Connector Finger Contact Prevention via Protrusion and Slit
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing male connectors face challenges in preventing finger contact with the male terminal fitting without increasing the connector's length, as traditional methods like providing a rib on the inner surface of the receptacle often interfere with the female connector's housing or require elongation of the receptacle.
Innovation Solution
A protrusion is placed on the inner surface of the receptacle, which projects toward the male terminal and is designed to interfere with a finger, while a slit in the female terminal accommodating portion allows the protrusion to escape inwardly, preventing finger contact without enlarging the connector. This configuration includes a resilient member with a base plate that prevents contact with the spring, ensuring the protrusion does not damage it.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If a rib is provided on the inner surface of the receptacle to prevent finger contact, then finger contact prevention is improved, but the female connector's housing or connecting portion interferes with the rib
Solution Approach 1:
The protrusion is extracted from the traditional rib position on the receptacle inner surface and repositioned to project toward the male terminal from the receptacle's inner surface. This extraction allows the protrusion to perform the finger contact prevention function while being positioned where it does not interfere with the female connector's connecting portion.
Solution Approach 2:
The protrusion acts as an intermediary element between the receptacle and the male terminal. It provides the finger contact prevention function while the slit in the female connector's housing serves as a mediator that allows the protrusion to escape inwardly, preventing interference between the protrusion and the female connector's structural components.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If the receptacle is elongated forward to prevent finger contact, then finger contact prevention is improved, but the male connector becomes longer in the front-rear direction
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of elongating the entire receptacle, the invention applies a localized protrusion on the inner surface of the receptacle that projects toward the male terminal. This local modification provides finger contact prevention at the specific location where fingers would naturally enter, without increasing the overall length of the connector in the front-rear direction.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If the protrusion is provided to prevent finger contact, then finger contact prevention is improved, but the protrusion may damage the spring inside the rectangular tube
Solution Approach 1:
The base plate serves as an intermediary element between the protrusion and the spring. It is disposed at the bottom of the escaping recess to intercept the protrusion before it can contact the spring, thereby preventing damage to the spring while maintaining the finger contact prevention function of the protrusion.
Solution Approach 2:
The base plate is positioned in advance at the bottom of the escaping recess to cushion or stop the protrusion before it can reach the spring. This beforehand protective measure ensures that the spring is never exposed to potential damage from the protrusion during the connection and disconnection operations.
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
The solution effectively prevents finger contact with the male terminal without increasing the connector's length and maintains the structural integrity of the spring, allowing for a compact and functional connector design.
Implementation Method 1
a resilient member including a base plate disposed along an inner surface of the rectangular tube and a spring extending inward of the rectangular tube from the base plate
Data Source
AI summary
A connector 10 disclosed by this specification includes a male connector 20 and a female connector 50 connectable to each other. The male connector 20 includes a male terminal 30 and a male housing 21 having a receptacle 22 and configured to hold the male terminal 30. The female connector 50 includes a female terminal 60 having a connecting portion 61 to be connected to the male terminal 30 and a female housing having a female terminal accommodating portion fittable into the receptacle 22 and configured to hold the female terminal. A protrusion projecting toward the male terminal is provided on an inner surface of the receptacle. The female terminal accommodating portion is provided with a slit into which the protrusion is to be inserted. The connecting portion is provided with an escaping recess configured to allow the protrusion inserted into the slit and projecting inwardly of the female terminal accommodating portion to escape.