Electrical Connector Camming Wall Terminal Indexing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Electrical connectors often require precise orientation of terminals to fit within cavities, and existing designs fail to assist in indexing terminals that are significantly out of alignment, leading to fitting issues.
Innovation Solution
The electrical connector features a camming wall with radially and axially inclined facets and a rail with knobs that help index the terminal to the correct orientation as it is inserted, allowing for proper engagement with a complementary terminal even when significantly misaligned.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If the terminal is not oriented within a few degrees of the indexed positions, then the terminal will not fit within the cavity and be joined to another terminal, but requiring precise manual alignment increases assembly difficulty and time
Solution Approach 1:
The camming wall and indexed facets are designed to perform preliminary alignment action during the insertion process itself. As the terminal is inserted, the camming surface automatically guides it to the correct rotational orientation before final engagement, eliminating the need for precise pre-alignment by the operator.
Solution Approach 2:
The indexing mechanism is self-acting during insertion. The camming wall interacts with the terminal's camming surface to automatically rotate and index the terminal to the correct position without external intervention or specialized tools, making the system self-aligning.
2Reliability
If a tool is required to secure the terminal in place, then the terminal can be firmly fixed, but removal requires specialized tools which complicates maintenance
Solution Approach 1:
The push-pull mechanism allows the terminal to be secured and released through simple axial movements. The resilient member and camming wall interaction enables the terminal to be firmly fixed during insertion while allowing easy removal by pulling, with no specialized tools needed for either operation.
3Manufacturing precision
If the terminal must be precisely indexed to engage complementary terminals, then proper electrical connection is achieved, but assembly time increases due to alignment requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The camming wall and indexed facets perform the indexing action during the normal insertion process. The terminal is automatically rotated to the correct orientation as it is being inserted, so precision alignment is achieved without adding extra alignment steps or slowing down the assembly process.
Solution Approach 2:
The manual alignment process is replaced by a mechanical self-indexing system. The camming surface and opposed facets create a mechanical guidance system that automatically orients the terminal correctly during insertion, eliminating the need for operator skill in alignment while maintaining high assembly speed.
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 enables terminals to be properly oriented and secured within the connector body, ensuring effective connection regardless of initial alignment, with the ability to handle up to 45° rotational misalignment and potentially 90° with modified design, facilitating easy assembly and disassembly without the need for specialized tools.
Implementation Method 1
The body has a camming wall for engaging a terminal. The terminal has a can section axially spaced from its terminal end. The can section has a camming surface for engagement to the camming wall of the connector body for indexing the terminal with respect to the connector body as the terminal is axially moved into the cavity.
Implementation Method 2
the camming surface includes a plurality of indexed facets inclined radially and axially outward from a first axial plane toward a second axial plane away from the terminal end
Data Source
AI summary
An electrical connector has a connector body with a cavity for receiving a terminal with a camming wall for engaging the terminal. The terminal has a terminal end for engagement to another complementary terminal. The terminal has a can section axially spaced from the terminal end. The can section has a camming surface for engagement to the camming wall of the connection body for indexing the terminal with respect to the connector body as the terminal is axially moved into the cavity.