Board Mount Connector Assembly with Integrated Latch and Strain Relief
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional electrical connector systems face challenges in reducing size while maintaining mechanical and electrical reliability, especially at smaller contact pitches, and are often expensive and lacking in customization for specific user needs.
Innovation Solution
The electrical connector system features an insulative connector housing with guiding and positioning elements for a cover and strain relief, integrated latches for secure mating and ejection, and wire positioning features to accommodate various wire gauges, allowing for a reduced overall size and improved reliability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of moving object
If contact pitch is reduced to decrease interconnect size, then the number of electrical connections per unit space increases, but mechanical and electrical reliability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The connector is divided into separate modular components including a housing, strain relief assembly, and latch mechanism. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently for small pitch applications while maintaining overall reliability through proven design elements in each segment.
Solution Approach 2:
The strain relief assembly is nested within the housing structure, with the latch mechanism integrated into the strain relief component. This nesting eliminates the need for separate external latch components, reducing overall connector size while maintaining reliable latching function at small pitch dimensions.
2Length of moving object
If conventional connector designs are scaled down for smaller pitch, then contact spacing is reduced, but overall interconnect size remains large due to additional components
Solution Approach 1:
The strain relief and latch functions are merged into a single integrated assembly that is nested within the housing. This combination eliminates the need for separate external latch components, allowing the overall connector length to be reduced proportionally with contact pitch while maintaining all necessary functions.
Solution Approach 2:
The latch mechanism is designed to operate within the lateral dimensions of the connector housing rather than extending beyond it. By utilizing the internal volume and lateral space efficiently, the connector achieves compact overall dimensions that scale with contact pitch without requiring additional external space for latching components.
3Length of moving object
If conventional connector designs are used for small pitch applications, then manufacturing cost increases and customization options are limited
Solution Approach 1:
The integrated strain relief and latch assembly serves multiple functions simultaneously: it provides strain relief for the cable, implements the latching mechanism for connector retention, and structures the housing. This multi-functionality reduces the total component count and assembly steps, lowering manufacturing cost despite the small pitch application.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention extracts and eliminates unnecessary intermediate components from conventional designs, using only the essential housing, strain relief, and latch elements. This streamlined component list reduces manufacturing complexity and cost while maintaining full functionality at small pitch dimensions.
Data Source
AI summary
A board mount electrical connector (3) includes an insulative connector housing (1100) including a longitudinal bottom wall (1102) defining a plurality of contact openings (1104) for receiving a plurality of contacts (1200), first and second side walls (1106, 1108) extending upwardly from the bottom wall at opposing sides thereof, first and second end walls (1110, 1112) extending upwardly from the bottom wall at opposing ends (1102c, 1102d) thereof, first and second pairs of latch openings (1114, 1116) at opposing ends of the bottom wall, and first and second protrusions (1154, 1156) extending upwardly from the bottom wall and disposed between respective first and second pairs of latch openings. Each latch opening extends through the bottom wall and through a side wall and is configured to allow a latch to eject a mating connector by moving within the opening. Each of the protrusions is configured to engage a corresponding opening in a latch of a mating connector cover or strain relief assembled to the electrical connector.