Electrical Connector Terminal Edge Formation and Burr Control

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing electrical connectors for chip modules suffer from material wastage, reduced strength, and burrs that can scratch the chip module, leading to unstable electrical connections.

Innovation Solution

An electrical connector design featuring terminals with one side formed by tearing and the other sides by blanking, ensuring burrs are on the same surface, reducing material waste and enhancing strength, and incorporating a strip connecting portion with a notch and oblique orientation to improve connection stability.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Manufacturing precision

If both opposite sides of the first arm are formed by blanking the strip, then the manufacturing precision is improved, but the loss of substance increases and the strength decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveedge quality of first armVSAvoidstrip material waste

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSLoss of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent divides the formation method into two segments: one side of the first arm is formed by blanking (for high precision) and the other side is formed by tearing (for material efficiency). This segmentation allows each side to be optimized for its specific function, resolving the contradiction between precision and material waste.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Different quality requirements are applied to different sides of the first arm. The blanking side receives high-precision treatment while the tearing side accepts lower precision. This local differentiation resolves the contradiction by applying precision only where necessary while saving material where possible.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

2Manufacturing precision

If both opposite sides of the first arm are formed by blanking the strip, then the manufacturing precision is improved, but the strength at connection location decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveedge quality of first armVSAvoidstrength at connection location

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the first arm into two sides with different formation methods. The tearing side maintains better material continuity and fiber structure, preserving strength at the connection location, while the blanking side provides precise edge quality where needed.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies different local qualities to different sides of the first arm: the tearing side is optimized for strength and material integrity, while the blanking side is optimized for dimensional precision. This resolves the contradiction by not uniformly applying blanking to both sides.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

3Ease of manufacture

If one side of the second arm is formed by blanking and the other side by tearing, then the ease of manufacture is improved, but object-generated harmful factors increase due to burrs on different surfaces

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemanufacturing process flexibilityVSAvoidburr-induced scratching of chip module

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent intentionally creates asymmetric burr distribution by forming one side of the second arm by blanking and the other by tearing. The asymmetry is controlled so that burrs are concentrated on the non-contact side, preventing them from scratching the chip module while maintaining manufacturing flexibility.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #4Asymmetry

Solution Approach 2:

The patent converts the potentially harmful burrs generated by tearing into a beneficial arrangement by orienting them away from the chip module contact surface. The tearing process still provides manufacturing efficiency, but the burrs are positioned to serve no harmful function, thus converting a harm into an acceptable or even beneficial outcome.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

4Manufacturing precision

If two opposite sides of the second arm are both formed by blanking the strip, then the manufacturing precision is improved, but the ease of manufacture decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveedge quality of second armVSAvoidmanufacturing process complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of uniformly blanking both sides of the second arm as conventional practice, the patent inverts the approach by using tearing for one side and blanking for the other. This inversion maintains sufficient precision where needed while significantly improving ease of manufacture and reducing costs where high precision is less critical.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

Data Source

PatentUS10559901B2Electrical connector

Publication Date: 2020.02.11 LOTES

AI summary

An electrical connector, configured to electrically connect to a chip module, includes: a body, used to carry upward the chip module, and provided with multiple accommodating holes; and a plurality of terminals, respectively correspondingly accommodated in the accommodating holes. Each terminal includes a base, a first arm and a second arm, the base is configured to be connected to a strip, the first arm is formed by extending upward from the base, and the second arm is formed by extending upward from the first arm and is configured to abut the chip module. One side of the first arm is formed by tearing from the strip, and two opposite sides of the second arm are both formed by blanking the strip.