Impedance Control Members in Electrical Connectors
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Solution Overview
Problem
Electrical connector systems face challenges in maintaining signal quality and strength due to partial mating, which results in air gaps and impedance discontinuities, especially at higher signal transmission speeds, caused by aggregated tolerances in circuit board mounting systems.
Innovation Solution
The introduction of impedance control (IC) members, such as inter-contact protrusions, which extend beyond the mating face of the connector housing, stagger the air gap between the connectors, reducing impedance discontinuity and improving signal transmission by stabilizing the impedance across the mating interface.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If connectors are allowed to partially mate due to aggregated tolerances, then the connector system can accommodate variations in circuit board mounting distances, but air gaps are formed at the mating interface causing impedance discontinuities and signal degradation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces impedance control members as intermediary elements positioned between the signal contacts and the mating interface. These members act as mediators that bridge the electrical discontinuity caused by air gaps, providing a gradual transition of impedance values and reducing signal reflections while allowing the connectors to accommodate mounting variations.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent modifies the impedance parameter along the signal path by incorporating impedance control members with specific impedance values. These members create a gradual impedance transition from the signal contact impedance to the mating interface impedance, reducing the abrupt discontinuity that causes signal degradation while maintaining adaptability to mounting variations.
2Adaptability or versatility
If air gaps are present at the mating interface, then the connector system can accommodate tolerance variations, but impedance discontinuities cause electrical energy to reflect back instead of being transmitted
Solution Approach 1:
The impedance control members serve as intermediary structures that fill the electrical gap created by air spaces. These members provide a continuous electrical path with gradually changing impedance characteristics, preventing the abrupt impedance discontinuity that causes energy reflection while still allowing physical accommodation of tolerance variations.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent converts the harmful effect of air gaps into a beneficial gradual impedance transition. By designing impedance control members that extend into the air gap region, the patent transforms the previously harmful discontinuity into a controlled impedance profile that reduces reflections and improves signal transmission.
3Manufacturing precision
If the mating faces of connector housings abut against one another to achieve full mating, then the connectors are fully mated, but aggregated tolerances prevent this condition from being met, resulting in partial mating
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the critical parameter for achieving full electrical mating from mechanical contact of housing mating faces to electrical contact of signal contacts with impedance control members. This parameter change allows the system to achieve optimal electrical performance even when mechanical housing alignment is affected by aggregated tolerances.
Solution Approach 2:
The impedance control members act as intermediaries that decouple the electrical mating condition from the mechanical housing alignment. By providing a gradual impedance transition that extends into the air gap region, these members ensure optimal signal transmission even when the housing mating faces do not fully abut due to tolerance accumulations.
Data Source
AI summary
An electrical connector includes a housing, plural signal contacts, and plural impedance control (IC) members. The housing includes a base having a mating face. The base includes an array of openings along the mating face. The signal contacts are arranged in contact pairs, and are held in the openings of the base. The signal contacts include mating segments that extend a height beyond the mating face of the base for electrically connecting to corresponding mating signal contacts of a mating connector. The IC members are on the base and extend a height beyond the mating face of the base that is less than the height of the mating segments of the signal contacts. Each of the IC members is disposed one or more of adjacent to or between the signal contacts of a corresponding contact pair.