Connector, circuit board, electronic assembly, electronic device, and signal transmission method

Abstract

Provided in the present application are a connector, a circuit board, an electronic assembly, an electronic device, and a signal transmission method. The connector comprises a fixing structure and a plurality of first terminals, wherein the plurality of first terminals are fixed to the fixing structure. The connector comprises a plug interface, wherein a peer connector is inserted into the connector from the plug interface. The fixing structure has a first end surface on the side of the fixing structure facing the plug interface, and at least part of the structure of each first terminal is located between the first end surface and the plug interface. An elastic conductive structure is fixed to the first end surface. The elastic conductive structure has the capability of elastically deforming in an insertion direction, and the elastic conductive structure has electrical conductivity. The elastic conductive structure is configured to be in contact with an end surface of the peer connector. When the connector and the peer connector are in a plugged state, the elastic conductive structure is configured to be in contact with the end surface of the peer connector. In this way, the problem of crosstalk is unlikely to occur between terminals of a connector, thereby helping to improve the signal transmission rate and bandwidth of the connector, and meeting the requirement of an electronic device for improving the signal transmission rate.

Description

Connectors, circuit boards, electronic components, electronic devices and signal transmission methods

[0001] Cross-references to related applications

[0002] This application claims priority to Chinese Patent Application No. 202410954320.4, filed on July 16, 2024, entitled "Connector, Circuit Board, Electronic Component, Electronic Device and Signal Transmission Method", the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field

[0003] This application relates to the field of electronic equipment technology, and in particular to connectors, circuit boards, electronic components, electronic devices, and signal transmission methods. Background Technology

[0004] Electronic devices typically consist of multiple electronic components, which need to transmit signals between each other. With the continuous evolution of electronic devices, the number of transmitted signals is increasing, and the speed is also accelerating. High-speed connectors, as a crucial link in signal transmission, have a significant impact on the operating speed of electronic devices; therefore, higher requirements are placed on the signal transmission rate of high-speed connectors. Furthermore, in addition to the signal transmission rate, increasingly stringent requirements are being placed on the crosstalk immunity, signal integrity, and stability of high-speed connectors. Summary of the Invention

[0005] This application provides connectors, circuit boards, electronic components, electronic devices, and signal transmission methods, which improve the shielding effect of connectors against crosstalk signals and increase the signal transmission rate and bandwidth of connectors.

[0006] In a first aspect, this application provides a connector. The connector includes a fixed structure and a plurality of first terminals, among which signal terminals and ground terminals are included. The signal terminals are used to transmit signals, such as data signals or control signals. The ground terminals are used for grounding, serving as a reference ground, or forming a shielding structure. The plurality of first terminals are fixed to the fixed structure; specifically, the first terminals can be directly fixedly connected to the fixed structure, or their relative fixation to the fixed structure can be achieved through other structures. The connector includes a plug interface, which is the opening of the connector, through which a peer connector is inserted. The fixed structure has a first end face on the side facing the plug interface, and at least a portion of the structure of the first terminal is located between the first end face and the plug interface. In one technical solution, the first terminal extends from the first end face of the fixed structure. An elastic conductive structure is fixed to the first end face, the elastic conductive structure having elastic deformation capability along the insertion direction and being conductive. This elastic conductive structure is used to contact the end face of the peer connector; that is, when the connector and the peer connector are in an inserted state, the elastic conductive structure is used to contact the end face of the peer connector. The technical solution of this application makes it less likely for crosstalk to occur between the terminals of the connector, which is beneficial to improving the signal transmission rate of the connector to meet the needs of electronic devices to improve the signal transmission rate, and can also improve the bandwidth of the connector's signal transmission.

[0007] In one technical solution, the aforementioned fixing structure includes a first conductive portion, and the aforementioned elastic conductive structure is electrically connected to the first conductive portion. The elastic conductive structure and the first conductive portion can be formed as a shielding cage to increase the area and distribution of the return current ground, thereby improving the connector's anti-crosstalk performance and enhancing the connector's return current effect. Therefore, this application can improve the signal transmission rate between the connector and the peer connector.

[0008] The connector also includes a shield, which can be made of metal. The shield is fixed to and electrically connected to the ground terminal, serving as the connector's return ground and shielding structure. The shield covers at least a portion of the signal terminal, with a gap between the shield and the signal terminal. This increases the reference area of ​​the signal terminal, which helps optimize impedance. Furthermore, signals can be shielded from different directions around the signal terminal, reducing interference and improving the connector's signal transmission rate and bandwidth.

[0009] Specifically, the aforementioned first terminal includes multiple signal terminal groups, each containing two signal terminals. These signal terminal groups can be used to transmit a set of differential signals. Each signal terminal group has a ground terminal on each side, and the shielding sheet is electrically connected to the ground terminals at both ends of the signal terminal group. Shielding is applied to the signals transmitted by each signal terminal group to improve the shielding effect against crosstalk signals. Furthermore, the return ground of each signal terminal group is relatively symmetrical, improving the return current consistency between the two signal terminals in each signal terminal group.

[0010] In one technical solution, the aforementioned shielding sheet is located on the side of the first terminal facing the opposite connector. The shielding sheet includes contacts for connecting to the grounding structure of the opposite connector. Thus, the shielding sheet and the grounding structure of the opposite connector together form a shielding structure and a return ground structure, improving the connector's crosstalk immunity and facilitating the increase in the bandwidth and speed of the connector's signal transmission.

[0011] Furthermore, the aforementioned fixing structure includes a second conductive portion and a first non-conductive portion, which are fixed together. Specifically, the second conductive portion and the first non-conductive portion can be directly fixedly connected, or they can be relatively fixed through a third structure. The second conductive portion is electrically connected to a ground terminal, making the second conductive portion and the ground terminal a common ground structure. The second conductive portion and the ground terminal are stacked along a first direction, which is perpendicular to the insertion direction. This increases the height of the common ground structure along the first direction, thereby improving the shielding effect against crosstalk signals, increasing the signal transmission rate of the connector, and increasing the bandwidth of the connector's signal transmission.

[0012] Specifically, the second conductive part is designed to penetrate the fixed structure along the insertion direction. This helps to increase the size of the common ground structure and improve the shielding effect against crosstalk signals.

[0013] Regarding the placement of the second conductive part, it can be positioned above the ground terminal where a high level of shielding effectiveness is required. The first terminal of the connector includes multiple signal terminal groups, each signal terminal group comprising two signal terminals, and each signal terminal group having a ground terminal on each side. The ground terminal between two adjacent signal terminal groups is fixed to and electrically connected to the second conductive part. The shielding structure between two adjacent signal terminal groups has a higher height along the first direction, resulting in better shielding and improving the shielding effect against crosstalk signals, thereby increasing the signal transmission rate and bandwidth of the connector.

[0014] Furthermore, the connector includes the aforementioned fixing structure and fixing shell. The fixing shell includes a third conductive part and a second non-conductive part. The third conductive part and the second non-conductive part can be directly fixedly connected, or they can be fixedly connected through a third party. The third conductive part and the second non-conductive part are fixed. The fixing shell is installed outside the fixing structure, and the third conductive part is electrically connected to the second conductive part. The third conductive part is stacked on the side of the second conductive part facing away from the ground terminal. This makes the third conductive part, the second conductive part, and the ground terminal form a common ground structure. At least the third conductive part, the second conductive part, and the ground terminal form a common ground structure, which helps to increase the height of the common ground structure along the first direction, equivalent to increasing the height of the shielding wall, thereby improving the shielding effect against crosstalk signals and increasing the signal transmission rate and bandwidth of the connector.

[0015] In one technical solution, the connector includes a fixed shell, which comprises a third conductive portion and a second non-conductive portion, and the third conductive portion and the second non-conductive portion are fixedly connected. The third conductive portion and the second non-conductive portion can be directly fixedly connected, or they can be fixedly connected through a third party. The orthographic projection of the third conductive portion along a first direction at least partially coincides with the orthographic projection of the ground terminal along the first direction, and the first direction is perpendicular to the insertion direction. The fixed shell, facing the ground terminal, can improve the shielding effect between adjacent signal terminals, increase the signal transmission rate of the connector, and increase the bandwidth of the connector's signal transmission.

[0016] Secondly, this application also provides a connector including a shield and a plurality of first terminals, each first terminal including a signal terminal and a ground terminal. The signal terminal is used to transmit signals, such as data signals or control signals. The ground terminal is used for grounding, serving as a reference ground, or forming a shielding structure. The shield is fixed to and electrically connected to the ground terminal, and the shield can serve as the connector's return ground and shielding structure. The shield covers at least a portion of the signal terminal, and a gap exists between the shield and the signal terminal. This increases the reference area of ​​the signal terminal, which is beneficial for optimizing impedance. Furthermore, signals can be shielded from different directions around the signal terminal, which helps reduce interference to the signal terminal and improves the signal transmission rate and bandwidth of the connector.

[0017] Specifically, the aforementioned first terminal includes multiple signal terminal groups, each containing two signal terminals. These signal terminal groups can be used to transmit a set of differential signals. Each signal terminal group has a ground terminal on each side, and the shielding sheet is electrically connected to the ground terminals at both ends of the signal terminal group. Shielding is applied to the signals transmitted by each signal terminal group to improve the shielding effect against crosstalk signals. Furthermore, the return ground of each signal terminal group is relatively symmetrical, improving the return current consistency between the two signal terminals in each signal terminal group.

[0018] In one technical solution, the aforementioned shielding sheet is located on the side of the first terminal facing the opposite connector. The shielding sheet includes contacts for connecting to the grounding structure of the opposite connector. Thus, the shielding sheet and the grounding structure of the opposite connector together form a shielding structure and a return ground structure, improving the connector's crosstalk immunity and facilitating the increase in the bandwidth and speed of the connector's signal transmission.

[0019] Thirdly, this application also provides a connector, which includes a fixed structure and a plurality of first terminals. The first terminals include signal terminals and ground terminals, wherein the signal terminals are used for signal transmission, and the ground terminals are used for grounding; the plurality of first terminals are fixed to the fixed structure. The fixed structure includes a second conductive portion and a first non-conductive portion, which are fixed together. Specifically, the second conductive portion and the first non-conductive portion can be directly fixedly connected, or relatively fixed through a third structure. The second conductive portion is electrically connected to the ground terminal, so that the second conductive portion and the ground terminal form a common ground structure. The second conductive portion and the ground terminal are stacked along a first direction, which is perpendicular to the insertion direction. This increases the height of the common ground structure along the first direction, thereby improving the shielding effect against crosstalk signals, increasing the signal transmission rate of the connector, and increasing the bandwidth of the signal transmission of the connector.

[0020] Specifically, the second conductive part is designed to penetrate the fixed structure along the insertion direction. This helps to increase the size of the common ground structure and improve the shielding effect against crosstalk signals.

[0021] Regarding the placement of the second conductive part, it can be positioned above the ground terminal where a high level of shielding effectiveness is required. The first terminal of the connector includes multiple signal terminal groups, each signal terminal group comprising two signal terminals, and each signal terminal group having a ground terminal on each side. The ground terminal between two adjacent signal terminal groups is fixed to and electrically connected to the second conductive part. The shielding structure between two adjacent signal terminal groups has a higher height along the first direction, resulting in better shielding and improving the shielding effect against crosstalk signals, thereby increasing the signal transmission rate and bandwidth of the connector.

[0022] Furthermore, the connector includes the aforementioned fixing structure and fixing shell. The fixing shell includes a third conductive part and a second non-conductive part. The third conductive part and the second non-conductive part can be directly fixedly connected, or they can be fixedly connected through a third party. The third conductive part and the second non-conductive part are fixed. The fixing shell is installed outside the fixing structure, and the third conductive part is electrically connected to the second conductive part. The third conductive part is stacked on the side of the second conductive part facing away from the ground terminal. This makes the third conductive part, the second conductive part, and the ground terminal form a common ground structure. At least the third conductive part, the second conductive part, and the ground terminal form a common ground structure, which helps to increase the height of the common ground structure along the first direction, equivalent to increasing the height of the shielding wall, thereby improving the shielding effect against crosstalk signals and increasing the signal transmission rate and bandwidth of the connector.

[0023] Fourthly, this application also provides a connector comprising a fixed housing and a plurality of first terminals, each first terminal including a signal terminal and a ground terminal, wherein the signal terminal is used for signal transmission and the ground terminal is used for grounding; the plurality of first terminals are fixed to the fixed housing. The fixed housing includes a third conductive portion and a second non-conductive portion, which are fixed together. The third conductive portion and the second non-conductive portion can be directly fixedly connected, or they can be fixedly connected through a third party. The orthographic projection of the third conductive portion along a first direction at least partially coincides with the orthographic projection of the ground terminal along a first direction, the first direction being perpendicular to the insertion direction. The fixed housing and the ground terminal are opposite each other, which can improve the shielding effect between adjacent signal terminals, increase the signal transmission rate of the connector, and increase the bandwidth of the signal transmission of the connector.

[0024] Fifthly, this application also provides a circuit board including a peer connector for mating with a connector. Specifically, the circuit board can be used to connect with any of the connectors provided in the first to fourth aspects. The circuit board includes a dielectric board and a plurality of second terminals disposed on the dielectric board, the plurality of second terminals being formed on the dielectric board as a peer connector, specifically, it can be formed as a gold finger connector. The dielectric board is also provided with a ground metal layer, and one end of the dielectric board along the mating direction has a second end face, the second end face having a third metal layer, the third metal layer being connected to the ground metal layer, and the third metal layer being used to contact the elastic conductive structure of the connector. The elastic conductive structure, the third metal layer, and the ground metal layer are connected to form a shielding structure and a multi-point return ground. Therefore, this solution can improve the anti-interference performance of the connector and the peer connector in the connected state, and can improve the return current effect of the connector. This further improves the signal transmission rate and bandwidth between the connector and the peer connector.

[0025] Sixthly, this application also provides an electronic component. The electronic component includes a first electronic device and any one of the connectors provided in the first to fourth aspects, wherein the first electronic device is electrically connected to a first terminal of the connector. This electronic component transmits signals at a high rate and with a high bandwidth.

[0026] In a seventh aspect, this application also provides an electronic component. This electronic component includes a second electronic device and the circuit board provided in the fifth aspect above, wherein the second electronic device is electrically connected to a second terminal. This electronic component has a high signal transmission rate and bandwidth.

[0027] Eighthly, this application also provides an electronic device. This electronic device includes a housing, any one of the connectors provided in the first to fourth aspects, and a circuit board provided in the fifth aspect. The connector or circuit board is fixed to the housing, and the connector and circuit board are plugged into each other to realize signal transmission between the circuit board and the connector. This electronic device has a high signal transmission rate and bandwidth, which is beneficial for improving the user's communication efficiency.

[0028] Ninthly, this application also provides a signal transmission method. This signal transmission method utilizes any of the connectors provided in the first to fourth aspects above to transmit signals. Specifically, the signal transmission method includes: transmitting communication signals through signal terminals; and transmitting ground signals through ground terminals. This scheme provides a higher signal transmission rate and a wider signal bandwidth. Attached Figure Description

[0029] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of an electronic device according to an embodiment of this application;

[0030] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of an electronic device in an embodiment of this application;

[0031] Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of a connector structure in an embodiment of this application;

[0032] Figure 4 is a schematic diagram of the connector and the other end connector in the plugging state in an embodiment of this application;

[0033] Figure 5 is a schematic diagram of the connector and the other end connector in the comparative example in the plugging state.

[0034] Figure 6 is a schematic diagram of the connector and the other end connector in the plugging state in an embodiment of this application;

[0035] Figure 7 is a schematic diagram of a connector structure in an embodiment of this application;

[0036] Figure 8 is a partial structural schematic diagram of the connector in an embodiment of this application;

[0037] Figure 9 is a cross-sectional structural diagram of a connector in an embodiment of this application;

[0038] Figure 10 is a schematic diagram of a connector structure in an embodiment of this application;

[0039] Figure 11 is a schematic diagram of a connector structure in an embodiment of this application;

[0040] Figure 12 is a cross-sectional structural schematic diagram of a connector in an embodiment of this application;

[0041] Figure 13 is a schematic diagram of a connector structure in an embodiment of this application;

[0042] Figure 14 is a cross-sectional view of a connector in an embodiment of this application;

[0043] Figure 15 shows a cross-sectional view of the connector in an embodiment of this application.

[0044] Reference numerals: 100-Electronic component; 100a-First electronic component; 100b-Second electronic component; 200-Housing; 1-Connector; 11-First terminal; 111-Signal terminal; 112-Ground terminal; 12-Fixing structure; 121-First end face; 122-First conductive part; 123-Second conductive part; 124-First non-conductive part; 13-Interface; 14-Elastic conductive structure; 15-Shielding sheet; 151-Contact; 16-Fixing housing; 161-Third conductive part; 162-Second non-conductive part; 2-Matching connector; 3-First electronic device; 4-Housing; 5-Second electronic device; 6-Circuit board; 61-Dielectric board; 62-Second terminal; 63-Second end face; 64-Third metal layer; 7-Cage; X-Interlocking direction; Y-First direction; M - First plane. Detailed Implementation

[0045] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of this application clearer, the application will now be described in further detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0046] The terminology used in the following embodiments is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of this application. As used in the specification and appended claims of this application, the singular expressions “a,” “an,” “the,” “the,” “the,” and “this” are intended to also include expressions such as “one or more” unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.

[0047] References to “an embodiment” or “a specific embodiment” as used in this specification mean that one or more embodiments of this application include a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with that embodiment. The terms “comprising,” “including,” “having,” and variations thereof mean “including, but not limited to,” unless otherwise specifically emphasized.

[0048] The terms "first" and "second" used in this specification are merely used to distinguish different directions or components, and do not limit the direction or component itself. For example, "first direction" and "second direction" in this application are merely used to express that they are not the same direction, and there are no restrictions on the priority of the direction; "first terminal" and "second terminal" in this application are merely used to express that they are not the same terminal. The first terminal is a terminal of the connector, and there are no restrictions on the position of the first terminal in the connector; the second terminal is a terminal of the opposite connector, and there are no restrictions on the position of the second terminal in the opposite connector.

[0049] To facilitate understanding of the connectors, circuit boards, electronic components, electronic devices, and signal transmission methods provided in the embodiments of this application, their application scenarios will be introduced first below.

[0050] With the development of communication technology, communication bandwidth is increasing. Due to the advantages of optical signals, such as high transmission speed and low loss, applications using optical signals for signal transmission are becoming increasingly widespread. For example, optical module products are used in Passive Optical Networks (PON), wireless networks, and Internet Protocol (IP). Signal transmission requires conversion between optical and electrical signals; therefore, optical modules need to have an electrical signal transmission interface. A commonly used electrical signal transmission interface is the gold finger connector.

[0051] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of the structure of an electronic device according to an embodiment of this application, and Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of the structure of an electronic device according to an embodiment of this application. As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the electronic device in this embodiment includes two electronic components 100. For ease of description, one of the two electronic components 100 is considered to be the first electronic component 100a, and the other electronic component 100 is considered to be the second electronic component 100b. The first electronic component 100a includes a connector 1, and the second electronic component 100b includes a peer connector 2, such as a gold finger connector. The first electronic component 100a and the second electronic component 100b are electrically connected through the insertion of the connector 1 and the peer connector 2.

[0052] In this embodiment, connector 1 is a female connector and the other end connector 2 is a male connector. In practical applications, this application does not limit the specific type or shape of connector 1 and the other end connector 2.

[0053] The first electronic component 100a includes a connector 1 and a first electronic device 3. The connector 1 includes a first terminal 11, and the first electronic device 3 is connected to the first terminal 11, thereby enabling the first electronic device 3 to be electrically connected to other electronic components through the connector 1 for signal transmission. Specifically, the first electronic device 3 and the connector 1 can be electrically connected via a circuit board and / or cables. In the embodiment shown in FIG1, the first electronic device 3 and the connector 1 are electrically connected via a circuit board; or, in the embodiment shown in FIG2, the first electronic device 3 and the connector 1 are electrically connected via cables. The first electronic device 3 can specifically be a chip used to implement functions such as storage or computation.

[0054] The aforementioned second electronic component 100b can be an electronic module, such as an optical module. The second electronic component 100b includes a housing 4, a second electronic device 5, and a circuit board 6. The circuit board 6 is fixedly mounted on the housing 4, and the second electronic device 5 can be disposed on the circuit board 6. The circuit board 6 includes a gold finger connector, which serves as a peer connector 2. Specifically, the circuit board 6 includes a dielectric substrate 61 and a plurality of second terminals 62 disposed on the dielectric substrate 61. The second terminals 62 and the portion of the dielectric substrate 61 used to support the second terminals 62 are formed as gold finger connectors. The aforementioned second electronic device 5 is disposed on the circuit board 6 and is electrically connected to the second terminals 62. The gold finger connector of the circuit board 6 serves as a peer connector 2 and is inserted into the connector 1 along the insertion direction X, realizing the electrical connection between the second terminals 62 and the first terminal 11, thereby realizing the electrical connection between the first electronic device 3 and the second electronic device 5, and realizing the electrical connection between the first electronic component 100a and the second electronic component 100b. The aforementioned second electronic device 5 can specifically be a chip used to implement functions such as storage or computation.

[0055] In a specific embodiment, the electronic device further includes a housing 200, and either the first electronic component 100a or the second electronic component 100b is fixed to the housing 200. In a specific embodiment, the connector 1 is fixed to the housing 200, or the circuit board 6 is fixed to the housing 200. As shown in the embodiment of FIG1, the connector 1 is fixed to the housing 200, and the circuit board 6 with the opposite connector 2 is connected to the connector 1 via a plug-in connection, thereby fixing it to the housing 200.

[0056] Taking the second electronic component 100b (time module) as an example, as shown in Figures 1 and 2, the first electronic component 100a with connector 1 is fixed to the housing 200. The electronic device may also include a cage 7. When connector 1 and the opposite connector 2 are connected, the second electronic component 100b is fixed inside the cage 7, which helps to improve the fixing strength of the second electronic component 100b, making the second electronic component 100b more reliably fixed to the electronic device, and also helps to improve the connection reliability between connector 1 and the opposite connector 2.

[0057] The electronic devices in this application can be communication devices (such as routers), computing devices (such as servers), network devices (such as switches), or storage devices (such as storage arrays), especially electronic devices with high-speed signal transmission requirements. This application does not limit the specific type of electronic device; any electronic device that requires electrical connection using connectors can adopt the technical solution provided in this application.

[0058] Figure 3 is a structural schematic diagram of connector 1 in an embodiment of this application, and Figure 4 is a structural schematic diagram of connector 1 and the opposite connector 2 in a plugged-in state in an embodiment of this application. As shown in Figures 3 and 4, in this embodiment of the application, connector 1 includes a fixing structure 12 and a plurality of first terminals 11, which are fixed to the fixing structure 12. It is understood that the fixing structure 12 is used to fix the first terminals 11. The plurality of first terminals 11 include a signal terminal 111 and a ground terminal 112, wherein the signal terminal 111 is used to transmit signals, and the ground terminal 112 is used for grounding. The signal transmitted by the signal terminal 111 can be a high-speed signal, such as a high-speed differential signal. The ground terminal 112 serves as the return ground, reference ground, and shielding structure of the signal terminal 111.

[0059] The connector 1 includes a mating interface 13 for mating with a peer connector 2, which is inserted into the connector 1 through the mating interface 13 along the mating direction X. In one embodiment, the mating interface 13 is an opening formed by a fixed shell. In another embodiment, the mating interface 13 is the outermost edge of the connector 1 along the mating direction X. The fixing structure 12 has a first end face 121 on the side facing the mating interface 13, and at least a portion of the first terminal 11 is located between the first end face 121 and the mating interface 13. An elastic conductive structure 14 is fixed to the first end face 121. The elastic conductive structure 14 has the ability to elastically deform along the mating direction X and is conductive. The elastic conductive structure 14 is used to contact the end face of the peer connector 2. When the connector 1 and the peer connector 2 are in a mated state, the elastic conductive structure 14 is used to contact the end face of the peer connector 2.

[0060] As shown in Figures 3 and 4, in a specific embodiment, connector 1 includes two rows of first terminals 11 arranged along the thickness direction of connector 1. A counter connector 2 is inserted between the two rows of first terminals 11, thereby connecting the second terminals 62 on both sides of the counter connector 2 to the two rows of first terminals 11 respectively. The aforementioned elastic conductive structure 14 is located between the two rows of first terminals 11 along the thickness direction, thus enabling it to contact the end face of the counter connector 2.

[0061] Figure 5 is a schematic diagram of the structure of connector 1 and the opposite connector 2 in the insertion state in the comparative example. As shown in Figure 4, in this embodiment, the opposite connector 2 includes a second end face 63 located at one end of the opposite connector 2 along the insertion direction X. When the opposite connector 2 is connected to the connector 1, the second end face 63 of the opposite connector 2 is in contact with the elastic conductive structure 14 of the first end face 121 of the connector 1. The elastic conductive structure 14 has elastic deformation capability along the insertion direction X, so it can absorb the mutual tolerance between the opposite connector 2 and the connector 1, so that when the opposite connector 2 and the connector 1 are reliably connected, the end of the opposite connector 2 along the insertion direction X is in contact with the elastic conductive structure 14 of the connector 1. As shown in Figure 5, in the comparative example, in order to absorb the mutual tolerance between the opposite connector 2 and the connector 1, it is necessary to maintain a certain gap between the second end face 63 of the opposite connector 2 and the first end face 121 of the fixing structure 12 of the connector 1. This gap can easily cause crosstalk between the terminals, limiting the signal transmission rate of the connector. In particular, connector 1 includes two sets of first terminals 11 facing each other along the thickness direction. The two sets of first terminals 11 are respectively disposed on both sides of circuit board 6. The aforementioned gap can easily lead to large crosstalk between the two sets of first terminals 11. In this application, by providing an elastic conductive structure 14 between the second end face 63 of the opposite connector 2 and the first end face 121 of the fixing structure 12 of connector 1, the problem of crosstalk between the terminals of the connector is less likely to occur. This is beneficial to improving the signal transmission rate of the connector, so as to meet the needs of electronic devices to improve the signal transmission rate, and can also improve the bandwidth of the connector signal transmission.

[0062] In specific embodiments, the type of the aforementioned elastic conductive structure 14 can be selected in various ways. In one embodiment, the material of the elastic conductive structure 14 itself can be both elastic and conductive. For example, the elastic conductive structure 14 can be at least one of conductive foam or conductive plastic, as shown in Figure 4. Alternatively, the elastic conductive structure 14 can also be made elastic and conductive through a reasonable structural arrangement. For example, the elastic conductive structure 14 can include a metal spring arm, as shown in Figure 3.

[0063] Figure 6 is a schematic diagram of the structure of connector 1 and peer connector 2 in the plug-in state in an embodiment of this application. As shown in Figure 6, in this embodiment, the dielectric substrate 61 of the circuit board 6 is further provided with a ground metal layer, and the second end face 63 of the dielectric substrate 61 of the circuit board 6 also has a third metal layer 64. The third metal layer 64 is connected to the ground metal layer, so that the third metal layer 64 is grounded. The third metal layer 64 is used to contact the elastic conductive structure 14 of connector 1. In this embodiment, the elastic conductive structure 14 is in contact with the third metal layer 64, and the third metal layer 64 is connected to the ground metal layer of the circuit board 6. Thus, the elastic conductive structure 14 is connected to the ground metal layer of the circuit board 6, forming a shielding structure and a multi-point return ground. Specifically, a shielding cage can be formed to improve the anti-interference performance of connector 1 and peer connector 2 in the connected state, and to improve the return current effect of the connector. Therefore, this application can improve the signal transmission rate of connector 1 and peer connector 2.

[0064] Figure 7 is a schematic diagram of a connector 1 structure in an embodiment of this application. As shown in Figure 7, in this embodiment, the fixing structure 12 of the connector 1 includes a first conductive part 122, and the aforementioned elastic conductive structure 14 is electrically connected to the first conductive part 122. This allows the elastic conductive structure 14 and the first conductive part 122 to form a common ground structure, jointly forming a shielding structure and a multi-point return ground. Specifically, the elastic conductive structure 14 and the first conductive part 122 can be formed as a shielding cage. If the elastic conductive structure 14 or the first conductive part 122 is connected to a shielding structure, the connected shielding structure can form a larger shielding cage with the elastic conductive structure 14 and the first conductive part 122. This solution can improve the anti-interference performance of the connector 1 and improve the return current effect of the connector. Therefore, this application can increase the signal transmission rate between the connector 1 and the peer connector 2.

[0065] As shown in Figure 7, in one specific embodiment, the elastic conductive structure 14 is fixed to the side of the first conductive part 122 facing the insertion interface 13, thereby facilitating the electrical connection between the elastic conductive structure 14 and the first conductive part 122 and simplifying the structure of the connector 1. Specifically, the orthographic projection of the elastic conductive structure 14 onto the first plane M at least partially coincides with the orthographic projection of the first conductive part 122 onto the first plane M, and the first plane M is perpendicular to the insertion direction X. In this embodiment, as long as the elastic conductive structure 14 is in contact with the first conductive part 122, the electrical connection between the elastic conductive structure and the first conductive part 122 can be achieved.

[0066] Figure 8 is a partial structural schematic diagram of connector 1 in an embodiment of this application, and Figure 9 is a cross-sectional structural schematic diagram of connector 1 in an embodiment of this application. As shown in Figures 8 and 9, in one embodiment, connector 1 includes a shielding sheet 15, which is fixed to the ground terminal 112 of the first terminal 11 and electrically connected to the ground terminal 112, thereby grounding the shielding sheet 15 and forming a grounding structure. The shielding sheet 15 can serve as the return ground and shielding structure of connector 1. In a specific embodiment, the shielding sheet 15 can be fixedly connected to the ground terminal 112 by welding. In this embodiment, the shielding sheet 15 covers at least a portion of the signal terminal 111, and there is a gap between the shielding sheet 15 and the signal terminal 111. This ensures that, apart from the sidewall of the signal terminal 111 being adjacent to the ground terminal 112 and forming a reference area, the surface of the signal terminal 111 intersecting with the sidewall is adjacent to the shielding sheet 15. Therefore, the relative area between the shielding sheet 15 and the signal terminal 111 is also the reference area of ​​the signal terminal 111. Therefore, this solution can increase the reference area or return current area of ​​the signal terminal 111, which is beneficial for optimizing impedance. In addition, the signal can be shielded from different directions of the signal terminal 111, which helps to reduce interference to the signal terminal 111 and improve the signal transmission rate of the connector 1.

[0067] In a specific embodiment, the shielding sheet 15 may have a U-shaped portion, which facilitates electrical connection with the ground terminal 112 while avoiding the signal terminal 111, so that there is a certain gap between the shielding sheet 15 and the signal terminal 111 to form an insulating relationship.

[0068] As shown in Figure 9, in one embodiment, the first terminal 11 includes multiple signal terminal groups. Each signal terminal group includes two signal terminals 111, which can be used to transmit differential signals. One signal terminal group can be used to transmit a set of differential signal pairs. Each signal terminal group has a ground terminal 112 on both sides, thereby separating different signal terminal groups and reducing signal crosstalk between them. The shielding sheet 15 is electrically connected to the ground terminals 112 at both ends of each signal terminal group. In this embodiment, the signals transmitted by the signal terminal groups are high-speed signals, and therefore are sensitive to signal crosstalk. In this embodiment, the signals transmitted by each signal terminal group can be shielded to improve the shielding effect against crosstalk signals. Furthermore, the return ground of each signal terminal group is relatively symmetrical, improving the return consistency of the two signal terminals 111 in each signal terminal group.

[0069] Figure 10 is a schematic diagram of a connector 1 in one embodiment of this application. Referring to Figures 8 and 10, in one embodiment, the shielding plate 15 is located on the side of the first terminal 11 facing the opposite connector 2. In a specific embodiment, the shielding plate 15 is located inside the first terminal 11. The shielding plate 15 includes a contact 151, which is used to connect with the grounding structure of the opposite connector 2. This allows the shielding plate 15 and the grounding structure of the opposite connector 2 to jointly form a shielding structure and a return ground structure, improving the connector's anti-crosstalk capability and facilitating the improvement of the bandwidth and speed of the connector's signal transmission.

[0070] In one specific embodiment, the shielding sheet 15 includes a spring arm, and the contact 151 is located on the spring arm of the shielding sheet 15. This improves the tolerance absorption capability of the contact 151, which is beneficial to improving the connection effect between the contact 151 of the spring arm and the grounding structure of the opposite connector 2.

[0071] The aforementioned grounding structure can be located on the surface of the circuit board 6, which facilitates the direct connection of the contact 151 of the shielding sheet 15 to the grounding structure on the surface of the circuit board 6.

[0072] Figure 11 is a schematic diagram of a connector 1 in one embodiment of this application, and Figure 12 is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of a connector 1 in one embodiment of this application. As shown in Figures 11 and 12, in one embodiment, the fixing structure 12 of the connector 1 includes a second conductive part 123 and a first non-conductive part 124, which are fixedly formed into the fixing structure 12. The second conductive part 123 is fixed and electrically connected to the ground terminal 112, thereby making the second conductive part 123 and the ground terminal 112 a common ground structure. The second conductive part 123 and the ground terminal 112 are stacked along a first direction Y, which is perpendicular to the insertion direction X. The first direction Y can also be considered as the thickness direction of the connector 1. This solution is beneficial for increasing the height of the common ground structure along the first direction Y, thereby improving the shielding effect against crosstalk signals, increasing the signal transmission rate of the connector 1, and increasing the bandwidth of the signal transmission of the connector 1.

[0073] There are various options for forming the second conductive portion 123. For example, in one embodiment, the second conductive portion 123 can be made of conductive plastic, in which case a secondary injection molding process can be used to fix the second conductive portion 123 and the first non-conductive portion 124. Alternatively, in one embodiment, the second conductive portion 123 can also be a first metal layer fixed to the surface of the non-conductive plastic, for example, a first metal layer can be formed by electroplating on the surface of the non-conductive plastic. In one embodiment, the second conductive portion 123 can also be a conductive portion made of a microwave absorbing material.

[0074] As shown in Figure 12, in one embodiment, the first terminal 11 includes multiple signal terminal groups. Each signal terminal group includes two signal terminals 111, which can be used to transmit differential signals. One signal terminal group can be used to transmit a set of differential signal pairs. Each signal terminal group has a ground terminal 112 on both sides, thereby separating different signal terminal groups and reducing signal crosstalk between them. The ground terminal 112 between two adjacent signal terminal groups is fixed and electrically connected to the second conductive part 123. In this embodiment, the signals transmitted by the signal terminal groups are high-speed signals, and therefore are sensitive to signal crosstalk. In this embodiment, the ground terminal 112 between two adjacent signal terminal groups is fixed and electrically connected to the second conductive part 123, making the shielding structure between the two adjacent signal terminal groups have a higher height along the first direction Y, resulting in better shielding. This improves the shielding effect against crosstalk signals, increases the signal transmission rate of the connector 1, and increases the bandwidth of the connector 1's signal transmission.

[0075] As shown in Figure 10, in one embodiment, the second conductive portion 123 penetrates the fixing structure 12 along the insertion direction X. In this design, the second conductive portion 123 is as long as possible, which helps to increase the size of the common ground structure and improve the shielding effect against crosstalk signals. In some embodiments, in order to improve the strength of the fixing structure 12, the second conductive portion 123 may not penetrate the fixing structure 12 along the insertion direction X.

[0076] Figure 13 is a schematic diagram of a connector 1 in an embodiment of this application, and Figure 14 is a cross-sectional view of a connector 1 in an embodiment of this application. As shown in Figures 13 and 14, in one embodiment, the connector 1 further includes a fixing shell 16, which includes a third conductive portion 161 and a second non-conductive portion 162, which are fixedly formed into the fixing shell 16. The orthographic projection of the third conductive portion 161 along the first direction Y at least partially coincides with the orthographic projection of the ground terminal 112 along the first direction Y, and the first direction Y is perpendicular to the insertion direction X. In this scheme, the fixing shell 16 is opposite to the ground terminal 112, which can improve the shielding effect between adjacent signal terminals 111, increase the signal transmission rate of the connector 1, and increase the signal transmission bandwidth of the connector 1.

[0077] In a specific embodiment, the orthographic projection of the third conductive portion 161 along the first direction Y at least partially overlaps with the orthographic projection of the ground terminal 112 between two adjacent signal terminal groups along the first direction Y. This effectively improves the shielding effect of crosstalk signals, increases the signal transmission rate of connector 1, and increases the bandwidth of the signal transmission of connector 1.

[0078] Figure 15 shows a cross-sectional view of connector 1 in an embodiment of this application. As shown in Figure 15, in one embodiment, the third conductive part 161 is fixed and electrically connected to the second conductive part 123, thereby making the third conductive part 161, the second conductive part 123, and the ground terminal 112 a common ground structure. The third conductive part 161 is stacked on the side of the second conductive part 123 facing away from the ground terminal 112. In a specific embodiment, the third conductive part 161, the second conductive part 123, and the ground terminal 112 are stacked along the first direction Y. In this scheme, at least the third conductive part 161, the second conductive part 123, and the ground terminal 112 are formed as a common ground structure, which is beneficial to increase the height of the common ground structure along the first direction Y, thereby improving the shielding effect against crosstalk signals, increasing the signal transmission rate of connector 1, and increasing the bandwidth of signal transmission of connector 1.

[0079] Furthermore, the aforementioned fixed shell 16 extends along the insertion direction X to the insertion interface 13. Therefore, the length of the shielding structure along the insertion direction X can be extended to further improve the shielding effect of the shielding structure, reduce signal crosstalk, and increase the bandwidth and rate of the signal transmitted by the connector 1.

[0080] There are various options for forming the third conductive part 161. For example, the third conductive part 161 can be made of conductive plastic, in which case a secondary injection molding process can be used to fix the third conductive part 161 and the second non-conductive part 162. Alternatively, the third conductive part 161 can also be a first metal layer fixed to the surface of the non-conductive plastic, for example, a first metal layer can be formed by electroplating on the surface of the non-conductive plastic. In one embodiment, the third conductive part 161 can also be a conductive part made of a microwave absorbing material.

[0081] As shown in Figure 13, in one embodiment, the third conductive portion 161 does not penetrate the fixing shell 16 along the insertion direction X, that is, the second non-conductive portion 162 covers the end of the third conductive portion 161 that is away from the insertion interface 13. This design helps to enhance the fixed connection strength between the third conductive portion 161 and the second non-conductive portion 162, thereby increasing the strength of the fixing shell 16. In possible embodiments, the third conductive portion 161 needs to be as long as possible, which helps to increase the size of the shielding structure and improve the shielding effect against crosstalk signals.

[0082] In some embodiments, if the strength requirements of the fixing shell 16 can be met, the third conductive part 161 can also penetrate the fixing shell 16 along the insertion direction X.

[0083] Based on the same inventive concept, this application also provides a signal transmission method, which specifically utilizes the connector provided in this application to transmit signals. The aforementioned signal transmission method specifically includes: transmitting communication signals through signal terminals and transmitting low signals through ground terminals. The shielding structure in the embodiments of this application is relatively abundant, resulting in less crosstalk between signals and superior impedance. Therefore, the communication signal transmitted in the signal transmission method of this application has a high rate, enabling high-speed communication and improving user communication efficiency.

[0084] The above are merely specific embodiments of this application, but the scope of protection of this application is not limited thereto. Any variations or substitutions that can be easily conceived by those skilled in the art within the scope of the technology disclosed in this application should be included within the scope of protection of this application. Therefore, the scope of protection of this application should be determined by the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A connector characterized by comprising: The connector comprises a fixed structure and a plurality of first terminals, the first terminals comprising signal terminals and ground terminals, wherein the signal terminals are used for signal transmission, and the ground terminals are used for grounding; the plurality of first terminals are fixed to the fixed structure; The connector comprises a plug-in interface, and a side of the fixed structure facing the plug-in interface is provided with a first end face; at least part of the structure of the first terminals is located between the first end face and the plug-in interface; the first end face is fixed with an elastic conductive structure, the elastic conductive structure has the ability to elastically deform along the plug-in direction, and the elastic conductive structure is used to contact the end face of the opposite connector.

2. The connector of claim 1, wherein, The fixed structure comprises a first conductive part, and the elastic conductive structure is electrically connected with the first conductive part.

3. The connector of claim 1 or 2, wherein Further comprising a shielding sheet, the shielding sheet is fixed to the ground terminal and electrically connected with the ground terminal, the shielding sheet covers at least part of the area of the signal terminal, and there is a gap between the shielding sheet and the signal terminal.

4. The connector of claim 3, wherein, The first terminal comprises a plurality of signal terminal groups, each signal terminal group comprises two signal terminals, and each signal terminal group is provided with a ground terminal on each side. The shielding sheet is electrically connected with the ground terminals on both ends of the signal terminal group.

5. The connector of claim 3 or 4, wherein, The shielding sheet is located on the side of the first terminal facing the opposite connector; the shielding sheet comprises a contact point, and the contact point is used to connect with the grounding structure of the opposite connector.

6. The connector according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein The fixed structure comprises a second conductive part and a first non-conductive part, the second conductive part and the first non-conductive part are fixed, and the second conductive part is electrically connected with the ground terminal. The second conductive part and the ground terminal are stacked in a first direction, and the first direction is perpendicular to the plug-in direction.

7. The connector of claim 6, wherein, The second conductive part penetrates through the fixed structure along the plug-in direction.

8. The connector of claim 6 or 7, wherein, The first terminal comprises a plurality of signal terminal groups, each signal terminal group comprises two signal terminals, and each signal terminal group is provided with a ground terminal on each side; the ground terminals between two adjacent signal terminal groups are fixed and electrically connected with the second conductive part.

9. A connector as claimed in any one of claims 6 to 8, wherein, Further comprising a fixed shell, the fixed shell comprises a third conductive part and a second non-conductive part, the third conductive part and the second non-conductive part are fixed, and the third conductive part is electrically connected with the second conductive part. The third conductive part is stacked on the side of the second conductive part away from the ground terminal.

10. The connector of any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein Further comprising a fixed shell, the fixed shell comprises a third conductive part and a second non-conductive part, the third conductive part and the second non-conductive part are fixed; The third conductive part and the ground terminal are at least partially overlapped in a first direction, and the first direction is perpendicular to the plug-in direction.

11. A connector characterized by comprising: The connector comprises a shielding sheet and a plurality of first terminals, the first terminals comprising signal terminals and ground terminals, wherein the signal terminals are used for signal transmission, and the ground terminals are used for grounding; The shielding sheet is fixed to the ground terminal and electrically connected with the ground terminal, the shielding sheet covers at least part of the area of the signal terminal, and there is a gap between the shielding sheet and the signal terminal.

12. The connector of claim 11, wherein, The first terminal comprises a plurality of signal terminal groups, each signal terminal group comprises two signal terminals, and each signal terminal group has a ground terminal on each side. The shielding sheet is electrically connected to the ground terminals at both ends of the signal terminal group, and the shielding sheet is arranged apart from the signal terminal group.

13. The connector of claim 11 or 12, wherein, The shielding sheet is located on the side of the first terminal facing the opposite connector, and the shielding sheet comprises a contact for connecting with a grounding structure of the opposite connector.

14. A connector characterized by comprising: The first terminal comprises a signal terminal and a ground terminal, wherein the signal terminal is used for transmitting a signal, and the ground terminal is used for grounding. The fixed structure comprises a second conductive part and a first non-conductive part, and the second conductive part and the first non-conductive part are fixed. The second conductive part is stacked with the ground terminal along a first direction, and the first direction is perpendicular to the plugging direction.

15. The connector of claim 14, wherein, The second conductive part penetrates the fixed structure along the plugging direction.

16. The connector of claim 14 or 15, wherein, The first terminal comprises a plurality of signal terminal groups, each signal terminal group comprises two signal terminals, and each signal terminal group has a ground terminal on each side.

17. The connector of any one of claims 14 to 16, wherein, The fixed structure comprises a second conductive part and a first non-conductive part, and the second conductive part and the first non-conductive part are fixed. The third conductive part is stacked on the side of the second conductive part away from the ground terminal.

18. A connector characterized by comprising: The first terminal comprises a signal terminal and a ground terminal, wherein the signal terminal is used for transmitting a signal, and the ground terminal is used for grounding. The fixed structure comprises a third conductive part and a second non-conductive part, and the third conductive part and the second non-conductive part are fixed. The third conductive part is stacked on the side of the second conductive part away from the ground terminal.

19. A circuit board for mating with a connector, characterized by, The first terminal comprises a signal terminal and a ground terminal, wherein the signal terminal is used for transmitting a signal, and the ground terminal is used for grounding.

20. An electronic assembly, characterized by The fixed structure comprises a third conductive part and a second non-conductive part, and the third conductive part and the second non-conductive part are fixed.

21. An electronic assembly, characterized by The third conductive part is stacked on the side of the second conductive part away from the ground terminal.

22. An electronic device, comprising: The first terminal comprises a signal terminal and a ground terminal, wherein the signal terminal is used for transmitting a signal, and the ground terminal is used for grounding. The first electronic device is electrically connected to the first terminal. The second electronic device is electrically connected to the second terminal. The first terminal comprises a signal terminal and a ground terminal, wherein the signal terminal is used for transmitting a signal, and the ground terminal is used for grounding.

23. A method of signal transmission, the method comprising: A method of transmitting signals using the connector according to any one of claims 1 to 18, the method comprising in particular: transmitting a communication signal through the signal terminal; transmitting a ground signal through the ground terminal.

Images