Backplane Connector Shield Structure for Stronger Ground Return Paths
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing backplane connectors have limited grounding return paths through their metal shield surrounding members, which affects shielding and grounding effectiveness.
Innovation Solution
The design incorporates a metal shield surrounding member with a fully-enclosed shielding cavity and U-shaped mounting portions that allow for enhanced grounding return paths by connecting multiple side walls, ensuring comprehensive electrical connectivity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If the metal shield surrounding member uses a U-shaped mounting portion with disconnected side walls, then the device complexity is reduced and ease of manufacture is improved, but the grounding return effectiveness and shielding performance deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The metal shield surrounding member is divided into multiple side walls (first, second, third, and fourth side walls) that can be separately formed and then connected through bending portions. This segmentation allows for easier manufacturing of individual components while maintaining the overall shielding structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The mounting portion is designed with nested bending portions where the first and second bending portions are formed by bending the side walls inward. This nested configuration allows the side walls to be connected while maintaining the U-shaped mounting structure, enabling both ease of manufacture and effective grounding return paths.
2Device complexity
If the side walls of the metal shield surrounding member are disconnected, then the manufacturing process is simplified, but the shielding effect and grounding return paths are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The side walls are designed with curvature through the bending portions that connect them. The first and second bending portions create curved paths that allow the side walls to be connected while maintaining structural integrity and effective grounding return paths, reducing the harmful effects of disconnection.
Solution Approach 2:
The side walls are connected not only in the vertical dimension but also through horizontal bending portions. This multi-dimensional connection approach allows the metal shield surrounding member to achieve effective grounding return paths while maintaining a relatively simple overall structure.
3Ease of operation
If the mounting portion is designed with disconnected side walls, then the ease of assembly is improved, but the electrical connectivity and grounding return paths are compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The bending portions are designed to be flexible during assembly, allowing the side walls to be dynamically adjusted and connected during the assembly process. This dynamic design enables ease of assembly while ensuring reliable electrical connectivity through the connected side walls.
Solution Approach 2:
The bending portions act as intermediaries that connect the side walls while allowing for ease of assembly. These bending portions provide a flexible connection mechanism that maintains electrical connectivity during the assembly process and ensures reliable grounding return paths after assembly.
Data Source
AI summary
A backplane connector includes a housing, a number of terminal modules and a number of metal shield surrounding members. The housing includes a number of insulating protrusions. Each metal shield surrounding member includes a surrounding portion and a mounting portion. The surrounding portion includes a first side wall, a second side wall, a third side wall and a fourth side wall which are enclosed to form a fully-enclosed shielding cavity to at least partially sleeve over a corresponding insulating protrusion. The mounting portion is of a U-shaped configuration and includes a connecting portion connected to the third side wall, a first bending portion bent from one side of the connecting portion, and a second bending portion bent from another side of the connecting portion. The first bending portion is separated from the second side wall. The second bending portion is separated from the fourth side wall.