Floating Connector Divided Housings Spring Stress

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing floating connectors face issues with excessive stress on movable springs due to substrate tilting, leading to plastic deformation and fatigue deterioration, and have a large size in the width direction due to fall-preventing projections and abutment receiving portions.

Innovation Solution

The connector features a fitting-side housing formed by divided housings that reduce displacement and stress on movable springs, with contact portions inside the substrate-side housing to maintain the floating function and prevent excessive expansion, and a single molded body for the substrate-side housing to minimize size.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If a single fitting-side housing is used to maintain floating function, then the connector can absorb substrate tilting, but the movable springs experience excessive stress leading to plastic deformation and fatigue deterioration

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefloating functionVSAvoidmovable spring durability

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The fitting-side housing is divided into multiple separate housings (first fitting-side housing and second fitting-side housing) that can independently displace relative to the substrate-side housing. This segmentation allows each housing to absorb tilting in different directions independently, distributing the stress on movable springs and preventing excessive stress concentration that would cause plastic deformation and fatigue deterioration.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

2Reliability

If fall-preventing projections and abutment receiving portions are added to prevent housing separation, then the connector maintains connection reliability, but the connector size increases in the width direction

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveconnection reliabilityVSAvoidconnector width

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSArea of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The first and second fitting-side housings are integrated into a single molded body, merging their structures. This integration eliminates the need for separate fall-preventing projections and abutment receiving portions between individual housings, as the integrated structure inherently prevents separation. Consequently, the connector width is reduced while maintaining connection reliability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Adaptability or versatility

If the fitting-side housing is made large to accommodate displacement, then the floating function can absorb substrate tilting, but the connector size increases in the width direction

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetilt absorption capabilityVSAvoidconnector width

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSArea of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The fitting-side housing is segmented into multiple smaller housings that can displace independently in different directions. This allows the connector to absorb substrate tilting effectively without requiring a single large housing, thus maintaining tilt absorption capability while reducing the overall connector width.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Instead of increasing housing size in the width direction to accommodate displacement, the invention allows displacement in the vertical direction through movable springs. The divided housings can move up and down independently, absorbing tilting without expanding the connector's width dimension.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

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 design reduces stress on movable springs, prevents plastic deformation and fatigue, and minimizes the connector's size while maintaining the floating function and absorbing substrate tilts, enhancing vibration resistance and reducing misconnection risks.

Implementation Method 1

The fitting-side housing is displaced by elastic deformation of movable springs 4 and 5 of terminals

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectElastic deformation: Elasticity

Data Source

PatentUS9799971B2Floating connector with multiple fitting-side housings

Publication Date: 2017.10.24 TOYOTA JIDOSHA KK

AI summary

A plug connector includes a substrate-side housing, a fitting-side housing, a plurality of terminals having movable springs. The fitting-side housing is formed by a plurality of divided housings. The fitting-side housing is formed by a plurality of divided housings moveable separately in a width direction of the connector. The substrate-side housing includes a receiving chamber that receives the divided housings therein and an abutment receiving portion against which the divided housings displaced inside the receiving chamber abut. The terminals are disposed in each of the divided housings, and have contact portions inside the substrate-side housing and the divided housings, and the contact portions are to be in conductive contact with the connection object. The movable springs support each of the divided housings displaceably relative to the substrate-side housing.