Anti-Displacement Socket Ribs for Connector Contact Reliability

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Connector devices face reliability issues due to thermal deformation of synthetic resin housing, leading to poor contact between terminals and flat circuit bodies, especially in miniaturized designs where dimensional margins are compromised, causing potential damage and fitting failures.

Innovation Solution

A connector device design featuring a connector housing with ribs that guide the flat circuit body to a position higher than the terminal contact portion, preventing impingement and ensuring reliable contact, even when the terminal contact portion protrudes into the slider-fitted room, by using a slider with a terminal pressing portion that elastically deforms the terminal contact portion and utilizes an insertion guide to position the flat circuit body correctly.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If the connector housing is made of synthetic resin to reduce weight and cost, then manufacturing cost and weight are reduced, but thermal deformation occurs under high temperature causing poor contact

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemanufacturing costVSAvoidcontact reliability

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The rib structure is pre-formed on the housing to guide the flat circuit body into the correct position before contact is made. This preliminary guiding action prevents misalignment that would occur due to thermal deformation of the synthetic resin housing, ensuring reliable contact despite the material's thermal expansion characteristics.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The rib acts as an intermediary element between the housing and the flat circuit body. It provides a mechanical reference that compensates for the housing's thermal deformation, ensuring that the flat circuit body is correctly positioned relative to the terminal contact portion regardless of housing dimensional changes.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Volume of moving object

If the connector is miniaturized to reduce size, then device compactness is improved, but dimensional margins are compromised leading to fitting failures

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveconnector sizeVSAvoidfitting reliability

Core Design Contradiction:

Volume of moving objectVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of uniformly scaling down the entire connector, the rib structure provides localized geometric constraints at critical positions. This allows the connector to be miniaturized overall while maintaining sufficient dimensional margins at the contact interface through the rib's guiding geometry.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The rib provides preliminary positioning that compensates for reduced dimensional margins in miniaturized designs. By guiding the flat circuit body into the correct position before contact, the rib ensures reliable fitting even when overall connector dimensions are reduced.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Reliability

If the terminal contact portion protrudes into the slider-fitted room to improve contact, then contact reliability is improved, but impingement on the flat circuit body occurs causing damage

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecontact reliabilityVSAvoidmechanical damage

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The rib provides preliminary guidance that positions the flat circuit body correctly before the terminal contact portion makes contact. This prevents the terminal from impinging on the flat circuit body during insertion, even when the terminal protrudes into the slider-fitted room to improve contact reliability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The rib acts as an intermediary that mediates between the protruding terminal contact portion and the flat circuit body. It ensures that the flat circuit body is correctly positioned before contact occurs, preventing mechanical damage while allowing the terminal to protrude for improved contact reliability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

Ensures high reliability of the connection between the flat circuit body and terminal, preventing damage and ensuring proper contact, even under thermal deformation, while maintaining a safety factor in the dimensional relationship between the terminal and housing, thus addressing the challenges of miniaturization.

Implementation Method 1

the terminal contact portion is elastically deformed backward in the terminal accommodation room by the pressing force

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectElastic deformation: Elasticity

Implementation Method 2

the contact protuberance comes into press contact with the contact of the flat circuit body by means of an elastic recovery force

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectElastic recovery: Elasticity

Data Source

PatentUS9236686B2Electrical connector assembly having anti-displacement socket ribs

Publication Date: 2016.01.12 YAZAKI CORP

AI summary

A connector device includes a connector and a slider to be inserted into the connector. A connector housing of the connector has a rib configured to come into contact with a position corresponding to a depression between contacts of a flat circuit body before a top end of the flat circuit body reaches a position of a top end of a terminal and guide the top end of the flat circuit body to a position higher than the top end of the terminal in a process of inserting an insertion guide portion.