Electrical Connector Spacer Cavities Against Coating Inflow
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Solution Overview
Problem
The capillary phenomenon causes insulating coating to flow into the mating space of electrical connectors, leading to contact failures and mating issues due to adhesion within the connector, especially with reduced terminal pitches in downsized connectors.
Innovation Solution
An electrical connector design featuring an insulating spacer with cavities and protruding or recessed traps to prevent coating inflow, combined with a conductive shell, which includes a mechanism to absorb and adhere excess coating, thereby preventing capillary action.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If the terminal pitch is reduced to downsize the connector, then the connector size is reduced, but the capillary phenomenon causes coating to flow more easily into the mating space
Solution Approach 1:
The insulating spacer acts as an intermediary element between the terminal and the mating space. It includes a cavity that serves as a barrier to prevent coating from reaching the terminal, and traps that capture coating before it can enter the mating space through capillary action.
Solution Approach 2:
The cavity and traps are designed to utilize the capillary phenomenon in a beneficial way. The traps are positioned to capture coating that flows along the terminal surface, converting the harmful capillary flow into a controlled adhesion process that prevents coating from entering the mating space.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If the cavity and traps are added to the insulating spacer, then coating inflow is prevented, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The cavity and traps are integrated into the insulating spacer as a single unified structure. The insulating spacer combines multiple functions: electrical insulation, mechanical support, coating prevention cavity, and coating capture traps, reducing the need for separate components.
Solution Approach 2:
The insulating spacer serves multiple functions simultaneously: it provides electrical insulation between the terminal and board, mechanically holds the terminal, prevents coating inflow through the cavity, and captures excess coating through the traps. This multi-functionality reduces overall device complexity.
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
Prevents coating from entering the mating space, ensuring reliable electrical connections by reducing adhesion and maintaining insulation between terminals.
Implementation Method 1
The capillary phenomenon causes insulating coating to flow into the mating space of electrical connectors
Implementation Method 2
The insulating spacer includes a protruding or recessed trap for causing the coating to adhere thereto
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~3
Figure 4
AI summary
An electrical connector includes: an insulating spacer formed including an insulating material; a shell formed including a conductive material, the shell being configured to cover at least a part of the insulating spacer; and a plurality of terminals configured to be held by the insulating spacer. Each of the plurality of terminals includes a contact portion that contacts a terminal of a counterpart connector, and a board connection portion that is connected to a circuit on a board where the electrical connector is mounted, and the insulating spacer includes a cavity for preventing the inflow of a coating along a surface facing the board, between the board connection portion and the contact portion in the surface facing the board.