Electrical Connector Ground Bus Shielding Design
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electrical connectors lack effective shielding in exposed portions, leading to high impedance mismatch and reduced performance due to the absence of shielding, which affects signal transmission and overall device performance.
Innovation Solution
The electrical connector incorporates a leadframe with an array of signal and ground contacts, where ground contacts are interspersed between signal contacts to provide electrical shielding. The connector includes a dielectric contact holder and separate external and leadframe ground buses that are electrically commoned with the ground shields of the cables to ensure comprehensive shielding.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If ground contacts are interspersed with signal contacts to provide electrical shielding, then electrical shielding performance is improved, but device complexity increases due to the need for separate ground buses and contact holder structure
Solution Approach 1:
The ground shielding system is segmented into multiple independent components: ground contacts interspersed among signal contacts, a leadframe ground bus connecting ground contacts, cable ground shields, and an external ground bus. This segmentation allows each component to perform its shielding function independently while collectively providing comprehensive EMI protection, resolving the contradiction by making the complex shielding system modular and manageable.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extends shielding from a single dimension (cable level) to multiple dimensions by adding ground contacts at the connector interface level and external ground buses at the housing level. This multi-dimensional approach provides shielding at every interface where EMI could couple into the system, improving overall shielding effectiveness while distributing the complexity across different structural levels.
2Reliability
If multiple ground buses (leadframe and external) are used to electrically common ground shields, then shielding effectiveness is improved, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The leadframe ground bus is pre-formed and integrated into the contact holder assembly before final connector assembly. This preliminary preparation of the grounding structure allows for easier integration during manufacturing, as the ground bus is already in its final configuration and can be directly connected to ground contacts and cable shields without requiring complex on-site fabrication or adjustment.
Solution Approach 2:
The contact holder dielectric serves as an intermediary structure that mechanically supports both the leadframe ground bus and the cable assembly, facilitating the electrical connection between ground contacts and cable shields. This intermediary component simplifies manufacturing by providing a pre-configured mounting platform that aligns grounding elements during assembly.
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
This configuration enhances electrical shielding, reducing impedance mismatch and improving the performance of the electrical connector by ensuring continuous shielding across the signal conductors, thereby enhancing signal transmission and device performance.
Implementation Method 1
ground contacts are interspersed with the signal contacts to provide electrical shielding between corresponding signal contacts
Implementation Method 2
The cables include signal conductors and ground shields surrounding the corresponding signal conductors to provide electrical shielding for the signal conductors
Implementation Method 3
The contact holder is a dielectric material. The contact holder holds each of the signal intermediate portions and holds each of the ground intermediate portions
Data Source
AI summary
A contact assembly includes a leadframe having signal contacts and ground contacts. The contacts include intermediate portions extending between mating and terminating ends. The ground terminating end has a leadframe ground bus connecting each of the ground contacts. The electrical connector includes a contact holder holding the contacts. The electrical connector includes cables terminated to the leadframe including signal conductors terminated to corresponding signal terminating ends. The leadframe ground bus is terminated to each of the ground shields to electrically common the ground shields. The electrical connector includes an external ground bus separate and discrete from the leadframe ground bus terminated to each of the ground shields at an opposite side of the cables from the leadframe ground bus to electrically common the ground shields.