Connector Contact Sloping Steps Suppress Disengagement
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional connectors face limitations in increasing the engagement force between socket and header contacts due to restricted curvature radius and effective width of engagement, leading to difficulties in suppressing disengagement.
Innovation Solution
The connector design features a socket with a fitting groove and a header with a fitting convex portion, where the socket and header contacts are bent and soldered to circuit substrates, and the contact portions are pressed and thinned to form sloping steps that engage with each other, enhancing the engagement force and preventing disengagement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Force
If the contact is bend-formed to create a bent concave unit, then engagement with the convex unit is achieved, but the curvature radius cannot be reduced sufficiently, limiting engagement force
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the manufacturing method from bend-forming to press-forming, which fundamentally alters the geometric parameters achievable. Press-forming enables much smaller curvature radii in the bent concave unit compared to bend-forming, directly increasing the engagement force with the convex unit.
Solution Approach 2:
The contact is pre-formed with a bent concave unit having a small curvature radius through press-forming before assembly. This preliminary formation of the precise geometric shape enables the subsequent engagement with the convex unit to achieve maximum engagement force.
2Force
If the convex unit is formed by pressing from the back surface, then engagement structure is created, but only the center section can be protruded, limiting effective engagement width
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of forming the convex unit by pressing from the back surface (which limits protrusion to the center section), the invention forms the bent concave unit by press-forming the contact. This inverted approach allows the entire width of the contact to be engaged, maximizing the effective engagement width.
3Force
If contact thickness is maintained, then structural integrity is preserved, but engagement force with bent concave unit cannot be increased
Solution Approach 1:
The invention applies local quality by varying the contact thickness through press-forming. The contact is thinned locally at the engagement section to create a sloping step, while maintaining sufficient thickness elsewhere to preserve structural integrity. This localized thinning increases engagement force.
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 increases the engagement force between contacts, suppresses disengagement, and allows for miniaturization by reducing curvature radius and thickness, thereby improving the effective engagement width and contact pressure.
Implementation Method 1
contact portions of the socket contact and the header contact are pressed and thinned, and sloping steps that are formed by the process that presses and thins
Implementation Method 2
inserting the fitting convex portion of the header into the fitting groove portion of the socket, thereby elastically contacting the socket contact and the header contact
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3A~4
Figure 5~6B
AI summary
Contact portions of a socket contact (12) and a header contact (22) are pressed and thinned, and sloping steps formed by the process that presses and thins in the socket contact and the header contact are engaged with each other to suppress disengagement of the contacts.