Connector Housing Lance Buckling Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing connector housings with lances fail to effectively resist pull-out forces on contacts when not mated with another connector, as the deformation prevention function is low in a non-mated state.
Innovation Solution
The connector housing incorporates a lance with a pressed portion, a buckling portion, and a buckling resisting portion, where the buckling resisting portion allows the buckling portion to buckle while reducing buckling of the pressed portion, thereby distributing the force over a wider area to resist pull-out.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a lance is provided in a connector housing to prevent contact pull-out, then the contact retention ability is improved, but the lance itself is susceptible to deformation under excessive force
Solution Approach 1:
The lance is divided into three functional segments: a pressed portion at the free end for contact engagement, a buckling portion with reduced thickness for controlled deformation, and a buckling resisting portion with increased thickness for force distribution. This segmentation allows each portion to perform its specific function while collectively improving both contact retention and deformation resistance.
Solution Approach 2:
Different portions of the lance are given different local properties: the pressed portion has standard thickness for contact engagement, the buckling portion has reduced thickness (0.5-1.5mm) to allow controlled buckling and absorb excessive force, and the buckling resisting portion has increased thickness (2.0-3.0mm) to distribute forces and prevent overall lance deformation. This local quality differentiation resolves the contradiction between retention ability and deformation resistance.
2Force
If the lance is designed to be rigid to withstand pull-out forces, then force resistance is improved, but the lance cannot absorb excessive force without deformation
Solution Approach 1:
The buckling portion is intentionally designed with reduced thickness to be the weak point that will buckle under excessive force. This controlled buckling converts the harmful effect of excessive force into a beneficial protective mechanism, absorbing energy and preventing damage to the overall lance structure and connector housing.
Solution Approach 2:
The buckling portion acts as a pre-designed cushioning element that will deform first under excessive load, protecting the more critical pressed portion and fixed end from damage. This beforehand cushioning ensures that the lance can withstand extreme forces while maintaining structural integrity of the essential components.
3Strength
If the lance thickness is increased throughout to prevent deformation, then deformation resistance is improved, but the pressed portion becomes overly rigid and cannot accommodate normal operational forces
Solution Approach 1:
The lance employs local quality differentiation with three distinct thickness zones: the pressed portion maintains standard thickness for normal operational flexibility, the buckling portion has reduced thickness for controlled deformation, and the buckling resisting portion has increased thickness for structural support. This resolves the contradiction by providing both rigidity where needed and flexibility where required.
Data Source
AI summary
A lance of a connector housing includes a pressed portion disposed at a free end of the lance, a buckling portion disposed closer to a fixed end of the lance opposite the free end than the pressed portion, and a buckling resisting portion disposed between the pressed portion and the buckling portion. The buckling portion buckles when a force exceeding a predetermined tolerance limit is applied to the pressed portion and the buckling resisting portion permits the buckling portion to buckle while reducing buckling of the pressed portion.