Electrical Connector with Embedded Passive Circuit Elements
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electrical connectors lack integrated passive circuit elements, which are necessary for minimizing DC flow, providing filtering characteristics, and reducing data transmission losses, but these elements occupy valuable space and can cause signal reflections due to impedance discontinuities.
Innovation Solution
An electrical connector design that incorporates passive circuit elements, such as capacitors or inductors, within the connector's insulative housing, connected to the signal conductors to address these issues while maintaining the desirable properties of signal integrity, ease of mating, ruggedness, and high density.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If passive circuit elements are populated on the board surface, then DC flow is blocked and filtering characteristics are provided, but board space is occupied and signal reflections occur due to impedance discontinuity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the electrical connector and passive circuit elements into a single integrated component. The connector housing contains multiple signal conductors, and passive elements (capacitors, inductors, resistors) are embedded within the housing to connect to intermediate portions of these conductors. This merging eliminates the need for separate board population of passive elements, thereby preserving board space while maintaining signal integrity functions.
2Reliability
If passive circuit elements are connected to conductive vias, then filtering and DC blocking are achieved, but impedance discontinuity causes signal reflections
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the passive circuit elements from their traditional connection method (via holes in PCB) and repositions them to connect directly to intermediate portions of signal conductors within the connector housing. This extraction eliminates the via connections that cause impedance discontinuity and signal reflections, while preserving the filtering and DC blocking functions of the passive elements.
3Productivity
If high density connector design is implemented, then more signals per unit length are achieved, but integration of passive elements becomes more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies nesting by placing passive circuit elements inside the connector housing, effectively nesting one component structure within another. The housing contains both the signal conductors and the passive elements, with the passive elements positioned to connect to intermediate portions of the conductors. This nested arrangement allows high-density signal routing while integrating passive elements without proportionally increasing overall connector complexity.
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 integration of passive circuit elements within the electrical connector enhances signal integrity by minimizing DC flow, providing filtering, and reducing data transmission losses without occupying additional board space, while maintaining the connector's reliability and high density.
Implementation Method 1
a passive circuit element electrically connected to the intermediate portion of each of the plurality of signal conductors, where the passive circuit element is housed in an insulative package and includes at least a capacitor or an inductor
Implementation Method 2
a passive circuit element electrically connected to the intermediate portion of each of the plurality of signal conductors, where the passive circuit element is housed in an insulative package and includes at least a capacitor or an inductor
Data Source
AI summary
An electrical connector electrically connects a first printed circuit board and a second printed circuit board, where the electrical connector includes: (a) an insulative housing; (b) a plurality of signal conductors, with at least a portion of each of the plurality of signal conductors disposed within the insulative housing; (c) each of the plurality of signal conductors having a first contact end, a second contact end and an intermediate portion therebetween; and (d) a passive circuit element electrically connected to the intermediate portion of each of the plurality of signal conductors, where the passive circuit element is housed in an insulative package and includes at least a capacitor or an inductor.