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

Abstract

Provided in the present application are a connector, an electronic assembly, an electronic device, and a signal transmission method. The connector comprises a fixing structure and a plurality of first terminals, the plurality of first terminals comprising signal terminals and ground terminals, wherein the signal terminals are configured to transmit signals, and the ground terminals are configured to be grounded. Specifically, the signals transmitted by the signal terminals may be high-speed signals, and the ground terminals are configured to serve as return grounds, reference grounds, and / or shielding structures for the signal terminals. The fixing structure comprises a body and separation portions located on the body, and the relative dielectric constant of the separation portions is lower than the relative dielectric constant of the body. The first terminals are fixed to the body, and the separation portions are provided between the signal terminals and the ground terminals. Since the relative dielectric constant of the separation portions is relatively low, mutual capacitance values between the signal terminals and the ground terminals are relatively small, so that crosstalk can be reduced. The solution is conducive to increasing the signal transmission rate and bandwidth of the connector.

Description

Connectors, electronic components, electronic devices and signal transmission methods

[0001] Cross-references to related applications

[0002] This application claims priority to Chinese Patent Application No. 202411665123.7, filed on November 19, 2024, entitled "Connector, 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, 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, electronic components, electronic devices, and signal transmission methods that improve the shielding effect of connectors against crosstalk signals and increase the signal transmission rate and bandwidth of connectors.

[0006] Firstly, 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 provided. The signal terminals are used to transmit signals, and the ground terminals are used for grounding. Specifically, the signals transmitted by the signal terminals can be high-speed signals, and the ground terminals serve as return ground, reference ground, and / or shielding structures for the signal terminals. The fixed structure includes a body and a partition located within the body, the relative permittivity of which is lower than that of the body. The first terminals are fixed to the body, and a partition exists between the signal terminals and the ground terminals. Due to the lower relative permittivity of the partition, the mutual capacitance between the signal terminals and the ground terminals is smaller, thereby reducing crosstalk. This solution is beneficial for increasing the signal transmission rate of the connector to meet the needs of electronic devices for increasing signal transmission rates, and can also increase the bandwidth of the connector's signal transmission.

[0007] In a further technical solution, a separator is provided between any two adjacent first terminals. This results in a smaller mutual inductance capacitance between any two adjacent first terminals and lower crosstalk between them, which is beneficial for further improving the signal transmission rate of the connector to meet the needs of electronic devices for increasing signal transmission rate, and can also increase the bandwidth of the connector's signal transmission.

[0008] There are various options for the specific structure and form of the aforementioned partition. For example, in one technical solution, the partition is a groove in the body. The medium of the partition is air, which has a relatively low dielectric constant and has a significant effect on reducing the mutual capacitance value generated between the first terminals on both sides of the groove.

[0009] In one technical solution, the separator is a dielectric material block embedded in the body. This solution can improve the strength of the fixing structure, thereby improving the structural strength of the connector.

[0010] Specifically, the dielectric material block of the aforementioned separator and the main body can be integrally molded to improve the fixing strength between the dielectric material of the separator and the main body and reduce the difficulty of manufacturing the fixing structure.

[0011] In another technical solution, the aforementioned separation portion includes a first separation portion and a second separation portion. The first separation portion is located between the signal terminal and the ground terminal, and the second separation portion is located between two adjacent signal terminals. The first separation portion is a groove in the body, and the second separation portion is made of dielectric material. The mutual inductance capacitance formed between the signal terminal and the ground terminal is relatively small, which can significantly reduce crosstalk between the signal terminal and the ground terminal. The second separation portion between adjacent signal terminals can also reduce the mutual inductance capacitance to a certain extent, reducing crosstalk and improving the strength of the fixing structure. Therefore, this solution can simultaneously reduce crosstalk, increase the signal transmission rate of the connector, and improve the strength of the fixing structure, thus enhancing the structural reliability of the connector.

[0012] The connector includes a mating interface, a fixing structure having a first end on the side facing the mating interface, and at least a portion of the structure of a first terminal located between the first end and the mating interface. The separator is located at the first end, and the separator can be fabricated starting at the end of the fixing structure, for example, by fabricating a groove at the end of the fixing structure. This simplifies the fabrication process of the separator. Furthermore, the first end facing the end where the first terminal connects to the contact point of the opposite connector helps to improve the effect of reducing crosstalk.

[0013] The dimensions of the aforementioned separator can be such that the depth of the separator along the insertion direction of the connector is greater than or equal to 0.2 mm, thereby meeting the connector's requirement to improve signal transmission rate.

[0014] Furthermore, the aforementioned plurality of first terminals are arranged along a first direction, and the orthographic projection of the separator along the first direction completely covers the orthographic projection of the first terminal along the first direction. This is beneficial for improving the effect of the separator in reducing mutual inductance capacitance and has a better effect in reducing crosstalk.

[0015] Secondly, this application also provides an electronic component. This electronic component includes a first electronic device and any of the connectors provided in the first aspect, 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.

[0016] Thirdly, this application also provides an electronic device. This electronic device includes a housing, a circuit board, and any of the connectors provided in the first 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.

[0017] Fourthly, this application also provides a signal transmission method. This signal transmission method utilizes any of the connectors provided in the first aspect 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

[0018] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of an electronic device according to an embodiment of this application;

[0019] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of an electronic device in an embodiment of this application;

[0020] Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of a connector structure in an embodiment of this application;

[0021] Figure 4 is a partial top view of the connector in an embodiment of this application;

[0022] Figure 5 is a partial top view of a connector in an embodiment of this application;

[0023] Figure 6 is a partial top view of a connector in an embodiment of this application;

[0024] Figure 7 is a partial top view of the connector in an embodiment of this application;

[0025] Figure 8 is a partial side cross-sectional view of the connector in an embodiment of this application;

[0026] Figure 9 is a partial top view of the connector in an embodiment of this application.

[0027] 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-Body; 122-Separator; 1221-First separator; 1222-Second separator; 123-First end; 13-Interface; 2-Matching connector; 3-First electronic device; 4-Housing; 5-Second electronic device; 6-Circuit board; 61-Second terminal; 7-Cage; X-Interlocking direction; Y-First direction; Z-Second direction. Detailed Implementation

[0028] 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.

[0029] 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,” and “this” are intended to also include expressions such as “one or more,” unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.

[0030] 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.

[0031] 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.

[0032] 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.

[0033] 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.

[0034] 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.

[0035] 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.

[0036] 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.

[0037] 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 multiple second terminals 61, which are formed as gold finger connectors. The second electronic device 5 is disposed on the circuit board 6 and is electrically connected to the second terminals 61. 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 61 and the first terminal 11, thereby realizing the electrical connection between the first electronic device 3 and the second electronic device 5, and 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.

[0038] 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.

[0039] Taking the second electronic component 100b as an optical 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 in a connected state, 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.

[0040] 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.

[0041] Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of a connector 1 in an embodiment of this application. As shown in Figure 3, in this embodiment, the 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 / or shielding structure of the signal terminal 111.

[0042] In one specific embodiment, two signal terminals 111 used to transmit a set of differential signals form a set, and a ground terminal 112 is provided between any two adjacent sets of signal terminals.

[0043] Figure 4 is a partial top view of a connector in an embodiment of this application. As shown in Figures 3 and 4, in one embodiment, the fixing structure 12 includes a body 121 and a partition located on the body 121. The relative permittivity of the partition is lower than that of the body 121, resulting in a smaller mutual capacitance value between the metal structures on both sides of the partition. The first terminal 11 is fixed to the body 121, and a partition is provided between the signal terminal 111 and the ground terminal 112. That is, the area of ​​the fixing body 121 between the signal terminal 111 and the ground terminal 112 is the partition, which makes the relative permittivity of the medium between the signal terminal 111 and the ground terminal 112 lower, resulting in a smaller mutual capacitance value between the signal terminal 111 and the ground terminal 112, thereby reducing crosstalk. Since the crosstalk between signal terminal 111 and ground terminal 112 has a significant impact on the signal transmission of the connector, this solution reduces the crosstalk between signal terminal 111 and ground terminal 112 by lowering the relative dielectric constant of the medium between them. This helps to improve the signal transmission rate of the connector, meet the needs of electronic devices to increase the signal transmission rate, and also improve the bandwidth of the connector's signal transmission.

[0044] In some embodiments, the number of partitions provided in this scheme is small, which is beneficial to improving the structural strength of the fixing body 121, thereby improving the structural strength of the connector; this scheme can also reduce the manufacturing difficulty of the fixing body 121, thereby reducing the manufacturing difficulty of the connector.

[0045] Figure 5 is a partial top view of a connector in an embodiment of this application. As shown in Figure 5, in a further embodiment, a separation portion is provided between any two adjacent first terminals 11 of the connector. In this embodiment, in addition to the separation portion between the ground terminal 112 and the signal terminal 111, a separation portion is also provided between any two adjacent signal terminals 111. As a result, the mutual inductance capacitance value generated between any two adjacent first terminals 11 is small, and the crosstalk between any two adjacent first terminals 11 is low. This is beneficial to further improve 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.

[0046] In this application, there are multiple options for forming the aforementioned partition, and this application does not impose any specific limitations. For example, in the embodiment shown in Figures 4 and 5, the partition is a groove located in the body 121 of the fixed structure 12. In this embodiment, the medium of the partition can be considered to be air. Air has a relatively low dielectric constant, which has a significant effect on reducing the mutual inductance capacitance between the first terminals 11 on both sides of the groove. This can significantly reduce the crosstalk between the first terminals 11 on both sides of the groove, thereby significantly increasing the signal transmission rate of the connector to meet the needs of electronic devices for increasing signal transmission rate, and also increasing the bandwidth of the connector signal transmission.

[0047] Figure 6 is a partial top view of the connector in an embodiment of this application. As shown in Figure 6, in an optional embodiment, the aforementioned partition can be a dielectric material block, which is embedded in the body 121. Specifically, the dielectric material block can be a Teflon block or a polyethylene block, etc. The body 121 of the fixing structure 12 and the dielectric material block are fixed to each other, thereby increasing the strength of the fixing structure 12 and thus increasing the structural strength of the connector. In this embodiment, "embedded in" refers to the positional relationship and fixing relationship between the body 121 and the partition, not the fixing method.

[0048] For example, in one embodiment, a groove can be dug in the area where the partition portion of the body 121 is located, and then a medium material block can be embedded in the groove to form the partition portion. Alternatively, in another embodiment, a groove can be dug in the area where the partition portion of the body 121 is located, and after filling with medium material, it can be cured to form a medium material block, thus fixing the medium material block in the groove of the body 121. Or, in yet another embodiment, the partition portion and the body 121 can be manufactured using a one-time molding process, so that the partition portion and the body 121 are integrally formed. This improves the fixing strength between the medium material of the partition portion and the body 121, and reduces the manufacturing difficulty of the fixing structure 12.

[0049] Figure 7 is a partial top view of a connector in an embodiment of this application. As shown in Figure 7, in an optional embodiment, some of the partitions in the fixing structure 12 of the connector are grooves located in the body 121, and some of the partitions are dielectric material located in the body 121.

[0050] As shown in Figure 7, for ease of description, the partition of the fixed structure 12 is considered to include a first partition 1221 and a second partition 1222. The first partition 1221 is located between the signal terminal 111 and the ground terminal 112, and the second partition 1222 is located between two adjacent signal terminals 111. It can be understood that the partition between the signal terminal 111 and the ground terminal 112 is considered the first partition 1221, and the partition between two adjacent signal terminals 111 is considered the second partition 1222. The first partition 1221 is a groove located in the body 121, meaning that the mutual inductance capacitance formed between the signal terminal 111 and the ground terminal 112 is relatively small, which can significantly reduce crosstalk between the signal terminal 111 and the ground terminal 112. The second partition 1222 between adjacent signal terminals 111 can also reduce the mutual inductance capacitance to a certain extent, thus reducing crosstalk. Therefore, this solution can simultaneously reduce crosstalk, increase the signal transmission rate of the connector, and improve the strength of the fixed structure 12, thereby enhancing the structural reliability of the connector.

[0051] Figure 8 is a partial side cross-sectional view of a connector according to an embodiment of this application. As shown in Figure 8, in an optional embodiment, the connector 1 includes a plug-in interface 13 for insertion with a peer connector 2. The peer connector 2 is inserted into the connector 1 through the plug-in interface 13 along the insertion direction X. In one embodiment, the plug-in interface 13 is an opening formed by a fixed shell. In another embodiment, the plug-in interface 13 is the outermost edge of the connector 1 along the insertion direction X. The fixed structure 12 has a first end 123 on the side facing the plug-in interface 13, and at least a portion of the first terminal 11 is located between the first end 123 and the plug-in interface 13. In this embodiment, the first end 123 of the fixed structure 12 refers to the area within a certain distance range of the end of the fixed structure 12 facing the plug-in interface 13 along the insertion direction X. In this scheme, a partition is prepared near the end of the fixed structure 12. The partition can be prepared starting from the end of the fixed structure 12, for example, a groove can be prepared at the end of the fixed structure 12. This simplifies the preparation process of the partition. Furthermore, the first end 123 is oriented towards the end where the first terminal 11 is connected to the contact point of the opposite connector, which helps to improve the effect of reducing crosstalk.

[0052] Referring to Figures 7 and 8, in a specific embodiment, the depth H of the aforementioned separator along the connector's insertion direction is greater than or equal to 0.2 mm, thereby meeting the connector's requirement to improve signal transmission rate. For example, the depth H of the separator along the connector's insertion direction can be 0.4 mm, 0.5 mm, 0.6 mm, 0.65 mm, 0.7 mm, 0.75 mm, 0.8 mm, 0.85 mm, 0.9 mm, or 1 mm. The greater the depth H of the separator, the larger the area with a relatively low dielectric constant, resulting in a better effect on reducing mutual capacitance and a higher effect on reducing crosstalk.

[0053] Please refer to Figures 7 and 8. In a specific embodiment, multiple first terminals 11 are arranged along the first direction Y. The orthographic projection of the separator along the first direction completely covers the orthographic projection of the first terminal 11 along the first direction. As shown in Figure 8, the thickness of the separator along the second direction Z is greater than the thickness of the first terminal 11 along the second direction, which helps to improve the effect of the separator in reducing the mutual inductance capacitance value and the effect of reducing crosstalk.

[0054] Figure 9 is a partial top view of a connector in an embodiment of this application. As shown in Figure 9, in an optional embodiment, the width of the partition along the first direction is equal to the distance between the first terminals 11 at both ends of the partition, so that the partition is as wide as possible along the first direction, thereby improving the effect of the partition in reducing the mutual inductance capacitance value and improving the effect of reducing crosstalk.

[0055] 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 111 and transmitting ground signals through ground terminals 112. In the embodiments of this application, the fixed structure 12 between the first terminals 11 is a separator, and the relative permittivity of the separator is lower than that of the body 121, resulting in less crosstalk between signals. Therefore, the communication signal transmitted in the signal transmission method of this application has a higher rate, enabling high-speed communication and improving user communication efficiency.

[0056] 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 in that, It includes a fixed structure and a plurality of first terminals, wherein the first terminals include signal terminals and ground terminals, wherein the signal terminals are used to transmit signals and the ground terminals are used to ground; The fixing structure includes a body and a partition located on the body. The relative permittivity of the partition is lower than that of the body. The first terminal is fixed to the body, and the partition is located between the signal terminal and the ground terminal.

2. The connector as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The separation portion is provided between any two adjacent first terminals.

3. The connector as described in claim 2, characterized in that, The partition includes a first partition and a second partition. The first partition is located between the signal terminal and the ground terminal, and the second partition is located between two adjacent signal terminals. The first partition is a groove of the body, and the second partition is a dielectric material.

4. The connector as described in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The dividing part is a groove in the body.

5. The connector as described in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The partition is a medium material block, which is embedded in the main body.

6. The connector as described in claim 5, characterized in that, The partition and the main body are integrally formed.

7. The connector as described in any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that, The connector includes a plug interface, the fixing structure has a first end on the side facing the plug interface, at least a portion of the structure of the first terminal is located between the first end and the plug interface; the separator is located at the first end.

8. The connector as described in any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that, The depth of the separator along the insertion direction of the connector is greater than or equal to 0.2 mm.

9. The connector as described in any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that, The plurality of the first terminals are arranged along a first direction, and the orthographic projection of the partition along the first direction completely covers the orthographic projection of the first terminal along the first direction.

10. An electronic component, characterized in that, It includes a first electronic device and a connector as described in any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the first electronic device is electrically connected to the first terminal.

11. An electronic device, characterized in that, It includes a housing, a circuit board, and a connector as described in any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the connector or the circuit board is fixed to the housing, and the connector and the circuit board are plugged into each other.

12. A signal transmission method, characterized in that, The method of transmitting signals using the connector as described in any one of claims 1 to 9 specifically includes: Communication signals are transmitted through the signal terminals; Ground signals are transmitted through the ground terminal.

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