Connector Locking Lance Restricting Piece Deformation Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing connectors with deflectable locking lances can become warped and deformed when subjected to strong pull-out forces, leading to unreliable retention of terminal fittings.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating a restricting piece that rises towards the locking lance, which prevents excessive deformation by contacting the lance and maintaining its toughness, ensuring reliable holding of the terminal fitting within the connector.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a deflectable locking lance is used to retain the terminal fitting, then the terminal fitting can be securely held in the cavity, but the locking lance may be warped and deformed under strong pull-out forces
Solution Approach 1:
The restricting piece acts as an intermediary component between the locking lance and the terminal fitting. It provides a contact surface that limits the deflection of the locking lance, preventing excessive warping while allowing sufficient movement for retention. This mediator structure resolves the contradiction by enabling the locking lance to perform its retention function without undergoing harmful deformation.
Solution Approach 2:
The restricting piece is pre-positioned in the terminal fitting to establish a predetermined contact point with the locking lance. This preliminary arrangement ensures that when the locking lance deflects under load, its movement is constrained at a specific point before excessive deformation can occur, thereby maintaining shape stability while preserving retention reliability.
2Stability of the object's composition
If the locking lance is made more rigid to prevent warping, then shape stability is improved, but the ability to deflect for locking and unlocking becomes reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The system is segmented into two functional components: the locking lance that provides deflectable locking action, and the restricting piece that provides rigid positional constraint. This segmentation allows each component to optimize its properties - the locking lance remains flexible for locking/unlocking operations while the restricting piece maintains rigidity to prevent excessive deflection, thus resolving the contradiction between stability and adaptability.
3Reliability
If the locking lance deflects deeply into the connecting portion, then the terminal fitting is held more securely, but the locking lance becomes warped and deformed
Solution Approach 1:
The restricting piece is pre-positioned to establish a predetermined contact point with the locking lance, creating a stop that limits deflection depth. This preliminary constraint ensures that the locking lance cannot deflect beyond a safe threshold that would cause warping or inversion, thereby maintaining dimensional accuracy while still allowing sufficient deflection for reliable holding.
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 solution effectively restricts warping deformation of the locking lance, ensuring reliable retention of the terminal fitting and preventing damage from external interference, while maintaining the rigidity and inspectability of the connector.
Implementation Method 1
the locking lance butts against the restricting piece. Thus, the locking lance is not excessively warped and deformed
Data Source
AI summary
A connector is provided with a housing 60 including a cavity 62 and a terminal fitting 10 to be inserted into the cavity 62. The housing 60 includes a deflectable locking lance 64 projecting into the cavity 62. The terminal fitting 10 includes a locking portion 29 arranged to face the locking lance 64 in a direction to escape from the cavity 62 and a restricting piece 45 rising toward the locking portion 29. A tip of the restricting piece 45 in a rising direction is arranged to face the locking lance 64.