Triangular Terminal Arrangement for High-Density Connectors
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Solution Overview
Problem
Designing a board-mounted electrical connector for high-density applications, such as 0.4 mm pitch HDMI connectors, is challenging due to competing demands for dense terminal packing and high-frequency data channels, which leads to signal noise issues and difficulties in mounting via surface mount technology.
Innovation Solution
A board-mounted connector with a triangular terminal arrangement, where two signal contacts form a base and a ground contact forms the apex, extending from a mating interface to a mounting interface, allowing for efficient signal transmission and noise reduction through impedance control and shielding.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If terminals are packed densely to achieve high-density applications, then terminal density is improved, but signal noise and cross-talk increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by creating a triangular terminal arrangement where ground contacts are positioned at specific locations (apex and base corners) to provide localized shielding. This non-uniform distribution of ground contacts throughout the terminal body creates zones of electromagnetic shielding precisely where needed, allowing dense terminal packing while maintaining signal integrity through localized ground reference planes.
Solution Approach 2:
The ground contacts serve as intermediary elements between signal contacts, providing electromagnetic shielding and reference planes. These ground contacts act as mediators that block electromagnetic interference between adjacent signal terminals, enabling high-density configurations without excessive cross-talk.
2Volume of moving object
If pitch is reduced below 0.6 mm to achieve smaller connector size, then connector size is reduced, but mounting becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from planar terminal arrangements to a three-dimensional triangular configuration extending through the connector body. The triangular arrangement projects from the mating interface through the insulator to the mounting interface, utilizing the third dimension (depth/length) to achieve compact footprint while maintaining manufacturable tail configurations for standard surface mount processes.
Solution Approach 2:
The terminal body is segmented into distinct functional zones: contact portions at the mating interface, insulator regions, body portions extending through the connector, and tail portions for mounting. This segmentation allows each zone to be optimized independently, with tails configured specifically for surface mount technology attachment while contact portions maintain the triangular shielding arrangement.
3Quantity of substance
If terminals are positioned close together to achieve dense packing, then terminal density is improved, but energy from one terminal negatively affects signals on other terminals
Solution Approach 1:
The patent converts the potentially harmful close proximity of terminals into a benefit by using the triangular arrangement to create inherent electromagnetic coupling between signal and ground contacts. The ground contacts at apex and base corners of the triangle provide controlled reference planes that actually improve signal integrity by providing consistent impedance control and shielding, turning what would be interference into beneficial electromagnetic coupling.
Data Source
AI summary
A board-mountable connector is provided. The connector includes a shield and an insulative housing with a tongue. Terminals are supported by the housing in two rows and the rows extend from a mating interface to a board mounting interface. The terminals may be mounted to the board via surface mount technology in two rows that are at about 0.4 mm pitch. The two rows of terminals are configured in a signal, signal, ground triangular configuration so as to provide a triangular terminal arrangement that extends from the mating interface to the mounting interface.