Circular Wireable Connector Locking Ring for Vibration Resistance

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing circular field wireable connectors face challenges in providing effective vibration protection, mechanical resistance to bending and pull-out forces, and quick assembly, with existing designs being complicated or prone to loosening under vibration.

Innovation Solution

A circular field wireable connector design featuring a locking ring with a snap that locks into a groove on a threaded sleeve, stabilized by a thread extension on the connector body, enhancing mechanical strength and allowing quick assembly.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a threaded sleeve with ratchet tooth contour and trapezoidal toothing is used for vibration protection, then vibration resistance is improved, but assembly complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvevibration resistanceVSAvoidassembly complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The connector is divided into separate functional components: a threaded sleeve for vibration protection, a locking ring for mechanical strength, and a snap mechanism for quick assembly. Each component performs its specific function independently, simplifying the overall assembly process while maintaining vibration resistance.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The snap mechanism is extracted as a separate element that can be independently installed into the threaded sleeve. This allows the snap to be pre-positioned or easily inserted without requiring complex threading operations, reducing assembly complexity while preserving the vibration protection function of the threaded sleeve.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

2Strength

If connector parts are screwed together for assembly, then mechanical strength is improved, but assembly time increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemechanical strengthVSAvoidassembly time
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The snap is pre-installed into the threaded sleeve during manufacturing or pre-assembly. This preliminary action eliminates the need for threading operations during final assembly, as the locking ring simply engages with the pre-positioned snap, significantly reducing assembly time while maintaining mechanical strength through the screw-threaded connection between the locking ring and connector body.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Strength

If a monolithic connector body integrating pin carrier is used, then bending resistance is improved, but vibration protection integration becomes impossible

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvebending resistanceVSAvoidvibration protection integration
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The connector body maintains its monolithic structure for bending resistance, while the vibration protection is integrated through a separate threaded sleeve that threads onto the external threads of the monolithic body. This segmentation allows the rigid connector body to provide bending strength while the attached threaded sleeve provides vibration protection without requiring the body itself to be complex or modular.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

4Productivity

If latches are used for quick assembly, then assembly speed is improved, but resistance to loosening under vibration deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveassembly speedVSAvoidresistance to loosening
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The solution merges two mechanisms: a snap mechanism for quick assembly (providing assembly speed) and a threaded connection for vibration resistance. The locking ring with external threads engages with the threaded sleeve through the snap, combining the quick-assembly benefit of latches with the vibration resistance of threaded connections, preventing loosening under vibration while maintaining fast assembly.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Data Source

PatentEP4641842A1Circular field wireable electrical connector
Publication Date: 2025.10.29 IFM ELECTRONIC GMBH
  • EP4641842A1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4641842A1 patent drawingFigure 2~3
  • EP4641842A1 patent drawingFigure 4

AI summary

circular field wireable electrical connector, comprising three threaded parts: a first part is a connector body (2) containing a terminal housing (5) within at least one contact pin (4) with a screw (41) for connection with a stranded cable, which contact pin (4) is extending through the terminal housing (5) and a pin carrier (10), whereby the pin carrier (10) and the terminal housing (5) are non-releasably connected along a circular area during the production process, a second part is a threaded sleeve (8) containing the pin carrier (10) and a wave ring (9), wherein the wave ring (9) coincides with the pin carrier (10) forming a vibration protection, a third par is a locking ring (7) making the connection between the connector body (2) and the threaded sleeve (8),characterized in that the locking ring (7) has a snap (71) for locking within the threaded sleeve (8), while the lock with the connector body (2) is achieved through screwing, where the snap (71) lodges into a groove (81) situated in the part of the threaded sleeve (8) which gets in contact with the locking ring (7), and the snap (71) is maintained in place by a thread extension (3) on the end of the connector body (2) which gets in contact with the locking ring (7), the thread extension (3) having a chamfer (31) on its end matching the internal shape of the snap (71) for a distribution of the compression force from the treaded extension (3) on the surface of the snap (71), wherein the threaded sleeve (8), the locking ring (7) and the thread extension (3) of the connector body (2) form an overlapping circular area strengthening the connector (1) in the bonding area between the pin carrier (10) and the terminal housing (5).