Connector Lock Portion Resin Wall Elimination

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional connectors are enlarged by the resin thickness due to the separation of fitting projections and terminal fittings, leading to increased size and potential breakage during mounting.

Innovation Solution

The connector design incorporates a housing with a busbar and a mounting member, where the first lock portion is directly exposed on the busbar's surface, eliminating the need for a resin wall, and featuring tapered surfaces and multiple lock portions to facilitate easy mounting and secure locking, reducing the connector's size and preventing breakage.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Strength

If a resin wall is formed between the first lock portion and the exposed surface of the busbar, then the structural strength is improved, but the connector size is increased

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestructural strengthVSAvoidconnector size

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSLength of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The invention extracts and eliminates the resin wall that was previously formed between the first lock portion and the busbar exposed surface. By removing this unnecessary resin structure, the connector size is reduced while the lock portion directly contacts the busbar to maintain structural strength.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The invention merges the first lock portion directly with the busbar exposed surface by eliminating the resin wall separation. This direct integration reduces the overall connector size while maintaining the locking function through direct contact between the lock portion and busbar.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

2Ease of manufacture

If the first lock portion is not directly provided on the busbar surface, then the manufacturing process is simplified, but the connector size is increased

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemanufacturing process simplicityVSAvoidconnector size

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSLength of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The invention extracts and removes the intermediate resin wall structure that separated the lock portion from the busbar. This simplification of the manufacturing process directly contributes to reducing the connector size by eliminating the need to form and accommodate this intermediate resin structure.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

3Device complexity

If the second lock portion is positioned to face an inner wall of the housing instead of the busbar exposed surface, then the housing structure is simplified, but the connector size is increased

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvehousing structure complexityVSAvoidconnector size

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSLength of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The invention merges the second lock portion positioning with the busbar exposed surface rather than requiring a separate housing inner wall structure. This direct positioning reduces the connector size while maintaining the locking function, effectively combining the housing structure with the busbar structure.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Data Source

PatentUS11283212B2Connector

Publication Date: 2022.03.22 SUMITOMO WIRING SYSTEMS LTD

AI summary

A connector 10 disclosed by this specification includes a housing 12 including a busbar 30 and a mounting member to be mounted into the housing 12. The housing 12 includes a first lock portion 38. The mounting member includes a second lock portion 60 to be engaged with the first lock portion 38. The first lock portion 38 is provided on the side of an exposed surface 36 of the busbar 30.