Miniaturized Electrical Connector With Elastic Front Rear Contacts
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional electric wire-to-substrate connectors face issues with maintaining engagement force due to reduced size and height, leading to unreliable connections when subjected to external forces.
Innovation Solution
The connector design includes a housing with side wall parts, front and rear wall parts, and terminals with front and rear contact parts that are elastically deformable and integrated with the housing, ensuring secure engagement and conduction even in reduced sizes, using a configuration where the front and rear contact parts are disposed in a straight line to maintain contact with the counterpart terminal.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If the size and height of the connector housing are reduced, then the connector can be used in smaller electronic devices, but the engagement maintenance force is reduced leading to unreliable connections
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies elasticity theory to create a dynamic engagement mechanism. The engagement projection is designed with elastic properties allowing it to deform and recover, creating a dynamic locking mechanism that maintains reliable engagement even in miniaturized connectors. The elastic piece deforms during insertion and maintains continuous contact force, adapting to dimensional variations while preserving engagement strength.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the mechanical parameters of the engagement components by introducing elastic deformation capability. The engagement projection and elastic piece are designed with specific material properties and geometric parameters that enable controlled deformation, transforming the rigid engagement mechanism into a flexible one that maintains force despite reduced overall connector dimensions.
2Volume of moving object
If the size of engagement projections and claws is reduced, then the connector housing can be miniaturized, but the engagement maintenance force decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The engagement components utilize elastic deformation to generate and maintain engagement force. The elastic piece is designed to deform during the engagement process, storing elastic energy that continuously exerts force on the engagement projection, ensuring reliable locking even when the overall size of these components is reduced for miniaturization.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent optimizes the material and geometric parameters of the engagement components. By selecting appropriate elastic materials and designing specific cross-sectional dimensions and lengths, the engagement projection and elastic piece maintain sufficient engagement force despite their reduced size, balancing miniaturization requirements with mechanical performance.
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 ensures reliable conduction and mating states in connectors, enhancing their reliability and stability even when reduced in size and height, by utilizing elastically deformable components to maintain contact and prevent disengagement under external forces.
Implementation Method 1
the front contact part and the rear contact part elastically hold the counterpart terminal when the front contact part elastically deforms
Data Source
AI summary
A connector is provided that includes a housing and a terminal installed in the housing. The housing includes a receiving space in which the upper face receiving a counterpart connector is opened, a pair of side wall parts defining at least a portion of both the left and right sides of the receiving space, a front wall part defining at least a portion of the front of the receiving space, and a pair of rear wall parts defining at least a portion of the rear of the receiving space. The terminal includes a front contact part provided on the front of the receiving space so as to be adjacent to each side wall part, and a rear contact part provided on the rear of the receiving space so as to be adjacent to each side wall part. The front contact part and the rear contact part are disposed in nearly a straight line extending in the anteroposterior direction, face each other, and are capable of holding a counterpart terminal of the counterpart connector from the front and rear thereof.