Connector Assembly Waterproofing via Merged Core Hole
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing connector assemblies face challenges in preventing damage to access terminals and ensuring waterproofing, often requiring separate waterproofing structures that increase the size and complexity of the connector.
Innovation Solution
A connector assembly design featuring a cap housing with a support rod and a protection part that moves relative to the connecting part, where the core hole is integrated into the connecting part rather than the cap housing, allowing for a compact structure and eliminating the need for a separate waterproofing configuration, with a slider mechanism to prevent separation of the access terminal and connecting part.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If a core hole is formed in the cap housing to manufacture the protection plate locking member shape, then the locking member can be manufactured through injection molding, but the connector assembly size increases unnecessarily to waterproof the core hole
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the core hole function into the protection plate locking member itself by forming a recess on the locking member that receives the core pin. This eliminates the need for a separate core hole in the cap housing, thereby maintaining injection molding capability while avoiding the need for additional waterproofing structures that would increase assembly size.
2Ease of manufacture
If a protection plate locking member with protruding shape is manufactured through injection molding, then the locking member can be easily manufactured, but a core hole must be formed in the cap housing which requires waterproofing
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the core hole requirement from the cap housing and relocates it to the protection plate locking member. The locking member is designed with a recess that accommodates the core pin, eliminating the need for a core hole in the cap housing and thus removing the waterproofing requirement while maintaining easy manufacturing through injection molding.
3Reliability
If multiple stepped ports are waterproofed in the same area as the core hole, then waterproofing can be achieved, but the connector assembly size increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the waterproofing function into the protection plate locking member by designing the recess to receive the core pin. This integration eliminates the need for separate waterproofing structures for multiple ports in the cap housing, achieving reliable waterproofing without increasing the connector assembly size.
Data Source
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AI summary
Provided is a connector assembly (100) including a male connector (1) including a cap housing (11), an access terminal (12) accommodated in the cap housing (11), a connecting part (13) fixably mounted in the cap housing (11), and a protection part (14) configured to be movable relative to the connecting part (13) in a lengthwise direction of the access terminal (12); and a female connector (2) including a plug housing (22) configured to insert in the cap housing (11). During coupling of the male connector (1) and the female connector (2), the plug housing (22) is configured to release a fastening state between the connecting part (13) and the protection part (14) that are fastened to each other and to push the protection part (14) toward a floor surface of the connecting part (13).