Electrical Connector Terminals with Coarse and Glossy Surfaces
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electrical connectors face issues with high contact impedance due to dust and grime contamination, leading to inferior conduction during power-on and potential oxidation of metal surfaces, which can break electrical conduction.
Innovation Solution
An electrical connector design featuring terminals with both coarse and glossy surfaces, where the coarse surfaces scrape off dust and grime during installation and the glossy surfaces maintain contact without damaging the noble metal protection layer, ensuring continuous conduction by gradually removing debris under operational vibrations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the terminal surface is made glossy with low coefficient of friction, then the protection layer is preserved, but dust and grime cannot be scraped off during initial power-on
Solution Approach 1:
The terminal is designed with different surface qualities at different locations: the leading edge has a coarse surface for scraping dust and grime during insertion, while the contact surface has a glossy noble metal protection layer for long-term oxidation resistance. This local differentiation allows the terminal to perform both scraping and protection functions simultaneously.
2Productivity
If the slide trench inner surface is made coarse to scrape dust and grime, then initial power-on conduction is improved, but the noble metal protection layer is scraped off exposing copper to oxidation
Solution Approach 1:
The terminal surface is divided into two zones with different properties: the leading edge zone has a coarse surface for scraping contaminants, while the contact zone maintains a glossy noble metal protection layer. This spatial differentiation allows the scraping function to be performed without compromising the protection layer at the contact interface.
Solution Approach 2:
The coarse surface is positioned at the leading edge of the terminal, so that dust and grime scraping occurs before the pin makes full contact with the glossy protection layer. This preliminary action removes contaminants in advance, preventing them from reaching and damaging the noble metal protection layer during the contact process.
3Reliability
If the pin is scraped multiple times to remove dust and grime, then contact impedance is reduced, but the computer host must be disassembled and the process is time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The terminal's leading edge is pre-designed with a coarse surface that automatically scrapes dust and grime from the pin during the normal insertion process. This preliminary scraping action occurs as part of the standard assembly procedure, eliminating the need for separate disassembly and manual scraping operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The terminal structure itself provides the scraping function through its coarse leading edge surface. The terminal serves dual purposes: it both cleans the pin surface during insertion and maintains electrical contact, making the system self-servicing without requiring external intervention or additional components.
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 design ensures effective power-on conduction by reducing initial contact impedance and maintaining continuous electrical connectivity by preventing oxidation of metal surfaces, allowing for reliable operation without damaging the protection layer.
Implementation Method 1
the surfaces of the multiple pins of the chip module and the multiple terminals of an electrical connector tend to be contaminated by dust... the coarse surface will scrape off the dust and the grime
Implementation Method 2
the glossy surface with a protection layer of noble metal... the noble metal protection layer... preventing oxidation on the pin and the conductive clip
Implementation Method 3
the dust and grime on the glossy surface and the pin will be thinned and removed gradually by slight vibrations produced by computer hosts or operating fans
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to an electrical connector used for connecting a mating device with multiple pins and comprising a body and at least one terminal. The terminals are secured in the body and have at least one coarse surface and at least one glossy surface with a protection layer of noble metal. The coarse surfaces and the glossy surfaces locate at a position for making the pins scrape with the coarse surfaces and finally contact the coarse surfaces and the glossy surfaces simultaneously.