Dielectric Part Isolates Connector Pins to Mitigate Arcing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Electrical connector assemblies face increased risk of electrical arching due to imprecise dimensional characteristics in the molding process, leading to gaps between terminal pins and the printed circuit board, which can result in detrimental electrical issues as they carry higher voltages and amperages.
Innovation Solution
A dielectric part with a box-shaped body made from stiff yet resilient material, featuring holes to receive terminal pin portions and projections for enhanced isolation, is integrated between the electrical connector housing and the printed circuit board, eliminating the need for conformal coatings by enveloping and isolating terminal pins from each other.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conformal coating is applied to fill the gap between connector housing and printed circuit board, then electrical arching is mitigated, but device complexity and manufacturing steps increase
Solution Approach 1:
A dielectric part is introduced as an intermediary component between the connector housing and printed circuit board. This dielectric part fills the gap and provides electrical isolation, eliminating the need for conformal coating while maintaining reliability
Solution Approach 2:
The dielectric function is extracted from the conformal coating process and embodied in a separate dielectric part. This allows the electrical isolation function to be achieved through a discrete component rather than a coating process
2Productivity
If plastic molding process is used to manufacture connector housing, then manufacturing efficiency is high, but dimensional precision deteriorates causing gaps
Solution Approach 1:
The gap-filling function is segmented into a separate dielectric part rather than relying on the connector housing to provide precise dimensional characteristics. This allows the molding process to maintain high efficiency while the dielectric part provides the necessary dimensional precision
Solution Approach 2:
The dielectric part acts as an intermediary that compensates for dimensional imprecision in the molded connector housing, ensuring proper gap filling without requiring higher molding precision
3Area of stationary object
If terminal pins are arranged in juxtaposed manner, then space utilization is improved, but electrical arching risk increases
Solution Approach 1:
The dielectric part serves as a mediator between juxtaposed terminal pins, providing physical and electrical isolation that prevents arching while allowing the pins to remain in space-efficient juxtaposed arrangement
Solution Approach 2:
The dielectric part functions as a flexible insulating barrier that fills gaps between terminal pins, providing electrical isolation similar to how flexible films provide insulation in other electrical applications
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 dielectric part effectively mitigates electrical arching by ensuring terminal pins are isolated, enhancing the dielectric characteristics of the electrical connector assembly and preventing arcing, even under higher voltage and amperage conditions.
Implementation Method 1
respective ones of the terminal pin portions are slidably received in respective ones of the plurality of dielectric part body holes thereby being enveloped by the dielectric part body to isolate the terminal pin portions from one another
Implementation Method 2
fabricated from a stiff yet resilient dielectric material
Data Source
AI summary
A dielectric part is used with an electrical connector housing and a matable connector piece such as a printed circuit board. The electrical connector housing has a plurality of terminal pins secured therein with terminal pin portions extending from the electrical connector housing. The dielectric part includes a box-shaped dielectric part body that is fabricated from a stiff yet resilient dielectric material and has a plurality of dielectric part body holes sized and arranged to slidably receive the terminal pin portions. When the electrical connector housing and the matable connector piece are releasably connected together, the dielectric part body is disposed between the electrical connector housing and the matable connector piece and the terminal pin portions are slidably received in the plurality of dielectric part body holes thereby being enveloped by the dielectric part body to isolate the terminal pin portions from one another. An electrical assembly is also described.