Paired Terminal Supports for Electrical Connector Gap Alignment

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing electrical connectors require complex terminal arrangement methods, increasing manufacturing time and cost, especially when contacts need to be adjusted for contact with a counterpart connector in a gap between terminals.

Innovation Solution

The electrical connector features paired terminal supports that can be mounted in a cantilever fashion, forming a gap between contacts by abutting in predetermined directions, simplifying the manufacturing process and reducing costs by allowing easy adjustment of terminal positions and stable mounting.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If terminals are arranged on both upper and lower sides of a single terminal support, then the connector can achieve contact in gaps between terminals, but the terminal arrangement process becomes complex and manufacturing time increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecontact reliabilityVSAvoidmanufacturing time

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The terminal support is divided into multiple independent terminal supports, each holding terminals on only one side. This segmentation allows each support to be manufactured and prepared independently, then assembled together to form the complete connector structure with gaps between terminals, significantly reducing the complexity and time of terminal arrangement processes.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Multiple terminal supports are combined through mutual abutment to form a complete connector structure. The terminal supports are arranged adjacently with their abutting surfaces facing each other, creating the necessary gap configuration for contact while simplifying the overall manufacturing process compared to arranging all terminals on a single support.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

2Reliability

If terminals are arranged on both upper and lower sides of a single terminal support, then the connector can achieve contact in gaps between terminals, but the arrangement process becomes complicated requiring flipping or repositioning

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecontact reliabilityVSAvoidease of terminal arrangement

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Instead of arranging terminals on both sides of a single support (requiring flipping), the invention inverts the approach by using multiple single-sided terminal supports arranged adjacently. This inversion eliminates the need for flipping or repositioning operations during manufacturing.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

3Reliability

If contact positions of terminals need to be adjusted for gap contact, then the connector can achieve proper contact alignment, but manufacturing cost increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecontact alignmentVSAvoidmanufacturing cost

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The terminal supports are pre-configured with predetermined abutting surfaces that ensure proper alignment when assembled. This preliminary configuration of the abutting surfaces eliminates the need for post-assembly adjustment of contact positions, reducing manufacturing costs while maintaining reliable contact alignment.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The terminal supports automatically achieve proper contact alignment through their mutual abutment and the predetermined configuration of their abutting surfaces. The structure self-aligns during assembly without requiring external adjustment mechanisms or operations, reducing manufacturing complexity and cost.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Data Source

PatentEP3490081B1Electrical connector having terminal supports

Publication Date: 2021.10.06 HIROSE ELECTRIC CO LTD

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AI summary

An electrical connector in a type of connectors that comes into contact with a counterpart connector in a gap between contacts of terminals is provided in which the adjustment of contact positions of the terminals is easy and therefore the manufacture of the electrical connector is easy and the manufacturing cost is low. The electrical connector includes a housing and paired terminal supports. Each of the paired terminal supports can support the terminals in cantilever fashion. Moreover, the paired terminal supports are mounted on the housing in a state of abutting each other in predetermined directions. The terminals supported by the terminals supports mounted on the housing can form a gap where a contacted object is inserted, between the contacts of the terminals in a direction along the abutment directions of the paired terminal supports.