Floating Electrical Connector Structure for Tolerance and Vibration
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electrical connectors face challenges with axial or radial misalignment due to assembling tolerance, leading to poor contact and unreliable signal transmission, especially under vibrating conditions such as in vehicles.
Innovation Solution
The design incorporates an insulative fixing seat with a terminal receiving groove and an insulative floating seat featuring a floating terminal with a float connecting portion that can deform in three-dimensional space, along with an elastic conductive shell to accommodate misalignment and vibrations, ensuring reliable mating and signal transmission.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a floating-type male connector is used to adapt to assembling tolerance, then the adaptability to misalignment is improved, but the reliability under vibrating conditions deteriorates because the connector is limited in floating range and poor in flexibility
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the dynamics principle by designing the float connecting portion with multiple bending segments that enable dynamic adjustment. The float connecting portion includes a first bending portion, first straight extending portion, second bending portion, second straight extending portion, third bending portion, third straight extending portion, and fourth bending portion, which allows the floating terminal to dynamically adapt to misalignment while maintaining stability under vibration through its segmented elastic structure
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies segmentation by dividing the float connecting portion into multiple discrete bending segments and straight extending portions. This segmentation allows each segment to independently deform and absorb stress, providing both adaptability to misalignment and reliability under vibrating conditions by distributing mechanical stress across multiple segments rather than a single rigid structure
2Stability of the object's composition
If a rigid connection structure is used to ensure stable contact, then the contact stability is improved, but the adaptability to assembling tolerance deteriorates due to axial or radial misalignment
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by utilizing the elastic properties of the float connecting portion and elastic mating pieces. The elastic mating pieces on the conductive shell can deform to accommodate misalignment, changing the physical state from rigid to elastic, thereby achieving both contact stability and adaptability to assembling tolerance simultaneously
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 solution enhances the adaptability of electrical connectors to assembling tolerance and maintains reliable operation under vibrating conditions by allowing the floating terminal to adjust and maintain contact with the male connector, ensuring stable signal transmission.
Implementation Method 1
a float connecting portion which is elastically connected between the mating portion and the horizontal fixing portion and formed by bending multiple times
Implementation Method 2
a conductive shell which sheathes an outer side of the insulative fixing seat, the conductive shell has a plurality of elastic mating pieces which extend upwardly
Data Source
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AI summary
An electrical connector and an electrical connector assembly include an insulative fixing seat, an insulative floating seat, a floating terminal and a conductive shell, the insulative fixing seat has a terminal receiving groove, a bottom portion of the terminal receiving groove has a terminal fixing groove which extends horizontally, the insulative floating seat is floatingly mounted above the insulative fixing seat, the insulative floating seat has an insertion hole which penetrates up and down, an outer wall of the insulative floating seat is provided with an annular groove, the floating terminal is fixed in the insulative fixing seat, the floating terminal includes a soldering tail portion, a horizontal fixing portion which is connected with the soldering tail portion, a mating portion and a float connecting portion which is elastically connected between the mating portion and the horizontal fixing portion, the float connecting portion is capable of being floatingly received in the terminal receiving groove, the mating portion extends into the insertion hole of the insulative floating seat, the conductive shell sheathes the insulative fixing seat, the conductive shell has a plurality of elastic mating pieces which extend upwardly, a tip of the elastic mating piece extends into the annular groove. The electrical connector may be better adapted to assembling tolerance and maintain normal operation under a vibrating circumstance.