Battery Connector Washer Moisture Ingress Prevention
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Electronic products connected to batteries often malfunction in high humidity environments due to the lack of moisture-proof structures, leading to short circuits and rustiness as moisture enters the electrical connection.
Innovation Solution
A battery connector design featuring an insulative housing with notches and openings, conductive terminals with U-shaped resilient portions, and a washer that encloses the periphery of the housing to prevent moisture ingress when mounted on a circuit board.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a battery connector is mounted on a circuit board in a high humidity environment, then electrical connection is achieved, but moisture enters the connector causing short circuits and rustiness
Solution Approach 1:
A washer is introduced as an intermediary component between the battery connector and the circuit board. The washer encloses the periphery of the insulative housing and seals the gap formed during mounting, preventing moisture from entering the connector while maintaining electrical connection functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The washer acts as a flexible sealing element that can deform to accommodate the gap between the rigid insulative housing and the circuit board. This flexible component effectively blocks moisture ingress paths without compromising the electrical connection.
2Ease of manufacture
If the battery connector structure is simplified without moisture proof features, then manufacturing cost is reduced, but moisture proofing capability is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The moisture proofing function is segmented into a separate washer component rather than being integrated into the insulative housing. This allows the main connector structure to remain simple and easy to manufacture, while the washer provides the necessary moisture protection as an add-on element.
Solution Approach 2:
The washer serves as an intermediary moisture-proofing element that can be easily added during assembly. This separate component approach maintains manufacturing simplicity while effectively providing moisture protection capability.
Data Source
AI summary
A battery connector has an insulative housing, a plurality of contact terminals mounted in the insulative housing and a washer mounted on the insulative housing. The insulative housing has a first surface, a second surface, a third surface and a plurality of notches defined through the third surface. Each notch communicates with a first opening and a second opening respectively defined on the first surface and the second surface. Each contact terminal has a flat base portion and a U-shaped resilient portion extending from the base portion. The base portion has a second contact portion. The resilient portion has a first contact portion. The washer encloses around the periphery of the insulative housing and is adjacent to the first surface. Therefore, when the battery connector is mounted to a circuit board, the washer prevents or moisture from getting into the battery connector.