High Speed Electrical Connector Shielding Plates
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional high-speed connectors fail to provide effective Electro Magnetic Interference (EMI) shielding due to loosely fixed shielding plates, which is inadequate in high-speed environments.
Innovation Solution
The connector features an insulative housing with arrays of first and second shielding plates arranged in parallel and perpendicular configurations, where the second shielding plates have a strip-shaped base portion electrically connected with the first plates, ensuring a firm fixation and enhanced EMI shielding between adjacent contact pairs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If shielding plates are loosely fixed in the insulative housing, then the device complexity is reduced, but the EMI shielding effectiveness deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The shielding structure is divided into multiple independent shielding plates (first shielding plates and second shielding plates) that are arranged in a grid pattern. Each shielding plate is separately retained in the insulative housing, allowing for simplified individual fixation while achieving comprehensive EMI shielding when all plates are assembled together. This segmentation resolves the contradiction by reducing the complexity of fixing a single large shield while maintaining overall shielding effectiveness through the collective arrangement of multiple smaller plates.
Solution Approach 2:
The second shielding plates are nested within the structure formed by the first shielding plates, creating a multi-layered shielding configuration. The strip-shaped base portions of the second shielding plates are positioned between and connected to the first shielding plates, forming an interlocked nested arrangement. This nesting principle allows both types of shielding plates to be firmly fixed together while maintaining relatively simple individual structures, thereby improving EMI shielding without excessively increasing device complexity.
2Reliability
If shielding plates are firmly fixed in the insulative housing, then the EMI shielding effectiveness is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The first shielding plates and second shielding plates are merged together through electrical and mechanical connection to form an integrated shielding system. The strip-shaped base portions of the second shielding plates connect to the first shielding plates, creating a unified structure that is collectively retained in the insulative housing. This merging allows the shielding plates to be firmly fixed as a single system rather than requiring complex individual fixation mechanisms for each plate, thus improving EMI shielding effectiveness while controlling device complexity.
3Reliability
If arrays of first and second shielding plates are used in parallel and perpendicular arrangements, then the EMI shielding between adjacent contact pairs is enhanced, but the manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The shielding system is segmented into first shielding plates arranged in one direction and second shielding plates arranged in a perpendicular direction. This segmentation allows each type of plate to be manufactured and prepared separately, then assembled into the insulative housing in a systematic manner. The segmented approach simplifies manufacturing compared to creating a single complex shield, while still achieving enhanced EMI shielding between adjacent contact pairs through the orthogonal arrangement.
Solution Approach 2:
The shielding structure transitions from a single-dimensional arrangement to a two-dimensional orthogonal grid by introducing second shielding plates perpendicular to the first shielding plates. This dimensional change creates a cross-hatched shielding pattern that provides superior EMI protection between adjacent contact pairs. The orthogonal arrangement follows systematic manufacturing patterns that are easier to produce than irregular three-dimensional shielding structures, thus improving shielding effectiveness while maintaining ease of manufacture.
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 provides reliable EMI shielding between adjacent contact pairs, effectively addressing the inadequacies of conventional connectors by firmly fixing the shielding plates within the insulative housing.
Implementation Method 1
Each second shielding plate includes a strip-shaped base portion electrically connected with the first shielding plates
Implementation Method 2
an array of first shielding plates retained in the insulative housing in parallel arrangement, and an array of second shielding plates retained in the insulative housing and arranged perpendicularly to the first shielding plates
Data Source
AI summary
An electrical connector (1, 1′, 1″) includes an insulative housing (10, 10′, 10″), an array of first shielding plates (30, 30′, 30″) retained in the insulative housing in parallel arrangement, and an array of second shielding plates (40, 40′, 40″) retained in the insulative housing and arranged perpendicularly to the first shielding plates. Each second shielding plate includes a strip-shaped base portion (41, 41′, 41″) electrically connected to the first shielding plates.