Receptacle Cage EMI Shield With Variable Spring Fingers
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing communication systems face issues with inconsistent EMI shielding due to poor contact between EMI springs and receptacle cages, leading to diminished performance.
Innovation Solution
A receptacle connector assembly with a receptacle cage and an EMI shield featuring spring fingers of varying heights and curvatures to ensure consistent electrical connection with a panel, accommodating wall bowing and maintaining effective EMI shielding.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If EMI springs are used to provide EMI shielding, then EMI protection is achieved, but contact consistency deteriorates due to wall bowing and distortion
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from static EMI springs to dynamic spring fingers that can deflect and adapt. The spring fingers are designed to flex and conform to the bowed or distorted receptacle cage walls, maintaining consistent contact despite dimensional changes in the cage structure when pluggable modules are inserted.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent modifies the geometric parameters of the EMI contact elements by varying the heights of different spring fingers. This creates a distribution of contact points at different positions along the receptacle cage, allowing some spring fingers to maintain contact even when others lose contact due to wall distortion.
2Ease of manufacture
If uniform spring fingers are used, then manufacturing is simplified, but contact reliability deteriorates when walls bow or distort
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by making each spring finger different in height, creating non-uniform local characteristics throughout the EMI shield structure. This variation in local properties (heights) allows the system to adapt to local variations in the receptacle cage geometry caused by wall bowing and distortion.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If EMI shield contacts the panel at multiple points, then EMI shielding is improved, but manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The spring fingers provide dynamic adaptation to manufacturing variations. Even if the receptacle cage or panel has slight manufacturing tolerances causing non-uniform gaps, the spring fingers can deflect independently to maintain contact, reducing the impact of manufacturing precision requirements.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution provides improved EMI shielding by ensuring reliable contact across varying wall configurations, enhancing system performance and reducing EMI leakage.
Implementation Method 1
The spring fingers have variable heights relative to each other... each spring finger including a panel interface configured to engage a panel adjacent the receptacle cage
Data Source
AI summary
A receptacle connector assembly includes a receptacle cage having shielding walls forming a module channel configured to receive a pluggable module. The front end has a port open to the pluggable module to receive the pluggable module. The receptacle connector assembly includes an EMI shield coupled to the receptacle cage at the front end. The EMI shield has a shield member including a base coupled to the shielding wall to electrically connect to the receptacle cage. The shield member includes spring fingers extending from the base to distal ends and including a panel interface configured to engage a panel surrounding the receptacle cage to electrically connect the EMI shield to the panel. The spring fingers have variable heights relative to each other.