Spring Loaded Connector Self-Alignment via Movable Flange
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing RF connectors with springs face challenges such as improper alignment, damage to contacts, and complex assembly processes, leading to costly and unreliable connections.
Innovation Solution
An electrical connector assembly featuring a housing with a flange and spring design that captures the panel wall between the flange and spring, using a washer with ribs to maintain axial position and facilitate alignment and reliable mating, allowing for axial and transverse repositioning of the connector for proper alignment and secure engagement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a pre-compressed spring is used to ensure connector engagement, then the connectors are pushed forward and contacts are engaged, but the spring forces the contact in an undesired direction when contact axes are not properly aligned, causing damage to the contacts
Solution Approach 1:
The connector body is made movable relative to the panel wall through a slot mechanism, allowing the connector to dynamically adjust its position and orientation during mating. This dynamic capability enables the connector to self-align with the mating connector, ensuring proper contact alignment before the spring applies engagement force, thereby preventing contact damage while maintaining reliable engagement
Solution Approach 2:
A slot is introduced as an intermediary element between the connector body and the panel wall. This slot allows the connector body to move laterally and rotate during the mating process, serving as a mediator that facilitates proper alignment between connectors. The slot constrains the movement to controlled paths while enabling the necessary degrees of freedom for alignment, resolving the contradiction between engagement force application and contact protection
2Productivity
If multiple connectors are simultaneously mated, then connection efficiency is improved, but there is a greater chance that at least some of the connectors are not properly aligned with the mating connectors
Solution Approach 1:
The movable connector body design allows each connector to independently adjust its position and orientation during simultaneous mating operations. This dynamic self-alignment capability ensures that even when multiple connectors are mated at once, each connector can find its proper alignment position without requiring high-precision pre-alignment, thereby maintaining both productivity and alignment quality
Solution Approach 2:
The connector assembly performs self-alignment through the slot mechanism during the mating process. The connector body automatically adjusts its position and orientation to match the mating connector's alignment requirements without external intervention or complex positioning mechanisms. This self-service capability enables reliable simultaneous mating of multiple connectors while maintaining proper alignment
3Reliability
If a spring is positioned around the connector to provide biasing force, then connector engagement is ensured, but positioning of the spring around the connector becomes difficult and assembly becomes costly
Solution Approach 1:
The spring is extracted from its traditional position surrounding the connector body and relocated to engage directly with the panel wall through a dedicated engagement surface. This extraction simplifies the spring's positioning requirements, as it no longer needs to be precisely positioned around the complex connector geometry. The spring can be easily installed by simply engaging it with the flat panel wall surface, significantly easing manufacturing and assembly while maintaining reliable engagement through the movable connector body mechanism
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
The solution enables cost-effective and reliable assembly and mating of connectors, ensuring proper alignment and secure connections while simplifying the assembly process and reducing the risk of contact damage.
Implementation Method 1
an elastomeric material molded into a spring configuration and concentrically surrounding a portion of the shell
Implementation Method 2
the washer includes a rib extending radially inward from a washer body, the rib being held within the groove to maintain an axial position of the washer with respect to the shell
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
An electrical connector assembly includes a housing having a mating end and a connector cavity extending from the mating end along a cavity axis. The housing has a panel wall including first and second sides with an opening extending therebetween and open to the connector cavity. An electrical connector (30) is received in the connector cavity and includes a shell (40) extending along a longitudinal axis (42). The shell (40) has a flange (60) extending radially outward therefrom that engages the first side of the panel wall. The shell (40) has a groove (80) extending at least partially circumferentially around the shell (40). A washer (56) is held within the groove (80) of the shell (40) and has a washer engagement surface (108). A spring (54) concentrically surrounds a portion of the shell (40). The spring (54) has a front end (122) and a rear end (124) with the front end (122) engaging the washer engagement surface (108). The rear end (124) faces the flange engagement surface (64) and engages the second side of the panel wall such that the panel wall is captured between the flange (60) and the spring (54).