Electrical Connector Lock Fitting with Reinforcing Bottom Portion
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electrical connectors for circuit boards face issues with lock fittings that are prone to deformation and damage due to excessive extraction forces, leading to inadvertent removal of the mating connector.
Innovation Solution
The electrical connector design incorporates lock fittings with lock plate portions retained on the housing's lateral and end walls, upright face-reinforcing plate portions on the protruding wall, and connecting bottom portions that provide mutual reinforcement, preventing elastic displacement and protecting against excessive extraction forces.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If lock fittings are made with cantilever configuration for easy displacement, then ease of operation is improved, but reliability deteriorates due to deformation and damage under excessive forces
Solution Approach 1:
The lock fitting is divided into multiple functional segments: a base portion retained on the housing, lateral wall-adjacent lock arm portions for engagement, end wall-adjacent lock arm portions for locking, and connecting bottom portions. This segmentation allows each part to perform its specific function while distributing stress, preventing deformation under excessive forces while maintaining operational ease.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention merges multiple functions into the lock fitting structure: retention on the housing, lateral wall engagement, end wall locking, and force distribution. By combining these functions into a single integrated component rather than separate elements, the lock fitting achieves both ease of operation and reliability under excessive forces.
2Device complexity
If lock fittings are retained only at base portions, then device complexity is reduced, but strength deteriorates due to insufficient support against extraction forces
Solution Approach 1:
The lock fitting employs local quality by providing retention at specific critical locations: the base portion retained on the housing, the lateral wall-adjacent portions engaged with lateral walls, and the end wall-adjacent portions locked to end walls. This selective retention at strategically important locations provides maximum strength against extraction forces without unnecessarily increasing overall device complexity.
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
This design effectively prevents deformation and damage to the lock plate portions, maintaining the locked state and preventing inadvertent removal of the mating connector, even under excessive extraction forces.
Implementation Method 1
the lateral wall-adjacent lock arm portions and end wall-adjacent lock arm portions are made elastically bendable in the sheet thickness direction
Data Source
AI summary
To provide an electrical connector for circuit boards having lock fittings designed to reliably prevent damage to lock portions and inadvertent removal of mating connectors. The lock fittings have lock plate portions that extend along the inner surface of the lateral walls of the housing and are retained in place on said lateral walls, or which extend along the inner surface of the end walls and are retained in place on said end walls; upright face-reinforcing plate portions that extend along the upright faces of the protruding wall of the housing facing said lock plate portions and are retained in place on said protruding wall; and connecting bottom portions that extend along the bottom wall and connect the bottom wall-adjacent end portions of the lock plate portions and the upright face-reinforcing plate portions.