Electrical Connector Plated Ground Shields Cost Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
The high cost of plating electrical connectors with precious metals to improve electrical performance and durability is a significant challenge, as it increases manufacturing costs without adequately addressing the need for reduced contact resistance in ground shields compared to signal contacts.
Innovation Solution
The use of a tin-nickel alloy plating layer on ground shields and a different precious metal plating on signal contacts, where the ground shields lack precious metals in their plating, allowing for a cost-effective solution that maintains low contact resistance and durability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If ground shields are plated with precious metals to reduce contact resistance, then electrical performance is improved, but manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies different plating materials to different components: signal contacts are plated with precious metals (gold, palladium, or platinum) to ensure low contact resistance for signal transmission, while ground shields are plated with tin-nickel alloy which provides adequate electrical performance at lower cost. This local differentiation resolves the contradiction by optimizing material selection for each component's specific functional requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the material composition parameter from precious metals to tin-nickel alloy for ground shield plating. This parameter change maintains acceptable electrical performance while significantly reducing manufacturing cost, as tin and nickel are substantially less expensive than gold, palladium, or platinum.
2Ease of manufacture
If ground shields are plated with tin-nickel alloy instead of precious metals, then manufacturing cost is reduced, but contact resistance may increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent recognizes that ground shields have different electrical performance requirements compared to signal contacts. By applying tin-nickel alloy plating specifically to ground shields while maintaining precious metal plating on signal contacts, the patent achieves local optimization where each component's plating material is matched to its functional needs, resolving the contact resistance concern.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses composite plating structures where signal contacts have precious metal plating for low contact resistance and ground shields have tin-nickel alloy plating. This composite material approach allows the connector system to achieve overall low contact resistance through the signal path while using cost-effective materials for the ground path.
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 approach reduces manufacturing costs by eliminating expensive precious metals from ground shield plating while maintaining stable and low contact resistance, ensuring reliable signal transmission at high frequencies without compromising performance.
Implementation Method 1
The ground shields are plated with a ground-material composition along one or more contact segments of the ground shields that come into compression engagement with one or more other conductive members. The ground-material composition includes a tin-nickel (Sn/Ni) alloy plating layer.
Implementation Method 2
the base materials of the signal and ground contacts of higher-speed connectors are often plated with one or more other materials that provide the contacts with a lower contact resistance
Data Source
AI summary
Electrical connector includes a housing, signal contacts, and ground shields. The signal contacts are coupled to the housing and positioned for mating with mating signal contacts of a mating connector. The ground shields are coupled to the housing and at least partially surround the signal contacts to shield the signal contacts. The ground shields are plated with a ground-material composition along one or more contact segments of the ground shields that come into compression engagement with one or more other conductive members. The ground-material composition includes a tin-nickel (Sn/Ni) alloy plating layer. The signal contacts are plated with a signal-material composition that is different than the ground-material composition.