Electrical Connector Shielding Structure for High-Frequency Signal Integrity

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing electrical connectors struggle to achieve high-frequency performance due to inadequate shielding and signal interference.

Innovation Solution

The electrical connector features an orthogonal design with a shielding member and an absorbing member. The shielding member includes grounding fingers that press against grounding terminals, while the absorbing member covers part of the shielding member without contacting the terminals, effectively reducing crosstalk and enhancing high-frequency performance.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If traditional shielding structures are used in electrical connectors, then manufacturing is simpler, but high-frequency performance and signal integrity deteriorate due to inadequate shielding and crosstalk

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvehigh-frequency performanceVSAvoidshielding structure complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The shielding member is segmented into multiple grounding fingers that can be independently configured to contact different grounding terminals. This segmentation allows for optimized shielding at each signal interface while maintaining overall structural manageability, resolving the contradiction between comprehensive shielding and structural complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The absorbing member is positioned to cover the shielding member, creating a nested configuration where the absorbing material envelops the grounding structure. This nested arrangement maximizes the shielding effectiveness and crosstalk reduction within a compact space, improving high-frequency performance without proportionally increasing overall device complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

2Object-affected harmful factors

If grounding fingers are added to press against grounding terminals, then signal interference is reduced, but manufacturing precision requirements increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesignal interferenceVSAvoidgrounding finger contact precision

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The grounding fingers are designed with specific local properties including flexible contact surfaces and optimized contact pressures at the grounding terminal interfaces. This local quality enhancement ensures reliable electrical contact and effective shielding without requiring extreme manufacturing precision across the entire component, as the critical contact zones are specifically engineered.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

3Object-affected harmful factors

If absorbing member covers the shielding member, then crosstalk is minimized, but the device volume increases

Engineering Contradiction:

ImprovecrosstalkVSAvoidconnector volume

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSVolume of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The absorbing member is configured to cover at least a portion of the shielding member rather than the entire structure. This partial coverage approach provides sufficient crosstalk reduction and high-frequency performance improvement while avoiding the volume penalty of complete envelopment, achieving the necessary shielding effectiveness with minimal volume increase.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #16Partial or excessive action

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 significantly improves high-frequency performance by minimizing signal interference and crosstalk, ensuring reliable connectivity for applications such as EDSFF modules and circuit boards.

Implementation Method 1

a shielding member (50) attached to a side of the insulating housing (30), wherein the shielding member comprises plural grounding fingers (52) pressing against corresponding grounding terminals (40G)

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectElectrical Conduction: Conduction (electrical)

Implementation Method 2

an absorbing member (60) attached to a side of the shielding member (50) away from the terminals (40), wherein the absorbing member (60) covers at least a part of the shielding member (50)

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectElectromagnetic Absorption: Absorption (EM radiation)

Data Source

PatentUS20250030201A1Electrical connector with high frequency performance

Publication Date: 2025.01.23 FOXCONN INTERCONNECT TECHNOLOGY LTD

AI summary

An electrical connector includes an outer frame and an inner connector assembly. The inner connector assembly includes: a mating frame with a vertical mating slot; two vertical terminal modules fixed together and received in the mating frame, each terminal module including an insulating housing and a row of terminals protruding into the mating slot and located at two sides of the mating slot, each row of the terminals including plural pairs of signal terminals and plural grounding terminals; a shielding member attached to a side of the insulating housing; and an absorbing member attached to a side of the shielding member away from the terminals, wherein the shielding member includes plural grounding fingers pressing against corresponding grounding terminals, and the absorbing member covers at least a part of the shielding member while has no contact with the grounding terminals.