Multi-contact connector size reduction via separate front and rear terminals
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Solution Overview
Problem
Multi-contact connectors with a wiping function face challenges in reducing size due to terminal junctions and assembly variations, which affect connection reliability and size reduction.
Innovation Solution
A multi-contact connector design featuring separate front and rear terminals housed in a single terminal accommodating groove without junctions, with substrate connecting portions and different leg directions to accommodate insertion forces, and press-fitted securing grooves for size reduction and improved reliability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If each terminal has a junction where it bends in the middle and divides into front contact and rear contact, then the terminal can achieve the wiping function, but the size of terminals increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention divides the terminal into separate front terminal and rear terminal components, each with distinct functions. The front terminal includes only the front contact for wiping, while the rear terminal includes only the rear contact for stable connection. This segmentation eliminates the need for complex junctions within a single terminal, thereby reducing overall terminal size while maintaining the wiping function.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention arranges the front terminal and rear terminal in different spatial positions within the housing, with the front terminal positioned closer to the fitting chamber opening and the rear terminal positioned deeper. This spatial arrangement allows both contacts to operate effectively without requiring overlapping paths, reducing the terminal size in the longitudinal direction.
2Ease of manufacture
If front terminal and rear terminal are combined together to form a single terminal, then manufacturing is simplified, but assembly process causes variation in dimensional accuracy
Solution Approach 1:
The invention maintains separate front terminal and rear terminal components that are independently manufactured and then assembled into the housing. This segmentation allows each component to be manufactured with precise dimensional control using standard molding processes, avoiding the dimensional variations that would result from combining separate components through assembly.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention combines the front terminal and rear terminal within a single housing structure, where both terminals are held in predetermined positions. This merging at the housing level simplifies the overall manufacturing process while maintaining the dimensional accuracy of individual terminal components, as the housing provides precise positioning for both terminals.
3Length of stationary object
If separate front terminal and rear terminal are housed in one terminal accommodating groove, then size is reduced, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention merges both the front terminal and rear terminal into a single terminal accommodating groove within the housing. This consolidation reduces the overall connector size by eliminating the need for separate housing sections for each terminal, while the standardized groove design keeps the manufacturing process straightforward.
Solution Approach 2:
The terminal accommodating groove is designed to universally hold both the front terminal and rear terminal in their respective positions. This multi-functional groove structure simplifies the housing design by using a single accommodating feature for both terminals, reducing manufacturing complexity while achieving size reduction.
Data Source
AI summary
An object is to reduce the size of a multi-contact connector having a wiping function. A multi-contact connector includes a front terminal and a rear terminal. The front terminal and the rear terminal are independently housed in one terminal accommodating groove in a housing in such a manner as to separate from each other. Unlike terminals of a multi-contact connector according to the related art, each terminal has no junction where it divides into a front contact and a rear contact. The housing requires no space for accommodating such a junction, and this reduces the size of the multi-contact connector.