Two-Part Contact Carrier for Strain-Relieved PCB Assembly
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Solution Overview
Problem
The assembly of direct contacting plugs with angled contact cavities is problematic due to risk of damage to contact springs and sealing mats, difficult assembly process, and challenging demoulding of contact cavities, especially when dealing with two-row contact surfaces on printed circuit boards.
Innovation Solution
A two-part contact carrier design where the lower part with contacts is snapped onto an upper part with electrical lines, allowing for a simple snap-in connection without stripping the cable ends, eliminating the need for crimping and enabling machine assembly, and using insulation displacement connectors either in line or at right angles.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If angled contact cavities are used for two-row contacts, then direct contacting of two-row contact surfaces is achieved, but the assembly process becomes difficult and damage risk to contact springs and sealing mat increases
Solution Approach 1:
The contact carrier is divided into two separate parts: a first contact carrier part containing the contact springs and a second contact carrier part containing the electrical lines. This segmentation allows each part to be assembled independently through simple linear insertion processes, avoiding the difficult angled assembly required for integrated two-row contacts while still achieving direct contacting functionality
2Adaptability or versatility
If angled contact cavities are used for two-row contacts, then direct contacting of two-row contact surfaces is achieved, but demoulding becomes problematic
Solution Approach 1:
By separating the contact carrier into two parts with different cavity orientations, the first part can have vertically oriented cavities and the second part can have horizontally oriented cavities. This segmentation enables both parts to be easily demoulded from their respective molds without the demoulding difficulties associated with angled cavities in an integrated structure
3Reliability
If traditional assembly methods are used for contacts, then electrical connection is achieved, but crimping and stripping are required increasing complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The traditional mechanical crimping and stripping process is replaced by a snap-in insertion process. The contact springs are pre-mounted in the first contact carrier part, and the electrical lines are pre-prepared in the second contact carrier part. When the two parts are assembled together, the contacts are automatically electrically connected through the insulation displacement connector, eliminating the need for crimping and stripping operations
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~3
AI summary
The plug i.e. wire harness plug (1), has a contact carrier (4) with electric contacts (5) i.e. contact springs, for direct contacting of contact surfaces (3). Electrical lines (6) comprise line ends (7) within the carrier connected with the contacts in an electrical conductive manner. The carrier is joined from lower and upper contact carrier parts (4a, 4b). The lower contact carrier part comprises the contacts, and the lower contact carrier part comprises the ends of the electric lines. The carrier parts are joined along direction (8) parallel to or transverse to the line ends.