Circuit Board Notch Design for Thin Electrical Connector Assembly
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current electrical connectors face challenges in designing miniature, lightweight connectors as the soldering process leads to protruding soldering ends, increasing the connector's thickness and exposing the soldering end, which affects signal interference shielding and quality.
Innovation Solution
The solution involves a cable connection apparatus with notches on the circuit board edge where the conducting wire is inserted and soldered, reducing the soldering height and allowing the metal casing to wrap the board without protrusions, while providing effective shielding through the use of metal conductors within the notches.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the conducting wire is soldered to the surface of the circuit board by surface-mount technology, then the electrical connection is reliable, but the soldering end protrudes from the circuit board surface, increasing the thickness of the metal shell and the overall connector thickness
Solution Approach 1:
The conducting wire is inserted into a notch that extends from the edge of the circuit board toward its center, changing the soldering geometry from a surface-mounted horizontal connection to a vertical insertion through the board thickness. This dimensional change allows the wire to be soldered at the notch bottom rather than protruding from the surface, reducing the required metal shell thickness while maintaining reliable electrical connection.
2Length of stationary object
If an opening is provided in the metal shell to reserve the soldering end of the conducting wire, then the connector thickness is reduced, but the soldering end is exposed from the metal shell, compromising signal interference shielding
Solution Approach 1:
By creating a notch that penetrates through the circuit board thickness and soldering the conducting wire at the notch bottom, the wire endpoint is positioned within the board structure rather than protruding externally. This allows the metal shell to maintain its continuous shielding structure without openings, as the wire endpoint is no longer exposed to external electromagnetic interference.
3Length of stationary object
If the conducting wire is inserted into the notch and soldered to the metal conductor, then the soldering height is reduced and the metal casing can wrap the board, but the manufacturing process becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The circuit board is segmented by creating a notch that divides the board structure locally, providing a dedicated insertion path for the conducting wire. This segmentation simplifies the soldering process by concentrating all wire endpoints at the notch bottom, allowing standardized soldering procedures and fixtures to be used, thereby reducing overall manufacturing complexity despite the additional notch formation step.
Data Source
AI summary
An assembly of a cable connection apparatus and an electrical connector, includes a mating plug having an insulating body and multiple terminals, a circuit board having a notch depressed from an edge at a side of the circuit board toward a center direction of the circuit board and a metal conductor disposed in the notch or at an edge of the notch, and a cable having at least one conducting wire. The terminals are conducted to the circuit board. The conducting wire is inserted into the corresponding notch along a depression direction of the notch, and conducted to the metal conductor, thereby reducing the height of a soldering end of the conducting wire protruding from a surface of the circuit board. Thus, a metal casing outside the circuit board may wrap the circuit board without having a protruding portion for reserving the soldering end.