Connecting Cable Protective Cover With Spring Return for Contact Protection
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Solution Overview
Problem
The exposed metal conductive portions of connecting cables are prone to damage from accidental touch, especially when connecting with board-end connectors, which compromises reliability, durability, and safety.
Innovation Solution
A connecting cable with a returnable protective cover is designed, featuring an insulative seat with a conducting opening, a circuit board with exposed conductive portions, a protective cover that slides to cover the opening, and a spring that returns the cover to its original position, thereby protecting the conductive portions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the conductive portions are exposed for electrical connection, then the ease of operation is improved, but the reliability deteriorates due to accidental touch damage
Solution Approach 1:
The protective cover is pre-installed on the insulative seat to cover the conductive portions before connection. This preliminary protective action prevents accidental touch damage while allowing easy removal during connection operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The protective cover acts as an intermediary element between the conductive portions and the external environment. It mediates by providing physical protection while allowing controlled access during connection, thus resolving the conflict between protection and ease of operation.
2Reliability
If a protective cover is added to shield the conductive portions, then the reliability is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The protective cover is integrated with the insulative seat through a unified structure where the cover is disposed on the seat and guided by its side walls. This merging reduces the need for separate guiding structures and simplifies the overall assembly.
Solution Approach 2:
The side walls of the insulative seat serve multiple functions: they provide structural support, guide the protective cover during movement, and define the conducting opening. This multi-functionality reduces the need for additional components.
3Reliability
If the protective cover is made fixed to ensure protection, then the reliability is improved, but the ease of operation deteriorates due to difficulty in exposure for connection
Solution Approach 1:
The protective cover is designed to be movable relative to the insulative seat, transitioning between a protected state (covering the conductive portions) and an exposed state (allowing connection). This dynamic design resolves the conflict between fixed protection and operational accessibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The protective cover utilizes the elastic recovery of the insulative seat's side walls to automatically return to its protective position after being moved for connection. This self-service mechanism reduces the need for additional springs or actuators to reset the cover.
4Ease of operation
If the protective cover is made slidable with spring mechanism to enable automatic return, then the ease of operation is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The insulative seat material is selected to possess elastic properties, allowing the side walls to deform during cover movement and then recover automatically. This parameter change (using elastic material properties) provides the return mechanism without additional mechanical components.
Solution Approach 2:
The elastic insulative seat automatically pushes the protective cover back to its initial position after connection operations. The seat's elastic recovery serves as the driving force, eliminating the need for separate springs or motors.
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 protective cover effectively shields the conductive portions from accidental damage, ensuring increased reliability, durability, and safety of the connecting cable during use and disconnection from connectors.
Implementation Method 1
The protective cover returns back to an original position by an elastic reverting force from the spring
Data Source
AI summary
A connecting cable includes an insulative seat, a circuit board, a protective cover and a spring. The insulative seat includes a body. The body is formed with a slot and a conducting opening. The circuit board includes a substrate and conductive portions. The substrate is inserted into the slot. The conductive portions are exposed from the conducting opening. The protective cover is disposed on the body to cover the conducting opening and slidable. The spring has one end abutting against the body and another end fixed on the protective cover. The conducting opening may be opened by pushing the protective cover by the counterpart connector to compress the spring. The protective cover may be returned back to an original position by an elastic force from the spring.