Textile Electrical Connector Structure for Stable Conductive Contact
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electrical connectors face challenges in achieving better contact with conductive patterns on textiles, leading to potential misalignment and instability in electrical connections due to stretching, compression, or slipping of the cloth.
Innovation Solution
The electrical connector design includes a boss portion and conductive pad with protrusions that are inserted into and press against the textile, with thermal welding or thermocompression bonding used to secure the connection, ensuring firm contact and alignment with the conductive pattern, eliminating the need for pre-punching holes and allowing for flexible design.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a conventional electrical connector is attached to textile without protrusions, then the structure is simple, but the contact with conductive pattern is poor and misalignment occurs due to cloth stretching or compression
Solution Approach 1:
The boss portion and conductive pad are designed with protrusions that curve upward from the housing surface. This curved geometry allows the protrusions to flex and adapt to the textile surface irregularities, maintaining reliable contact even when the cloth stretches or compresses, while the overall structure remains relatively simple
Solution Approach 2:
The protrusions are designed to be flexible rather than rigid, allowing them to dynamically adjust their position and shape in response to textile deformation. This dynamic adaptation ensures continuous contact with the conductive pattern despite cloth movement, stretching, or compression
2Manufacturing precision
If pre-punching holes in textile is required for connector attachment, then alignment may be improved, but the manufacturing process becomes more complex and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The boss portion and conductive pad protrusions are pre-formed during connector manufacturing with the exact geometry needed to penetrate and align with the conductive pattern. This preliminary preparation eliminates the need for separate hole-punching operations, as the protrusions themselves create the necessary attachment points during installation
Solution Approach 2:
The invention extracts and eliminates the separate hole-punching step from the manufacturing process. The protrusions are designed to directly penetrate the textile and engage with the conductive pattern without requiring pre-formed holes, thereby simplifying the overall attachment process while maintaining alignment precision
3Adaptability or versatility
If the connector design is made compact and flexible, then adaptability to different textiles is improved, but maintaining stable electrical contact becomes more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The connector is segmented into distinct functional components: the boss portion for mechanical attachment and the conductive pad for electrical contact. Both components feature protrusions that can independently adapt to the textile surface, allowing the compact design to maintain both flexibility and reliable electrical contact
Solution Approach 2:
Different parts of the connector have specialized local properties: the boss portion provides mechanical anchoring while the conductive pad ensures electrical contact. The protrusions on each component have specific geometries optimized for their respective functions, enabling the compact connector to adapt to various textiles while maintaining stable contact
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
This solution provides stable and secure electrical connections by ensuring better contact with the conductive pattern, reducing misalignment and eliminating preprocessing steps, while allowing for a more compact and flexible connector design.
Implementation Method 1
a part of the boss portion that protrudes out of the through-hole may be fixed to the plate by thermal welding or thermocompression bonding
Implementation Method 2
a part of the boss portion that protrudes out of the through-hole may be fixed to the plate by thermal welding or thermocompression bonding
Data Source
AI summary
An electrical connector is provided. The electrical connector is to be attached to a cloth in which a conductive pattern is formed. The electrical connector includes an insulating housing having a boss portion provided on a surface of the housing, where the surface is to be in contact with the cloth, and the boss portion is inserted into the cloth; a connection terminal provided to the housing; and a conductive pad provided around the boss portion on the surface of the housing, where the surface is to be in contact with the cloth, and the conductive pad is electrically connected to the connection terminal. The conductive pad has a protrusion protruding in the same direction as the boss portion of the housing protrudes.