Surface-Mount Connector Reinforcement Plate Layout for Locking Strength
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Solution Overview
Problem
Surface mount connectors with terminals in two rows face challenges in achieving reduced material costs while maintaining sufficient locking strength across different mounting forms, as existing reinforcement metal pieces are often too large or poorly positioned, leading to inadequate locking in straight mounting forms and increased material usage.
Innovation Solution
The use of reinforcement plates with a width approximately half that of the substrate side housing, which can be mounted differently depending on the mounting form, ensuring proper fixation and locking strength in both straight and right-angle configurations, and allowing for common usage across different mounting forms.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If a reinforcement metal piece with the same size as the side wall of a substrate side housing with terminals arranged in two rows is used, then the locking strength in right-angle mounting form is improved, but the material cost increases and the reinforcement metal piece cannot be commonly used with one-row terminal connectors
Solution Approach 1:
The side wall of the substrate side housing is divided into a front side and a rear side. The reinforcement metal piece is positioned only on the front side, which has substantially the same width as the side wall, while the rear side has no reinforcement metal piece. This segmentation allows the reinforcement metal piece to provide sufficient locking strength for right-angle mounting while maintaining compatibility with one-row terminal connectors and reducing material usage.
2Strength
If a reinforcement metal piece with the same size as the side wall of a substrate side housing with terminals arranged in two rows is used, then the locking strength is improved, but the reinforcement metal piece cannot be commonly used across different mounting forms without increasing material costs
Solution Approach 1:
The side wall is segmented into front and rear portions, with the reinforcement metal piece placed only on the front side. This positioning allows the same reinforcement metal piece to be universally applied to both one-row and two-row terminal connectors, as well as to both straight and right-angle mounting forms, thereby achieving versatility without increasing material costs.
3Quantity of substance
If the reinforcement metal piece is disposed on the side closer to the surface of the printed board in right-angle mounting form, then material cost is reduced by using a common reinforcement metal piece, but the locking strength against unlocking operation force and cable tension is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The side wall is divided into front and rear sides, and the reinforcement metal piece is strategically positioned only on the front side with substantially the same width as the side wall. This segmented positioning ensures that the reinforcement metal piece provides sufficient locking strength against unlocking operation forces and cable tensions while allowing the use of a common, cost-effective reinforcement metal piece design.
4Quantity of substance
If the substrate side housing is not fixed to the printed board through the reinforcement metal piece on the lock part side in straight mounting form, then material cost is reduced, but the locking strength against unlocking operation force and cable tension is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The side wall is segmented into front and rear sides, with the reinforcement metal piece positioned only on the front side. In straight mounting form, this positioning ensures that the lock part, which is provided on the front side of the substrate side housing, is properly fixed to the printed board through the reinforcement metal piece, providing sufficient locking strength while avoiding unnecessary material usage on the rear side.
Data Source
Figure 1
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AI summary
In order to achieve a reduction in material costs and a sufficient locking strength at the same time by using a reinforcement plate commonly usable for connectors in different forms, a connector includes: a box-shaped substrate side housing 12 containing a terminal mount wall 14 extending in a plane defined by mutually orthogonal X and Y axes and four side walls 16, 18, 20, 22; and terminals 30, 32, 34, 36 arranged in two rows, the rows being apart from each other in an X axis direction, such that the terminals in each row are in alignment with one another in a Y axis direction, wherein the four side walls 16, 18, 20, 22 consist of two first side walls 16, 18 which are separated from each other in the X axis direction, and two second side walls 20, 22 which are separated from each other in the Y axis direction, wherein a lock part 60 is provided on one of the two first side walls 16, 18 for detachably locking a plug housing 72 in an inserted position, wherein, on each of the second side walls 20, 22, a first reinforcement plate mount part 46 and a second reinforcement plate mount part 48 are provided at two different positions apart from each other in the X axis direction, and a reinforcement plate 62 is allowed to be mounted to each of the two first and the two second reinforcement plate mount parts 46, 48, and wherein the reinforcement plates 62 mounted to the first reinforcement plate mount parts 46 and/or the second reinforcement plate mount parts 48 have respective outer edges which abut and are fixed to the printed board 100.