Connector Slide Member Integration for Terminal Tip Protection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing connectors for vehicle wiring harnesses have a high number of components, including separate slide body and tip protecting portions, which can increase complexity and potential electrical connection issues.
Innovation Solution
A first connector with a slide member that is slidable between closing and opening positions, integrating a slide body portion and a tip protecting portion to reduce components, and a second connector with a pressing portion to slide the slide member, ensuring electric shock prevention and reduced assembly steps.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If separate slide body portion and tip protecting portion are used, then electrical connection reliability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the slide body portion and tip protecting portion into a single integrated slide member. This integration reduces the number of components and assembly steps while maintaining the functional separation needed for electrical connection reliability. The slide member includes both the sliding functionality and tip protection functionality in one piece.
2Reliability
If multiple separate components are used, then functional reliability is improved, but ease of manufacture deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The slide member is designed as an integrated component combining multiple functions (sliding mechanism and tip protection) into one piece, reducing assembly steps and improving ease of manufacture while maintaining functional reliability through internal structural design.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If separate protecting members are provided on tip side and side, then electric shock prevention is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The tip protecting portion is integrated into the slide member itself rather than being a separate component. The slide member provides both side protection (through the protecting portion covering the terminal) and tip protection (through the integrally formed tip protecting portion) in a single component, reducing overall device complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
A first connector is provided with a first terminal including a tip part extending in a first direction, a first connector housing for holding the first terminal and a slide member to be held in the first connector housing. The first connector housing includes a protecting portion for covering a part of the first terminal in directions orthogonal to the first direction except a second direction, a first opening open in the first direction, and a second opening open in the second direction. The slide member is slidable between a closing position for closing the second opening and an opening position in a first opposite direction. The slide member includes a slide body portion for closing the second opening at the closing position and a tip protecting portion integrally formed to the slide body portion and configured to protect the tip part of the first terminal.