Insulation Displacement Connector With Resilient Arms
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing insulation displacement connectors (IDCs) face challenges in securely connecting electrical cables to printed circuit boards without stripping the insulation, and in maintaining reliable contact under vibration and tensile forces.
Innovation Solution
The design incorporates a base with extending arms and stop members that pierce the cable insulation, ensuring secure contact with the conductor while preventing the cable from dislodging, using a monolithic conductive contact body with slots and strain relief apertures to maintain electrical communication.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the insulation displacement contact pierces the cable insulation to make contact with the conductor, then the connection process is simplified and productivity is improved, but the cable may become dislodged under vibration and tensile forces
Solution Approach 1:
The insulation displacement contact incorporates a resilient arm that can flexibly move between engaged and disengaged positions. This dynamic structure allows the contact to maintain secure engagement with the cable conductor while accommodating vibrations and tensile forces, preventing cable dislodgement without compromising connection efficiency
Solution Approach 2:
The contact is divided into distinct functional segments: a resilient arm for piercing and maintaining electrical contact, a stop member for limiting movement, and a base for mounting. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function optimally - the resilient arm ensures reliable electrical connection while the stop member prevents excessive movement under stress
2Ease of operation
If the opposed portions are allowed to move away from each other to receive the cable, then the ease of operation is improved, but the contact may not maintain sufficient pressure for reliable electrical communication
Solution Approach 1:
The opposed portions are designed as resilient structures that can dynamically adjust their position. During cable insertion, they move away from each other to accommodate the cable, then exert continuous resilient pressure to maintain reliable electrical contact. This dynamic behavior simultaneously achieves ease of operation and reliable electrical communication
Solution Approach 2:
The resilient arm's physical state changes during operation - it transitions from a compressed state (when opposed portions are close) to an expanded state (when cable is inserted). This parameter change allows the contact to adapt its pressure characteristics, providing both easy cable insertion and maintained electrical contact pressure
3Reliability
If the stop member is positioned to abut the opposed portions, then the reliability under tensile forces is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The stop member is integrated with the resilient arm structure, forming a unified component rather than a separate part. This merging reduces the overall number of components and simplifies manufacturing while maintaining the function of preventing cable dislodgement under tensile forces. The stop member is essentially an extension or feature of the resilient arm itself
Data Source
AI summary
An insulation displacement contact includes a monolithic electrically conductive contact body that includes mating portion and a mounting portion. A plurality of the insulation displacement contacts are configured to be delivered to a substrate by a connector housing. The mating portion defines a pair of insulation displacement slots configured to receive an electrical cable so as to place the electrical cable in electrical communication with the substrate through the insulation displacement contact.