Connector Cover Locking Mechanism for Wire Separation Prevention
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing connectors experience separation issues between the cover and housing due to excessive stress caused by swinging wires and external twisting forces, leading to disengagement of the locking frame and potential separation.
Innovation Solution
The connector design incorporates a cap-like cover with a wire pull-out opening and an opening restricting portion on the housing that contacts the cover's outer surface, preventing expansion and positional deviation, and a rib along the opening edge to maintain the shape and prevent separation, while the locks and corresponding opening restricting portions ensure secure locking.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the wire is allowed to swing freely through the wire pull-out opening, then the ease of operation is improved, but the cover may expand and separate from the housing due to excessive stress
Solution Approach 1:
The cover is divided into functional zones: the wire pull-out opening area for operation, the locking frame area for security, and the side wall areas with opening restricting portions for stress management. This segmentation allows each zone to perform its specific function independently, maintaining reliability while enabling operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The opening restricting portions act as intermediary elements between the cover and housing. These portions contact the housing to prevent excessive expansion of the cover side walls, thereby mediating the stress caused by wire swinging and preventing lock disengagement.
2Strength
If the locking frame is used to secure the cover to the housing, then the connection strength is improved, but the cover may still separate when the wire swings and causes the locking frame to disengage
Solution Approach 1:
The opening restricting portions provide beforehand cushioning by preventing excessive expansion of the cover side walls before the locking frame can disengage. This prior protection ensures that the locking frame remains engaged even when the wire swings, maintaining connection reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The opening restricting portions exert preliminary anti-action by opposing the expansion force on the cover side walls before this force can transmit to the locking frame and cause disengagement. This prevents the harmful effect of wire swinging on the locking mechanism.
3Reliability
If additional structures are added to prevent cover expansion and positional deviation, then the reliability is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The opening restricting portions serve multiple functions simultaneously: they prevent cover expansion, maintain cover shape, and prevent forward positional deviation of the cover. This multi-functionality achieves high reliability without increasing device complexity, as one structure accomplishes multiple protective tasks.
Solution Approach 2:
The opening restricting portions are merged with the housing structure, integrating the expansion prevention and position control functions into the existing housing design rather than adding separate independent components. This merging reduces overall device complexity while maintaining reliability.
Data Source
AI summary
It is aimed to prevent separation of a cover (30) from a housing (10). The housing (10) includes lock receiving portions (21) on an outer side of a wire extending surface (13). The cover (30) is in the form of a cap for covering wires (80) extending from the wire extending surface (13) and includes a wire pull-out opening (35) configured such that the wires (80) are pulled out therethrough, an opening end (34) configured to contact the housing (10) along a front-rear direction, and locks (41) configured to restrict separation from the housing (10) by locking the lock receiving portions (21). The cover (30) includes a rib (37) serving as a forward movement restricting portion. The housing (10) includes opening restricting portions (23) arranged to contact and face a front end of the rib (37) and to face an outer surface of the cover (30).