Wall-Mounted Connector Alignment Structure to Prevent Terminal Twisting
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing connectors for electric vehicles and hybrid vehicles often experience terminal twisting when the shield shell and fixed wall surface are fixed with a fastening bolt, leading to improper fitting and potential distortion during connection.
Innovation Solution
A connector design featuring a housing member with a fitting portion and a fixing member that includes a through hole for the fastening bolt, along with a positioning projection portion that inserts into a groove on the fixed wall surface, ensuring proper alignment and preventing twisting during fitting.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If the shield shell and fixed wall surface are fixed with a fastening bolt, then the connector can be securely fixed to the connection target, but the terminal may be twisted with respect to the mating connector when the connector is inclined
Solution Approach 1:
The positioning projection portion is inserted into the positioning groove portion before fastening with the fastening bolt, establishing correct alignment in advance. This preliminary positioning action ensures that the terminal and mating connector are properly aligned before the fixing operation commences, preventing inclination and twisting during the fastening process.
Solution Approach 2:
The positioning projection portion and positioning groove portion act as intermediary elements between the connector and the fixed wall surface. These intermediary features mediate the relationship between the connector and mounting surface, ensuring correct orientation and preventing inclination during the fastening operation, thereby eliminating terminal twisting while maintaining secure fixation.
2Ease of manufacture
If the connector is fitted to the mating connector without positioning features, then the assembly process is simpler, but the connector may become inclined causing terminal distortion
Solution Approach 1:
The positioning projection portion and positioning groove portion create an asymmetric relationship between the connector and the fixed wall surface. This asymmetric design provides a unique, predetermined orientation for the connector during assembly, ensuring that the terminal aligns correctly with the mating connector. The asymmetric features guide the connector into the proper position automatically, maintaining fitting accuracy while keeping the assembly process straightforward.
Data Source
AI summary
A connector includes a housing member having a fitting portion to be fitted with a mating connector, and a fixing member fixed to a fixed wall surface together with the housing member. The fixing member has the through hole of the fastening bolt that is fastened to the fastening hole of the fixed wall surface to fix the fixing member to the fixed wall surface together with the housing member. The housing member is positioned on the opposite side of the through hole provided in the fixing member with the fitting portion interposed therebetween with respect to the vertical direction, and has the positioning projection portion formed to protrude toward the fixed wall surface in the fitted state. The positioning projection portion is inserted into the wall surface groove portion formed in the fixed wall surface along the insertion and removal direction in the fitted state.