Electrical Connector Lever-Slider Locking With Poka-Yoke Assembly
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Solution Overview
Problem
Electrical connector assemblies face difficulties in disengagement due to high normal contact force and incorrect loading, which can damage the assembly, especially when the cover is reversed for alternate cable dressing orientations.
Innovation Solution
The electrical connector assembly incorporates a main housing with a guide for a slider and a lever with poka yoke means to ensure the lever is pre-installed in the correct position, using oblique grooves and cam surfaces to translate the slider and prevent wrong loading, and a retainer to secure the female connector housing with a seal.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the cover is reversed to mount it to the housing in an alternate orientation for different cable dressing directions, then cable dressing flexibility is improved, but the lever may be pre-installed in a wrong position which can damage the connector assembly
Solution Approach 1:
The poka yoke means employs asymmetric geometric features (protrusion and recess) that only fit together in the correct orientation. This asymmetric design ensures the lever can only be pre-installed in the correct position, preventing wrong loading while allowing the cover to be mounted in alternate orientations for cable dressing flexibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The poka yoke means is designed to establish the correct lever position during the pre-installation phase before the connector is fully assembled. By providing guide surfaces and interlocking features that automatically position the lever correctly when the cover is mounted, the system prevents wrong loading before it can occur.
2Volume of moving object
If the moveable housing is formed to project only a small portion from the fixed housing when engaged, then space is saved, but disengagement of the moveable housing becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The connector employs a dynamic release mechanism where the lever can be actuated to change the engagement state. By tilting the lever, the sliding means are displaced transversely, which moves the moveable housing toward the fixed housing to establish engagement. The same mechanism can be reversed to disengage, providing ease of operation despite minimal projection.
Solution Approach 2:
The sliding means act as an intermediary mechanism between the lever and the moveable housing. When the lever is tilted, the sliding means are displaced transversely and engage with the fixed housing, which then translates this transverse movement into longitudinal movement of the moveable housing. This intermediary mechanism enables engagement and disengagement with minimal projection.
3Device complexity
If the lever is provided without poka yoke means, then device complexity is reduced, but wrong loading can damage the connector assembly
Solution Approach 1:
The poka yoke means uses simple asymmetric geometric features (a protrusion on the lever and a corresponding recess in the cover) that only fit together in the correct orientation. This adds minimal complexity to the lever structure while effectively preventing wrong loading by making incorrect installation mechanically impossible.
Solution Approach 2:
The poka yoke means is a self-checking feature that automatically prevents wrong loading without requiring external verification or complex control systems. The asymmetric protrusion and recess self-verify the correct orientation during assembly, providing protection against wrong loading through the simple act of proper installation.
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
This design minimizes the risk of damage from incorrect loading by ensuring the lever is correctly positioned, facilitating easy engagement and disengagement while maintaining cable orientation flexibility and securing the connector assembly effectively.
Implementation Method 1
The slider has at least one oblique groove and a cam surface, wherein the groove is oblique with respect to the lateral direction, in which the slider is guided. The lever has a cam counter surface and is hinged to the cover. In a pre-lock condition of the electrical connector assembly, the cover is mounted to the rear face of the main housing and the cam counter surface is in operative coupling with the cam surface to translate the slider upon tilting of the lever.
Implementation Method 2
The oblique groove is configured to cooperate with a mating element of a socket to move the electrical connector assembly in a locking direction orthogonal to the front face and into engagement with the socket upon translation of the slider.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2a~2b
Figure 3a~3b
AI summary
The present invention relates to an electrical connector assembly (2), comprising a main housing (4) with a guide (12) at least partially receiving and guiding a slider (14) in a lateral direction, the slider (14) having at least one oblique groove (16) and a cam surface (18), a cover (20) mountable to a rear face (8) of the main housing (4) and having an aperture (22) for a cable (24), a lever (26) hinged to the cover (20) and having a cam counter surface (28), wherein, in a pre-lock condition, the cam counter surface (28) is in operative coupling with the cam surface (18) to translate the slider (14) upon tilting of the lever (26), the oblique groove (16) is configured to cooperate with a mating element (30) of a socket (32) to move the electrical connector assembly (2) in a locking direction (L1) orthogonal to the front face (6) and into engagement with the socket (32) upon translation of the slider (14), the cover (20) is mountable to the main housing (4) in a first and a reverse second orientation such that the cover (20) dresses the cable (24) in a first and a reverse second lateral direction (I; II); and the lever (26) and the main housing (4) have assigned poka yoke means (34; 36) for establishing the pre-lock condition only when the lever (26) is tilted into a predetermined initial position.