Interlocking Contact Modules for Electrical Connector Stability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing right-angle electrical connectors experience instability and misalignment due to un constrained contact modules within the housing, leading to increased costs and complexity with additional organizing components.
Innovation Solution
The contact modules are designed with integral lock elements, including extensions and slots, that interlock with adjacent modules to stabilize and secure them within the housing, eliminating the need for additional organizing components.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If additional organizing components are used to restrain contact modules, then stability and alignment are improved, but device complexity and manufacturing cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the stabilizing function into the contact modules themselves by providing lock elements (protrusions and recesses) that are integral parts of the contact module bodies. These lock elements merge the previously separate organizing component function directly into the contact modules, eliminating the need for additional components while maintaining stability and alignment.
Solution Approach 2:
The contact modules are designed with self-stabilizing lock elements that automatically interlock with adjacent contact modules when inserted into the housing. The lock elements (protrusions fitting into recesses) enable the contact modules to restrain themselves without requiring external organizing components, making the system self-service and reducing overall complexity.
2Manufacturing precision
If additional organizing components are used to restrain contact modules, then stability and alignment are improved, but manufacturing cost and process complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The manufacturing process is simplified by merging the alignment and stabilization functions into the contact module design itself. The lock elements are formed as integral parts of the contact modules during the same manufacturing process, eliminating the need for separate fabrication and assembly steps for organizing components, thereby improving ease of manufacture while maintaining alignment precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The contact modules perform their own alignment and stabilization functions through the self-interlocking lock elements. This self-service mechanism eliminates the need for additional manufacturing processes to fabricate and install separate organizing components, reducing both manufacturing complexity and cost while ensuring precise alignment of electrical contacts.
3Stability of the object's composition
If contact modules are completely constrained within the housing, then stability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the constraint function directly into the contact modules by providing lock elements that are integral parts of the module bodies. These lock elements (protrusions and complementary recesses) enable adjacent contact modules to constrain each other, achieving complete stabilization without requiring external organizing components or complex housing structures.
Solution Approach 2:
The contact modules achieve complete constraint through self-service lock elements that automatically interlock with adjacent modules. The protrusions and recesses are formed as integral parts of each contact module, enabling them to stabilize themselves within the housing without external assistance, thereby reducing device complexity while ensuring complete constraint.
Data Source
AI summary
A contact module is provided. The contact module is configured to be held by a housing of an electrical connector adjacent two other contact modules. The contact module includes at least one electrical lead, and a body holding at least a portion of the at least one electrical lead. The body has opposite first and second side portions. The first side portion includes a first extension. The second side portion includes a first slot. The first extension is configured to be received within a second slot of a first of the two other contact modules. The first slot is configured to receive a second extension of a second of the two other contact modules.