Mirror-Symmetric Cable Connectors Eliminate Wire Skew
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing cable manufacturing processes require intersecting electric wires, leading to reduced productivity and potential skew in differential signal transmission due to wire length differences between intersecting groups.
Innovation Solution
A cable design with mirror-symmetric connector substrates at both ends, allowing electric wires to connect without intersecting, ensuring equal wire lengths and preventing skew during differential signal transmission.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If electric wires of the first group and the electric wires of the second group are made to intersect with each other to attach connector substrates of the same shape to both ends, then the connector substrates can be attached to both ends, but the productivity is reduced due to the complex intersecting process
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies asymmetry by making the connector substrates at both ends have different arrangements of connection terminals. Specifically, the first connector substrate has connection terminals arranged in a first arrangement, while the second connector substrate has connection terminals arranged in a second arrangement that is different from the first. This asymmetric design eliminates the need for complex wire intersecting processes, as wires can be directly connected from one end to the other without requiring crossover points, thereby improving productivity while maintaining ease of manufacture.
2Ease of manufacture
If electric wires are made to intersect, then connector substrates can be attached to both ends, but wire lengths become different between wire groups causing skew in differential signal transmission
Solution Approach 1:
The asymmetric arrangement of connection terminals on the connector substrates allows for direct wire connections without intersecting. This ensures that all wires maintain equal lengths from one connector to the other, preventing skew in differential signal transmission and maintaining signal transmission quality.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of making wires intersect to achieve connectivity at both ends, the patent inverts the approach by using different terminal arrangements on each connector substrate. This inversion of the conventional symmetric approach allows wires to run parallel without crossing, maintaining equal lengths and preventing signal skew.
3Productivity
If a complex wire intersecting process is used to attach connectors, then both ends can be connected, but the manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The asymmetric terminal arrangement simplifies the manufacturing process by eliminating the need for complex wire intersecting operations. Wires can be directly connected from corresponding terminals on one connector substrate to the other, reducing manufacturing complexity and improving productivity.
Data Source
AI summary
A cable with connectors includes a plurality of electric wires arranged in parallel, and a first connector and a second connector provided at each end of the electric wires. The first connector includes a first substrate accommodated therein and a connector plug connected to the first substrate. The second connector includes a second substrate accommodated therein and a connector plug connected to the second substrate. The first substrate and the second substrate have a plurality of first contact points arranged at one end-side thereof and to be connected with the electric wires, respectively. The plurality of first contact points is arranged so that am arrangement order of the plurality of first contact points provided on the first substrate and an arrangement order of the plurality of first contact points provided on the second substrate are mirror-symmetric with the electric wires being interposed therebetween.