Electrical Connector Terminal Insertion Force Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electrical connector assemblies require high terminal insertion force due to frictional resistance, which can cause undesirable bending of wire leads and terminals, especially as terminal and wire sizes decrease.
Innovation Solution
The electrical connector assembly features a terminal receiving cavity with guide rails and slots that urge terminal wings toward the top wall during insertion, and lock tabs that engage to prevent withdrawal, allowing for a lower insertion force and secure locking mechanisms to prevent accidental disengagement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a flexible beam is used to retain the terminal in the terminal receiving cavity, then the terminal can be securely retained, but frictional resistance increases causing high insertion force
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the flexible beam component entirely from the terminal receiving cavity design. Instead, it uses guide rails with guide slots and lock tabs to achieve terminal retention without the frictional resistance caused by flexible beams. This extraction of the harmful component directly reduces insertion force while maintaining retention functionality through alternative mechanical means.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces guide rails and guide slots as intermediary elements between the terminal and the terminal receiving cavity walls. These guide slots provide a controlled path for terminal insertion and retention without requiring high frictional forces, acting as a mediator that reduces the harmful interaction between the terminal and cavity walls while still achieving secure retention.
2Ease of operation
If high insertion force is applied to overcome frictional resistance, then the terminal can be inserted into the terminal receiving cavity, but wire lead and terminal bending occurs
Solution Approach 1:
By removing the flexible beam that causes frictional resistance, the patent eliminates the need for high insertion forces. The guide rails and guide slots provide a low-friction path for terminal insertion, directly preventing the wire lead and terminal bending that occurs when excessive force is applied.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the friction parameter by replacing the flexible beam contact mechanism with a guide slot-based retention system. This parameter change reduces the frictional resistance during insertion, allowing terminals to be inserted with lower force and preventing deformation of wire leads and terminals.
3Ease of manufacture
If the terminal receiving cavity uses a simple structure, then manufacturing is easier, but terminal retention and prevention of accidental withdrawal is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the terminal retention function into multiple independent components: guide rails for positioning, guide slots for retention, and lock tabs for preventing accidental withdrawal. This segmentation allows each component to be relatively simple in structure while collectively providing robust terminal retention, balancing ease of manufacture with reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies local quality by providing guide slots and lock tabs only in specific locations where terminal retention is needed, rather than using a complex overall structure. The guide slots are positioned to engage with terminal wings, and lock tabs are placed to prevent withdrawal, creating localized retention features that are simple to manufacture but effective in preventing accidental terminal disengagement.
Data Source
AI summary
An electrical connector assembly comprising a wire attached to a terminal and a connector body. The terminal defines a pair of terminal wings protruding from opposite side surfaces of the terminal. A cavity within the connector body is configured to receive the terminal. Side walls of the cavity define terminal guides that have guide rails and a guide slots beneath the guide rails. As the terminal is pushed into the cavity, the guide rails urge the terminal wings toward a top wall of the cavity until the terminal wings reach an end of the guide rails. The terminal wings then enter open ends of the guide slots as the wire is pulled cavity and the terminal wings traverse the guide slots until the terminal wings engage closed ends of the guide slots and/or a terminal lock tab engages a lock surface within the cavity, thereby preventing the terminal from being inadvertently withdrawn from the cavity.