Electrical Connector Shielding Plate Integration in One-Shot Molding
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for manufacturing electrical connectors with integrated shielding members are inefficient, as they require separate steps for fixing shielding plates to contacts and subsequent molding with an insulator, leading to increased complexity and potential inaccuracies.
Innovation Solution
A method where contacts and discrete shielding plates are formed from separate carriers, stacked, and then molded with an insulator in a single step to create the insulative housing, simplifying the process and ensuring precise integration.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If shielding plates are fixed to contacts separately before molding, then the shielding member can be integrated with the insulative housing, but the manufacturing process becomes complex and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the shielding plates and contacts into a single integrated carrier structure. The shielding plates are positioned on the carrier and then molded together with the insulative housing in one shot process, eliminating the need for separate fixing steps and reducing manufacturing complexity while maintaining integration precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The shielding plates are pre-positioned on the carrier before the molding process. This preliminary arrangement ensures precise positioning and integration with the insulative housing during the subsequent one-shot molding, avoiding the need for complex post-assembly operations.
2Reliability
If multiple separate steps are used to fix and mold shielding plates, then integration can be achieved, but manufacturing time and efficiency are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the shielding plates, contacts, and insulative housing into a single integrated component through one-shot molding. This eliminates multiple separate manufacturing steps, significantly improving manufacturing efficiency while ensuring structural integrity through the integrated molding process.
Solution Approach 2:
The one-shot molding process allows for continuous manufacturing without interruption. The shielding plates are molded together with the insulative housing in a single continuous operation, eliminating the need for intermediate steps such as separate fixing and assembly operations, thereby improving productivity.
3Ease of manufacture
If shielding plates are molded with contacts in one shot, then manufacturing is simplified, but precise positioning and integration become more challenging
Solution Approach 1:
The shielding plates are pre-positioned on the carrier with precise positioning features before the molding process. This preliminary arrangement ensures that during one-shot molding, the shielding plates maintain accurate positions relative to the contacts and insulative housing, achieving both manufacturing simplicity and positioning accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent incorporates positioning features that extend in multiple dimensions, such as positioning protrusions and recesses, to constrain the shielding plates in three-dimensional space. This multi-dimensional positioning approach ensures precise integration during one-shot molding while keeping the manufacturing process simple.
Data Source
AI summary
A method of making an electrical connector which includes an insulative housing having a tongue with an upper and lower surfaces, a plurality of contacts having respective contacting portions exposed to the upper and lower surfaces of the tongue and having two outermost upper or lower contacts, and a shielding member situated between the upper and lower surfaces of the tongue and overlapping the two outermost upper or lower contacts along a vertical direction perpendicular to the upper and lower surfaces of the tongue is characterized by the steps of: forming the plurality of contacts from a first carrier; forming the shielding member from a second carrier to have the two discrete shielding plates; stacking the first carrier and the second carrier; and molding the plurality of contacts and the two discrete shielding plates with an insulator in one shot.