Stacked Electrical Connector with Interlayer Shielding for High-Density PCBs
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Solution Overview
Problem
The challenge is to interconnect multiple high-speed data storage devices within a compact electronic device without increasing the connector footprint on the printed circuit board, while minimizing cross-talk errors due to the limited space and fine contact sizes.
Innovation Solution
The solution involves an electrical connector with an insulative housing and shielding device to separate and protect the contacts, allowing for multiple connectors to be stacked with tapered terminals and attachment devices to secure them to the PCB, maintaining a small footprint and reducing cross-talk.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If multiple data storage devices are interconnected using conventional connectors, then the data transfer capacity increases, but the connector footprint on the printed circuit board substantially increases
Solution Approach 1:
The connector design transitions from a conventional planar contact arrangement to a three-dimensional stacked configuration. Multiple contact sets are arranged vertically along the length of the connector body, allowing multiple data storage devices to be interconnected without increasing the horizontal footprint on the PCB. This vertical stacking of contacts enables higher device density within the same board space.
Solution Approach 2:
The connector is divided into multiple independent contact sets (first set of contacts, second set of contacts, third set of contacts) that can be independently arranged and configured. Each contact set serves specific signaling functions (data signals, control signals, power signals), allowing the connector to support multiple devices while maintaining organized signal routing and minimizing interference between different signal types.
2Area of stationary object
If the connector footprint is reduced to maintain compact device design, then the space for additional components is limited, but the number of interconnectable data storage devices decreases
Solution Approach 1:
By utilizing the longitudinal dimension of the connector body, the design packs multiple contact sets vertically rather than spreading them horizontally. This allows the connector to maintain a small footprint while supporting interconnection of multiple data storage devices through the stacked contact arrangement.
Solution Approach 2:
The connector is designed with multi-functional contact sets that can handle various signal types (data, control, power) within the same physical structure. This universal design allows a single connector footprint to support multiple devices with different signaling requirements, maximizing the utility of the limited board space.
3Area of stationary object
If fine contact sizes are used to maintain small connector footprint, then the connector size is reduced, but cross-talk errors between contacts increase
Solution Approach 1:
Ground contacts are positioned between the data signal contacts to act as electromagnetic shields. These intermediary ground contacts block electromagnetic interference between adjacent data contacts, reducing cross-talk errors while allowing the use of fine contact sizes and maintaining a compact connector footprint.
Solution Approach 2:
The connector employs different contact configurations for different signal types. Ground contacts are strategically placed in specific locations between data contacts to provide localized shielding where cross-talk is most problematic, while maintaining fine contact sizes overall to preserve the small footprint.
4Reliability
If shielding devices are added between contact sets to reduce cross-talk, then the reliability of data transfer improves, but the connector complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The shielding function is merged with the contact structure itself by using ground contacts as integral part of the contact array. Rather than adding separate shielding components, the ground contacts serve dual purposes: electrical connection and electromagnetic shielding, thereby reducing overall connector complexity while maintaining reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
Ground contacts serve as intermediary elements between data contacts, providing shielding functionality within the existing contact structure. This approach integrates shielding into the connector design without requiring additional complex shielding mechanisms, maintaining structural simplicity while improving data transfer reliability.
Data Source
AI summary
An electrical connector is disclosed that includes an insulative housing having a mating face at one end, a rear face at another end, a mating slot at the mating face for receiving a complementary connector, a first set of contacts mounted in a first set of channels incorporated at a top of the insulative housing and a second set of contacts mounted in a second set of channels incorporated at a bottom of the insulative housing, and a shielding device located between the first set of contacts and the second set of contacts.