Flexible Cable Connector with Dual Boss-Pin Positioning
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing flexible cable connectors become complex in design when multiple housings and cables are stacked, requiring additional positioning features that complicate the shapes of the housings.
Innovation Solution
A flexible cable connector design featuring first and second housings with boss pins that double as positioning elements for both housings and cables, allowing for simplified shapes by eliminating the need for holes in the cables and providing improved positioning and load distribution.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If multiple housings and cables are stacked to increase the number of poles, then the connector capacity increases, but the housing shapes become complicated due to additional positioning portions
Solution Approach 1:
The boss pins serve dual functions: they act as structural reinforcement elements on the housings and simultaneously serve as positioning elements for both the housings and the flexible cables. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate positioning portions, maintaining simple housing shapes while supporting stacked configurations for increased connector capacity
2Manufacturing precision
If positioning portions are added to housings for stacked assembly, then housing positioning accuracy improves, but the housing shapes become complicated
Solution Approach 1:
The boss pins perform multiple functions simultaneously: they reinforce the housing structure and provide positioning functionality for both housing-to-housing alignment and cable-to-housing alignment. This eliminates the need for additional positioning portions, maintaining simple housing shapes while achieving accurate positioning
Solution Approach 2:
The positioning function is merged with the existing boss pin structure rather than being implemented as a separate feature. The boss pins that would normally only serve structural purposes are enhanced to also provide positioning, combining two functions into a single element
3Manufacturing precision
If holes are formed in flexible cables for positioning, then cable positioning accuracy improves, but cable strength degrades
Solution Approach 1:
The positioning function is extracted from the flexible cable and transferred to the boss pins on the housings. Instead of modifying the cable by forming holes, the positioning features are provided by the boss pins that the cable fits onto, eliminating the harmful effect of hole formation on cable strength while maintaining positioning accuracy
Data Source
AI summary
It is aimed to simplify the shapes of housings. A flexible cable connector is provided with a first housing (27), a second housing (46) to be stacked on the first housing (27), a first flexible cable (40) to be connected to a first terminal fitting (39) mounted in the first housing (27), a second flexible cable (57) to be connected to a second terminal fitting (56) mounted in the second housing (46), first boss pins (37) formed on the first housing (27) for positioning the second housing (46) and the second flexible cable (57) by being passed through the second housing (46) and the second flexible cable (57), and second boss pins (54) formed on the second housing (46) for positioning the first housing (27) and the first flexible cable (40) by being passed through the first housing (27) and the first flexible cable (40).