Board Connector Segmentation for Narrow Terminal Intervals
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional connectors face challenges in size reduction due to integrated terminal design, making it difficult to manufacture and maintain high reliability, as the narrowing of the interval between projections complicates the accurate placement of terminals during molding.
Innovation Solution
The connector design includes a pair of half-body parts with a reinforcing bracket that allows for a narrower interval between projections, featuring a unique structure with end wall and extension end parts, and a locking mechanism to secure the reinforcing bracket, facilitating easier assembly and enhanced reliability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If terminals are integrated with housing using overmolding or insert molding, then manufacturing is simplified, but the interval between projections cannot be narrowed making size reduction difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The connector is divided into separate components: the housing and the terminals are no longer integrated but are instead separate pieces that are assembled together. This segmentation allows the housing to be molded independently with projections, while terminals are separately positioned and fixed, enabling narrower intervals between projections without compromising manufacturing feasibility.
2Volume of moving object
If the interval between projections is narrowed to reduce connector size, then compactness is improved, but accurate placement of terminals during molding becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The housing is molded first with the projections already formed at the precise positions required for the narrow interval. Then the terminals are subsequently positioned and fixed to these pre-formed projections. This preliminary action of creating the housing structure first allows for high precision in projection positioning without the complexity of placing multiple terminals simultaneously during a single molding operation.
Solution Approach 2:
By separating the housing and terminal manufacturing processes, the patent allows the housing to be precision-molded with narrow-spaced projections, while terminals are separately positioned and fixed afterward. This eliminates the need for complex multi-cavity molding or insert molding operations that would be required to achieve accurate terminal placement at narrow intervals.
3Device complexity
If terminals are integrated with housing, then assembly is simplified, but reliability is reduced due to manufacturing difficulties
Solution Approach 1:
The connector is segmented into separately manufactured housing and terminal components that are assembled through a simplified process of positioning terminals on pre-formed projections. This segmentation improves reliability by allowing each component to be optimized and manufactured independently with high precision, then assembled with straightforward fixation methods such as adhesion or mechanical retention, avoiding the reliability issues associated with complex integrated molding processes.
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure includes: a pair of left and right half body parts, each of which includes a connector main body along with multiple terminals installed in this connector main body; and a reinforcing bracket for coupling the half body parts, wherein connector main bodies of each of the half body parts are abutted and installed at main body end parts formed on both ends of the connector main bodies, wherein each connector main body extends in the longitudinal direction thereof, in addition to including a projection for retaining the terminals, an extension end part connected to both ends in the longitudinal direction of this projection, and an end wall part extending from this extension end part towards the counterpart half body part, and wherein each of the main body end parts include mutually abutted left and right end wall parts along with left and right extension end parts with these end wall parts extending therefrom.