High frequency modular connector

#This invention relates to connector apparatus. In particular it relates to connector apparatus mounted on a plug-in circuit board for use in interconnecting printed wiring circuitry of the circuit board with backplanes of equipment mounting apparatus.

#Plug-in circuit boards having electronic components located thereon that are interconnected by printed wiring circuitry of the circuit board are widely used in the Telecommunication and Computer Industry. These types of circuit boards are oftentimes inserted in equipment mounting apparatus used to interconnect the circuit boards to form electronic systems such as telecommunication switching and computer systems. In general, the equipment mounting apparatus comprises frames having grooves located therein which receive edges of a circuit board and guide the circuit board to engage apparatus used to connect circuit boards together to form an electronic system.

#The interconnecting apparatus may consist of a connector for receiving a circuit board and printed wiring circuitry for interconnecting the connector with terminals provided to terminate wiring of the equipment mounting apparatus. Printed wiring circuitry used to connect the connector with terminals of the equipment mounting apparatus oftentimes have long parallel electrical conducting paths each coupling a connector contact with a corresponding terminal. Such long parallel electrical conducting paths are generally not suitable for use in high speed data circuits of telecommunication switching and computer systems because of objectional crosstalk generated in a conductor path by data signals occurring in adjacent conductor paths.

#The foregoing as well as other objects, features and advantages of the invention will be more apparent from a description of the drawing in which;

#FIG. 1 is a view of high frequency modular connector apparatus embodying the principles of the instant invention;

#FIG. 2 is a view illustrating component part assembly of the modular connector apparatus set forth in FIG. 1;

#Referring to the drawing and more specifically to FIG. 1 of the drawing, modular connector apparatus 1 set forth therein is intended for use with circuit board 2 to interconnect the circuitry thereof with backplane 3 of equipment mounting apparatus. Typically, circuit board 2 is of a type commonly known as a plug-in circuit board and is intended to be slidably inserted into equipment mounting apparatus so that a number of circuit boards may be interconnected to form an electronic system such as telecommunication switching and computer systems.

#Equipment mounting apparatus is well known in the Electronic and Telecommunication Industry and need not be described for an understanding of the instant invention. Sufficient to say that equipment mounting apparatus oftentimes has a structure such as backplane 3 which is a part of the equipment mounting apparatus and is intended for use in interconnecting a number of plug-in circuit boards together. Backplane 3 may be a printed wiring type of circuit board wherein printed wiring circuitry located on either the back or front sides of backplane 3 is connected with terminals such as male pins 30 and is used to connect plug-in circuit boards together. In another type of design backplane 3 may be used to mount male pins 30 that are wire-wrapped to cable connectors used to interconnect backplanes and frames of equipment mounting apparatus together to form an electronic system.

#In the present embodiment of the invention each male pin 30 is assumed to be connected to a high frequency signal carrying conductor such as a center conductor of a coaxial cable. Modular connector apparatus 1, hereinafter referred to as modular connector 1, is mounted on circuit board 2 and interconnects the printed wiring circuitry of circuit board 2 by electrically shielded conductor paths with male pins 30 of backplane 3. The insertion of circuit board 2 into equipment mounting apparatus engages a row and column figuration of female contacts 1014 of modular connector 1 with male pins 30 of backplane 3. Shielded connections are thereby established from male pins 30, through female contacts 1014, over electrically shielded conductor paths and through male contacts 1013 of modular connector 1 to the printed wiring circuitry of circuit board 2. Corrugated member 13, in a manner hereinafter described in detail, is spring biased to engage grounding apparatus of backplane 3 and electrically shield female contacts 1014 and conductor paths of modular connector 1.