Connection Adapter Terminal Coding Guide Structure
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing connection adapter and terminal systems lack effective protection against accidental contact with live power supply lines, particularly during installation by non-professionals, and fail to prevent incorrect connections due to different pin assignments.
Innovation Solution
The connection adapter and terminal guides are designed to function as coding elements, ensuring that only correctly matched adapters and terminals can be latched together, using projections and depressions in the insulating material for guidance and latching, which also serve as a coding mechanism to prevent incorrect connections.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If connection adapter and terminal guides are designed with coding elements (projections and depressions), then incorrect connections are prevented, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The connection and terminal guides are designed to serve dual functions: guiding the connection adapter into proper alignment and providing coding to prevent incorrect connections. The same projections and depressions that facilitate guidance also serve as coding elements, eliminating the need for separate coding mechanisms and reducing overall device complexity while maintaining high reliability
Solution Approach 2:
The guiding function and coding function are merged into a single integrated structure. The projections on one guide and corresponding depressions on the other guide perform both alignment guidance and polarity coding simultaneously, creating a compact design that prevents incorrect connections without adding extra complexity
2Ease of manufacture
If guides are used for both guidance and latching, then manufacturing is simplified, but the guiding precision may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The guide structure is segmented into distinct functional zones: the projection and depression features are designed with specific dimensional tolerances for precise alignment during the guidance phase, while the latching phase engages separate features that provide mechanical securing. This segmentation allows each zone to be optimized for its specific function while maintaining overall manufacturing simplicity
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~4b
Figure 5a~5d
AI summary
The invention relates to a set consisting of a connection adapter (1) and a terminal (2). The connection adapter (1) has electrical contacts (7) for connection to a corresponding mating contact of the terminal (2) and the mating contacts are received in respective terminal domes (16), which are formed of an insulating material, in such a manner that the mating contacts are accessible to a contact (7) of the connection adapter (1) through a respective contact guide opening (22) in the associated terminal dome (16). The terminal domes (16) have connection adapter guides which are designed in such a manner as to interact with corresponding terminal guides on the connection adapter (1) to guide the connection adapter (1) from a placement position in which the connection adapter (1) is placed onto the terminal (2) in the correct position and in which the connection adapter (1) and the terminal (2) can be fitted together, to a detent position in which the connection adapter (1) is placed and held on the terminal (2) in such a manner that the electrical contacts (7) of the connection adapter (1) and the corresponding mating contacts of the terminal (2) can be moved relative each other to establish electrical contact.