Shielded Contact Terminal Impedance Tuning for Signal Integrity

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Solution Overview

Problem

The design of shielding means in high-frequency data transmission components often deteriorates signal quality and transmission performance due to design features that cause impedance mismatch and signal reflection at transition points, limiting design flexibility.

Innovation Solution

A contact terminal with impedance control features, including a metal terminal shield and adjustable contact elements, is designed to compensate for impedance discontinuities by altering cross-section, material thickness, and dielectric properties to match impedance with the load, reducing signal reflection and improving signal integrity.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Object-affected harmful factors

If shielding means are designed with indispensable structural features for functionality, then protection against electromagnetic effects is improved, but impedance mismatch and signal reflection occur at transition points

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveprotection against electromagnetic effectsVSAvoidsignal integrity
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by introducing specific impedance control features (such as adjusted cross-sections, material thickness variations, or dielectric property modifications) at the transition points between transmission line components. These localized modifications compensate for the impedance discontinuities caused by the shielding structure, allowing the shielding to maintain its electromagnetic protection while the transition points maintain proper impedance matching to prevent signal reflection.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

2Object-affected harmful factors

If shielding means are designed with functional features, then shielding effectiveness is improved, but design flexibility is limited due to impedance mismatch

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveshielding effectivenessVSAvoiddesign flexibility
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs parameter changes by modifying physical parameters such as cross-sectional area, material thickness, or dielectric properties at specific locations within the shielding structure. These parameter adjustments create impedance control features that compensate for the impedance discontinuities introduced by the shielding's functional design, thereby maintaining both shielding effectiveness and design flexibility for high-frequency data transmission.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentEP3787129B1Contact terminal with at least one impedance control feature
Publication Date: 2025.07.02 TE CONNECTIVITY GERMANY GMBH
  • EP3787129B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3787129B1 patent drawingFigure 2~4
  • EP3787129B1 patent drawingFigure 5~6

AI summary

The object of the present invention is to provide a shielded contact terminal for high-frequency data transmission with improved transmission performance in terms of signal integrity. The object is achieved by providing at least one impedance control feature (24) in a contact terminal (1) comprising a terminal shield (4), a contact carrier (6), and at least one contact element (8). The contact carrier (6) retains the at least one contact element (8) in a fixed position within the terminal shield (4) and the terminal shield (4) has a functionally indispensable discontinuity (22) that affects the impedance of the at least one contact element (8). The at least one impedance control feature (24) is used to compensate for the effect of the discontinuity (22) by locally adjusting the impedance of the at least one contact element (8). Thus, the impedance of the contact terminal (1) may be matched with the impedance of a corresponding signal receiver in order to prevent signal reflection and maintain signal integrity.