Electrical Connector Multi-Interface Housing Design
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Solution Overview
Problem
The shrinking size of electronic products creates a challenge in accommodating various electrical connectors for different signal transport protocols within limited internal space, as existing arrangements either stack or arrange them side by side, failing to reduce the overall space requirement.
Innovation Solution
An electrical connector design featuring a housing with perpendicular directions, comprising a base portion and mating portions with alternating rows of high-speed signal and ground contacts, arranged to minimize space usage and reduce signal interference, allowing for multiple interface compatibility such as HDMI, USB, and Displayport.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If multiple electrical connectors are arranged side by side or stacked to accommodate different signal transport protocols, then interface versatility is improved, but the internal space of the electric product increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple electrical connectors (first electrical connector for HDMI and second electrical connector for USB/Displayport) into a single integrated structure where they share common housing portions and contact arrangements, allowing different interfaces to coexist without requiring separate spatial allocations for each connector type
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes the width dimension by arranging contact groups in alternating rows (first row and second row) within the same housing, rather than stacking connectors vertically or placing them side by side, thereby reducing the overall height and depth while maintaining multi-interface capability
2Volume of moving object
If high-speed signal contacts are arranged closely to minimize space, then space utilization is improved, but signal interference increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies different contact arrangements to different spatial locations: ground contacts are strategically positioned between signal contact groups in alternating rows, creating localized shielding zones that reduce electromagnetic interference while maintaining compact overall dimensions
Solution Approach 2:
Ground contacts serve as intermediary elements positioned between high-speed signal contact groups, acting as electromagnetic shields that prevent signal interference between adjacent differential pairs while allowing the contacts to remain in close proximity for space efficiency
Data Source
AI summary
An electrical connector defines perpendicular first direction and second direction and includes a housing and a plurality of contacts. The housing includes a base portion and a first mating portion. The mating portion defines opposite first mating face and second mating face. The contacts are arranged in the housing in the second direction and include mating portions respectively exposed upon the first mating face and the second mating face and tails protruding from the housing. The contacts include several high-speed signal groups and each includes a pair of signal contacts and a grounding contact. The mating portions of the pair of signal contacts are located at the second mating face while the mating portion of the grounding contact is located at the first mating face. Three mating portions of each high-speed signal group are shaped as a triangle from a view along the first direction.