Waterproof Connector With Liquid Silicone Rubber Sealing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current connectors are vulnerable to moisture and liquids in outdoor or high humidity environments, which can affect their electrical characteristics and usage life.
Innovation Solution
A waterproof connector design featuring an insulating housing with molded terminals, a metal shell, and a waterproof housing made of liquid silicone rubber, including a main portion, partition portion, and multiple sealing rings to prevent moisture ingress.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a conventional connector design is used, then the connector structure is simple and easy to manufacture, but the connector is vulnerable to moisture and liquids in outdoor or high humidity environments, affecting electrical characteristics and usage life
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a nested structure where the waterproof housing is integrally molded over the metal shell, which in turn surrounds the insulating housing with terminals. This multi-layer nesting approach creates progressive sealing barriers, with each layer protecting the inner components from moisture and liquids, thereby achieving IP67 waterproof performance while maintaining structural integrity
Solution Approach 2:
The connector combines multiple materials with complementary properties: liquid silicone rubber for the waterproof housing (providing flexibility and sealing), metal for the shell (providing strength and EMI shielding), and insulating material for the housing (providing electrical isolation). This composite material strategy enhances both waterproof performance and overall reliability without excessive complexity
2Reliability
If multiple sealing components are added to prevent moisture ingress, then waterproof performance is improved, but manufacturing complexity and production time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the waterproof housing, partition portion, and multiple sealing rings into a single integrally molded component made of liquid silicone rubber. This consolidation eliminates the need for separate assembly steps for these sealing elements, reducing manufacturing complexity and production time while maintaining effective sealing performance through the integrated design
Solution Approach 2:
The use of liquid silicone rubber provides inherent flexibility and elasticity, allowing the molded housing to conform to the metal shell and insulating housing interfaces. This flexibility enables effective sealing through the molded geometry itself, reducing the need for additional rigid sealing components and simplifying the manufacturing process
Data Source
AI summary
A waterproof connector includes an insulating housing, a plurality of terminals integrally molded to the insulating housing, a metal shell and a waterproof housing. A rear of the insulating housing opens a penetrating groove. Each of the plurality of the terminals has a fastening portion, a contact portion and a soldering portion. The metal shell surrounds the insulating housing. The waterproof housing is integrally molded outside the metal shell by a liquid silicone rubber technology. The waterproof housing includes a main portion surrounding outside the metal shell, and a partition portion integrally molded in the penetrating groove, so that the partition portion fills in and effectively seals up intervals among rear ends of the fastening portions and the insulating housing. The waterproof housing has multiple sealing rings of which each surrounds a periphery of a front end of the waterproof housing.