Floating Connector Assembly for Blind Mating Alignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electrical connector systems face challenges in ensuring reliable mating, especially in blind mating scenarios where proper alignment is difficult to achieve, leading to potential signal degradation or loss.
Innovation Solution
The proposed electrical connector assembly includes a housing with a contact channel and a contact retention latch, coupled with a terminal position assurance (TPA) device that ensures proper positioning of the contact. The assembly also features a support bracket with a pivot frame, X carriage, and Y carriage, allowing the electrical connector to move with six mechanical degrees of freedom for self-alignment during mating.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If the connectors are rigidly fixed in position, then the manufacturing precision of contact positioning is improved, but the ease of operation for blind mating is worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The connector assembly incorporates a floating mating interface that allows dynamic adjustment of the contact position relative to the housing. The contact can move independently within the housing to compensate for misalignment during blind mating operations, while still maintaining precise electrical contact when mated. This dynamic capability resolves the contradiction by enabling both precise manufacturing tolerances and ease of blind mating operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the positional parameter of the contact relative to the housing by introducing a floating mechanism. The contact position is no longer fixed but can vary within a controlled range to accommodate alignment variations during mating. This parameter change allows the connector to adapt to different alignment conditions while maintaining reliable electrical connection.
2Ease of operation
If the connector allows movement for self-alignment, then the ease of operation for blind mating is improved, but the manufacturing precision of contact positioning is worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The floating mating interface provides controlled movement capability that allows the contact to self-align during mating operations. The contact can move within the housing to compensate for misalignment, making blind mating easier while maintaining precise electrical contact through the dynamic adjustment mechanism.
Solution Approach 2:
The connector assembly performs self-alignment through the floating contact mechanism that automatically adjusts the contact position during mating. The system serves itself by compensating for alignment errors without requiring external intervention or complex alignment procedures, thereby improving ease of operation while maintaining contact precision.
3Adaptability or versatility
If a floating mating interface is implemented, then the adaptability to misalignment is improved, but the device complexity is worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The floating mating interface introduces controlled movement capability to the connector assembly, allowing the contact to adjust its position relative to the housing. This dynamic feature enables the system to adapt to misalignment conditions while maintaining reliable electrical connection, directly improving adaptability to accommodate variations in mating alignment.
Data Source
AI summary
A connector assembly includes an electrical connector having a housing and a contact held in a contact channel and terminated to a cable. The housing has a contact retention latch latchably coupled to the contact. The electrical connector includes a TPA device coupled to the housing and movable between a preset position and a set position. The contact retention latch is deflectable when the TPA is in the preset position. The TPA blocks the contact retention latch in the set position to block deflection of the contact retention latch. The connector assembly includes a support bracket supporting the electrical connector. The electrical connector has six mechanical degrees of freedom relative to the support bracket.