US 8,801,464 B2 · Mezzanine connector

Abstract

A two-piece mezzanine connector for high speed, high density signals. One piece of the connector may have conductive elements with beam-shaped mating contacts. The beams may include openings to control mechanical properties while allowing edge to edge spacing between adjacent beams to be selected to provide desired electrical properties. The openings may be teardrop shaped, with a larger width at a distal end of the beams. Beams associated with signal conductors may have openings that are shaped differently from openings of beams associated with ground conductors. For a first connector piece, mating contact regions of signal conductors may be wider than mating contact regions of ground conductors. For a second connector piece adapted to mate with the first connector piece, mating contact regions of signal conductors may be narrower than mating contact regions of ground conductors. These contact shapes may provide float while maintaining a high contact density.

Claims21

Dependent claims

A connector, comprising:

an insulative portion and a plurality of conductive elements, each of the plurality of conductive elements comprising a beam extending from the insulative portion, the beams being disposed in a plurality of columns, each column comprising a first beam, a second beam, and a third beam, wherein:
the second beam is disposed between the first and third beams along the column;
the first beam is associated with a first conductive element configured as a ground conductor;
the first beam comprises a first contact region near a distal end of the first beam, the first contact region having a first width;
the second beam is associated with a second conductive element configured as a signal conductor;
and
the second beam comprises a second contact region near a distal end of the second beam, the second contact region having a second width larger than the first width.

4 more elements

A connector comprising a first mating connector and a second mating connector adapted to mate with the first mating connector, wherein:

the first mating connector comprises:
a first insulative portion and a first plurality of conductive elements, each of the first plurality of conductive elements comprising a beam extending from the first insulative portion, the beams being disposed in a plurality of columns, each column comprising a first beam and a second beam, wherein:
the first beam is associated with a first conductive element configured as a ground conductor;
the first beam comprises a first contact region near a distal end of the first beam, the first contact region having a first width;
the second beam is associated with a second conductive element configured as a signal conductor;
and
the second beam comprises a second contact region near a distal end of the second beam, the second contact region having a second width larger than the first width;
and
the second mating connector comprises:
a second insulative portion and a second plurality of conductive elements, each of the second plurality of conductive elements comprising a pad extending from the second insulative portion, the pads being disposed in a plurality of columns, each column comprising a first pad and a second pad, wherein:
the first pad is associated with a third conductive element configured as a ground conductor;
the first pad comprises a third contact region adapted to make electrical contact with the first contact region of the first beam, the third contact region having a third width;
the second pad is associated with a fourth conductive element configured as a signal conductor;
and
the second pad comprises a fourth contact region adapted to make electrical contact with the second contact region of the second beam, the fourth contact region having a fourth width smaller than the third width.

12 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Mezzanine connector

Life of this patent

Mezzanine connector

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims21