Connector Housing Mating Aid With Auto-Releasing Securing Element
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional mating aids for electrical connectors are often freely movable, taking up unnecessary space and requiring additional manipulation to secure them in the correct position, which negatively impacts productivity in assembly processes.
Innovation Solution
A housing assembly for electrical connectors featuring a mating aid that is movable between initial and final positions, secured by a securing element that can be unlocked automatically during plugging, reducing space usage and manipulation steps.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional securing elements are used to lock the mating aid in the correct initial position, then the mating aid can be secured in position, but additional space is taken up and additional work steps are required to disengage them
Solution Approach 1:
The mating connector itself performs the function of releasing the securing element during the plugging process. The securing element is designed to be movable by the mating connector without requiring separate manipulation steps, making the system self-servicing by utilizing the existing plugging motion to automatically disengage the securing mechanism.
Solution Approach 2:
The securing element is extracted from the mating aid and made accessible from outside the housing assembly. This allows the securing element to be engaged and disengaged independently, reducing the complexity of the overall securing mechanism while maintaining reliable position locking during transport.
2Ease of operation
If the mating aid is made freely movable on the electrical connector, then it can be operated manually, but it takes up unnecessarily large space and requires pre-positioning manipulation
Solution Approach 1:
The mating aid is designed with dynamic positioning capability, allowing it to be movable between different positions (secured and release positions) based on operational requirements. The securing element enables the mating aid to be locked in a compact initial position during transport and allows it to be moved to an operational position when needed, optimizing space usage while maintaining ease of operation.
3Reliability
If additional securing elements are added to lock the mating aid, then the mating aid position is secured, but more manipulation steps are required to disengage them
Solution Approach 1:
The securing element is designed to be automatically disengaged by the mating connector during the normal plugging process. This self-service mechanism eliminates the need for separate manipulation steps to disengage securing elements, thereby maintaining position stability while improving assembly productivity.
Solution Approach 2:
The function of securing the mating aid position and the plugging action are merged into a single integrated process. The securing element serves dual purposes: it locks the mating aid in position during transport and is simultaneously disengaged by the mating connector during plugging, combining two operations into one efficient action.
Data Source
AI summary
A housing assembly for an electrical connector that can be plugged together with a mating connector along a plugging direction includes a connector housing, a mating aid arranged on the connector housing and movable between an initial position and a final position, and a securing element arranged on the mating aid and movable between a secured position and a release position. The mating aid has a drive section engaging the mating connector to move the mating connector into a state in which the mating connector is plugged together with the electrical connector. The securing element in the secured position engages the connector housing and in the release position is disengaged from the connector housing. The securing element in the secured position is accessible for the mating connector from outside of the housing assembly and is movable to the release position by the mating connector.