Hybrid Electrical Connector with Dimensional Stability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Hybrid electrical connectors face challenges in achieving accurate pin positioning and alignment due to the dimensional instability of plastic materials, which affects the reliability of press-fit connections, especially with large arrays of closely arranged small diameter pins, and the need for additional pin variants is not adequately addressed by conventional two-pin connectors.
Innovation Solution
The use of a hybrid electrical connector design featuring a housing and carrier plate made of different plastic materials, with the carrier plate being highly dimensionally stable and the housing less critical in terms of stability, along with a sealing layer to secure the pins and carrier plate, allowing for three pin variants and improved dimensional control.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If plastic materials are used for the housing and carrier plate, then cost and weight are reduced, but dimensional stability deteriorates affecting pin positioning accuracy
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies different plastic materials with different dimensional stability characteristics to different parts of the connector. The carrier plate uses a highly dimensionally stable plastic to ensure accurate pin positioning, while the housing uses a conventional less expensive plastic. This local differentiation allows cost reduction in the housing without compromising pin positioning accuracy in the carrier plate.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs composite material strategy by combining two different plastic materials in a single connector assembly. Each material is selected for its specific properties: the carrier plate uses high-dimensional stability plastic for precision, while the housing uses cost-effective conventional plastic. This composite approach resolves the contradiction between cost and manufacturing precision.
2Ease of manufacture
If conventional plastic materials are used, then cost is reduced, but water absorption and volumetric shrinkage increase reducing dimensional stability
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies different plastic materials with different dimensional stability characteristics to different parts of the connector. The carrier plate uses a highly dimensionally stable plastic to ensure accurate pin positioning, while the housing uses a conventional less expensive plastic. This local differentiation allows cost reduction in the housing without compromising pin positioning accuracy in the carrier plate.
3Reliability
If the housing is manufactured with very high tolerances for pin positioning, then pin connection reliability is improved, but manufacturing complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the high precision requirement from the housing and concentrates it solely in the carrier plate. The carrier plate is manufactured with high dimensional stability to ensure accurate pin positioning, while the housing can be manufactured with conventional tolerances. This extraction of the precision function reduces housing manufacturing complexity while maintaining pin connection reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies different plastic materials with different dimensional stability characteristics to different parts of the connector. The carrier plate uses a highly dimensionally stable plastic to ensure accurate pin positioning, while the housing uses a conventional less expensive plastic. This local differentiation allows cost reduction in the housing without compromising pin positioning accuracy in the carrier plate.
Data Source
AI summary
A hybrid electrical connector includes a housing having a central opening, a carrier plate supported by the housing within the central opening, and electrically conductive pins supported within the housing by the carrier plate. The housing is formed of a first plastic material, and the carrier plate is formed of a second plastic material having properties that make it more dimensionally stable than the first plastic material. In addition, a sealing layer is applied to one surface of the carrier plate, the sealing layer formed of a third plastic material and serving to secure the carrier plate to the housing and to secure the pins within the carrier plate. A method of forming the electrical connector is also described.