Conductive Member Central Locking Mechanism
Solution Overview
Problem
Conductive members with flat rectangular cross sections face challenges in maintaining electrical insulation and assembly workability due to the need for extensive engagement locks at the side edge portions, which increase width dimensions and complicate assembly processes.
Innovation Solution
A conductive member design featuring insulating resin cover members with a locking portion on one cover member that penetrates through a central through hole of the flat conductor and engages with an engagement portion on the other cover member, eliminating the need for side edge engagement locks, thus reducing width dimensions and simplifying assembly by visual confirmation of a single engagement point.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If engagement pieces and engagement holes are provided at both side edge portions of cover members, then the cover members can be securely locked, but the width dimension increases and assembly workability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the locking function from the side edge portions and concentrates it at the central portion. By providing engagement pieces and engagement holes only at the central portion of the cover members, the design eliminates the need for multiple side edge locks while maintaining secure locking through a single centralized engagement mechanism.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges multiple locking functions into a single centralized engagement mechanism. By combining the locking action that would have been distributed across multiple side edge portions into one central engagement point, the design reduces width dimension while maintaining adequate locking reliability.
2Reliability
If multiple engagement locks are provided at both side edge portions, then the locking reliability is improved, but the number of visual checks required increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the locking function from multiple side edge portions and concentrates it at the central portion. This results in only one engagement point that requires visual confirmation, significantly reducing the time needed for assembly inspection while maintaining adequate locking reliability through the centralized design.
3Reliability
If engagement pieces are provided at both side edge portions of the main body, then the cover members can be securely held, but the width dimension and wiring space increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the holding function from the side edge portions and relocates it to the central portion. By positioning engagement pieces and engagement holes at the center, the design maintains secure holding of the cover members while minimizing the width dimension and optimizing wiring space.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent shifts the locking mechanism from a lateral distribution across side edges to a central concentration, effectively changing the spatial arrangement from horizontal dispersion to vertical/central concentration. This dimensional reorganization reduces the required width while maintaining holding reliability.
Data Source
AI summary
A conductive member includes a flat conductor having a substantially rectangular cross section, first and second cover members disposed so as to face each other with respect to front and back surfaces of the flat conductor, and sandwiching the flat conductor in a plate thickness direction of the flat conductor to cover the flat conductor, a locking portion provided on the first cover member and protruding toward the second cover member, and an engagement portion provided on the second cover member, and configured to hold the first and second cover members in a state that the flat conductor is sandwiched between the first and second cover members and the engagement portion engages with the locking portion which passes through a through hole provided in a central portion of the flat conductor.