Electrical Connector Terminal Grooves with Variable Widths
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional circuit board electrical connectors are prone to dust accumulation, leading to short circuits and poor contact between terminals and flat conductive members, due to the lack of a gap between the terminals and the housing groove, which also allows solder and flux to crawl and cause further connection issues.
Innovation Solution
The electrical connector design includes a housing with a gap between the upper and lower opening portions to prevent dust accumulation and a communicating groove that connects the receiving and housing spaces, ensuring dust is discharged and preventing capillary phenomena that could lead to poor connections.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the housing groove is formed as a slit with the same width as terminal plate thickness, then the terminals are securely held in place, but dust accumulates in the receiving groove and housing groove causing short circuits and poor contact
Solution Approach 1:
The housing groove is divided into two distinct portions: a first portion with a first width equal to the terminal plate thickness for secure holding, and a second portion with a second width greater than the terminal plate thickness to prevent dust accumulation. This segmentation allows each portion to fulfill its specific function independently.
Solution Approach 2:
Different widths are applied to different portions of the housing groove based on local functional requirements. The first portion has a narrow width for secure terminal holding, while the second portion has a wider width for dust prevention, creating local quality variations that address different problems in different locations.
2Reliability
If the housing groove is formed as a tight slit, then the terminals are firmly constrained, but solder and flux crawl up through capillary phenomenon reaching contact sections and causing poor connection
Solution Approach 1:
The housing groove is segmented into a first portion for terminal constraint and a second portion with increased width that acts as a barrier to capillary action, preventing solder and flux from reaching the contact sections while maintaining firm terminal constraint in the first portion.
Solution Approach 2:
The second portion of the housing groove with greater width serves as an intermediary structure that blocks the capillary path between the terminal and the upper opening portion, preventing harmful substances from reaching critical areas while allowing the terminal to remain firmly held.
3Device complexity
If the lower opening portion is fully occupied by terminals, then the housing structure is compact, but dust falling through the upper opening accumulates and sticks to terminals causing short circuits
Solution Approach 1:
The housing groove width is segmented such that the first portion fits the terminal dimensions for compact structure, while the second portion provides additional width to create a gap that prevents dust adhesion, resolving the contradiction between compactness and dust prevention.
Solution Approach 2:
The housing groove exhibits local quality variation where the width changes from the first portion to the second portion, providing compact terminal holding in the first portion and dust-resistant characteristics in the second portion.
4Manufacturing precision
If no gap exists between terminal plate surfaces and housing groove, then the terminal positioning is precise, but capillary phenomenon allows solder and flux to crawl up to contact sections
Solution Approach 1:
The housing groove is segmented into a first portion with width equal to terminal plate thickness for precise positioning, and a second portion with greater width that interrupts capillary action, allowing precise positioning without enabling harmful fluid crawling.
Solution Approach 2:
Different width characteristics are applied locally within the housing groove: the first portion provides precise terminal positioning with tight fit, while the second portion provides a wider gap that prevents capillary action, achieving both precision and protection against harmful substances.
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
The solution effectively prevents dust from adhering to terminals, reducing the risk of short circuits and ensuring reliable contact between terminals and the flat conductive member, while also preventing solder and flux from reaching the contact sections, thus maintaining a stable connection.
Implementation Method 1
solder and flux may crawl up through a capillary phenomenon between the housing groove and the plate surfaces of the terminals
Data Source
AI summary
A circuit board electrical connector to be disposed on a circuit board includes a housing and a plurality of terminals arranged in the housing. The housing includes a receiving space with an upper opening portion to receive a flat conductive member and a housing space with a lower opening portion that communicates with the receiving space. Each of the terminals has a connecting section and a contact section. The circuit board electrical connector has a portion to house a middle section of the terminal between the connecting section and the contact section. The portion is a region includes a range that overlaps at least with the upper opening portion and lower opening portion when viewed from an upper side, and is made wider at a gap between an inner surface of the housing space and the terminal than a gap other than the region.