Cable Connector Assembly Sliding Locking Mechanism
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional cable connectors for HID bulbs in vehicle-mounted lighting devices are bulky, making it difficult to secure space for other wiring and are challenging to attach and detach due to protruding levers and biased mechanisms that can be easily disengaged by vibrations or impacts.
Innovation Solution
A cable connector assembly with a sliding locking member that reduces the connector's size by minimizing protrusions, allowing easy attachment and detachment by sliding the protrusion out of the locking hole, and featuring a flexible design that accommodates other wiring without obstructing space.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a lever with biasing force is used to lock the connector, then the connection is secure, but the lever protrudes outward making it difficult to arrange other wiring and hard to operate with gloved hands
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of pushing the lever down to release the lock, the design requires pulling the lever upward against the biasing force to disengage the claw portion from the locking hole. This inverted operation allows the lever to be shorter without protruding, while still providing secure locking during normal use.
Solution Approach 2:
The lever is designed as a movable component that can be positioned in two states: locked (claw engaged with locking hole) and unlocked (claw disengaged). The dynamic movement of the lever allows it to transition between these states, providing both secure connection and easy release when needed.
2Area of stationary object
If the lever is made short to reduce arrangement area, then space for wiring is secured, but it becomes difficult to apply leverage force to lift the claw portion
Solution Approach 1:
The release mechanism is inverted from push-down to pull-up operation. By pulling the lever upward, the operator can apply force directly to the lever's long end, generating sufficient leverage to lift the claw portion without requiring an excessively long lever that would protrude.
3Ease of operation
If the biasing force is reduced to ease lever operation, then the lever can be pushed down easily, but the claw portion may disengage due to vibration or impact
Solution Approach 1:
By inverting the release mechanism to require upward pulling force, the design maintains strong biasing force for secure locking while still allowing easy release. The upward pull direction is intuitive and requires minimal force, while the downward locked state remains secure against vibrations and impacts.
4Reliability
If a protruding lever is used for locking, then the connection is secure, but it obstructs the arrangement of other wiring members
Solution Approach 1:
The inverted release mechanism allows the lever to be positioned closer to the connector body without protruding outward. The lever rotates or moves in a compact arc rather than extending linearly, reducing the overall connector volume while maintaining secure locking functionality.
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3A~3B
Figure 4A~4B
AI summary
A connection cable includes a cable-side connector, a cable body, a cover member, and a locking member. The cover member is configured to define a gap between the cable-side connector and the cover member such that a bulb-side connector is fitted to the gap when the cable-side connector is connected to the bulb-side connector. The locking member includes a slide portion arranged to slide along an outer circumferential surface of the cover member. The slide portion is provided with a protrusion extending through the cover member and engaging with a locking hole formed in the bulb-side connector. The slide portion is configured such that, when the slide portion is caused to slide, the protrusion is moved away from the cable-side connector and disengaged from the locking hole.