Electrical Connector Sealing Layer With Guide Passage

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing electrical connectors require significant force to insert terminal contacts through sealing elements and may compromise sealing reliability during multiple insertion/removal cycles, complicating manufacturing and maintenance.

Innovation Solution

An electrical connector design featuring a guide passage for slidingly mounting a resilient, self-adhering sealing layer with slits and circular apertures, allowing easy insertion around conductors with minimal force, and a cover element that compresses the sealing layer for enhanced sealing, made from materials like gel or silicone with self-healing properties.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a sealing element is placed in the connector body to provide sealing around conductors, then sealing reliability is improved, but significant force is required to insert terminal contacts through the sealing element

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesealing reliabilityVSAvoidinsertion force

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSForce

Solution Approach 1:

The sealing element is pre-mounted in the connector body on the base portion before terminal contacts are inserted. The guide passages are also pre-formed in the sealing element, allowing terminal contacts to be inserted through predetermined paths that require minimal force while maintaining sealing integrity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The guide passages act as intermediaries between the terminal contacts and the sealing element. These passages provide a defined pathway that reduces the force needed for insertion while ensuring the sealing element maintains its sealing function around the conductors.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Ease of manufacture

If a sealing element with through-holes is used to allow conductor insertion, then ease of assembly is improved, but sealing reliability may be compromised during multiple insertion/removal cycles

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveassembly easeVSAvoidsealing reliability

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The sealing element is pre-mounted in the connector body on the base portion before terminal contacts are inserted. The guide passages are also pre-formed in the sealing element, allowing terminal contacts to be inserted through predetermined paths that require minimal force while maintaining sealing integrity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The sealing element is made of resiliently deformable material that can flex during insertion and removal cycles. This flexibility allows the sealing element to maintain contact with the connector body and conductors, ensuring sealing reliability is not compromised by repeated assembly/disassembly operations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

3Ease of manufacture

If the sealing layer is inserted before terminal contacts, then assembly sequence is simplified, but the sealing layer may be soiled by conductor materials

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveassembly sequenceVSAvoidsoiling of sealing layer

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The sealing element is pre-mounted in the connector body on the base portion before terminal contacts are inserted. The guide passages are also pre-formed in the sealing element, allowing terminal contacts to be inserted through predetermined paths that require minimal force while maintaining sealing integrity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

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 simplifies manufacturing, ensures reliable and secure sealing with minimal force required for terminal contact insertion, prevents soiling of contacts, and allows multiple cycles without compromising sealing performance, while the self-adhering properties of the gel ensure effective sealing without additional cover elements.

Implementation Method 1

a sealing element in the form of a layer of resiliently deformable, electrically insulating material

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectElasticity: Elasticity

Implementation Method 2

self-adhering sealing layer with slits and circular apertures

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectAdhesion: Adhesive

Implementation Method 3

a cover element that compresses the sealing layer for enhanced sealing

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectCompression: Compression

Implementation Method 4

gel or silicone with self-healing properties

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectSelf-healing:

Data Source

PatentUS9136637B2Electrical connector comprising a sealing element and assembly process

Publication Date: 2015.09.15 TYCO ELECTRONICS AMP ITAL

AI summary

An electrical connector includes a connector body, the connector body having a plurality of seats for a plurality of terminal contacts. The electrical connector also includes at least one sealing element received in the connector body in a plane transverse to conductors associated with the plurality of terminal contacts, so as to provide a seal around the conductors. The connector body is provided with a guide passage for slidingly mounting a sealing layer within the connector body, by moving the sealing layer parallel to a plane thereof, in such a way that the sealing layer can be inserted into the connector body after the plurality of terminal contacts along with the respective conductors have been received in the connector body. The sealing layer engages slidingly around the conductors until a final mounting position is reached.