Connector Design Reducing Thickness via Melt-Fixed Insulating Films

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional connectors with molded housings face challenges in reducing thickness and achieving structural stability due to their stacked structure and adhesive interposition, leading to high processing costs and potential instability of conductive terminal members.

Innovation Solution

A connector design featuring a base member, a cover member with a space in between, and an intermediate member that is melt-fixed to both, allowing the terminal member to be fixedly held between them, formed using laser processing or pressing of sheet members to reduce thickness and enhance stability without the need for mold-based manufacturing.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If a stacked structure with adhesive sheet is used to form the housing, then the connector can be manufactured without mold, but the thickness increases and structural stability deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemanufacturing methodVSAvoidthickness

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSLength of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The adhesive sheet is completely removed from the structure. Instead of using adhesive to bond the insulating film members, the terminal members themselves are designed to mechanically interlock with recesses and protrusions formed directly on the insulating film members, eliminating the need for adhesive and reducing thickness.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The housing function and terminal member support function are merged into a single integrated structure where the insulating film members directly form both the housing body and the mounting structures for terminal members, eliminating separate adhesive layers and reducing overall thickness.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

2Ease of manufacture

If a stacked structure with adhesive sheet is used to form the housing, then the connector can be manufactured without mold, but the structural stability of terminal members deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemanufacturing methodVSAvoidstructural stability

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

Recesses are pre-formed on the insulating film members before the terminal members are attached. These recesses are specifically designed to receive and mechanically interlock with protrusions on the terminal members, providing stable positioning and preventing posture instability without requiring adhesive.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The chemical bonding method (adhesive) is replaced with a mechanical interlocking system where recesses and protrusions engage directly, providing more reliable and stable mechanical support for the terminal members while maintaining ease of manufacture.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

3Reliability

If mold-based manufacturing is used for the housing, then structural stability is achieved, but processing cost increases and thickness reduction is difficult

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestructural stabilityVSAvoidprocessing cost

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent uses simple insulating film members that can be easily formed and processed without expensive mold tools. The film members are processed using conventional printing or lamination techniques, avoiding the high cost of mold manufacturing and enabling easier thickness reduction while maintaining sufficient structural stability through the mechanical interlocking design.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

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 enables a reduction in thickness and improves structural stability by eliminating the need for mold-based manufacturing, reducing processing costs and preventing material unfilling and burr formation, while ensuring the terminal members are securely held and electrically connected.

Implementation Method 1

the base member and the cover member are each melt-fixed to the intermediate member

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectMelting: Melting

Data Source

PatentUS8690613B2Connector easily enabling a reduction in thickness and being structurally stable

Publication Date: 2014.04.08 JAPAN AVIATION ELECTRONICS IND LTD

AI summary

A conductive terminal member is disposed at a portion between an insulating base film and an insulating cover film while insulating intermediate members are disposed at other portions therebetween. In this event, the intermediate members are formed in predetermined shapes and are located so as not to overlap the terminal member. The base film and the cover film are each melt-fixed to the intermediate members so that the terminal member is fixedly held between the base member and the cover film and with the terminal member 14 bent to penetrate windows 11b, 11c in the base and cover to form contact portions 14a, 14c.