Deformable Adhesive Sealing for Electrical Connectors
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electrical connectors face challenges in maintaining a seal against moisture in harsh environments, such as warm, polluted, and chemically aggressive conditions, particularly in the motor vehicle industry, where traditional sealing methods like potting are complex and costly.
Innovation Solution
An electrical connecting unit with an elastically or plastically deformable adhesive is applied circumferentially around the connector, providing a seal that compresses and deforms to ensure a secure seal within the connector receptacle, reducing the need for complex casting methods and minimizing the use of sealing material.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional potting methods are used for sealing electrical connectors, then effective moisture protection is achieved, but manufacturing complexity and cost increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the sealing function from the complex potting process and implements it through a simple adhesive application. The adhesive is applied circumferentially around the connecting unit or at specific sides, providing sealing without requiring the elaborate casting and encapsulation procedures of traditional potting methods.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention uses a simple adhesive material instead of complex potting compounds. The adhesive can be applied directly and cured to provide effective sealing, replacing the need for expensive and complex potting materials and processes while achieving the same protective function.
2Reliability
If traditional potting methods are used for sealing, then effective moisture protection is achieved, but production cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The sealing function is extracted from the complex potting process and implemented through simple adhesive application. The adhesive is applied circumferentially around the connecting unit or at specific sides, providing sealing without requiring the elaborate casting and encapsulation procedures of traditional potting methods.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention uses a simple adhesive material instead of complex potting compounds. The adhesive can be applied directly and cured to provide effective sealing, replacing the need for expensive and complex potting materials and processes while achieving the same protective function.
3Device complexity
If adhesive seal is used instead of potting, then manufacturing complexity is reduced, but sealing effectiveness in harsh environments may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The invention specifies that the adhesive must be elastically and/or plastically deformable, allowing it to adapt to dimensional changes and environmental conditions. This parameter specification ensures the adhesive maintains sealing effectiveness in harsh environments including temperature variations, humidity, and chemical exposure while keeping the manufacturing process simple.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention uses an adhesive material with specific properties (elastically and/or plastically deformable) that combines the benefits of simplicity with effective sealing. The adhesive formulation is designed to provide both ease of application and reliable protection against moisture in demanding environments.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This solution provides a cost-effective and efficient sealing mechanism that is simpler to produce than traditional potting methods, requiring less sealing material and resulting in a smaller construction while maintaining effective moisture protection in demanding environments.
Implementation Method 1
The adhesive is elastically and/or plastically deformable
Implementation Method 2
The adhesive is elastically and/or plastically deformable
Implementation Method 3
The adhesive is elastically and/or plastically deformable and adheres to the electrical connecting unit to provide a seal
Data Source
AI summary
An electrical connecting unit for an electrical connector comprises an adhesive disposed at least partially circumferentially around the electrical connecting unit or at at least a side of the electrical connecting unit. The adhesive is elastically and/or plastically deformable and adheres to the electrical connecting unit to provide a seal for the electrical connector.