Shield Connector Leveling Arrangement for PCB Stability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electrical connectors that are partially sunk into a printed circuit board (PCB) are prone to instability due to cantilevered soldering tails, which can break under excessive force, leading to unreliable interconnection and potential dislodgment from the PCB.
Innovation Solution
A low-profile shield connector with a metallic shell featuring a leveling arrangement and coplanar supporting plane adjacent to the mating port, ensuring the connector remains stable and securely mounted on the PCB, with solder tails positioned at the rear of the center of gravity to prevent overturning.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Shape
If the connector is partially sunk into the PCB to meet the miniature trend, then the profile is reduced, but the connector becomes unstable and vulnerable to breaking under excessive force
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from a traditional cantilevered mounting structure to a coplanar supporting plane structure. The supporting plane extends from the rear surface of the insulative housing to the rear surface of the PCB, creating a new dimensional support relationship that distributes forces across multiple points rather than relying on a single cantilevered attachment point.
Solution Approach 2:
The metallic shell is divided into functional segments: a supporting plane portion that provides structural support and force distribution, and a shielding portion that provides EMI shielding. This segmentation allows the supporting plane to bear mechanical loads while the shielding portion maintains its protective function, resolving the contradiction between low profile and reliability.
2Ease of manufacture
If the soldering tails are arranged on the rear side of the connector, then the connector can be mounted to the PCB, but the solder joints are vulnerable to breaking under excessive mating force
Solution Approach 1:
The supporting plane acts as a preventive measure by distributing forces before they can concentrate on the solder joints. The level arrangement and coplanar supporting plane are designed in advance to cushion and distribute mating forces, preventing excessive stress from reaching the solder joints during normal operation.
3Ease of operation
If the connector is cantilevered from the edge of the PCB, then the connector can be mounted, but it cannot stand steadily on the PCB
Solution Approach 1:
The coplanar supporting plane creates an equipotential support surface that is coplanar with the mounting interface of the PCB. This level arrangement ensures that the connector sits flush and stable on the PCB surface, eliminating the instability associated with cantilevered mounting while maintaining ease of operation.
Data Source
AI summary
A shield connector (100) includes a metallic shell (3) with a mating port (331) in communication with a mating receptacle with a tongue having a plurality of contact terminals (2) thereon. The contact terminals (2) include a plurality of solder tails (213, 223) extending out of the metallic shell (3). The metallic shell (3) defines a level arrangement (35) adjacent to the mating port (331) and defining a supporting plane coplanar to a mounting interface (5) of the shield connector (100).