Connector Engagement Body With Sequential Lever Disengagement
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional lever engagement type connectors require significant force to disengage male and female connectors, leading to potential damage and interference with smooth rotation due to the need for simultaneous pressing and rotating forces, which can cause arcs when breaking the signal and power supply circuits.
Innovation Solution
A connector engagement body with a lever that applies separate forces to disengage the signal and power supply terminals, allowing for a clear time difference between circuit breakages to prevent arcs, featuring a U-like shaped lever with distinct terminal releasing portions and locking mechanisms to manage the engagement and disengagement of connectors.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a single lock arm is used to disengage both signal and power supply terminals simultaneously, then the connector structure is simple, but arc generation occurs during circuit breakage and connector damage may occur due to excessive force
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the locking mechanism into separate lock arms: a first lock arm for signal terminals and a second lock arm for power supply terminals. This segmentation allows independent control of circuit breakage timing, preventing arc generation by ensuring signal circuits are broken before power supply circuits during disengagement.
Solution Approach 2:
The lever is designed to sequentially engage and disengage lock arms in a predetermined order. During engagement, the first lock arm is engaged before the second lock arm, so signal terminals are connected before power supply terminals. During disengagement, the reverse occurs, ensuring safe circuit breakage sequence.
2Reliability
If significant force is applied to the operation portion to disengage connectors, then the connectors can be reliably separated, but the lock arm may be damaged due to excessive force
Solution Approach 1:
The locking force is divided and applied separately to different lock arms through the lever mechanism. The lever translates rotational motion into sequential linear forces on the first and second lock arms, distributing the mechanical stress and preventing concentration of excessive force on a single component.
3Ease of operation
If the lever is rotated while the lock arm is elastically deformed, then the lever can be operated, but smooth rotation is prevented due to repulsive force from the lock arm
Solution Approach 1:
The lever is designed to complete the engagement or disengagement of one lock arm before initiating movement of the next lock arm. This sequential action eliminates the need to rotate the lever while any lock arm is in an elastically deformed state, preventing repulsive forces and ensuring smooth operation throughout the lever's rotation range.
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
Prevents arc generation during the disengagement of signal and power supply circuits by ensuring a distinct time difference between the breakages, maintaining waterproof integrity and reducing the risk of connector damage.
Implementation Method 1
an elastic portion extending from the lever; a locked portion... provided at a distal end of the elastic portion... When the lever is positioned in the mated position, applying a force to the releasing portion elastically deforms the elastic portion to disengage the locked portion from the locking portion
Data Source
AI summary
A connector engagement body includes: a first connector including a first signal terminal and a first power supply terminal; a second connector including a power supply terminal locking portion, a signal terminal locking portion, a second signal terminal, and a second power supply terminal; and a lever including a signal terminal releasing portion, a power supply terminal releasing portion, a power supply terminal locked portion, and a signal terminal locked portion. The lever is engaged with the first connector and the second connector and causes a mating force and a separating force to act between the first connector and the second connector by moving between a mated position and a separated position relative to the first connector and the second connector.