CPA Connector Hood Structure to Prevent Latch Reversion
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing CPA-attached connectors face issues with unintentional return of the CPA member from the full latch state to the temporary latch state due to unexpected contact, leading to unintended release from the mating connector.
Innovation Solution
The connector design includes a temporary latch portion, a full latch portion, and a hood portion, with a CPA member featuring a finger rest portion and inclined surface to prevent unintentional reversion, and cancellation prohibiting units to secure the full latch state.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the CPA member is provided with an exposed finger rest portion in the full latch state, then ease of operation is improved, but reliability deteriorates due to unexpected contact causing unintentional return to temporary latch state
Solution Approach 1:
The finger rest portion is extracted from the CPA member and integrated into the connector body as a separate structure. The connector body includes a finger rest portion that is exposed from the hood portion, allowing users to easily grasp and operate the connector without relying on the CPA member's surface, thereby maintaining ease of operation while preventing unintentional activation
Solution Approach 2:
The hood portion acts as an intermediary structure that covers the CPA member in the full latch state while providing a designated finger rest portion on its outer surface. This mediator structure allows user interaction without direct contact with the CPA member, preventing unexpected activation while maintaining operational accessibility
2Reliability
If the hood portion covers the CPA member in the full latch state, then reliability is improved by preventing unexpected contact, but ease of operation worsens due to reduced accessibility
Solution Approach 1:
The hood portion is designed to serve multiple functions simultaneously: it covers and protects the CPA member to prevent accidental activation, while its outer surface incorporates a finger rest portion that provides a grasping area for intentional operation. This multi-functional design resolves the contradiction between protection and accessibility
3Reliability
If the inclined surface is formed on the exposed portion of the finger rest portion, then reliability is improved by preventing slippage, but manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The inclined surface is applied locally to the exposed portion of the finger rest portion rather than the entire structure. This localized treatment provides enhanced grip and prevents slippage during operation while minimizing the impact on overall manufacturing precision requirements, as only a specific surface area requires the inclined geometry
Data Source
Figure 1
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Figure 4
AI summary
The CPA-attached connector 1a includes a connector body 11 and a CPA member 12. The connector body 11 includes a temporary latch portion 112 for the CPA member 12, a full latch portion 113 which, before the mating with a mating connector, restricts full latch of the CPA member, and which, during the mating, cancels restriction of the full latch by the mating connector, and a hood portion 114 configured to cover, in a manner of a canopy, a portion of the CPA member 12 in the full latch state. The CPA member 12 includes a CPA body 121 and a finger rest portion 122 provided on the CPA body 121, a portion of the finger rest portion 122 being exposed from the hood portion 114 even in the full latch state, an inclined surface 122a being formed in the exposed portion to incline toward a central axis of the connector body 11 in accordance with a distance from the hood portion 114.