Connector Apparatus Narrowing External Width via Guide Hood Segmentation
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional board mounting connectors occupy a large area due to their external width, which is restricted by factors like linear expansion coefficient, flatness, and curvature, leading to increased space requirements when multiple connectors are used side by side.
Innovation Solution
A connector apparatus with a guide hood that has a recessed fitting part for the board mounting connector and a wider opening for the mating connector, allowing the housing rear-end side fitting part to guide the retainer and reducing the external width by using a narrower front-end side fitting part, thereby minimizing the board mounting area occupancy.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the outer housing is integrally formed with a pair of side covers to provide a retainer, then the terminal locking reliability is improved, but the external width of the board mounting connector increases
Solution Approach 1:
The housing is divided into two functional parts: a narrow front-end side fitting part for mounting connector insertion, and a wider rear-end side fitting part for housing the retainer. This segmentation allows the mounting connector to have a reduced external width while the mating connector provides the necessary retainer function through its wider rear section.
Solution Approach 2:
The solution shifts the width requirement from the board mounting connector to the mating connector by utilizing the depth dimension. The wider rear-end side fitting part of the mating connector extends backward to accommodate the retainer, effectively moving the width constraint to a different spatial dimension that does not affect the board mounting area occupancy.
2Quantity of substance
If multiple board mounting connectors are disposed side by side to accommodate more terminals, then the terminal quantity is increased, but the board mounting area occupancy increases proportionally
Solution Approach 1:
The function of providing a retainer is merged from the board mounting connector to the mating connector. By integrating the retainer housing function into the mating connector's rear-end side fitting part, the board mounting connector can be minimized to only its essential front-end mounting function, reducing the need for multiple wide connectors.
3Area of stationary object
If the board mounting connector is designed with small external width to reduce mounting area, then the board mounting area occupancy is reduced, but the space for accommodating the retainer becomes insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The mating connector acts as an intermediary that provides the retainer housing space. Instead of requiring the board mounting connector to accommodate both the mounting function and the retainer, the mating connector serves as the intermediary structure that houses the retainer in its wider rear-end section, allowing the board mounting connector to be narrowly optimized for its primary function.
Data Source
AI summary
A connector apparatus includes a board mounting connector mounted on a board housed in a housing case, a mating connector fit to the board mounting connector, and a guide hood that has a connector fitting part to guide insertion of the mating connector and is fit into an opening section of the housing case. The board mounting connector has a recessed fitting part, into which a housing front-end side fitting part of the mating connector is inserted. A connector fitting part of the guide hood has a second opening whose width is wider than a width of a first opening of the recessed fitting part and is substantially equal to a width of a housing rear-end side fitting part of the mating connector. A retainer is held in a housing rear-end side fitting part of the mating connector.