Dual-Type Electrical Connector Housing With Integrated Locking
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional electrical connector housings are limited in their versatility as they are designed to accommodate only a specific type of contact insert, restricting their application in various fields such as the automotive industry.
Innovation Solution
The electrical connector housing is designed to accommodate two types of contact inserts: single terminal inserts and bus inserts, with separate locking mechanisms for each, allowing for flexible use and reduced part diversity. The housing features cylindrical socket cavities with partition walls and slots to securely hold the bus insert, ensuring robust locking and compatibility with both insert types.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the socket cavity is shaped for a predetermined type of contact insert, then the locking reliability is improved, but the adaptability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The socket cavity is designed with a universal structure that can accommodate both single terminal inserts and bus inserts. The cavity includes first locking means with a locking element that can engage with either type of insert, and second locking means that can engage with bus inserts. This multi-functional design allows the same socket cavity to reliably lock different types of contact inserts without requiring separate cavity designs for each insert type.
2Adaptability or versatility
If separate locking mechanisms are provided for each contact insert type, then the adaptability is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The locking mechanisms for both insert types are merged into a single socket cavity structure. The first locking means includes a locking element that can engage with single terminal inserts, while the second locking means can engage with bus inserts. Both locking mechanisms share the same cavity space and are integrated into the housing body, reducing the need for separate, independent locking structures for each insert type.
Solution Approach 2:
The locking element is designed to be movable and adaptable, capable of engaging with different insert types through different mechanisms. The locking element can respond to the specific geometry of either a single terminal insert or a bus insert, dynamically adjusting its engagement mode while remaining part of the same locking structure.
3Reliability
If the contact insert is shaped and sized to fit tightly into the cavity, then the locking reliability is improved, but the ease of operation deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The socket cavity incorporates guide surfaces and guide elements at specific locations to facilitate the insertion process. These guide features locally modify the cavity geometry to guide the contact insert during insertion, making the operation easier without compromising the tight fit and locking reliability once the insert is in place. The guide surfaces are positioned to assist alignment and insertion while the locking surfaces maintain their tight engagement characteristics.
Data Source
AI summary
An electrical connector housing has a plurality of socket cavities configured to receive single terminal inserts or bus inserts introduced from a rearward section. At least one row of socket cavities is formed as cylindrical cavities extending in the housing in parallel manner along an insertion direction running from the rearward to the forward section. Adjacent cavities in the row are separated by a partition wall. First locking means are provided in the socket cavities for locking in place a single terminal insert arranged in a given cavity. Second locking means are provided for locking in place a bus insert inserted in a corresponding number of socket cavities. The partition walls comprise, in the rearward section, slots extending in the insertion direction to accommodate the bus plate of the bus insert.