Connector assemblies and connectors

Abstract

Disclosed is an input / output (I / O) connector with First-to-Match Last-to-Disconnect (FMLB) functionality. The connector includes a base having a sheet body assembly comprising differential terminal pairs. The connector also includes a first set of augmented ground terminals and a second set of augmented ground terminals extending above a topmost of the plurality of differential pairs. The first set of augmented ground terminals is configured to prevent flexing upon contact, while the second set of augmented ground terminals is configured to flex upon contact.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates generally to the field of electrical connectors, and more particularly to connectors with enhanced grounding features for enhanced signal integrity and performance. Prior Technology

[0002] A range of input / output (I / O) connectors are designed for power, data, and power-data interconnect systems, including board-to-board, wire-to-wire, and wire-to-board systems. Depending on the requirements of the power and data communication environment using the connectors, numerous designs exist for various system types. As an example, designing interconnect system connectors can be challenging for physical space-constrained high-data-rate applications due to many competing concerns. High-data-rate interconnect systems often rely on differentially coupled signal pairs, in which two conductors are arranged in a pair to transmit differential signals. The transmitted signals are represented by the electrical differences measured between the conductor pairs.

[0003] Differential signaling helps avoid parasitic signals and crosstalk, and prevents inadvertent signal transmission patterns between adjacent signal pairs. In connector interfaces, grounding terminals can be used to create return paths for electrical grounding, provide shielding between differential pairs, and for other purposes. Connectors used in high data rate applications are typically designed to meet a range of mechanical and electrical requirements. High data rate connectors often require very high conductor densities and data rates. To achieve the required mechanical and electrical requirements, connectors used in such applications often include one or more sheet-body assemblies. Summary of the Invention

[0004] This summary is intended to present the selected concepts in a simplified form, which will be further described in the detailed description section below. This summary is not intended to highlight key or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to help determine the scope of the claimed subject matter.

[0005] According to a first aspect, a connector assembly is described as including a hermaphroditic connector. The hermaphroditic connector includes: a base including a sheet body assembly comprising a plurality of differential terminal pairs; a first set of augmented ground terminals located at a first end of the base; and a second set of augmented ground terminals located at a second end of the base opposite to the first end. The first and second sets of augmented ground terminals extend to over the topmost of the plurality of differential pairs.

[0006] The first group of enhanced grounding terminals is configured to prevent bending upon contact, while the second group of enhanced grounding terminals is configured to bend upon contact. The first group of enhanced grounding terminals includes a first enhanced grounding terminal located at a first corner of a first end of the base and a second enhanced grounding terminal located at a second corner of the first end of the base. The second group of enhanced grounding terminals includes a first enhanced grounding terminal located at a first corner of a second end of the base and a second enhanced grounding terminal located at a second corner of a second end of the base.

[0007] The connector assembly further includes one or more common strips formed of a conductive material. Each common strip includes a plurality of protrusions that engage with openings on the sheet body assembly, wherein at least a portion of the enhanced grounding terminals of the first group and the second group are electrically connected to the common strip. The common strip can be a first common strip located on a first lateral side of the base, wherein the connector assembly includes a second common strip located on a second lateral side of the base opposite to the first side.

[0008] The sheet assembly includes a plurality of grounding members formed of a conductive material. At least a portion of the conductive material is exposed through openings in the sheet assembly and is electrically connected to the common strip. The first set of enhanced grounding terminals includes a body having a hook-shaped top contact portion and a lower twist portion located parallel to the base at the second end. The lower twist portion of the first set of enhanced grounding terminals extends parallel to the lateral side of the hermaphroditic connector and contacts the common strip.

[0009] The second set of enhanced grounding terminals includes a body formed by a component extending along a vertical axis of the hermaphroditic connector. The component has a curved contact portion located parallel to a first end of the base. The body also includes a lower twist extending parallel to a lateral side of the hermaphroditic connector, wherein the body contacts the common strip. In some aspects, the lower twist includes a plurality of inwardly bent members that clamp the common strip between them to form an interference connection between the body of the second set of enhanced grounding terminals and the common strip.

[0010] The hermaphroditic connector can be a first hermaphroditic connector, and the connector assembly can further include a second hermaphroditic connector that is the same as or substantially similar to the first hermaphroditic connector. The first set of enhanced grounding terminals of the first hermaphroditic connector is configured to contact a second set of enhanced grounding terminals of the second hermaphroditic connector. The second set of enhanced grounding terminals of the first hermaphroditic connector is configured to contact the first set of enhanced grounding terminals of the first hermaphroditic connector.

[0011] According to a second aspect, a connector is described as comprising: a base including a sheet body assembly having a plurality of terminals; a first set of enhanced ground terminals located at a first end of the base; and a second set of enhanced ground terminals located at a second end of the base opposite to the first end. The first and second sets of enhanced ground terminals extend above a topmost of the plurality of differential pairs. The first set of enhanced ground terminals is configured to prevent flexing upon contact, while the second set of enhanced ground terminals is configured to flex upon contact.

[0012] The first group of enhanced grounding terminals includes a first enhanced grounding terminal located at a first corner of a first end of the base and a second enhanced grounding terminal located at a second corner of a first end of the base. The second group of enhanced grounding terminals includes a first enhanced grounding terminal located at a first corner of a second end of the base and a second enhanced grounding terminal located at a second corner of a second end of the base.

[0013] The connector may further include a common strip formed of a conductive material, wherein at least a portion of the enhanced grounding terminals of the first group and the second group are electrically connected to the common strip. The common strip includes a plurality of protrusions that engage with openings on the sheet body assembly to hold a plurality of sheets to the base. The sheet body assembly includes a plurality of grounding members formed of a conductive material. At least a portion of the conductive material is exposed through openings on the sheet body assembly and is electrically connected to the common strip.

[0014] The first set of enhanced grounding terminals includes a body having a hook-shaped top contact portion and a lower twist portion located parallel to the base at the second end, and the lower twist portion of the second set of enhanced grounding terminals extends parallel to the lateral side of the hermaphroditic connector and contacts the common strip.

[0015] The second set of enhanced grounding terminals includes a body formed by a component extending along a vertical axis of the hermaphroditic connector. The component has a curved contact portion located parallel to a first end of the base, and the body also includes a lower twist portion extending parallel to a lateral side of the hermaphroditic connector, the body contacting the common strip. The lower twist portion includes a plurality of inwardly bent members clamping the common strip between them to form an interference connection between the body of the second set of enhanced grounding terminals and the common strip. The first and second sets of enhanced grounding terminals extend approximately 1.5 mm above the terminals of the sheet body assembly.

[0016] According to a third aspect, a connector is described as comprising: a base including a sheet body assembly, the sheet body assembly including a plurality of sheets supporting a plurality of terminals; a first set of augmenting ground terminals located at a first end of the base and a second set of augmenting ground terminals located at a second end of the base opposite to the first end; and a first common strip located on a first lateral side of the base and a second common strip located on a second lateral side of the base opposite to the first lateral side.

[0017] The respective enhanced grounding terminals of the first group and the second group are electrically connected to the first common strip, and the respective enhanced grounding terminals of the first group and the second group are electrically connected to the second common strip. Each of the plurality of sheet bodies includes a sheet body overmolding having openings on each side exposing an integral sheet body grounding structure. The first common strip and the second common strip are electrically connected to the integral sheet body grounding structure through the openings. Simple Explanation of the Diagram

[0018] Other features and effects of the present invention will be clearly presented in the embodiments with reference to the drawings, wherein: Figure 1 is a top perspective view of a hermaphroditic connector according to various embodiments of the present disclosure. Figure 2 is a bottom perspective view of the hermaphroditic connector of Figure 1 according to various embodiments of the present disclosure. Figure 3 is another top perspective view of the hermaphroditic connector of Figure 1 according to various embodiments of the present disclosure. Figure 4 is a perspective view of the hermaphroditic connector of Figure 1 according to various embodiments of the present disclosure, wherein a base of the hermaphroditic connector is omitted. Figure 5 is an enlarged view of a portion of a terminal array according to various embodiments of the present disclosure, showing a first group of enhanced grounding terminals. Figure 6 is an enlarged view of another portion of the terminal array according to various embodiments of the present disclosure, showing a second group of enhanced grounding terminals. Figure 7 is a perspective view of a connector assembly including two hermaphroditic connectors connected to each other, according to various embodiments of the present disclosure. Figure 8 is a perspective view of a connector assembly including two hermaphroditic connectors connected to each other, according to various embodiments of the present disclosure. Figure 9 is a cross-sectional view of a connector assembly including two hermaphroditic connectors according to various embodiments of the present disclosure, illustrating enhanced grounding. Figure 10 is a side view of an enhanced grounding terminal of a first group of enhanced grounding terminals according to various embodiments of the present disclosure. Figure 11 is a side view of an enhanced grounding terminal of a second group of enhanced grounding terminals according to various embodiments of the present disclosure. Figure 12 is a perspective view of an improved grounding terminal according to various embodiments of the present disclosure, wherein a callout region shows a common strip. Implementation

[0019] This disclosure relates to an enhanced grounding connector for enhancing signal integrity. Differential signal transmission is often used in I / O connectors to avoid parasitic signals and crosstalk between adjacent signal pairs and to prevent unintentional signal transmission patterns. In the connector interface, grounding terminals can be used to create return paths for electrical grounding, provide shielding between differential pairs, and for other purposes. Connectors used in high data rate applications are typically designed to meet a range of mechanical and electrical requirements. High data rate connectors often require very high conductor densities and data rates. To meet the required mechanical and electrical requirements, connectors used in such applications often comprise one or more sheet-body assemblies with a specific geometry. However, designing I / O connectors for high data rate applications can be challenging. For example, non-ideal placement of terminals in multiple sheet-body assemblies can cause signal interference, generate thermal or electrostatic discharge (ESD), and create crosstalk and noise.

[0020] The evolving system architectures that seek to provide high-frequency bandwidth via I / O connectors often require grounding connections before high-speed signal contact to provide improved electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection. Advanced grounding can be achieved within a differential pair design by extending a grounding mating connection or by adjusting the signal connection. However, altering the critical signal-to-ground relationship within a high-speed differential pair can render the connector impractical for certain applications and may degrade signal integrity performance.

[0021] Therefore, various embodiments of a connector assembly are described as having an enhanced grounding terminal independent of the grounding terminals that are critical to high-speed signal performance. In some embodiments, the enhanced grounding terminal can be placed at a connector corner to isolate the enhanced grounding terminal from the differential pair and minimize any impact on signal integrity performance. Additionally, the enhanced grounding terminal can be integrated into a digital grounding structure of each sheet body and differential pair to provide additional grounding and electrostatic discharge protection.

[0022] Turning now to the accompanying drawings, FIG1 shows a top perspective view of a hermaphroditic connector 100 (or generally referred to as "connector 100") according to various embodiments of the present disclosure. FIG2 and FIG3 show a bottom perspective view and another top perspective view of the hermaphroditic connector 100, respectively. FIG4 shows a sheet body assembly of the hermaphroditic connector 100 of FIG1 to FIG3, with a base of the connector 100 omitted for illustrative purposes. FIG5 and FIG6 show enlarged perspective views of different portions of the terminal array of FIG3.

[0023] Referring together to Figures 1 to 6, a hermaphroditic connector 100 is disclosed as including a base 103 that surrounds and supports a sheet body assembly 106 for connecting the connector 100 to another similar connector or module. The base 103 can accommodate or otherwise connect to a plurality of wires (not shown), which can be accommodated in the base 103 through a bottom opening 107. The base 103 can be formed of a non-conductive polymer material and, in some embodiments, can be injection molded around the sheet body assembly 106 and / or the wires.

[0024] The sheet assembly 106 may include a stack of individual sheet bodies 109 or modules, each sheet body 109 comprising one or more conductive terminals 112 or contacts. Multiple sheet bodies 109 may be formed of an insulating material and may be configured to hold and align the terminals 112 in a precise arrangement to provide an array of terminals 112 (also referred to as a terminal array 115). As will be appreciated, the terminals 112 within the sheet assembly 106 may include signal contacts, power contacts, and ground contacts, and may be arranged in pairs or rows to facilitate differential signal transmission or meet other electrical requirements. As will be appreciated, in some embodiments, the terminals 112 may include multiple differential terminal pairs. As will be appreciated, the terminals 112 may be paired with ground terminals, shielding elements, U-shields defining U-grooves, etc.

[0025] In some embodiments, base 103 may include various components for connecting base 103 to another base. For example, in some embodiments, base 103 may include a protruding tab 118 and a protruding socket 121, but other connecting components may be used. The protruding socket 121 may be sized and positioned such that a protruding tab 118 is held within the protruding socket 121 via an interference or snap-fit ​​connection. Thus, when mated to an identical or substantially similar connector, the protruding tab 118 of a first connector 100 may be located within the protruding socket 121 of a second connector 100, and the protruding tab 118 of the second connector 100 may be located within the protruding socket 121 of the first connector 100.

[0026] According to various embodiments, connector 100 may include a first set of advanced grounding terminals 124a, 124b (collectively referred to as "advanced grounding terminals 124") located at a first distal end of base 103 and a second set of advanced grounding terminals 127a, 127b (collectively referred to as "advanced grounding terminals 127a, 127b") located at a second distal end of base 103. As seen in FIG. 4, in which base 103 is omitted for illustrative purposes, the first set of advanced grounding terminals 124 may be located at a first end of sheet body assembly 106, while the second set of advanced grounding terminals 127 may be located at a second end of sheet body assembly 106 opposite to the first end.

[0027] The first set of grounding terminals 124 and / or the second set of grounding terminals 127 can have a length or be otherwise positioned such that the ends of the grounding terminals 124, 127 extend above the topmost tip of the terminal 112 inside the terminal array 115. Thus, when the connector 100 is connected to an identical or substantially similar connector 100, the grounding terminals 124, 127 contact each other before the terminal 112 contacts the corresponding terminal, and vice versa, thereby providing a first-to-last-to-connect interface. This improves the signal performance of the connector 100 because grounding is established before signal connection and improves electrostatic discharge performance.

[0028] The first set of enhanced ground terminals 124 may include a first enhanced ground terminal 124a located at a first corner of the first end of the base 103 and a second enhanced ground terminal 124b located at a second corner of the first end of the base 103. The second set of enhanced ground terminals 127 may include a first enhanced ground terminal 127a located at a first corner of the second end of the base 103 and a second enhanced ground terminal 127b located at a second corner of the second end of the base 103. In some embodiments, the enhanced ground terminals 124, 127 are positioned at connector corners to isolate the enhanced ground terminals 124, 127 from the differential terminals 112 and minimize any impact on signal integrity performance.

[0029] Although the various embodiments described herein include augmented grounding terminals 124, 127 located at the four corners of the base 103, this disclosure is not limited thereto, and the positions of the augmented grounding terminals 124, 127 can be changed or otherwise adjusted without departing from the scope of this disclosure. Furthermore, although the various embodiments show four augmented grounding terminals 124, 127, it is understood that other numbers of augmented grounding terminals 124, 127 can be used.

[0030] In some aspects, connector 100 may include a commoning bar 130 located on one or both sides of the transverse sides of connector 100. For example, a first commoning bar 130 may be located on a first transverse side of connector 100, while a second commoning bar 130 may be located on a second transverse side of connector 100 opposite to the first transverse side. In some embodiments, the commoning bar 130 may be formed of a conductive material such as copper or aluminum.

[0031] In some embodiments, the common strip 130 includes a longitudinally extending body with a plurality of protrusions. The protrusions can be inserted into corresponding openings 133 on the sheet body 109, providing additional stability and rigidity to the entire connector and providing improved grounding. In some embodiments, one or more enhanced grounding terminals 124, 127 can be electrically connected to the common strip 130. For example, enhanced grounding terminals 124a and / or 127a can be connected to a first common strip 130 located on a first lateral side of the connector 100, while enhanced grounding terminals 124b and / or 127b can be connected to a second common strip 130 located on a second lateral side of the connector 100.

[0032] According to various embodiments, the first set of enhanced grounding terminals 124 may include static terminals. In other words, the first set of enhanced grounding terminals 124 may be configured to prevent flexing upon contact. Referring specifically to FIG5, the first set of enhanced grounding terminals 124 may include a body 139 having a hook-shaped top contact portion 142 and a lower twist portion 145. The hook-shaped top contact portion 142 may hook around or otherwise be located within the base 103, thereby sufficiently securing or rigidifying the enhanced grounding terminal 124. For this purpose, in some embodiments, the base 103 may be overmolded onto the enhanced grounding terminal 124. The body 139 of the enhanced grounding terminal 124 may be located parallel to a second end of the base 103, and the lower twist portion 145 of the first set of enhanced grounding terminals 124 may be twisted to extend parallel to the lateral side of the hermaphroditic connector 100 and contact the common strip 130.

[0033] According to various embodiments, the enhanced grounding terminals 127 of the second group can be dynamic terminals or flexing terminals. In other words, the enhanced grounding terminals of the second group can be configured to deflect or flex upon contact. Referring specifically to FIG6, the enhanced grounding terminals 127 of the second group can include a body 148 extending vertically along a vertical axis of the connector 100 and located parallel to a first end of the base 103. In some embodiments, the body 148 can include a bent contact portion 151. Due to the bent nature of the body 148, the enhanced grounding terminals 127 of the second group will flex upon contact.

[0034] As can be appreciated, the bent contact portion 151 can have a shape similar to that of the terminal 112. Like the first group of enhanced grounding terminals 124, the body 148 of the second group of enhanced grounding terminals 127 can also include a lower twist portion 154, which is twisted relative to an upper portion of the body 148 and extends parallel to a lateral side of the connector 100. The lower twist portion 154 can contact the common strip 130, which is omitted from FIG. 6 for illustrative purposes.

[0035] As seen in Figure 6, the lower twists 145 and 154 of each of the augmenting grounding terminals 124 and 127 may include a plurality of inwardly bent elements 157a and 157b (collectively referred to as "inwardly bent elements 157"). The plurality of inwardly bent elements 157a and 157b may be bent toward the sheet body 109 and may clamp the common strip 130 between them to form an interference connection between the body of the augmenting grounding terminals 124 and 127 and each of the plurality of common strips 130. In some embodiments, a grounding terminal, U-shaped shield, or other common component of the sheet body 109 may be formed of a conductive material, wherein at least a portion of the conductive material may be exposed in the opening 133 of the sheet body 109. Protrusions of the common strip 130 may extend through the opening 133 to contact the conductive material, thereby providing additional grounding.

[0036] For example, a sheet body 109 may include an opening or other opening on each side that exposes an integral sheet body grounding structure for connection to one or more common strips 130. Thus, one or more common strips 130 can be electrically connected to the integral sheet body grounding structure through the opening 133. Therefore, in some embodiments, the grounding terminals 124, 127, the common strips 130, and the grounding terminals of the terminal array 115 can be grounded to each other. Thus, the grounding terminals 124, 127 can be integrated into a digital (logic) grounding structure of each sheet body 109 and / or each differential terminal pair to provide electrostatic discharge protection.

[0037] Turning now to Figures 7 and 8, a first hermaphroditic connector 100a is shown connected to a second hermaphroditic connector 100b. A base 103 includes a plurality of protrusions 163 extending from the base 103 surrounding a terminal array 115. When the two connectors 100a and 100b are connected, the protrusions 163 nest within openings 166 between the protrusions 163.

[0038] Figure 8 shows a fully mating first hermaphrodite connector 100a and a second hermaphrodite connector 100b. When the two hermaphrodite connectors 100a and 100b are mated together, the dynamic terminal on the first connector 100a mates with the static terminal on the second connector 100b. More specifically, the grounding terminal 127 of the first connector 100a contacts the grounding terminal 124 of the second connector 100b, flexes and slides into a recess 169.

[0039] The enhanced grounding terminal 124 of the second connector 100b is non-flexible and provides an elongated surface for the enhanced grounding terminal 127 of the first connector 100a to contact and slide against until the two connectors 100a and 100b are fully connected. In some embodiments, the bent contact portion 151 contacts and rests against the elongated surface of the enhanced grounding terminal 124 of the second connector 100b. As seen in FIG. 8, the enhanced grounding terminal 124 of the second connector 100b is connected to the enhanced grounding terminal 127 of the first connector 100a, which in turn is connected to the common strip 130. The common strip 130 can be further connected to the grounding of the terminal array 115, providing sufficient grounding for the connectors 100a and 100b.

[0040] Figure 9 shows a partially mated first hermaphrodite connector 100a and a second hermaphrodite connector 100b. For example, Figure 9 shows a point in time when the first hermaphrodite connector 100a and the second hermaphrodite connector 100b are only partially connected (e.g., at the beginning of a connection process). As seen in Figure 9, the grounding terminals 124 and 127 are brought into contact with each other before the terminals 112 of the connectors 100a and 100b by increasing the size and / or positioning of the grounding terminals 124 and 127.

[0041] In some embodiments, the augmented grounding terminals 124, 127 extend approximately 1.5 mm above the terminals 112 of the sheet body assembly 106. Thus, upon connection, the augmented grounding terminal 127 of the first connector 100a contacts the augmented grounding terminal 124 of the second connector 100b, flexes, and slides into the insertion chamber 169 before the terminals 112 are connected. The augmented grounding terminal 124 of the second connector 100b does not flex and provides an elongated surface for the augmented grounding terminal 127 of the first connector 100a to contact and slide against until the two connectors 100a, 100b are fully connected.

[0042] Turning now to FIG. 10, a side view of an enhanced grounding terminal 124 according to various embodiments is shown. For illustrative purposes, the common strip 130 is omitted from FIG. 10. The enhanced grounding terminal 124 can be static, in other words, it can avoid bending upon contact. The enhanced grounding terminal 124 includes a body 139 having a hook-shaped top contact portion 142 and a lower twist portion 145. The hook-shaped top contact portion 142 and / or the lower twist portion 145 can be integral with the body 139 and can be formed via manufacturing processes such as bending, reducing the need for welding or further bonding processes. The body 139 of the enhanced grounding terminal 124 can be positioned parallel to the second end of the base 103.

[0043] One end of the enhanced grounding terminal 124 can extend 1.5 mm or other desired length above the end of terminal 112, wherein terminal 112 is embedded in a grounding member such as U-shaped shield 172 in Figures 10 and 11. U-shaped shield 172 can include grounding terminal 173, wherein, in some embodiments, grounding terminal 173 is integral with U-shaped shield 172. The lower twist 145 of the first set of enhanced grounding terminals 124 can be rotated 90 degrees relative to the hook-shaped top contact 142 and thereby conform to a corner of base 103. Thus, the lower twist 145 of the enhanced grounding terminal 124 extends parallel to a lateral side of connector 100. The lower twist 145 can electrically contact common strip 130 and can hold common strip 130 via a plurality of inward bending members 157a, 157b and other connecting mechanisms.

[0044] The sheet body 109 includes a sheet body overmolded member 175 that can be formed from a non-conductive polymer material. The sheet body overmolded member 175 may include an opening 133 or other opening on each side that exposes an integral sheet body grounding structure 178, which is electrically connected to a U-shaped shield 172 of the sheet body 109 and other grounding members. The integral sheet body grounding structure 178 facilitates connection to one or more common strips 130. For example, one or more common strips 130 can be electrically connected to the integral sheet body grounding structure 178 via protrusions of the common strips 130 passing through the opening 133. Thus, in some embodiments, this enhances the ability of grounding terminals 124, 127, common strips 130, and the grounding terminals 173 of the terminal array 115 to be grounded to each other. Thus, the grounding terminals 124 and 127 can be integrated into a digital (logic) grounding structure of each sheet body 109 and / or each differential terminal pair to provide electrostatic discharge protection.

[0045] Referring now to FIG11, an enhanced grounding terminal 127 is shown as a dynamic terminal or a bent terminal that can be configured to flex or buckle upon contact. The enhanced grounding terminal 127 includes a body 148 extending vertically along a vertical axis of the connector 100 and located parallel to a first end of the base 103. In some embodiments, the body 148 may include a bent contact portion 151. Due to the bent nature of the body 148, the second set of enhanced grounding terminals 127 will flex upon contact. In some embodiments, the bent contact portion 151 may be selectively plated to increase conductivity. For example, a certain amount of gold, silver, or other highly conductive material may be selectively plated on a region of the bent contact portion 151 to increase conductivity.

[0046] As can be appreciated, the bent contact portion 151 can have a shape similar to that of the terminal 112. Like the first set of augmented grounding terminals 124, the body 148 of the second set of augmented grounding terminals 127 can also include a lower twist portion 154 extending parallel to a lateral side of the connector 100. The lower twist portion 154 can contact the common strip 130, which is omitted from FIG11 for illustrative purposes.

[0047] Multiple inwardly bent members 157a, 157b are bendable toward the sheet body 109 and can clamp the common strip 130 between them to form an interference connection between the bodies of the enhanced grounding terminals 124, 127 and each of the two common strips 130. An opening 133 is shown on the other side of the sheet body 109 exposing an integral sheet grounding structure 178 electrically connected to a U-shaped shield 172 or other grounding member of the sheet body 109. One or more common strips 130 can be electrically connected to the integral sheet grounding structure 178 via protrusions of the common strip 130 passing through the opening 133. Thus, in some embodiments, the enhanced grounding terminals 124, 127, the common strip 130, and the grounding terminals 173 of the terminal array 115 can be grounded to each other. Thus, the grounding terminals 124 and 127 can be integrated into a digital (logic) grounding structure of each sheet body 109 and / or each differential terminal pair to provide electrostatic discharge protection.

[0048] Referring now to FIG12, a perspective view of a connector 100 is shown, wherein the base 103 is omitted for illustrative purposes. Specifically, FIG12 shows a lower twist 145 of an enhanced grounding terminal 124 contacting a common strip 130. More specifically, the lower twist 145 shows multiple inwardly bent elements 157a, 157b that clamp or otherwise contact the common strip 130 between them to form an interference connection between the enhanced grounding terminal 124 and the common strip 130. The common strip 130 includes a longitudinally extending body 181 having multiple protrusions 184. The protrusions 184 can be inserted into corresponding openings 133 on the sheet body 109 to provide additional stability and rigidity to the entire connector and to provide improved grounding.

[0049] The features, structures, or characteristics described above may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments, and the features discussed in the various embodiments may be interchanged if possible. Numerous specific details are provided in the following description to fully understand the various embodiments of this disclosure. However, those skilled in the art will recognize that the technical solutions of this disclosure can be practiced without one or more of the numerous specific details described, or other methods, components, materials, etc., may be employed. In other instances, well-known structures, materials, or operations have not been shown or described in detail to avoid obscuring various aspects of this disclosure.

[0050] Although relative terms such as “on,” “below,” “upper,” and “lower” are used in this specification to describe the relative relationship between one component and another, these terms are used here for convenience only and, for example, as directions in the examples shown in the accompanying drawings. It should be understood that if the device is inverted, the aforementioned “upper” component will become the “lower” component. When one structure is “on” another structure, it may be that the structure is integrally formed on the other structure, or that the structure is “directly” situated on the other structure, or that the structure is “indirectly” situated on the other structure through another structure.

[0051] In this specification, terms such as “a” (indefinite article form of a consonant), “an” (indefinite article form of a vowel), “the” (definite article form of the), and “said” are used to indicate the presence of one or more elements and components. The terms “comprise,” “include,” “have,” “contain,” and variations thereof are used in an open-ended sense and mean that additional elements, components, etc., are included in addition to those listed, unless otherwise specified in the appended claims.

[0052] The terms "first," "second," etc., are used merely as labels, not as restrictions on a number of objects. It is understood that if multiple components are given, they may be referred to as "first" component, "second" component, etc., within the applicable scope.

[0053] The embodiments described above are merely possible examples of implementation methods set forth to clearly illustrate the principles of this disclosure. Many variations and modifications can be made to the above embodiments without departing from the spirit and principles of this disclosure. All such modifications and variations are included within the scope of this disclosure and are protected by the following patent claims.

[0054] 100: Hermaphroditic connector (connector, first connector, second connector) 100a: First hermaphroditic connector (hermaphroditic connector, first connector) 100b: Second hermaphroditic connector (hermaphroditic connector, second connector) 103: Base 106: Thin-film assembly 107: Bottom opening 109: Thin sheet 112: Conductive terminal (terminal) 115: Terminal Array 118: Highlight the body of the film 121: Protruding socket 124, 124a, 124b: The first set of auxiliary grounding terminals (auxiliary grounding terminal, first auxiliary grounding terminal, second auxiliary grounding terminal). 127, 127a, 127b: Second group of enhanced grounding terminals (enhanced grounding terminal, first enhanced grounding terminal, second enhanced grounding terminal) 130: Common Clause, First Common Clause, Second Common Clause 133: Opening 139:Ontology 142: Top contact portion 145: Lower twisted part 148:Ontology 151: Bending contact portion 154: Lower Twisted Part 157, 157a, 157b: Inwardly bent parts 163: protrusion 166: Opening 169: Embedded Room 172: U-shaped mask (U-shaped mask component) 173: Grounding terminal 175: Sheet-covered molded parts 178: Integrated thin-film grounding structure 181:Ontology 184: Protrusion

Claims

1. A connector assembly, comprising: A hermaphroditic connector includes: a base including a sheet body assembly including a plurality of differential terminal pairs; a first set of augmented ground terminals located at a first end of the base; and a second set of augmented ground terminals located at a second end of the base opposite to the first end, wherein the first set and the second set of augmented ground terminals extend to over the topmost tip of the plurality of differential terminal pairs.

2. The connector assembly according to claim 1, wherein, The first set of enhanced grounding terminals is configured to prevent bending upon contact, while the second set of enhanced grounding terminals is configured to bend upon contact.

3. The connector assembly according to claim 1, wherein, The first group of enhanced grounding terminals includes a first enhanced grounding terminal located at a first corner of a first end of the base and a second enhanced grounding terminal located at a second corner of a first end of the base; and the second group of enhanced grounding terminals includes a first enhanced grounding terminal located at a first corner of a second end of the base and a second enhanced grounding terminal located at a second corner of a second end of the base.

4. The connector assembly according to claim 1 further includes a common strip formed of a conductive material, the common strip including a plurality of protrusions that engage with openings on the sheet body assembly, wherein, At least a portion of the enhanced grounding terminals of the first group and the enhanced grounding terminals of the second group are electrically connected to the common strip.

5. The connector assembly according to claim 4, wherein, The sheet body assembly includes a plurality of grounding members formed of a conductive material, at least a portion of which is exposed through openings in the sheet body assembly and electrically connected to the common strip.

6. The connector assembly according to claim 2 further includes a common strip formed of a conductive material, wherein at least a portion of the enhanced grounding terminals of the first group and the enhanced grounding terminals of the second group are electrically connected to the common strip, wherein, The first set of enhanced grounding terminals includes a body having a hook-shaped top contact portion and a lower twist portion located parallel to the second end of the base, and the lower twist portion of the first set of enhanced grounding terminals extends parallel to the lateral side of the hermaphroditic connector and contacts the common strip.

7. The connector assembly according to claim 2 further includes a common strip formed of a conductive material, wherein at least a portion of the enhanced grounding terminals of the first group and the enhanced grounding terminals of the second group are electrically connected to the common strip, wherein, The enhanced grounding terminal of the second group includes a body formed by a component extending along a vertical axis of the hermaphroditic connector, the component having a curved contact portion located parallel to a first end of the base, and the body also including a twisted portion extending parallel to a lateral side of the hermaphroditic connector, the body contacting the common strip.

8. The connector assembly according to claim 7, wherein, The lower twist section includes a plurality of inwardly bent members that clamp the common strip between them to form an interference connection between the body of the improved grounding terminal of the second group and the common strip.

9. The connector assembly according to claim 1, wherein, The hermaphroditic connector is a first hermaphroditic connector and the connector assembly further includes a second hermaphroditic connector identical to the first hermaphroditic connector; the enhanced grounding terminals of the first group of the first hermaphroditic connector are configured to contact the enhanced grounding terminals of the second group of the second hermaphroditic connector; and the enhanced grounding terminals of the second group of the first hermaphroditic connector are configured to contact the enhanced grounding terminals of the first group of the first hermaphroditic connector.

10. A connector, comprising: A base including a sheet body assembly, the sheet body assembly including a plurality of terminals; a first set of enhanced grounding terminals located at a first end of the base; And a second set of enhanced grounding terminals, located at a second end of the base opposite to the first end, the first set of enhanced grounding terminals and the second set of enhanced grounding terminals extending above a topmost point of the plurality of terminals, wherein the first set of enhanced grounding terminals is configured to avoid flexing upon contact, while the second set of enhanced grounding terminals is configured to flex upon contact.

11. The connector according to claim 10, wherein, The first group of enhanced grounding terminals includes a first enhanced grounding terminal located at a first corner of a first end of the base and a second enhanced grounding terminal located at a second corner of a first end of the base; and the second group of enhanced grounding terminals includes a first enhanced grounding terminal located at a first corner of a second end of the base and a second enhanced grounding terminal located at a second corner of a second end of the base.

12. The connector according to claim 10 further includes a common strip formed of a conductive material, wherein, At least a portion of the enhanced grounding terminals of the first group and the enhanced grounding terminals of the second group are electrically connected to the common strip.

13. The connector according to claim 12, wherein, The common strip includes multiple protrusions that engage with openings on the sheet body assembly to secure multiple sheets to the base.

14. The connector according to claim 13, wherein, The sheet body assembly includes a plurality of grounding members formed of a conductive material, at least a portion of which is exposed through openings in the sheet body assembly and electrically connected to the common strip.

15. The connector according to claim 12, wherein, The first set of enhanced grounding terminals includes a body having a hook-shaped top contact portion and a lower twist portion located parallel to the second end of the base, and the lower twist portion of the second set of enhanced grounding terminals extends parallel to the lateral side of the connector and contacts the common strip.

16. The connector according to claim 12, wherein, The second set of enhanced grounding terminals includes a body formed by a component extending along a vertical axis of the connector, the component having a curved contact portion located parallel to a first end of the base, and the body also including a twisted portion extending parallel to a lateral side of the connector, the body contacting the common strip.

17. The connector according to claim 16, wherein, The lower twist section includes a plurality of inwardly bent members that clamp the common strip between them to form an interference connection between the body of the improved grounding terminal of the second group and the common strip.

18. The connector according to claim 10, wherein, The first set of enhanced grounding terminals and the second set of enhanced grounding terminals extend approximately 1.5 mm above the terminals of the sheet body assembly.

19. A connector comprising: A base includes a sheet body assembly comprising a plurality of sheets supporting a plurality of terminals; a first group of enhanced grounding terminals located at a first end of the base and a second group of enhanced grounding terminals located at a second end of the base opposite to the first end; a first common strip located on a first lateral side of the base and a second common strip located on a second lateral side of the base opposite to the first lateral side, wherein the respective enhanced grounding terminals of the first group and the second group are electrically connected to the first common strip, and the respective enhanced grounding terminals of the first group and the second group are electrically connected to the second common strip.

20. The connector according to claim 19, wherein, Each of the plurality of sheet bodies includes a sheet body overmolding member, the sheet body overmolding member including openings on each side exposing an integral sheet body grounding structure, wherein the first common strip and the second common strip are electrically connected to the integral sheet body grounding structure through the openings.

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