear" refers to a shape that extends in one direction with a uniform width and can be drawn with a single stroke without branching.

[0022] As shown in FIG4B , the conductive contact 11 contacts the signal electrode 2 b of the substrate 2 at one end and contacts the plug contact 21 of the plug connector 20 at the other end. The conductive contact 11 transmits electrical signals between the substrate 2 and the plug connector 20 .

[0023] Returning to Figure 3 , the insulating housing 12 is formed from an insulating material, such as resin. The insulating housing 12 extends along the X-axis, with a length 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 for inserting and securing the pair of conductive contacts 11. The press-fit holes extend through the insulating housing 12 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 are retained in the insulating housing 12. The press-fit holes are aligned along the X-axis to match the arrangement of the conductive contacts 11.

[0024] The housing 13 is formed of a conductive material, such as metal. A plurality of housings 13 are provided, arranged in a row along the X-axis. The insulating housing 12 is provided with press-fit holes into which each housing 13 is pressed and locked. The press-fit holes extend through the insulating housing 12 in the -Z direction. The housing 13 is pressed into the press-fit holes from above the insulating housing 12, locking with the insulating housing 12 and retaining it. The housing 13 is U-shaped when viewed from the Z-axis. When viewed from the Z-axis, the housing 13 is spaced apart (insulated) from the pair of conductive contacts 11 that transmit differential signals, and the pair of conductive contacts 11 are enclosed within the U-shape. As shown in Figure 6, the housing 13 is soldered to the ground electrode 2c of the substrate 2.

[0025] Fixtures 14 are used to secure the receptacle connector 10 to the substrate 2. A pair of fixtures 14 are provided. Each fixture 14 is secured to the insulating housing 12 by sandwiching the insulating housing 12 from both ends in the X-axis direction. As shown in FIG1 , the fixtures 14 are soldered to the ground electrode 2c of the substrate 2 for securement. The receptacle connector 10 is mounted to the substrate 2 via the fixtures 14.

[0026] [Plug connector] Next, the structure of the plug connector 20 will be described. As shown in FIG5 , 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 .

[0027] The plug contact 21 is a conductive member, provided for each signal line 3a of the coaxial cable 3, as described above. The first insulating housing 22 is an insulating member that holds the plug contacts 21 arranged along the X-axis. The plug contacts 21 and the first insulating housing 22 are integrally formed (insert-molded). One end of the plug contact 21 is connected to the signal line 3a of the coaxial cable 3 by soldering, while the other end is exposed to the outside, allowing it to contact the conductive contact 11 of the receptacle connector 10.

[0028] The second insulating housing 23 is an insulating member that, together with the first insulating housing 22, forms the main body of the plug connector 20. The outer shell 24 is a conductive member. It surrounds the pair of plug contacts 21 connected to the pair of signal lines 3a of the coaxial cable 3. The outer shell 24 is held between the first insulating housing 22 and the second insulating housing 23. The cover 25 is a conductive member that covers the top of the first insulating housing 22. The outer shell 24 is connected to the outer conductor 3b of the coaxial cable 3 by welding. The cover 25 is also connected to the outer shell 24 by welding.

[0029] [Overall structure of the connector pair] As described above, as shown in the cross-sectional view taken along line VII-VII of FIG6 , or FIG7 , the insulating housing 12 of the receptacle connector 10 is provided with a recess 12a formed in the -Z direction. As shown in FIG7 and FIG8 , 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 toward the +Y direction.

[0030] As shown in Figure 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. This forms a signal transmission path through 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. The signal line 3a, the plug contacts 21, the conductive contacts 11, and the signal electrodes 2b form a pair, transmitting differential signals.

[0031] Furthermore, by mating the receptacle connector 10 and the plug connector 20, the housing 24 and cover 25 come into contact with the housing 13 of the receptacle connector 10. The housing 13 is connected to the ground electrode 2c of the substrate 2. Thus, a ground path is formed by the outer conductor 3b of the coaxial cable 3, the housing 24 and cover 25, the housing 13, and the ground electrode 2c of the substrate 2.

[0032] The housing 24 and cover 25 surround the pair of plug contacts 21, while the housing 13 surrounds the pair of conductive contacts 11. Thus, the ground line surrounds the differential signal transmission path from the coaxial cable 3 to the substrate 2. This prevents the intrusion and leakage of noise in the differential signal transmission path, thereby improving transmission characteristics.

[0033] [Detailed structure of conductive contacts] The following describes a more detailed structure of the conductive contact 11 constituting the receptacle connector 10. As shown in Figures 4A and 4B, the conductive contact 11 includes a contact contact portion 11a, a substrate connecting portion 11b, and a folded portion 11c.

[0034] The contact portion 11a includes 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, which is closer to the -Z direction, is connected to the end of the portion extending in the Y-axis direction, which is closer to the -Y direction. That is, when viewed from the X-axis direction, the contact portion 11a is L-shaped. The substrate connection portion 11b is a linear portion extending in the Y-axis direction and is fixed to the signal electrode 2b of the substrate 2 by soldering. The folded portion 11c is a curved, linear portion that connects the contact portion 11a and the substrate connection portion 11b. When the substrate connection portion 11b is connected to the signal electrode 2b, the portion of the contact portion 11a extending in the Y-axis direction is spaced away from the substrate 2, allowing elastic deformation about the X-axis.

[0035] As shown in Figures 4A and 4B , an imaginary line segment extending along the thickness direction of the flat plate 4 is assumed. In the conductive contact 11, the surface containing this line segment corresponds to the cut surface formed by stamping the flat plate 4. The contact portion 11a contacts the plug contact 21 at the first surface 30 of the cut surface containing the line segment extending along the thickness direction of the flat plate 4. The substrate connection portion 11b connects to the signal electrode 2b of the substrate 2 at the second surface 31 of the cut surface containing the line segment extending along the thickness direction of the flat plate 4. As described above, the orthogonal surface 4a is an imaginary surface orthogonal to this line segment. In Figure 4A , for example, the main surface of the flat plate 4 is shown as one of the orthogonal surfaces 4a.

[0036] The end of the folded portion 11c that is offset from the -Y axis is designated as the first end 32. The first end 32 is connected to the end of the portion of the contact contact portion 11a that extends in the Y-axis direction that is offset from the +Y axis. Furthermore, the end of the folded portion 11c that is offset from the +Y axis is designated as the second end 33. The second end 33 is connected to the end of the substrate connection portion 11b that is offset from the -Y axis. The folded portion 11c bends and extends between the first end 32 and the second end 33. That is, the first end 32 and the second end 33 form the longitudinal ends of the folded portion 11c. The first end 32 is connected to the contact contact portion 11a, and the second end 33 is connected to the substrate connection portion 11b. The folded portion 11c has a shape that folds back within the orthogonal plane 4a between the first end 32 and the second end 33. Specifically, the folded portion 11 c has a shape that extends from the first end 32 in the +Z direction, bends in the +Y direction, and further bends in the −Z direction to reach the second end 33 .

[0037] As shown in Figure 8 , the top portion 34 of the folded portion 11c, which is biased toward the +Z direction, is pressed into the press-fit hole of the insulating housing 12 and locked with the insulating housing 12. This locking secures the conductive contact 11 to the insulating housing 12. Consequently, as shown in Figure 9 , when the receptacle connector 10 and the plug connector 20 are mated, the contact portion 11a contacts the plug contact 21. During this contact, the contact portion 11a rotates about the X-axis, with the folded portion 11c, which is fixed to the insulating housing 12, as a fulcrum. The elastic force generated by the contact portion 11a acts as a pressing force on the plug contact 21.

[0038] Furthermore, because the folded portion 11c is disposed between the contact portion 11a and the substrate connection portion 11b, any reaction caused by deformation of the contact portion 11a is not transmitted to the substrate connection portion 11b. This allows the conductive contact 11 to maintain a stable connection to the signal electrode 2b of the substrate 2.

[0039] Moreover, the folded portion 11c that is locked with the insulating housing 12 also serves as a signal transmission line. Since no short post is provided on the conductive contact 11 to be locked with the insulating housing 12, the signal transmission characteristics can be improved.

[0040] More specifically, as shown in FIG4A , the folded portion 11 c includes a first arm portion 41 extending from a first end 32 in the direction in which the insulating housing 12 is pressed into place, and a second arm portion 42 extending from a second end 33 in the direction in which the insulating housing 12 is pressed into place. The end of the first arm portion 41 opposite the first end 32 is connected to the end of the second arm portion 42 opposite the second end 33 to form the folded portion 11 c.

[0041] As shown in FIG4A , the width L1 of the contact portion 11a in the direction perpendicular to the first surface 30 (the Y-axis direction) is greater than the width L2 of the first arm portion 41 in the direction perpendicular to the direction in which the first and second arms 41, 42 extend on the perpendicular surface 4a (the Y-axis direction). Similarly, it is greater 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 equal to 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 signals through contact with the plug contact 21 increases. 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.

[0042] Furthermore, 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 way, in the folded portion 11c, the width along the direction in which the signal is transmitted within the orthogonal plane 4a is set to be as uniform as possible.

[0043] Furthermore, the width L1 of the contact portion 11a in the direction perpendicular to the first surface 30 (the Y-axis direction) gradually tapers from the first surface 30, where the plug contact 21 contacts, toward the first end 32. Assuming that the width L1 of the contact portion 11a is expanded uniformly along the Z-axis, it is considered that even if the plug contact 21 abuts, the contact portion 11a will not be sufficiently deformed. Therefore, in this embodiment, by gradually tapering the contact portion 11a toward the first end 32, deformation about the X-axis is facilitated, and the elastic force pressing the plug contact 21 can be maintained at an appropriate value.

[0044] The contact portion 11a extends from the first end 32 and bends away from the substrate 2, facing the first arm portion 41. However, the contact portion 11a can contact the plug contact 21 on the surface offset from -Y. However, in this embodiment, the contact portion 11a contacts the plug contact 21 on the first surface 30 facing the first arm portion 41 in a cross-section taken along the thickness direction of the flat plate 4. This configuration improves the electrical signal transmission characteristics of the connector pair 1 compared to contacting the plug contact 21 on the surface offset from -Y.

[0045] Furthermore, since the plug contact 21 can be configured to fit between the contact contact portion 11a and the first arm portion 41, the connector pair 1 can be miniaturized. Furthermore, as shown in FIG8 , 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 insertion hole of the insulating housing 12. Therefore, the conductive contact 11 is less likely to be detached from the insulating housing 12.

[0046] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 4A , the height H1 of the contact portion 11a from the first surface 30 of the substrate 2 is slightly higher than, or approximately the same as, the height H2 of the folded portion 11c from the substrate 2. Height H1 is determined based on the elastic force required for contact with the plug contact 21, while height H2 of the folded portion 11c is determined based on the required retaining force with the insulating housing 12. If heights H1 and H2 are set to be approximately the same, the conductive contact 11 can be positioned within a rectangular shape when viewed from the X-axis, thereby reducing the overall space required for the conductive contact 11. Heights H1, H2, and the length of the conductive contact 11 in the X-axis direction can be appropriately determined based on the required specifications of the receptacle connector 10.

[0047] Next, the operation of the receptacle connector 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described. The shape of the conductive contact 11 described above affects the electrical signal transmission characteristics of the receptacle connector 10. The following describes the evaluation of the characteristic impedance of the signal transmission path when using the conductive contact 11. This evaluation is performed using the TDR (Time Domain Reflectometry) method.

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

[0049] In FIG10 , ranges A and B show the characteristic impedance of connector pair 1. Range A represents the characteristic impedance of conductive contact 11 of receptacle connector 10, and range B represents the characteristic impedance of plug contact 21 of plug connector 20. The remaining range represents the characteristic impedance of the circuit including signal line 3 a of coaxial cable 3 and signal electrode 2 b of substrate 2.

[0050] Because the characteristic impedance of the circuit comprising signal line 3a of coaxial cable 3 and signal electrode 2b of substrate 2 is 90 Ω, the ideal characteristic impedance of connector pair 1 should also be 90 Ω to achieve uniform characteristic impedance. As shown in Figure 10, the characteristic impedance in ranges A and B decreases slightly but remains around 90 Ω (between 83 Ω and 91 Ω).

[0051] FIG11A shows a conductive contact 51 secured to an insulating housing 12 by a short post 11d. The thickness of the conductive contact 51 in the X-axis direction is the same as that of the conductive contact 11 of this embodiment. Furthermore, the shape and size of the short post 11d are the same as those of the folded portion 11c.

[0052] FIG11B shows a graph comparing the characteristic impedance when using the conductive contact 51 (solid line) and when using the conductive contact 11 of this embodiment (dashed line). As shown in FIG11B , when using the conductive contact 51, the characteristic impedance is significantly lower within range A than when using the conductive contact 11 of this embodiment. In other words, when using the conductive contact 11, the decrease in characteristic impedance within range A is suppressed.

[0053] FIG12A further illustrates a conductive contact 61 having two short posts 11e and 11f as retaining portions. The thickness of this conductive contact 61 in the X-axis direction is the same as that of the conductive contact 11. Furthermore, the area of the two short posts 11e and 11f in this conductive contact 61, as viewed in the X-axis direction, is the same as the area of the folded portion 11c of the conductive contact 11 of this embodiment, as viewed in the X-axis direction.

[0054] FIG12B shows a graph comparing the characteristic impedance when using the conductive contact 61 (solid line) and when using the conductive contact 11 of this embodiment (dashed line). As shown in FIG12B , when using the conductive contact 61, the characteristic impedance decreases less within range A than when using the conductive contact 51 using the stub 11d (see FIG11B ), but the characteristic impedance is still lower than when using the conductive contact 11 of this embodiment.

[0055] Furthermore, Figure 13A shows a conductive contact 71 having two short posts 11e and 11f as retaining portions. The thickness of this conductive contact 71 in the X-axis direction is the same as that of the conductive contact 11 of this embodiment. Furthermore, the transmission line 11g between the short posts 11e and 11f of this conductive contact 71 is spaced away from the substrate 2. When viewed in the X-axis direction, the short posts 11e, 11f, and the transmission line 11g form an H-shaped member. When viewed in the X-axis direction, the total area of the short posts 11e, 11f, and the transmission line 11g is the same as that of the conductive contact 11 of this embodiment.

[0056] FIG13B shows a graph comparing the characteristic impedance when using a conductive contact (solid line) and when using the conductive contact 11 of this embodiment (see FIG4A ) (dashed line). As shown in FIG13B , when using the conductive contact 71, within range A, the characteristic impedance decreases less than when using the conductive contact 61 using stubs 11e and 11f (see FIG12B ), but the characteristic impedance is lower (solid line) than when using the conductive contact 11 of this embodiment (dashed 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 thickness of the conductive contact 81 in the X-axis direction is the same as that of the conductive contact 11.

[0058] FIG14B shows a graph comparing the characteristic impedance when using conductive contact 81 (solid line) and when using conductive contact 11 of this embodiment. As shown in FIG14B , when using conductive contact 81 (solid line), the characteristic impedance is 95 Ω or higher near the boundary between ranges A and B, i.e., near contact portion 11a. However, by increasing the width L1 of contact portion 11a, as in conductive contact 11, the characteristic impedance near contact portion 11a can be adjusted to 90 Ω.

[0059] As described in detail above, in the receptacle connector 10 of the above embodiment, the top portion 34 of the folded portion 11c is locked with the insulating housing 12. This folded portion 11c forms a transmission path for transmitting electrical signals between the substrate connection portion 11b, which is connected to the signal electrode 2b of the substrate 2, and the contact portion 11a, which contacts the plug contact 21. This eliminates the need for a short post for locking with the insulating housing 12, thereby improving the transmission characteristics of the electrical signal transmission path.

[0060] Furthermore, as shown in FIG4A , in the conductive contact 11 of the receptacle connector 10 of the above-described embodiment, the folded portion 11c includes a first arm portion 41 extending from the first end 32 in the direction of insertion of the insulating housing 12, and a second arm portion 42 extending from the second end 33 in the direction of insertion of the insulating housing 12. The end of the first arm portion 41 opposite the first end 32 and the end of the second arm portion 42 opposite the second end 33 are connected to each other. In this case, since the folded portion 11c protrudes only once, biased toward the +Z direction, the length of the transmission path of the folded portion 11c can be minimized.

[0061] Furthermore, the shape of the folded portion 11c is not limited to the one described above. For example, a portion that is bent twice or more 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. Furthermore, the height of each folded portion 11c does not need to be uniform.

[0062] Furthermore, according to the receptacle connector 10 of the above embodiment, the width L1 of the contact contact portion 11a in a direction perpendicular to the first surface 30 is greater than the width L2 of the first arm portion 41, and greater than the width L3 of the second arm portion, in the direction of the plate thickness and perpendicular to the direction in which the first and second arms 41, 42 extend on the perpendicular surface 4a. Consequently, as shown in FIG10 , the characteristic impedance near the contact contact portion 11a can be adjusted to approximately 90Ω.

[0063] Furthermore, whether range A or B should be adjusted to 90 Ω depends on the required specifications. To keep ranges A and B as close to 90 Ω as possible, the width L1 of the contact portion 11a can be set to different sizes. The width L1 of the contact portion 11a can be finely adjusted to keep the characteristic impedance as close to 90 Ω as possible in ranges A and B.

[0064] Furthermore, according to the receptacle connector 10 of the above embodiment, the width L1 of the contact contact portion 11a in a direction perpendicular to the first surface 30 gradually decreases toward the first end 32. Thus, even if the maximum width L1 of the contact contact portion 11a is increased, the contact contact portion 11a can still be deformed about the X-axis and can contact the plug contact 21 with an appropriate pressing force.

[0065] Furthermore, according to the receptacle connector 10 of the above embodiment, the contact portion 11a extends from the first end 32, bends away from the substrate 2, and is disposed opposite the first arm portion 41. Furthermore, the contact portion 11a contacts the plug contact 21 on the surface of the first surface 30 that faces the first arm portion 41. This improves the transmission characteristics of the signal transmission path and allows for a reduction in the overall size of the connector pair 1.

[0066] Furthermore, according to the receptacle connector 10 of the above embodiment, the conductive contacts 11 are arranged along the plate thickness direction (X-axis direction). This allows the conductive contacts 11 to be arranged at a narrow pitch in the X-axis direction because the width of the conductive contacts 11 along the plate thickness direction is uniform. This allows the overall connector pair 1 to be miniaturized.

[0067] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the housing 13 is provided to surround the conductive contact 11. However, the present invention is not limited thereto. The housing 13 may not be provided in the receptacle connector 10.

[0068] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, a single coaxial cable 3 is used, having two signal lines 3a, to transmit differential signals. However, the present invention is not limited to this. A configuration in which a single electrical signal is transmitted through the coaxial cable 3 is also possible. Furthermore, a coaxial cable 3 that transmits three or more electrical signals may also be used.

[0069] In the above-described embodiment, the connector pair 1 connects the coaxial cable 3 to the substrate 2 at an angle relative to the main surface 2a of the substrate 2 in the Z-axis direction. However, the present invention is not limited to this. The coaxial cable 3 may also be connected to the substrate 2 along the Z-axis direction. The present invention does not limit the orientation of the coaxial cable 3 relative to the substrate 2.

[0070] Furthermore, the connector pair 1 of the above embodiment connects a plurality of coaxial cables 3 to the substrate 2. However, the present invention is not limited thereto. A connector pair 1 may connect a single coaxial cable 3 to the substrate 2.

[0071] Furthermore, the receptacle connector 10 of the above embodiment connects the substrate 2 and the coaxial cable 3. However, the present invention is not limited to this. A connector that connects substrates to each other may also be used. Such substrates include not only the substrate 2 but also flexible substrates such as FPCs (Flexible Printed Circuits).

[0072] The present invention may be implemented in various forms and variations without departing from the broad spirit and scope of the invention. Furthermore, the above-described embodiments are provided for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. In other words, the scope of the invention is defined not by the embodiments but by the claims. Furthermore, variations implemented within the scope of the claims and their equivalents are also considered within the scope of the present invention. [Industrial Applicability]

[0073] The present invention is applicable to an electrical connector for connecting electrical components and transmitting electrical signals.

[0074] 1: Connector pair 2:Substrate 2a: Main surface 2b:Signal electrode 2c: Ground electrode 3: Coaxial cable 3a: Signal line (inner conductor) 3b: External conductor 4: Tablet 4a: Orthogonal surface 10: Socket connector (electrical connector) 11: Conductive contact 11a: Contact part 11b: substrate connection part 11c: fold back 11d, 11e, 11f: short columns 11g: Transmission Line 12: Insulation shell 12a: concave part 13: Shell 14:Fixed hardware 20: Plug connector (docking connector) 21: Plug contact (docking contact) 22: First insulation shell 23: Second insulation shell 24: Shell 25: Hood 30: Page 1 31: Page 2 32: End 1 33: End 2 34: Top 41: 1st arm 42: 2nd arm 51, 61, 71, 81: Conductive contacts A, B: Range H1, H2: Height L1, L2, L3: Width VII-VII: Line X, Y, Z: Axis

Claims

1. An electrical connector mounted on a substrate and mating with a mating connector, comprising: a conductive contact, which is a linear member formed from a flat plate and having a uniform width in its thickness direction, and bending and extending in an orthogonal plane orthogonal to the thickness direction, contacting an electrode of the substrate and a mating contact for transmitting an electrical signal in the mating connector, transmitting the electrical signal between the substrate and the mating connector; and an insulating shell holding the conductive contact; wherein the conductive contact comprises: a contact contact portion that contacts the mating contact on a first surface including a line segment extending in the thickness direction; a substrate connecting portion that connects to an electrode of the substrate on a second surface including a line segment extending in the thickness direction; and a folded-back portion, one end of which is connected to the contact contact portion and the other end of which is connected to the substrate connecting portion, having a shape folded back in the orthogonal plane between the one end and the other end; and the folded-back portion comprising: The first arm extends from one end along the pressing direction of the aforementioned insulating shell; and the second arm extends from the other end along the aforementioned pressing direction; and in the aforementioned orthogonal plane, the size of the gap between the aforementioned first arm and the aforementioned second arm along the direction of the aforementioned substrate is greater than the width of the aforementioned first arm and the aforementioned second arm in the direction orthogonal to the aforementioned pressing direction.

2. The electrical connector of claim 1, wherein the aforementioned contact member has: a first portion comprising the aforementioned first surface and extending along a first direction that is away from the aforementioned substrate; a second portion extending from the base of the first portion along a second direction intersecting the aforementioned first direction and connected to the aforementioned one end; and the size of the gap between the aforementioned first arm and the aforementioned second arm along the direction of the aforementioned substrate is greater than the width of the minimum dimension of the aforementioned first portion in a direction orthogonal to the aforementioned first direction.

3. The electrical connector of claim 2, wherein in the aforementioned orthogonal plane, the width of the aforementioned first portion in the direction orthogonal to the aforementioned first direction gradually decreases as it approaches the aforementioned second portion.

4. An electrical connector mounted on a substrate and mating with a mating connector, comprising: a conductive contact, which is a linear member formed from a flat plate and having a uniform width in its thickness direction, and bending and extending in an orthogonal plane orthogonal to the thickness direction, contacting an electrode of the substrate and a mating contact that transmits an electrical signal in the mating connector, transmitting the electrical signal between the substrate and the mating connector; and an insulating shell holding the conductive contact; wherein the conductive contact comprises: a contact portion that contacts the mating contact on a first surface including a line segment extending in the thickness direction; a substrate connecting portion that connects to an electrode of the substrate on a second surface including a line segment extending in the thickness direction; and a folded-back portion, one end of which is connected to the contact portion and the other end of which is connected to the substrate connecting portion, having a shape folded back in the orthogonal plane between the one end and the other end; and the contact portion having: The first part includes the aforementioned first surface and extends along a first direction that is away from the aforementioned substrate; the second part extends from the base of the first part along a second direction that intersects the aforementioned first direction and connects to the aforementioned one end; the aforementioned folded-back portion includes: a first arm that extends from the aforementioned one end along the pressing direction of the aforementioned insulating shell; and a second arm that extends from the aforementioned other end along the aforementioned pressing direction; and the end of the aforementioned first arm that connects to the aforementioned one end is the opposite end, and the end of the aforementioned second arm that connects to the aforementioned other end is the opposite end to form a top; the aforementioned top is pressed into the aforementioned insulating shell and engages with the aforementioned insulating shell; the aforementioned contact member contact portion contacts the aforementioned mating contact member on the surface of the aforementioned first surface opposite to the aforementioned top; the height of the portion of the aforementioned first part that contacts the aforementioned mating contact member from the aforementioned substrate is the same as or lower than the height of the portion of the aforementioned top that engages with the aforementioned insulating shell from the aforementioned substrate; The aforementioned second part is configured to be close to and facing the aforementioned substrate.

5. The electrical connector of claim 4, wherein the portion of the aforementioned conductive contact that engages with the aforementioned insulating housing in the aforementioned folded-back portion forms at least one end of the aforementioned top in the direction connecting the aforementioned first arm and the aforementioned second arm.

6. An electrical connector as claimed in any of claims 1 to 5, wherein the aforementioned conductive contacts are arranged along the aforementioned plate thickness direction.

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