Wire-To-Board Terminal Structure for Pull-Force Retention
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional wire-to-board connectors face challenges in preventing disengagement and damage when subjected to strong pulling forces due to miniaturization, leading to deformation and potential damage of the lance and terminal components.
Innovation Solution
The design incorporates a terminal with a U-shaped cross-section and a housing lance that includes a recessed portion and an inclined protruding piece, ensuring secure engagement and preventing disengagement, even with size reduction, by using a conductive metal plate and insulating material, and a mating terminal with a securing portion and contact arms that securely hold the terminal in place.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If the connector is miniaturized to reduce size, then the profile and dimensions are reduced, but the lance and terminal become more prone to deformation and disengagement under pulling forces
Solution Approach 1:
The lance is designed with elastic flexibility, allowing it to dynamically deflect under pulling forces rather than remaining rigid. This elastic deformation absorbs stress and prevents permanent damage or disengagement, enabling the connector to maintain reliability despite miniaturization
Solution Approach 2:
The recessed portion in the terminal and protruding piece on the lance create a pre-configured engagement geometry that anticipates pulling forces. The inclined surfaces are designed to guide and distribute forces before they can cause damage, cushioning the impact of external stresses on the miniaturized components
2Reliability
If the lance size is increased to prevent deformation, then engagement stability improves, but the overall connector profile increases
Solution Approach 1:
The material properties of the lance are changed to have appropriate elastic characteristics, allowing a smaller cross-section to achieve the same mechanical strength and stability as a larger rigid structure. The elastic modulus and yield strength parameters are optimized to enable the compact design to resist deformation under load
3Ease of manufacture
If the terminal structure is simplified for easier manufacture, then manufacturing cost and complexity are reduced, but resistance to pulling forces and damage prevention are compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The terminal is segmented into distinct functional portions: the recessed portion for engagement, the body portion for structural support, and the contact portion for electrical connection. This segmentation allows each part to be optimized for its specific function while maintaining overall structural integrity and resistance to pulling forces
Solution Approach 2:
The connector assembly combines different materials with complementary properties: the elastic lance material provides flexibility and shock absorption, while the terminal material provides structural strength and rigidity. This composite approach enables the simplified terminal structure to achieve adequate strength through material selection rather than complex geometry
Data Source
AI summary
A terminal connected to the end of an electrical wire, including:a main body portion connected to a core wire of the electrical wire and a contacting portion connected to the front end of the main body portion having a portion with a U-shaped cross-section that connects to a mating terminal, whereinthe contacting portion includes:an upper plate portion connected to the main body portion,a lower plate portion that is parallel with the upper plate portion,a side plate portion that connects one of either the left or right edges of the upper plate portion and the lower plate portion,a tip mating recessed portion demarcated on three sides by the upper plate portion, the lower plate portion, and the side plate portion,an inclined protruding piece that extends diagonally downward from the back end of the lower plate portion, anda middle plate portion that extends between the inclined protruding piece and the upper plate portion in the width direction of the contacting portion.