Female Connector Floating Structure Reducing Component Count
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional female connectors require a large number of components for their floating structure, including mounting holes, bosses, and screws, which complicates the design and increases the number of parts.
Innovation Solution
A female connector design featuring a guide with rails that allow the male connector to float along a specific direction, utilizing a shaft and support holes to achieve floatability with a reduced number of components, including support portions and a through hole in the female body.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a conventional floating structure with mounting holes, bosses, and screws is used, then the female connector achieves floatability, but the number of components increases and design complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple components (mounting holes, bosses, and screws) into a single integrated floating structure. The floating structure includes a first floating portion with a first through-hole and a second floating portion with a second through-hole, connected by a connecting portion. This integration maintains the floatability function while reducing the total number of components and simplifying the design.
2Reliability
If a conventional floating structure with multiple components is used, then the female connector achieves floatability, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The floating structure is designed as an integrated component where the first floating portion, second floating portion, and connecting portion form a unified structure. This merging reduces manufacturing steps by eliminating the need to separately produce and assemble multiple discrete components (mounting holes, bosses, screws), thereby simplifying the manufacturing process while maintaining floatability.
3Stability of the object's composition
If the female body is fixed rigidly, then structural stability is improved, but the ability to float and absorb misalignment is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a dynamic floating structure that allows relative movement between the first and second floating portions through the connecting portion. This dynamic design enables the female connector to adapt to misalignment and absorb dimensional variations while maintaining overall structural stability. The floatability is achieved through the coordinated movement of multiple floating portions rather than a completely rigid structure.
Data Source
Figure 1A
Figure 1B
Figure 1C
AI summary
The invention provides a female connector equipped with a floating structure consisting of a reduced number of components. A female connector (C1a) includes a guide (110a), a pair of support portions (120a), a female body (200a), female terminals (300a), and a shaft (400a). The guide (110a) can guide a male connector (C1b) in a Y-Y' direction such that the male connector (C1b) is floatable along the X-X' direction. The support portions 120a are provided on the Y-direction side relative to the guide (110a), and are spaced in the X-X' direction. The female body (200a) is insulative and disposed between the support portions (120a). The female terminals (300a) are held in the female body (200a). The shaft (400a) is received in support holes (121 a) of the support portions (120a) and through holes (211 a) of the female body (200a), and supports the female body (200a) such that the female body (200a) is movable in the X-X' direction relative to the support portions (120a).