Connector Grommet Tying Member for Wire Bending Prevention
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vehicle-side connectors with grommets face issues where wires can be pulled obliquely, causing excessive force on the wire connecting portion and potential bending, which can lead to damage.
Innovation Solution
A connector design featuring a grommet with improved rigidity, including a mounting portion and a tying member that surrounds the retainer and terminal, distributing force and preventing bending by transmitting pull forces through the wire holding portion and tying member, while allowing easy mounting of the tying member on the grommet rather than the wire.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the grommet is made flexible to allow wire insertion, then the wire can be drawn out easily, but the grommet bends when the wire is pulled obliquely causing excessive force on the wire connecting portion
Solution Approach 1:
The wire holding portion is arranged along the wire connecting portion before wire installation, and the tying member is pre-positioned on the grommet. This preliminary arrangement ensures that when the wire is installed and later pulled, the force is already directed along the intended path, preventing oblique pulling and bending of the grommet while maintaining ease of wire insertion.
Solution Approach 2:
The wire holding portion acts as an intermediary element between the wire and the grommet. It transmits the pulling force from the wire to the grommet in a controlled manner, preventing direct transmission of oblique forces that would cause bending. This intermediary structure allows the grommet to remain flexible for insertion while gaining rigidity when force is applied.
2Reliability
If the tying member is mounted directly on the wire holding portion, then the wire can be securely held, but the operation becomes difficult requiring the grommet to be flipped
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of mounting the tying member directly on the wire holding portion (which would require flipping the grommet), the tying member is mounted on the outer surface of the grommet at the mounting portion. This inverted approach achieves the same wire-holding function while allowing the grommet to remain in its normal orientation during assembly, significantly improving ease of operation.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the wire connecting portion extends perpendicular to the mounting direction, then the terminal connection is achieved, but bending the wire at right angle applies load to the wire connecting portion
Solution Approach 1:
The wire holding portion is positioned to preemptively counteract the bending reaction force that would occur if the wire were bent at right angles. By providing support along the wire connecting portion, it prevents the wire from bending in the first place, thereby eliminating the harmful load on the wire connecting portion while maintaining the perpendicular terminal connection configuration.
Data Source
AI summary
A connector (10) includes a housing (30) and terminal-fitted wires (40) are mounted in the housing (30). Each terminal-fitted wire (40) has a terminal (41) with a wire connecting portion (42) connected to a wire (W). The connector (10) also has a retainer (50) with a wire holding portion (55) arranged along the wire connecting portions (42). A grommet (70) surrounds and protects the retainer (50) and the terminals (41). The grommet (70) includes a mounting portion (74) that intersects the wire holding portion (55), and a tie band (80) is mounted around the mounting portion of the grommet (70).