Electric Connector Resin Segmentation for Molding Accuracy

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Solution Overview

Problem

The existing electrical connectors with overlapping contacts face issues of flexural deformation during insert molding, leading to decreased relative positional accuracy and potential conduction failures due to resin leakage.

Innovation Solution

The electrical connector design includes separate resin portions to hold and secure first and second contacts, with a third resin portion covering them, allowing for distinct molding steps to suppress deflection and maintain positional accuracy through the use of predetermined molds.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If insert molding is applied to electrical connector with overlapping contacts, then integration of contacts and housing is achieved, but flexural deformation of contacts occurs during molding

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveintegration of contacts and housingVSAvoidrelative positional accuracy between mid-plate and contact

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The resin portions are divided into multiple separate segments (first resin portion, second resin portion, third resin portion) that are molded separately and then assembled. This segmentation allows each resin portion to be molded independently without causing flexural deformation to the contacts, while still achieving integrated assembly of all components including the mid-plate and contacts.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

2Device complexity

If contacts are held by single resin portion during insert molding, then manufacturing process is simplified, but contact deflection occurs leading to resin leakage

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvenumber of resin portionsVSAvoidpositional accuracy and prevention of conduction failure

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The holding structure is segmented into multiple separate resin portions (first resin portion for first contacts, second resin portion for second contacts, third resin portion for covering). This segmentation prevents contact deflection and resin leakage by providing distributed support, while the separate assembly process maintains manufacturing feasibility.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The first and second resin portions are molded separately in preliminary steps before final assembly. This preliminary action allows the contacts to be secured in their correct positions without undergoing flexural deformation during a single complex molding process, preventing resin leakage and ensuring positional accuracy.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Manufacturing precision

If multiple separate resin portions are used to hold contacts, then positional accuracy is improved, but manufacturing process complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improverelative positional accuracy between conductive member and contactVSAvoidnumber of molding steps

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The manufacturing process is segmented into separate molding steps for each resin portion, allowing precise control of each component. The first resin portion is molded to hold first contacts, then the second resin portion is molded to hold second contacts, and finally the third resin portion is molded to cover and secure all components. This segmented approach achieves high positional accuracy while keeping each individual molding step relatively simple.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentUS11011866B2Electric connector and manufacturing method thereof

Publication Date: 2021.05.18 I PEX INC

AI summary

In an electrical connector, a connecting portion has a first resin holding a lower contact with respect to an intermediate ground plate and a second resin holding an upper contact with respect to the intermediate ground plate and separate from the first resin. Also provided is a third resin covering the first resin and the second resin and separate from the first resin and the second resin. When the electrical connector is manufactured, deflection can be suppressed based on division into a step of forming the first resin and a step of forming the second resin and by means of a mold suppressing deflection of the upper contact and the lower contact.