Accessory Contact Layout for Noise-Resistant Clock Signaling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing contact arrangements in electronic apparatuses and accessories, such as camera accessories, suffer from increased noise interference between signals due to narrow pitch configurations, leading to potential malfunctions and the need for additional contacts, which enlarges the accessory shoe.
Innovation Solution
The arrangement of contacts in a direction orthogonal to the attachment direction, with an attachment detection contact next to a first clock contact, suppresses noise influence on adjacent signals without increasing the number of contacts, using a reference potential to stabilize the potential of the attachment detection contact.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If the contact arrangement pitch is made narrower to increase the number of contacts, then the number of contacts increases, but noise interference between adjacent contacts increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an attachment detection contact as an intermediary element positioned between the clock signal contact and other signal contacts. This intermediary contact serves as a buffer that detects attachment status while physically separating the clock signal from adjacent signals, thereby reducing noise interference without requiring additional spacing or shielding structures.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies local quality by assigning a specific function (attachment detection) to a contact positioned in a critical location adjacent to the clock signal contact. This localized functional assignment allows the contact arrangement to maintain narrow pitch while creating a noise-resistant zone through the strategic placement of the attachment detection contact with its unique potential characteristics.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If GND contacts are arranged on both sides of the clock signal contact to prevent noise, then noise interference is reduced, but the number of contacts increases and the accessory shoe becomes large
Solution Approach 1:
The attachment detection contact serves multiple functions: it detects accessory attachment status, provides potential stabilization for adjacent signals, and acts as a physical barrier against noise propagation. By consolidating these functions into a single contact rather than using multiple GND contacts, the patent reduces the overall contact count and accessory shoe size while maintaining noise protection.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the attachment detection function with the noise protection function by positioning the attachment detection contact adjacent to the clock signal contact. This merging eliminates the need for separate GND contacts on both sides of the clock signal, as the attachment detection contact itself provides the necessary potential reference and noise isolation, thereby reducing the total number of contacts required.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If the attachment detection contact is disposed next to the first clock contact, then noise influence on adjacent signals is reduced, but the contact arrangement becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of placing GND contacts around the clock signal contact to protect it, the patent inverts the approach by placing an active signal contact (attachment detection contact) adjacent to the clock signal contact. This inverted arrangement uses the attachment detection contact's potential characteristics to provide protection, rather than using passive GND contacts, thereby simplifying the overall contact arrangement while maintaining noise reduction effectiveness.
Data Source
AI summary
An electronic apparatus to which an accessory is to be detachably attached includes a plurality of contacts electrically connectable to the accessory and arranged in a first direction orthogonal to an attachment direction of the accessory. The plurality of contacts include an attachment detection contact that is used to detect an attachment of the accessory to the electronic apparatus, and a first clock contact that is used to communicate a first clock signal in communication between the electronic apparatus and the accessory. A potential of the attachment detection contact changes from a predetermined potential to a reference potential different from the predetermined potential after the accessory is attached to the electronic apparatus. The attachment detection contact is disposed next to the first clock contact.