High Density Receptacle Wafer Stacking Thermal Management
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional circuit boards struggle to support high data rates beyond 25 GHz due to thermal dissipation challenges with small connector sizes and increased complexity in manufacturing, particularly for optical connectors, which also pose issues with backward compatibility.
Innovation Solution
A connector design that eliminates the housing and uses a set of wafers supported by an insulative frame, with retaining bars and a cage system allowing for infinite adjustment, enabling better thermal management and increased density without the need for a housing, thereby supporting higher data rates and improved manufacturing yields.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If the connector size is shrunk to increase the number of ports, then connector density is improved, but thermal dissipation capability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from planar 2D connector layouts to a 3D stacked wafer architecture. Multiple terminal wafers are stacked vertically with insulative spacers, enabling ports to be arranged in three dimensions rather than confined to a single plane. This vertical stacking allows increased port density while maintaining adequate thermal dissipation space in the horizontal plane.
2Ease of manufacture
If conventional circuit board manufacturing techniques are used for high data rate applications, then manufacturing process is simple, but support for 25 GHz and higher signals deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The connector is divided into separate modular wafers (terminal wafers, insulative spacers, contact wafers) that can be manufactured independently using standard PCB techniques. Each wafer is routed and plated separately, then stacked and bonded together. This segmentation allows conventional manufacturing processes to be used for each component while achieving the overall high-frequency performance needed for 25 GHz and higher signals.
3Volume of moving object
If smaller connectors are used to increase port density, then connector size is reduced, but cable length support deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
By stacking terminal wafers vertically with insulative spacers, the patent creates a compact 3D structure that reduces the horizontal footprint of the connector. This vertical arrangement allows smaller connector dimensions while maintaining adequate conductor sizes within the stacked wafers, thereby supporting cable lengths of more than 2 or 3 meters despite the reduced overall connector size.
Data Source
AI summary
A connector assembly is provided, which includes a cage that defines a port and a card slot positioned in the port. Also included is a wafer set aligned with the card slot, the wafer set including a plurality of wafers that each support at least four terminals. The terminals are arranged so that two rows of contacts are provided, one row on a first side and one row on a second side of the card slot. Each wafer of the plurality of wafers includes an insulative frame, each terminal includes a beam portion cantilevered from the insulative frame supporting that terminal, and the cantilevered beam portion of at least one terminal of the at least four terminals has a molded material thereon.