Electrical Connector Terminal Module Segmentation for Assembly Integrity
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electrical connectors face issues with terminal interference and damage during assembly, leading to reduced yield and functionality due to their compact and lightweight design.
Innovation Solution
The electrical connector features a terminal module with sequentially arranged terminal units and a housing with specific seating and hollow-out sections, allowing for quick assembly and snug fitting, which prevents terminal interference and damage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If the electrical connector is designed with small and compact volume and light weight, then the connector achieves better integration and reduced mass, but the terminals become very thin and prone to interference and damage during assembly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the terminal units into separate modules, each comprising terminals mounted on individual supports. These modular terminal units are designed to be sequentially disposed in the housing, allowing for controlled assembly that prevents terminal interference and damage while maintaining the overall compact structure of the connector.
2Weight of moving object
If the terminals are made very thin to reduce weight, then the connector achieves light weight, but the terminals become susceptible to bending and damage during the assembling process
Solution Approach 1:
The terminals are pre-mounted on their respective supports to form complete terminal units before being inserted into the housing. This preliminary assembly ensures proper positioning and protection of the thin terminals, preventing bending and damage during the final assembly process while maintaining the lightweight design.
3Device complexity
If the terminal units are sequentially disposed in the housing during assembly, then the connector achieves compact structure, but the terminal units tend to interfere with one another causing bent or damaged terminals
Solution Approach 1:
The supports serve as intermediary structures that hold the terminals in fixed positions and provide mechanical protection during assembly. The terminal units are designed with specific geometries that guide their sequential insertion into the housing, ensuring proper positioning and preventing interference between adjacent terminals while maintaining compact structure.
Data Source
AI summary
An electrical connector includes a terminal module and a housing receiving the terminal module therein. The terminal module includes a first, a second, a third and a fourth terminal module, which include a first, a second, a third and a fourth terminal unit, respectively. The second and the third terminal unit are located at a distance behind the first and the fourth terminal unit. At least one of the first, the second, the third and the fourth terminal unit includes one ground terminal and two signal terminals arranged on at least one lateral side thereof from an outmost position to two inner positions. The housing includes an upper cover and a lower cover that are connected and closed to each other; the lower cover includes a hollow-out area, in which a connection end of each of the first, the second, the third and the fourth terminal unit is received.