Electrical Connector Grounding Means for ESD Protection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Electrical connectors in computers and electronic devices face issues with static electricity accumulation in metal shells, necessitating an improved grounding means for effective static electricity elimination.
Innovation Solution
The electrical connector design includes an insulative housing with specific tongue portions and contacts, a metal shell with engaging arms, and a grounding means featuring an oblique main plate and retaining plate to securely attach to a metal panel, ensuring proper insertion orientation and effective ESD protection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a conventional grounding means is used to eliminate static electricity from the metal shell, then static electricity can be discharged, but the grounding means may not be securely fixed and may cause misalignment or instability during plug insertion
Solution Approach 1:
The grounding means utilizes a flexible bending plate that can be inserted into a slot on the metal panel and bent at an appropriate angle to abut against the panel surface. This flexible approach ensures reliable electrical contact for grounding while maintaining stability during plug insertion and removal operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The grounding means acts as an intermediary component between the metal shell and the metal panel, providing a dedicated grounding path. The bending plate specifically serves as the intermediary element that establishes and maintains the electrical connection for static electricity discharge while remaining stable during connector operation.
2Reliability
If the grounding means is designed to abut against the metal panel for secure grounding, then grounding reliability is improved, but the structure becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The grounding means is segmented into distinct functional parts: a main plate for structural support, a retaining plate with tangs for positioning, and a bending plate for making contact with the metal panel. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function efficiently while keeping the overall design manageable and reliable.
3Ease of operation
If the opening is designed with chamfers to regulate plug insertion orientation, then misalignment is prevented, but the manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The opening incorporates asymmetric chamfer surfaces at its entrance, creating a tapered guide that naturally directs the plug into the correct orientation during insertion. This asymmetric geometry provides mechanical guidance that is tolerant of normal manufacturing variations, allowing easy operation without requiring extremely tight tolerances.
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 design effectively regulates plug insertion, provides secure grounding, and prevents misalignment, ensuring reliable electrostatic discharge protection and signal transmission while minimizing static electricity accumulation in the metal shell.
Implementation Method 1
a grounding means attached to the metal shell and oblique to a front face of the insulative housing for abutting against a metal panel... effectively regulates plug insertion, provides secure grounding, and prevents misalignment, ensuring reliable electrostatic discharge protection
Data Source
AI summary
An electrical connector (100) includes an insulative housing (1) having a receiving cavity (10) including a first receiving cavity (12) and a second receiving cavity (13) communicating with the first receiving cavity; a set of first contacts (41) protruding into the first receiving cavity; a set of second contacts (42) exposed to the second receiving cavity; a metal shell (5) enclosing the insulative housing; and a grounding means (6) attached to the metal shell and oblique to a front face (112) of the insulative housing for abutting against a metal panel and having an opening. The opening includes a lower opening (601) with a pair of chamfers (603) on top thereof and an upper opening (602) communicating with the lower opening in a vertical direction and being essentially narrower than the lower opening (601).