Connector Shell Caulking Insulation Housing Fixing Force
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional connectors with a metal cover over an insulation housing suffer from a backlash between the metal cover and the insulation housing, leading to weak fixing force and potential disconnection under external forces, and require additional height for bending, resulting in a larger connector size.
Innovation Solution
The connector design includes a shell with inward protruding portions and tongue portions that securely caulk the insulation housing, providing a larger width for the second tongue portion to enhance fixing force and prevent disconnection, while maintaining a compact size.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a fine strip of the metal cover is bent into a recess portion of the insulation housing to fix the metal cover, then the metal cover can be fixed to the insulation housing, but a space is created between the fine strip and the recess portion causing backlash and weak fixing force
Solution Approach 1:
The metal cover is divided into multiple fine strips that can be independently bent into the recess portions of the insulation housing. This segmentation allows for better distribution of the fixing force and eliminates the backlash problem by ensuring that multiple contact points provide uniform pressure across the interface between the metal cover and insulation housing.
Solution Approach 2:
The recess portions of the insulation housing are strategically positioned and shaped to match the fine strips of the metal cover. By optimizing the local geometry of both the fine strips and recess portions, the fixing interface achieves maximum contact area and uniform pressure distribution, eliminating gaps and enhancing the overall fixing strength.
2Ease of manufacture
If a specific height is provided in the metal cover to bend the fine strip, then the fine strip can be bent into the recess portion, but the connector size is enlarged
Solution Approach 1:
The fine strips are designed with dynamic bending characteristics that allow them to be easily formed into the recess portions during assembly. The metal cover incorporates flexible regions that enable the fine strips to bend without requiring excessive height, allowing the connector to maintain a compact form factor while still achieving reliable fixation.
3Ease of operation
If the width of the fine strip in the fitting direction is smaller than the width of the recess portion, then the fine strip can be bent into the recess portion, but a space is created causing backlash
Solution Approach 1:
The fine strips are designed with asymmetric width characteristics where the width varies along the length of the strip. The wider portion engages with the recess portion to eliminate gaps and prevent backlash, while the narrower portion allows for easy bending during assembly. This asymmetric design simultaneously achieves ease of operation and reliable fixation.
Data Source
AI summary
A connector includes a shell, a housing, and a plurality of terminals. The shell with a tubular shape has a first opening and a second opening. The housing includes a housing body portion, a holding portion, and a protruding portion. The housing body portion covers the second opening. The holding portion extends from the housing body portion to the first opening and holds the terminals. The protruding portion extends from a rear side of the housing body portion to the second opening side. The shell has first and second tongue portions that extend in a direction perpendicular to a fitting direction of a mating connector. Each of the first and second tongue portions is caulked in the protruding portion from an upper side and a lower side to cover the protruding portion. The second tongue portion has a board connection portion to be connected to a board.