Connector Receptacle Cleaning Fixture for In-Place Socket Washing
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Solution Overview
Problem
The buildup of debris and residual flux on the contacts of electrical connectors, particularly within the sockets of female connectors, poses a challenge due to their small size and difficult access, making it hard to clean without exposing surrounding sensitive components to cleaning solutions.
Innovation Solution
A receptacle cleaning assembly comprising a washing fixture with nozzles arranged in a pattern corresponding to the sockets, providing a sealed flow of cleaning solution and negative pressure to prevent spraying, and an optional brush fixture with reciprocating brushes for mechanical abrasion, allowing for cleaning without removing the connector.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If wire brushes are inserted and reciprocated to clean female receptacles, then debris can be dislodged, but the small brush shafts are prone to bending when improperly inserted
Solution Approach 1:
The cleaning device divides the single brush shaft into multiple individual brush shafts, each corresponding to a specific receptacle. This segmentation allows each brush to be independently positioned and inserted, eliminating the bending problem caused by improper insertion of a single long brush shaft while maintaining effective cleaning operation.
Solution Approach 2:
Each brush shaft is tailored to its specific receptacle location, with individual insertion guides and positioning features. This local customization ensures that each brush shaft is properly aligned and supported during insertion, preventing bending while enabling effective cleaning of each receptacle.
2Ease of operation
If solvents are applied to the periphery of the connector with a cloth, then debris near the openings can be swept up, but debris at the openings is funneled and pushed into the receptacles
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of applying solvent from the outside periphery moving inward (which pushes debris in), the cleaning device applies solvent directly inside each receptacle from the bottom up. This inverted approach allows solvent to lift and flush debris outward from the receptacle, reversing the harmful funneling effect and effectively removing debris without pushing it deeper.
3Loss of time
If cleaning is performed on installed connectors, then the connector does not need to be removed, but surrounding sensitive components are exposed to cleaning solutions
Solution Approach 1:
The device segments the cleaning action into individual receptacle-specific zones using separate nozzles and shields for each receptacle. This segmentation contains the solvent flow within each receptacle's boundaries, preventing solvent from reaching surrounding sensitive components while allowing cleaning to proceed on the installed connector without removal.
Solution Approach 2:
Individual shields and positioning features act as intermediaries between the solvent application points and the surrounding environment. These intermediaries direct and contain the solvent flow within the receptacles, protecting nearby sensitive components from solvent exposure while enabling in-situ cleaning operation.
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
Enables thorough cleaning of connector sockets while installed, ensuring each socket is cleaned effectively and preventing exposure of sensitive components to cleaning solutions, with the brush fixture providing additional mechanical removal of debris.
Implementation Method 1
The plurality of nozzles provide a flow of cleaning solution into each of the receptacle sockets
Implementation Method 2
the cleaning solution is supplied with a negative pressure to substantially prevent the spraying of the solution into sensitive components surrounding the fixture and the installed connector
Implementation Method 3
A plunger is operated to reciprocate the aligned brushes within each of the sockets at the same time. The plunger mechanically abraids debris, such as solder flux, and removes the debris through reciprocation.
Data Source
AI summary
A receptacle cleaning assembly for use with electrical connectors includes a receptacle washing fixture having a manifold body with a solution inlet and outlet. A plurality of nozzles, in communication with the solution inlet, are coupled with the manifold body and are arranged in a pattern corresponding to female connector receptacles. An interface seal is coupled with the manifold body. The plurality of nozzles extend through the interface seal, and the interface seal is configured to seal along a face of the connector. At least one solution return passage extends through the interface seal from an exterior of the plurality of nozzles to the solution outlet. An alignment skirt extends from the manifold body, and couples and aligns the connector receptacles with the plurality of nozzles. In another example, the receptacle cleaning assembly includes a receptacle brush fixture including a plurality of reciprocating brushes for use in the female connector receptacles.