Connector Water Stop Assembly With Low-Force Locking
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing connectors face difficulty in smoothly mounting a water stop member due to the need for a large mounting force to lock it in place, making assembly challenging.
Innovation Solution
A connector design featuring a tubular assembly space with a recessed facing surface and locking protrusions, along with a water stop member having a retaining portion that protrudes and a cavity portion for easy assembly, facilitates smooth insertion and locking.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If the water stop member is locked to the assembly space to prevent easy removal, then the water stop member's stability is improved, but the mounting force required becomes large making assembly difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The water stop member is segmented into a main body portion and a retaining portion. The retaining portion is separately formed to engage with the locking protrusion, while the main body portion forms the water stopping function. This segmentation allows the retaining portion to be easily guided into the locking protrusion during assembly, reducing the overall mounting force required while maintaining stable locked positioning.
Solution Approach 2:
The retaining portion acts as an intermediary element between the water stop member and the assembly space. It provides a dedicated engagement interface with the locking protrusion, mediating the connection in a way that requires minimal assembly force while ensuring stable locked positioning of the water stop member.
2Reliability
If the water stop member is designed with a locking mechanism to prevent easy removal, then the reliability of water stopping is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The water stop member is divided into functional segments: the main body portion for water stopping and the retaining portion for locking. This segmentation allows each part to perform its specific function with a simple structure, avoiding the need for a complex integrated locking mechanism while ensuring reliable water stopping through the main body portion.
Solution Approach 2:
The locking function is extracted as a separate retaining portion that can be independently designed and manufactured. This extraction simplifies the main body portion's structure while providing reliable locking through the dedicated retaining portion engaging with the locking protrusion in the assembly space.
Data Source
AI summary
A connector includes: a housing; and a water stop member mounted in the housing and configured to stop water between the mating connector and the housing, in which the housing has a tubular assembly space in which a facing surface of the housing that faces the mating connector is recessed in a fitting direction, and includes a locking protrusion protruding from an outer peripheral wall portion of the assembly space, the water stop member includes a retaining portion that is arranged in the assembly space and protrudes toward an outer peripheral side from an annular main body portion, and the main body portion of the water stop member has a cavity portion formed on a distal end side of a proximal end portion of the retaining portion.