Connector Assembly with Staged Low-Voltage Module Engagement
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing high-voltage connectors face challenges in accurately determining the fastening of high-voltage modules due to synchronous movement with low-voltage modules, leading to potential misjudgment and safety risks.
Innovation Solution
The low-voltage module is designed to be movable between a pre-installation and final installation position, ensuring it connects to the low-voltage mating module only after the high-voltage module is securely fastened, allowing precise determination of the high-voltage module's fastening status.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the low-voltage module is moved synchronously with the high-voltage module during fastening, then the installation process is simplified and faster, but the determination of high-voltage module fastening status becomes inaccurate leading to misjudgment
Solution Approach 1:
The connector is divided into independent high-voltage and low-voltage modules that can move separately. The low-voltage module is decoupled from the high-voltage module, allowing the high-voltage module to be fastened first while the low-voltage module remains in a pre-installation position. This segmentation enables independent movement and positioning of each module, resolving the contradiction between installation speed and fastening status determination accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The low-voltage module is designed to perform preliminary actions (moving to pre-installation position) before the high-voltage module is fully fastened. This preliminary positioning allows the system to prepare for subsequent connection without interfering with the high-voltage fastening process, enabling accurate determination of fastening status while maintaining installation efficiency.
2Ease of operation
If the low-voltage module is moved synchronously with the high-voltage module, then the installation process is simpler, but safety is compromised due to potential misjudgment of fastening status
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the connector into separate high-voltage and low-voltage modules with independent movement capabilities, the design maintains operational simplicity while eliminating the safety risk. Each module can be positioned and fastened independently, allowing the system to determine high-voltage fastening status accurately before proceeding, thus ensuring safety without complicating the installation process.
Solution Approach 2:
The low-voltage module serves as an intermediary element that can be positioned in a pre-installation state before high-voltage connection is confirmed. This intermediary positioning allows the system to verify high-voltage fastening status safely before completing the full connection, maintaining both ease of operation and reliability.
3Device complexity
If the high-voltage module and low-voltage module are moved synchronously, then the device structure is simpler, but accurate determination of fastening status becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The connector structure is segmented into independent high-voltage and low-voltage modules with separate movement mechanisms. This segmentation allows each module to be tracked independently, enabling accurate determination of high-voltage fastening status without the complexity of synchronized movement. The independent modules can be positioned separately, providing clear status information while maintaining reasonable structural complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
A connector includes a housing adapted to mate with a mating housing of a mating connector, a high-voltage module provided in the housing and a low-voltage module movably installed outside the housing. The high-voltage module is adapted to be fastened to a high-voltage mating module of the mating connector to be electrically connected with the high-voltage mating module. The low-voltage module is adapted to electrically connect to a low-voltage mating module of the mating connector, and is movable between a pre-installation position separated from the low-voltage mating module and a final installation position electrically connected to the low-voltage mating module. The connector is adapted such that the low-voltage module is movable separately to the final installation position electrically connected to the low-voltage mating module only after the high-voltage module has been fastened to the high-voltage mating module.