Plug Connector With Shield Plate, Comprising a Spring Contact Element

#The present invention relates to connector and, more particularly, to a shielded connector with a connector housing and a shield plate.

#Connectors are used to contact, for example, circuit boards. The connectors comprise a housing and several contact elements arranged therein. The housing comprises a plug opening via which the contact elements are accessible and can be contacted. A component to be connected to the circuit board comprises a mating connector that is inserted into the plug opening of the connector. The connector comprises a shield plate to shield the connector from external electromagnetic influences and/or to prevent electromagnetic radiation from penetrating from the connector into the environment. Typically, two shield plates are provided which are arranged on the oppositely disposed long sides of the connector housing. At least one of these shield plates is arranged on the inner side of the connector housing facing the contact elements.

#EP 1 251 591 A2 describes a connector with shield plates. The shield plates are connected to a connector housing by way of latching connections. In particular, the latching connections are configured as latching hooks that engage in depressions in the connector housing.

#Embodiments of the invention are illustrated in the drawings and shall be explained in more detail in the following description, wherein:

#FIG. 1 shows an isometric view of a connector according to the invention according to a first embodiment;

#FIG. 2 shows an isometric sectional view of the connector from FIG. 1 in a non-plugged state of a mating connector;

#The accompanying drawings are incorporated into the specification and form a part of the specification to illustrate several embodiments of the present invention. These drawings, together with the description, explain the principles of the invention. The drawings are merely for the purpose of illustrating examples of how the invention can be made and used and are not to be construed as limiting the invention to only the illustrated and described embodiments. Furthermore, several aspects of the embodiments may form-individually or in different combinations-solutions according to the present invention. The following described embodiments thus can be considered either alone or in an arbitrary combination thereof.

#FIG. 1 shows an isometric view of a first embodiment of connector 1 according to the invention which is fastened to a circuit board 2 as an SMD (surface-mounted device). Connector 1 comprises a plurality of contact elements 3 which are contacted via circuit board 2. In addition, connector 1 comprises a connector housing 10 that, on an upper side, opposite the circuit board, has a plug opening through which contact elements 3 are accessible from the outside. The contact elements 3 are arranged in an interior of the connector housing 10.

#A pair of shield plates 4 and 5 are provided in connector 1, as shown in FIG. 1. The shield plates 4, 5 consist of metal or a metal alloy, such as a copper sheet, and in a contact region have a metal coating suitable for electrical contacts, such as palladium. In a soldering region, shield plates 4, 5 may have a tin coating. A first shield plate 4 is arranged on a front outer side of connector housing 10. A second shield plate 5 is arranged on a rear inner side of connector housing 10. The second shield plate 5 is held on connector housing 10 in this first embodiment by way of a plurality of fastening hooks 53. Second shield plate 5 is described hereafter with reference to FIGS. 2 and 3. Identical elements are identified with the same reference characters, and they shall be described only once hereafter.