Conductive Tab Outer Housing With Seal Spring for Connector Grounding
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing connector assemblies lack sufficient contact pressure and effective grounding due to insufficient interaction between the outer and inner housings, which can lead to incomplete grounding schemes and reduced reliability.
Innovation Solution
The outer housing features conductive tabs with a seal spring that applies additional force, interacting with the inner cavity to enhance contact pressure and complete the grounding scheme by making contact with the third outer housing, thereby increasing the reliability of the connector assembly.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If tabs are provided to make contact with the inner housing, then grounding scheme is improved, but contact pressure is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
A seal spring is introduced as an intermediary component between the outer housing and the inner housing. The seal spring applies continuous spring force to the tabs, which in turn apply contact pressure to the inner housing. This mediator (seal spring) enables both reliable grounding through the conductive tabs and sufficient contact pressure, resolving the contradiction between grounding reliability and contact pressure.
2Force
If seal spring is added to provide additional force, then contact pressure is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The seal spring serves multiple functions simultaneously: it provides the necessary contact pressure force to the tabs, acts as a sealing element between the outer and inner housings, and maintains continuous electrical contact for grounding. By making the seal spring multi-functional, the patent improves contact pressure without proportionally increasing device complexity, as the same component performs multiple roles.
3Reliability
If tabs are made conductive for grounding, then grounding scheme is improved, but stress relaxation occurs over time
Solution Approach 1:
The seal spring introduces a dynamic, elastic element into the grounding system. Instead of relying on rigid tab contact that may relax over time, the spring provides continuous, adaptive force that compensates for stress relaxation. The spring's elastic properties allow it to maintain constant contact pressure on the conductive tabs, ensuring durable grounding performance over the product lifecycle.
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 solution provides higher contact pressure and a reliable grounding scheme, enhancing the stability and performance of the connector assembly by utilizing the seal spring's spring force to maintain contact and resist stress relaxation.
Implementation Method 1
The seal (seal spring) will interact with the tabs when the seal (seal spring) is inserted within the inner cavity, and will apply a spring force against the tabs when fully inserted.
Implementation Method 2
The tabs of the outer housing are conductive coated to provide an element or portion of a grounding scheme for a connector assembly containing the outer housing.
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention involves an outer housing, having a tab or plurality of tabs, the housing accommodating a seal (seal spring), a second outer housing, and a third outer housing. The tabs being conductive coated to provide an element or portion of a grounding scheme for a connector assembly containing the outer housing. The tabs make substantial contact with the third outer housing and complete a portion of the connector assembly grounding scheme. When the outer housing is provided with a seal spring, the seal spring provides more force, additional force, for higher contact pressure with the third outer housing than would be present without the seal spring.