Hexagonal Signal Contact Shielding via Unified Grounding
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing CPU sockets with hexagonal arrangements of signal and grounding contacts suffer from gaps between adjacent grounding contacts, leading to inadequate noise shielding around paired signal contacts.
Innovation Solution
An electrical connector design featuring an insulative housing with passageways arranged in a hexagonal manner, where each pair of signal contacts is surrounded by eight grounding contacts, with specific configurations of upper, lower, and middle rows of grounding contacts unified by transverse bars and deflectable arms to enhance shielding, ensuring effective noise reduction.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If grounding contacts are arranged in a hexagonal pattern around signal contacts, then shielding coverage is improved, but gaps between adjacent grounding contacts allow noise to escape
Solution Approach 1:
Adjacent grounding contacts are merged into unified grounding structures that span multiple contact positions. The grounding contacts are interconnected to form continuous shielding walls around the signal contacts, eliminating gaps between individual contacts and providing comprehensive noise shielding coverage.
Solution Approach 2:
The grounding contacts are extended in the vertical direction to form three-dimensional shielding structures. By adding vertical height to the grounding contacts, the shielding effectiveness is enhanced without increasing the horizontal complexity of the contact arrangement.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If more grounding contacts are added to surround each pair of signal contacts, then shielding effectiveness is improved, but the number of contacts and structural complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple grounding contacts are merged into unified grounding structures that serve multiple shielding functions simultaneously. The interconnected grounding contacts form continuous shielding walls that provide comprehensive coverage around signal contacts while reducing the total number of individual contact elements needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The grounding contacts are designed to perform multiple functions: providing electrical grounding, forming shielding walls, and structurally supporting the connector assembly. This multi-functionality reduces the need for additional dedicated shielding components.
3Stability of the object's composition
If grounding contacts are unified by transverse bars, then shielding continuity is improved, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The grounding structure is segmented into modular sections that can be manufactured separately and then assembled. The transverse bars are designed as discrete components that connect grounding contact groups, allowing for simplified manufacturing and assembly processes while maintaining shielding continuity.
Solution Approach 2:
The transverse bars serve dual functions: providing structural support for the grounding contacts and forming continuous shielding walls. This multi-functionality reduces the need for additional dedicated shielding components and simplifies the overall manufacturing process.
Data Source
AI summary
An electrical connector includes an insulative housing with plural passageways arranged in a hexagonal dense manner. Plural signal contacts and grounding contacts are disposed in the corresponding passageways, respectively, in a mixed manner wherein each pair of signal contacts are surrounded by eight grounding contacts. Some grounding contacts are aligned with one another along a row direction and linked together via a transverse bar, and a pair of extensions extend from the two opposite ends of the transverse bar in a column direction perpendicular to the row direction so as to have the pair of signal contacts essentially fully enclosed and shielded within a region with the boundary defined by a combination of the grounding contacts and the transverse bars.