Shield connector and method for connecting same

Abstract

A shield connector is formed such that an electrical wire shield portion at an end of an electrical shield wire is removed to expose a plurality of single shield wires; connection terminals are each connected to the conductor at an end of each exposed single shield wire; the connection terminals are held in an inner housing; the inner housing and the single shield wires are sheathed with a shield shell; and an attachment piece integrated with the shield shell is fixedly attached to an end of the electrical shield wire. The shield shell is provided with a connector shield member, and the connector shield member is electrically connected to single wire shield portions of the exposed single shield wires.

Claims

1. A shield connector comprising: an electrical shield wire having a plurality of single shield wires each constituted of a conductor as a core and a single wire shield portion, and an electrical wire shield portion with which a plurality of electric wires including the plurality of single shield wires are covered and which is partly removed at an end thereof to expose the plurality of single shield wires at ends thereof; connection terminals connected to respective ones of the conductors of the plurality of exposed single shield wires at the ends thereof; an inner housing configured to hold the connection terminals; a shield shell configured to sheath the inner housing and the plurality of exposed shield single wires; and an attachment piece which is integrated with the shield shell and fixedly attached to the end of the electrical shield wire, wherein the shield connector includes a connector shield member provided to the shield shell and electrically connected individually to each of the single wire shield portions of each of the plurality of exposed single shield wires.

2. The shield connector according to claim 1, wherein a position of each electrical connection between the connector shield member and each of the single wire shield portions of each of the plurality of exposed single shield wires is made adjacent to the respective connection terminals at respective positions at which the conductors of each of the plurality of single shield wires are exposed.

3. The shield connector according to claim 1, wherein an erected piece of the connector shield member is bonded under pressure and electrically connected to each of the single wire shield portions of each of the plurality of exposed single shield wires.

4. The shield connector according to claim 1, wherein the electrical shield wire is configured such that high-speed wires configured from a first sub-plurality of the plurality of single shield wires and one drain wire are surrounded by an inner shield portion; middle-speed wires configured from a second sub-plurality of the plurality of single shield wires and two power supply lines are disposed on an outer circumference of the inner shield portion; and an entirety thereof is sheathed with the electrical wire shield portion and a sheath portion.

5. The shield connector according to claim 4, wherein the connector shield member that is electrically connected to the single wire shield portions of the high-speed wires configured from the plurality of exposed single shield wires is provided to face to the single wire shield portions.

6. The shield connector according to claim 4, wherein the connector shield member that is electrically connected to the single wire shield portions of the high-speed wires configured from the plurality of exposed single shield wires and the single wire shield portions of the middle-speed wires configured from the plurality of exposed single shield wires is provided to face to the single wire shield portions of the high-speed wires and the middle speed wires.

7. The shield connector according to claim 4, wherein the plurality of high-speed wires is configured from differential signal transmission signal lines.

8. A method for connecting a shield connector, the method comprising: removing an electrical wire shield portion at an end of an electrical shield wire to expose a plurality of single shield wires; connecting each of a plurality of connection terminals to a conductor at an end of each of the exposed plurality of single shield wires; holding the plurality of connection terminals in an inner housing; sheathing the inner housing and the plurality of single shield wires with a shield shell; and fixedly attaching an attachment piece integrated with the shield shell to the end of the electrical shield wire, wherein the shield shell is provided with a connector shield member, and the connector shield member is pushed against single wire shield portions of each of the exposed plurality of single shield wires for individual electrical connection to each by swaging, soldering or sandwiching.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1A is a cross-sectional view illustrating a shield connector and a method for connecting the same according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

(2) FIG. 1B is a cross-sectional view illustrating a second embodiment of the present invention.

(3) FIG. 2 is an end view illustrating an example of the composite electrical shield wire illustrated in FIG. 1A.

(4) FIG. 3A is a front view illustrating an electrical shield wire arranged for connection to a shield connector and a method for connecting the same according to the embodiment(s) of the present invention.

(5) FIG. 3B is a plan view illustrating the electrical shield wire shown in FIG. 3A.

(6) FIG. 4A is an exploded perspective view illustrating a cable jack for the shield connector and the method for connecting the same according to the embodiment(s) of the present invention.

(7) FIG. 4B is a cross-sectional view illustrating the conductor of a single shield wire which is crimped to a crimp portion of a connection terminal integrally with an electrically conductive protective member.

(8) FIG. 5 is a front view illustrating a board-side plug to be connected to the cable jack of the embodiment(s) of the present invention.

(9) FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view illustrating a related shield connector and a method for connecting the same.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

(10) A shield connector according to an embodiment of the present invention includes an electrical shield wire having a plurality of single shield wires exposed by removing an electrical wire shield portion 36 at an end thereof, connection terminals 38 connected to conductors of the exposed respective single shield wires 31 and/or 32 at ends thereof, an inner housing 39 configured to hold the connection terminals 38, a shield shell 42 configured to sheath the inner housing 39 and the shield single wires, and an attachment piece 47 which is integrated with the shield shell 42 and fixedly attached to the end of the electrical shield wire. The shield connector is configured to include a connector shield member 43 provided to the shield shell 42 and electrically connected to single wire shield portions of the exposed single shield wires.

(11) To improve the properties of the shield connector, it is desirable that the position of electrical connection between the connector shield member 43 and the single wire shield portions should be as close as possible to the position at which the conductors 31a and/or 32a of the single shield wires 31 and/or 32 connected at the connection terminal 38 are exposed.

(12) To simplify the configuration, erected pieces 44 of the connector shield member 43 are bonded under pressure and electrically connected to the single wire shield portions of the exposed single shield wires 31 and/or 32.

(13) By way of example, the electrical shield wire 30 to be employed is configured such that a plurality of high-speed wires 31 and one drain wire 34 are surrounded by an inner shield portion 35; a plurality of middle-speed wires 32 and two power supply lines 33 are disposed on the outer circumference of the inner shield portion 35; and the entirety thereof is then sheathed with the electrical wire shield portion 36 and a sheath portion 37.

(14) At least the single wire shield portion configured from a spiral shield 31c and a shield portion 31d of a high-speed wire 31 among the plurality of single shield wires 31 and/or 32, which tends to cause an impedance mismatch, is provided with the connector shield member 43 that is electrically connected thereto.

(15) Furthermore, facing with not only the plurality of high-speed wires 31 but also a single wire shield portion configured from a spiral shield 32c and a shield portion 32d of the plurality of middle-speed wires 32, the connector shield member 43 that is electrically connected may also be provided.

(16) Furthermore, the plurality of high-speed wires 31 may be configured from differential signal transmission signal lines.

(17) In a method for connecting a shield connector in which an electrical wire shield portion 36 at an end of an electrical shield wire 30 is removed to expose a plurality of single shield wires 31 and/or 32; connection terminals 38 are each connected to a conductor 31a and/or 32a at an end of each of the exposed single shield wires 31 and/or 32; the connection terminals 38 are held in the inner housing 39; the inner housing 39 and the single shield wires are sheathed with a shield shell 42; and an attachment piece 47 integrated with the shield shell 42 is fixedly attached to the end of the electrical shield wire 30.

(18) In this method, depending on the purpose, it is possible to select a method for providing the shield shell 42 with a connector shield member 43, and then pushing the connector shield member 43 against the single wire shield portions of the exposed single shield wires 31 and/or 32 for electrical connection by swaging, soldering or sandwiching.

(19) [First Embodiment]

(20) With reference to the drawings, a description will now be given of a first embodiment of the present invention.

(21) FIG. 2 illustrates an 8-core composite electrical shield wire 30 to be used in the shield connector and the method for connecting the same according to the embodiment(s) of the present invention. The composite electrical shield wire 30 in this example has six single shield wires, four single shield wires 31 of which are a high-speed wire to be used, for example, for transmission of differential signals and two single shield wires 32 of which are a middle-speed wire. This composite electrical shield wire 30 also has two power supply lines 33 and one drain wire 34.

(22) The four high-speed wires 31 each have a center conductor 31a sheathed with an insulator 31b and further an outer circumference sheathed with a single wire shield portion configured from a spiral shield portion 31c and an aluminum tape 31d. Likewise, the two middle-speed wires 32 each have a center conductor 32a sheathed with an insulator 32b and further an outer circumference sheathed with a single wire shield portion configured from a shield portion 32c and an aluminum tape 32d. The power supply lines 33 each have a center conductor 33a sheathed with an insulator 33b.

(23) The four high-speed wires 31 are collectively bundled together with one drain wire 34 by an inner shield material 35 configured from an insulation tape 35a and an aluminum tape 35b. On the outer circumference of these high-speed wires 31 are disposed the two middle-speed wires 32 and the two power supply lines 33. Then, the entirety thereof including those collectively bundled by the inner shield material 35 is sheathed with an outer shield material 36 configured from a braided shield 36a and an aluminum tape 36b, and further the outer circumference is protected with the sheath portion 37.

(24) Note that the electrical shield wire 30 illustrated as an example had eight cores, but without being limited thereto, may also be greater or less in number than that. Furthermore, the combination of the numbers of high-speed wires and middle-speed wires is not limited to the aforementioned example; the greater the number, the greater the effects of the embodiment(s) of the present invention can be expected.

(25) For connection to the connection terminals 38 of the shield connector according to the embodiment(s) of the present invention, the end of the electrical shield wire 30 is processed in such a manner that part of the sheath portion 37 and the electrical wire shield portion 36 of the electrical shield wire 30 is removed so as to expose the conductors 31a of the high-speed wires 31, the conductors 32a of the middle-speed wires 32, and the conductors 33a of the power supply lines 33. Assuming that the electrical shield wire 30 has a diameter of 6.5 mm, the single wire such as the high-speed wires 31 is exposed about 15 to 20 mm to facilitate connection processing. In order to prevent deterioration of transmission properties due to an impedance mismatch caused by the high-speed wires 31 and the middle-speed wires 32 being exposed, the exposed length is determined depending on the ease of the connection processing.

(26) In this embodiment, the shield portion is removed in such a manner that the insulator 31b, the spiral shield portion 31c, and the aluminum tape 31d are removed so as to expose the conductor 31a of the high-speed wire 31 about 2 mm from the top, and then the spiral shield portion 31c and the aluminum tape 31d are removed about 1 mm from the conductor 31a so that the conductor 31a will not make a short circuit with the spiral shield portion 31c and the aluminum tape 31d. Likewise, the middle-speed wires 32 are processed in such a manner that the conductor 32a is exposed about 2 mm from the top, and further the spiral shield portion 32c and the aluminum tape 32d are removed about 1 mm from the conductor 32a. Concerning the power supply lines 33, the insulator 33b is also removed so that the conductor 33a is exposed about 2 mm.

(27) As illustrated in FIGS. 3A and 3B, the electrical shield wire 30 for which the shield portion has been removed in this manner so as to expose the conductor at the top is provided with a reinforcement ring 29 fitted over the end of the electrical shield wire 30. Furthermore, to match pin holes 57 of a cable jack 48, the lower stage is provided with two high-speed wires 31 disposed at predetermined intervals on both sides about the drain wire 34, and the upper stage is provided with two middle-speed wires 32 at the center, and one power supply line 33 is disposed on both sides thereof.

(28) Part of the braided shield 36a of the electrical wire shield portion 36 is turned up on the outer circumference of the reinforcement ring 29 fitted over the sheath portion 37 at an end of the electrical shield wire 30.

(29) As illustrated in FIG. 4A, each of the conductor portions 31a, 32a, and 33a of the high-speed wires 31, the middle-speed wires 32, and the power supply lines 33, which are exposed from the electrical shield wire 30, and the drain wire 34 is inserted into a crimp portion 45 of each of the connection terminals 38 with a U-shaped electrically conductive protective member 46 brought into contact therewith from below, and then as illustrated in FIG. 4B, integrally bonded under pressure and connected together. The pressure bonded and connected portions of the total of nine connection terminals 38 which have been bonded under pressure and connected are disposed in lower grooves 54 and upper grooves 55 of the inner housing 39 with the tops of the connection terminals 38 disposed so as to be protruded from the top of the inner housing 39, and then inserted into a front holder 40. Then, as illustrated in FIG. 1A, the projected portions of the connection terminals 38 are received in the pin holes 57 of the front holder 40.

(30) The outside of the front holder 40 into which the inner housing 39 and the connection terminals 38 are fitted is surrounded by a rectangular tube type shield shell 42. The bottom plate of the shield shell 42 is partially notched, and the connector shield member 43 is fitted to the notch 53 from below so as to be electrically connected to the shield shell 42. The connector shield member 43 is provided with the erected pieces 44. With the erected pieces 44 in contact with the lower end surfaces of mating grooves 56, the erected pieces 44 are pushed from below against and connected to the shield portion configured from the spiral shield 31c and the aluminum tape 31d of the high-speed wire 31. On the upper surface of the erected pieces 44 are desirably provided recesses or projections that suit the outer diameter of the shield portion in order to increase the contact surface with the shield portion of the high-speed wire 31.

(31) The contact position between the erected pieces 44 and the shield portion of the high-speed wires 31 should be as close as possible to the exposed position of the conductor 31a of the high-speed wire 31 connected at the connection terminals 38, for example. This can prevent an impedance mismatch and provide an improved transmission performance.

(32) As described above, the shield member 43 for the single shield wires may be separated from the shield shell 42 or may also be integrated with the shield shell 42.

(33) The attachment piece 47 provided integrally with the shield shell 42 is electrically connected to and then mechanically fixedly, tightly wound around the braided shield 36a portion turned up on the outer circumference of the reinforcement ring 29 at an end of the electrical shield wire 30.

(34) With the electrical shield wire 30 fixedly attached to the shield shell 42, the front holder 40 is fixedly inserted into a receiving groove 58 of an outer housing 41. In this case, the front-end surface of the front holder 40 and the front-end surface of the outer housing 41 are flush with each other.

(35) When the cable jack 48 assembled in this manner is fitted over a board-side plug 49, connection pins 50 protruded from the board-side plug 49 are fitted into the connection terminals 38 of the cable jack 48 so as to be drawn to signal terminals 51. Furthermore, an electrically conductive box 59 of the outer circumference of the board-side plug 49 is brought into contact with the outer circumferential surface of the shield shell 42 of the cable jack 48 and drawn to outside from a ground terminal 52 of the board-side plug 49.

(36) When the cable jack 48 and the board-side plug 49 are mated with each other and incorporated into a PC board or the like, the signal terminals 51 are coupled to signal lines, and the ground terminal 52 is coupled to a ground line.

(37) In the shield connector configured as described above, the high-speed wire 31 exposed from the electrical shield wire 30 is configured such that at the exposed portion the high-speed wire 31, the shield portion of a single shield wire configured from the spiral shield portion 31c and the aluminum tape 31d of the high-speed wire 31 and the erected piece 44 are connected to each other so as to implement impedance matching in the entire region of the exposed portion for connection processing. It is also possible to enhance shield effects.

(38) [Second Embodiment]

(39) In the embodiment described above, concerning the high-speed wire 31 for differential signal transmission, the erected pieces 44 were provided to implement impedance matching in the entire region of the exposed portion. It is also possible to implement the same configuration for the middle-speed wire 32. Thus, as illustrated in part (b) of FIG. 1B, that corresponds to part a of FIG. 1A, part of the shield shell 42 may be notched downwardly and employed as an erected piece 60 for a connector shield member, and the erected piece 60 may be bonded under pressure to a single wire shield portion configured from the spiral shield portion 32c and the aluminum tape 32d of the middle-speed wire 32, thereby implementing impedance matching in the entire region of the exposed portion of the middle-speed wire 32 and providing improved shield effects.

(40) In the embodiment described above, the single wire shield portions of the high-speed wires 31 were connected to the erected pieces 44 and/or the single wire shield portions of the middle-speed wires 32 were connected to the erected piece 60 by pushing one against the other due to the outstanding ease of the processing. However, without being limited thereto, it is possible to select, depending on the purpose, any one of a swaging structure, a soldering structure, and a sandwiching method.

REFERENCE SIGNS LIST

(41) 10 electrical shield wire 11 shield connector 12 male terminal 13 inner housing 14 front holder 15 shield shell 16 shell cover 17 outer housing 18 sheath portion 19 barrel portion 20 single shield wire 21 shield foil 22 crimp portion 23 shield portion 29 reinforcement ring 30 electrical shield wire 31 single shield wire (high-speed wire) 31acontuctor 31binsulator 31cspiral shield 31dshield portion 32 single shield wire (middle-speed wire) 32aconductor 32binsulator 32cspiral shield 32dshield portion 33 power supply line 33acenter conductor 33binsulator 34 drain wire 35 inner shield portion 35ainsulation tape 35baluminum tape 36 electrical wire shield portion 36abraided shield 36baluminum tape 37 sheath portion 38 connection terminal 39 inner housing 40 front holder 41 outer housing 42 shield shell 43 connector shield member 44 erected piece 45 crimp portion 46 conductive protective member 47 attachment piece 48 cable jack 49 board-side plug 50 connection pin 51 signal terminal 52 ground terminal 53 notch 54 lower groove 55 upper groove 56 mating groove 57 pin hole 58 receiving groove 59 electrically conductive box 60 erected piece