Connector Assembly Cable Damage Prevention
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Solution Overview
Problem
High-voltage cables in vehicles are prone to damage from external forces during collisions, particularly when space constraints require shorter cables, posing risks of fire and electrical shock due to limited cable length and mounting space.
Innovation Solution
A connector assembly with a protective tube and protrusions that allow the cable to be embedded within a housing, featuring a detachable female connector and a male connector with hook parts, and a tubular mounting part with varying pipe diameters to absorb external forces and prevent damage by retracting the cable during impact.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of stationary object
If a shorter high-voltage cable is used to meet space constraints in mounting, then the mounting space requirement is reduced, but the cable becomes more susceptible to damage from external forces during collision
Solution Approach 1:
The connector assembly incorporates a movable protective tube that can dynamically extend and retract. During normal operation, the protective tube retracts to minimize space occupation. During collision, the protective tube extends to absorb external forces and protect the cable, thus resolving the contradiction between compact mounting space and cable damage resistance
Solution Approach 2:
The protective tube is designed to extend beforehand during collision to cushion and absorb external forces before they reach the cable. This pre-positioned protective mechanism prevents cable damage while maintaining compact mounting dimensions, addressing the contradiction between space constraints and reliability
2Reliability
If a longer high-voltage cable is used to prevent damage during collision, then the cable damage resistance is improved, but the mounting space requirement increases
Solution Approach 1:
The protective tube is nested within the housing structure during normal operation, occupying minimal space. When collision occurs, the protective tube extends outward from the housing to provide cable protection. This nesting approach allows the system to have both compact mounting dimensions and sufficient protection length when needed
Solution Approach 2:
The protective mechanism transitions from a two-dimensional compact state within the housing to a three-dimensional extended state during collision. By utilizing the extension dimension, the system achieves cable protection without permanently increasing mounting space requirements
3Reliability
If the cable is made more flexible to absorb external force, then the cable damage resistance is improved, but the structural strength is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The protective tube acts as an intermediary element between the external collision force and the cable. It absorbs and dissipates external forces through its extension and deformation, protecting the cable from direct impact while maintaining the cable's original structural integrity and flexibility characteristics
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
The solution effectively prevents cable damage during vehicle collisions by retracting the embedded cable within the housing, meeting safety regulations and reducing the risk of fire and electrical shock, while allowing longer cables to be used without increasing mounting space.
Implementation Method 1
the protective tube may be an elastic member which may be extended in the longitudinal direction
Implementation Method 2
the protective tube may have ring-shaped corrugations formed continuously thereon in a longitudinal direction
Data Source
AI summary
A connector assembly that prevents damage to a cable is provided. The connector assembly includes an inserting aperture that is disposed on one side of a housing of an electronic power element and a female connector that is connected to an embedded cable disposed within the housing and detachably mounted in the inserting aperture. Further, a male connector connects the embedded cable to an external cable when coupled with the female connector.