Floating Circuit Board Connector with Overlapping Elastic Terminals
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing circuit board electrical connectors face challenges in ensuring a sufficient spring length without increasing the connector's size, particularly in the width direction, due to the positioning of elastic portions which can lead to an enlarged connector when multiple wavy portions are used.
Innovation Solution
The circuit board electrical connector design includes terminals with fixed and movable housings, where the elastic portions are positioned differently in the height direction and partially overlap in the width direction, incorporating inclined portions to disperse stress and minimize size increase while maintaining a large spring length.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Length of moving object
If multiple wavy portions are used in the elastic portion to ensure sufficient spring length, then the floating functionality is improved, but the connector size increases in the width direction
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dimensionality change by positioning elastic portions at different heights in the connector height direction, allowing them to overlap in the width direction. This vertical stacking approach converts a width-directional layout problem into a height-directional arrangement, enabling sufficient spring length through multiple elastic portions without increasing connector width. The elastic portions are arranged at different heights while overlapping in the width direction, effectively utilizing the height dimension to resolve the space conflict.
2Length of moving object
If multiple wavy portions are used in the elastic portion, then the floating functionality is improved, but the stress concentration increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies segmentation by dividing the elastic portion into multiple separate wavy portions positioned at different heights. Each wavy portion independently provides elastic deformation capability, distributing the stress across multiple segments rather than concentrating it in a single continuous elastic structure. This segmentation allows the spring length to be extended through multiple portions while each portion bears a portion of the stress, reducing overall stress concentration.
Solution Approach 2:
By arranging elastic portions at different heights in the vertical direction, the patent distributes stress across multiple spatial levels. This vertical arrangement allows stress to be dispersed through the height dimension, preventing stress concentration that would occur if all elastic portions were arranged in a single plane. The overlapping width-directional arrangement combined with height-directional separation creates a three-dimensional stress distribution pattern.
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 allows for a sufficient spring length without increasing the connector's size in both width and height directions, enhancing floating functionality and minimizing stress concentration.
Implementation Method 1
the intermediate portion includes a plurality of elastic portions reversed by repeating a bending direction in a connector height direction
Data Source
AI summary
A circuit board electrical connector includes: plurality of terminals; fixed housing fixed to a circuit board via the terminals; and a movable housing relatively movable with respect to the fixed housing, in which the terminals are provided to be bridged between the fixed housing and the movable housing, the terminals include fixed side held portion held by the fixed housing, a movable side held portion positioned on an inner side in a connector width direction than the fixed side held portion and held by the movable housing, and an elastically deformable intermediate portion positioned between the fixed side held portion and the movable side held portion, the intermediate portion includes a plurality of elastic portions reversed by repeating a bending direction in a connector height direction, and the specific elastic portion of the plurality of elastic portions is positioned to he different in the connector height direction from another elastic portion and positioned to have a range overlapping in the connector width direction.