Cabled Receptacle Connector Ground Bus and Shielding
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing communication systems face issues with signal loss and difficult removal/replacement of cabled receptacle connectors due to long electrical signal paths and inadequate electrical shielding.
Innovation Solution
A cabled receptacle connector assembly with a receptacle housing and cable assembly featuring wafers with signal and ground contacts, where the ground bus frame electrically couples ground contacts for common grounding, and a receptacle cage providing electrical shielding, allowing for direct attachment to components via cables rather than a host circuit board.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If signal contacts are terminated directly to a host circuit board, then the receptacle connector can be mounted directly to the host circuit board, but the electrical signal paths become relatively long leading to signal loss
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the signal path from the host circuit board by using a cabled receptacle connector where contacts are terminated to a cable assembly rather than being soldered directly to the circuit board. This allows the signal path to be shortened and rerouted through the cable, reducing signal loss while maintaining electrical connectivity.
2Reliability
If cabled receptacle connectors are used, then signal loss is reduced, but removal and replacement of the connectors becomes problematic
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the receptacle connector into separate components: a receptacle housing with contacts, a cable assembly with terminating ends, and a host circuit board interface. This segmentation allows the cabled receptacle connector to be removed and replaced as a modular unit while maintaining the cable termination, improving ease of operation.
3Reliability
If cabled receptacle connectors are used, then signal paths are improved, but electrical shielding becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements electrical shielding by nesting a shield within the receptacle housing, where the shield is positioned between the signal contacts and the external environment. This nested shielding structure provides effective electromagnetic interference protection while maintaining the cabled connector design.
Data Source
AI summary
A cabled receptacle connector includes a receptacle housing having a cavity extending between a front and a rear and having a mating slot receiving a pluggable module. A cable assembly is received in the cavity having wafers provided at an end of a cable bundle. Each wafer has a dielectric frame holding a wafer lead frame having signal contacts and ground contacts. The signal and ground contacts have terminating ends terminated to corresponding cables and mating ends received in the mating slot for mating with the pluggable module. Each wafer has a ground bus frame electrically coupled to each of the ground contacts to electrically common each of the ground contacts. The ground bus includes ground beams having mounting arms coupled to the dielectric frame and mating pads coupled to corresponding ground contacts. The mating ends of the signal contacts and the ground contacts are arranged in multiple rows for interfacing with the pluggable module.