Connector Housing Structure for Mold-Friendly Load Dispersion
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing connectors with circuit boards face challenges in molding the inner housing when the mold opening direction coincides with the connector inserting and removing direction, limiting their application and durability.
Innovation Solution
The connector design includes a pair of side wall surfaces on the inner housing with protruding first and second holding portions, and a sandwiched portion, allowing the inner housing to be molded with a mold opening direction coinciding with the connector inserting and removing direction, and disperses external forces to improve durability and electrical reliability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If the inner housing is molded with a pair of molds with the mold opening direction coinciding with the connector inserting and removing direction, then the manufacturing process becomes simpler and more cost-effective, but the structural design becomes more difficult due to the inability to form certain features
Solution Approach 1:
The holding structure is segmented into multiple independent components: first holding portions, second holding portions, and sandwiched portions. Each segment can be formed independently during molding, allowing the mold opening direction to coincide with the connector inserting and removing direction while still creating the complex holding structure through sequential formation of separate features.
Solution Approach 2:
The holding portions are designed to extend in multiple directions (first direction and second direction orthogonal to each other) from the side wall surfaces. This multi-dimensional arrangement allows the structure to achieve its functional complexity without requiring the mold opening direction to be aligned with the connector inserting and removing direction, thus resolving the contradiction between manufacturing simplicity and structural capability.
2Reliability
If the outer housing supports the inner housing by crushing ribs during assembly, then the load from external force is reduced on the connection portion, but the inner housing cannot be molded with the mold opening direction coinciding with the connector inserting and removing direction
Solution Approach 1:
The load support function is distributed across multiple segmented holding portions rather than relying on a single rib structure. The first holding portions and second holding portions work together to support the outer housing, dispersing the load across multiple contact points and eliminating the need for crushing ribs that would constrain molding direction.
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the inner housing are given different structural qualities: the side wall surfaces have holding portions for support, while other regions maintain the molding-friendly geometry. This localized structural differentiation allows the housing to provide adequate load support without requiring the entire structure to be molded in a constrained direction.
3Strength
If multiple holding portions are added to the inner housing, then the load dispersal and durability improve, but the manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple holding portions are merged into a single integrated inner housing component rather than being separate parts. This combining approach allows the structure to achieve load dispersal through multiple holding features while maintaining manufacturing simplicity, as all holding portions are formed in one molding operation with the mold opening direction coinciding with the connector inserting and removing direction.
Data Source
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AI summary
An inner housing (30) includes a first holding portion (33) protruding from each of paired side wall surfaces (32), and a pair of second holding portions (34) protruding from each of the paired side wall surfaces while not facing the first holding portion in each of a connector inserting and removing direction and an assembling direction. An outer housing member (50) includes a sandwiched portion (52) protruding from each of inner wall surfaces (51a) of paired side wall portions (51), extending in the assembling direction, and sandwiched between the first holding portion and the pair of second holding portions at each of the side wall surfaces.