Electronic Connector Terminal Support for Misalignment Mating
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electrical connectors in data centers face misalignment and tilting issues during mating, leading to unstable contact resistance and reduced current carrying capability due to uneven force distribution on elastic terminals, especially in extreme misalignment conditions.
Innovation Solution
A connector design featuring a housing with a supporting block and spaced terminal assemblies, each with a plate-shaped fixing portion, a terminal portion, and an elastic supporting arm, which abut against the supporting block to provide balanced support and stable contact, even in misalignment, using copper with ordinary stress relief properties.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Force
If the elasticity value of the elastic terminal is reduced to meet low insertion force requirement, then insertion force is improved, but contact stability deteriorates in misalignment conditions
Solution Approach 1:
The terminal assembly is segmented into multiple functional parts: the elastic terminal for contact, the supporting arm for structural support, and the plate-shaped fixing portion for positioning. This segmentation allows each part to perform its specific function optimally - the elastic terminal provides low insertion force while the supporting arm ensures contact stability in misalignment conditions
Solution Approach 2:
The supporting arm acts as an intermediary between the elastic terminal and the housing. It transfers and distributes forces evenly, preventing uneven force distribution on the elastic terminal during misalignment mating, thereby maintaining both low insertion force and contact stability
2Ease of operation
If the elastic terminal is designed for low insertion force, then ease of operation is improved, but contact resistance increases in misalignment conditions
Solution Approach 1:
The design changes the structural parameters of the terminal assembly by introducing the supporting arm and plate-shaped fixing portion. These structural changes enable the elastic terminal to maintain low insertion force while the supporting arm ensures proper force distribution, preventing increased contact resistance in misalignment conditions
3Ease of operation
If conventional terminal design is used to achieve low insertion force, then ease of operation is improved, but current carrying capability reduces in misalignment conditions
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the terminal assembly into elastic terminal, supporting arm, and fixing portion, the design achieves low insertion force through the elastic terminal while the supporting arm and fixing portion ensure stable positioning and force distribution, maintaining current carrying capability in misalignment conditions
Solution Approach 2:
The supporting arm serves as an intermediary that ensures even force distribution during misalignment mating, preventing the uneven force that would otherwise reduce contact reliability and current carrying capability while maintaining ease of insertion
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
Ensures low insertion force, easy insertion, stable contact resistance, and higher current carrying capacity in both conventional and extreme misalignment conditions, while reducing costs through the use of affordable copper materials.
Implementation Method 1
an elastic supporting arm extending from a lower end of the terminal portion adjacent to the plate-shaped fixing portion in a direction inclined to both the first direction and the second direction. The elastic supporting arms of the pair of terminal assemblies abutted against the supporting block
Data Source
AI summary
A connector comprises a housing defining a terminal accommodating portion a supporting block. The connector further includes a pair of terminal assemblies mounted in the terminal accommodating portion and arranged to be spaced apart from each other. Each terminal assembly of the pair of terminal assemblies has a plate-shaped fixing portion extending in a first direction, and a terminal portion extending from the plate-shaped fixing portion in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction. Each terminal assembly further includes an elastic supporting arm extending from a lower end of the terminal portion adjacent to the plate-shaped fixing portion in a direction inclined to both the first direction and the second direction. The elastic supporting arms of the pair of terminal assemblies abutted against the supporting block.