Connector Insulator Alignment for Flexible Cable Assembly
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Solution Overview
Problem
The assembly of electronic apparatuses is hindered by the difficulty in identifying and connecting flexible cables to connectors, especially when these connectors are located between the circuit board and the housing, due to a narrow gap and lack of visible markings or features.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating cutouts and markings on the circuit board corresponding to the connector openings, along with an auxiliary plate and insulator to guide and protect the flexible cables, facilitates easier identification and connection by ensuring proper alignment and preventing insertion abnormalities.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If connectors are located between the circuit board and the housing to save space, then the electronic apparatus achieves compactness, but the difficulty in identifying and connecting flexible cables to connectors increases due to narrow gap and lack of visibility
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an insulator as an intermediary component between the connector and the housing. This insulator protrudes into the housing and provides a larger, more accessible surface for alignment and connection operations. The insulator acts as a mediator that translates the compact connector positioning into an easier connection interface, allowing operators to align and connect flexible cables without directly accessing the narrow gap between the circuit board and housing.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extends the connection interface into a third dimension by having the insulator protrude from the circuit board toward the housing. This dimensional extension creates an accessible connection surface that protrudes into the housing space, allowing connection operations to be performed from the housing side rather than requiring access to the narrow gap between the circuit board and housing, thus solving the visibility and accessibility problem while maintaining compactness.
2Volume of moving object
If connectors are attached directly to the circuit board facing the housing interior, then space is optimized, but assembly efficiency decreases due to difficulty in identifying connector locations
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs visual differentiation through color or material contrast on the insulator surface. The insulator is made of a material or colored differently from the surrounding components, creating visible markings that indicate connector locations. This visual contrast allows assembly operators to quickly identify connector positions without needing to closely inspect the circuit board, thereby improving assembly efficiency while maintaining the space-optimized connector placement.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the connector assembly into two distinct parts: the connector itself attached to the circuit board, and the insulator protruding into the housing. This segmentation allows the insulator to serve as a separate visual and functional element that guides assembly operations, making connector locations easily identifiable without changing the compact integration of the connector on the circuit board.
3Volume of moving object
If the gap between circuit board and housing is reduced for compactness, then device size decreases, but the risk of insertion abnormalities increases due to limited space for proper cable alignment
Solution Approach 1:
The insulator serves as a mediator that ensures proper alignment between the flexible cable and the connector. By providing a larger, more accessible alignment surface that protrudes into the housing, the insulator guides the cable into the correct position before it reaches the connector. This mediation function maintains connection reliability even though the overall gap between the circuit board and housing is reduced for compactness.
Solution Approach 2:
The insulator provides a preliminary alignment stage before the cable reaches the connector. This beforehand cushioning allows for error correction and proper positioning to occur at the insulator interface, preventing misalignment from propagating to the connector. The insulator effectively cushions against potential insertion abnormalities by providing a forgiving, accessible alignment surface that guides proper cable insertion even in the constrained space of a compact device.
Data Source
AI summary
According to one embodiment, an electronic apparatus includes a housing, a circuit board in the housing, and a connector. The connector includes an opening into which a flexible cable is configured to be plugged. The connector is attached to the circuit board and faces an inner surface of the housing. The circuit board includes a cutout in a position corresponding to a center portion of the opening of the connector.