Connector Tin-Plating Oxide Removal Sliding Mechanism
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional connectors with gold-plating films on contact surfaces are costly, and while reducing contact load, they can lead to deteriorated connection reliability due to increased contact resistances caused by oxide films formed on tin-plating surfaces, which are cheaper alternatives.
Innovation Solution
The connector features tin-plating films on contact surfaces and incorporates sliding parts in the second housing to remove oxide films by sliding movements, allowing contact pieces to re-establish contact through newly-generated surfaces, thus reducing manufacturing costs while maintaining connection reliability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If gold-plating films are formed on contact surfaces to reduce contact load, then connection reliability is maintained, but manufacturing cost is elevated
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces expensive gold-plating films with inexpensive tin-plating films on contact surfaces. Although tin plating is more susceptible to oxidation, the design accepts this trade-off by using a disposable/replaceable short-circuit terminal that can be easily replaced during maintenance, making the oxidation issue manageable while significantly reducing manufacturing cost.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the material parameter from gold plating to tin plating, altering the chemical composition and cost characteristics of the contact surface. This parameter change reduces manufacturing cost while the design compensates for the resulting oxidation susceptibility through the replaceable terminal approach.
2Ease of operation
If contact load of contact pieces is reduced to lower fitting force, then ease of assembly is improved, but connection reliability is deteriorated
Solution Approach 1:
The short-circuit terminal with contact pieces is designed as a disposable or easily replaceable component. This allows the contact pieces to be made with lower contact load for easier assembly, while any degradation in connection reliability over time or due to oxidation can be addressed by simple replacement rather than complex repair.
3Ease of manufacture
If tin-plating films are used instead of gold-plating films to reduce cost, then manufacturing cost is reduced, but contact resistance increases due to oxide film formation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent accepts the higher contact resistance caused by tin oxide formation on the short-circuit terminal contact surfaces, but mitigates this issue by making the terminal easily replaceable. During maintenance or when contact resistance increases, the terminal can be replaced with a new one, effectively resetting the contact resistance to low values without requiring complex repair procedures.
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
This configuration reduces manufacturing costs by using tin-plating films while ensuring connection reliability between terminals and short-circuit terminals by removing oxide films through sliding movements, preventing erroneous airbag inflation by maintaining contact integrity.
Implementation Method 1
one or more sliding parts provided in the second housing and positioned ahead of the releasing parts in a fitting direction between the first housing and the second housing to displace the contact pieces thereby allowing the contact pieces to slide on the first terminals
Implementation Method 2
tin plating films formed on respective contact surfaces of the first terminals and the contact pieces coming into contact with each other
Data Source
AI summary
A connector includes a first housing accommodating first terminals, a second housing accommodating second terminals connectable to the first terminals and fittable to the first housing, short-circuit terminals accommodated in the first housing and each having a pair of contact pieces that respectively come in contact with corresponding first terminals adjacent to each other, releasing parts provided in the second housing and configured so as to displace the contact pieces, thereby releasing contacts between the first terminals and the contact pieces, tin plating films formed on respective contact surfaces of the first terminals and the contact pieces coming into contact with each other, and sliding parts provided in the second housing and positioned ahead of the releasing parts in a fitting direction between the first housing and the second housing to displace the contact pieces thereby allowing the contact pieces to slide on the first terminals.