Electrical Connector Grounding via Auxiliary Spring Tabs
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional electrical connectors fail to effectively reduce electromagnetic interference (EMI) and signal cross talking between terminals.
Innovation Solution
An electrical connector design featuring an insulative housing, a metal shell, multiple electrical terminals including a grounding contact and auxiliary terminals with spring tabs that contact both the shell and the grounding contact, enhancing grounding and reducing EMI.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a conventional shell contacts only the grounding contact is used, then the structure is simple, but the anti-EMI effect is insufficient and cross talking between signal terminals cannot be reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The auxiliary terminal is divided into two separate spring tabs: a first spring tab that contacts the metal shell and a second spring tab that contacts the grounding contact. This segmentation creates multiple independent grounding paths, improving EMI shielding effectiveness without requiring a completely complex structural redesign.
Solution Approach 2:
The auxiliary terminal extends in a downward direction from the insulative housing, creating a vertical grounding path that complements the horizontal shell contact. This dimensional addition provides multiple grounding routes (both horizontal through the shell and vertical through the grounding contact) without significantly increasing overall device footprint.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If multiple grounding paths are added to reduce EMI, then anti-EMI performance improves, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The auxiliary terminal serves multiple functions simultaneously: it provides electrical contact with both the metal shell and the grounding contact, establishes multiple grounding paths for EMI reduction, and does so using a single integrated component rather than multiple separate elements.
Solution Approach 2:
The spring tabs are designed with specific elastic properties and contact forces that optimize the grounding connection. By adjusting the spring tab dimensions and material properties, effective EMI grounding is achieved without requiring excessive numbers of grounding elements or complex arrangements.
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 design effectively reduces electromagnetic interference and signal cross talking by increasing contact points and grounding paths, improving the anti-EMI performance of the electrical connector.
Implementation Method 1
The first spring tab contacts with the metal shell and the second spring tab contacts with the grounding contact
Data Source
AI summary
An electrical connector includes an insulative housing, a metal shell covering the insulative housing, electrical terminals and auxiliary terminals received in the insulative housing. The electrical terminals includes a number of first contacts. The first contacts include a grounding contact in the middle and some signal contacts on both sides of the grounding contact. The auxiliary terminals includes the retaining portion received in insulative housing and the connecting portion downwardly bent from an end of the retaining portion. The retaining portion has a first spring tab and the connecting has a second spring tab. The first spring tab contacts with the metal shell and the second spring tab contacts with the grounding contact. Such arrangment can improve the anti EMI effect of the electrical connector and reduce the signal interference between the signal terminals.