Optimum design of contact springs used in registered jack connectors

Two basis designs of contact springs used in RJ-45 connectors with different layouts and beam thickness were sequentially examined and optimized. The first design failed to attain a feasible solution mainly due to insufficient beam thickness. The second one is simpler in layout and in pin geometry but with thicker pins. Optimum design for Type A and Type B pins based on the second was achieved efficiently using the RSM with the power-transformed response data of computed plastic strain and contact force. Both optimized models of Type A and Type B pins enjoy a reduced strain level and an elevated contact force level above a specified value of 12.5 gf.