Floating Connector Module for Blind PCB Alignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electronic device connections face misalignment and installation errors due to obstructed visibility of plugs and sockets, leading to potential damage and poor alignment accuracy during electrical connections.
Innovation Solution
A connector module comprising a first and second circuit board, a flexible connecting member, and a floating plug with guiding columns and slots, allowing for precise alignment and compensation of installation errors through a floating mechanism and elastic components for secure and accurate plugging.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the plug is plugged into the socket blindly without visibility, then the operation can be performed without visual assistance, but the alignment accuracy deteriorates and misalignment occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces guiding columns and guiding slots as intermediary structures between the plug and socket. These guiding structures serve as mediators that automatically align the plug and socket during insertion, eliminating the need for visual alignment while ensuring high precision connection.
Solution Approach 2:
The guiding columns and guiding slots are pre-configured in specific positions and orientations before the plugging operation. This preliminary arrangement of guiding structures ensures that when the plug is inserted, the alignment process occurs automatically without requiring visual assistance or manual adjustment during the operation.
2Ease of manufacture
If the positions of the two electronic devices are fixed, then the installation is simplified, but the alignment between plug and socket cannot be ensured due to installation errors
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a floating plug design that allows the plug to move dynamically within a certain range during insertion. The floating mechanism enables automatic adjustment and compensation for position deviations, maintaining alignment precision even when the electronic devices are fixed in position with potential installation errors.
Solution Approach 2:
The floating plug structure changes the positional parameters of the plug relative to the socket during insertion. By allowing the plug to float and adjust its position, the system compensates for installation errors and maintains optimal alignment without requiring precise fixed positioning of the electronic devices.
3Manufacturing precision
If the plug and socket are aligned precisely, then the connection accuracy is improved, but the complexity of the connector structure increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the connector into distinct modular components: guiding columns on the plug, corresponding guiding slots on the socket, and a floating mechanism. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function independently while contributing to overall alignment accuracy, making the complex alignment function manageable through modular design.
Solution Approach 2:
The guiding columns are nested within the plug body, and the guiding slots are integrated into the socket structure. The floating mechanism is contained within the plug assembly. This nesting approach consolidates multiple alignment and positioning functions into compact integrated structures, reducing overall complexity while maintaining precision.
Data Source
AI summary
A connector module includes a first circuit board, a second circuit board, a flexible connecting member, and a floating plug. A first connector is provided on the first circuit board. The second circuit board is provided with a second connector and a first guiding hole. The flexible connecting member has a third connector connected to its one end and a fourth connector connected to its another end. The fourth connector is plugged into the first connector. The floating plug is floatingly connected to the first circuit board, where the third connector is arranged within the floating plug. The floating plug is provided with a first guiding column, and the first guiding column is arranged to pass through the first guiding hole to enable the third connector to be plugged into the second connector.