Integrated Connector Module Toroid Wire Management
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional common mode choke (CMC) and integrated connector module (ICM) designs face challenges in toroid wire management and peg geometry, leading to cumbersome assembly processes and reduced durability due to manual sorting and shear-off issues during wire tie-off.
Innovation Solution
The CMC housing features interlocking comb structures and asymmetrical pegs with wire-cutting mechanisms, facilitating efficient toroid wire management and strengthening pegs to resist shear forces, while the ICM employs mechanically coupled wafer portions and angled tie-off pins to relieve tension and improve assembly efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If conventional CMC and ICM designs are used with traditional housing structures, then manufacturing simplicity is maintained, but toroid wire management becomes cumbersome and assembly efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The housing is divided into multiple segments including a first housing portion, second housing portion, third housing portion, and fourth housing portion. Each segment serves specific functions: the first and second portions form the main housing body, while the third and fourth portions create accessible openings for wire management. This segmentation enables automated assembly while maintaining organized toroid wire routing paths.
Solution Approach 2:
A dedicated peg structure serves as an intermediary component between the housing and toroid wires. The peg includes a head portion that contacts and secures the toroid wire, and a shaft portion that extends into the housing. This intermediary element simplifies wire management by providing a standardized attachment point, enabling automated placement and securing processes.
2Reliability
If conventional peg designs are used for toroid wire tie-off, then manufacturing simplicity is maintained, but peg durability decreases due to shear-off issues
Solution Approach 1:
The peg features an asymmetric geometry with a enlarged head portion and a narrower shaft portion. The head portion has a diameter larger than the shaft portion, creating an asymmetric structure that resists shear forces. When the toroid wire is tied off against the head, the asymmetric shape distributes stress more effectively, preventing shear-off while maintaining manufacturability through standard molding processes.
Solution Approach 2:
The peg design incorporates a enlarged head portion that acts as a stress-distributing element before shear forces can cause failure. This geometric feature provides beforehand cushioning by creating a larger surface area that distributes the tie-off force, preventing stress concentration at the critical shaft-root interface and thereby preventing shear-off failures.
3Adaptability or versatility
If CMC and ICM are bundled into pigtail components, then integration is achieved, but labor intensity increases and component modifications become impossible
Solution Approach 1:
The device is segmented into separable CMC and ICM components that can be independently manufactured and assembled. The housing segments and modular peg structures enable the CMC to be installed into the ICM housing without permanent bonding, allowing for future removal, replacement, or modification of components while maintaining a streamlined assembly process.
Data Source
AI summary
The subject disclosure relates to improved integrated connector module (ICM) designs for Ethernet applications. Some aspects provide an improved integrated connector module transformer (ICMt), including a wafer configured to hold a plurality of toroid elements, wherein the wafer is comprised of two or more mechanically coupled wafer portions. The ICMt can include one or more Electro Magnetic Interference (EMI) fingers that are configured to contact a ground pad of a printed circuit board (PCB) in order to provide a low-inductance connection between the ICMt and the ground pad of the PCB.