Charging Connector Button Cover for Water Ingress Prevention
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Outdoor charging connectors, such as those for electric cars, face issues with water ingress and freezing, which can prevent movable parts from operating effectively due to the inability to fully drain water and the subsequent freezing of water within the connector body.
Innovation Solution
The charging connector design incorporates a cover portion for the button member, which interrupts water entry and prevents it from reaching the regulating and regulated portions, maintaining their movable state even if water freezes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the lock lever and release button are arranged to extend from inside to outside the body and are made movable with respect to the body, then the ease of operation is improved, but water enters through the gap between the body and these components, causing freezing that prevents movement of the movable portion
Solution Approach 1:
The button member is divided into distinct functional portions: a button portion for user operation, a cover portion that extends to cover the gap, and a regulated portion that interacts with the operation regulating mechanism. This segmentation allows the cover portion to specifically address water infiltration while the other portions maintain their operational functions.
Solution Approach 2:
The cover portion of the button member acts as an intermediary element between the button portion and the regulated portion, and also as a barrier between the external environment and the internal movable portions. It covers the gap without interfering with the button's pressing operation or the lock lever's movement.
2Object-generated harmful factors
If the charging connector is provided with a drain hole to drain water, then water drainage is improved, but the water left in the body may be frozen by temperature drop, preventing movement of the movable portion
Solution Approach 1:
The cover portion is designed to extend and cover the gap between the body and the lock lever/release button, effectively extracting or removing the water infiltration path. By covering this gap, water cannot enter the internal space where the movable portions are located, eliminating the need for drain holes and preventing freezing issues.
3Ease of operation
If the button member is made movable with respect to the body to enable operation, then the ease of operation is improved, but a gap is created that allows water entry, which when frozen prevents movement
Solution Approach 1:
The button member is designed with different local qualities: the button portion maintains movability for operation, while the cover portion extends to provide water protection. The cover portion specifically addresses the water infiltration issue at the gap location without restricting the button's pressing motion or the lock lever's movement elsewhere in the system.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
A button member of a charging connector is used for locking a mated state of the charging connector and an inlet. An operation regulating mechanism regulates an operation of the button member and releases the regulation. An operation portion of the button member is operable to be pressed down. A cover portion of the button member is located below the operation portion. A lower surface of the cover portion is provided with a regulated portion. The operation regulating mechanism is provided with a driving portion and a movable portion, and the movable portion has a regulating portion. The driving portion drives the movable portion to move the regulating portion. The regulating portion regulates or allows downward movement of the regulated portion. In this structure, when viewed from above in an up-down direction, the regulating portion and the regulated portion are covered by the cover portion.