Connector Housing Alignment Guidance Feature
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electrical connector housings face challenges in precise alignment and resistance to excessive mating/unmating angles, which can lead to damage of small contact ends during connector mating and un-mating.
Innovation Solution
The design incorporates hermaphroditic mating connector areas with matching male and female sections, featuring outwardly extending recesses and projections at corners, allowing for precise alignment and resistance to excessive angles through a symmetrical and inverse configuration of the mating connector areas.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If conventional connector housings are used without special alignment features, then the device complexity is low, but the alignment precision during mating is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The connector housing employs asymmetric key projections at corners and recesses at corresponding corners to establish precise angular orientation during mating. This asymmetric feature configuration ensures that connectors can only mate in the correct orientation, thereby achieving accurate alignment precision while maintaining relatively simple housing structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The alignment features (key projections and recesses) are pre-formed on the connector housings before mating occurs. These features automatically guide the connectors into proper alignment as they approach each other, eliminating the need for complex adjustment mechanisms during the mating process and maintaining structural simplicity.
2Reliability
If connector housings lack resistance to excessive mating angles, then the manufacturing precision requirements are lower, but the reliability during mating and un-mating deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The connector housing design incorporates lateral walls and alignment features that preemptively prevent excessive mating angles from occurring. The key projections and recesses, along with the lateral wall configuration, create mechanical constraints that stop the mating process before excessive angles can develop, thereby protecting contact ends without requiring high-precision angle control during manufacturing.
Solution Approach 2:
The housing structure includes features that cushion and limit excessive mating angles before damage can occur to the contacts. The lateral walls and corner features act as mechanical stops that absorb and redirect excessive forces, protecting the delicate contact ends during both mating and un-mating operations.
3Length of moving object
If small contact ends are used in connector housings, then the device miniaturization is achieved, but the susceptibility to damage during mating increases
Solution Approach 1:
Alignment features and lateral walls are pre-configured in the housing to guide and protect small contact ends during mating. These features establish proper alignment and prevent excessive angles before the delicate contacts engage, reducing damage risk without increasing contact end size.
Solution Approach 2:
The housing structure incorporates protective features that cushion and limit forces applied to small contact ends during mating and un-mating. The lateral walls and corner features act as mechanical buffers that prevent excessive forces from reaching the delicate contacts, enabling miniaturization while maintaining durability.
Data Source
AI summary
An electrical connector housing including a contact locating area for locating electrical contacts; and a mating connector area configured to receive portions of a housing of a mating electrical connector. The mating connector area comprises a first wall forming a first area adjacent the contact locating area, and a second wall adjacent the contact locating area forming a second area separated from the contact locating area by the second wall. The first area and the second wall have a substantially same size and shape.