In-Vehicle Airbag Connector Slider Guide Mechanism
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing connectors for in-vehicle airbag systems face challenges in stabilizing the movement of sliders within the housing and preventing unintended detachment due to external forces, particularly moment rotations, which can lead to improper fitting and safety issues.
Innovation Solution
The connector design incorporates a guide mechanism with ribs and grooves that engage in the fitting direction, along with a stopper mechanism at the front end, and features a tapered surface on the ribs to facilitate stable slider movement and automatic alignment, ensuring the slider remains attached to the housing even under moment rotations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a slider is held in a housing to be movable in the fitting direction with an energizing member, then the slider can apply force to the counterpart connector during fitting operation, but the slider may be detached from the housing due to external forces such as moment rotation
Solution Approach 1:
The connector is divided into a housing and a slider as separate movable components. The slider can move independently within the housing along the fitting direction, allowing it to apply force to the counterpart connector while being contained. This segmentation enables the slider to function as both a force-applying element and a protected component that cannot be easily detached due to the housing constraints
Solution Approach 2:
The guide mechanism introduces lateral constraints (width direction) to the slider movement, which is primarily designed for longitudinal movement (fitting direction). By adding constraints in the width direction through ribs and grooves, the system prevents moment rotation and unintended detachment while preserving the slider's ability to move forward during fitting operation
2Reliability
If the slider is energized toward the front side by an energizing member, then the slider can detect incompletely fitted state, but the slider may break through the stopper mechanism under unintended external force
Solution Approach 1:
The guide mechanism and stopper mechanism are merged into a unified structure where ribs and grooves serve dual purposes: guiding the slider's movement in the fitting direction and providing lateral support to prevent moment rotation. This merging allows the stopper mechanism to resist external forces more effectively without interfering with the slider's energized movement for fitting detection
Solution Approach 2:
The tapered surface on the ribs changes the geometric parameters of the guide mechanism, creating a self-aligning feature that facilitates easy insertion during assembly. The taper angle allows the slider to be mounted even when slightly displaced, while the engaged ribs and grooves provide sufficient mechanical strength to prevent breakthrough under normal external forces
3Ease of operation
If the slider is movable in the fitting direction, then the fitting operation can be performed, but the slider movement may be unstable without proper guidance
Solution Approach 1:
The guide mechanism with ribs and grooves provides automatic guidance and alignment of the slider within the housing during assembly and operation. The tapered surfaces on the ribs enable self-alignment, allowing the slider to find its correct position automatically without requiring precise manual alignment, thus facilitating easy operation while maintaining movement stability
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
This configuration allows for stable slider movement and automatic assembly, preventing detachment and ensuring secure fitting, thus enhancing the reliability and safety of the connector in in-vehicle airbag systems by maintaining the slider's position during fitting operations and resisting external forces.
Implementation Method 1
a guide mechanism configured to guide a movement of the slider to the housing in the fitting direction; The guide mechanism has: a pair of ribs provided in one of the housing and the slider... and a pair of grooves provided in the other of the housing and the slider... the grooves extending in the fitting direction to engage with the pair of ribs
Implementation Method 2
a tapered surface formed on a top surface of each of the ribs... The tapered surface is inclined to be located inwardly in the width direction as going toward the other side in the up-and-down direction
Implementation Method 3
a stopper mechanism configured to prevent the slider from being detached from the housing to the front side of the connector in the fitting direction
Implementation Method 4
the slider receives a force in the width direction from an abutting place between the slider and the housing due to a fact that the grooves and the ribs are not fitted to each other when displacing the slider, whereby an elastic restoring force of the slider gives the slider a force toward the other side in the up-and-down direction
Data Source
AI summary
A connector includes: a housing which is connected to a counterpart connector; and a slider held in the housing to be movable in a fitting direction. The housing and the slider include: a guide mechanism configured to guide a movement of the slider to the housing in the fitting direction; and a stopper mechanism configured to prevent the slider from being detached from the housing to the front side of the connector in the fitting direction. The guide mechanism has: a pair of ribs provided in one of the housing and the slider, the ribs extending in the fitting direction; and a pair of grooves provided in the other of the housing and the slider, the grooves extending in the fitting direction. The stopper mechanism is provided at a location adjacent to an end part of the guide mechanism at the front side of the connector in the fitting direction.