Low-Profile Electrical Connector With Downward Extending Middle Portion
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional low-profile electrical connectors are limited in their structure and cannot effectively engage with various butting assemblies while also saving internal space in computers.
Innovation Solution
A low-profile electrical connector design featuring an insulating body with a slot and a tongue plate, both with terminal receiving grooves, and a metal housing that allows for the reduction of the connector's height above the circuit board, enabling engagement with butting assemblies and minimizing space occupation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Length of stationary object
If conventional low-profile electrical connectors are used, then the height of exposed portions above the circuit board is reduced, but the connectors cannot engage with various butting assemblies
Solution Approach 1:
The insulating body is divided into three distinct portions: a main body portion, a middle portion extending downward, and a tongue plate extending forward. This segmentation allows each portion to serve specific functions - the main body provides structural support and terminal reception, the middle portion reduces overall height, and the tongue plate enables engagement with butting assemblies, thereby resolving the contradiction between reduced height and engagement capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention utilizes multiple spatial dimensions by extending the middle portion downward (vertical dimension) and the tongue plate forward (horizontal dimension). This multi-dimensional approach allows the connector to achieve low profile height while maintaining engagement capability through the forward-extending tongue plate, effectively resolving the contradiction by operating in multiple spatial directions simultaneously.
2Reliability
If conventional electrical connectors are used, then normal electrical connection is achieved, but the connectors occupy much space
Solution Approach 1:
The middle portion of the insulating body extends downward to nest partially within the circuit board structure, and the tongue plate nests into the circuit board's cutout. This nesting arrangement allows the connector to maintain reliable electrical connections through the terminals while significantly reducing the overall volume occupied above the circuit board, directly addressing the contradiction between connection reliability and space occupation.
Solution Approach 2:
By extending portions of the insulating body downward into the circuit board (utilizing the vertical dimension below the board surface), the invention reduces the volume occupied in the upward direction. This dimensional reconfiguration maintains electrical connection functionality while minimizing space occupation above the circuit board.
Data Source
AI summary
A low-profile electrical connector mounted on a circuit board includes an insulating body. The insulating body includes a main body portion, a middle portion and a tongue plate. The main body portion has a slot concavely formed in a front end thereof, and at least one sidewall of the slot has a plurality of first terminal receiving grooves formed at intervals therein. The middle portion is formed by a bottom surface of the main body portion partially extending downwards. The tongue plate extends forwards from the middle portion and has a plurality of second terminal receiving grooves formed at intervals therein. A plurality of conductive terminals are respectively correspondingly received in the terminal receiving grooves. Comparing with conventional low-profile electrical connectors, the present invention can not only engage with various butting assemblies, but also save internal space of computers.