Floating Electrical Connector Boss Guide Mechanism
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional floating electrical connectors face issues where pin bodies contact the inner surfaces of through-holes during vertical movement, leading to metal plating peeling off and increased costs due to widespread plating requirements.
Innovation Solution
The design incorporates tubular bosses protruding from the fixed housing with second through-holes that allow pin bodies to be inserted, ensuring the pin bodies do not contact the inner surfaces of the movable housing's through-holes, even during vertical movement, thus preventing plating damage and reducing plating costs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the pin bodies are inserted through the movable housing with a small clearance, then the movable housing can move vertically to accommodate positional deviation, but the metal plating on the pin bodies peels off due to contact with the inner circumferential surfaces of the through-holes
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary structure (the boss with through-hole) between the pin body and the movable housing's first through-hole. This boss acts as a mediator that guides the pin body, preventing direct contact between the pin body and the inner circumferential surface of the first through-hole, thereby eliminating plating peeling while maintaining vertical movement capability
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the guidance function into two separate components: the first through-hole in the movable housing for vertical movement, and the second through-hole in the boss for lateral guidance. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function without interfering with the other, preventing plating damage while maintaining adaptability
2Reliability
If metal plating is applied to the entire pin body including the tip, then the plating integrity is maintained, but the manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by restricting metal plating only to the necessary portions of the pin body (the outer circumferential surfaces that require electrical connection and mechanical strength) while leaving the tip portion unplated. The structural design ensures that even without plating on the tip, the pin body maintains sufficient strength and functionality, thereby reducing manufacturing cost while maintaining necessary plating integrity
Data Source
AI summary
A floating connector is disclosed which can avoid a danger that the pin bodies will contact the inner circumferential surfaces of the through-holes formed in the movable housing when the movable housing moves in the vertical direction with respect to the fixed housing. In the floating connector, the fixed housing comprises a housing main body that fastens the terminal sections of the contacts in place and tubular bosses that protrude from the housing main body. The second through-holes through which the pin bodies are inserted into are formed so as to pass through both the housing main body and bosses, and the inner diameter of the first through-holes in the movable housing through which the pin bodies 40 are inserted allows the bosses to be inserted and also allows the movable housing to move upward and downward with respect to the fixed housing, so that the bosses are inserted into the first through-holes.