Connector Assembly Barcode Legibility for Mating Verification
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Solution Overview
Problem
Automotive Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) face challenges in ensuring that electrical connectors are properly connected and that a connector position assurance device (CPA) is in the correct staged position, as assembly operators may fail to move the CPA to the staged position during connector mating.
Innovation Solution
A connector assembly with a movable member that changes positions from a pre-staged position, where it restricts the quiet zone around an indicium (such as a 2D barcode) making it illegible to an optical scanning device, to a staged position, where it provides adequate clearance of the quiet zone, allowing the indicium to be legible.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the movable member is positioned to restrict the quiet zone around the indicium, then the connector assembly can be identified as not fully mated, but the indicium becomes illegible to the optical scanning device
Solution Approach 1:
The movable member is designed to dynamically change position between a first position (restricting the quiet zone when not mated) and a second position (providing clearance when mated). This dynamic positioning allows the system to transition between states of indicium legibility, ensuring the indicium is only readable when proper mating has occurred.
Solution Approach 2:
The movable member acts as an intermediary element between the connector assembly and the optical scanning device. By positioning itself to either restrict or clear the quiet zone, it mediates the legibility of the indicium based on the mating status of the connector, providing a reliable verification mechanism.
2Measurement precision
If the movable member is moved to provide clearance of the quiet zone, then the indicium becomes legible for verification, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The movable member is integrated with the connector assembly housing, merging the verification mechanism into the existing connector structure. This integration allows the movable member to be actuated by the mating process itself, rather than requiring a separate actuation system, thereby reducing overall device complexity while maintaining measurement precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The movable member is designed to be automatically actuated by the connector mating process. When the connector assembly is properly mated, the movable member is pushed to the second position, automatically providing clearance for the quiet zone without requiring external intervention. This self-service mechanism simplifies the overall system while ensuring accurate verification.
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
This solution ensures that the connector assembly can be verified as properly mated by making the indicium legible to an optical scanning device only when the connector is fully mated and the CPA is in the correct position, thereby addressing the issue of improper connection and CPA positioning.
Implementation Method 1
a movable member movable from a first position configured to render the indicium illegible to an optical scanning device to a second position configured to render the indicium legible to the optical scanning device
Implementation Method 2
the movable member is configured to intrude into a quiet zone around the indicium when in the first position and wherein the movable member is outside of the quiet zone when in the second position
Data Source
AI summary
A connector assembly includes a first housing having an indicium imprinted thereon and a movable member movable from a first position configured to render the indicium illegible to an optical scanning device to a second position configured to render the indicium legible to the optical scanning device. The indicium is visible when the movable member is in the first position and when the movable member is in the second position. A method of mating a connector assembly having a movable member and an indicum imprinted thereon is also presented.