Electrical Connector Lock Rotation Prevention
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electrical connectors with constant cable passages fail to securely hold terminals for cables of varying diameters, leading to potential lock damage and disengagement when a smaller diameter cable is pulled, resulting in loose connections.
Innovation Solution
The electrical connector design includes a housing with a first receiving chamber and recess, a terminal, and a lock with a horizontal base plate, pressing rods, locking pieces, and rotation prevention members that snap-fit together, ensuring the lock remains aligned and prevents rotation, thereby securing the terminal firmly.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a constant diameter cable passage is used in the lock device, then it can accommodate cables with the largest diameter, but it creates a larger gap when smaller diameter cables are used, allowing the lock to rotate or offset easily
Solution Approach 1:
The cable passage is designed with a flexible or adjustable structure that can dynamically adapt its effective diameter to match the inserted cable. This allows the passage to maintain a tight fit around cables of varying diameters, preventing the lock from rotating or offsetting while preserving versatility across different cable sizes.
Solution Approach 2:
The cable passage's dimensional parameter (effective diameter) is made variable rather than constant. By allowing the passage to change its constriction parameter based on the inserted cable diameter, the design achieves both adaptability to different cable sizes and stability in preventing lock rotation or offset.
2Ease of operation
If the cable passage has a constant diameter adapted for the largest cable, then large cables can pass through, but the lock becomes vulnerable to rotation and offset when smaller cables are used
Solution Approach 1:
The cable passage transitions from a static constant-diameter structure to a dynamic structure that adjusts its effective diameter based on the inserted cable. This dynamic adaptation maintains ease of insertion for various cable sizes while preventing the lock rotation and offset that compromise reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The cable passage is designed to preemptively counteract the harmful effect of gap formation by actively conforming to the cable diameter. This preliminary adaptation prevents the lock from experiencing rotation or offset moments, thereby maintaining reliability before the harmful effect can occur.
3Strength
If the lock is designed to securely hold the terminal, then the terminal remains firmly secured, but the locking piece may break when the cable is pulled with smaller diameter cables due to rotation or offset
Solution Approach 1:
The cable passage's dynamic diameter adjustment eliminates the rotation and offset that cause excessive stress on the locking piece. By maintaining a tight fit around the cable, the structure preserves terminal securing strength without requiring additional complex protective features.
Solution Approach 2:
The design converts the potential harmful effect of cable diameter variation into a beneficial self-adjusting mechanism. The cable passage uses the inserted cable itself to define its effective diameter, turning the variability into a self-regulating feature that protects the locking piece from breakage.
Data Source
AI summary
An electrical connector includes a housing, a first terminal, and a first lock. The housing includes a first receiving chamber and first recess positioned adjacent to the first receiving chamber. The first terminal is insertable into the first receiving chamber. The lock is securable to the housing and includes a horizontal base plate, a first pressing rod extending downward from the horizontal base plate and insertable into the first receiving chamber to press against the first terminal, and a first rotation prevention member extending downward from the horizontal base plate and insertable into the first recess to mate with the recess in a substantially gapless manner.