Electrical Connector Housing Self-Verification Mechanism
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electrical connector housings face challenges in ensuring correct positioning of electrical contacts and preventing incorrect mounting, as current methods are time-consuming, require specialized tools, and do not detect contacts that are below the correct position or allow for incorrect assembly.
Innovation Solution
The electrical connector housing features resilient members that stress when contacts are mispositioned, deflectable rear members that prevent locking if misaligned, and stop members that ensure correct alignment before locking the front grid to the contact holder, preventing incorrect assembly and ensuring all contacts are correctly seated.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If traditional testing methods with testing tools and external circuits are used to verify contact positioning, then contact position can be detected, but the process becomes time-consuming and requires specialized testing equipment
Solution Approach 1:
The connector housing performs self-verification through the interaction between resilient members, deflectable rear members, and stop members. When electrical contacts are incorrectly positioned, resilient members stress and deflect rear members, preventing the locking mechanism from engaging. This eliminates the need for external testing tools and circuits, making the system self-checking and self-verifying.
Solution Approach 2:
The resilient members and deflectable rear members are pre-positioned to detect contact positioning errors before the locking operation occurs. If contacts are misaligned, the resilient members stress and deflect the rear members in advance, preventing the locking mechanism from engaging. This preliminary detection prevents incorrect assembly from being locked in, eliminating the need for post-assembly testing.
2Manufacturing precision
If rigid elements are provided in the front grid to prevent contacts from going beyond correct positions, then contact positioning is constrained, but the operator cannot detect contacts below the correct position and incorrect mounting is not prevented
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses dynamic resilient members that can stress and deflectable rear members that can move, rather than static rigid elements. When contacts are incorrectly positioned, the resilient members flex and transfer force to deflect the rear members, creating a dynamic response that provides both constraint and detection capabilities. This dynamic mechanism prevents incorrect mounting by blocking the locking operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The resilient members provide immediate feedback on contact positioning through their stress state. When contacts are correctly positioned, resilient members remain relaxed and allow locking. When contacts are misaligned, resilient members stress and deflect rear members, providing clear feedback that prevents the locking mechanism from engaging. This feedback mechanism ensures reliability by preventing incorrect assembly.
3Measurement precision
If multiple individual testing operations are performed on each channel to verify contact position, then detection precision is maintained, but productivity decreases due to the time required for each individual check
Solution Approach 1:
The system merges multiple individual contact position verifications into a single integrated locking operation. Instead of testing each channel separately with individual testing tools, the resilient members and deflectable rear members collectively verify all contact positions simultaneously during the locking process. If any contact is misaligned, the entire locking operation is blocked, providing comprehensive verification in one action.
Solution Approach 2:
The locking mechanism performs preliminary verification of all contact positions before final assembly is completed. The resilient members and deflectable rear members check contact positioning during the locking operation itself, rather than requiring separate post-assembly testing. This preliminary action ensures all contacts are correctly positioned before the connector is finalized, maintaining precision while improving productivity.
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 allows for efficient verification of correct contact positioning and prevents the use of incorrectly assembled connectors, ensuring reliable electrical connections and reducing assembly errors.
Implementation Method 1
each channel being limited by at least one axial lateral wall comprising resilient members; wherein each resilient member can be stressed in a stress direction perpendicular to the plugging axis by an electrical contact whose position in the channel is not correct
Implementation Method 2
the front grid further comprises rear members deflectable into the said stress direction by a neighbored stressed resilient members
Implementation Method 3
the contact holder comprises stop members arranged for stopping corresponding deflectable members, while the front grid is translated towards the locking direction, if the deflectable members are deflected
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3A~3C
Figure 4~9
AI summary
The invention proposes a housing of an electrical connector comprising a contact holder and a front grid arranged for being mounted together, wherein: - the contact holder comprises channels for receiving electrical contacts within, each channel being limited by resilient members stressable by an electrical contact whose position in the channel is not correct; - the front grid comprises a front panel with a plurality of transversal connecting windows for facing corresponding channels of the contact holder; characterized in that the housing comprises members for locking the front grid to the contact holder by translating the front grid with respect to the contact holder according to a lateral direction.