Female Terminal U-Shaped Folded Lance Locking Rigidity
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing connectors with thinner metal plates for cost reduction and weight saving suffer from reduced rigidity, leading to inadequate locking force when subjected to strong pulling forces, as the retaining projections deform easily.
Innovation Solution
A female terminal with a rectangular tubular box and a lance locking portion formed by bending a metal plate into a U-shape, providing a closely folded structure with additional deformation restricting portions to enhance rigidity and resist deformation, and a contacting protrusion for reduced terminal dimensions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Weight of moving object
If a thinner metal plate material is used for cost reduction and weight saving, then material cost and weight are reduced, but the rigidity of the retaining projection is reduced, causing deformation under pulling force
Solution Approach 1:
The metal plate is folded into a U-shaped closely folded structure where multiple layers are nested together. The retaining projection is formed on the outermost layer, which is supported by the underlying layers, effectively multiplying the thickness and rigidity without increasing the original plate thickness or weight.
Solution Approach 2:
The solution transitions from a single-layer two-dimensional structure to a multi-layer three-dimensional folded structure. By folding the plate into a U-shape, the structure gains additional dimensional complexity that provides enhanced rigidity and resistance to deformation while maintaining the same material weight.
2Ease of manufacture
If a thinner metal plate material is used for cost reduction, then material cost is reduced, but the locking force becomes insufficient when strong pulling force acts on the terminal
Solution Approach 1:
The U-shaped closely folded structure nests multiple layers of the metal plate together, creating a retaining projection with enhanced effective thickness. This nested configuration maintains cost-effectiveness by using the same thin material while achieving the structural integrity needed for reliable locking under pulling forces.
Solution Approach 2:
The folded structure creates a composite-like configuration where multiple layers of the same material work together to provide enhanced mechanical properties. The layered arrangement distributes stresses and provides resistance to deformation, achieving reliability comparable to thicker single-layer constructions at lower material cost.
3Weight of moving object
If the plate thickness is reduced, then weight is saved, but the retaining projection deforms easily under pulling force
Solution Approach 1:
The U-shaped fold creates a nested structure where the outermost layer containing the retaining projection is supported by intermediate and inner layers. This nesting provides deformation resistance equivalent to multiple times the original plate thickness while maintaining the weight of the original thin plate.
Solution Approach 2:
The solution addresses the deformation resistance issue by adding dimensional complexity through folding. The U-shaped structure creates a three-dimensional configuration that resists deformation in multiple directions, compensating for the reduced material thickness without increasing weight.
Data Source
AI summary
A female terminal (20) has a rectangular tubular box (30) with an outwardly bulging lance locking portion (53). The female terminal (20) is inserted into a cavity (11) of a connector housing (10) and retained by the lance locking portion (53) being locked by a locking lance (13) in the cavity (11). A first wall (37) of the rectangular tubular box (30) has a closely folded structure obtained by folding the metal plate (70) into a U shape. The lance locking portion (53) is formed on the metal plate (70) in an outermost layer of the closely folded structure, and a first deformation restricting portion (55) to be engaged with a second wall (35) adjacent to the first wall (37) is provided on an end part of the metal plate (70) in the outermost layer on a side opposite to a U-shaped folded portion (51).