Electrical receptacle for transmitting high speed signal

[0001] The invention relates to an electrical receptacle, and particularly to the electrical receptacle adapted for transmitting high speed signal.

[0002] Currently high speed electrical connector has a plurality of electrical lanes. Each of the electrical lanes may run at the rate of 25 Gbit/s or 50 Gbit/s. U.S. Pat. No. 8,764,464, issued to Buck et al., on Jul. 1, 2014, discloses example electrical connectors including a plurality of electrical contacts configured to communicate between electrical devices. The plurality of electrical contacts includes a plurality of ground contacts. A ground coupling assembly is configured to electrically connect ground contacts of an electrical connector to adjust a performance characteristic of the electrical connector as desired.

[0003] U.S. Pat. No. 7,798,820, issued on Sep. 21, 2010, discloses an optical transceiver module including an edge connector and a female host connector. The female host connector includes a row of first terminals having first contact sections, a row of second terminals having second contact sections, a row of third terminals having third contact sections and a row of the fourth terminal having fourth contact sections. The first contact section forwardly extends beyond the second contact section. The fourth terminal is in front of the third terminal. The edge connector includes a mating circuit board, the mating circuit board defines a number of contact pads on top of board and bottom of board. The contact pads includes a row of first pads and a row of second pads on the top of board, a row of third of pads and a row of fourth pads on the bottom of board. The first contact section connects with the first pad, the second contact section connects with the second pad, the third contact section connects with the third pad, and the fourth contact section connects with the fourth pad.

[0004] U.S. Pat. No. 8,727,793, issued on May 20, 2014, discloses a small SFP board with an end portion configured to be insert into a connector device. The SFP board has a first set of signal pads and a fourth set of signal pads on top surface, a second set of signal pads and a third set of signal pads on bottom surface. The fourth set of signal pads are offset in a longitudinal direction from the first set signal pads on the top surface. The third set of signal pads are offset in a longitudinal direction from the second set signal pads on the bottom surface.

[0005] An improved better high-frequency performance of the electrical receptacle is desired.

[0006] An object of the present invention, is to provide an electrical receptacle having means to transmit high speed signal.

[0007] To achieve the above-mentioned object, an electrical receptacle mounted onto a host board and electrically connecting with a mating electrical circuit board, comprising an insulative housing; and a row of first terminals, a row of second terminals, a row of third terminals, and a row of fourth terminals arranged along a vertical direction and mounted in the insulative housing, the first terminals and the fourth terminals forming a first mating port, the second terminals and the third terminals forming a second mating port, the first mating port forwardly extending beyond the second mating port; wherein the row of first terminals align with the row of second terminals along a up-to-down direction, the row of third terminals align with the row of fourth terminals along an up-to-down direction, the first terminals and the second terminals are offset in a longitudinal direction from the third terminals and the fourth terminals.

[0008] Another object of the present invention, is to provide an electrical receptacle having means to transmit high speed signal.

[0009] To achieve the above-mentioned object, an electrical receptacle for mating with a plug connector, comprising an insulative housing defining a front card receiving space and a rear module receiving space; a terminal module received within the module receiving space and comprising an upper half module and a lower half module stacked with each other in a vertical direction; said upper half module including an upper front part and an upper rear part cooperating with each other to sandwich an upper shielding plate therebetween in the vertical direction, the upper front part including a plurality of upper front terminals integrally formed with an upper front insulator via insert-molding, the upper rear part including a plurality of upper rear terminals integrally formed with an upper rear insulator via insert-molding, said upper shielding plate forming a plurality of upper springs extending upwardly through corresponding holes in the upper front insulator to mechanically and electrically connect corresponding upper front terminals for grounding, and a plurality of lower springs extending downwardly through corresponding holes to mechanically and electrically connect corresponding upper rear terminals for grounding; wherein front contacting sections of the upper front terminals and those of the upper rear terminals are located on a same upper side of the card receiving space.

[0010] Other objects, advantages and novel features of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

[0052] Reference will now be made in detail to the preferred embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIGS. 1-6, an electrical connector assembly 100 includes a shielding shell or cage 10, a number of first embodiment of electrical receptacles 200 mounted onto a host board 300 and electrically connecting with mating electrical circuit boards. The electrical receptacle 200 includes an insulative housing 20, and a number of terminal modules mounted in the insulative housing 20. The terminal modules include a first terminal module 30, a second terminal module 40, a third terminal module 50, and a fourth terminal module 60 arranging along an up-to-down direction. A shielding plate 12 is set between two adjacent insulative housings 20. The shielding shell 10 defines holes 11 on top face. The electrical connector assembly 100 further includes heat sinks 70 mounted in the holes 11, a retainer 80 fastening the whole heat sinks 70 on the shielding shell 10, and a number of light pipe 90 mounted on the heat sinks 70.

[0053] Referring to FIGS. 5-8, the first terminal module 30 includes a top row of first terminals 31, a first insulative body 32 over-molded on the first terminal 31, and a first position part 33 over-molded on the first terminal 31. The second terminal module 40 includes a row of second terminal 41 under the first terminal 31, a second insulative body 42 over-molded on the second terminal 41, and a second position part 43 over-molded on the second terminal 42. The third terminal module 50 includes a row of third terminals 51 under the second terminal 41, a third insulative body 52 over-molded on the third terminal 51, and a third position part 53 over-molded on the third terminal 51. The fourth terminal module 60 includes a row of fourth terminals 61 under the third terminal 51, a fourth insulative body 62 over-molded on the fourth terminals 61. The first and second terminals 31, 41 electrically connect to a top surface of the mating electrical circuit board, the third and fourth terminals 51, 61 electrically connect to a bottom surface of the mating electrical circuit board.

[0054] Referring to FIG. 12, FIGS. 14-15, the first terminal 31 includes a first contact section 310 forwardly extending from the first insulative body 32, a first horizontal section 311 connecting with the contact section 310, a first vertical section 312 perpendicular to the first horizontal section 311, and a first soldering portion 313 perpendicular to the first vertical section 312. The first insulative body 32 is over-molded on the first horizontal section 311, the first position part 33 over-molded on the first vertical section 312. The second terminal 41 includes a second contact section 410 forwardly extending from the second insulative body 42, a second horizontal section 411 connecting with the second contact section 410, a second vertical section 412 perpendicular to the second horizontal section 411, and a second soldering portion 413 perpendicular to the second vertical section 412. The second insulative body 42 is over-molded on the second horizontal section 411, the second position part 43 over-molded on the second vertical section 412. The third terminal 51 includes a third contact section 510 forwardly extending from the third insulative body 52, a third horizontal section 511 connecting with the third contact section 510, a third vertical section 512 perpendicular to the third horizontal section 511, and a third soldering portion 513 perpendicular to the third vertical section 512. The third insulative body 52 is over-molded on the third horizontal section 511, the third position part 53 over-molded on the third vertical section 512. The fourth terminal 61 includes a fourth contact section 610 forwardly extending from the fourth insulative body 62, a fourth horizontal section 611 connecting with the fourth contact section 610, a fourth vertical section 612 perpendicular to the fourth horizontal section 611, and a fourth soldering portion 613 perpendicular to the fourth vertical section 612. The fourth insulative body 62 is over-molded on the fourth horizontal section 611.

[0055] Referring to FIGS. 5-7, FIGS. 9-12, the insulative housing 20 includes a mating face 21, a top surface 22 and a bottom surface 23. The top surface 22 defines a row of first guide grooves 34 for received the first contact section 310. The bottom surface 23 defines a row of fourth guide grooves 64 for received the fourth contact section 610. The first insulative body 32 defines a row of second guide grooves 44 for received the second contact section 410 in bottom face. The fourth insulative body 62 defines a row of third guide groove 54 for received the third contact section 510. The first contact section 310 and the fourth contact section 610 forwardly extend beyond the second contact section 410 and the third contact section 510. The first contact sections 310 of the first terminals 31 and the fourth contact sections 610 of the fourth terminals 61 form a first mating port 24. The second contact sections 410 of the second terminals 41 and the third contact sections 510 of the third terminals 51 form a second mating port 25. The first mating port 24 forwardly extends beyond the second mating port 25. The insulative housing 20 defines a number of fixed slots 29 at rear face of the bottom surface 23, the fourth vertical section 612 received in the fixed slot 29. The first, second, third vertical section 312, 412, 512 are respectively insert-molded in the first, second, third position part 33, 43, 53 in a whole row. These designs are in order to that the first, second, third, fourth soldering portion 313, 413, 513, 613 are respectively surface welded on the host circuit board 300 easily. The insulative housing 20 also includes two side walls 26 connecting the top surface 22 and the bottom surface 23. Both of the side walls 26 respectively define a position slot 27 on opposite faces. All of the first, the second, and the third position parts 33, 43, 53 define a bump 28 at both ends. The bump 28 is received in the position slot 27 to position the first, the second, and the third soldering portion 313, 413, 513.

[0056] The first insulative body 32 defines a number of first slits 320 on top face for exposing the first horizontal sections 311 in air. The first position part 33 defines a number of first openings 330 on rear face for exposing the first vertical sections 312 in air. The second insulative body 42 defines a number of second slits 420 on top face for exposing the second horizontal sections 411 in air. The second position parts 43 defines a number of second openings 430 on rear face for exposing the second vertical sections 412 in air. The third insulative body 52 defines a number of third slits 520 on bottom face for exposing the third horizontal sections 511 in air. The third position parts 53 defines a number of third openings 530 on rear face for exposing the third vertical sections 512 in air. The fourth insulative body 62 defines a number of fourth slits 620 on bottom face for exposing the fourth horizontal sections 611 in air.

[0057] Referring to FIGS. 13-16, when the first, second, third, fourth terminal modules 30, 40, 50, 60 are mounted on the insulative housing 20, the first soldering portions 313 are at finial side near to the rear face of the insulative housing 20. At the same time, the second soldering portion 413 is in front of the first soldering portion 313, the third soldering portion 513 is in front of the second soldering portion 413, and the fourth soldering portion 613 is in front of the third soldering portion 513. The row of first soldering portions 313 align with the row of second soldering portions 413 along a front-to-back direction. The row of third soldering portions 513 align with the row of fourth soldering portions 613 along a front-to-back direction. The second soldering portion 413 aligns to a space of two adjacent third soldering portions 513. The row of first terminals 31 align with the row of second terminals 41 along an up-to-down direction, the row of third terminals 51 align with the row of fourth terminals 61 along an up-to-down direction. The first terminals 31 and the second terminals 41 are offset in a longitudinal direction perpendicular to the up-to-down direction and the front-to-back direction from the third terminals 51 and the fourth terminals 61. A center line of the first terminal 31 along a front-to-back direction and a center line of the second terminal 41 along a front-to-back direction are in a same first vertical plane C-C, and a center line of the third terminal 51 along a front-to-back direction and a center line of the fourth terminal 61 along a front-to-back direction are in a same second vertical plane D-D. A distance of adjacent the first vertical plane C-C and the second vertical plane D-D is 0.4 mm. This design of the QSFP-DD makes high-frequency performance of the whole electrical receptacle 200 to be better.

[0058] Referring to FIGS. 17(A)-25(B), a second embodiment of the electrical receptacle 700, which is essentially similar to the electrical receptacle 200 in the first embodiment except that a metallic shielding plate is disposed between the first terminal module and the second terminal module with the corresponding first sprint tangs and second spring tangs extending therefrom to contact the corresponding first terminals and second terminals, respectively, for grounding, and similarly another metallic shielding plate is disposed between the third terminal module and the fourth terminal module in the same way. The details are illustrated below.

[0059] The electrical receptacle 700 includes an insulative housing 702 forming a front card receiving space 704 and a rear module receiving space 706. The insulative housing 702 defines a card receiving space 704, a plurality of upper passageways 708 above the card receiving space 704, and a plurality of lower passageways 710 below the card receiving space 704. A terminal module 712 is disposed in the module receiving space 706 and includes an upper half module 714 and a lower half module 734 stacked with each other in the vertical direction. The upper half module 714 includes an upper front part 716 having a plurality of upper front terminals 718 integrally formed with an upper front insulator 720 via an insert-molding process, and an upper rear part 722 having a plurality of upper rear terminals 724 integrally formed with an upper rear insulator 726 via another insert-molding process, and further with a metallic upper shielding plate 728 sandwiched between the upper front insulator 720 and the upper rear insulator 726 in the vertical direction, wherein the upper shielding plate 728 includes a plurality of upper spring tangs 730 extending upwardly through corresponding holes 721 in the upper front insulator 720 to mechanically and electrically connect to the corresponding selected grounding terminals of the upper front terminals 718, and a plurality of lower spring tangs 732 extending downwardly through corresponding holes 727 of the upper rear insulator 726 to mechanically and electrically connect to the corresponding selected grounding terminals of the upper rear terminals 724. Notably, during mating the front contacting section 717 of the upper front terminals 718 extend into the corresponding upper passageways 708 while the front contacting section 723 of the upper rear terminal 724 extend into the corresponding upper grooves 719 formed in the upper front insulator 720.

[0060] Similarly, the lower half module 734 includes a lower front piece 736 having a plurality of lower front terminals 738 integrally formed with a lower front insulator 740 via an insert-molding process, and a lower rear piece 742 having a plurality of lower rear terminals 744 integrally formed with a lower rear insulator 746 via another insert-molding process, and further with a metallic lower shielding plate 748 sandwiched between the lower front insulator 740 and the lower rear insulator 746 in the vertical direction wherein the lower shielding plate 748 includes a plurality of lower spring fingers 750 extending downwardly through the corresponding holes 741 in the lower front insulator 740 to mechanically and electrically connect to the corresponding selected grounding terminals of the lower front terminals 738, and a plurality of upper spring fingers 752 extending upwardly through the corresponding holes 747 of the lower rear insulator 746 to mechanically and electrically connect to the corresponding selected grounding terminals of the lower rear terminals 744. Notably, during mating the front contacting section 737 of the lower front terminals 738 extend into the corresponding lower passageways 710 while the front contacting section 743 of the upper rear terminal 744 extend into the corresponding lower grooves 739 formed in the lower front insulator 740.

[0061] Notably, each of the upper shielding plate 728 and the lower shielding plate 748 forms the opening 729, 749 corresponding to the corresponding high speed terminals in the vertical direction for reduction of resonance. Understandably, the layout of the upper front terminals 718 and the upper rear terminals 724, and the lower front terminals 738 and the lower rear terminals 744 are arranged same with those in the first embodiment. The posts-holes structure may be applied to the insulators and shielding plate so as to have the shielding plate retained between the stacked insulator without relative movement both vertically and horizontally. Similar to the first embodiment, in this embodiment the terminals of the same part/piece of the module is equipped with an insulative spacer 760 to secure the tails of the terminals in position without relative movements, and two opposite ends of the spacer 760 is retained in the corresponding slots 703 in an interior surfaces of the housing 702. It is also noted that because the terminals are molded within the corresponding part/piece of the module, the holes 721, 727, 741 and 747 extend through at least one corresponding surface of the insulator of the corresponding part/piece in at least one vertical direction. It is also noted that means for securing the terminal module 712 and the housing 702, e.g., protrusions vs. steps, may be applied thereon optimally. Similar to the first embodiment, even though a rear card received slot 766 is formed between the upper front insulator 720 and the lower front insulator 740 in the vertical direction, in this embodiments, a pair of slots 705 are optimally formed in opposite interior surfaces of the housing 702 to additionally hold two opposite lateral side edges of the inserted mating tongue, i.e., the printed circuit board of the plug connector, during mating.

[0062] Referring to FIGS. 26(A) to 31, an electrical connector assembly 800 belonging to the QSFP-DD specification, includes a plug connector 830, an electrical receptacle 850, a metallic cage 810 with the corresponding retainer 880, the heat sink 870 and the light pipe 890 thereon, wherein the electrical receptacle 850 is essentially same with the electrical receptacle 200 in the first embodiment. The plug connector 830 includes a metallic base 831, a metallic cover 832 commonly forming a cavity to receive a paddle card 834 therein. A cable 836 includes a plurality of wires 838 soldered upon the paddle card 834. An actuator 840 is moveable along a front-to-back direction for releasing the plug connector from the cage 810 so as to un-mate the plug connector 830 from the electrical receptacle 850.

[0063] It is to be understood, however, that even though numerous characteristics and advantages of the present invention have been set fourth in the foregoing description, together with details of the structure and function of the invention, the disclosure is illustrative only, and changes may be made in detail, especially in matters of shape, size, and arrangement of parts within the principles of the invention to the full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the members in which the appended claims are expressed.