Electrical Connector With Segmented Spacer For Axial Lead Components
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Solution Overview
Problem
Electrical connectors conforming to standards like USB face challenges in accommodating axial lead components due to limited space and the need for multiple insulative housings for varying component sizes and shapes, restricting the types of electronic components that can be housed.
Innovation Solution
An electrical connector design featuring a main body portion with a concave component housing region and a separate spacer with a groove, allowing for the accommodation of axial lead components without significant shape changes, using a single type of inner housing and varying spacers to fit different component dimensions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a small-size low-profile electrical connector is used to maintain compatibility with USB standards, then the connector meets standard requirements, but the usable space for accommodating electronic components becomes extremely small
Solution Approach 1:
The insulative housing is divided into a main body portion and a separate spacer portion. The spacer is formed separately from the inner housing and is attached to the main body portion, creating modular segments that can be configured to accommodate different component sizes while maintaining the overall compact structure required by USB standards.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the insulative housing shape is changed to accommodate different lead-type electronic components, then various components can be housed, but the connector shape must be changed for each component type
Solution Approach 1:
The main body portion of the insulative housing is designed as a universal structure that can accommodate multiple types of lead-type electronic components. By attaching different spacers to the same main body portion, the housing can adapt to various component sizes and shapes without requiring different housing types, thus reducing device complexity while maintaining versatility.
Solution Approach 2:
The spacer is designed to be adjustable and reconfigurable relative to the main body portion. The spacer can be positioned at different locations and orientations to accommodate different component configurations, providing dynamic adaptability without changing the fundamental housing structure.
3Volume of moving object
If chip-type components are used to fit the limited space, then components can be housed, but the connector cannot accommodate lead-type electronic components
Solution Approach 1:
The separation of the insulative housing into main body and spacer segments allows the spacer to be specifically designed to accommodate the lead extensions of lead-type components, while the main body maintains the compact space-efficient structure. This segmentation enables both space efficiency and component type versatility.
Data Source
AI summary
An electrical connector comprises an axial lead component and signal contacts. Each of the signal contacts has a contact area and a base formed opposite from the contact area, which is electrically connected to a lead end of the axial lead component. An insulative inner housing has a main body portion that receives the signal contacts. The main body portion has a substantially concave component housing region proximate the base of the signal contact that receives a main body of the axial lead component. An insulative spacer formed separate from the inner housing is attached to the main body portion proximate the component housing region. The spacer has a groove with a metal terminal plate disposed therein that is electrically connected to another lead end of the axial lead component. The spacer attached to the inner housing is selected according to the dimensions of the axial lead component.