Integral EMI Skirt Spring Beams for Connector Assemblies
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional connector assemblies face challenges in providing a cost-effective and reliable electromagnetic interference (EMI) containment solution between a metal cage and a bezel, with EMI gaskets being expensive and requiring tight mechanical constraints, while EMI clips are less expensive but require assembly and have limited tolerance.
Innovation Solution
A connector assembly with an integral EMI skirt featuring spring beams that extend from the cage member, providing multiple points of contact with the bezel for effective EMI containment, eliminating the need for assembly and enhancing tolerance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If an EMI gasket is used to provide EMI containment between the cage and bezel, then EMI shielding effectiveness is improved, but manufacturing cost increases and mechanical constraints become tighter
Solution Approach 1:
The EMI containment function is merged with the cage structure itself by integrating spring fingers directly into the cage body. This eliminates the need for separate EMI gasket components while maintaining effective EMI shielding between the cage and bezel, thereby reducing manufacturing cost and simplifying the assembly process.
Solution Approach 2:
The cage structure is designed to serve multiple functions: it provides structural support for the connector assembly, defines the port opening, and simultaneously provides EMI containment through integrated spring fingers. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for dedicated EMI gaskets while maintaining shielding effectiveness.
2Reliability
If an EMI gasket is used to provide EMI containment, then EMI shielding effectiveness is improved, but device complexity increases due to tight mechanical constraints
Solution Approach 1:
The EMI containment mechanism is merged into the cage structure through integrated spring fingers, eliminating separate EMI gasket components. This integration reduces device complexity by removing the need for precise mechanical constraints between separate components while maintaining effective EMI shielding.
Solution Approach 2:
The spring fingers provide dynamic EMI containment that automatically adapts to manufacturing tolerances and assembly variations. The spring mechanism maintains consistent electrical contact and EMI shielding effectiveness without requiring tight mechanical constraints, thereby reducing device complexity.
3Ease of manufacture
If an EMI clip is used instead of an EMI gasket, then manufacturing cost decreases, but assembly complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The EMI containment function is merged with the cage structure by integrating spring fingers directly into the cage body during manufacturing. This eliminates the need for separate EMI clip components and their associated assembly steps, thereby reducing both manufacturing cost and assembly complexity simultaneously.
Solution Approach 2:
The integrated spring fingers are self-contained within the cage structure and automatically provide EMI containment upon assembly. The spring fingers are pre-positioned and require no separate alignment or attachment steps, enabling simple assembly while maintaining low manufacturing cost.
4Ease of manufacture
If an EMI clip with spring fingers is used, then manufacturing cost decreases, but tolerance for cage positioning becomes narrower
Solution Approach 1:
The spring fingers provide a dynamic EMI containment mechanism that compensates for cage positioning variations. The spring mechanism maintains consistent electrical contact and EMI shielding effectiveness across a wider range of positions, thereby increasing manufacturing precision tolerance while keeping manufacturing cost low.
Solution Approach 2:
The spring finger design allows for adjustment of spring force and contact pressure parameters to optimize EMI containment effectiveness across different cage positions. This parameter flexibility enables wider positioning tolerance while maintaining effective EMI shielding at low manufacturing cost.
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
The solution effectively reduces EMI emissions by ensuring reliable electrical connection at multiple points, offering a cost-effective and robust EMI containment mechanism without the need for assembly, thus addressing the limitations of both EMI gaskets and clips.
Implementation Method 1
The EMI skirt includes plural spring beams extending from the walls at exit points. The spring beams and cage member are integral and have a unibody design. Each spring beam has a front bend at the exit point from the corresponding wall at the front end of the cage member.
Data Source
AI summary
A connector assembly includes a cage member receiving a pluggable module and providing electrical shielding for the pluggable module. The cage member is mounted behind a bezel and aligned with a bezel opening. The connector assembly includes an EMI skirt at the front end of the cage member. The EMI skirt includes plural spring beams integral and having a unibody design with the cage member. Each spring beam has a front bend at the exit point from the cage member, a base extending rearward from the front bend and an arm extending from the base outward in a direction generally away from the cage member. The cage member is positioned relative to the bezel such that the arms reside behind the bezel. The arms have bezel mating interfaces configured to engage and electrically connect to the bezel.