Electrical Connector Regulating Wall Terminal Retention
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional electrical connectors face issues where terminals may come off due to manufacturing or assembling errors, and the design compromises the strength of the bottom wall and electrical integrity when trying to prevent this, especially when extracting a mating connector.
Innovation Solution
The electrical connector features a terminal with a fitting portion that can elastically deform and includes an engaging portion on its side edge, while the housing has a containing groove with a regulating wall portion that extends in the connecting direction, allowing for secure engagement and preventing terminal dislodgment without compromising the bottom wall's strength or causing electrical conduction.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a conventional terminal design without additional engaging structures is used, then the device complexity is low, but the terminal may come off from the terminal holding wall due to frictional resistance during connector extraction
Solution Approach 1:
The terminal is divided into distinct functional portions: a fitting portion for elastic deformation and contact, a held portion for securing to the housing, and an engaging portion with protrusions for preventing dislodgment. This segmentation allows each portion to perform its specific function effectively while maintaining overall terminal integrity during connector extraction.
Solution Approach 2:
The engaging portion with engaging protrusions acts as an intermediary mechanism between the terminal and the housing. These protrusions engage with corresponding structures in the housing to provide additional retention force, preventing the terminal from coming off during connector extraction without requiring complete redesign of the terminal structure.
2Reliability
If a regulating structure is added to prevent terminal dislodgment, then the terminal retention is improved, but the manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The engaging protrusions are designed with specific dimensional parameters and tolerance ranges that accommodate normal manufacturing variations. The geometry of the protrusions and their engagement surfaces is optimized to provide reliable retention even with typical manufacturing precision levels, reducing the need for extremely tight tolerances while ensuring proper engagement.
3Reliability
If the terminal is designed with high elastic deformation capability, then the contact pressure maintenance is improved, but the terminal may deform excessively during connector extraction
Solution Approach 1:
The terminal is segmented into a fitting portion that handles elastic deformation for contact pressure maintenance and an engaging portion that provides structural stability during extraction. This segmentation allows the fitting portion to deform as needed for electrical contact while the engaging portion with its rigid protrusions prevents excessive overall deformation and dislodgment during connector extraction.
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 terminal dislodgment during connector extraction, even with errors, while maintaining the bottom wall's strength and preventing electrical conduction, thus ensuring reliable connectivity and durability.
Implementation Method 1
the terminal deforms elastically pressed by the mating terminal. Thus, with a contact pressure, the terminal maintains a connecting state thereof with respect to the mating terminal
Implementation Method 2
When the mating connector is disconnected, a frictional resistance is generated at a contacting portion of the terminal and the mating terminal. As a result, the terminal may come off from the terminal holding wall by a force toward an extracting direction of the mating connector generated by the frictional resistance
Data Source
AI summary
A connector to be connected to a mating connector includes a housing having a receptacle recess portion for receiving the mating connector, and a terminal retained in the housing. The housing includes a containing groove extending in a connecting direction for containing a fitting portion of the terminal. The fitting portion of the terminal includes an engaging portion at a side end edge thereof. The containing groove includes a regulating wall portion extending in the connecting direction and located inner side than a position of an edge surface of the engaging portion at the containing groove. The regulating wall portion includes a regulating surface extending in the connecting direction and a width direction of the terminal. When the mating connector is extracted, the regulating surface regulates an elastic deformation of the fitting portion by abutting against and engaging with the engaging portion.