Solderless Edge Connector for Point-of-Care Analyzers
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Solution Overview
Problem
Point-of-care analyzers face issues with electrical leakage and inconsistent readings due to tightly spaced pins and circuits, which can be exacerbated by solder flux and contaminants, making it difficult to achieve near-zero ohm continuity for sensitive electrochemical analysis.
Innovation Solution
A solderless connector assembly comprising a base component and a clamp component that retain leads without soldering, using recessed tracks and high impedance materials to minimize electrical leakage, allowing for secure connection of a cuvette to a circuit board without soldering, thus preventing leakage points and facilitating easy removal.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If soldering is used to connect leads to the circuit board, then mechanical strength and electrical connection are improved, but electrical leakage between adjacent circuits increases due to solder flux and contaminants
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the soldering process entirely from the connection method. Leads are connected to the circuit board through mechanical insertion into recessed tracks and secured by clamp components, eliminating the source of electrical leakage (solder flux and contaminants) while maintaining secure mechanical and electrical connection.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces recessed tracks and clamp components as intermediary structures between the leads and the circuit board. These intermediaries provide both mechanical retention and electrical connection without requiring soldering, thus preventing electrical leakage while ensuring stable connection.
2Volume of moving object
If pins are tightly spaced to accommodate small cuvettes, then device size is reduced, but leakage current and interference between pins increase
Solution Approach 1:
The recessed tracks act as intermediary channels that guide and isolate individual leads. By providing dedicated enclosed paths for each lead, the design prevents leakage current and electromagnetic interference between adjacent leads, even when pins are tightly spaced to accommodate small cuvettes.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the connection paths by providing separate recessed tracks for each lead. This segmentation isolates adjacent leads from each other, preventing electrical leakage and interference while maintaining compact spacing suitable for small cuvette applications.
3Strength
If soldering is used to secure the connector assembly to the circuit board, then mechanical attachment is improved, but ease of repair and reconfiguration is reduced due to permanent bonding
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs dynamic, reversible mechanical fastening instead of permanent soldering. The clamp component can be tightened to secure the connector assembly and can be loosened to allow removal and reconfiguration, providing both strong mechanical attachment and ease of repair.
Solution Approach 2:
The solderless design allows the connector assembly to be easily removed, discarded, or recovered and reused in different configurations. The mechanical fastening system enables quick disassembly without desoldering, facilitating maintenance, repair, and reconfiguration.
Data Source
AI summary
A point-of-care system that can include a contact pad on a printed circuit board and a connector assembly for retaining a lead and positioning the lead in contact with the pad on the printed circuit board and with interfaces of a cuvette. The connector assembly can include a base component and a clamp component, where the base component can define at least one recessed track for receiving each lead. The clamp component can be secured to the base component to clamp the at least one lead between the base component and the clamp component without flux or solder. The connector assembly can be secured to the printed circuit board without flux or solder.