Electrical Connector Grounding Plate Spring Tangs
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current electrical connectors with simple grounding bars fail to meet performance criteria for high-frequency transmission speeds above 32GT/s and bandwidths above 128 Gbps, as they do not provide adequate mechanical and electrical connectivity for effective grounding.
Innovation Solution
An electrical connector design featuring a metallic grounding plate with multiple spring tangs welded to spaced positions of grounding contacts, forming a circuit loop to enhance mechanical and electrical connection, reduce electromotive force differences, and eliminate crosstalk by alternately arranging differential-pair and grounding contacts.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a simple grounding bar with single contacting point is used, then the device complexity is low, but the electrical performance and grounding effectiveness deteriorate at high transmission speeds above 32GT/s
Solution Approach 1:
The grounding bar is segmented into multiple contacting points along its length, with each segment making contact with the grounding contact at different positions. This segmentation allows the grounding structure to maintain low complexity while achieving superior electrical performance through distributed grounding connections that reduce electromotive force differences.
Solution Approach 2:
The grounding structure transitions from a single-point contact to a multi-point contact system distributed along the longitudinal dimension. By adding the dimensional aspect of multiple contact points along the grounding bar, the system achieves improved grounding effectiveness without proportionally increasing overall structural complexity.
2Reliability
If multiple spring tangs are welded to spaced positions of grounding contacts, then the mechanical and electrical connection is improved, but the manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The spring tangs are pre-formed on the grounding bar before assembly, with their positions and orientations predetermined. This preliminary action ensures proper mechanical and electrical connections are achieved during assembly without requiring complex post-assembly adjustments or operations, balancing connection reliability with manufacturing ease.
Solution Approach 2:
The spring tangs act as intermediary elements between the grounding bar and the grounding contacts. These tangs provide both mechanical attachment and electrical connectivity, simplifying the overall manufacturing process by consolidating multiple functions into a single intermediate component that facilitates reliable connections.
3Reliability
If grounding contacts are alternately arranged with differential-pair contacts, then crosstalk is eliminated and electrical performance is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The contact arrangement is segmented into alternating sequences of grounding contacts and differential-pair contacts. This segmentation creates distinct functional zones that prevent electromagnetic interference and crosstalk between signal-carrying differential pairs while maintaining an organized, manageable structural pattern that does not excessively increase device 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 solution achieves improved electrical performance by ensuring robust mechanical and electrical connections, reducing electromotive force differences, and eliminating crosstalk, thereby supporting higher transmission speeds and bandwidths.
Implementation Method 1
at least two sets of spring tangs welded to spaced positions of the corresponding grounding contacts
Data Source
AI summary
An electrical connector includes an insulative housing with a base and a mating tongue forwardly extending from the base in a front-to-back direction, and a plurality of contacts retained in the housing. The contacts include a plurality of differential-pair contacts and a plurality of grounding contacts alternately arranged with each other in the transverse direction. A metallic grounding plate is forwardly inserted into the horizontal center slot of the mating tongue with at least two sets of spring tangswelded to spaced positions of the corresponding grounding contacts, respectively so as to have each grounding contacts mechanically and electrically connected with the grounding plate at at least two spaced positioned in the front-to-back direction.