Electrical Connector Movable Member Insulation Wall
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electrical connectors face challenges in preventing short-circuiting between terminals while maintaining a compact size, and there is a risk of electrical shock due to exposed terminal fittings.
Innovation Solution
An electrical connector design featuring a movable member with an opening wall and an insulation wall that moves between front and rear positions, providing insulation between adjacent terminals and preventing finger contact with exposed terminal ends, thereby increasing the creepage distance for effective insulation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If walls are provided between terminals to elongate creepage distance, then insulation between terminals is improved, but the overall size of the connector increases
Solution Approach 1:
The movable member is configured to move between a first position (where terminals are exposed) and a second position (where terminals are covered), dynamically adjusting the insulation configuration based on operational requirements without permanently increasing connector size
Solution Approach 2:
The connector is divided into functional segments: the movable member with opening walls for terminal exposure/coverage, insulation walls for creepage distance, and the housing structure, allowing independent optimization of each segment's function
2Ease of operation
If terminal fittings are exposed inside the housing for mating, then ease of connection is improved, but the risk of electrical shock to operators increases
Solution Approach 1:
The movable member dynamically transitions between exposing terminals for mating operations and covering them for safety, allowing the connector to adapt its state based on operational phase
Solution Approach 2:
The movable member is positioned in advance to expose terminals before mating operations begin, and automatically transitions to a protective position after mating, preventing electrical shock without requiring additional safety steps
3Object-affected harmful factors
If a movable member with opening wall is added to cover terminals, then safety is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The movable member serves multiple functions simultaneously: it provides mechanical guidance for mating, exposes/covers terminals for safety, and works in conjunction with insulation walls to maintain creepage distance, reducing the need for separate dedicated components
Solution Approach 2:
The opening walls and insulation walls are integrated into a single movable member structure, combining terminal exposure/coverage function with insulation function in one component rather than using separate parts
Data Source
AI summary
An electrical connector comprises a plurality of terminals, a housing holding the plurality of terminals, and a movable member. The movable member moves with respect to the housing and the terminals between a front position and a rear position along a mating direction in which the housing is mated with a mating housing. The movable member includes an opening wall having a plurality of openings into which the terminals move in and out along the mating direction according to a movement of the movable member and an insulation wall disposed frontward of the opening wall in the mating direction. The insulation wall is disposed between a portion of the terminals protruding from the openings adjacent to each other in the rear position of the movable member.