Perpendicular Mating Circuit Card Assembly for Airflow
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional communication systems face challenges with airflow obstruction due to expensive and space-consuming right-angle electrical connectors, which hinder cooling and increase costs.
Innovation Solution
The design incorporates a circuit card assembly with a PCB featuring a slot for interlocking with another PCB, allowing electrical connectors to mate in a perpendicular direction, reducing dimensions and enhancing airflow while maintaining contact density.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If right angle electrical connectors are used to mate circuit cards, then reliable electrical connection is achieved, but the connector occupies large space and blocks airflow through the system
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from conventional right-angle connectors (occupying horizontal space) to a perpendicular mating arrangement where connectors extend vertically from the PCB surfaces. This dimensional change allows airflow to pass horizontally through the system while maintaining reliable electrical connections, resolving the contradiction between connection reliability and space occupation.
Solution Approach 2:
The connector design features a receptacle housing with a cavity that receives a mating housing, creating a nested structure. The mating housing is received within the receptacle housing cavity, allowing compact integration while maintaining the perpendicular orientation. This nesting reduces the overall volume occupied by the connector assembly compared to traditional right-angle designs.
2Productivity
If connector density is increased to accommodate more signal contacts, then system capacity is improved, but the connector size increases further blocking airflow
Solution Approach 1:
By orienting connectors perpendicular to the PCB mating surfaces rather than parallel, the patent enables increased contact density along the vertical dimension without expanding the horizontal footprint. Multiple signal contacts can be arranged in the vertical extent of the connector, maintaining compact system dimensions while improving productivity through higher contact density.
3Volume of stationary object
If backplane is placed perpendicular to daughtercard mating direction, then compact system layout is achieved, but airflow is blocked causing overheating
Solution Approach 1:
The patent reorients the connector mating direction to be perpendicular to the PCB surfaces, which allows airflow to pass through the system in the horizontal plane. This dimensional reconfiguration maintains compact vertical stacking of circuit cards while eliminating airflow blockage, thereby preventing overheating while preserving layout compactness.
Data Source
AI summary
A circuit card assembly for a communication system includes a PCB having a slot receiving a second PCB of a second circuit card assembly in a board loading direction. An electrical connector is mounted to the PCB having a receptacle housing and a mating housing movable within the receptacle housing in a connector loading direction along a connector loading axis parallel to the board loading direction. The mating housing is movable in the receptacle housing in a connector mating direction along a connector mating axis perpendicular to the connector loading axis. Contacts of the electrical connector are mated with contacts of the second electrical connector in a contact mating direction parallel to the connector mating axis.