Vehicle Connector Retainer Locking Mechanism
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing charging connectors for vehicles have complex structures that increase cost and size, making it difficult to achieve effective terminal locking and reduce housing size.
Innovation Solution
A simplified connector design featuring a retainer that moves between non-locking and locking positions, using a locking portion and a lance from the rear housing to secure the terminal, eliminating the need for a lance in the front housing and enhancing sealing performance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the housing is formed with a lace for locking the terminal, then the terminal can be locked, but the structure of the housing becomes complicated, leading to increased cost and difficulty in reducing housing size
Solution Approach 1:
The lace function is extracted from the housing and transferred to the retainer. The retainer now includes the lace that engages with the terminal, while the housing structure is simplified and no longer requires integrated laces, thus reducing complexity and cost while maintaining locking reliability
Solution Approach 2:
The connector is divided into separate functional components: the housing provides structural support and terminal accommodation, while the retainer provides the locking function through its lace. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently, reducing overall complexity
2Reliability
If the housing is formed with a lace for locking the terminal, then the terminal can be locked, but the housing size increases due to the complicated structure
Solution Approach 1:
The lace function is extracted from the housing and placed in the retainer, allowing the housing to be minimized to only the essential terminal accommodating chamber and retainer receiving space, thus reducing housing volume
Solution Approach 2:
The retainer with its lace is positioned within the housing structure, with the retainer receiving chamber accommodating the retainer. This nesting allows the locking mechanism to be compact and integrated without increasing overall housing volume
Data Source
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AI summary
A connector includes a terminal, a housing to accommodate the terminal and a retainer including a locking portion to lock the terminal when the terminal is accommodated in the housing. The housing includes a front housing having a terminal accommodating chamber and a rear housing to be attached to the front housing from a rear side of an insertion direction of the terminal, the rear housing including a lance to, when the terminal is accommodated in the terminal accommodating chamber, lock a rear portion of the terminal. The retainer is to be attached between the front housing and the rear housing and to be displaceable along a direction perpendicular to the insertion direction between a locking position and a non-locking position. The retainer moves from the non-locking position to the locking portion and the locking portion locks the rear portion of the terminal in the insertion direction.