Electrical Connector Symmetrical Post Design Thermal Expansion
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional electrical connectors experience asymmetrical expansion under heat, affecting the alignment and mounting reliability due to differences in alignment pins and mounting legs' positions and configurations.
Innovation Solution
An electrical connector with a symmetrical arrangement of alignment/mounting posts, where the first and second upper and lower posts are dimensionally and configurationally the same in a vertical direction, ensuring even expansion and precise positioning.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional alignment pins and mounting legs are used with different positions and configurations, then the connector can be manufactured with standard asymmetric designs, but the connector experiences asymmetrical expansion under heat affecting alignment and mounting reliability
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies asymmetry in reverse - it uses symmetry to solve an asymmetry problem. By making the upper and lower posts symmetrical in configuration and dimensions, the connector achieves uniform thermal expansion behavior, eliminating the asymmetrical expansion issues caused by traditional different designs of alignment pins and mounting legs.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the dimensional parameters of the posts by making them identical in length and configuration for both upper and lower posts. This parameter standardization ensures that both posts expand uniformly under thermal stress, maintaining alignment precision and mounting reliability under heated conditions.
2Ease of manufacture
If alignment pins and mounting legs have significantly different positions and configurations, then manufacturing can proceed with standard designs, but the inherent expansion occurs in an asymmetrical manner under heat affecting reliability
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies asymmetry in reverse - it uses symmetry to solve an asymmetry problem. By making the upper and lower posts symmetrical in configuration and dimensions, the connector achieves uniform thermal expansion behavior, eliminating the asymmetrical expansion issues caused by traditional different designs of alignment pins and mounting legs.
Solution Approach 2:
The upper and lower posts are designed with identical configurations, allowing them to serve similar functions - both alignment and mounting purposes. This universal design simplifies manufacturing while ensuring reliable performance under thermal conditions.
3Manufacturing precision
If traditional asymmetric alignment pins and mounting legs are used, then the connector structure can be simpler to design, but the positions and configurations cause asymmetrical expansion affecting alignment precision
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies asymmetry in reverse - it uses symmetry to solve an asymmetry problem. By making the upper and lower posts symmetrical in configuration and dimensions, the connector achieves uniform thermal expansion behavior, eliminating the asymmetrical expansion issues caused by traditional different designs of alignment pins and mounting legs.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the dimensional parameters of the posts by making them identical in length and configuration for both upper and lower posts. This parameter standardization ensures that both posts expand uniformly under thermal stress, maintaining alignment precision and mounting reliability under heated conditions.
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
Maintains precise alignment and mounting effects even under heated conditions, enhancing the reliability and ease of manufacturing through symmetrical post design.
Implementation Method 1
when the housing is under a relatively hot condition, the inherent expansion may occur in an asymmetrical manner around the locations of said pair of alignment pins and those of the mounting legs
Data Source
AI summary
An electrical connector socket includes an insulative housing forming a plurality of passageways extending through the opposite top and bottom surfaces of the housing. A plurality of contacts are disposed in the corresponding passageways, respectively. Each of the contacts includes opposite upper and lower contacting sections extending beyond the top surface and the bottom surface respectively. First and second upper posts extend upwardly from the top surface around two opposite corners and are different and spaced from each other diagonally. First and second lower posts extend downward from the bottom surface around the same two opposite corners and are different and spaced from each other diagonally.