Contact Carrier Detent Locking for Beveled Crimp Contact Collars
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing contact carriers struggle to stably hold plug contacts with beveled central collars due to inconsistent crimp connection elongation, leading to play or fitting issues, and require additional locking mechanisms that may not withstand plug-in forces effectively.
Innovation Solution
A contact carrier design featuring an insulating body with locking arms and a holding plate that locks the plug contact onto its middle collar, relieving the holding plate of insertion forces and preventing unlocking, even under strong insertion forces, allowing for stable fixation despite beveling.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If the plug contact is held by its terminal-side collar in the contact carrier, then the structure is simple, but the plug contact has play or fitting difficulties due to crimp terminal elongation variation
Solution Approach 1:
The contact carrier is divided into two functional parts: the insulating body with locking arms that provide stable positioning by engaging the central collar, and the removable retaining plate that provides additional security. This segmentation allows each part to perform its specific function optimally without interfering with the other.
Solution Approach 2:
The locking arms act as intermediary elements between the contact carrier and the plug contact's central collar. These locking arms engage with the central collar to provide stable positioning, mediating the connection between the carrier structure and the plug contact to eliminate play while accommodating crimp elongation variations.
2Reliability
If additional locking means such as locking cones or snap rings are added to secure plug contacts, then the positioning stability improves, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The locking function is merged into the retaining plate structure itself. The retaining plate incorporates locking arms that engage the central collar directly, combining the retaining and locking functions into a single integrated component rather than using separate locking mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The locking arms are designed to automatically engage with the central collar when the retaining plate is installed. The beveled surfaces of the locking arms self-align with the central collar during installation, causing the locking action to occur automatically without requiring additional locking steps or complex mechanisms.
3Adaptability or versatility
If locking elements are designed to engage the beveled central collar, then compatibility with existing plug contacts improves, but the locking elements may be forced into unlocking position under high insertion forces
Solution Approach 1:
The locking arms are designed with different surface characteristics at different locations: the engagement surface with the central collar has a beveled shape for compatibility, while the opposing surface is reinforced and geometrically constrained by the retaining plate structure to resist forced opening under insertion loads.
Solution Approach 2:
The retaining plate structure provides preemptive reinforcement against insertion forces. The geometric configuration of the retaining plate and locking arms creates a mechanical advantage that cushions against forces trying to open the locking engagement before such forces can cause unlocking.
Data Source
Figure 1~2b
Figure 3
Figure 4a~4c
AI summary
The aim of the invention is for a contact carrier (K) to retain a crimp contact (1) inserted in the contact carrier at the central collar (13) of the crimp contact, which collar is beveled (131) on the connection side, in a particularly stable manner and at the same time absorb the highest possible plugging forces. The contact carrier (K) has an insulating body (2) and a retaining plate (3), which can be mounted thereon on the connection side. Furthermore, the contact carrier (K) has at least one detent element (232), which, in the unassembled state, can assumed both a position locking the plug contact (1) and a position releasing the plug contact (1). According to the invention, the detent element (232) is part of the insulating body (2). The retaining plate (3) also has at least one blocking element (33), which, in the assembled state, fixes the detent element (232) in the position thereof locking the plug contact (1) and thus prevents the transition of the detent element from the locking position into the releasing position.