LED Connector Side-Entry Contact Design for Low Profile
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional connectors for light emitting diodes (LEDs) protrude from the substrate, blocking light and causing uneven brightness, and have exposed contact portions that appear darker, leading to increased size and mounting area requirements.
Innovation Solution
A connector design where the holding portion-receiving portion is formed orthogonally to the housing main body, reducing protrusion and exposure, with a top plate portion that covers most of the contact and connection portions, and connection portions are bent into a U-shape to minimize protrusion and maximize soldering area.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the connector is designed with conventional contact insertion structure, then the contact can be easily inserted into the housing, but the connector protrudes high from the substrate mounting surface, blocking LED light
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the insertion direction of contacts from vertical (top-down) to horizontal (side-entry) by providing slots in the side surface of the housing. This dimensional change allows contacts to be inserted through the side of the housing rather than from the top, significantly reducing the protrusion height of the connector from the substrate mounting surface while maintaining ease of insertion
2Reliability
If the contact portions are exposed on the housing, then the electrical connection is accessible, but the exposed portions appear darker and cause uneven brightness
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the contact insertion and connection functions from the visible front surface of the housing and relocates them to the side surface. The slots are provided in the side surface of the housing, allowing contacts to be inserted and connected laterally, removing them from the light-path area and eliminating the dark appearance and brightness unevenness while maintaining reliable electrical connections
Data Source
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AI summary
To provide a connector which is capable of reducing the amount of protrusion from the mounting surface of a substrate, and reducing the amount of exposure of contacts, and reducing a mounting area. A housing 50 is formed by a housing main body 51 which is inserted into a cutout formed in an LED-mounted substrate, and a top plate portion 52 which is continuous with the housing main body 51 and opposes to a mounting surface of the LED-mounted substrate. The housing main body 51 accommodates a contact portion 34 of a contact 30, and is formed with a connector receiving portion 51a which receives a housing of the cable connector. The top plate portion 52 is formed with a holding portion-receiving portion 52a which receives a holding portion 31 of the contact 30, from an inserting direction DI orthogonal to a direction along which the housing main body 51 is continuous with the top plate portion 52. The connection portions 32 and 33 of the contact 30 are caused to laterally protrude, and front ends of the connection portions 32 and 33 are bent toward the housing 50.