Hybrid Card Edge Connector Layout for Signal Integrity and Power Density
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current electrical connectors struggle to efficiently transmit both high-quality signals and high power in a compact, high-density format, often experiencing interference and heat dissipation issues due to the arrangement of power transmission sections.
Innovation Solution
The development of a hybrid electrical connector with a housing featuring signal and power conductive elements arranged in a specific configuration, including multiple power transmission sections for different voltage levels, which allows for high-density integration while minimizing interference and enhancing heat dissipation by positioning power terminals closer to signal terminals.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If power conductive elements are arranged in a conventional configuration, then the connector structure is simple, but the signal quality deteriorates due to interference from power transmission sections
Solution Approach 1:
The connector is divided into distinct signal transmission sections and power transmission sections, with each section independently arranged and isolated. The signal conductive elements and power conductive elements are separated into different spatial zones within the connector housing, reducing electromagnetic interference between signal and power paths while maintaining structural organization.
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the connector are designed with specialized characteristics: signal transmission areas use configurations optimized for high-frequency signal integrity, while power transmission areas are designed for high current capacity. The contact fingers, mounting tails, and housing structures are locally adapted to their specific functional requirements, allowing simultaneous optimization of both signal quality and power transmission.
2Volume of moving object
If the connector density is increased to reduce size, then the compactness improves, but heat dissipation deteriorates due to closer spacing of power terminals
Solution Approach 1:
The connector utilizes three-dimensional spatial arrangement to achieve high density while maintaining heat dissipation pathways. Power conductive elements are positioned in specific zones where mounting tails extend outward, creating vertical and lateral heat dissipation channels. The housing structure incorporates heat dissipation features at multiple levels, allowing thermal management in a compact footprint by exploiting dimensional space rather than simply increasing surface area.
3Reliability
If power terminals are positioned farther from signal terminals to reduce interference, then the signal quality improves, but the connector density decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The connector design nests signal transmission pathways within and between power transmission sections. Signal conductive elements are positioned to utilize the spaces between power conductive elements, and the housing structure is designed so that signal channels are embedded within the overall power transmission architecture. This nested arrangement allows signal and power terminals to be in close proximity without direct interference, maximizing spatial utilization while maintaining signal integrity through careful geometric positioning.
Data Source
AI summary
A high density card edge connector for transmitting signal and power simultaneously. The connector has both signal terminals and power terminals held by a housing with a slot. Each terminal has a mating contact portion disposed in the slot for contacting a voltage regulator module inserted in the slot. A first power terminal is configured for transmitting a first voltage. A number of second power terminals each is configured for transmitting a second voltage. The first power terminal is spaced from the second power terminals by a first spacing. Adjacent second power terminals are spaced from each other by a second pitch less than the first spacing. The first power terminal is spaced from the signal terminals by a third pitch greater than the first spacing. The connector's footprint can fit in a limited space close to a voltage source on a board, enabling more efficient voltage regulation.