Electric Connection Box Lid Attachment Mechanism
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electric connection boxes struggle to accommodate both vertical and rotational fitting of lids while preventing water ingress into the cable connection portion, as the arc-shaped rotation trajectory of the protective wall interferes with the slits, making it difficult to attach the lid without separating it from the side wall.
Innovation Solution
The design includes a housing with lock protruding plates, hooks, lock portions, a protective wall with parallel lock pieces, and slits that receive these pieces when the lid is attached, allowing for both vertical and rotational fitting without interference, ensuring the protective wall remains attached to the side wall and covers the cable connection portion.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the lid is rotationally fitted to the housing, then the lid can be attached by rotation, but the arc-shaped trajectory of the protective wall interferes with the slits, preventing proper attachment
Solution Approach 1:
The protective wall is segmented by providing multiple discrete lock pieces (first lock piece and second lock piece) along its length, rather than a continuous structure. This segmentation allows the protective wall to flex and accommodate the arc-shaped rotational trajectory while maintaining engagement with the slits during lid attachment.
Solution Approach 2:
The lock pieces are designed with specific geometric parameters (spacing, shape, and orientation) that allow them to engage with corresponding slits during rotational fitting. The slits are positioned and dimensioned to accommodate the arc-shaped movement path, transforming the rigid interference problem into a controlled engagement mechanism.
2Ease of operation
If the protective wall is separated from the side wall to allow rotational fitting, then the lid can be attached, but water can enter the cable connection portion
Solution Approach 1:
The lock pieces are pre-positioned on the protective wall at locations that correspond to the slit positions in the side wall. This preliminary arrangement ensures that as the lid rotates into place, the lock pieces automatically engage with the slits, maintaining the protective wall's attachment to the side wall throughout the fitting process and preventing water ingress from the outset.
Solution Approach 2:
The lock pieces act as intermediary elements between the protective wall and the side wall slits. During rotational fitting, these lock pieces maintain the connection between the protective wall and side wall, serving as mediators that allow rotation while preventing separation that would lead to water ingress.
3Device complexity
If vertical fitting is used instead of rotational fitting, then the protective wall can be attached without interference, but the lid cannot be rotationally fitted as required
Solution Approach 1:
The combination of the protective wall with multiple lock pieces and the side wall with corresponding slits creates a universal attachment mechanism that accommodates both vertical and rotational fitting modes. The same lock piece-slit engagement system functions effectively regardless of the fitting direction, providing multi-functionality to the attachment mechanism.
Data Source
AI summary
An electric connection box includes a housing having an opening formed by side walls, a lock protruding plate, a lid to be attached to the housing, a hook, a lock portion, a protective wall, lock pieces and slits. The protective wall is configured to, when the lid is attached to the housing, cover a cable connection portion provided on the second side wall. The lock pieces extend in parallel to the protective wall and extend from the protective wall toward a first direction. The pair of slits respectively includes a receiving opening to, when the lid is attached to the housing, accommodate respective one of the pair of lock pieces, the pair of slits being to receive the lock pieces when engagement at the lock portion is carried out. The receiving opening opens, when the lid is attached to the housing, toward a second direction.