Electric Plug With Elastic Element Tolerance Compensation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electrical plug connections for vehicles require stringent manufacturing tolerances, which can be challenging to maintain, especially in the production of connectors with multiple sub-chamber bodies and flexible connecting elements.
Innovation Solution
The design features a separate connector strip and plug contact receiving chamber connected by an elastic element, allowing relative movement and tolerance compensation, reducing the need for precise manufacturing tolerances. This elastic element can be integrated during injection molding or connected through other means, serving both as a tolerance compensator and a sealing element.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If the connector strip and plug contact receiving chamber are designed as separate components connected by an elastic element, then manufacturing tolerances can be relaxed and assembly becomes easier, but the device complexity increases due to additional components and connection mechanisms
Solution Approach 1:
The plug is divided into separate components: a connector strip with plug contacts and a plug contact receiving chamber with sub-chamber bodies. These separate components are connected via an elastic element, allowing each component to be manufactured independently with relaxed tolerances while maintaining overall functionality through the flexible connection.
Solution Approach 2:
The elastic element introduces flexibility and movement capability to the connection between the connector strip and receiving chamber. This parameter change from rigid to flexible connection allows the system to accommodate manufacturing variations and misalignments, effectively reducing the stringency of manufacturing tolerance requirements.
2Ease of manufacture
If the connector strip and plug contact receiving chamber are designed as separate components, then the production environment cleanliness requirements are reduced, but the assembly process becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the plug into separately manufacturable components (connector strip and receiving chamber), the invention allows each component to be produced in less stringent cleanroom environments. The components are then assembled through the elastic element connection, trading some assembly complexity for reduced manufacturing environment requirements.
3Reliability
If multiple sub-chamber bodies are used in the plug contact receiving chamber, then the electrical connection reliability can be improved through tolerance compensation, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The elastic element connecting the sub-chamber bodies introduces dynamic movement capability, allowing the sub-chamber bodies to adjust their positions relative to each other and to the connector strip. This dynamic adjustment compensates for manufacturing tolerances and ensures reliable electrical connections despite variations in component dimensions.
Solution Approach 2:
The elastic connection changes the structural parameter from rigid fixed positioning to flexible movable positioning. This allows the sub-chamber bodies to self-adjust during assembly and operation, compensating for tolerance variations and improving connection reliability without requiring ultra-precise manufacturing.
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 design enables the production of electrical plugs with multiple sub-chamber bodies without high demands on manufacturing tolerances, facilitating easier assembly and reducing environmental cleanliness requirements during production, while ensuring reliable electrical connections and sealing.
Implementation Method 1
at least two sub-chamber bodies of the plug contact receiving chamber being connected to one another by at least one elastic element, which allows a relative movement of the sub-chamber bodies
Implementation Method 2
The at least one elastic element or just a part of it could also be clamped between adjacent sub-chamber bodies
Data Source
Figure 1A~1B
Figure 2A~2B
Figure 3
AI summary
The invention relates to an electric plug (1) of an electric plug connection consisting of the plug (1) and a mating plug, wherein during connection, an electric connection occurs between electric plug contacts (6) of the plug (1) and mating contacts of the mating plug, wherein the electric plug (1) comprises at least the following: at least one connector strip (4), in which a plurality of electric plug contacts (6) provided for electrical connection with mating contacts of the mating plug are held with a first end (8), wherein a free second end (12) of the electric plug contacts (6) in each case projects away from the connector strip (4), a plug contact receiving chamber (10), which has at least two subchamber bodies (14a, 14b), wherein the second free end (12) of at least one of the electric plug contacts (6) projects into each of the subchamber bodies (14a, 14b), wherein the plug contact receiving chamber (10) is open towards the free second ends (12) of the electric plug contacts (6). According to the invention, the connector strip (4) and the plug contact receiving chamber (10) are separate components and are connected to each other, and at least two subchamber bodies (14a, 14b) of the plug contact receiving chamber (10) are connected to each other by at least one elastic element (26) that permits a relative movement of the subchamber bodies (14a, 14b) at least in a plane that is perpendicular to the electric plug contacts (6).