Miniaturized Electrical Connector Assembly Under Heat Sink
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional connectors cannot be arranged under heat sinks due to limited space, leading to wasted space on printed circuit boards and inefficient heat dissipation in high-performance servers.
Innovation Solution
A high-density, miniaturized connector assembly with a board end connector and wire end connector, featuring guide pieces and slots for alignment and a lockable snap mechanism, allowing the connector to be placed under a heat sink, optimizing space utilization and enabling high-speed data transmission.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of stationary object
If conventional connectors are used, then the connector can be arranged on the printed circuit board, but the heat sink occupies large space and prevents the connector from being arranged below it, resulting in wasted space
Solution Approach 1:
The connector is relocated from the traditional horizontal arrangement on the printed circuit board to a vertical arrangement below the heat sink, utilizing the height dimension. This dimensional change allows both the heat sink and connector to coexist without spatial conflict, maximizing board space utilization.
Solution Approach 2:
The connector assembly is nested below the heat sink structure, with the connector housing positioned in the space underneath the heat sink. This nesting arrangement allows the connector to be accommodated within the vertical envelope of the heat sink assembly without interfering with its cooling function.
2Length of stationary object
If the connector height is reduced to fit under the heat sink, then space is saved, but the connector must be miniaturized which may affect transmission speed and reliability
Solution Approach 1:
The connector is divided into multiple components including a housing, contact members, and positioning structures. This segmentation allows the design of a compact overall height while maintaining adequate contact member length and spacing for reliable high-speed data transmission up to 56 Gbit/s.
Solution Approach 2:
The connector employs modified geometric parameters including reduced height, optimized contact member spacing, and adjusted shell dimensions. These parameter changes enable the connector to fit under the heat sink while maintaining transmission performance through careful optimization of the reduced dimensions.
3Area of stationary object
If the connector is miniaturized for high-density arrangement, then space utilization improves, but the complexity of achieving precise alignment and locking increases
Solution Approach 1:
The guide pieces and positioning structures are integrated directly into the connector housing and heat sink assembly, combining multiple functions (alignment, positioning, and structural support) into unified components. This merging reduces the number of separate parts while ensuring precise alignment for the miniaturized connector.
Solution Approach 2:
The guide pieces and positioning structures are designed to automatically align and position the connector during installation without requiring external tools or complex adjustment mechanisms. The self-aligning feature simplifies the assembly process despite the miniaturized dimensions.
Data Source
AI summary
An electrical connector assembly includes a board end connector and a wire end connector. The board end connector includes a board end connector shell and a board end connector body. The wire end connector includes a wire end case and a tongue plate. At least one guide piece is extended from one of the board end connector shell and the wire end case, and a remaining one of the board end connector shell and the wire end case is provided with at least one guide slot for creating a butt joint with the guide piece. The electrical connector assembly of the present disclosure utilizes the space of the board end to the maximum extent, solves the problem that the CPU occupies the space of the board end due to the increased size of the heat dissipation module, and can realize high-speed data transmission.