Multi-port Shielded Adapter Alignment and EMI Protection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing multi-port EMI shielded adapters face challenges in maintaining accurate alignment of fiber optic connectors in large arrays while providing high EMI performance.
Innovation Solution
The design incorporates inner sleeves with extensions and cavities that align accurately, allowing for key-up to key-up or key-up to key-down configurations, and an EMI shield with elastic engagement to ensure precise alignment and protection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a large adapter array is used to accommodate multiple fiber optic connectors, then the capacity and functionality of the adapter system is improved, but the alignment accuracy of connectors deteriorates due to cumulative alignment errors across multiple ports
Solution Approach 1:
The adapter array is segmented into multiple independent inner sleeves, each with its own alignment features (extensions and cavities). These segmented components are individually aligned and then assembled together, allowing each segment to maintain precise alignment independently while contributing to the overall array capacity. This resolves the contradiction by enabling large array capacity through segmentation while preserving alignment accuracy through independent alignment features on each segment.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If EMI shielding is added to protect against electromagnetic interference, then the EMI protection performance is improved, but the structural complexity and difficulty of maintaining alignment increases
Solution Approach 1:
The EMI shield is nested within the existing adapter structure, fitting inside the outer housing and surrounding the inner sleeves. This nested configuration provides EMI protection without adding external structural complexity. The shield integrates with the existing alignment features (extensions and cavities), allowing it to maintain alignment functionality while providing EMI shielding. This resolves the contradiction by embedding the EMI protection within the existing structure rather than adding separate external shielding components.
3Manufacturing precision
If individual alignment features are added to each inner sleeve to maintain accuracy, then the alignment precision is improved, but the manufacturing complexity and cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The alignment features (extensions and cavities) are merged into the inner sleeve structure itself, combining the alignment function with the connector housing function. This integration allows the inner sleeve to serve dual purposes: housing the fiber optic connector and providing precise alignment through its built-in extensions and cavities. By merging these functions into a single component, the manufacturing complexity is reduced compared to using separate alignment mechanisms, while still achieving high alignment precision.
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
This configuration ensures accurate alignment of fiber optic connectors with minimal alignment errors and effective EMI shielding, allowing for reliable connector mating and protection against electromagnetic interference.
Implementation Method 1
the shield elastically engages at least two outside portions of at least one of the first and the second outer portions
Data Source
AI summary
An inner sleeve has a main body with an opening therein and a front and back end. The back end has projections or extensions to engage corresponding cavities on another inner sleeve to allow for movement of the inner sleeves relative to a outer portion into which the inner sleeves have been inserted. The outer portion may accommodate any number of inner sleeve pairs.