Electrical Connector Fluid-Tight Sealing Mechanism
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing sealing locks for electrical connectors often fail to provide a reliable, fluid-tight and air-tight connection, leading to potential short circuits when wires become wet.
Innovation Solution
A sealing device comprising a body with teeth, an insert with multiple sets of teeth, and a sealing nut with threads, which forms a sealed connection by meshing teeth and optionally includes a sealing gland and spacer to ensure a secure, fluid-tight seal, with an epoxy sealant used to further prevent fluid ingress.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If existing sealing locks are used for electrical connectors, then the connection can be established, but the connection is not fluid-tight and air-tight, leading to potential short circuits when wires become wet
Solution Approach 1:
The sealing device is divided into multiple components: a body with first teeth, an insert with second teeth that mate with the first teeth, and a sealing nut with third teeth that mate with the second teeth. This segmented design allows each component to contribute to the overall sealing function, creating multiple sealing interfaces that together achieve a reliable fluid-tight connection.
Solution Approach 2:
The insert acts as an intermediary component between the body and the sealing nut. It features second teeth on its outer periphery that engage with both the first teeth of the body and the third teeth of the sealing nut, mediating the connection and enabling the formation of a sealed enclosure that prevents fluid ingress.
2Reliability
If a sealed connection is created using multiple components, then fluid-tight connection is achieved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The body, insert, and sealing nut are designed to work together as an integrated sealing system. The teeth on each component are configured to mesh with adjacent components, combining their functions to create a sealed enclosure. This merging of multiple components achieves reliable sealing while maintaining reasonable complexity through functional integration.
Data Source
AI summary
An electrical connector device can be formed to be substantially fluid tight. This device can comprise a body having teeth and an optional insert having two sides with at least two sets of teeth wherein a first set of teeth is disposed on a first side of the insert, and a second set of teeth are disposed on a second side of the insert. The first set of teeth are for mating with the teeth on the body to form a substantially sealed connection between the insert and the body. There can also be a sealing nut for securing over the insert and the body, wherein the sealing nut includes a set of teeth wherein when the sealing nut is screwed down onto the body, the set of teeth on the sealing nut mate with the second set of teeth on the insert to form a substantially sealed connection between the sealing nut and the insert. The spacer then keeps each of these soldered wires separate from each other. In this case, the soldered connection can be used to prevent the wicking of fluid inside of the connection, and also the cavity is filled with a sealant so that if fluid or any other fluid enters into this connection, it does not flow to either side of the soldered point.