Connector Structure With Elastic Biasing Arm
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing connector structures either require costly components like coil springs for biasing or fail to detect insufficient coupling, leading to potential shipping of inadequately connected products.
Innovation Solution
A connector structure featuring a first connector with elastically bent engagement arms and a second connector with a slider and biasing portions, where the biasing force is generated by elastically bendable arms reacting to tapered surfaces, ensuring secure locking and preventing incomplete connections without the need for additional components like coil springs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a coil spring is used as a biasing portion to prevent insufficient coupling, then the reliability of preventing incomplete connections is improved, but the device complexity and component costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts and eliminates the coil spring component from the connector structure. Instead of using a separate biasing component, the biasing function is integrated into the housing structure through the elastic deformation of the engagement arm itself, thereby reducing device complexity while maintaining the reliability of preventing insufficient coupling
Solution Approach 2:
The invention merges the biasing function with the engagement arm structure. The engagement arm is designed to elastically deform and provide the necessary biasing force, combining what were previously separate functions (engagement and biasing) into a single integrated component, thus reducing the number of parts and assembly steps
2Reliability
If a coil spring biasing portion is added to ensure proper coupling, then the reliability of connection is improved, but the manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention removes the need for expensive coil spring components and their associated assembly processes. The biasing function is achieved through the elastic properties of the engagement arm itself, which can be manufactured as an integrated part of the housing, significantly reducing component costs and manufacturing complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The invention replaces expensive metal coil springs with a cost-effective elastic deformation mechanism built into the housing structure. The engagement arm's elastic properties provide the necessary biasing force without requiring additional expensive components, making the overall connector more cost-effective to manufacture
3Reliability
If the engagement arm is designed to lock with the arm engagement portion, then the reliability of complete coupling is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention combines the locking function with the engagement arm's elastic deformation mechanism. The same engagement arm that provides biasing through elastic deformation also performs the locking function by engaging with the arm engagement portion, eliminating the need for separate locking components and simplifying the overall device structure
Solution Approach 2:
The engagement arm is designed as a multi-functional component that simultaneously provides biasing force through elastic deformation and performs locking through engagement with the arm engagement portion. This universal component performs multiple critical functions, reducing device complexity while maintaining high reliability of coupling completion
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 solution effectively prevents insufficient coupling, reduces assembly time and component costs, and eliminates the need for supplemental detection mechanisms, ensuring secure and complete connections.
Implementation Method 1
the biasing portion includes an elastically-bendable arm that is provided on the slider, and a tapered surface that is provided on the second connector housing and contacts with the elastically-bendable arm to bend the elastically-bendable arm during the coupling process
Implementation Method 2
an engagement arm that can be elastically bent... the engagement arm is engaged with the arm engagement portion to lock the first connector and the second connector
Data Source
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AI summary
A connector structure includes a first connector (2) and a second connector (3). The first connector includes a first connector housing (21) and an engagement arm (23) that can be elastically bent. The second connector includes a second connector housing (32), a slider (33) provided on the second connector housing, a biasing portion (34) that biases the second connector housing (32) in a connector decoupling direction, and an arm engagement portion (35) engaged with the engagement arm. During a coupling process of the first and second connectors, the slider (33) is slid by a pressing force applied from the first connector against a biasing force generated by the biasing portion. The biasing portion (34) includes an elastically-bendable arm (38) provided on the slider, and a tapered surface (32a) provided on the second connector housing. The biasing force is generated as a reaction force of an elastically-restorative force of the elastically-bendable arm bent by the tapered surface.