Connector Seal Guide Wall Preventing Rollover
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Sealed connector assemblies in the automotive industry face issues with the seal rolling over due to interference fits between connectors, which compromises the protection of electrical wire terminals from dust, humidity, and water ingress, and existing secondary locks do not adequately prevent this rolling.
Innovation Solution
The design incorporates first and second housing portions with a guide wall that circumscribes the second housing portion, capturing a seal between them, and a secondary lock that is slideable between unlocked and locked positions to secure the terminal, preventing seal rollover through snap-fit locking elements and complementary housing features.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If a seal is arranged between male and female plastic connectors with interference fit, then the seal provides protection from dust, humidity, and water ingress, but the seal may roll over during insertion or removal of the male connector relative to the female connector
Solution Approach 1:
The guide wall acts as an intermediary structure between the seal and the housing portions. It provides a stable reference surface that prevents the seal from rolling over during connector insertion and removal, while still allowing the seal to maintain its protective function between the male and female connectors.
Solution Approach 2:
The guide wall is pre-formed as an integral part of the housing portion structure. This preliminary structural provision ensures that the seal is guided and constrained in its proper position before any insertion or removal operations occur, preventing rollover rather than correcting it afterward.
2Reliability
If secondary locks are inserted from the outside of the connector to provide terminal position assurance, then terminal locking is improved, but the connector structure becomes more complex and assembly becomes more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The secondary lock is merged with the housing structure itself, forming an integrated subassembly. The lock features are built into the housing portion rather than being separate components, which simplifies the overall connector structure while maintaining terminal position assurance functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The housing portion serves multiple functions: it provides structural support, guides the seal, and incorporates the secondary lock mechanism. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate dedicated components, thereby reducing overall device complexity while maintaining reliability.
3Stability of the object's composition
If the guide wall circumscribes at least a portion of the second housing portion and abuts at least 50% of the seal, then seal rollover is prevented, but manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The guide wall is designed to abut only a portion of the seal (at least 50%) rather than requiring complete circumferential contact. This segmentation of the contact requirement reduces the overall precision burden, as not the entire seal perimeter needs to be precisely positioned by the guide wall.
Solution Approach 2:
The guide wall provides localized support and constraint at specific critical points along the seal interface, rather than requiring uniform precision throughout the entire connector assembly. This local quality approach focuses manufacturing precision where it is most needed to prevent seal rollover.
Data Source
AI summary
An electrical connector includes first and second housing portions that are secured to one another and respectively provide an aperture and a hole. The aperture is configured to receive a terminal of a wire. The hole is configured to receive the wire. The first housing portion includes a face that is configured to mate with another connector that carries another terminal that is engageable with the terminal. A seal is captured between the first and second housing portions and is configured to engage the other connector.