Composite Housing for Electrical Connectors with Elastomer Cable Entry
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electrical plug connection housings for electric vehicles are prone to cable buckling at entry openings due to the difference in hardness between the hard plastic housing and soft PVC cable sheathing, leading to potential damage during handling.
Innovation Solution
A composite housing design featuring a hard plastic component combined with a soft elastomer component, such as a shrink tube, at the entry opening to reduce buckling susceptibility, optimized through a 2K overmolding process that integrates the soft component with the housing, providing enhanced anti-kink protection and manufacturing efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If a hard plastic housing (PBT GF 30) is used for the housing, then the housing provides structural strength and rigidity, but it creates a kink at the cable outlet that can lead to damage to the cable lines
Solution Approach 1:
The housing is designed with different material properties at different locations: the main housing body uses hard plastic (PBT GF 30) for structural strength, while the cable outlet area uses a soft elastomer component for cable protection. This local differentiation of material properties resolves the contradiction between needing hard housing for strength and soft housing at cable outlets to prevent kinking.
Solution Approach 2:
The housing is constructed as a composite part combining hard plastic and soft elastomer materials. The soft elastomer component is integrated into the hard plastic housing, creating a composite structure that provides both structural strength from the hard plastic and cable protection from the soft elastomer at the cable outlet areas.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If a soft component is added to protect cable lines at entry openings, then cable line robustness is improved, but the device complexity and manufacturing process are worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The soft elastomer component is merged with the hard plastic housing to form an integrated composite housing. The soft component is molded directly into the housing structure, eliminating the need for separate assembly steps and reducing overall device complexity despite adding protective functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The soft elastomer component is pre-formed and positioned at the cable entry openings before the final housing molding process. This preliminary preparation allows the soft component to be seamlessly integrated into the housing in a single manufacturing step, reducing overall manufacturing complexity.
3Productivity
If a composite part design with integrated soft component is used, then manufacturing efficiency is improved, but the manufacturing precision requirements are worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The soft elastomer component is nested within the hard plastic housing during the overmolding process. The soft component is first molded, then the hard plastic housing is molded around it in a nested sequence, allowing both components to be integrated in a single manufacturing operation while maintaining precision through controlled molding sequences.
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 composite housing design significantly reduces cable line buckling, enhances robustness, and improves manufacturing efficiency by minimizing components and production cycles while maintaining excellent sealing and temperature resistance, suitable for various environmental conditions.
Implementation Method 1
the soft component, which preferably consists of an elastomer... reduces the susceptibility to buckling at the entry opening of the housing by arranging a soft component, which is formed from an elastomer
Implementation Method 2
the soft component is a shrink tube... the manufacturing process is further improved by the temperature-dependent properties of the shrink tubing... the shrink tubing consequently fits snugly against the cable line
Data Source
Figure 1a~1b
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
The invention relates to a housing (10) for electrical connectors, for example for electric vehicles, with at least one cable (11) passing through an entry opening (13) of the housing (10), wherein the housing (10) consists of a hard plastic component. To make the cable (11) less susceptible to kinking at the entry opening (13), the invention proposes that the entry opening (13) be located in a soft component (15), which preferably consists of an elastomer, wherein the soft component (15) and the housing (10) are formed as a composite part.