Connector shielding apparatus and methods
AssigneePulse Electronics, Inc.
InventorCheng Jung Tsou
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An electrical connector assembly having shielded cage assembly with at least one port for receiving modules, and methods of manufacture and use thereof. In one embodiment, the modules comprise SFP-type (small form-factor pluggable) modules, and the shielded cage assembly comprises an EMI shield member that is disposed at a port opening for the electrical connector assembly. In one variant, the EMI shield member can be disposed on the electrical connector cage assembly without the need for secondary processing techniques such as soldering, or resistance welding. This is accomplished via for example the utilization of mechanical snap features.
Claims26
An electrical connector assembly, comprising:
- an insulative housing comprising at least one module receiving slot;
- and
- a shield assembly substantially enclosing said insulative housing and comprising a port opening that defines a module receiving cavity, said shield assembly comprising a noise shield member disposed substantially external to, and at the periphery of, said port opening;
- wherein said noise shield member comprises a snap feature that fits around a front edge of said shield assembly at said port opening so as to at least partly protrude into said port opening and further cooperates with a respective feature on said shield assembly at said port opening, said cooperation obviating the need for one or more secondary processing techniques when disposing said noise shield member at said periphery of said port opening;
- and
- wherein said snap feature engages said respective feature external to said module receiving cavity.
A noise shield member for use on an electrical connector assembly cage shield member, said noise shield member comprising an attachment feature, said attachment feature comprising:
- a substantially arcuate portion, said substantially arcuate portion sized to accommodate a front edge of a port opening of said electrical connector assembly, said substantially arcuate portion disposed both internal and external to said port opening;
- and
- a protruding portion that extends inward, from a point external to said cage shield member and external to said port opening, toward said port opening when said noise shield member is used in combination with said electrical connector assembly.
An electrical connector assembly, comprising:
- an insulative housing comprising a plurality of module receiving slots, said module receiving slots defining a module receiving direction;
- and
- a shield assembly at least partly enclosing said insulative housing and comprising a plurality of port openings adapted for receiving respective modules, said shield assembly comprising:
- a noise shield member disposed about the external periphery of said port openings by being inserted onto said shield assembly in a direction parallel to said module receiving direction;
- an external shield member;
- and
- a divider shield member that separates at least two of said plurality of port openings;
- wherein said noise shield member comprises an attachment feature that cooperates with a respective feature of said shield assembly to obviate the need for any secondary processing techniques when disposing said noise shield member at said periphery of said port opening, said attachment feature disposed substantially between adjacent port openings.
A method of assembling an electrical connector assembly, the method comprising:
- obtaining an electrical connector assembly comprising an insulative housing comprised of at least one module receiving slot and a shield assembly that at least partly encloses said insulative housing, said shield assembly comprising a port opening;
- and
- attaching a metallic noise shield member to the external periphery of said port opening via the use of an attachment feature present on said metallic noise shield member that cooperates with one or more respective features at said port opening, said cooperation obviating the need for one or more secondary processing techniques when disposing said noise shield member at said periphery of said port opening;
- wherein the only portion of said metallic noise shield member disposed within said port opening is at least a portion of said attachment feature.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.