# US 9,436,854 B2 · Connector module > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,436,854 B2 - Document ID: US9436854B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 14/494,680 - Filed: 2014-09-24 - Published: 2016-03-24 - Granted: 2016-09-06 - Earliest claimed: 2014-09-24 - Assignees: Tyco Electronics Corporation - Applicants: Tyco Electronics Corporation - Inventors: David Bruce Sarraf; Charles Malstrom; Mike Laub; Craig M. Campbell - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9436854B2 ## CPC - G06K 7/0056: {housing of the card connector} - G06K 7/0021: {for reading/sensing record carriers having surface contacts} - G06K 7/003: {means for pressing the connector contacts in the direction of the card contacts to assure trustworthy electrical connection between card and connector} - H01R 12/714: {with contacts abutting directly the printed circuit; Button contacts therefore provided on the printed circuit} - H01R 12/721: {cooperating directly with the edge of the rigid printed circuits} - H01R 13/504: different pieces being moulded, cemented, welded, e.g. ultrasonic welding, or swaged together - H01R 13/506: assembled by snap action of the parts - H01R 13/035: {Plated dielectric material} - H01R 13/2442: {with a single cantilevered beam} - G06K: GRAPHICAL DATA READING (image or video recognition or understanding G06V); PRESENTATION OF DATA; RECORD CARRIERS; HANDLING RECORD CARRIERS - H01R: ELECTRICALLY-CONDUCTIVE CONNECTIONS; STRUCTURAL ASSOCIATIONS OF A PLURALITY OF MUTUALLY-INSULATED ELECTRICAL CONNECTING ELEMENTS; COUPLING DEVICES; CURRENT COLLECTORS ## Abstract A connector module includes a housing and a conductive lead frame. The housing includes a cover and a base that define a cavity therebetween. The cavity receives a circuit card therein. The base has a top side and a bottom side. The top side faces the cover and defines part of the cavity. Multiple windows extend through the base between the top and bottom sides. The base includes a conductive layer at least partially covered by a non-conductive layer. The conductive lead frame is coupled to the bottom side of the base. The lead frame includes multiple contact beams that extend into the cavity through the windows of the base. The lead frame is electrically isolated from the conductive layer of the base by the non-conductive layer of the base. The lead frame further includes mounting contacts configured to be mounted to conductive components of a circuit board. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A connector module comprising: a housing having a front end and including a cover and a base, the cover being coupled to the base to define a cavity therebetween, the front end defining an opening to the cavity, the cavity configured to receive a circuit card that is loaded through the opening in a loading direction relative to the housing, the base having a top side and a bottom side, the top side facing the cover and defining part of the cavity, the base defining multiple windows that extend through the base between the top and bottom sides, the base including a conductive layer that is at least partially covered by a non-conductive layer; and a conductive lead frame coupled to the bottom side of the base, the lead frame including multiple contact beams that extend into the cavity through the windows of the base, the lead frame being electrically isolated from the conductive layer of the base by the non-conductive layer of the base, the lead frame further including multiple mounting contacts configured to be mounted to conductive components of a circuit board. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The connector module of claim 1, wherein the lead frame includes multiple locking tabs that are configured to extend at least one of through or around the base and engage the top side of the base to couple the lead frame to the base. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The connector module of claim 1, wherein the non-conductive layer of the base is an adhesive layer disposed on the bottom side of the base, the adhesive layer securing to a top side of the lead frame to couple the lead frame to the base. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The connector module of claim 1, wherein the non-conductive layer of the base is a powder coating layer. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The connector module of claim 1, wherein the non-conductive layer of the base is an electrostatic coating layer. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The connector module of claim 1, wherein the lead frame includes multiple signal contacts, each signal contact having one of the contact beams, a corresponding one of the mounting contacts, and an intermediate segment that connects the contact beam to the mounting contact, the signal contacts of the lead frame held together by linking segments, the linking segments configured to be fragmented to mechanically and electrically isolate the signal contacts from each other. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The connector module of claim 1, further comprising an insulation pad disposed between the conductive lead frame and the circuit board, the mounting contacts of the lead frame being jogged out of plane with the lead frame to extend across a thickness of the insulation pad to allow the mounting contacts to engage the circuit board. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The connector module of claim 1, wherein the base includes at least one lug that extends from the base and is configured to be mounted to the circuit board, the at least one lug being formed of the conductive layer of the base and not covered by the non-conductive layer, the at least one lug providing an electrical current path between the housing and the circuit board. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The connector module of claim 1, wherein the cover is formed of a conductive metal, the cover engaging side walls of the base to couple the cover to the base, the side walls of the base composed of the conductive layer and not covered by the non-conductive layer such that the cover electrically connects to the base. ### Claim 10 A connector module comprising: a housing including a base that defines a slot, the slot configured to receive a circuit card therein, the base having a top side and a bottom side, the top side defining at least part of the slot, the base having multiple windows that extend through the base between the top and bottom sides, the base including a conductive metal layer that is at least partially covered by a non-conductive powder coating layer; and a conductive lead frame coupled to the bottom side of the base, the lead frame including multiple contact beams that extend through the windows of the base into the slot, the lead frame being electrically isolated from the metal layer of the base by the powder coating layer of the base, the lead frame further including multiple mounting contacts configured to be mounted to conductive components of a circuit board. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The connector module of claim 10, wherein the base includes a floor and two side walls that extend from the top side of the floor along edges of the floor, the slot defined above the top side of the floor between the two side walls. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The connector module of claim 10, wherein the bottom side of the base includes the metal layer covered by the powder coating layer, and the top side of the base includes the metal layer not covered by the powder coating layer. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) The connector module of claim 10, wherein the base includes multiple locking apertures that extend through the base between the top and bottom sides, the powder coating layer covering the metal layer at the top side of the base at least around the locking apertures, wherein the lead frame has multiple locking tabs that are configured to extend through the locking apertures to engage the powder coating layer at the top side of the base to couple the lead frame to the base. ### Claim 14 (depends on 10) The connector module of claim 10, further comprising an insulation pad disposed between the conductive lead frame and the circuit board, the mounting contacts of the lead frame being jogged out of plane with the lead frame to extend across a thickness of the insulation pad to allow the mounting contacts to engage the circuit board. ### Claim 15 A connector module comprising: a housing including a base that defines a slot, the slot configured to receive a circuit card therein, the base having a top side and a bottom side, the top side defining at least part of the slot, the base having multiple windows that extend through the base between the top and bottom sides, the base including a conductive metal layer, the base further including a non-conductive adhesive layer disposed on the bottom side of the base; and a conductive lead frame secured to the adhesive layer such that the adhesive layer is between the metal layer of the base and the lead frame, the lead frame including multiple contact beams that extend through the windows of the base into the slot, the lead frame being electrically isolated from the metal layer of the base by the adhesive layer, the lead frame further including multiple mounting contacts configured to be mounted to conductive components of a circuit board. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The connector module of claim 15, wherein the adhesive layer of the base is double-sided tape. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The connector module of claim 15, wherein the adhesive layer is arranged in a web that extends around at least some of the windows of the base without covering the windows. ### Claim 18 (depends on 15) The connector module of claim 15, wherein the base includes multiple punch holes that extend through the base between the top and the bottom sides, the lead frame including multiple signal contacts that each include one of the contact beams and a corresponding one of the mounting contacts, the signal contacts of the lead frame held together by linking segments that align with the punch holes, the punch holes configured to guide a punch tool that fragments the linking segments to mechanically and electrically isolate the signal contacts from each other. ### Claim 19 (depends on 15) The connector module of claim 15, wherein the base further includes a non-conductive powder coating layer at least partially covering the metal layer, the powder coating layer extending between the metal layer and the adhesive layer. ### Claim 20 (depends on 1) The connector module of claim 1, wherein each contact beam of the lead frame extends through a different window of the multiple windows of the base.