Modular Slim Connector Lateral Guiding Rails
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing floating type electrical connector assemblies face challenges in manufacturing due to irregular shapes of insulating housings, which complicate mold preparation and lead to potential damage during multiple plugging connections.
Innovation Solution
The design incorporates lateral protruding edges on the insulating housing that serve as guiding rails, forming a continuous flat surface with the mating surface, simplifying manufacturing and enhancing strength by distributing stress, and includes upper and lower protruding edges for increased gripping area and assembly facilitation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If vertical guide rails and sliding grooves are designed to enable multiple plugging connections, then the connector achieves reliability for repeated use, but the insulating housing develops irregular shapes that complicate mold making
Solution Approach 1:
The connector is divided into two separate insulating housings (first insulating housing and second insulating housing) that can be manufactured independently using standard mold making processes. Each housing contains its own guiding structures, allowing them to be produced with regular shapes suitable for injection molding while still achieving the required multiple plugging connection functionality when assembled together.
Solution Approach 2:
The guiding mechanism transitions from vertical guide rails extending downward from the first housing to lateral protruding edges extending horizontally from the side surfaces of the first housing. This dimensional change allows the guiding function to be achieved while maintaining regular, mold-friendly shapes for both insulating housings.
2Ease of operation
If adapting segments are suspended to allow floating connection, then the connector achieves ease of operation for plugging and unplugging, but the adapting segments are easily damaged during multiple plugging connections
Solution Approach 1:
The first insulating housing is designed with lateral protruding edges that extend from its side surfaces, and the second insulating housing is designed with sliding grooves that receive these protruding edges. This pre-designed guiding structure provides support and alignment before plugging operations begin, preventing the adapting segments from bending or damaging during repeated plugging and unplugging actions.
3Reliability
If irregular shaped insulating housings are used to achieve guiding function, then the connector achieves reliability for multiple connections, but the manufacturing complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of making the insulating housings irregular in shape to achieve the guiding function, the invention inverts the approach by giving the housings regular, simple shapes and incorporating dedicated guiding structures (lateral protruding edges and sliding grooves) that provide the necessary alignment and support functions. This separation of form and function reduces overall device complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
A floating type electrical connecting device, comprises: first and second electrical connectors. The first electrical connector includes a first insulating housing, and a plurality of first conductive terminals. The first insulating housing has a first mating surface, a plugging surface located on an opposite side of the first mating surface, two side surfaces respectively connected at opposite left and right sides of the first mating surface and the plugging surface, and a plurality of first terminal grooves extending from the mating surface to the plugging surface through the first insulating housing. In addition, a vertical lateral protruding edge is formed at each side surface adjacent to the first mating surface, and protruding from the side surface. The second electrical connector includes a second insulating housing, and a plurality of second conductive terminals. The second insulating housing has two sliding grooves respectively for receiving the two lateral protruding edges.