Tool-Free Electrical Cable Connector with Self-Gripping Mechanism
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electrical cable connectors for garden lights are cumbersome to connect and disconnect, lacking convenience and requiring tools or disassembly.
Innovation Solution
A U-shaped cable connector with a self-gripping mechanism and manually-operable release member, featuring a housing with downward channels and inter-engageable elements, allows for easy connection and disconnection without tools, using a turning knob and snap-fit assembly to secure and release the cable.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a traditional electrical connector with screw pins is used to draw power from the cable, then reliable electrical connection is achieved, but the connector becomes cumbersome to connect and disconnect
Solution Approach 1:
The connector is divided into separate functional components: a holder that clamps the cable, a housing containing the electrical contacts, and a rotating operator. This segmentation allows the cable clamping function to be independently adjusted without affecting the electrical connection, enabling tool-free operation while maintaining reliable electrical contact through the pinned mechanism.
Solution Approach 2:
The connector incorporates a dynamic rotating operator that transforms rotational motion into linear clamping force. The operator rotates to move the holder between clamped and released positions, providing a simple tool-free mechanism that maintains reliable electrical connection when clamped while enabling easy connection and disconnection through rotation.
2Reliability
If sharp pins are used to pierce the cable cores for extracting power, then effective power extraction is achieved, but mechanical stress on the connector pins increases
Solution Approach 1:
The holder is designed with a clamping mechanism that secures the cable before the pins pierce the cable cores. This pre-clamping cushions the cable and distributes mechanical stress, preventing excessive force from being applied directly to the connector pins during insertion and operation, thereby reducing mechanical stress while maintaining effective power extraction.
Solution Approach 2:
The holder acts as an intermediary between the operator and the cable cores. It transmits the clamping force uniformly to the cable, mediating the mechanical stress so that the pins can pierce and extract power effectively without bearing the full mechanical load, thus protecting the pins from excessive stress.
3Stability of the object's composition
If the cable is securely clamped to ensure stable connection, then connection stability is improved, but the cable becomes difficult to disconnect
Solution Approach 1:
The rotating operator provides a dynamic mechanism that easily transitions the holder between clamped and released states. Rotation in one direction secures the cable firmly for stable connection, while rotation in the opposite direction releases the clamp for easy disconnection, resolving the contradiction between secure clamping and ease of disconnecting.
Solution Approach 2:
The rotating operator enables continuous control over the clamping force throughout the operation. The same rotational mechanism that provides secure clamping for stable connection can be continuously reversed to release the clamp, maintaining ease of operation throughout both connection and disconnection phases without requiring separate mechanisms.
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3
Figure 4~6A
AI summary
An electrical cable connector (10) for use on and drawing power from an electrical cable (20), comprises a housing (100), a holder (200) below the housing (100) movable to bring and hold the cable (20) against the housing (100), and an operator (300) on the housing (100) for screwingly moving the holder (200) to thereby hold the cable (20) against the housing (100). The holder (200) has two opposed limbs (212) extending upwards. Two conductors (400) are located within the housing (100), each having a sharp lower end (401) for piercing into the cable (20) to make contact with a respective core (22) thereof upon the cable (20) being brought against the housing (100), and an upper end (402/403) for connection with a second cable. The upper end (402/403) of each conductor (400) includes a self-gripping device (G) which operatively grips upon the end of a core of the second cable automatically and simultaneously upon approach of the cable core end, thereby electrically and mechanically connecting the cable core end to the upper conductor end (402/403).