Stacked Shielding Cavities for High-Speed Backplane Connectors

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing high-speed backplane electrical connectors face challenges in transmitting differential signals at 56 Gbps or higher due to impedance matching issues and complex structures, which hinder reliable high-speed signal transmission.

Innovation Solution

The electrical connector features a housing with terminal pairs shielded by first and second shielding sheets, forming separate shielding cavities, and includes module sheets with conductive shells, insulating members, and a sheet-shaped ground plate for improved impedance matching and shielding, allowing for stable high-speed signal transmission.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If continuously arranged insulating members are used on signal terminals, then electrical isolation from conductive shell is improved, but impedance matching adjustment becomes difficult

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveelectrical isolationVSAvoidimpedance matching adjustment

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The insulating members are segmented into discrete portions rather than continuous, allowing specific sections to be positioned or removed for impedance matching adjustment while maintaining electrical isolation in other areas. This segmentation enables selective adjustment without compromising overall insulation performance.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Different regions of the insulating members have different properties - some areas provide continuous isolation while other areas are discretely arranged to allow impedance adjustment. This local variation in insulating member configuration optimizes both electrical isolation and impedance matching in different spatial zones.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

2Object-affected harmful factors

If multiple shielding sheets are arranged to form shielding cavities, then shielding effectiveness is improved, but structural complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveshielding effectivenessVSAvoidstructural complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The shielding structure is segmented into multiple independent shielding sheets arranged in layers, with each sheet providing shielding in specific directions. This segmentation creates effective shielding cavities while allowing modular assembly that reduces overall structural complexity compared to a monolithic shielding design.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Shielding sheets are arranged in multiple dimensions and orientations to form three-dimensional shielding cavities. By utilizing spatial arrangement in different dimensions, effective shielding is achieved without requiring excessive material or overly complex single-plane structures.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

3Manufacturing precision

If discretely arranged insulating members are used on signal terminals, then impedance matching is improved, but electrical isolation may be compromised

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveimpedance matchingVSAvoidelectrical isolation

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The insulating members exhibit local quality variations where discrete arrangements facilitate impedance matching in critical signal transmission zones, while maintained isolation properties in other regions. This spatially differentiated approach allows simultaneous optimization of both impedance matching and electrical isolation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The discretely arranged insulating members act as intermediaries between the signal terminals and the conductive shell, providing controlled electrical isolation that enables impedance matching while still preventing harmful electrical contact. The discrete arrangement allows fine-tuning of the intermediary effect.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentUS11489289B2Electrical connector having stacked module sheets each with a conductive shell and a sheet-shaped ground plate together enclosing signal terminals discretely supported by insulating members

Publication Date: 2022.11.01 FOXCONN INTERCONNECT TECHNOLOGY LTD

AI summary

An electrical connector includes: a housing; plural terminals held on the housing, the terminals being arranged in the form of terminal pairs for transmitting differential signals; plural first shielding sheets shielding the terminals; and plural second shielding sheets shielding the terminals, the second shielding sheet being arranged to cross the first shielding sheets to form plural shielding cavities separated from each other, the terminal pairs being distributed in corresponding shielding cavities, wherein one first shielding sheet is provided between each terminal pair and an laterally adjacent terminal pair and two second shielding sheets are provided between each terminal pair and a longitudinally adjacent terminal pair.