Cable Lug Collar Alignment in Terminal Assemblies
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing terminal assemblies for electric cables are cumbersome to connect to appliances due to misalignment issues caused by lubrication and widening of the insulator body during installation, requiring manual handling which can be challenging in confined spaces.
Innovation Solution
A terminal assembly with a cable lug secured by a form lock between the collar and the cable lug receptacle, featuring a locking element complementary to the collar, which fixes the cable lug at a desired position within the insulator body, ensuring alignment and retention.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If lubrication means is used and insulator body is widened during insertion, then insertion of cable lug is facilitated, but misalignment of cable lug occurs and electrical connection becomes cumbersome
Solution Approach 1:
The cable lug is pre-positioned and secured to the cable conductor before insertion into the insulator body. The collar is pre-formed on the cable lug main body, establishing a fixed reference position that prevents misalignment during the subsequent insertion process, thereby resolving the contradiction between ease of insertion and alignment precision
Solution Approach 2:
The collar acts as an intermediary element between the cable lug and the insulator body. It provides a positive engagement feature that interfaces with the insulator body receptacle, ensuring accurate positioning and alignment during insertion while facilitating the insertion process itself
2Reliability
If insulator body is widened upon insertion, then water-tight and electrical sealing is ensured, but cable lug misalignment occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The cable lug and collar are pre-assembled and secured to the cable conductor before insertion. This preliminary action establishes a fixed geometric relationship and alignment reference that remains stable during the insulator body widening process, preventing misalignment while allowing the sealing function to be achieved
Solution Approach 2:
The collar provides localized structural rigidity and shape stability at the critical interface region of the cable lug. This localized reinforcement ensures that the alignment is maintained in the specific region where positioning is critical, while allowing the insulator body to widen elsewhere for sealing purposes
3Manufacturing precision
If manual handling is required to hold cable lug and insulator body in position, then alignment can be maintained, but operation becomes cumbersome in confined spaces
Solution Approach 1:
The collar and insulator body receptacle are designed with complementary shapes that create a self-aligning and self-retaining mechanism. Upon insertion, the collar automatically engages with the receptacle, securing the cable lug in the correct position without requiring manual handling or external tools to maintain alignment, thereby resolving the contradiction between alignment precision and operation ease
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~4
Figure 5~6
AI summary
The invention relates to a cable lug (1) as it is used for terminating an electric cable (18) and for contacting an appliance (11). The cable lug (1) comprises a cable-side end section (28) for directly or indirectly contacting the electric cable (18). For indirectly contacting the electric cable, an adapter (22) may be provided. An appliance-side end section (30) for contacting the appliance of an appliance-side connector (10) is also comprised by the cable lug (1). Between the cable-side end section (28) and the appliance-side end section (30) a main body (27) of the cable lug extends. The main body comprises at least one radially protruding collar (38) which may be a part separate from the main body (27) or monolithically integrated into the main body. The collar (38) secures and centers the cable lug (1) if the cable lug (1) is inserted into a cable lug receptacle (6) of an insulator body (4). Within the insulator body (4), the electric connection between the cable lug (1) and the appliance-side connector (10) is established.