Flippable Receptacle Connector EMI Shielding and Signal Integrity

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing flippable plug connectors for super speed signaling require costly MUX integration, leading to signal degradation and increased costs, and existing USB connectors lack efficient EMI shielding and orientation-independent insertion capabilities.

Innovation Solution

A receptacle connector design featuring an insulating housing with a mating tongue, metallic collars, and a shielding plate for EMI protection, allowing flippable insertion and mounting on a printed circuit board with enhanced mechanical and electrical connectivity, including a step structure and L-shaped EMI collar for secure mating and reduced signal interference.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If MUX (or SS switch) is built into the silicon for super speed signaling, then the connector can support super speed signaling, but the cost increases and signal degradation occurs

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesignal integrityVSAvoidcost

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent removes the MUX/SS switch from the silicon and replaces it with a simple mechanical flippable connector structure. The connector can be physically flipped to change signal routing without requiring complex electronic switching components, thereby eliminating the cost and signal degradation associated with integrated MUX while maintaining super speed signaling capability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

Instead of using electronic switching (MUX) to change signal paths, the patent employs a mechanical inversion approach where the entire connector assembly can be flipped physically. This mechanical flip reverses the connector orientation and changes the signal routing path without requiring any electronic switching components, achieving the same functional result through mechanical means.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

2Ease of manufacture

If traditional USB connector design is used, then manufacturing is simple, but EMI shielding is insufficient and orientation-independent insertion is not achieved

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemanufacturing simplicityVSAvoidEMI shielding

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements a nested shielding structure where an inner metallic collar surrounds the contact pins, and an outer metallic shield encloses the entire connector assembly. This multi-layer nested shielding approach provides comprehensive EMI protection while maintaining a compact form factor and relatively simple manufacturing process through sequential assembly of the nested components.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

3Ease of operation

If traditional connector design is used, then structure is simple, but orientation-independent insertion capability is not achieved

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveorientation-independent insertionVSAvoidconnector structure

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs asymmetric design elements including a D-shaped outer shield and asymmetric contact pin arrangements that allow the connector to be inserted in only one orientation. The asymmetric structure provides mechanical guidance and prevents incorrect insertion, achieving orientation-dependent insertion (which ensures proper connectivity) without requiring complex electronic orientation detection systems.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #4Asymmetry

Solution Approach 2:

The connector incorporates a flippable mechanism that allows dynamic reconfiguration of the connector orientation. The connector can be flipped 180 degrees to change the signal routing path, providing operational flexibility and enabling the same physical connector to support different signaling configurations without requiring multiple dedicated connectors.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

4Object-affected harmful factors

If metallic collars are added for EMI shielding, then EMI protection is improved, but manufacturing complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

ImproveEMI protectionVSAvoidmanufacturing process

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent divides the EMI shielding into segmented components: an inner metallic collar and an outer metallic shield. This segmentation allows each shielding component to be manufactured and assembled separately, simplifying the overall manufacturing process. The segmented approach enables modular assembly where the collar can be fitted around the contact pins first, then the outer shield encloses the entire assembly, making the EMI shielding implementation more manufacturable than a monolithic shield design.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentUS10170870B2Flippable electrical connector

Publication Date: 2019.01.01 FOXCONN INTERCONNECT TECHNOLOGY LTD

AI summary

A receptacle connector includes an insulating housing including a base and a mating tongue extending from the base and the mating tongue defining a thicken step portion at a root near to the base, two rows of contacts with contacting section exposing to opposite surfaces of the mating tongue in front of the step portion and tail sections extending out of the base, and a pair of separate metallic collars respectively disposed upon the opposite surface of the step portion. Two opposite ends of each metallic collar are embedded in the step portion of the insulating housing via an inserting mold process.