Connector Housing Lock Arm Rear Pressing Surface Design
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing connector housing designs face difficulties in facilitating easy unlocking operations due to the placement of the operating piece near the receptacle, requiring greater force to deflect the lock arm, and often result in rattling issues that affect high-frequency characteristics in coaxial cables.
Innovation Solution
A connector housing design with a lock arm supported on both ends, featuring a wide pressing surface on the rear part of the lock arm that extends to coupling arms, allowing easy access and displacement for unlocking, and a cutout to reduce deflection space, while the lock arm is positioned to minimize rattling and maintain high-frequency integrity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If the operating piece is placed near the receptacle of the mating connector housing, then the lock arm can be compactly arranged, but it becomes difficult to press only the operating piece and requires greater force to deflect the lock arm
Solution Approach 1:
The pressing surface is extended in the front-rear direction to a position behind the protecting portion, utilizing the depth dimension of the connector housing to relocate the operating interface. This allows the operating piece to be positioned at the rear end of the lock arm while maintaining compact overall dimensions, resolving the contradiction between compact size and ease of operation.
2Ease of operation
If the operating piece is placed on the rear part of the lock arm, then it is easier to access, but a greater force is required to deflect the lock arm in the unlocking direction
Solution Approach 1:
The pressing surface is merged with the rear end part of the lock arm through the coupling portion, creating an integrated structure. This merging allows the pressing surface to be positioned at the rear end for easy accessibility while the coupling portion transmits the pressing force efficiently to the locking portion, reducing the force required compared to a separate operating mechanism.
Solution Approach 2:
The coupling portion acts as an intermediary between the pressing surface and the locking portion. It transmits and amplifies the pressing force applied at the rear end to the locking portion, enabling easy accessibility while maintaining sufficient unlocking force through mechanical advantage.
3Reliability
If the lock arm is supported on both ends, then rattling in the properly connected state is reduced, but the structure becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The housing body serves multiple functions: it provides structural support, houses the terminal fitting, and acts as the mounting structure for the lock arm. The protecting portion simultaneously protects the lock arm and defines the position of the pressing surface. This multi-functionality reduces overall structural complexity while maintaining the beneficial effect of reduced rattling through dual-end support.
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 design enhances the ease of unlocking operations and reduces rattling in coaxial connectors, thereby stabilizing high-frequency characteristics by ensuring the lock arm is easily displaced and supported on both ends, improving user accessibility and signal integrity.
Implementation Method 1
the lock arm of the connector housing is supported on both ends. Thus, the rattling of the connector in the properly connected state is reduced for advantageously suppressing a high frequency characteristic variation
Implementation Method 2
A pressing surface is disposed on a rear end part of the lock arm. The pressing surface is configured to displace the locking portion in an unlocking direction by being pressed
Data Source
AI summary
A connector housing (20) includes a housing body (21) to which a mating connector housing is to be fit from front. A lock arm (40) has front and rear ends fixed to the housing body (21). A lock (42) is provided in a central part of the lock arm (40) in the front-rear direction and is configured to lock the mating connector housing. A pressing surface (43) is on a rear end part of the lock arm (40) and is configured to displace the lock (42) in an unlocking direction by being pressed. A coupling portion (44) couples the pressing surface (43) to the central part of the lock arm (40) in the front-rear direction.