Surface Mount Connector Box with Asymmetric Cover Projections
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
The increasing number of electrical parts in automobiles has led to a rise in the number of electrical connection boxes, resulting in increased manufacturing costs and larger sizes due to the use of bolt-fixed lateral connection-type connectors, which complicates assembly and increases part count.
Innovation Solution
An electrical connection box design featuring a surface mount-type connector on the printed circuit board, where the case and cover include incorrect-connection-prevention projection portions to prevent improper attachment, eliminating the need for bolts and reducing the box's size and manufacturing costs by ensuring the connector is protected from collision.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a lateral connection-type connector is fixed to the printed circuit board using bolts, then the connector is protected, but the number of parts increases and manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts and eliminates the bolts from the connector fixing system, replacing them with a surface mount-type connector that is directly soldered to the printed circuit board. This removal of unnecessary components reduces the number of parts while maintaining connector protection through the integrated design of the surface mount connector and its housing.
2Reliability
If a lateral connection-type connector is fixed to the printed circuit board using bolts, then the connector is protected, but assembly time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention removes the time-consuming bolt tightening process by extracting the bolts entirely from the assembly. The surface mount-type connector is fixed to the printed circuit board through soldering, which eliminates the need for mechanical fastening operations and significantly reduces assembly time while maintaining protective functionality.
3Strength
If bolt fixing portions are formed on the connector housing, then the connector can be fixed, but the size of the connector increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts and eliminates the bolt fixing portions from the connector housing. By transitioning to a surface mount-type connector design, the housing no longer requires recesses or protrusions for bolt attachment, thereby reducing the overall size of the connector while maintaining adequate fixing capability through the soldered connection to the printed circuit board.
4Reliability
If the cover is attached to the case, then the connector is protected, but incorrect attachment can cause collision and damage
Solution Approach 1:
The invention applies asymmetry by providing incorrect-connection-prevention projection portions on both the case and the cover that are positioned asymmetrically relative to the proper attachment orientation. These projections are designed to abut against each other and prevent cover attachment when the cover is oriented incorrectly, thereby guiding users to attach the cover in the correct orientation and preventing collision damage to the connector.
Data Source
AI summary
An electrical connection box is provided in which a printed circuit board provided with a lateral connection-type connector is housed in a case, and a cover is attached to the case, and this electrical connection box has a novel structure in which a reduction in size and manufacturing cost can be achieved while still reliably protecting the connector. A surface mount-type connector is provided on a printed circuit board as the lateral connection-type connector, and the case and the cover are provided with incorrect-connection-prevention projection portions that, in the case where the cover is brought close to the case upside down relative to the proper orientation, prevent incorrect attachment of the cover by abutting against each other before the cover abuts against the connector.