Card Edge Connector Grounding via Elastic Arms
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Solution Overview
Problem
Card edge connectors face interference issues due to electromagnetic interference (EMI) and crosstalk, particularly because existing grounding solutions fail to maintain effective contact with conductive terminals as they deform over repeated connections and disconnections, affecting signal transmission quality.
Innovation Solution
A card edge connector structure featuring an insulating case, terminal assembly, and two grounding sheets with elastic arms that contact the grounding terminals through grooves in the terminal fixing components, ensuring stable contact and preventing interference by using elastic arms that apply greater than 15g of force, thus maintaining transmission characteristics.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If grounding sheets are configured between two rows of conductive terminals, then electromagnetic interference and crosstalk are reduced, but the grounding sheet cannot maintain stable contact with grounding terminals after repeated connections and disconnections
Solution Approach 1:
The grounding sheet incorporates elastic arms that can dynamically adapt to the position of grounding terminals. The elastic arms are designed to be flexible enough to maintain contact during repeated connections and disconnections, while rigid enough to provide effective grounding. This dynamic structure resolves the contradiction by allowing the grounding sheet to maintain reliable contact despite mechanical stress from repeated mating cycles.
Solution Approach 2:
The elastic arms of the grounding sheet are designed with specific material properties and geometric parameters (such as thickness, length, and cross-section) that allow them to exert sufficient contact force on the grounding terminals. By optimizing these parameters, the grounding sheet can maintain stable electrical contact while accommodating the mechanical deformations that occur during repeated connections and disconnections.
2Volume of moving object
If conductive terminals are placed closer to miniaturize the connector, then the connector size is reduced, but crosstalk between conductive terminals increases
Solution Approach 1:
The grounding terminals are extracted and positioned between the signal terminals of adjacent rows, creating a shielding structure that separates the signal paths. This extraction of grounding elements to strategic positions allows the connector to maintain a compact size while the grounding terminals act as barriers to electromagnetic coupling between adjacent signal terminals, thereby reducing crosstalk.
Solution Approach 2:
The grounding terminals serve as intermediary elements between the signal terminals of adjacent rows. By placing grounding terminals in the spaces between signal terminals and connecting them through the elastic arms of the grounding sheet, electromagnetic fields from adjacent signals are intercepted and diverted to ground, preventing direct coupling and reducing crosstalk while maintaining compact dimensions.
3Force
If elastic arms of grounding sheets are used to contact grounding terminals, then contact force is improved, but the elastic arms deform after repeated connection and disconnection
Solution Approach 1:
The elastic arms are designed with optimized geometric parameters (thickness, length, cross-sectional area) and material properties (elastic modulus, yield strength) that allow them to exert sufficient contact force on grounding terminals while maintaining structural stability. The parameters are carefully selected so that the elastic arms can deform elastically during connection and disconnection cycles without permanent deformation, thus maintaining both contact force and structural stability over repeated use.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution effectively prevents interference and maintains signal transmission quality by ensuring stable contact between the elastic arms of the grounding sheets and the grounding terminals, even after repeated connections and disconnections, thereby enhancing the reliability of high-frequency signal transmission.
Implementation Method 1
The first grounding sheet includes at least one first elastic arm. The at least one first elastic arm is configured to contact the at least one first grounding terminal through the at least one first groove. The second grounding sheet includes at least one second elastic arm. The at least one second elastic arm is configured to contact the at least one second grounding terminal through the at least one second groove.
Data Source
AI summary
A card edge connector structure includes an insulating case, a terminal assembly, a first grounding sheet and a second grounding sheet. The terminal assembly includes a first terminal set and a second terminal set and is configured in the insulating case. The first grounding sheet is configured between the insulating case and the first terminal set, and the second grounding sheet is configured between the insulating case and the second terminal set. A first arm of the first grounding sheet contacts the first grounding terminal through a first groove of a first terminal fixing component, and a second arm of the second grounding sheet contacts the second grounding terminal through a second groove of a second terminal fixing component.