Pivoting H-Shaped Connector for PCB Misalignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electrical connectors fail to effectively accommodate misalignment between rigid electronic components, leading to potential damage and suboptimal electrical connections when trying to connect misaligned parts such as printed circuit boards (PCBs) with plated through-holes.
Innovation Solution
A connector design featuring a housing with aligned receiving grooves and slots that accommodate misalignment by allowing pivoting motion of contact plates, secured through fastening structures like EON-type press-fit constructions or soldering, enabling secure and robust connections even when components are not perfectly aligned.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If rigid connectors are used to connect PCBs with plated through-holes, then electrical connection is established, but misalignment between connection locations causes physical damage and fragile connections
Solution Approach 1:
The connector employs flexible contact plates that can pivot and deform elastically to accommodate misalignment between rigid PCB connection locations. The contact plates transition from a fixed rigid structure to a dynamic flexible structure that adapts to position variations while maintaining electrical connection.
Solution Approach 2:
The connector changes the physical state of the contact elements from rigid to flexible by using elastic deformation. The flexible contact plates can bend and pivot within their elastic limit to compensate for misalignment, effectively changing the stiffness parameter to enable adaptation while maintaining connection integrity.
2Adaptability or versatility
If flexible contact plates are used to accommodate misalignment, then alignment tolerance is improved, but connection strength and current capacity may be reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The connector divides the contact structure into multiple flexible contact plates arranged in parallel, each capable of independent pivoting motion. This segmentation allows each contact plate to accommodate misalignment locally while the collective arrangement maintains overall connection strength and current capacity.
Solution Approach 2:
The connector uses composite construction combining flexible contact plates with rigid housing and mounting structures. The flexible contact plates provide alignment tolerance while the rigid supporting structures maintain connection strength and mechanical stability, creating a composite system that achieves both adaptability and strength.
Data Source
AI summary
A connector for connecting together rigid structures. The connector includes a stack of coupling contacts pivotably disposed within a housing. Each coupling contact is generally H-shaped and defines opposing first and second spaces. The first and second spaces are aligned to form first and second receiving grooves in the stack, respectively. The connector may also include one or more mounting contacts partially disposed within the housing. Each mounting contact has one or more fastening structures joined to a bar section. The fastening structures are adapted for securement to the substrate and the bar section is disposed in the second receiving groove of the stack of coupling contacts.