Electrical Connector Terminal Assembly Without Welding or Adhesives
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electrical connectors face challenges in miniaturization, manufacturing complexity, and assembly ease, particularly in high-power applications, due to the difficulty in handling and orienting miniature components and the need for multiple components and bonding techniques.
Innovation Solution
A terminal design for electrical connectors featuring conductive finger plates with unique engagement mechanisms and protrusions, allowing for assembly without adhesives or welding, and a housing that retains the terminals through friction fit, reducing components and manufacturing steps.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If miniaturization is pursued to reduce connector size, then the size of the electrical connector is reduced, but the difficulty in handling and orienting components increases
Solution Approach 1:
The terminal is divided into multiple functional segments: a body portion, a finger portion with multiple fingers, and an integrated joining plate. This segmentation allows each part to be optimized independently while maintaining overall compactness, making assembly easier despite miniaturization
Solution Approach 2:
The joining plate is integrated directly into the body portion of the terminal, combining two previously separate components (body and joining mechanism) into one. This reduces the number of parts to handle during assembly while maintaining secure attachment capability
2Reliability
If multiple components and bonding techniques are used to ensure reliability, then the reliability of the electrical connector is improved, but the manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The joining plate integrates multiple functions (mechanical support, electrical connection, and bonding interface) into a single component, eliminating the need for separate bonding elements and reducing assembly steps while maintaining reliable electrical and mechanical connections
Solution Approach 2:
The finger portion naturally provides both electrical contact and mechanical retention through its elastic deformation capability, eliminating the need for additional retention mechanisms or complex bonding processes
3Strength
If traditional bonding techniques are used to assemble terminals, then the structural integrity is improved, but the ease of assembly is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The joining plate is pre-formed with engagement features during terminal manufacturing, so that during assembly, the terminal simply needs to be inserted and the fingers naturally deform to lock into place, providing strong structural integrity without requiring post-assembly bonding operations
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
The design enables robust, easy assembly of high-power connectors with reduced components and steps, facilitating efficient power transfer and signal communication while maintaining structural integrity and ease of use.
Implementation Method 1
a housing that retains the terminals through friction fit
Data Source
AI summary
A method of manufacturing an electrical connector includes (a) inserting a first end of an electrically conductive terminal into a compartment of an insulative housing; (b) inserting joining plates of the terminal into a slot of the compartment; and (c) seating the joining plates in the slot such that portions of lateral edges of the joining plates abut slot endwalls and such that opposite surfaces of the slot prevent the joining plates from separating from each other. The seating of the joining plates includes sliding the joining plates into the slot such that slot ledges of the slot abut protrusions extending from a surface of the joining plates. After the seating of the joining plates, the slot ledges and a slot wall exert a compressive force on the joining plates.