Cantilevered Electrical Connector With Tie Bar
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Solution Overview
Problem
Electrical connectors often require high insertion forces due to normal forces generated between cantilevered beam contacts, leading to undesirable mating difficulties.
Innovation Solution
The design incorporates cantilevered beams with an intermediate portion and a tie bar, separated by dielectric material, and a slot geometry that reduces stress buildup during mating, allowing for lower normal forces.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If cantilevered beam contacts are used to establish electrical connections, then reliable electrical contact is achieved, but normal forces increase the insertion force required to mate connectors
Solution Approach 1:
The contact member is divided into two separate beams instead of a single solid structure. These two beams are spaced apart and connected by a tie bar, creating a segmented structure that reduces the normal force exerted on mating contacts while maintaining electrical connectivity through both beams.
Solution Approach 2:
The contact structure transitions from a single-point or single-line contact to a distributed contact across two separate beams. By spacing the beams apart and connecting them with a tie bar, the force is distributed across multiple contact points and dimensions, reducing the peak normal force at any single point.
2Force
If two beams are spaced apart and connected by a tie bar, then normal force is reduced, but structural complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The two beams and the tie bar are combined into a single integrated contact member structure. This merging of components simplifies manufacturing and assembly compared to using separate parts, while still achieving the force reduction benefit of the spaced-apart beam configuration.
Solution Approach 2:
The contact member structure serves multiple functions: the two beams provide electrical contact and force distribution, while the tie bar provides structural connectivity and positioning. This multi-functional design achieves force reduction without requiring additional separate components for each function.
Data Source
AI summary
An electrical connector system having electrical contacts with reduced normal force is provided. The electrical contacts can define cantilevered beams of extended length, such that normal forces exerted by the electrical contacts on the electrical contacts of a complementary electrical connector are reduced. The beams of the electrical contacts can be coupled by a tie bar that can act to enhance the structural rigidity of the electrical contact.