Electrical Unit Header Retention System for Circuit Board Strain Reduction

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Solution Overview

Problem

Connector mating operations often result in significant strain being transferred to circuit boards, leading to deformation and potential damage, especially when using separate pin terminals and connection housings.

Innovation Solution

An electrical unit design that includes a housing member, a header with restricted movement, and electrical terminals, where the header is connected to the housing member using retainers and latches to limit forces applied to the circuit board, and optionally an adhesive to further restrict movement and absorb forces.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If pin terminals are grouped in a separate header from the connection housing, then manufacturing cost is reduced, but strain is transferred to the circuit board during connector mating

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemanufacturing costVSAvoidstrain on circuit board

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The connector is divided into separate components: pin terminals grouped in a header, and a connection housing. This segmentation allows independent manufacturing and assembly of cost-effective parts while enabling the header to be strategically positioned and retained to protect the circuit board from strain during mating operations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The header acts as an intermediary element between the connection housing and the circuit board. By retaining the header relative to the housing member, it mediates the connection process and prevents direct strain transfer to the circuit board, thus protecting the board while maintaining the cost benefits of separate component manufacturing.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Object-affected harmful factors

If the header is retained relative to the housing member, then forces applied to the circuit board are limited, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveforces on circuit boardVSAvoidstructural complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The retainer and latch are integrated into the header and housing member structures respectively, merging the retention function with the existing connector components. This combination approach provides effective strain protection while avoiding the need for entirely separate retention mechanisms, thus limiting device complexity increase.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

Instead of directly protecting the circuit board from strain, the design inverts the approach by retaining the header relative to the housing member. This indirect protection method effectively limits forces on the circuit board while using a simpler retention mechanism rather than complex direct shielding.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

Data Source

PatentUS10084253B2Electrical unit and header retention system therefor

Publication Date: 2018.09.25 LEAR CORP

AI summary

An electrical unit includes a housing member, a circuit board, a header connected to the housing member, and a plurality of electrical terminals disposed in the header and connected to the circuit board. The header may be connected to the housing member such that movement of the header is restricted and forces applied to the circuit board via the housing member are limited. The header may include a retainer configured to retain the header relative to the housing member. The housing member may include a latch configured to engage the retainer.