Flexible Cable Board Connector for Parallel Mating Mounting
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Solution Overview
Problem
Board connectors with flexible cables face challenges in ensuring the rear part of the electrically conductive path contacts the board when the mating connector is connected from a direction parallel to the board surface, leading to potential mounting failures due to coplanarity issues.
Innovation Solution
A board connector design featuring a connector housing with a cable holder that curves the flexible cable toward the board side, ensuring the rear part of the electrically conductive path easily contacts the board, and using reinforcement plates to resiliently contact metal terminals, thereby eliminating the need for coplanarity correction.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the flexible cable extends obliquely downward from the lower surface of the connector, then the flexible cable deflected downward due to its own weight contacts the board easily, but this configuration is only suitable for connectors connected from the direction orthogonal to the board surface
Solution Approach 1:
The cable holder is divided into a first cable holder and a second cable holder, each configured for different connection directions. The first cable holder handles orthogonal connections while the second cable holder handles parallel connections, allowing the system to adapt to different connector orientations without compromising contact reliability
Solution Approach 2:
The cable holder structure is designed to be directionally adaptive, with different holding configurations that can be selected based on the connector's connection direction. This dynamic adaptability allows the same cable holder design to effectively support both orthogonal and parallel connection scenarios
2Reliability
If coplanarity correction is applied to the lead terminal, then mounting failure is suppressed, but the number of steps increases
Solution Approach 1:
The flexible cable's own weight is utilized to automatically achieve the desired downward deflection and board contact, eliminating the need for external coplanarity correction steps. The cable self-adjusts to the correct position through gravitational force, reducing manufacturing complexity while maintaining mounting reliability
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The design effectively ensures the rear part of the electrically conductive path contacts the board, preventing mounting failures and reducing the number of components needed for the cable holder, while maintaining resilient contact with metal terminals.
Implementation Method 1
the flexible cable being curved toward the board side by the cable holder if a side where the board is located with respect to the board connector with the board connector mounted on the board surface is defined as the board side
Data Source
AI summary
A board connector 1 to be mounted on a circuit board is provided with a connector housing 11, to which a mating connector is connected from a direction parallel to a board surface of the circuit board, a flexible cable 12 including an electrically conductive path 40 extending in a connection direction, a front part 110 in a connection direction of the electrically conductive path 40 being inserted into the connector housing 11 from behind in the connection direction, a rear part 111 in the connection direction of the electrically conductive path 40 being soldered to the circuit board, and a cable holder 14 to be mounted on a rear side in the connection direction of the connector housing 11. The flexible cable 12 is curved downward by the cable holder 14.