Floating Connector Housing With Add Member for Vibration Reliability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing connectors face issues such as vibration-induced abrasion due to resonance frequency matching, creep phenomena, stress concentration at bent portions, and increased design costs due to varying connection target dimensions and specifications, especially in vibration environments and right angle floating connectors.
Innovation Solution
The connector design includes a separate add member in the movable housing, which prevents direct pressing by the connection target, allowing for a lighter and more compact structure with a raised resonance frequency, and incorporates a fixed housing to limit excessive displacement and suppress stress concentration at bent portions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the connector uses a floating structure with movable housing to suppress creep phenomenon, then the creep phenomenon is suppressed, but the resonance frequency becomes low causing vibration-induced abrasion
Solution Approach 1:
The terminal is divided into multiple functional portions: a connection portion for mounting to substrate, an intermediate portion with bent parts for deformation, and a contact portion for electrical contact. This segmentation allows each portion to perform its specific function optimally while reducing overall resonance frequency issues
Solution Approach 2:
The intermediate portion includes bent parts with specific curvature radii and thickness variations that change the structural parameters to adjust resonance frequency. The bent parts are designed with controlled deformation characteristics to raise the connector's resonance frequency above the vibration environment frequency range
2Ease of operation
If the terminal includes intermediate portion with bent parts to permit displacement, then displacement is permitted, but stress concentrates at bent portions
Solution Approach 1:
The intermediate portion has non-uniform thickness with thicker regions at the bent parts and thinner regions in between. This local quality variation strengthens the bent portions to resist stress concentration while maintaining flexibility for displacement in the connection direction
3Adaptability or versatility
If the connector design is customized for each connection target variation, then specific requirements are met, but design and manufacturing costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The terminal design with standardized connection portion, intermediate portion with bent parts, and contact portion can be universally applied to various connection targets by adjusting only specific parameters like bent part curvature and thickness, rather than redesigning the entire connector for each application
4Ease of operation
If the movable housing is pressed directly by connection target, then connection is achieved, but creep phenomenon occurs in movable housing
Solution Approach 1:
The add member is introduced as an intermediary component between the connection target and the movable housing. The add member receives the pressing force from the connection target and transmits it to the terminal, preventing direct contact and creep phenomenon in the movable housing while maintaining effective connection
Data Source
AI summary
A connector includes terminals, and a movable housing capable of displacing with respect to a mounting target. The terminals include displacing portions that displace together with the movable housing, and the displacing portions include one side contact portions that contact a connection target from a one-side. The inner connector includes add members retained in the movable housing. The add members include other-side contact portions that contact the relay connector from an other-side. The add members are formed as separate bodies to the terminals.