Connector Housing Height Measurement via Indirect Marker
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing board-to-board connector assemblies face challenges in accurately measuring the height of the connector housing, especially in miniaturized electrical equipment where space is limited, making it difficult to investigate and ensure proper fitment.
Innovation Solution
A connector design that includes a monitored member with a marker portion and an abutment portion, where the marker portion is visible horizontally and apart from the abutment portion by a predetermined distance, allowing for indirect measurement of the housing height using image recognition, ensuring accurate measurement and easy observation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Length of stationary object
If the connector housing height is reduced to fit tight spaces in miniaturized electrical equipment, then the space between boards is reduced, but it becomes difficult to accurately measure and investigate the housing height
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a monitored member as an intermediary element between the connector housing and the measurement system. This monitored member includes a marker portion that can be optically detected, allowing indirect measurement of the housing height without directly measuring the small housing dimension itself. The monitored member translates the difficult-to-measure housing height into an easily observable marker position.
Solution Approach 2:
The monitored member creates a visible copy or representation of the housing height through its marker portion. Instead of directly measuring the actual housing height, the system uses the marker portion's position as a proxy measurement, which can be accurately captured by image recognition systems. This copying approach enables precise measurement of small dimensions.
2Measurement precision
If a monitored member is added to enable height measurement, then measurement precision is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The monitored member is segmented into distinct functional portions: an abutment portion that contacts the board and a marker portion that is visible for measurement. This segmentation allows each portion to perform its specific function efficiently, while the overall structure remains relatively simple and can be integrated into the existing connector design.
3Ease of operation
If the marker portion is made visible horizontally for image recognition, then ease of observation is improved, but the connector footprint may increase
Solution Approach 1:
The marker portion is designed to extend only partially beyond the housing in the horizontal direction, providing just enough visibility for image recognition measurement while minimizing the increase in connector footprint. This partial extension is sufficient for measurement purposes without requiring excessive horizontal space.
Data Source
AI summary
Provided is a connector mountable on a board. The connector comprises a plurality of contacts, a housing holding the contacts, and a monitored member attached to the housing. The monitored member comprises a marker portion and an abutment portion brought into abutment with the board when the connector is mounted on the board in a vertical direction. The abutment portion is apart from the marker portion by a predetermined distance in the vertical direction. The height of the housing is indirectly measured by investigating a position of the marker portion.