Electrical Connector Terminal With Indented Curved Contact Surface
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electrical connectors face issues with molten resin adhering to contact portions due to die displacement, leading to unstable contact with mating connectors, as the peripheral terminal edges do not maintain close contact, resulting in gaps that allow resin entry and reduced contact area.
Innovation Solution
The electrical connector features a terminal with an indented contact portion having a curved longitudinal surface that slopes from the side edges to the center, preventing resin entry and ensuring stable contact even with lateral or thicknesswise displacement, utilizing a housing made of insulative material and a metal strip bent in the thicknesswise direction for support.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If the die is displaced from the regular position, then the manufacturing process becomes simpler or more flexible, but the gap between the mold and terminal increases allowing molten resin to enter and adhere to the contact portion
Solution Approach 1:
The contact portion is pre-formed with an indented shape before molding, creating a sloped surface that will automatically prevent resin entry regardless of die position. This preliminary structural preparation ensures that even if the die is displaced during molding, the resin cannot penetrate to the contact portion because the sloped geometry closes the gap progressively.
Solution Approach 2:
The contact portion is given a curved or indented shape with a sloped surface instead of a flat geometry. This curvature creates a progressive closure of the gap between the mold and terminal, making it resistant to resin penetration even when the die position varies during the molding process.
2Area of moving object
If the peripheral edge of the terminal is made very narrow to increase contact portion width, then the contact area with mating terminal increases, but the gap between mold and terminal enlarges allowing resin entry
Solution Approach 1:
The indented shape of the contact portion is established in advance, creating a sloped surface that prevents resin entry. This preliminary structural feature ensures that even with a narrow peripheral edge, the resin cannot penetrate to the contact area, allowing the contact portion to be made wider without compromising protection.
Solution Approach 2:
The curved surface of the indented contact portion creates a geometric barrier against resin penetration. The slope formed by the curvature ensures that resin flowing along the terminal surface cannot reach the contact portion, enabling wider contact areas with narrow peripheral edges.
3Reliability
If the contact portion width is increased to improve contact stability, then the mating terminal contact is more stable, but the peripheral edge becomes narrower reducing resistance to resin entry
Solution Approach 1:
The indented shape is pre-formed on the contact portion, creating a sloped surface that will prevent resin entry. This preliminary structural preparation allows the contact portion to be designed with larger width for stable mating terminal contact, while the slope ensures resin cannot penetrate to the contact area regardless of the peripheral edge width.
Solution Approach 2:
The curved surface geometry of the indented contact portion creates a progressive closure effect that blocks resin penetration. This curvature allows the contact portion to have increased width for stability while maintaining effective protection against resin adhesion through the sloped barrier.
Data Source
AI summary
An electrical connector includes a housing (2) made of an insulative material and a terminal (3) made by bending a metal sheet in its thicknesswise direction and molded together with the housing (2). The terminal (3) has a contact portion (8A) indented from a surface on which a mating terminal (25) slides in its longitudinal direction. The indented contact portion (8A) is made of a curved surface that extends from both side edges (11) of the terminal toward its bottom center.