Spring Probe Connector Insert for High-Speed Data Transfer
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing data transfer solutions, including electrical and fiber optic connectors, fail to meet the high reliability and high mating cycle demands of military, heavy industrial, and aerospace applications due to sensitivity to contamination and mechanical limitations.
Innovation Solution
A connector insert arrangement featuring dielectric inserts with spring probe pins and contact pads, supported by a ground body, which provides a robust and contamination-resistant electrical connection capable of high-speed data transfer, with a circuit board arrangement forming differential pairs to achieve a predetermined impedance and maintain resilient contact across multiple mating cycles.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If fiber optic cables are used to achieve high data rates and noise immunity, then data transfer performance is improved, but the optical interfaces become extremely sensitive to contamination requiring cleaning during each mating cycle
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the optical interface system with an electrical connector system that uses spring probe pins making resilient mechanical contact with contact pads. This substitution eliminates the contamination sensitivity inherent in optical interfaces while maintaining high data transfer capabilities through the electrical connection path.
Solution Approach 2:
The spring probe pins are designed to automatically compensate for contamination and maintain reliable electrical contact through their resilient nature. The spring mechanism provides self-cleaning contact by applying sufficient force to break through minor contamination layers, eliminating the need for manual cleaning during mating cycles.
2Reliability
If traditional electrical connectors are used for high speed data transmission, then electrical connection is established, but they fail to meet high reliability demands in military, heavy industrial and aerospace applications due to contamination and mechanical limitations
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the contact mechanism parameter from fixed rigid contacts to resilient spring-loaded probe pins. This parameter change allows the contact to dynamically adapt to contamination and mechanical variations, significantly improving reliability in harsh environments while maintaining electrical performance.
Solution Approach 2:
The connector employs composite construction with dielectric inserts providing electrical isolation and structural support, combined with spring probe pins for resilient electrical contact. This composite approach combines the advantages of different materials to achieve both contamination resistance and high reliability electrical connection.
3Duration of action of moving object
If rigid electrical contacts are used in traditional connectors, then electrical connection is established, but they cannot maintain reliable contact across thousands of mating cycles due to mechanical wear and misalignment
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transforms the static rigid contact system into a dynamic spring-loaded system. The spring probe pins can flex and adapt during mating cycles, absorbing mechanical stresses and maintaining consistent contact force throughout the connector's operational life, thereby enabling thousands of mating cycles while preserving contact reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The spring mechanism provides beforehand cushioning by pre-loading the contact with resilient force. This pre-compression allows the contact to withstand subsequent mechanical shocks and wear during mating cycles, protecting the electrical connection from degradation over time.
Data Source
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AI summary
A connector insert arrangement, an active optical cable and methods are described. The connector insert is receivable in a connector housing for removable engagement with a complementary connector. Dielectric inserts each support one or more electrical contacts for access by the complementary connector and each electrical contact is selected as one of a contact pad and a spring probe pin for electrical contact with a complementary spring probe pin and complementary contact pad, respectively, in the complementary connector. A ground body supports the dielectric inserts to maintain a characteristic transmission line impedance along each of a plurality of high speed data paths such that each high speed data path serves as an independent transmission line structure that provides a data transfer rate of at least 1 gigabit per second. An active optical cable is described that can be hermaphroditic.