Elastic Contact Electrical Connector for Solder-Free PCB Alignment
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electrical connectors face issues with empty soldering, poor coplanarity, and negative effects from high soldering temperatures, leading to unreliable connections and alignment challenges with electronic device casings.
Innovation Solution
The electrical connector design features elastic extending arms that establish contact with conductive pads on a circuit board, eliminating the need for soldering and allowing for flexible positioning and precise alignment, thereby enhancing connection reliability and mounting flexibility.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If surface soldering is used to connect terminal tail portions to the circuit board, then electrical connection is established, but empty soldering occurs due to poor coplanarity of tail portions and high temperature damages the electrical performances
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the thermal soldering process with a mechanical elastic contact system. The elastic extending arms provide mechanical pressure to establish electrical contact with conductive pads on the circuit board, eliminating the need for high-temperature soldering and its associated damages.
Solution Approach 2:
The elastic extending arms serve as intermediaries between the connector terminals and the circuit board conductive pads. These arms provide both mechanical support and electrical conduction, replacing the solder joint while maintaining reliable electrical connection.
2Reliability
If straight insert soldering is used to connect lower row terminals to the circuit board, then electrical connection is established, but the electrical connector cannot be precisely aligned with the casing opening due to manufacturing tolerance
Solution Approach 1:
The elastic extending arms provide dynamic adjustment capability. They can elastically deform to accommodate manufacturing tolerances and enable precise alignment between the connector and casing opening, while still maintaining stable electrical connection after alignment is achieved.
3Stability of the object's composition
If terminal tail portions are rigidly connected to the circuit board, then stable connection is achieved, but mounting flexibility is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The elastic extending arms transition the connection from rigid to dynamic. During assembly, they allow flexible positioning and adjustment for precise alignment. After assembly, they maintain stable electrical contact through continuous elastic pressure, providing both flexibility and stability.
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 elastic contact method reduces the risk of solder cracking, improves connection reliability, and enables precise alignment with electronic device openings, providing enhanced mounting flexibility and electrical performance.
Implementation Method 1
an elastic extending arm extending rearwards from the fixed portion and extending out of the base, the plate-like extending arm is exposed on the first mating surface of the tongue, the elastic extending arm is received between the two side walls
Data Source
AI summary
An electrical connector has an insulative body, a group of first conductive terminals and a group of second conductive terminals fixed to the insulative body, a grounding metal plate and an outer shielding shell. A front part of the shell forms a first mating cavity and a rear part of the shell forms a second mating cavity. An insertion space is formed between elastic extending arms of the first terminal group and elastic extending arms of the second terminal group. An electrical connector combination, which includes the electrical connector and a circuit board, is further provided. An inserted portion of the circuit board can be correspondingly inserted into the insertion space and can be elastically interposed by the elastic extending arms of the first terminal group and the elastic extending arms of the second terminal group so as to be correspondingly electrically connected.