Electrical Connector Preliminary Locking Terminal Protection

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional electrical connectors suffer from deformation of projecting terminals during packaging and transportation due to exposure and potential impact, especially when the projection portion has a smaller diameter.

Innovation Solution

The electrical connector features a housing body with a terminal receiving chamber, a projecting terminal, and a front body with a terminal insertion hole, utilizing locking means that initially lock the front body to the housing body at a preliminary position where the projecting terminal is partially retracted, preventing extension and thus protecting it from impact forces, and later locks fully at a final position for connection.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the projection portion of the terminal is extended from the housing body for connection, then the connector can establish electrical connection with opposing terminal, but the projecting terminal is exposed to impact forces during packaging and transportation causing deformation

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveelectrical connection reliabilityVSAvoidimpact force on projecting terminal

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The front body is preliminarily locked to the housing body at a preliminary locking position before final assembly, where the projection portion of the terminal is positioned closer to the front body. This preliminary action protects the projecting terminal from impact forces during packaging and transportation, preventing deformation while maintaining the capability for subsequent electrical connection.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The connector employs a dynamic locking system with two distinct positions: a preliminary locking position for protection during handling and transportation, and a final locking position for electrical connection. The front body can be moved between these positions, allowing the projection portion of the terminal to be either protected (closer to front body) or extended (further from front body) as needed.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

2Object-affected harmful factors

If the projection portion of the terminal is retracted closer to the front body for protection, then deformation during packaging is prevented, but the connector cannot establish electrical connection with opposing terminal

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprotection from impact forceVSAvoidelectrical connection capability

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The locking process is segmented into two distinct stages: preliminary locking for protection and final locking for connection. This segmentation allows the connector to optimize for protection during packaging by positioning the projection portion closer to the front body, while maintaining the capability to achieve full electrical connection when needed by moving to the final locking position.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

3Object-affected harmful factors

If a protective cover is added over the projecting terminal, then deformation during packaging is prevented, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprotection from impact forceVSAvoidconnector structure complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The protective function is merged with the existing front body structure rather than adding a separate protective cover. The front body itself serves as the protective element by positioning the projection portion of the terminal closer to it at the preliminary locking position, eliminating the need for additional protective components and maintaining structural simplicity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The front body is designed to serve multiple functions: it provides structural support, enables electrical connection through the terminal insertion hole, and protects the projecting terminal during packaging and transportation. By making the front body multi-functional, the invention avoids adding separate protective components, thereby reducing device complexity while maintaining protection capability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentUS7341486B2Electrical connector

Publication Date: 2008.03.11 YAZAKI CORP

AI summary

A connector housing body has a terminal receiving chamber. A projecting terminal has a terminal base received in the terminal receiving chamber and a projecting portion projecting from the housing body. A front body covers the projecting portion of the terminal. The front body has the terminal insertion hole through which the projecting portion of the terminal is extended. L locking means are provided in the housing body and the front body for finally locking the front body to the housing body at a final locking position where the projecting portion of the terminal is extended from the insertion hole. The locking means preliminarily locks the front body at the preliminary locking position where a leading end of the projecting portion of the terminal is positioned with a less distance from the front body than at the final locking position. At the preliminary locking position, the projecting portion of the terminal is not extended from the terminal insertion hole of the front body. Even when the projecting portion of the projecting terminal a little extends from the front body, the extended length is smaller than at the final locking position.