Connector Terminal Insulation Geometry for Finger Safety

Solution Overview

Problem

The existing connector design, where a terminal is housed in a tubular housing with one end open, faces challenges in preventing finger contact with the metal terminal while maintaining a compact size, as elongating the connector increases its size and insulation at the tip end can lead to shaving during sliding contact.

Innovation Solution

A connector design featuring a tubular housing with a band plate-shaped terminal fitting part and an insulation part, where the tip end insulation is recessed relative to the contact face, and side insulation parts are protruded to sandwich the tip end insulation, preventing slide-contact and enhancing human body contact prevention.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the distance from the opening end of the tubular housing to the tip end of the terminal is made long, then the human body contact prevention function is improved, but the entire size of the connector increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvehuman body contact prevention functionVSAvoidentire size of the connector

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLength of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by providing insulation parts at specific locations (tip end and side surfaces) of the terminal rather than uniformly insulating the entire terminal. The tip end insulation part is receded to allow sliding contact, while side insulation parts protrude to prevent finger contact with the contact face, creating localized insulation properties that differ by position and function.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

2Reliability

If an insulation part is provided at the tip end of the terminal, then the human body contact prevention function is improved, but the insulation part may be shaved during slide-contact with the mating terminal

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvehuman body contact prevention functionVSAvoidinsulation part shaving

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by providing insulation parts at specific locations (tip end and side surfaces) of the terminal rather than uniformly insulating the entire terminal. The tip end insulation part is receded to allow sliding contact, while side insulation parts protrude to prevent finger contact with the contact face, creating localized insulation properties that differ by position and function.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The patent inverts the conventional approach by making the tip end insulation part receded rather than protruding. This inversion allows the insulation part to be protected from sliding contact damage while still providing insulation protection, as the receded configuration prevents the mating terminal from directly contacting and shaving the insulation material during connection.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

3Object-generated harmful factors

If the tip end insulation part is positioned away from the mating terminal, then slide-contact is prevented, but the finger is likely to reach to the contact face

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveslide-contact preventionVSAvoidhuman body contact prevention function

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-generated harmful factorsVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by providing insulation parts at specific locations (tip end and side surfaces) of the terminal rather than uniformly insulating the entire terminal. The tip end insulation part is receded to allow sliding contact, while side insulation parts protrude to prevent finger contact with the contact face, creating localized insulation properties that differ by position and function.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The patent uses another dimension by adding side insulation parts that protrude in the width direction (perpendicular to the sliding contact direction). This dimensional addition allows the side insulation parts to prevent finger contact with the contact face while the tip end insulation part remains receded to allow sliding contact, solving both requirements simultaneously through multi-dimensional insulation configuration.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

Data Source

PatentUS10326228B2Connector having terminal with insulated tip and edges

Publication Date: 2019.06.18 YAZAKI CORP

AI summary

Provided is a connector which can prevent slide-contact between an insulation part and a mating terminal while improving a human body contact prevention function. A tip end insulation part provided to an end face of a terminal fitting main body is receded with respect to a contact face which contacts with a mating terminal, thereby preventing the slide-contact between an insulation part and a mating terminal when connecting the connectors to each other. Further, a side insulation parts provided so as to sandwich the tip end insulation part in the Y direction are protruded with respect to the tip end insulation part, so a finger of an operator is unlikely to reach to the contact face, thereby improving the human body contact prevention function.