Integrated Metal Connector Casing for Strength and Assembly Accuracy
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing connectors for camera modules face issues with insufficient strength, positional accuracy, increased number of components, and assembly complexity due to welding of outer conductors.
Innovation Solution
A connector design featuring a metal casing with integrally formed ground terminal and fitting parts, which are electrically connected to a substrate-side connector and cable, respectively, reducing the need for separate components and assembly steps.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the ground terminal part and fitting part are joined by welding, then electrical connection is achieved, but strength is insufficient and positional accuracy varies
Solution Approach 1:
The ground terminal part and fitting part are integrated into a single integral structure, eliminating the need for welding or joining operations. This merging of previously separate components resolves the contradiction by providing both strong mechanical connection and reliable electrical connection simultaneously, without the weaknesses of joined structures.
2Reliability
If the ground terminal part and fitting part are joined by welding, then electrical connection is achieved, but the number of components and assembly steps increase
Solution Approach 1:
The ground terminal part and fitting part are merged into a single integral component, reducing the total number of parts in the connector assembly. This eliminates multiple components that would otherwise need to be manufactured, stored, and assembled separately, thereby simplifying the device structure while maintaining reliable electrical connection.
Solution Approach 2:
The integral structure serves multiple functions simultaneously: it provides mechanical support, establishes electrical connection, and maintains positional accuracy. This multi-functionality consolidates what would otherwise require multiple separate components, reducing overall device complexity.
3Reliability
If the ground terminal part and fitting part are joined by welding, then assembly is completed, but assembly time and man-hours increase
Solution Approach 1:
By integrating the ground terminal part and fitting part into one piece, the assembly process eliminates welding or joining operations that are time-consuming. The integral structure can be installed as a single component, significantly reducing assembly time and man-hours while ensuring reliable electrical connection.
4Ease of manufacture
If separate components are used for ground terminal part and fitting part, then manufacturing is flexible, but shape accuracy and positional accuracy deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The ground terminal part and fitting part are formed as an integral structure through single-step manufacturing processes such as die-casting or injection molding. This merging approach actually improves manufacturing precision by eliminating alignment errors and positional variations that occur when assembling separate components, while the integral structure itself can be manufactured flexibly using conventional processes.
Data Source
AI summary
Provided is a connector that can achieve improvement in strength, improvement in shape accuracy, a reduction in the number of components, and a reduction in the number of steps required for assembly. A connector for connecting an external substrate and an external cable to each other includes: a metal casing having a ground terminal part electrically connected to and fitted into an external substrate-side connector mounted to the substrate and a fitting part into which the cable is fitted, and the ground terminal part and the fitting part are integrally formed.