Connector Terminal Three-Lance Positioning for Secure Housing Lock
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing connector terminals with a pair of lances arranged at 180-degree intervals around the center line may fail to be held securely in the contact holding hole, leading to potential falling off from the insulator due to orientation issues during insertion.
Innovation Solution
A connector terminal design featuring at least three positioning lances around the center line, with specific angular arrangements, that can be locked to the housing's locking portion, ensuring secure holding regardless of orientation, and including a lance portion at the terminal's end for easy locking confirmation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a pair of lances is provided on the body portion at 180-degree intervals, then the structure is simple, but the connector terminal may fail to be held securely and fall off from the insulator due to orientation issues
Solution Approach 1:
The single pair of lances (2 pieces) is segmented into three positioning lances (3 pieces) arranged at different angular intervals around the center line. This segmentation increases the number of locking points from 2 to 3, providing better angular coverage and ensuring that at least one lance can be locked into the locking portion regardless of the insertion orientation, thereby resolving the contradiction between structural simplicity and holding security.
Solution Approach 2:
The positioning lances are arranged asymmetrically at specific angular intervals (first lance at 0 degrees, second lance at 60-120 degrees, third lance at 120-60 degrees) rather than symmetrically at 180-degree intervals. This asymmetric arrangement ensures that the lances cover a broader range of angular positions, preventing the connector terminal from falling off due to orientation issues while maintaining reasonable structural simplicity.
2Reliability
If at least three positioning lances are provided around the center line, then the holding security is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of using exactly two lances (the minimum for symmetric arrangement), the invention uses three positioning lances, which is an excessive action beyond the minimum requirement. This partial excess (one additional lance) provides sufficient angular coverage to prevent falling off due to orientation issues while keeping the increase in complexity minimal and acceptable.
Solution Approach 2:
The three positioning lances serve multiple functions: they provide locking engagement with the locking portion, position the connector terminal in the holding portion, and ensure secure holding regardless of insertion orientation. This multi-functionality justifies the slight increase in structural complexity by delivering comprehensive reliability improvements.
Data Source
AI summary
A connector terminal may include a terminal body extending along a center line, a contact portion provided at a first end portion of the terminal body in an extension direction of the terminal body, and a lance portion provided at a second end portion of the terminal body in the extension direction of the terminal body. The lance portion includes at least three positioning lances, when viewed from the extension direction of the center line, an angle formed by a first imaginary straight line connecting the center line and the first positioning lance and a second imaginary straight line connecting the center line and the second positioning lance is larger than 0 degrees and smaller than 180 degrees around the center line, and an angle formed by the first imaginary straight line and a third imaginary straight line connecting the center line and the third positioning lance is larger than 0 degrees and smaller than 180 degrees around the center line.