Biased Terminal Connector Housing for Flexible Conductor Assembly
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Solution Overview
Problem
The assembly workability of connectors is compromised due to the risk of the flexible conductor being sandwiched between the divided bodies of the connector housing during assembly.
Innovation Solution
The connector design includes a slidable first lid portion that opposes the flexible conductor, allowing it to deform and enter the main body portion, and incorporates guide rails and grooves to facilitate assembly, preventing the flexible conductor from being sandwiched and ensuring proper alignment of terminal modules.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Weight of moving object
If the connector housing is constituted by divided bodies, then the assembly process requires multiple parts, but the flexible conductor may be sandwiched between the divided bodies during assembly
Solution Approach 1:
A guide member is introduced as an intermediary component between the divided connector housing bodies. The guide member includes a guide groove that receives and guides the flexible conductor, ensuring it remains properly positioned during assembly. The guide member itself is guided by guide rails on the housing bodies, creating a hierarchical guiding system that prevents the flexible conductor from being sandwiched between housing parts while maintaining the divided structure benefits
2Ease of manufacture
If guide rails and grooves are added to facilitate assembly, then assembly workability improves, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The guide member serves multiple functions simultaneously: it guides the flexible conductor during assembly, provides structural support, maintains conductor positioning during operation, and interfaces with the guide rails system. The guide rails themselves serve both as assembly guides and as structural components of the connector housing. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate dedicated guiding components, thereby limiting the increase in device complexity
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 design improves assembly workability by preventing the flexible conductor from being sandwiched and enhances positional accuracy, thereby simplifying the assembly process and reducing the risk of misalignment.
Implementation Method 1
an elastic member that is accommodated in the case and is elastically deformable along the first direction; a first terminal that is supported by the pair of side walls while being biased toward the one side by the elastic member
Data Source
AI summary
A connector 10 includes a terminal module 14 and a connector housing 16. The terminal module 14 includes a case 20, an elastic member 18 accommodated in the case 20, a first terminal that is supported by the case 20 while being biased toward one side by the elastic member 18 and is pressed by a partner connector, a second terminal 42 located on another side relative to the first terminal 22, and a flexible conductor 44 connecting the first terminal 22 and the second terminal 42 to each other. The connector housing 16 has a structure in which a first opening portion 75 of a main body portion 64 accommodating the terminal module 14 is covered by the first lid portion 66. The first lid portion 66 opposes the flexible conductor 44 and is slidable with respect to the main body portion 64.