FPC Connector Sealing Structure for Waterproof Housing Assembly
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Solution Overview
Problem
Sealing flexible printed circuit (FPC) connectors is challenging due to their thin, wide, and flexible nature, making it difficult to achieve effective sealing with traditional sealing rings, which limits their use in applications requiring waterproofing.
Innovation Solution
A connector design incorporating a housing with an inner cavity and a sealing element fitted onto a flexible circuit board, compressed between the housing and the circuit board to create a seal, utilizing annular ribs for enhanced sealing, along with a sealing ring at the front housing part for additional protection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional sealing rings are used with flexible printed circuit boards, then the sealing structure is simple, but the sealing effectiveness is insufficient due to the thin, wide, and flexible nature of FPC
Solution Approach 1:
The sealing structure is divided into multiple functional components: a sealing ring for the housing, a sealing element specifically designed for the FPC, and annular sealing ribs integrated into the housing. This segmentation allows each component to address specific sealing challenges posed by the FPC's flexible nature, achieving reliable sealing without excessive overall complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
A dedicated sealing element is introduced as an intermediary component between the FPC and the housing. This sealing element is specifically designed to accommodate the FPC's thin, wide, and flexible characteristics, acting as a mediator that enables effective sealing where traditional sealing rings fail.
2Volume of moving object
If the connector housing is made smaller to reduce size, then the overall dimensions are reduced, but the inner cavity space for accommodating sealing components becomes insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The sealing element is fitted directly onto the FPC, and the FPC with the sealing element is inserted into the housing. The annular sealing ribs are integrated into the housing structure itself rather than being separate components. This nesting approach maximizes the use of available space within the compact housing, accommodating all sealing components without requiring excessive inner cavity volume.
3Reliability
If multiple sealing components are added to improve sealing reliability, then sealing performance improves, but the manufacturing process becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The annular sealing ribs are integrated directly into the housing structure as a unified component, eliminating the need for separate manufacturing and assembly steps for these sealing features. The sealing element is fitted onto the FPC in a straightforward manner, and the overall assembly process is simplified despite the presence of multiple sealing components, achieving high sealing reliability without proportionally increasing manufacturing complexity.
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
The design achieves reliable sealing, meeting IP67 or IP68 waterproof standards, ensuring effective moisture and dust prevention, and enabling the connector to be used in environments requiring high sealing integrity.
Implementation Method 1
The sealing element is inserted into the housing and compressed between the housing and the flexible circuit board to seal between the housing and the flexible circuit board
Data Source
AI summary
A connector includes a housing having an inner cavity, a flexible circuit board inserted into the inner cavity of the housing, and a sealing element fitted on the flexible circuit board. The sealing element is inserted into the housing and compressed between the housing and the flexible circuit board to seal between the housing and the flexible circuit board.