Removable Potting Container for Electrical Connector Moisture Protection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electrical connectors face challenges in protecting pin contacts from moisture and corrosion, especially when conformal coating is applied, as it is difficult to remove and exposes pins to environmental hazards, and open-header connectors lack a shell to retain potting compound.
Innovation Solution
A removable potting container with a textured inner surface and nonzero draft angle is used to surround and protect conductors, allowing for easy removal of the potting compound and providing protection without leaving residue, suitable for both closed and open header connectors.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conformal coating is applied to protect connectors, then protection from moisture and corrosion is improved, but removal difficulty increases and access time is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The connector is divided into two functional parts: a permanent conformal coating on the circuit board for corrosion protection, and a removable potting compound in a shell for environmental protection during storage. This segmentation allows the protective functions to be separated - the conformal coating remains for baseline protection while the potting compound can be removed when access is needed, eliminating the time loss associated with removing permanent coatings.
Solution Approach 2:
The connector shell with potting compound provides dynamic protection that can be applied or removed as needed. Unlike static conformal coating that is permanently applied, the potting compound in the shell can be dynamically added when the connector is not in use and removed when testing or updates are required, making the protection system adaptable to operational needs.
2Reliability
If potting compound is used to protect connectors, then protection from environmental hazards is improved, but pin exposure occurs when compound shrinks
Solution Approach 1:
The connector shell is designed with a nonzero draft angle and textured inner surface before the potting compound is applied. These preliminary structural features ensure that when the compound cures and shrinks, it maintains proper contact with the pin contacts and does not pull away to expose them. The draft angle prevents the compound from adhering too strongly to the shell walls, allowing for clean removal without exposing pins.
Solution Approach 2:
The shell geometry parameters are specifically designed with a nonzero draft angle (e.g., 5-15 degrees) and controlled wall thickness. These parameter changes ensure that the potting compound shrinks uniformly and maintains proper pin coverage. The textured inner surface also modifies the interface parameters between the compound and shell, preventing excessive adhesion that could cause pin exposure during shrinkage.
3Reliability
If conventional potting is used on open-header connectors, then protection is improved, but retention of potting compound becomes impossible
Solution Approach 1:
The protection system is segmented into a separate removable shell component that contains the potting compound, rather than relying on the connector structure itself to retain the compound. This segmentation allows the shell to provide the necessary retention features (flanges, clips, or interference fits) while the open-header connector structure remains unchanged and accessible for mating connections.
Solution Approach 2:
The connector shell acts as an intermediary component between the open-header connector and the potting compound. It provides a enclosed space that retains the potting compound through mechanical features like flanges, clips, or snap-fits, while allowing the compound to properly surround and protect the pin contacts. The shell mediates between the need for compound retention and the need for connector accessibility.
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 solution effectively protects conductors from moisture and facilitates quick access for testing or updates by ensuring complete removal of the potting compound, reducing the need for cleaning and ensuring reliable contact during device interactions.
Implementation Method 1
A potting compound fills the cavity and surrounds the fixed conductors
Implementation Method 2
A removable potting container with a textured inner surface and nonzero draft angle is used to surround and protect conductors, allowing for easy removal of the potting compound
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2A~2B
Figure 3A~3B
AI summary
An embodiment of an electrical connector assembly includes a shell 16, a plurality of fixed conductors 30, and a potting container 24. The shell includes a plurality of walls 20 extending in a first direction from a base having at least one opening. The base and the plurality of walls define a shell outer surface 26 and a shell inner surface 42. The shell inner surface bounds an inner volume of the shell and has an inner shell profile. The plurality of fixed conductors project through the opening into the inner volume of the shell. The potting container includes an outer surface complementing the shell inner profile, and a cavity 28 receives the fixed conductors through a slot in the base. A potting compound 38 fills the cavity such that the potting compound completely surrounds the conductors.