Connector Quiet-Zone Control for Verified Mated Connection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Automotive Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) face challenges in verifying the proper mating of electrical connectors and the position of connector assurance devices, as assembly operators may fail to move the connector position assurance (CPA) to the staged position, leading to incomplete connections.
Innovation Solution
A connector assembly with a movable member that restricts the quiet zone around a 2D barcode, making it illegible to an optical scanning device in the pre-staged position, and becomes legible when fully mated, ensuring the barcode can be read only when the connectors are properly connected, allowing for automatic verification.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Extent of automation
If a 2D barcode is provided on the connector assembly for verification, then automatic verification capability is improved, but the barcode may be illegible to the optical scanning device when the connector is not fully mated
Solution Approach 1:
The movable member dynamically changes the quiet zone status of the barcode based on the mating state. When not fully mated, the movable member restricts the quiet zone making the barcode illegible. When fully mated, the movable member moves to provide adequate quiet zone making the barcode legible for scanning verification.
Solution Approach 2:
The movable member acts as an intermediary element that controls the interaction between the barcode and the optical scanning device. It mediates the quiet zone availability based on the mating status, ensuring the barcode is only readable when proper connection is achieved.
2Reliability
If the movable member restricts the quiet zone to prevent premature scanning, then connection verification reliability is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The verification feature is merged with the existing connector assembly structure. The movable member is integrated into the connector housing, and the barcode is printed directly on the assembly, combining multiple functions into a unified structure rather than adding separate verification components.
Solution Approach 2:
The connector assembly itself provides the verification capability through its own structural elements. The movable member and barcode are part of the connector assembly, allowing it to self-verify its mating status without requiring external verification components.
3Measurement precision
If adequate quiet zone is provided around the barcode, then barcode readability is improved, but the movable member cannot restrict the quiet zone to indicate mating status
Solution Approach 1:
The quiet zone status is made dynamic rather than static. The movable member's position dynamically adjusts the quiet zone availability: restricted when not mated (indicating incomplete connection) and adequate when mated (allowing scanning). This dynamic behavior serves both readability and status indication functions.
Solution Approach 2:
The barcode's legibility state changes based on the movable member's position, creating a visual indicator of mating status. When the quiet zone is restricted, the barcode appears illegible; when the quiet zone is adequate, the barcode becomes legible, providing a clear visual signal of connection status.
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
Ensures that the connection system is properly mated by allowing the barcode to be readable only when the connectors are fully connected, providing a reliable method for verifying the connection status and recording the mating process.
Implementation Method 1
an optical scanning device, hereafter referred to as a bar code reader, that is used to read the indicium 212
Data Source
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AI summary
A connector includes a first housing (114) having an indicium (112) imprinted thereon and a movable member (118) movable from a first position (121) configured to render the indicium (112) illegible to an optical scanning device to a second position (123) configured to render the indicium (112) legible to the optical scanning device. The indicium (112) is visible when the movable member (118) is in the first position (121) and when the movable member (118) is in the second position (123). A method of mating a connector assembly having a movable member (118) and an indicium (112) imprinted thereon is also presented.