Shielded Connector With Segmented Casing And Elastic Continuity Contacts
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Shielded connectors made of composite materials face electrical discontinuity and shielding interruptions at connection zones, making it difficult to adapt to various types of connectors and requiring separate metallization of housings to avoid short-circuits.
Innovation Solution
The design features hollow cylindrical or parallelepiped shielding casings that surround insulating bodies with a seal and boss system for continuous contact, allowing adaptation to multiple connector types, and includes snap-fastening means for secure assembly, ensuring electromagnetic shielding and mechanical fixing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Weight of moving object
If connectors are made of composite material to reduce weight, then weight is reduced and mechanical strength is improved, but electrical discontinuity occurs and shielding is interrupted at connection zones
Solution Approach 1:
The connector is divided into distinct components: composite insulating body, metal shielding casing, and elastic continuity contacts. The shielding casing is separated from the insulating body, allowing independent optimization of each component's material properties while maintaining overall system functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
Elastic continuity contacts serve as intermediary elements between the metal shielding casings of adjacent connectors. These contacts bridge the electrical discontinuity created by composite material insulation, ensuring electrical continuity and shielding integrity without requiring metallization of the entire housing.
2Reliability
If metal casings are used to ensure continuous shielding, then shielding continuity is improved, but complexity increases due to separate metallization of housings to avoid short-circuits
Solution Approach 1:
The shielding function is segmented from the structural housing function. Only the essential shielding casings and continuity contacts are metallized, while the insulating body remains composite. This reduces the complexity of metallization processes compared to full housing metallization.
Solution Approach 2:
Metallic properties are applied locally only where electrical continuity and shielding are required (casings and continuity contacts), rather than throughout the entire housing. This localized metallization simplifies the manufacturing process and reduces complexity while maintaining shielding effectiveness.
3Reliability
If shielding boxes are shaped to surround insulating bodies at radial and axial surfaces, then shielding coverage is improved, but adaptability to different connector types is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The shielding casing is designed as a universal envelope structure that can accommodate various insulating body geometries (cylindrical, rectangular, etc.). The casing's primary function is to provide shielding and structural support, while the insulating body's shape is determined by electrical connection requirements, allowing the same casing design to serve multiple connector types.
Solution Approach 2:
The shielding function is extracted from the insulating body design. The shielding casing is a separate, standardized component that surrounds the insulating body without being integral to it. This separation allows the insulating body to be optimized for specific electrical connections while the shielding casing maintains universal adaptability.
4Device complexity
If insulating bodies are in direct contact via seal without interposed parts, then simplicity is improved and adaptability is enhanced, but sealing reliability may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
A flexible sealing element (gasket) is used to create the seal between adjacent insulating bodies. The gasket's flexibility allows it to conform to various insulating body geometries and irregularities, ensuring effective sealing while maintaining assembly simplicity and adaptability to different connector types.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
This shielded connector for electrical conductors comprises a first set of connectors (12) and a second set of connectors (14) that are matched. Each connector set comprises an insulating body (38, 40) made of molded material incorporating male and female contacts (39, 41) for mechanical fastening and electrical connection of contact tips provided at the ends for connecting conductors, and a shielding housing surrounding the insulating body. Each shielding housing (46, 48) has a general hollow cylindrical shape internally defining a continuous passage so that the insulating bodies are in contact with each other via a sealing gasket (58).