Clip Terminal for Shield Casing Retention and EMC Gap Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for retaining shield casings on printed circuit boards (PCBs) face challenges in achieving effective Electromagnetic Compatibility (EMC) due to gaps at corners, which reduce shielding efficiency, and struggle with removable retention mechanisms that are versatile enough for automatic pick and placement techniques.
Innovation Solution
A clip terminal design with angled outwardly extending portions and integral upstanding clips that guide and securely hold shield casings, featuring a shielding part inclined to contact the casing and reduce corner gaps, allowing for efficient EMC protection and easy automatic placement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If shield clips are used to removably secure the shield casing to the PCB, then the shield casing can be easily removed and repositioned, but the EMC performance is reduced due to gaps at the corners of the casing
Solution Approach 1:
The shield casing is divided into a base portion and a removable cap portion, allowing the cap to be easily removed for PCB access while the base remains secured to the PCB. This segmentation enables both permanent fixture stability and removable access functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
A corner piece is introduced as an intermediary component to fill the gaps at the corners of the shield casing. This corner piece bridges the spaces between adjacent sidewalls, improving EMC performance while maintaining the removable cap structure.
2Ease of manufacture
If a single-piece shield casing with bent sidewalls is used, then the structure is simple and easy to manufacture, but gaps exist at the corners between adjacent sidewalls reducing EMC performance
Solution Approach 1:
The shield casing is segmented into multiple components: a base portion with bent sidewalls that is easy to manufacture, and separate corner pieces that fill the gaps between sidewalls. This maintains manufacturing simplicity while improving EMC performance.
Solution Approach 2:
Corner pieces serve as intermediary elements that fill the gaps between adjacent sidewalls of the shield casing. These corner pieces are designed to fit into the corner regions, eliminating EMI leakage paths while maintaining the simple bent sidewall structure of the main casing.
3Reliability
If the shield casing is directly soldered to the PCB, then the connection is permanent and secure, but the shield casing cannot be removed for PCB access
Solution Approach 1:
The shield casing is divided into a base portion that is permanently secured to the PCB (either by soldering or clips) and a removable cap portion that can be taken off to access the PCB. This segmentation provides both permanent fixture stability and removable access.
Solution Approach 2:
The shield casing transitions from a completely fixed structure to a dynamic structure with movable parts. The cap portion can be removed and reattached, providing flexible access to the PCB while maintaining secure connection when closed.
Data Source
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AI summary
From a first aspect, a clip terminal for fixedly retaining a casing is provided. The terminal may have a connector part, at least one upstanding retention clip having a first height relative to a surface of the connector part, and a shielding part. The shielding part is located on an outer edge of the connector part for shielding a portion of the casing, the shielding part projecting upwards relative to a surface of the connector part and having a second height relative to the surface of the connector part, wherein the second height is greater than the first height. A second aspect provides a clip terminal comprising a connector part, at least one upstanding retention clip, and a shielding part wherein a shielding part includes an extension portion at a top end that forms a surface for interaction with a suction instrument. From a third aspect, a method of retaining a casing relative to a circuit board is provided. From a fourth aspect, a method of forming a clip terminal is provided. A corresponding apparatus is provided in a fifth aspect.