Movable Connector Housing With Metal Displacement Restrictor
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing connectors with a movable housing relative to a fixed housing face challenges in restricting the amount of displacement while maintaining a compact size, particularly in the width direction where terminals are aligned.
Innovation Solution
The connector incorporates a movement restricting member made of metal attached to the fixed housing, which abuts against a protrusion portion of the movable housing when the main body portion is inserted in a loose-fit state into the fixed housing, thereby restricting the displacement of the movable housing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the movable housing is supported so as to be displaceable relative to the fixed housing to absorb positional deviation and vibration, then the connector can accommodate misalignment and suppress vibration transmission, but the amount of displacement cannot be restricted and the connector size increases in the width direction
Solution Approach 1:
The protrusion portion projects in the perpendicular direction (insertion direction) rather than in the width direction where terminals are arranged. This dimensional shift allows the movement restricting member to restrict displacement effectively while avoiding interference with the terminal arrangement in the width direction, thus preventing size increase.
Solution Approach 2:
The movement restricting member acts as an intermediary between the movable housing and the fixed housing. It provides a controlled interface that restricts displacement through the abutment between the protrusion portion and the movement restricting member, enabling displacement control without requiring direct contact between the housings in the width direction.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the movable housing is supported so as to be displaceable relative to the fixed housing to absorb positional deviation and vibration, then the connector can accommodate misalignment and suppress vibration transmission, but excessive deformation of terminals may occur without displacement restriction
Solution Approach 1:
The movement restricting member is positioned in advance to prevent excessive displacement before it can cause terminal deformation. The protrusion portion abuts against the movement restricting member during normal operation, creating a preliminary restraint that limits the range of motion and prevents conditions that would lead to terminal deformation.
Solution Approach 2:
The movement restricting member serves as an intermediary that mediates between the need for displacement (to absorb positional deviation) and the need to prevent excessive displacement (to avoid terminal deformation). It allows controlled movement while setting a hard limit that protects the terminals from deformation.
3Manufacturing precision
If movement restricting portions are provided at the widthwise end portions of the fixed housing and movable housing to restrict displacement, then the amount of displacement can be controlled, but the connector size increases in the width direction
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of restricting displacement by adding structures at the widthwise end portions, the invention uses a protrusion portion that projects in the perpendicular direction (insertion direction). The movement restricting member abuts against this protrusion to control displacement, effectively moving the displacement control mechanism from the width direction to the insertion direction, thus avoiding size increase in the width direction.
Solution Approach 2:
The displacement control function is extracted from the widthwise end portions and relocated to the insertion direction through the protrusion portion. This separation allows the width direction to remain compact while the insertion direction handles the displacement control, effectively removing the source of size increase from the critical width dimension.
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
This configuration effectively restricts the displacement of the movable housing relative to the fixed housing, preventing excessive deformation of the terminals and suppressing the increase in connector size in the width direction.
Implementation Method 1
the movement restricting member is configured to restrict an amount of displacement of the movable housing relative to the fixed housing by abutting against the protrusion portion when the main body portion has been inserted into the insertion hole and becomes displaced relative to the fixed housing in a direction opposite to the insertion direction
Data Source
AI summary
A connector of the present invention includes a fixed housing, a movable housing, a plurality of terminals, and a metal movement restricting member to be attached to the fixed housing. The movable housing includes a main body portion for insertion in a loose fit state into an insertion hole of the fixed housing, and a protrusion portion projecting from the main body portion. In the state where the main body portion has been inserted into the insertion hole, the protrusion portion projects from the main body portion along a perpendicular direction that is perpendicular to both the insertion direction and the width direction. When the main body portion becomes displaced in a direction opposite to the insertion direction, the movement restricting member restricts the amount of displacement of the movable housing by abutting against the protrusion portion.