Connector Retainer Integrating Elastic Lance for Vibration Resistance

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional connectors face difficulties in molding lances within terminal receiving chambers due to increased component parts and labor, and the use of high-strength resins like glass-containing resins is limited as lances need elasticity, leading to softness under high temperatures and reduced vibration resistance.

Innovation Solution

A connector design where the elastic lance and secondary retaining portions are formed integrally on a retainer, which is inserted into the connector housing, allowing for simplified molding and using high-strength resin materials without the need for lances on the housing, enhancing vibration resistance.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If lances are formed within terminal receiving chambers of connector housing, then terminal retention is achieved, but molding difficulty increases and component parts increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveterminal retentionVSAvoidmolding difficulty

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The lance is extracted from the connector housing and transferred to the retainer. The retainer, which is inserted into the connector housing from the side, carries the lance on its inner peripheral surface. This extraction simplifies the molding of the connector housing while maintaining the terminal retention function through the lance on the retainer.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The lance function is merged with the retainer structure. The retainer incorporates the lance on its inner peripheral surface, combining the terminal retention function with the retainer's positioning function. This merging reduces the number of separate components and simplifies manufacturing.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

2Reliability

If lances are formed within terminal receiving chambers, then terminal retention is achieved, but number of component parts increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveterminal retentionVSAvoidnumber of component parts

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Strength

If high-strength resins like glass-containing resins are used for connector housing, then vibration resistance should improve, but lances cannot be formed due to lack of elasticity

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvevibration resistanceVSAvoidmolding capability

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The lance is extracted from the connector housing and transferred to the retainer. This allows the connector housing to be made from high-strength resins like glass-containing resins without the need for embedded lances, while the retainer (which can be made from more elastic material) carries the lace function.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The system uses different materials for different components: the connector housing uses high-strength resin for vibration resistance, while the retainer uses material with appropriate elasticity to carry and deform the lance during terminal insertion and retention.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

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

This design reduces the number of components, simplifies molding, and enables the use of high-strength resins, improving vibration resistance and preventing terminal withdrawal while maintaining assembly efficiency.

Implementation Method 1

the lance, while elastically deformed or bent, allows the insertion of the terminal, and when the terminal is further inserted into a predetermined position, the lance is restored from the elastically-deformed condition to become engaged with an engagement portion of the terminal

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectElastic deformation: Elasticity

Data Source

PatentUS7988502B2Connector

Publication Date: 2011.08.02 YAZAKI CORP

AI summary

According to the invention, the lance for primarily retaining the terminal is formed integrally on the retainer for secondarily retaining the terminal. Therefore, there is no need to form the lance on the connector housing, and therefore the structure of the connector housing can be simplified, and the moldability of the resin-made connector housing can be enhanced.