Electrical Connector With Integrated Shorting Paths For Fault Simulation

Solution Overview

Problem

Current surface mount technologies, such as ball grid array (BGA) and land grid array (LGA), face challenges in diagnosing and resolving faults due to the difficulty and expense of manufacturing shorting bridges for simulating solder faults, which are essential for error resolution.

Innovation Solution

An electrical connector with an insulator holding an array of conductive polymer contacts and shorting paths that can be easily manufactured, allowing for the simulation of faults between contacts by forming shorting paths within the insulator, enabling economic and efficient fault testing.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If traditional shorting bridges are used to simulate solder faults for error diagnosis, then fault simulation capability is achieved, but manufacturing cost increases and manufacturing complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefault simulation capabilityVSAvoidmanufacturing cost

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges the shorting bridge function directly into the connector body by integrating conductive paths within the insulator material. This eliminates the need for separate shorting bridge components and their associated manufacturing processes, thereby reducing manufacturing cost and complexity while maintaining fault simulation capability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The insulator is designed to serve multiple functions: electrical insulation between contacts and creating integrated shorting paths for fault simulation. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate shorting bridge components, reducing both manufacturing cost and complexity while maintaining diagnostic capability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Reliability

If traditional shorting bridges are used to simulate solder faults for error diagnosis, then fault simulation capability is achieved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefault simulation capabilityVSAvoiddevice complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges the shorting bridge function directly into the connector body by integrating conductive paths within the insulator material. This eliminates the need for separate shorting bridge components and their associated manufacturing processes, thereby reducing manufacturing cost and complexity while maintaining fault simulation capability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The insulator is designed to serve multiple functions: electrical insulation between contacts and creating integrated shorting paths for fault simulation. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate shorting bridge components, reducing both manufacturing cost and complexity while maintaining diagnostic capability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Area of stationary object

If surface mount technology is used to increase component density on circuit board, then space is saved, but fault diagnosis becomes more difficult

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecircuit board spaceVSAvoidfault diagnosis difficulty

Core Design Contradiction:

Area of stationary objectVSDifficulty of detecting and measuring

Solution Approach 1:

The patent incorporates pre-designed shorting paths within the connector insulator that enable fault simulation before actual soldering occurs. This preliminary fault simulation capability allows diagnostic testing to be performed on the connector itself, making fault detection easier in high-density surface mount applications where post-soldering diagnosis would be difficult.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary 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

Facilitates the simulation and diagnosis of solder faults, allowing for the identification and resolution of errors in electronic packages by providing an economical means to track and address solder-related issues during testing.

Implementation Method 1

Each of the plurality of contacts and each shorting path are formed from a conductive polymer

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectElectrical conduction: Conduction (electrical)

Data Source

PatentUS7686624B2Electrical connector with contact shorting paths

Publication Date: 2010.03.30 TE CONNECTIVITY SOLUTIONS GMBH

AI summary

An electrical connector includes an insulator holding a plurality of contacts in an array corresponding to an array of pads on an electronic device. At least one shorting path electrically connects at least two of the contacts in the array. The insulator includes a plurality of apertures therethrough, with each aperture defining a contact location on the insulator. The insulator includes a channel formed between at least two contact locations. The channel defines a location of a shorting path and the shorting path is at least partially within the insulator.