Connector Cover Retention via Peripheral Member Interposition
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing connector structures are prone to the cover falling off when subjected to strong external forces, especially during the fitting process with a counterpart housing, due to the detachment of engagement protrusions from engagement holes.
Innovation Solution
A connector design where the cover is positioned between the housing and a peripheral member, with a locking mechanism that engages in a direction intersecting the fitting direction, preventing detachment and ensuring smooth fitting by avoiding interference with the peripheral member, and featuring a cover arc surface that aligns with the solenoid's outer peripheral surface to prevent angular displacement interference.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If the cover is attached to the housing using engagement protrusions and engagement holes, then the cover can be easily assembled to the housing, but the cover may detach when strong external force is applied in the separating direction
Solution Approach 1:
The peripheral member is positioned to face the cover in the separating direction before any detachment force is applied. This preliminary arrangement creates a physical barrier that prevents the cover from detaching when external forces are applied, directly countering the detachment problem while maintaining the simple engagement protrusion-hole assembly structure
2Reliability
If the cover is positioned to face the peripheral member to prevent detachment, then the cover retention is improved, but the cover may interfere with the peripheral member during the fitting process
Solution Approach 1:
The cover's base part is designed with differentiated local qualities: the front surface facing the electric wire maintains its original structure for proper wire routing, while the rear surface facing the peripheral member is shaped to avoid interference during fitting. This localized design allows the cover to simultaneously achieve retention prevention and fitting smoothness
3Ease of operation
If the cover base part rear surface is shaped to avoid interference with the peripheral member, then the fitting operation is smoothed, but the cover may still allow angular displacement about the axis
Solution Approach 1:
The base part's rear surface is designed with a curved arc shape that extends substantially along the outer peripheral surface of the cylindrical solenoid. This curvature allows the cover to accommodate angular displacement of the solenoid about its axis without creating interference, while the engagement locking mechanism maintains proper positioning and prevents excessive movement
Data Source
AI summary
Provided is a connector (10) whereof a cover (60) is prevented from falling off a housing (20). The connector (10) is provided with: the housing (20), which is capable of fitting to a counterpart housing (90) and arranged in proximity or in contact with a peripheral member such as a solenoid (80) when fitting to the counterpart housing (90); and the cover (60), which is independent from the housing (20) and attached to the housing (20) so as to cover an electric wire (100) drawn out from a wire outdrawing surface of this housing (20). When the housing (20) fits to the counterpart housing (90), the cover (60) is faced by the peripheral member in a separating direction from the housing (20) so that the cover (60) is arranged to be interposed between the housing (20) and the peripheral member such as the solenoid (80).