Electrical Connector Shielding via Overlapping Metallic Shells
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electrical connectors with stepped configurations face challenges in achieving reliable shielding due to gaps between metallic shells and inconsistent grounding, leading to electrical leaking and compromised EMI protection.
Innovation Solution
An electrical connector design featuring an insulative elongated housing with a primary shell covering the top, bottom, and side surfaces, and a secondary shell covering the middle and rear surfaces, with overlapping sections to prevent electrical leaking, and a grounding system ensuring secure connection to the metallic shells for enhanced shielding.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a unitary one piece metallic shell is used to enclose all surfaces of the housing, then the shielding effect is superior, but the manufacturing complexity increases and material usage is not optimized
Solution Approach 1:
The metallic shell is divided into a primary shell and a secondary shell. The primary shell covers the front surface, top surface, bottom surface, and two side surfaces of the housing. The secondary shell covers the rear surface and the middle surface, and overlaps the primary shell on the bottom surface. This segmentation allows each shell to be manufactured separately and then assembled, reducing manufacturing complexity while maintaining shielding effectiveness through the overlapping configuration that eliminates gaps.
2Ease of manufacture
If multiple metallic shells are used to cover different surfaces of the housing, then the manufacturing complexity is reduced, but gaps may exist between shells resulting in electrical leaking
Solution Approach 1:
The secondary shell extends forwardly from the rear surface and overlaps the primary shell on the bottom surface, creating a three-dimensional overlapping configuration. This overlapping arrangement in the vertical dimension ensures that the boundary between the primary shell and secondary shell is sealed, preventing electrical leaking while allowing both shells to be manufactured separately.
3Ease of operation
If the grounding bar is used to connect to the metallic shell, then the grounding function is provided, but the connection may not be reliable or constant
Solution Approach 1:
The grounding bar is integrated with the secondary shell to form a unified grounding structure. This merging ensures that the grounding connection is reliable and constant, as the grounding bar and secondary shell work together as a single entity rather than separate components that may become disconnected.
Data Source
AI summary
A electrical connector includes an insulative elongated housing and first and second metallic shells covering the housing. The housing includes a top surface, a bottom surface, two sides surfaces and a middle surface between the top surface and the bottom surface so as to form a step structure thereof. The primary shell covers the top surface, the bottom surface and two side surfaces, and the secondary shell covers the middle surface and the rear surface which is roughly joined with the middle surface, and further the primary shell on the bottom surface in an overlapped manner so as to avoid any electrical leaking along the front-to-back direction between the primary shell and the secondary shell.