Self-Aligning Plug With Floating Rear Part For Three-Axis Contact Alignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for aligning contacts on a plug with those on an electronic circuit board in outdoor electronic equipment face challenges with three-axis alignment, leading to restrictive and costly assembly processes, especially in severe environments like telecommunications and surveillance networks.
Innovation Solution
A plug design featuring a two-part body with a floating rear part and flexible lugs allows for accurate three-axis alignment through significant dimensional clearances and flexible contact tabs, ensuring mechanical and electrical contact even with maximum misalignment, and includes a locking lever with hooks for secure attachment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If the base is screwed onto the panel with fixed positioning holes, then the mechanical connection is secure, but the alignment of contacts along the three axes becomes problematic due to relative positioning tolerances
Solution Approach 1:
The plug body is divided into two separate parts: a front part that houses the contacts and a rear part that is screwed onto the panel. This segmentation allows the front part to be positioned independently, enabling precise alignment of contacts with the electronic component while maintaining a secure mechanical connection through the rear part.
Solution Approach 2:
The front part of the plug body acts as an intermediary element between the rear part (fixed to panel) and the contacts. It provides a floating mounting structure that can adjust its position to accommodate tolerances in the panel and electronic component positioning, thereby ensuring accurate contact alignment without compromising mechanical strength.
2Manufacturing precision
If manual visual alignment is used to position plug contacts with electronic component contacts, then alignment can be achieved, but the assembly process becomes time-consuming and restrictive
Solution Approach 1:
The floating mounting structure of the front part enables self-alignment with the electronic component contacts. When the plug is installed, the front part automatically positions itself to achieve proper contact alignment without requiring manual visual adjustment, thereby reducing assembly time and eliminating the need for skilled manual alignment operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the positional parameter of the front part from fixed to floating/movable. This allows the front part to adjust its position automatically during installation, transforming the alignment process from a manual, time-consuming operation to an automatic, self-aligning mechanism that significantly reduces assembly time.
3Stability of the object's composition
If the front part is rigidly fixed to the rear part, then structural stability is improved, but alignment flexibility is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The connection between the front part and rear part is changed from rigid to dynamic/floating. The front part can move independently within certain limits to accommodate misalignments between the panel and electronic component, while still maintaining a stable structural connection. This dynamic configuration provides both structural stability and alignment flexibility.
Solution Approach 2:
Different parts of the plug structure have different mechanical properties: the rear part provides rigid mechanical connection and stability, while the front part provides floating mounting for alignment flexibility. This local differentiation of mechanical properties allows each part to fulfill its specific function optimally.
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 facilitates efficient and secure alignment of plug contacts with electronic circuit board contacts, reducing assembly time and mechanical stress on vulnerable components, while providing electromagnetic interference protection and a seal for environmental resilience.
Implementation Method 1
a plurality of flexible lugs made of electrically conductive material, distributed around the outer periphery of the front part, the flexible lugs being adapted to remain in mechanical contact with the interior of the base
Data Source
Figure 1~3A
Figure 4~6A
Figure 7A~7C
AI summary
The invention relates to a plug used for being connected to a socket of an electronic equipment box panel and provided with self-alignment means. The plug (1) is mounted on at least one cable (2), oneor more contacts (21, 22) are supported on one end of the at least one cable, and the plug includes a main body that includes a front part (3) extending along a longitudinal axis (X), designed to behoused in a socket (7) and suitable for storing and maintaining the contact or a photoelectric transducer (10) at least connected to the contact, and a rear part (4) provided with a sheath and designed to store an end part of the cable and supporting the contact by itself, wherein the rear part is mounted around the front part in a floating manner; and a plurality of flexible tabs made of conducting materials and distributed on the periphery of the front part, when the front part is brought into the socket, the flexible tabs being suitable for maintaining mechanical contact with the interior of the socket.