Low-Profile Electrical Connector Housing With Stabilizing Ribs
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electrical connectors, such as right-angled headers, face difficulties in secure mounting to support surfaces like printed circuit boards, lack low-profile mounting capabilities, and fail to protect the mounting surface.
Innovation Solution
The electrical connector design incorporates a terminal assembly, housing body, and rib members that extend between the front and rear surfaces, providing a secure mounting mechanism and low-profile integration while protecting the support surface through rib members that stabilize the connector and prevent tipping or rotation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a right-angled header design is used, then the connector can be mounted at an angle to the support surface, but it is difficult to securely mount and does not facilitate low-profile mounting
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from traditional side-mounted or top-mounted connectors to a bottom-mounted configuration where the housing body mounts to the support surface and terminals extend upward. This dimensional reorientation enables low-profile mounting while maintaining secure attachment through the base housing structure rather than relying on side flanges or angled mounting configurations.
2Adaptability or versatility
If a right-angled header design is used, then the connector can connect cables to PCBs, but it does not protect the support surface on which it is mounted
Solution Approach 1:
The housing body is designed with a broad base that mounts to the support surface before the terminals are inserted or engaged. This preliminary mounting action creates a protective barrier that shields the support surface from potential damage during subsequent assembly operations, preventing scratches, dents, or other harmful effects from tools or terminal insertion.
3Device complexity
If traditional header designs are used, then the connector structure is simple, but it does not facilitate low-profile mounting and secure attachment
Solution Approach 1:
The housing body serves multiple functions simultaneously: it provides the mounting base that attaches to the support surface, it protects the terminals, it defines the cavity for terminal insertion, and it creates the low-profile mounting configuration. This multi-functionality achieves secure mounting and low-profile integration without significantly increasing structural complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
An electrical connector includes a terminal assembly, a housing body, a first rib member and a second rib member. The terminal assembly includes a terminal mounting block and at least one terminal mounted therein. The housing body surrounds the terminal assembly and is connected to the terminal mounting block. The housing body and the terminal mounting block define a cavity with the at least one terminal projecting into the cavity from the terminal mounting block. The housing body has a top wall, a bottom wall and a pair of side walls disposed apart from one another to interconnect the top and bottom walls. The first and second rib members are connected to respective ones of the pair of side walls and extend longitudinally. The first and second rib members are disposed between the top wall and the bottom wall. An electrical connector housing is also described.