Power Feeding Connector Raised Rib Self-Alignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
The power feeding connector for electric automobiles tends to become backwardly inclined during engagement, causing axis misalignment and defective connection, leading to poor operability and potential damage from forced alignment attempts.
Innovation Solution
A power feeding connector with a raised rib on the housing front side tubular part that overrides the inner peripheral face of the outer tubular wall part, creating a counterforce to correct the inclined state and align the axes, allowing smooth engagement and connection without operator intervention.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If the power feeding side connector is designed with a larger housing body and cable extension, then the connector can accommodate necessary components and connections, but the center of gravity shifts backward causing the connector to become backwardly inclined during engagement
Solution Approach 1:
The raised part is designed to preemptively counteract the backward inclination by creating a counterbalancing moment before the misalignment occurs. As the housing front side tubular part engages with the outer tubular wall part, the raised part contacts the inner peripheral face early in the engagement process, generating a rotational moment that prevents the backwardly inclined state from developing, thereby maintaining proper alignment throughout the engagement sequence
2Ease of operation
If the operator forcibly pushes the connector to correct misalignment, then alignment may be achieved, but damage may occur to interfering regions
Solution Approach 1:
The connector performs self-alignment through the raised part mechanism. During normal engagement, the raised part automatically contacts the inner peripheral face of the outer tubular wall part, generating a counterbalancing moment that self-corrects the backward inclination without requiring external intervention. This eliminates the need for operators to forcibly push or manipulate the connector, thereby preventing potential damage to interfering regions while achieving proper alignment
3Ease of operation
If the raised part is positioned at the root side of the housing front side tubular part, then it can effectively correct backward inclination, but it reduces the engaging length available for the connectors
Solution Approach 1:
The raised part is strategically positioned only at the root side of the housing front side tubular part, creating a localized structural feature that provides the necessary alignment correction function. This localized modification allows the raised part to generate the counterbalancing moment where it is most needed (at the root side where the inclination originates) while minimizing the impact on the overall engaging length, as the raised part does not extend along the entire length of the tubular part
Data Source
AI summary
To provide a power feeding connector in which, on occasion of engaging and connecting a power feeding side connector to a power receiving connector, an operator can correct a backwardly inclined state of the power feeding side connector without paying particular attention, and can smoothly complete engagement and connection between the connectors. In a power feeding connector 7, a housing front side tubular part 81 of a power feeding side connector 8 to be engaged with an inner periphery of an outer tubular wall part 51 of a power receiving side connector 5 is provided, on an outer periphery at a lower end side thereof, with a raised part 86 which overrides an inner peripheral face of the outer tubular wall part 51, before an engaging length of the housing front side tubular part 81 with respect to the outer tubular wall part 51 reaches a prescribed length, and the raised part 86 corrects a backwardly inclined state of the power feeding side connector 8 due to its dead weight into a state where axes of the outer tubular wall part 51 and the housing front side tubular part 81 are aligned with each other.