Cable Separation Housing with Connector Interface

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing housings for electrical wire strands lack effective mechanisms for reliable separation and protection of multiple strands from external influences during connection and routing, often leading to incorrect connections and exposure to environmental factors.

Innovation Solution

A housing with an interface for connecting to electrical connectors, featuring a dividing element and coded inlet and outlet openings to ensure precise separation and protection of electrical wire strands, utilizing a form-fitting coupling and strain relief elements for secure and protected routing.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If multiple electrical wire strands are bundled together for easy laying, then ease of installation is improved, but separation and protection of individual strands at the connection point deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveease of installationVSAvoidstrand separation and protection
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The housing is divided into multiple channels, each dedicated to guiding a specific wire strand from the bundled input to a specific position in the connector. This segmentation allows the housing to maintain the bundled structure for easy installation while simultaneously providing separation and protection at the connection point.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The housing acts as an intermediary component between the bundled wire strands and the connector. It receives the bundled strands at the input, maintains their protection throughout the housing, and delivers them in separated and organized fashion to the connector interface, thus resolving the contradiction between bundled installation and separated connection.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If an interface is added to connect the housing to the electrical connector, then connection reliability is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveconnection reliabilityVSAvoidhousing structure
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The interface is merged with the housing as an integrated component rather than a separate attachment. The housing simultaneously performs multiple functions: protecting wire strands, guiding them through channels, and providing the interface connection to the electrical connector. This merging reduces overall complexity while maintaining connection reliability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The housing is designed as a multi-functional component that combines wire protection, strand separation, routing guidance, and connector interface functions into a single element. This multi-functionality improves connection reliability without proportionally increasing complexity, as each function is integrated into the same structural framework.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Manufacturing precision

If coded inlet and outlet openings are used to prevent incorrect connections, then connection accuracy is improved, but manufacturing complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveconnection accuracyVSAvoidhousing manufacturing
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The inlet and outlet openings are designed with asymmetric codes (such as non-circular cross-sections or specific geometric features) that prevent incorrect insertion. These asymmetric features are integrated into the housing molding process, allowing the housing to guide wires accurately and prevent mismatches without requiring complex additional manufacturing steps.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #4Asymmetry

4Object-affected harmful factors

If the housing protects wire strands from external influences, then strand protection is improved, but accessibility for connection deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestrand protectionVSAvoidconnection accessibility
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The housing provides protection to the wire strands from the moment they enter until they reach the connector interface. The protected environment is maintained throughout the housing interior, and the interface is designed to allow connection operations to be performed on the protected strands without compromising their protection, thus resolving the contradiction between protection and accessibility.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentEP3982492A1Housing for separating electrical cable strands
Publication Date: 2022.04.13 WAGO VERW GMBH
  • EP3982492A1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3982492A1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3982492A1 patent drawingFigure 3a

AI summary

The invention relates to a housing for separating electrical conductors, comprising an inlet section for receiving at least two electrical conductors and at least one outlet section for routing the electrical conductors out of the housing. To create an improved housing, an interface is provided on the housing, the interface being configured to connect the housing to an electrical connector or a connector housing. Such an interface to a connector enables the reliable routing of conductors to a connector and, in the case of multiple conductors, their separation from one another.