USB Connector Shielding Plate Insert Molding
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing USB connectors are structurally weak and difficult to manufacture, making them challenging to produce with strong and reliable designs.
Innovation Solution
The design includes a shielding plate with two rows of passageways in a base portion, where terminals are insert molded and covered by an insulative housing, enhancing structural strength and ease of assembly.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If contacts are inserted through housing or molded with housing via molds, then assembly is simplified, but manufacturing difficulty increases and structural strength decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The connector is divided into distinct components: housing, contacts, and shielding plate. The contacts are pre-formed separately and then inserted into the housing through defined passageways, allowing each component to be manufactured independently with optimal strength while simplifying the overall assembly process.
Solution Approach 2:
The contacts and shielding plate are prepared in advance as separate components with predetermined shapes and positions. The housing is designed with pre-formed passageways that guide the contacts into their final positions during assembly, eliminating the need for complex simultaneous molding or insertion operations.
2Productivity
If contacts are molded with housing via molds, then manufacturing steps are reduced, but manufacturing precision and structural integrity deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The manufacturing process is segmented into independent steps: housing fabrication with integrated passageways, contact formation, and assembly. This segmentation allows each component to be manufactured with high precision using optimized processes for that specific component, then assembled with precise positioning through the defined passageway geometry.
Solution Approach 2:
The housing passageways serve as an intermediary structure that precisely positions and guides the contacts during assembly. The passageways act as mechanical constraints that ensure accurate contact placement without requiring complex molding operations, thereby maintaining high manufacturing precision while improving overall manufacturing efficiency.
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 provides a solid and strengthened USB connector that is easier to manufacture, ensuring secure terminal assembly and improved structural integrity.
Implementation Method 1
an insulative housing over molded with the base portion. The step of over molding firmly fix the terminals and strengthen the construction of the electrical connector
Data Source
AI summary
An electrical connector (100) includes a shielding plate (1), a base portion (2) insert molded with the shielding plate and defining two rows of passageways (21), two rows of terminals (3) affixed to the base portion, and an insulative housing (4) over molded with the base portion. The two rows of passageways extend through the base portion along a front-to-back direction and exposed completely upwardly and downwardly. Each terminal includes a contacting beam (31) having a contacting portion (311). The shielding plate is located between the two rows of terminals.