Electrical Connector Assembly Fuel Infiltration Prevention
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electrical connector assemblies for fuel pumps and sensors in dual-fuel vehicles fail to effectively prevent fuel infiltration and subsequent electrolytic corrosion, particularly due to the lack of physical insulation between terminals and the use of additional sealing rings that complicate manufacturing and increase costs.
Innovation Solution
An electrical connector assembly with a single cavity in the female part subdivided into insulated reception chambers and a locking part with aligned housing chambers, forming an insulated environment for each terminal, eliminating the need for additional sealing rings and allowing easy substitution of cables and terminals, while preventing fuel infiltration through a labyrinthine structure.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If additional sealing rings are used to prevent fuel infiltration, then fuel sealing is improved, but device complexity and manufacturing cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The connector cavity is segmented into multiple insulated reception chambers, each housing a terminal. This segmentation creates physical isolation between terminals of opposite polarities, preventing fuel from simultaneously contacting both terminals and causing electrolytic corrosion, thereby achieving reliable fuel sealing without additional sealing rings.
Solution Approach 2:
Each reception chamber is provided with an insulated cover that selectively isolates the specific terminal it protects. This local insulation approach ensures that fuel infiltration is prevented at the critical interface between fuel and terminals, while avoiding the need for complex global sealing mechanisms.
2Reliability
If terminals are isolated in separate insulated chambers, then electrolytic corrosion is prevented, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The insulated covers and reception chambers are integrated into a single molded connector body, combining multiple functional elements (insulation, terminal housing, structural support) into one component. This merging simplifies the manufacturing process by reducing the number of separate parts that need to be produced and assembled.
Solution Approach 2:
The reception chambers serve multiple functions: they provide mechanical support for terminals, electrical insulation between terminals, physical barrier against fuel infiltration, and structural framework for the connector. This multi-functionality reduces the need for additional specialized components.
3Ease of manufacture
If a single cavity design is used without insulation, then manufacturing is simpler, but electrolytic corrosion occurs between terminals
Solution Approach 1:
Insulated covers are introduced as intermediary elements between terminals of opposite polarities. These covers act as mediators that prevent direct fuel contact with both terminals simultaneously, thereby eliminating the condition necessary for electrolytic corrosion while maintaining a relatively simple single-cavity overall structure.
4Reliability
If sealing rings are added to prevent fuel infiltration, then fuel sealing is improved, but production cost and complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The insulated reception chambers and covers are designed to inherently prevent fuel infiltration through their insulating properties and structural configuration. The design serves its own sealing function without requiring additional sealing rings or auxiliary sealing components, thereby reducing overall device complexity.
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
The solution effectively prevents fuel infiltration and electrolytic corrosion by isolating terminals within insulated environments, reducing manufacturing complexity and costs, and ensuring correct polarity alignment, thus enhancing the durability and reliability of electrical connections.
Implementation Method 1
at least an inner wall subdividing this cavity into a plurality of insulated reception chambers... forming an insulated environment for each terminal
Implementation Method 2
preventing fuel infiltration through a labyrinthine structure
Data Source
AI summary
An electrical connector assembly includes a female part (30) having a peripheral outer wall (2) and a plurality of inner walls (3) subdividing a cavity into a plurality of reception chambers (11). An electrical contact pin (4) is housed inside each reception chamber. A locking part (20) has an accommodation (1) with a same number of inner walls (12) as the female part (30), subdividing the interior of the accommodation into a number of insulated housing chambers (13) identical to the number of reception chambers (11). An electrical terminal (10) is housed inside each of the reception chambers. A connecting cover (40) with a through-hole is attached around each electrical terminal (10), each cover having an upper portion housed inside each housing chamber (13) and a lower portion extending beyond the end of the respective housing chamber when the locking part (20) is encased inside the female part (30).