Plug connector module for modular plug connectors

Abstract

A plug connector module for modular plug connectors produces a connection to a circuit board. The plug connector module includes a housing for receiving at least one insulating element, which is provided for receiving at least one data contact pair. The data contact pair consists of a conductor and a contact element. The housing has at least one recess which is shaped to be engaged with a connection element, whereby the plug connector module is connected to other system-related modules. The plug connector module houses at least two data contact pairs which are provided to transmit data. The data contact pairs are at least substantially secured against interfering influences by a respective shielding element.

Claims

1.-7. (canceled)

8. A plug connector module (1) for modular plug connectors (2) for establishing a connection to a circuit board, comprising: a housing (3); a recess (8) formed in the housing (3) and shaped to be brought into engagement with a connecting element (9) to connect the plug connector module (1) to related modules (10.x); two or more insulating bodies (4) received in the housing; at least two data contact pairs (5), one data contact pair being received within each of the insulating bodies (4) and comprising two conductors (6) and two contact elements (7) for transmitting data; and a shielding element (11) arranged around each of the at least two data contact pairs (5) to protect the at least two data contact pairs (5) against interfering influences.

9. The plug connector module (1) as claimed in claim 8, wherein the recess (8) is a groove in the form of a dovetail guide, and wherein the connecting element (9) is a congruent dovetail element seated flush within the dovetail guide.

10. The plug connector module (1) as claimed in claim 8, further comprising: a further recess, the recess (8) and the further recess being integrally formed on opposite sides of the plug connector module (1), wherein the further recess (8) is shaped to be brought into engagement with a further connecting element (9) to connect the plug connector module (1) to the related modules (10.x).

11. The plug connector module (1) as claimed in claim 8, wherein the at least two data contact pairs (5) are arranged in the housing (3) along a plane of the plug connector module (1) angled in relation to a vertical plane, formed by a line parallel to a longitudinal axis (L) and a vertical line (V) arranged approximately in the middle between a data contact pair (5).

12. The plug connector module (1) as claimed in claim 8, wherein the at least two data contact pairs (5), in a front view, are arranged to be point-symmetrical with respect to a point of symmetry (PS) of the housing (3).

13. The plug connector module (1) as claimed in claim 8, wherein the shielding elements (11) shield the data contact pairs (5) all the way around in such a way that, when a suitable conductor (6) is used, a data transmission rate of greater than or equal to 10 gigabits per second is achieved.

14. The plug connector module (1) as claimed in claim 8, wherein the shielding elements (11) of the data contact pairs (5) surround both the data contact pairs (5) and also the associated conductor pair (6) along their longitudinal axis at least over a length which corresponds to the length of a contact (7) and an insulating body (4) receiving this contact (7).

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0020] An exemplary embodiment is illustrated in the drawings and will be explained in more detail below.

[0021] FIG. 1 shows a perspective illustration of a plug connector module;

[0022] FIG. 2 shows a perspective illustration of a plug connector module in the style of an exploded diagram;

[0023] FIG. 3 shows a perspective illustration of a plug connector module, designed as a mating piece to FIG. 1;

[0024] FIG. 4 shows a perspective illustration of a plug connector module in the style of an exploded diagram, designed as a mating piece to FIG. 2;

[0025] FIG. 5 shows two congruent modular plug connectors with plug connector modules together with further components.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0026] The figures contain partly simplified, schematic illustrations. In some cases, identical reference signs are used for elements which are similar but may not be identical. Different views of the same elements may be drawn to different scales. Directional indications such as “left”, “right”, “above” and “below” are to be understood with reference to the figure in question and may vary in the individual illustrations in relation to the illustrated object.

[0027] The figures contain reference signs which additionally have further numberings with indices such as “′” or are separated by a period, for example “10.x”, where natural numbers of ascending order are used for “x”. This indicates that the elements in question are, in principle, elements mentioned in the list of reference signs which can be shaped differently to the elements without a reference sign index or may differ from the differently numbered elements in form and/or function.

[0028] FIG. 1 shows a perspective illustration of a plug connector module 1. The housing 3 has recesses 8 on opposite faces. Said recesses render possible connection of the plug connector module 1 to a further module belonging to the system. It can be immediately seen from the illustration that the data contact pairs 5 guided through the housing 3 are at different distances from a longitudinal axis L and from a vertical line V running through the longitudinal axis L. In this illustration, the plug connector module 1 has a housing 3 which receives four identical data contact pairs 5. The contacts 7 of the data contact pairs 5 are designed as pin contacts and, in accordance with the designation, are surrounded by a shielding element 11 in pairs. Furthermore, the dimensioning of the shielding element 11 is clearer. The respective, associated shielding element 11 extends from the plug-in side of the contacts 7 of the data contact pairs 5 along a conductor 6 which is connected, for example, to a circuit board (not illustrated). Furthermore, convex portions can be seen on the shielding elements 11, said convex portions being integrally formed approximately in the middle between the contacts 7 of the data contact pairs 5. These convex portions ensure the transfer of the shielding when the plug connector module is in the state plug-connected to a congruent plug connector module 1′. Consequently, these convex portions are referred to as shielding contacts 12.

[0029] The design of a plug connector module 1 is clear from FIG. 2. The shape of the shielding elements 11 is particularly clear from this exploded drawing. Furthermore, besides the housing 3, the insulating bodies 4 are shown. The insulating bodies 4 receive the contacts 7, illustrated as pin contacts, of the data contact pairs 5 and secure said contacts in their position. The shielding elements 11 are shaped such that they receive the insulating bodies 4 and completely surround the data contact pairs 5. Particularly advantageous shielding is achieved in this way. In order to securely transfer the advantageous shielding to an inversely shaped plug connector module 1′ and its shielding element 11′, the embodiment provides shielding contacts 12. The advantageous point-symmetrical arrangement of the data contact pairs 5 of the illustrated embodiment can also be seen in FIG. 2. The two upper data contact pairs 5 can rotate through 180° at the point Ps, so that the lower two data contact pairs 5 are displayed. This offset arrangement leads to interference between the data contact pairs 5 being reduced. This already reduced interference can be almost completely limited owing to the use of the shielding elements 11. A data transmission rate of greater than or equal to 10 Gbit/s is achieved by way of combining these interference-reducing design features.

[0030] FIG. 3 shows a plug connector module 1′ in the form of a mating plug for the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2. The housing 3′ is shaped in such a way that it can be inserted into the housing 3. Similarly, the contacts 7′ are designed as sockets and receive the contacts 7 and in this way establish an electrically conductive connection. The insulating bodies 4′ receive the contacts 7′, designed as sockets, of the data contact pairs 5′ and, for their part, are each surrounded by a shielding element 11′. The plug connector module 1′ also has two recesses 8 which render possible connection to further components owing to the use of a connecting element.

[0031] FIG. 4 shows an exploded illustration of a plug connector module 1′ described in FIG. 3. This illustration shows the shape of the shielding elements 11′ which are inserted into the housing 3′ and also surround and therefore shield the conductors 6′ over the length of the insulating bodies 4′.

[0032] One possible feasible use of the plug connector modules 1 and 1′ can be seen in FIG. 5. Said figure shows two plug connectors 2 and 2′ which are shaped in such a way that they can be brought into engagement with one another. Here, the plug connector module 1 is connected, by way of connecting elements 9 inserted through the recesses 8 and therein, to other modules 10.1, 10.2, 10.3 and 10.4 of the same system and form the plug connector 2. The same applies to the modules 10.1′, 10.2′, 10.3′ and 10.4′ of the opposite plug connector 2′ and the plug connector module 1′ which are fixed to one another by way of two connecting elements 9 which are inserted into the recesses 8. The plug connectors 2 and 2′ contain the modules 10.1 and 10.1′ which provide for correct and secure fitting of the plug connection. The modules 10.2 and 10.2′ transmit electrical power. The modules 10.3 and 10.3′ are modules for signal transmission and the modules 10.4 and 10.4′ transmit electrical power which is, in principle, lower than the power of the power transmitted by the modules 10.2 and 10.2′. It is obvious from the illustrated design that the plug connector module 1 and its corresponding design 1′ can be used both besides identical modules and also besides modules of the same system, in this case the modules 10.2 and 10.2′. The embodiments shown are provided primarily for what is known as “board-to-board” design. That is to say, the plug connectors 2 and 2′ are designed to establish a connection from one circuit board to a further circuit board. It is of course also feasible to use this technology in what is known as a “cable-to-board” solution. In other words, the illustrated plug connectors 2 and 2′ and corresponding, modified embodiments can also be used for connection of a cable to a circuit board.

[0033] Even though various aspects or features of the invention are shown respectively in combination in the figures, it is clear to a person skilled in the art—unless stated otherwise—that the illustrated and discussed combinations are not the only ones possible. In particular, mutually corresponding units or feature complexes from different exemplary embodiments can be exchanged with one another.

LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS

[0034] 1 Plug connector module

[0035] 2 Modular plug connector

[0036] 3 Housing

[0037] 4 Insulating body

[0038] 5 Data contact pair

[0039] 6 Conductor

[0040] 7 Contact element

[0041] 8 Recess

[0042] 9 Connecting element

[0043] 10.x (System-related) module

[0044] 11 Shielding element

[0045] 12 Shielding contact

[0046] L Longitudinal axis

[0047] V Vertical line

[0048] PS Point of symmetry