Connector Housing Layout for Bolt Fixing Without Short Circuits

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing connectors face challenges in firmly fixing the inner housing and outer housing, leading to potential short circuits and connector enlargement due to the lack of effective fastening mechanisms.

Innovation Solution

A connector design featuring a bolt that fastens the inner and outer housings, with the inner housing having cavities for terminals and a recess for the bolt, ensuring secure fixation and suppressing short circuits, while the recess's positioning minimizes connector enlargement.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Strength

If a bolt is inserted through the outer housing to fasten the inner and outer housings, then the fixation strength is improved, but the risk of short circuit between the bolt and terminals increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefixation strengthVSAvoidshort circuit risk

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The inner housing is segmented into multiple functional regions: cavities for terminals and a dedicated recess for the bolt. This segmentation physically separates the bolt from the terminals, eliminating the short circuit risk while maintaining fastening strength.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The recess acts as an intermediary structure between the bolt and the terminal cavities. It provides a designated space for the bolt head or nut, preventing direct contact between the conductive bolt and terminal components, thus serving as an electrical isolation mediator.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Adaptability or versatility

If the inner housing is enlarged to accommodate both terminal cavities and bolt recess, then the fastening functionality is improved, but the connector size increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefastening functionalityVSAvoidconnector size

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSVolume of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The bolt recess is positioned in the axial direction of the inner housing, utilizing the length dimension rather than expanding the radial or width dimensions. This allows the connector to maintain a compact cross-sectional area while accommodating the fastening mechanism through axial extension.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

Solution Approach 2:

The bolt recess is nested within the inner housing structure, sharing the same axial space as the terminal cavities. The recess utilizes the existing axial dimension of the connector, effectively nesting the fastening function within the overall housing geometry without requiring additional external space.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

Data Source

PatentUS12003057B2Connector with inner and outer housings

Publication Date: 2024.06.04 SUMITOMO WIRING SYSTEMS LTD

AI summary

A connector 10 includes a plurality of terminals 12, an inner housing 20 for holding the plurality of terminals 12, a tubular outer housing 30 for covering the inner housing 20, and a bolt B1 for fastening the inner housing 20 and the outer housing 30 by being inserted up to the inner housing 20 while being passed through the outer housing 30 from outside of the outer housing 30. The inner housing 20 is formed with a plurality of cavities 22 for respectively accommodating the plurality of terminals 12 and a recess for accommodating the bolt B1, and the plurality of cavities 22 and the recess are partitioned from each other.