Connector Housing Rack Structure to Prevent Tooth Slot Misengagement

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

In existing connector housing systems, the identical design of first and second tooth slots increases the risk of misoperation due to potential incorrect engagement of teeth, leading to improper locking.

Innovation Solution

The connector housing features distinctively sized first and second tooth slots, with the second tooth slot being narrower than the first, and a blocking part within the second slot to prevent incorrect engagement, ensuring proper meshing with teeth of corresponding widths on a gear part.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If the first and second tooth slots are made identical in width, then the manufacturing process is simplified, but the risk of misoperation increases due to potential incorrect engagement of teeth

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetooth slot manufacturing simplicityVSAvoidlocking accuracy
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by making the first tooth slot and second tooth slot have different widths (first slot width > second slot width) to create distinct engagement characteristics. This local differentiation ensures that the first tooth can only engage with the first tooth slot, while the second tooth engages with the second tooth slot, thereby preventing misoperation while maintaining manufacturing feasibility through simple dimensional variation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The patent employs asymmetry by designing the tooth slots with unequal widths rather than identical dimensions. The first tooth slot has a greater width than the second tooth slot, creating an asymmetric configuration that prevents incorrect tooth-slot pairing. This asymmetric design inherently guides proper engagement without requiring complex additional components.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #4Asymmetry

2Reliability

If a blocking part is added to the second tooth slot to prevent incorrect engagement, then locking accuracy is improved, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvelocking accuracyVSAvoidconnector housing structure
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies parameter changes by modifying the width parameter of the tooth slots rather than adding blocking parts. The first tooth slot is designed with a greater width than the second tooth slot, creating a parameter-based differentiation that prevents misengagement. This approach achieves the blocking function through dimensional parameters alone, avoiding additional structural complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentEP4447236A1Connector housing, mating connector housing assembly and connector assembly
Publication Date: 2024.10.16 TYCO ELECTRONICS (SUZHOU) CO LTD
  • EP4447236A1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4447236A1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4447236A1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The present invention discloses a connector housing, a mating connector housing and a connector assembly. The connector housing comprises of: a peripheral wall (11); and a rack part (10) formed on the outer surface of the peripheral wall (11). The rack part (10) has opposite inner and outer sides in its width direction (X), and the inner side of the rack part (10) is connected to the peripheral wall (11); The rack part (10) has adjacent first and second tooth slots (101, 102) in its length direction (Y), and the first and second tooth slots (101, 102) are used to respectively mesh with first and second teeth (301, 302) on a gear part (30) of a mating connector; The slot width of the second tooth slot (102) in the width direction (X) is smaller than that of the first tooth slot (101) to prevent the first tooth (301) with a tooth width larger than the slot width of the second tooth slot (102) from being incorrectly engaged in the second tooth slot (102). Therefore, the present invention can effectively avoid mis operation.