Electrical Connector Ground Plate Layout for Crosstalk Suppression
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional electrical connectors, particularly those conforming to the USB Type-C standard, face challenges in suppressing crosstalk between contact groups due to the short separation distance and lack of metal members in areas where flow openings are formed, leading to deteriorated electrical characteristics, especially with increasing high-frequency signal transmission.
Innovation Solution
The electrical connector design incorporates a ground plate with additional ground plate pieces located between horizontally extending and terminal portions of contacts, and features narrow pitch portions on signal contacts to reduce crosstalk, along with a shield member for electromagnetic shielding, effectively addressing the crosstalk issues in areas where the ground plate has openings.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If the ground plate has flow openings formed to ensure elastomer material flowability, then ease of manufacture is improved, but crosstalk suppression between contacts is worsened in the areas where openings are formed
Solution Approach 1:
The ground plate is divided into multiple segments: a main ground plate body and additional ground plate pieces positioned in specific areas. This segmentation allows the ground plate to have both open areas (for elastomer flow) and covered areas (for crosstalk suppression), resolving the contradiction between manufacturability and electrical performance
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the ground plate have different properties: some areas have openings to facilitate elastomer material flow during manufacturing, while other areas have ground plate pieces to suppress crosstalk. This local differentiation allows simultaneous achievement of ease of manufacture and crosstalk suppression
2Volume of moving object
If the separation distance between contact groups is reduced for miniaturization, then device size is reduced, but crosstalk between contacts increases
Solution Approach 1:
Ground plate pieces are introduced as intermediary elements between the first and second contact groups. These ground plate pieces act as electromagnetic shields that suppress crosstalk even when the overall separation distance between contact groups is reduced for miniaturization purposes
3Productivity
If high frequency signal transmission is increased to improve data rate, then productivity is improved, but crosstalk and electrical characteristics deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
Ground plate pieces are pre-positioned in areas where flow openings are formed, before high frequency signal transmission occurs. This preliminary configuration of the ground plate structure with both openings and pieces prepares the connector to suppress crosstalk during high frequency operations, enabling improved data transmission rates without electrical characteristic deterioration
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 suppresses crosstalk between contact groups, improving the electrical characteristics of the connector by absorbing current influences and enhancing signal integrity, even in areas where the ground plate does not cover, thus supporting higher frequency signal transmission.
Implementation Method 1
a ground plate held by the housing so as to be located on a ground plane facing the first contact plane and the second contact plane between the first contact plane and the second contact plane
Implementation Method 2
each of the two contacts constituting the signal contact pair has a narrow pitch portion approaching from one of the two contacts toward the other one of the two contacts in order to suppress crosstalk due to the two contacts
Data Source
AI summary
An electrical connector contains a first contact group arranged on a first contact plane, a second contact group arranged on a second contact plane and a ground plate located on a ground plane. The ground plate is located between horizontally extending portions of the contacts of the first contact group and horizontally extending portions, downwardly extending portions and terminal portions of the contacts of the second contact group in addition to between contacting portions and the horizontally extending portions of the contacts of the first contact group and contacting portions and the horizontally extending portions of the contacts of the second contact group.