Unitary Shell Connector Fingers for Signal Interference Shielding
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electrical connectors lack an effective mechanism to reduce signal interference between high-speed and low-speed contacts, particularly in the context of a metallic shell with separate shield terminals.
Innovation Solution
The electrical connector incorporates a unitary metallic shell with integrated contact fingers disposed between selected contacts to minimize signal interference, utilizing a single piece design that includes contact fingers on each side wall, extending inwardly and downwardly to align with high-speed and low-speed contacts.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If separate shield terminals are used in the metallic shell, then the metallic shell can be simpler to manufacture, but signal interference between high-speed and low-speed contacts increases
Solution Approach 1:
Contact fingers serve as intermediary elements between the metallic shell and selected contacts. These fingers extend inwardly from the metallic shell to contact specific high-speed and low-speed contacts, creating a shielding mechanism that reduces signal interference while maintaining the simplicity of the metallic shell structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The shielding function is segmented by providing contact fingers only at specific positions where high-speed and low-speed contacts are adjacent, rather than enclosing all contacts. This selective segmentation reduces signal interference at critical interfaces while maintaining manufacturing simplicity.
2Reliability
If contact fingers are added to reduce signal interference, then signal integrity improves, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The contact fingers are merged with the metallic shell to form an integrated structure. The fingers extend directly from the shell's inner surface, eliminating the need for separate shielding components and reducing overall device complexity while maintaining signal integrity.
Solution Approach 2:
Contact fingers are provided only at specific locations where high-speed and low-speed contacts are adjacent, rather than enclosing all contacts uniformly. This local shielding approach reduces signal interference at critical interfaces while minimizing the addition of structural complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
An electrical connector includes: an insulative housing having a receiving slot; plural contacts secured to the insulative housing and exposed to the receiving slot; and a metallic shell being secured to the insulative housing and having a pair of contact fingers, wherein each of the pair of contact fingers is disposed between selected two of the plurality of contacts.