Connector Reinforcing Bracket Asymmetric Support
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional connectors face issues with displacement and misorientation of inner reinforcing brackets under diagonal force, leading to potential damage of protrusion end portions during mating, as they are not symmetrically supported on both side surfaces.
Innovation Solution
The connector design includes symmetrically positioned inner reinforcing brackets with a body part, end plate, side plates, and connecting legs integrated with the connector body, providing comprehensive support to the insular end parts of the protrusion, and outer reinforcing brackets with central guide parts and contact arms to engage with mating connectors, ensuring rigid engagement and protection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If inner reinforcing brackets are provided on only one side surface of the protrusion end portion, then the device complexity is reduced, but the reliability deteriorates due to displacement and misorientation under diagonal force
Solution Approach 1:
The inner reinforcing bracket is designed with asymmetric geometry where the body part has different dimensions in the width direction versus the longitudinal direction. The body part extends longer in the width direction than in the longitudinal direction, creating an asymmetric shape that provides enhanced support specifically against diagonal forces while maintaining manufacturing simplicity. This asymmetric design allows the bracket to resist displacement and misorientation effectively without requiring symmetric reinforcement on all sides.
2Reliability
If inner reinforcing brackets are made rigid to prevent displacement, then the reliability is improved, but the device complexity increases due to additional structural requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The inner reinforcing bracket is integrated as a single unified component that combines multiple functional elements: the body part for primary support, the end plate for end surface reinforcement, the side plates for lateral support, and the connecting legs for attachment to the substrate. By merging these elements into one integrated bracket structure, the design achieves high reliability and rigidity without requiring multiple separate components, thereby avoiding increased device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The inner reinforcing bracket employs local quality enhancement by concentrating reinforcement specifically at the protrusion end portion where diagonal forces are most critical. The body part is positioned to provide localized support at this vulnerable area, with the end plate and side plates extending only where needed to prevent displacement and misorientation. This localized reinforcement approach achieves high reliability without requiring comprehensive reinforcement throughout the entire connector structure.
3Reliability
If the body part of the inner reinforcing bracket extends longer in the width direction than in the longitudinal direction, then the reliability against diagonal force is improved, but the manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The design specifies a particular geometric parameter relationship where the body part's extension length in the width direction is greater than its extension length in the longitudinal direction. This parameter change creates an optimized aspect ratio that maximizes resistance to diagonal forces. By establishing this specific dimensional relationship, the design achieves enhanced reliability while maintaining manufacturability, as the parameter relationship provides a clear manufacturing target rather than requiring extremely tight tolerances on individual dimensions.
Data Source
AI summary
High reliability is achieved with a protected state guaranteed for housings with reinforcing brackets being rigid to be free from displacement and misorientation. A connector includes: a connector body; a terminal installed in the connector body; and a reinforcing bracket fit to the connector body. The connector body includes a recess in which a mating connector body of a mating connector fits, and an insular part that is in the recess and fits in a groove part of the mating connector body. The reinforcing bracket includes an inner reinforcing bracket fit to an insular end part that is an end portion of the insular part in a longitudinal direction. The inner reinforcing bracket includes a body part that is disposed on an upper surface of the insular end part, an end plate that is connected to the body part and is disposed on an end surface of the insular end part, a pair of side plates that are connected to right and left ends of the body part and are disposed on right and left side surfaces of the insular end part, and a pair of connecting legs that are each connected to a lower end of a corresponding one of the side plates and extend outward in a right and left direction of the connector body.