Hydrolysis-Resistant Connector Lock Arm for High Humidity
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Solution Overview
Problem
Connectors formed from PBT resin used in high temperature high humid environments, such as engine rooms, face material degradation leading to potential damage of lock arms under repeated bending loads during connection and disconnection.
Innovation Solution
A connector with a lock arm formed from a hydrolysis-resistant material, featuring a smooth curved base end and a thicker protrusion engagement portion with an engagement hole, designed to distribute bending loads and enhance durability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If PBT resin is used for connector housing, then ease of manufacture is improved, but reliability deteriorates due to hydrolysis degradation in high temperature high humid environments
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies composite materials by combining PBT resin with glass fibers to create a reinforced composite material. This composite structure maintains the ease of injection molding while significantly improving mechanical strength and hydrolysis resistance, thereby resolving the contradiction between manufacturability and reliability in harsh environments.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the material parameters by selecting PBT resin with specific glass fiber content (10-30%) and controlling the molding parameters to achieve optimal mechanical properties. This parameter optimization ensures the connector housing maintains sufficient strength and hydrolysis resistance while remaining easy to manufacture through injection molding.
2Ease of manufacture
If lock arm is made from PBT resin, then ease of manufacture is improved, but strength deteriorates under repeated bending loads in harsh environments
Solution Approach 1:
The lock arm is formed as a composite material integrating PBT resin with glass fibers, providing both the ease of injection molding and the necessary mechanical strength. The glass fiber reinforcement specifically enhances bending strength and fatigue resistance, allowing the lock arm to withstand repeated loading cycles in high temperature high humid environments.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent designs the lock arm with optimized curved geometries and rounded transitions to reduce stress concentration points. This structural optimization, combined with the composite material, enhances the lock arm's ability to withstand repeated bending loads without compromising manufacturability.
3Ease of operation
If lock arm undergoes repeated bending loads during connection and disconnection, then ease of operation is improved, but durability deteriorates due to material degradation
Solution Approach 1:
The lock arm uses PBT-glass fiber composite material that maintains flexibility for easy operation while providing enhanced durability against hydrolysis and fatigue. The composite structure allows the lock arm to undergo repeated bending movements without degrading, ensuring long-term reliability in harsh environments.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent incorporates design features such as increased thickness in critical areas and optimized cross-sectional geometry of the lock arm to preemptively compensate for the damaging effects of repeated bending loads and hydrolysis, thereby extending service life while maintaining operational ease.
Data Source
AI summary
In a connector (4) including: a first connector housing (5) including a hood portion (52) having a substantially cylinder shape to be fitted to an outer circumference of a cylindrical portion (82) of a second connector housing (8), and a lock arm (53) formed integrally with a terminal storing portion (51) such that a free end side of the lock arm (53) is deflected and deformed in a direction perpendicular to a surface of the cylindrical portion (82); and the second connector housing (8) including the cylindrical portion (82), and a lock protrusion (83) which is provided to protrude from an outer surface of the cylindrical portion (82) and which engages the lock arm (53) when a fitting length between the cylindrical portion (82) and the hood portion (52) reaches a predetermined value, the first connector housing (5) is formed of a hydrolysis-resistant material.