Electrical Connector Mold Flow-Blocking Bar
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Solution Overview
Problem
The production of electrical connectors with a complex mold structure results in high manufacturing costs due to the need for multiple mold parts and intricate molding processes to achieve thorough encapsulation and strain relief, especially in harsh environments.
Innovation Solution
A simplified method using a two-part mold with a flow-blocking bar to prevent resin from flowing forward, allowing for complete encapsulation of the connector's rear end, contacts, and wires with a hardenable resin, reducing equipment complexity and costs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a complex multi-part mold is used to achieve thorough encapsulation and prevent resin forward flow, then the sealing and insulation integrity is improved, but the manufacturing cost and device complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
A flow-blocking bar is inserted into the mold cavity before injection to prevent resin from flowing forward during the molding process. This preliminary placement of the blocking element simplifies the mold structure while ensuring proper encapsulation of the contact assembly without requiring complex multi-part molds with integrated flow control features
Solution Approach 2:
The flow-blocking bar serves as an intermediary element between the resin and the contact assembly during molding. It temporarily occupies space in the cavity to control resin flow paths, allowing simple encapsulation of the rear end and contacts without complex mold designs. The bar is removed after molding, leaving a clean encapsulated structure
2Manufacturing precision
If a complex multi-part mold is used to achieve thorough encapsulation, then the encapsulation completeness is improved, but the manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The flow-blocking bar is inserted into the mold cavity before resin injection to pre-establish flow control paths. This preliminary action enables thorough encapsulation of the contact assembly using a simple two-part mold, avoiding the need for expensive complex multi-part molds with integrated flow control features
Solution Approach 2:
The flow-blocking bar is a simple, inexpensive, disposable element used only during the molding process. It can be made from cheap materials and is removed after serving its purpose, enabling complex encapsulation functionality without the cost of permanent complex mold structures
3Manufacturing precision
If mold projections are used to prevent resin forward flow into contact seats, then the contact exposure is improved, but the device complexity and manufacturing cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The flow-blocking bar acts as an intermediary that controls resin flow during molding. It prevents resin from flowing forward into the contact seats while allowing the use of a simple mold without complex projections or features. The bar is removed after molding, leaving the contacts properly exposed without requiring complex mold structures
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 method significantly reduces manufacturing costs and simplifies the mold design while ensuring thorough encapsulation and strain relief, maintaining the connector's sealing and insulation integrity.
Implementation Method 1
the cavity is filled with a hardenable resin such that the resin surrounds and encapsulates the rear end of the part and flows into the seat only rearward of the flow-blocking bar
Data Source
AI summary
An electrical connector has a hard base part forming at least one rearwardly and forwardly open seat and formed with a transverse passage extending across the seat generally at the rear seat end, a respective contact in the seat having a front end and a rear end, a respective wire projecting into the rear end of the seat and connected there to the rear contact end, and a soft jacket encapsulating a rear end of the base part and front ends of the wires and extending at least partially into the rear seat ends. This connector is made by fitting a flow-blocking bar through the passage into a position blocking forward flow in the seat to the front contact end. The rear end of the part and the bar are then enclosed in a cavity of a mold to be filled with hardenable resin.