Connector Retainer With Hinged Bands For Gas Sensors
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional high temperature electrical connectors for gas sensors face challenges in maintaining reliable contact and retention at extreme temperatures, requiring improved connector body retainers that allow for low insertion force and high contact force while ensuring alignment and durability.
Innovation Solution
A connector body retainer with u-shaped or c-shaped retainer bands, inwardly and outwardly extending arms, and flex members that provide spring bias and alignment, allowing for hinged movement and secure retention of ceramic connector bodies, enabling compact sensor designs and reduced material usage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Force
If a solid metal connector retaining ring is used to retain ceramic body portions, then contact force is improved, but insertion force becomes too high
Solution Approach 1:
The retainer bands are designed to be flexible rather than rigid, allowing them to dynamically adjust their shape during insertion and operation. The bands can flex outward to accommodate insertion and then spring inward to provide retention force, resolving the contradiction between high contact force and low insertion force
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the physical state of the retainer from rigid (solid metal ring) to flexible (spring-like bands). This parameter change allows the retainer to exhibit different mechanical properties during different phases: compliant during insertion and rigid during retention, thus resolving the force contradiction
2Reliability
If ceramic body portions are retained with high force, then reliability is improved, but alignment precision deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The retainer bands function as flexible shells that can deform to accommodate alignment variations while maintaining retention. The flexibility allows the bands to conform to minor misalignments without compromising the retention force, thus maintaining both reliability and alignment precision
Solution Approach 2:
The spring-like nature of the retainer bands provides a cushioning effect that absorbs alignment errors before they can cause malfunction. The elastic deformation of the bands compensates for manufacturing tolerances, ensuring reliable retention while maintaining alignment
3Ease of manufacture
If conventional retainers are used, then manufacturing is simple, but device size increases
Solution Approach 1:
The retainer is segmented into multiple flexible bands rather than being a single rigid ring. This segmentation allows the retainer to be more compact while maintaining functionality, as the bands can collapse or flex to reduce the overall volume when not in use, yet still provide full retention capability
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 enables compact, reliable high temperature electrical connectors that maintain contact and alignment, allowing for smaller sensor profiles, reduced material costs, and improved responsiveness in vehicle emission control systems.
Implementation Method 1
The connector body retainer may further include a spring member that may be used to provide a spring bias to obtain the desired contact force upon hinged closure of the electrical connector
Implementation Method 2
flex members that act to maintain alignment of the connector bodies
Data Source
AI summary
A connector body retainer for a high temperature electrical connector used in a high temperature gas sensor retains the ceramic body portions while also permitting their hinged movement. The connector body retainer includes a pair of retainer bands each having a generally u-shaped or c-shaped profile with a base portion and a pair of opposed extending legs, the legs of each band extending toward the other in opposing arrangement to provide the retainer, with each retainer band having an outer surface, an inner surface, a hinge end and an insertion end. The legs of the respective bands which are in opposing arrangement are joined together by a respective pair of outwardly arched hinges proximate the hinge end and will allow the ceramic body portions to hinge open to receive a gas sensor at a relatively low insertion force and hinge closed to provide a relatively higher contact force.