Shielded Plug-in Connector Asymmetric Contact Offset

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing plug connections with shielding fail to achieve high data transmission rates and stability, particularly in high-frequency ranges, due to inadequate shielding and structural instability, limiting further miniaturization and repeated plugging/unplugging capabilities.

Innovation Solution

The plug connection features adjacent contact groups offset by approximately half the distance between them, allowing for increased spacing and miniaturization, with staggered L-shaped shielding elements and reinforcing ribs to enhance stability and shielding effectiveness.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Object-affected harmful factors

If L-shaped shielding elements are arranged alternately rotated by 180° in adjacent columns, then shielding coverage is improved, but manufacturing complexity increases and signal transmission quality deteriorates in very high frequency range

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveelectromagnetic interferenceVSAvoidshielding arrangement complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies asymmetry by offsetting contact groups in adjacent columns by approximately half the distance between them, creating an asymmetric staggered arrangement. This asymmetric positioning maximizes spacing between contact groups in different columns while maintaining symmetric L-shaped shielding elements, thereby reducing electromagnetic interference without increasing manufacturing complexity or requiring alternating rotations.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #4Asymmetry

2Object-affected harmful factors

If contact groups in adjacent columns are offset by a length corresponding to the distance between signal contacts in a contact group, then spacing between contact groups is increased, but signal transmission quality deteriorates in very high frequency range

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesignal interferenceVSAvoidsignal transmission quality
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies parameter changes by optimizing the offset distance between contact groups in adjacent columns to approximately half the distance between signal contacts within a contact group. This parameter optimization achieves maximum spacing to reduce interference while maintaining proper signal transmission characteristics in the very high frequency range, avoiding the excessive offset that would degrade signal quality.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Object-affected harmful factors

If signal contacts and grounding contacts are arranged offset to one another in adjacent columns, then crosstalk is reduced, but manufacturing precision requirements increase

Engineering Contradiction:
ImprovecrosstalkVSAvoidcontact arrangement precision
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies segmentation by dividing the connector into modular contact groups, where each contact group contains signal contacts surrounded by L-shaped shielding elements. These modular contact groups are then offset in adjacent columns, creating physical separation that reduces crosstalk while maintaining manageable manufacturing precision through standardized modular units rather than individual contact positioning.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

4Productivity

If contact groups are arranged with maximum spacing to enable miniaturization, then connector density increases, but structural stability for repeated plugging deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveconnector densityVSAvoidstructural stability
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies the nesting principle by placing stabilizing elements within the connector housing structure, nesting them inside the existing connector assembly. This allows maximum spacing between contact groups for miniaturization and high density while the nested stabilizing elements provide the necessary structural support for repeated plugging and unplugging operations without increasing overall connector size.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

Data Source

PatentEP2476165B1Plug-in connection having shielding
Publication Date: 2018.05.23 ERNI PRODUCTION GMBH & CO KG
  • EP2476165B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2476165B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2476165B1 patent drawingFigure 3a

AI summary

The invention relates to a plug-in connection having shielding, in particular a multi-pin, multi-row plug-in connection comprising a male multipoint connector and a female multipoint connector, the plug-in connection comprising signal contacts, which are arranged in a contact pattern of differential pairs and which form a contact group together with an L-shaped shielding element that surrounds said signal contacts, the contact groups being arranged in rows and columns and adjacent contact groups in adjacent columns being offset from each other by a specifiable length dimension in the longitudinal direction of the columns, the plug-in connection being characterized in that the specified length dimension corresponds to approximately half the distance of two adjacent contact groups in a column.