Connector Lance Segmentation for Size and Holding Power
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing connectors face challenges in securely holding contacts while allowing easy insertion, especially when reduced in size, and may not facilitate easy contact insertion due to holding power.
Innovation Solution
A connector design featuring a housing with a lance having a first and second engaging portion, which engages with corresponding portions on the contact, allowing for secure holding and easy insertion, with the lance being elastically deformed to accommodate the contact.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If the connector is reduced in size, then the compactness is improved, but the holding power of the lance deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The lance is divided into multiple functional regions: a first engaging portion with a first cross-sectional area for strong contact holding, and a second engaging portion with a second cross-sectional area for contact insertion. This segmentation allows each region to optimize its function independently, maintaining holding power while enabling compact design.
Solution Approach 2:
Different cross-sectional areas are assigned to different locations along the lance. The first engaging portion has a larger cross-sectional area to provide strong holding power, while the second engaging portion has a smaller cross-sectional area to facilitate easy insertion. This local differentiation resolves the contradiction between size reduction and holding power maintenance.
2Reliability
If the lance has strong holding power to securely hold the contact, then the reliability is improved, but the ease of contact insertion deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The lance is segmented into a first engaging portion for secure holding and a second engaging portion for easy insertion. The first portion provides strong holding power for reliability, while the second portion offers reduced resistance for easy insertion, thus resolving the contradiction between reliability and ease of operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The lance structure transitions from a uniform cross-section to a variable cross-section design where different portions have different cross-sectional areas. This dynamic variation in cross-sectional area along the lance length allows it to provide both strong holding power and easy insertion functionality.
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 connector securely holds the contact while allowing easy insertion and maintains strength, even when reduced in size, by utilizing the elastic deformation of the lance to engage with the contact's engaged portions.
Implementation Method 1
the lance being elastically deformed to accommodate the contact
Data Source
AI summary
A connector includes a contact and a housing holding the contact. The contact includes a first engaged portion and a second engaged portion which are distinguished from each other. The housing has a front end and a rear end in a front-to-rear direction. The housing is formed with an accommodating portion. The accommodating portion is configured to accommodate the contact when the contact is inserted from the rear end toward the front end to be located at an accommodating position. The housing has a lance formed within the accommodating portion. The lance is provided with a first engaging portion and a second engaging portion. The first engaging portion and the second engaging portion are configured to be engaged with the first engaged portion and the second engaged portion of the contact located at the accommodating position, respectively.