Power Converter Board Connection with Alignment Keys and Elastic Clamps
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional power converters face issues with low fitting position accuracy between components, leading to potential failures in electrical connections due to improper fitting, which hinders the miniaturization and efficient assembly of circuit boards.
Innovation Solution
A power converter design that utilizes pairs of fitting members, including a male and female fitting member, with alignment keys for precise positioning, and elastic clamping portions to ensure accurate alignment and secure electrical connections between circuit boards.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If circuit boards are stacked to miniaturize the power converter, then the volume of the power converter is reduced, but the fitting position accuracy between fitting members deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
An alignment key is introduced as an intermediary component between the circuit boards and fitting members. The alignment key protrudes from the circuit board surface and engages with a corresponding recess in the fitting member, serving as a positioning mediator that ensures accurate alignment during the stacking process, thereby resolving the fitting position accuracy issue while maintaining miniaturization
Solution Approach 2:
The alignment key is pre-formed on the circuit board before the fitting members are assembled. This preliminary positioning feature is prepared in advance, so that when the power converter is stacked, the fitting members can be accurately positioned without requiring high precision during the actual assembly process, thus maintaining both miniaturization and fitting accuracy
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Improves fitting position accuracy, enhances electrical connectivity, reduces contact resistance, and simplifies the assembly process, contributing to the miniaturization and reliability of power converters.
Implementation Method 1
The first clamping portion and the second clamping portion are each bent so as to form one of protrusions toward one of surfaces thereof facing each other
Data Source
AI summary
A power converter includes first and second components on which male and female fitting members of each of a plurality of pairs of fitting members are arranged, with a pair of first alignment keys formed in the first and second components as reference positions. The first and second components are coupled to each other by the female fitting member clamping an insertion portion of the male fitting member inserted between first and second clamping portions of the female fitting member arranged so as to face each other in a state where the pair of first alignment keys are positionally aligned. The first and second clamping portions are each bent so as to form one of protrusions toward one of surfaces thereof facing each other. A gap is formed in a distal end portion of each of the first and second clamping portions.