Floating Plate Connection Module for Height Reduction

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional connection modules on circuit boards fail to improve transmission speeds effectively and satisfy thinning requirements due to the need for precise alignment of connectors, which often requires additional guide frames, increasing overall height.

Innovation Solution

A connection module design featuring a card edge connector on a main circuit board with a hard circuit board having a disconnecting notch that separates into floating plates, allowing connectors to float and align precisely without an additional guide frame, thereby reducing overall height and enhancing thinning capabilities.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Manufacturing precision

If a flexible circuit board is used to allow connectors to float for precise alignment, then alignment precision is improved, but overall height increases due to the need for an additional guide frame

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvealignment precisionVSAvoidoverall height
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSLength of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The circuit board is divided into multiple independent floating plates through disconnecting notches, allowing each plate with its connector to move independently for precise alignment without requiring a guide frame structure

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The circuit board transitions from a rigid structure to a dynamic structure with floating plates that can move independently, enabling automatic alignment while maintaining a compact form factor without additional guide frames

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

2Speed

If multiple connectors are provided simultaneously on pluggable device and circuit board to improve transmission speed, then transmission speed is improved, but alignment difficulty increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetransmission speedVSAvoidalignment precision
Core Design Contradiction:
SpeedVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

Multiple floating plates with connectors can move independently to automatically compensate for alignment variations, enabling simultaneous connection of multiple high-speed connectors without requiring extremely precise manual alignment

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The floating plates perform self-alignment through their ability to move independently, automatically compensating for positioning variations without requiring external guide structures or complex alignment mechanisms

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Data Source

PatentEP4216029A1Connection module, thinning method thereof, and electronic device
Publication Date: 2023.07.26 GETAC TECH CORP
  • EP4216029A1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4216029A1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4216029A1 patent drawingFigure 3~4

AI summary

A connection module (100), a thinning method thereof, and an electronic device (300) are provided. The connection module (100) is disposed on a main circuit board (91) and includes a card edge connector (1), a hard circuit board (2) and two connectors (3). The card edge connector (1) is fixedly disposed on the main circuit board (91). The hard circuit board (2) has a board body (21) and a connecting tongue (22) correspondingly plugged with the card edge connector (1). The board body (21) is provided with a disconnecting notch (210), and the board body (21) is separated by the disconnecting notch (210) into two floating plates (211) arranged side by side at an interval and floatable using the disconnecting notch (210). The connectors (3) are respectively fixed to the floating plates (211). Thus, without an additional guide frame, the connectors (3) are able to float in any desired direction, thereby achieving effects of reducing an overall height and satisfying current thinning requirements.