Connector With Interfering Wire Cover Strip
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing connectors face challenges in preventing incorrect insertion of sub-connectors into accommodation concavities, which can lead to improper mounting and potential damage due to the force required for insertion.
Innovation Solution
The connector design features ribs on sub-connectors that correspond to specific grooves in the housing, with a projected strip on the electric wire cover that interferes with the rib if the sub-connector is inserted incorrectly, preventing the cover from being mounted and signaling an incorrect insertion, and reverse insertion prevention parts on the sub-connector and housing to prevent upside-down mounting.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If a rib and groove system is used to prevent incorrect sub-connector insertion, then insertion accuracy is improved, but the risk of forced insertion causing rib bulging and wrong connector insertion remains
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary element - the electric wire cover with its projected strip - that acts as a secondary verification mechanism. When the cover is mounted, the projected strip must fit into the groove alongside the rib, providing an additional check that prevents wrong sub-connectors from being fully inserted, thus resolving the reliability issue without compromising the rib-groove guidance system.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-positioning the projected strip on the electric wire cover before the final assembly step. This projected strip is already in place to interfere with incorrectly positioned ribs, preventing wrong insertions before they can be completed. The cover itself is designed to be mounted only after sub-connectors are in place, creating a sequential verification process.
2Ease of operation
If the electric wire cover is mounted after sub-connectors are inserted, then assembly flexibility is improved, but the cover can strike improperly mounted sub-connectors causing damage
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary anti-action by designing the projected strip on the electric wire cover to preemptively prevent incorrect sub-connector mounting. When the cover is attempted to be mounted over an improperly positioned sub-connector, the projected strip interferes with the rib-groove interface, stopping the insertion before the cover can strike the sub-connector and cause damage. This preventive mechanism operates before the harmful impact can occur.
3Reliability
If separate grooves are provided for rib and projected strip, then functionality is improved, but housing construction complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the functions of the rib-groove system and the projected strip-groove system into a single shared groove in the housing. The groove is designed to receive both the rib from the sub-connector and the projected strip from the electric wire cover simultaneously. This consolidation maintains the verification functionality while significantly simplifying the housing construction by eliminating the need for separate grooves.
Data Source
AI summary
A rib (54) of a sub-connector (30) is inserted into a groove (22) of a housing (10) if the sub-connector (30) is accommodated inside a correct accommodation concavity (11). A projected strip (77) of a wire cover (70) then is inserted into the groove (22) with the projected strip (77) and the rib (54) being side by side. Thus the wire cover (70) is prevented from being opened. The rib (54) may be inserted into the groove (22) if the sub-connector (30) is accommodated inside an incorrect accommodation concavity (11). But when an operation of mounting the wire cover (70) on the housing (10) in the above-described state is performed, the projected strip (77) interferes with the rib (54) inserted into the groove (22) to stop the mounting the wire cover (70) on the housing (10).