Connector Front Holder Water-Stop Integration
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional connectors face challenges in preventing the enlargement of their body due to the assembly of multiple components, which can lead to increased size and material usage, resulting in higher costs.
Innovation Solution
The connector design incorporates a front holder with a retained part that projects toward the outer peripheral wall surface, a water-stopping member with an inward-projecting retained part, and a communication retaining part that allows for the retention of both components in a communicating state, reducing the overall size and material usage by integrating retaining mechanisms at multiple locations along the circumferential direction.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If multiple components (front holder, water-stopping member, retaining parts) are assembled to the engagement part of the housing, then reliable retention and sealing are achieved, but the body size of the connector increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the front holder and water-stopping member by integrating the water-stopping member into the front holder structure. The front holder includes an integrated body that combines both the holding function for terminal fittings and the water-stopping function, eliminating the need for separate assembled components and reducing overall connector body size.
Solution Approach 2:
The front holder is designed as a multi-functional component that simultaneously performs multiple functions: holding terminal fittings, providing water-stopping capability, and retaining the engagement part. This universal design consolidates what would traditionally require multiple separate components, thereby reducing connector body size while maintaining reliability.
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple components are assembled to the engagement part, then functional requirements are met, but material usage and manufacturing complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple functional components into a single integrated front holder structure. Instead of assembling separate front holder, water-stopping member, and retaining parts, the invention creates one unified component that performs all these functions, thereby reducing assembly complexity and material usage while maintaining full functional capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The integrated front holder serves multiple functions simultaneously: it holds terminal fittings, provides water-stopping capability through its integrated water-stopping member, and retains the engagement part through built-in retaining structures. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for multiple separate components and their associated assembly steps.
Data Source
AI summary
A connector includes a terminal fitting, a housing, a front holder to which an engagement part of the housing is inserted along an inserting direction of the engagement part with respect to a counterpart engagement part, and a water-stopping member with an annular shape that closes an annular space between a projection part from the front holder at an outer peripheral wall surface of the engagement part and an inner peripheral wall surface of the counterpart engagement part. The front holder includes a retained part that projects toward the outer peripheral wall surface of the engagement part. The water-stopping member includes a retained part that projects inward relative to an inner peripheral surface. The engagement part includes a communication retaining part where a first retaining part and a second retaining part are provided in a communicating state.