Board-to-Board Connector Structure for Stable Power Converter Contacts

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Solution Overview

Problem

Electric power converters face challenges in maintaining stable electrical contacts over time due to factors like temperature changes and vibrations, leading to deterioration in contact characteristics.

Innovation Solution

The use of a board-to-board connector with a male fitting member and a female fitting member, featuring a flat plate-shaped insert, curved contact forming portions, and independently deformable spring portions, which form a stable electrical contact by reducing contact resistance to 1 mΩ or lower.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Volume of stationary object

If circuit boards are stacked to reduce size, then the electric power converter size is reduced, but maintaining stable electrical contacts becomes difficult due to temperature changes and vibrations

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveelectric power converter sizeVSAvoidelectrical contact stability

Core Design Contradiction:

Volume of stationary objectVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The connector employs spring portions that are independently deformable, allowing the contact structure to dynamically adapt to thermal expansion and vibration-induced movements. The spring portions can compress and extend to maintain constant contact pressure between the male and female fitting members, ensuring stable electrical connections despite environmental variations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The connector is divided into multiple independent spring portions rather than a single rigid structure. Each spring portion can deform independently to accommodate local movements and stresses, allowing the overall connector to maintain electrical contact stability while absorbing differential movements caused by temperature changes and vibrations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

2Strength

If rigid connectors are used to ensure mechanical strength, then connection strength is improved, but the ability to absorb movements from temperature changes and vibrations is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveconnection strengthVSAvoidcontact stability under thermal and vibrational stress

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The connector transitions from a rigid structure to a flexible structure by incorporating spring portions with specific elastic properties. The spring portions are designed with appropriate wire diameter, length, and coil density to provide both mechanical strength for connection integrity and flexibility to absorb thermal and vibrational movements, optimizing both strength and reliability parameters.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The spring portions function as flexible elements within the connector structure, allowing controlled deformation to absorb movements while maintaining electrical contact. The flexible spring portions can elastically deform in response to thermal expansion and vibration, preventing contact loss without compromising the overall mechanical strength of the connection.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

3Reliability

If spring portions are made highly deformable to absorb movements, then contact stability is improved, but contact pressure and electrical conductivity may be reduced

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecontact stabilityVSAvoidcontact resistance

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The spring portions are designed with optimized geometric parameters including wire diameter, coil density, and free length to achieve the right balance between deformability and contact pressure. By carefully selecting these parameters, the spring portions can absorb sufficient movement to maintain contact stability while retaining enough elastic force to ensure low contact resistance and reliable electrical conductivity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

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

This configuration effectively suppresses the deterioration of electrical contacts, maintaining a stable connection and improving the reliability of the power converter by absorbing movements caused by temperature changes and vibrations.

Implementation Method 1

the first spring portion and the second spring portion are independently deformable

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectElasticity: Elasticity

Data Source

PatentUS20240072476A1Electric power converting device, and board-to-board connecting portion

Publication Date: 2024.02.29 PANASONIC AUTOMOTIVE SYST CO LTD

AI summary

An electric power converter includes a first board, a second board, and a first board-to-board connector that electrically and mechanically connects the first board and the second board. The first board-to-board connector includes a male fitting member and a female fitting member. Each of a first clamp portion and a second clamp portion of the female fitting member includes a first contact forming portion and a second contact forming portion that are curved in a protruding shape, and a first spring portion and a second spring portion that are connected to the first contact forming portion and the second contact portion, respectively, and that are curved in corrugated shapes. An insert clamped between the first contact forming portion and the second contact forming portion forms an electrical contact, and the first spring portion and the second spring portion are independently deformable.