Shielding Plate Embedded in Electrical Connector
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current connectors for transmitting high-speed differential signals lack compact size and optimal high-frequency characteristics, failing to meet the growing demand for improved performance in digital applications.
Innovation Solution
The electrical connector design features a metallic shell with a terminal module assembly and a shielding plate embedded between the terminal module's upper and lower surfaces, including grounding fingers that directly contact grounding contacts, enhancing mechanical and electrical connection for improved signal transmission.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a conventional connector structure is used, then the connector can transmit high-speed differential signals, but the connector size is large and high-frequency characteristics are insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The shielding plate is embedded within the terminal module assembly, with the insulator received in a receiving cavity of the housing. This nested configuration allows multiple components (shielding plate, terminal module, insulator) to occupy overlapping spatial volumes, reducing the overall connector size while maintaining shielding effectiveness for high-frequency signals
Solution Approach 2:
The shielding plate extends in multiple dimensions with grounding fingers projecting from its surface to contact grounding contacts on the terminal module. This multi-dimensional arrangement provides comprehensive electromagnetic shielding while compactly organizing the grounding paths, improving high-frequency characteristics without proportionally increasing connector volume
2Reliability
If the shielding plate is embedded with the terminal module assembly, then mechanical and electrical connection is improved, but the manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The shielding plate and grounding fingers are integrated as a single unit with the terminal module assembly, where the insulator is received in a receiving cavity of the housing and the grounding fingers directly contact grounding contacts. This merging reduces the number of separate components and assembly steps, simplifying manufacturing while ensuring reliable mechanical and electrical connections
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 results in a compact, high-performance connector with reduced crosstalk and improved impedance, effectively addressing the need for enhanced high-frequency characteristics in digital applications.
Implementation Method 1
a shielding plate being located between an upper surface and a lower surface of the terminal module assembly... The shielding plate defines a main plate and grounding fingers split from the main plate to directly touch with corresponding grounding contacts
Data Source
AI summary
An electrical connector includes a metallic shell defining a mating cavity opening forwards, a terminal module assembly received in the metallic shell, and a shielding plate being located between an upper surface and a lower surface of the terminal module assembly. The terminal module assembly defines a front region exposed in the mating cavity to function as a mating tongue. The terminal module assembly defines an insulator associated with a plurality of contacts with corresponding contacting sections exposed upon opposite upper and lower faces of the mating tongue, the contacts are categorized with differential pairs and grounding contacts. The shielding plate defines a main plate and grounding fingers split from the main plate to directly touch with corresponding grounding contacts. The shielding plate is embedded with the terminal module assembly and the grounding fingers of the shielding plate are fixed with the insulator of the terminal assembly.