Edge-Mounted Coaxial Connector for High-Density PCB Integration
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing coaxial connectors have limited contact density due to the screw-machining process, restricting the packing of contacts on circuit boards.
Innovation Solution
A coaxial connector assembly with a housing that mounts to the edge of a circuit board, featuring coaxial contact pairs with signal and ground contacts that extend over corresponding electrical traces, allowing for closer packing and integration of ground contacts from a single, unitary structure, fabricated using cutting and forming processes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If screw-machining process is used to fabricate contacts, then manufacturing precision is maintained, but contact size cannot be reduced below a minimum limit
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the traditional screw-machining process with a laser-based manufacturing process. Laser machining enables precise fabrication of smaller contact sizes while maintaining manufacturing precision, thereby resolving the contradiction between contact size reduction and manufacturing precision requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the manufacturing parameters by adopting laser processing instead of mechanical screw-machining. This parameter change allows for smaller minimum contact dimensions while preserving the required manufacturing precision, enabling higher contact density on the circuit board.
2Quantity of substance
If contact size is reduced for closer packing, then contact density increases, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
By substituting laser processing for traditional mechanical screw-machining, the patent simplifies the manufacturing process for small contacts. Laser technology inherently handles complex geometries and small dimensions more easily than mechanical processes, thus increasing contact density while avoiding manufacturing complexity escalation.
3Quantity of substance
If more coaxial contact pairs are packed on the circuit board, then connectivity increases, but the connector size must increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the size parameter of individual contacts to smaller dimensions through laser fabrication. This parameter change allows more coaxial contact pairs to be packed into the same connector area, increasing connectivity without proportionally increasing the overall connector size.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent optimizes the spatial arrangement of contacts by utilizing edge-mounting configuration and optimizing the two-dimensional layout of contact pairs on the circuit board edge. This dimensional optimization enables higher contact density within the available connector footprint area.
Data Source
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AI summary
A coaxial connector (12) includes a housing (34) configured to be mounted to an edge (60) of a circuit board (28), and coaxial contacts (20) held by the housing. The coaxial contacts include coaxial contact pairs having a signal contact (20a) and a ground contact (20b) arranged coaxially with the signal contact of the same coaxial contact pair. The signal contacts are held by the housing whereby signal mounting segments (54) of the signal contacts are configured to extend over and be engaged in electrical contact with corresponding electrical signal traces (58) of the circuit board when the housing is mounted to the edge of the circuit board. The ground contacts are held by the housing such that ground mounting segments (56) of the ground contacts are configured to extend over and be engaged in electrical contact with corresponding electrical ground traces of the circuit board when the housing is mounted to the edge of the circuit board.