Sensor Connector Housing Grooves to Prevent Contact Shorting

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Solution Overview

Problem

Foreign matter such as metal pieces can cause short-circuiting of contacts in connectors, affecting the characteristics of sensors.

Innovation Solution

A connector design with protruding portions on housings that sandwich a sensor element, ensuring contacts are properly aligned and preventing short-circuits by maintaining contact integrity.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Volume of moving object

If contacts are arranged closely in the connector to reduce size, then the connector becomes more compact, but foreign matter can cause short-circuiting between contacts

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveconnector sizeVSAvoidcontact short-circuit resistance

Core Design Contradiction:

Volume of moving objectVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The housing is segmented into multiple protruding portions that extend into the contact arrangement, creating separate grooves for each contact. These protruding portions act as physical barriers that segment the space between contacts, preventing foreign matter from causing short-circuits while maintaining compact dimensions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The protruding portions of the housing serve as intermediary structures between the contacts. They extend into the space between adjacent contacts and provide mechanical isolation, preventing direct contact between foreign matter and multiple contacts simultaneously, thus avoiding short-circuits.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If protruding portions are added to the housing to prevent short-circuits, then contact reliability improves, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecontact short-circuit resistanceVSAvoidhousing structure complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The protruding portions serve multiple functions: they provide mechanical support for the contacts, create isolating grooves to prevent short-circuits, and maintain the structural integrity of the housing. This multi-functionality reduces the need for additional separate components, thereby limiting the increase in device complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The protruding portions are integrated directly into the housing structure rather than being separate components. This merging of the protective barrier function into the existing housing design minimizes the increase in device complexity while still providing effective short-circuit prevention.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Data Source

PatentUS20250309580A1Connector and sensor

Publication Date: 2025.10.02 NGK INSULATORS LTD

AI summary

A connector, which includes a plurality of contacts and is configured to bring the plurality of contacts into contact with a plurality of electrode portions provided on a surface of a sensor element having a flat plate shape, includes a pair of housings extending in an extending direction of the plurality of contacts and configured to sandwich the sensor element. At least one housing of the pair of housings includes a plurality of protruding portions extending from one end to another end of the one housing and protruding toward the sensor element, the protruding portions being formed at predetermined intervals along a direction orthogonal to the extending direction, and the contacts are respectively provided in a plurality of grooves formed by the plurality of protruding portions.