Electrical Connector Assembly with Stacked PCBs and Insulative Spacers
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing I/O connectors face challenges in achieving high-density, high-data-rate transmission while maintaining electrical separation to prevent signal degradation, and they often require non-standard equipment due to increased width, which complicates manufacturing and latching mechanisms.
Innovation Solution
The electrical connector assembly features a housing with receiving rooms for printed circuit boards, a strain relief, and engaging means to interlock the strain relief with the housing, along with a reliable latch mechanism, ensuring secure engagement and supporting multiple mating cycles without increasing width, using a metallic die-cast housing and insulative spacers to maintain electrical separation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If the terminal arrangement is made more dense to increase connector compactness, then the connector size is reduced, but the electrical separation between terminals decreases leading to signal degradation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from planar terminal arrangement to a three-dimensional configuration where terminals are positioned at different vertical levels. Insulative spacers create vertical separation between signal terminals, allowing dense horizontal packing while maintaining adequate electrical isolation through the vertical dimension. This dimensional change resolves the contradiction by enabling both compactness and signal integrity.
2Quantity of substance
If the width of plug connectors is increased to achieve higher density, then more terminals can be accommodated, but the connector cannot fit into standard width routers and servers
Solution Approach 1:
The patent utilizes the vertical dimension through stacked printed circuit boards and insulative spacers to increase terminal capacity. Instead of expanding horizontally, terminals are arranged in multiple vertical layers within the same footprint, allowing high terminal density while maintaining standard connector width compatibility with existing equipment.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements a nested structure where multiple printed circuit boards are stacked vertically within the connector housing, with insulative spacers nested between them. This nested arrangement maximizes terminal capacity within a compact volume without increasing the external dimensions of the connector.
3Speed
If higher frequencies are used to increase data transmission rates, then performance improves, but cross-talk between terminals increases due to reduced electrical separation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs vertical stacking with insulative spacers to create adequate electrical separation between high-frequency signal terminals. The vertical arrangement with dielectric material between layers reduces electromagnetic coupling and cross-talk, enabling high-frequency operation at improved data rates without signal degradation.
4Quantity of substance
If the connector design is modified to increase terminal density, then capacity improves, but the latching mechanism support is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the connector into distinct functional segments: a housing structure for mechanical support, insulative spacers for electrical isolation, stacked PCBs for terminal density, and a separate latching mechanism. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently, maintaining latching reliability while achieving high terminal density through vertical stacking.
Data Source
AI summary
An electrical connector assembly (100) comprises: a housing (1) comprising a first shield part (15), a second shield part (16) assembled with each other; at least one printed circuit board (2) disposed in the housing; a strain relief (5) disposed in the housing and sandwiched by the first shield part and the second shield part; a metallic shell (8) engaged with the housing; a pair of first screws (91) assembled to the housing along two opposite directions and interlocked with first shield part, the second shield part and the strain relief; and a pair of second screws (92) assembled to the housing along a same direction and interlocked the first shield part, the second shield part, the strain relief and the metallic shell.