Terminal Aligning Connector Unit Creepage Distance Design
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Solution Overview
Problem
In connector units with small terminal pitches, securing a sufficient creepage distance between terminals becomes difficult, leading to deteriorated insulating performance and increased risk of short circuits due to foreign matter intrusion.
Innovation Solution
The connector unit design features male and female terminal connectors with projected holding parts and partition walls that have inclined faces, forming fitting recesses and projections to create a complex mating surface, which enhances creepage distance and prevents foreign matter insertion, while extended faces further increase the creepage distance and complicate the mating surface, thereby improving insulating performance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of moving object
If the pitch between terminals is reduced to achieve multi-polarity, then the compactness and integration density are improved, but the creepage distance between adjacent terminals becomes insufficient, leading to deteriorated insulating performance
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces inclined faces on partition walls and projected holding parts that create a three-dimensional creepage path. Instead of relying solely on horizontal distance, the creepage distance extends along the inclined surfaces, effectively increasing the insulation path length without increasing the horizontal pitch between terminals. This dimensional transformation allows maintaining compact terminal spacing while ensuring sufficient creepage distance for insulating performance.
2Volume of moving object
If the pitch between terminals is reduced, then the device compactness is improved, but the risk of foreign matter intrusion and short circuit increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs inclined faces and complex mating surfaces between the male and female connectors that create a non-linear, multi-surface interface. This curved and angled surface design makes it difficult for foreign matters to penetrate directly into the connection interface, as the inclined surfaces deflect and redirect potential contaminants away from the terminal contact points, thereby reducing the risk of short circuits despite reduced pitch.
Solution Approach 2:
The projected holding parts with fitting recesses create a nested engagement structure where the male connector's holding parts fit into corresponding recesses in the female connector. This nested design provides multiple surfaces and barriers that prevent foreign matters from reaching the terminal connections, while still allowing for compact terminal spacing.
3Reliability
If projected holding parts with inclined faces are introduced to increase creepage distance, then the insulating performance is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The projected holding parts serve multiple functions: they provide mechanical retention for the connectors, create the inclined creepage paths for insulation, and form the mating interface with fitting recesses. By integrating these multiple functions into a single structural element, the patent achieves improved insulating performance without proportionally increasing device complexity, as the same features that increase creepage distance also provide mechanical functionality.
Data Source
AI summary
When a male terminal connector (10) and a female terminal connector (50) are engaged with each other, projecting inclined faces (20a) and partition wall inclined faces (59) which are opposed to each other are brought into contact or made opposed to each other, and, fitting projections (61) insert into fitting recesses (21) in such a manner that the fitting projections (61) and the fitting recesses (21) are held with gaps between them.