Grouped Contact Connector for Arc Prevention
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing connectors that communicate power between circuit boards often result in arcing and shorting due to closely spaced conductive traces, and increasing trace spacing requires larger connectors, wasting valuable real estate on circuit boards.
Innovation Solution
A connector assembly with a housing and contacts arranged in specific patterns, where the mating ends are spaced at a standard pitch to maintain compatibility with industry standards, while the mounting ends are more densely packed to reduce trace density and prevent arcing, using a combination of upper and lower power contacts with staggered and collinear arrangements to increase trace spacing without increasing connector size.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the spacing between individual contacts is increased to prevent arcing and shorting between conductive traces, then the reliability of power transmission is improved, but the size of the connector increases, resulting in waste of limited circuit board real estate
Solution Approach 1:
The connector assembly divides contacts into multiple groups, with each group containing multiple contacts arranged in a compact pattern. This segmentation allows the mounting ends to be closely spaced (reducing connector size) while the mating ends maintain adequate spacing (preventing arcing and shorting). The housing further divides contacts into separate channels, providing physical isolation between adjacent contacts.
Solution Approach 2:
The connector utilizes different spatial arrangements at different ends of the assembly. At the mounting end, contacts are arranged in a compact two-dimensional pattern to minimize real estate usage. At the mating end, contacts are arranged with increased spacing in the vertical dimension to prevent arcing. This dimensional transformation resolves the contradiction between compact size and arc prevention.
2Reliability
If the spacing between conductive traces in the circuit board is increased to prevent arcing and shorting, then the reliability of power transmission is improved, but the amount of available real estate on the circuit board decreases
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting contacts into groups with multiple contacts per group, the invention allows conductive traces to be closely spaced within each group while maintaining adequate spacing between groups. This segmentation enables efficient use of circuit board real estate without compromising reliability, as the grouped arrangement provides natural isolation between adjacent trace groups.
Solution Approach 2:
Multiple contacts are merged into single groups where they share common mounting areas and closely spaced conductive traces. This merging allows the circuit board to utilize space more efficiently by having multiple power transmission paths occupy a compact area, while the housing channels provide the necessary isolation to prevent arcing between the merged contacts.
3Power
If the number of contacts per group is increased to improve power transmission capability, then the power handling capacity is improved, but the density of contacts at the mounting end increases, requiring more circuit board real estate
Solution Approach 1:
The invention increases power transmission capability by adding contacts in the vertical dimension at the mating end, where spacing can be larger. This dimensional approach allows multiple contacts to be stacked without proportionally increasing the horizontal footprint on the circuit board, thus improving power capacity while minimizing real estate requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
Contacts are segmented into groups that are vertically stacked within housing channels. This segmentation allows multiple contacts to occupy a compact horizontal space while maintaining adequate vertical spacing for heat dissipation and electrical isolation, enabling high power transmission in a compact footprint.
Data Source
AI summary
A connector assembly includes a housing and a plurality of contacts. The housing has a plurality of channels that extend between a housing mating end and an opposing back end. The housing mating end is configured to mate with a mating connector. The contacts each have a plurality of contact mating ends and a plurality of contact mounting ends. Each of the contact mating ends extends through one of the channels and is configured to provide a plurality of electrical connections with the mating connector. The contact mounting ends of each contact are arranged in a group and configured to be mounted to a circuit board. The contact mating ends are separated from one another by a first pitch and the contact mounting ends within each group are separated from one another by a second pitch that is smaller than the first pitch.