Female Connector Element with Inclined Guide Edges
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
High-power electrical connections between ships and terminals are cumbersome and inefficient due to the weight and stiffness of large-diameter cables, requiring complex and expensive equipment for alignment and connection, which complicates quick connection and disconnection operations and compromises safety and reliability.
Innovation Solution
A female connector element with a cylindrical guide chamber and inclined guide edges, along with rotating rollers, facilitates the translation and rotation of a male connector element, allowing for easier alignment and connection of electrical power cables, reducing friction and improving durability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Power
If large-diameter electrical power cables are used for high-power transfer, then electrical power transfer capability is improved, but cable weight and stiffness increase making connection operations difficult and slow
Solution Approach 1:
The connector is divided into separate male and female elements that can be independently handled and connected. The male element can be inserted into the female element without requiring manual handling of the entire heavy cable assembly, thus improving ease of operation while maintaining high power transfer capability through the cable design
Solution Approach 2:
The connector elements act as intermediary components that facilitate the connection between heavy cables. The male and female connector elements provide a mechanical interface that simplifies the connection process, allowing quick coupling and decoupling without directly manipulating the heavy cable masses
2Reliability
If complex alignment equipment is used to ensure phase correspondence, then connection reliability is improved, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The male element features an asymmetric triangular prism shape while the female element has a corresponding asymmetric receptacle. This asymmetric geometry provides inherent mechanical guidance that ensures correct phase alignment during insertion, eliminating the need for complex external alignment equipment while maintaining connection reliability
Solution Approach 2:
The asymmetric geometry of the male and female elements is pre-designed to provide automatic phase alignment during the insertion process. The guide edges and chamber configuration ensure that the connectors self-align to the correct phase correspondence before electrical contact is made, performing the alignment action preliminarily and automatically
3Device complexity
If the male element is not guided in rotation, then the connector structure is simpler, but safety and reliability of high-power transmission are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The triangular prism shape of the male element and corresponding asymmetric receptacle in the female element create inherent rotational guidance. The asymmetric geometry ensures that the male element can only be inserted in the correct rotational orientation, providing reliable phase alignment and transmission safety without requiring complex rotational guidance mechanisms
Solution Approach 2:
The guide chamber features a cylindrical shape with curved surfaces that guide the male element during insertion. The curved geometry of the guide edges and chamber works together with the asymmetric triangular prism to provide smooth rotational guidance, ensuring correct orientation while maintaining a relatively simple connector structure
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
The solution simplifies the connection process, reduces twisting of cables, enhances the service life of cables and connector parts, and provides a more reliable and cost-effective interconnection method for high-power electrical cables.
Implementation Method 1
the guide edges extending in a direction inclined with respect to the axis of said cylinder at an angle of between 30° and 80°, preferably between 50° and 70°... reduces friction and improving durability
Implementation Method 2
A female connector element with a cylindrical guide chamber and inclined guide edges, along with rotating rollers, facilitates the translation and rotation of a male connector element
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to a female element (2) that comprises at least one terminal conduction component and a receptacle (20) for receiving a body (10) of a male element (1) along a longitudinal direction (X2-X′2). The female element (2) has a proximal portion (210) fitted to receive an electric power cable (C2). The receptacle (20) includes a guiding chamber (205) for said body (10) in translation along said longitudinal direction (X2-X′2), and at least one guiding edge for guiding said body (10) revolving around an axis (X1-X′1) of said body (10), the one or each guiding edge being disposed, along said longitudinal direction (X2-X′2), between said guiding chamber (205) and the one or each terminal component. The guiding chamber (205) has a cylindrical form with a circular base circumscribed on a triangular base of the body (10) of the male element (1).