Female Connector Clip Interlock for Groove-Aligned Locking
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Solution Overview
Problem
Quick-insertion connector assemblies often fail to ensure proper alignment and locking of male and female connectors, leading to potential misassembly and fluid leakage due to the lack of effective locking mechanisms.
Innovation Solution
A female connector design featuring a clip mechanism with blocking members and support rings that align with the male connector's groove, ensuring proper alignment and locking through a travel end position indicator, preventing misassembly by abutting against the clip legs when not aligned.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a simple quick-insertion connector design is used, then ease of operation is improved, but reliability deteriorates due to misassembly and improper locking
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a feedback mechanism through the blocking member that provides tactile and visual confirmation to the operator. When the male connector is properly inserted and aligned, the blocking member moves out of the way to allow the operation portion to reach its final position, giving feedback that proper connection has been achieved. This resolves the contradiction by maintaining simple quick-insertion operation while ensuring reliable connection through operator feedback.
Solution Approach 2:
The blocking member acts as an intermediary element between the clip mechanism and the operator. It mediates the connection process by controlling access to the travel end position of the operation portion, ensuring that proper alignment occurs before final locking. This intermediary mechanism maintains ease of operation while preventing misassembly, thereby improving reliability.
2Reliability
If a locking mechanism with multiple components is added, then reliability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the blocking function and the locking operation into a single integrated mechanism. The blocking member is incorporated into the existing clip structure, where it serves dual purposes: preventing premature locking when misaligned and enabling final locking when properly connected. This merging approach improves reliability without significantly increasing device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The blocking member serves multiple functions within the connector assembly: it acts as a alignment guide, a safety interlock, and a feedback indicator. By making this single component multi-functional, the patent achieves improved reliability without adding numerous separate components, thus avoiding excessive complexity.
3Reliability
If a blocking member is added to prevent misassembly, then reliability is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates due to additional steps
Solution Approach 1:
The blocking member is positioned in advance to automatically engage with the clip legs during the insertion process. When the male connector is approached for connection, the blocking member is already in place to prevent improper locking, and it automatically moves out of the way when proper alignment is achieved. This preliminary positioning eliminates the need for additional manual steps, maintaining ease of operation while improving reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The blocking member operates automatically based on the insertion process itself, without requiring separate operator actions. As the male connector is inserted, the relative movement between components causes the blocking member to naturally transition from its blocking position to its retracted position, enabling or disabling locking based on alignment. This self-service mechanism improves reliability without adding operational complexity or reducing connection speed.
Data Source
AI summary
A female connector for receiving a male connector includes a housing, a support ring, a clip, and a clip blocking member. The male connector includes a groove. The housing includes an outer surface and housing openings. The support ring includes support ring openings. The clip includes an operation portion between a pair of clip legs. The pair of clip legs can pass through the housing and support ring openings. The clip blocking member is located outside the housing and has a pair of blocking faces which face the pair of clip legs. When the groove aligns with the housing and support ring openings, the pair of clip legs enter the groove, and the operation portion moves to a travel end position. In the travel position, the distal ends of the pair of clip legs are between the pair of blocking faces and the outer surface.