Electrical Connector Shell Pre-Assembly for Positioning Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing Mini SAS receptacle connectors with metal shells have loose and uncontrollable positioning relative to the insulated housing, leading to incorrect guidance of plug connectors and unstable electrical connections due to separate assembly, which complicates mating and assembly to a circuit substrate.
Innovation Solution
An electrical connector design that integrates an insulated housing with a pre-assembled metal shell using a coupling device, featuring specific structural elements like wedge-shaped protruding members, L-shaped bulges, and latching mechanisms to ensure precise alignment and secure assembly, allowing for controlled positioning and improved mechanical support on a circuit substrate.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If the metal shell and insulated housing are assembled separately as individual parts, then the manufacturing process is simpler and more flexible, but the relative position between them becomes loose and uncontrollable, leading to incorrect guidance of plug connectors
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the metal shell and insulated housing into a pre-assembled integrated structure where the metal shell is permanently attached to the insulated housing. This integration ensures fixed relative positioning between the two components, eliminating the looseness and positioning control issues that arise when they are assembled separately, while still allowing for efficient manufacturing through the pre-assembly approach.
2Ease of operation
If the metal shell is soldered to the circuit substrate alone, then the assembly process is straightforward, but the predetermined relative position between the metal shell and insulated housing changes, causing misalignment during connector mating
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-assembling the metal shell and insulated housing into an integrated unit before mounting to the circuit substrate. This pre-assembly establishes the correct relative positioning in advance, so that when the entire assembly is soldered to the substrate, the predetermined relative position between components is maintained, ensuring accurate connector mating without misalignment.
3Ease of manufacture
If the metal shell and insulated housing are not pre-assembled, then the manufacturing process is more flexible and easier to manufacture, but the position between components becomes loose and uncontrollable, affecting electrical connection reliability
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the metal shell and insulated housing into a pre-assembled integrated structure that maintains fixed relative positioning. This merging ensures that the components remain securely positioned during assembly and operation, providing stable electrical connections while allowing for efficient manufacturing through the pre-assembly process.
Data Source
AI summary
An electrical connector (100) includes an insulated housing (1), a number of terminals (2) arranged into two rows and received in the insulated housing respectively and a metal shell (3) pre-assembled with the insulated housing via coupling device. The insulated housing (1) comprises a front wall, a back wall, a bottom wall and a pair of lateral walls interconnecting with the front, the back and the bottom walls to define a hollow. The metal shell (3) comprises a front side, a rear side and a pair of transversal sides joining to the front and the rear sides to define a receiving space (30). The lower section of the receiving space is used for housing the insulated housing and the upper section of the receiving space is adapted for receiving the complementary connector.