PCB Connector Housing Recess Structure for Warp Control
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing connectors with box-shaped housings experience deformation due to contraction differences during injection molding and high-temperature soldering, which can be exacerbated by the formation of flanges and hot resin stops, leading to increased housing size.
Innovation Solution
The housing is made of insulating synthetic resin with reinforcing fibers and features thinned recesses on its outer surface, including tapered ends, to control resin flow and fiber orientation, thereby suppressing deformation and allowing for a larger housing size without increasing dimensions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If flange and hot resin stop are formed to suppress deformation, then housing deformation is suppressed, but housing size increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by creating a thinned recess at the specific location where deformation occurs (the wall portion of the housing). This localized thinning concentrates the resin flow and reinforces fibers in a specific area to suppress deformation, rather than adding structural elements like flanges throughout the entire housing. The thinned recess modifies only the necessary portion to achieve the desired effect without increasing overall housing size.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the physical parameters of the housing wall by creating a thinned recess, which alters the wall thickness and resin flow characteristics. This parameter change enables better control over resin distribution and fiber orientation during injection molding, suppressing deformation without requiring additional structural elements that would increase housing dimensions.
2Manufacturing precision
If thinned recess is provided to control resin flow, then housing deformation is suppressed and dimensional precision is improved, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The thinned recess is designed into the housing structure before injection molding, serving as a pre-planned feature that guides resin flow and fiber orientation during the molding process. This preliminary structural modification enables automatic control of deformation during manufacturing, eliminating the need for post-processing or complex assembly operations to achieve dimensional precision.
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
The solution achieves a housing with high dimensional precision and suppressed deformation, ensuring strength and stability while allowing for miniaturization of the mold and preventing heat retention issues during soldering.
Implementation Method 1
the thinned recess extends along a front-rear direction of the housing so that a rear end of the thinned recess reaches the rear wall and a front end of the thinned recess does not reach the front side, and wherein the front end is tapered
Implementation Method 2
the housing is made of an insulating synthetic resin including reinforcing fibers
Implementation Method 3
Such a housing may be subject to deformation, such as warp and/or sink marks, e.g. due to contraction difference during injection molding or due to a high-temperature atmosphere during soldering the terminal
Data Source
AI summary
A connector for mounting to a printed circuit board by surface mounting includes: a plurality of terminals; and a housing holding the plurality of terminals. The housing is made of an insulating synthetic resin including glass fibers. The housing has a box shape with a bottom wall, an upper wall, a pair of lateral walls, a rear wall, and an opening in a front side of the housing. A plurality of first thinned recesses is provided in an outer surface of the bottom wall, and a plurality of second thinned recesses is provided in an outer surface of the upper wall. The first thinned recesses extend along a front-rear direction of the housing so that rear ends of the first thinned recesses reach the rear wall and front ends of the first thinned recesses do not reach the front side, and the front ends are tapered.