Recessed Connector Contacts for Reliable Elastic Mating
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electrical connectors face challenges in maintaining contact reliability due to the integration of contacts and insulators, which can lead to elastic deformation issues and increased risk of abrasion during connection.
Innovation Solution
The connector design includes an insulator with a side wall and a recess, where first contacts are formed integrally with the side wall and elastically deformed during fitting, reducing the risk of abrasion and improving contact reliability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If contacts and insulators are formed integrally by insert molding, then manufacturing efficiency and durability are improved, but elastic deformation capability deteriorates leading to increased abrasion risk
Solution Approach 1:
The insulator is divided into multiple independent recesses (first recess, second recess, third recess) that are spatially separated. Each recess independently houses a contact, allowing each contact to deform elastically without interfering with adjacent contacts. This segmentation maintains the integral formation benefit while restoring elastic deformation capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The insulator is designed with localized recesses at specific positions where contacts are formed. These recesses create local flexibility zones that allow elastic deformation of individual contacts while the rest of the insulator maintains its structural integrity. This enables selective deformation exactly where needed during connection.
2Volume of moving object
If connector size is reduced, then device miniaturization is achieved, but locking strength and durability deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The contact is nested within the recess of the insulator, with the contact portion positioned inside the recess space. This nested arrangement allows the contact to be housed within the insulator structure rather than extending outward, reducing overall connector size while maintaining the contact's mechanical properties and locking strength through proper spatial arrangement.
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
This design effectively reduces the deterioration of contact reliability even when contacts and insulators are formed integrally, by allowing elastic deformation and reducing excessive load on connector components.
Implementation Method 1
Each of the first contacts is elastically deformed integrally with the side wall when the connector and the connection target are fitted to each other
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure provides a connector 10 that is configured to be connected to a connection target 50 and that includes an insulator 20 including a first recess 27 recessed from an inner surface of a side wall 22b of an outer peripheral wall 22 and configured to be fitted to the connection target 50, and a plurality of first contacts 30 each including a contact portion 32c positioned inside the side wall 22b. Each of the first contacts 30 is formed integrally with the side wall 22b, the contact portion 32c is disposed in the first recess 27, the insulator 20 is cut out in an array direction of the plurality of first contacts 30 with respect to the contact portion 32c, and each of the first contacts 30 is elastically deformed integrally with the side wall 22b upon fitting.