Connector Shell Protrusions for Blind Mating Misalignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Miniaturized electrical connectors are prone to damage during blind mating due to misalignment and improper force application, leading to signal and power transmission failures.
Innovation Solution
The development of electrical connectors with a shell design featuring protrusions and recesses that prevent misalignment and improper force application by ensuring proper orientation and alignment with mating connectors, utilizing a combination of insulative housing and metal terminals.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If electrical connectors are miniaturized to meet demand for smaller portable electronics, then the size and weight of connectors are reduced, but the structural integrity and susceptibility to damage during handling and mating operations deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The connector is divided into distinct functional segments: a shell providing external protection, a housing containing internal components, and internal connector elements. This segmentation allows each part to be optimized independently - the shell and housing provide structural strength while the internal elements remain compact for miniaturization.
Solution Approach 2:
The shell is designed with protrusions that extend beyond the housing to provide beforehand protection. These protrusions act as a cushioning barrier that prevents direct contact between external forces and the fragile internal connector elements, protecting them from damage during handling and mating operations before damage can occur.
2Volume of moving object
If electrical connectors are miniaturized, then the size of connectors is reduced, but the susceptibility to misalignment and misorientation during blind mating operations increases
Solution Approach 1:
The shell incorporates asymmetric protrusions with different configurations on opposite sides. These asymmetric features create a unique geometric signature that allows the connector to be properly oriented during blind mating operations. The protrusions physically prevent insertion in incorrect orientations, ensuring reliable mating even when visual alignment is not possible.
3Reliability
If protrusions are added to the shell, then protection against misalignment and improper force application is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The protrusions on the shell serve multiple functions simultaneously: they provide mechanical protection for internal elements, guide alignment during mating operations, prevent misorientation through asymmetric configuration, and distribute applied forces. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate protective components, thereby limiting the increase in overall device complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
An electrical connector includes an insulative housing, metal terminals, and a shell. The metal terminals are being disposed in the housing such that contact portions of the terminals are exposed in openings of the housing and arranged to contact conductive portions of a mating connector when the electrical connector and the mating connector are mated. The shell surrounds external surfaces of the housing and includes first and second portions having first and second widths, respectively, and a third portion positioned between the first and second portions and having a third width less that each of the first and second widths. The shell also includes multiple protrusions extending outward from an external surface of the shell. The protrusions limit an insertion distance of the mating connector relative to the electrical connector when the mating connector is misaligned with the electrical connector during a mating operation.