Spring Finger Shielding for Board-to-Board Noise Isolation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current board-to-board connectors in electronic devices face challenges in manufacturing due to increased proximity of internal components, particularly in creating effective shielding against electrical noise without adding unnecessary height, width, or length, which is essential for isolating electrical noise from components like Wi-Fi antennas.
Innovation Solution
The use of spring fingers positioned between circuit boards to form a Faraday cage, which deflects towards the circuit board surface upon connection, providing shielding without increasing the connector's footprint by using a perimeter configuration that includes the circuit boards and spring fingers, made from conductive materials like metals or metal alloys, with apertures and gaps for reduced weight and flexibility.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If traditional shielding cans are used to isolate electrical noise, then electromagnetic shielding effectiveness is improved, but device thickness and component footprint increase
Solution Approach 1:
The traditional single-piece shielding can is segmented into multiple spring fingers that can be distributed around the connector perimeter. This segmentation allows the shielding function to be achieved with thinner individual elements, reducing overall device thickness while maintaining electromagnetic isolation effectiveness.
Solution Approach 2:
The shielding structure transitions from a three-dimensional enclosed can to a two-dimensional perimeter arrangement of spring fingers. This dimensional change allows the shielding function to be achieved with minimal thickness addition while maintaining effectiveness against electrical noise.
2Volume of moving object
If connector components are positioned closer together to reduce device size, then device compactness is improved, but manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The spring fingers are designed to be elastically deformable, allowing them to dynamically adjust their position to accommodate minor variations in connector alignment. This dynamic compliance reduces the stringency of manufacturing precision requirements while enabling compact device design.
Solution Approach 2:
The spring finger structure changes the mechanical parameters of the shielding system by introducing elasticity and compliance. This allows the shielding to maintain effective electrical isolation even when connector positioning varies within a broader tolerance range, reducing manufacturing precision requirements.
3Reliability
If spring fingers are made from solid conductive material, then electrical conductivity is improved, but component weight increases
Solution Approach 1:
The spring fingers incorporate apertures and gaps in their structure, creating a porous or lattice-like configuration. This reduces the material volume and weight while maintaining sufficient electrical conductivity through the remaining conductive paths, achieving a balance between weight reduction and electrical performance.
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 effectively blocks electric fields and noise while maintaining a reduced footprint, ensuring minimal addition to the device's thickness and preventing interference with other components, such as Wi-Fi antennas, thus enhancing the electronic device's performance and design efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
a shielding can configured to form a Faraday cage to isolate electrical noise created by the board-to-board connection from other components within the electronic device
Implementation Method 2
each spring finger of the plurality of spring fingers is configured to deflect toward the first surface of the circuit board when the connector of the circuit board is connected with a connector of an additional circuit board
Data Source
AI summary
Connector shielding devices are described herein. One connector shielding device includes a circuit board having a connector; and a plurality of spring fingers extending from a first surface of the circuit board, the plurality of spring fingers positioned around the connector of the circuit board, wherein each spring finger of the plurality of spring fingers is configured to deflect toward the first surface of the circuit board when the connector of the circuit board is connected with a connector of an additional circuit board.