Female Terminal Support Structure for Stable EV Connector Mating
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electrical connection systems for automotive applications face challenges such as difficulty in maintaining the female terminal in a central position, potential damage during mating, and susceptibility to movement, leading to assembly issues and increased manufacturing costs.
Innovation Solution
The proposed electrical connection system includes a female terminal with a first elongate portion oriented parallel to the mating direction, a second elongate portion oriented differently, and a bent portion with a supporting member that prevents movement of the female terminal within the outer housing, ensuring accurate positioning and secure mating.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the female terminal is made flexible to allow various orientations, then adaptability is improved, but positioning stability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The female terminal is divided into distinct segments: a bent portion for flexibility and orientation adjustment, a supporting member for stable positioning, and a receiving portion for electrical connection. This segmentation allows each part to fulfill its specific function independently.
Solution Approach 2:
The supporting member extends from the bent portion in a direction perpendicular to the mating direction, adding a new dimensional element for positioning. This vertical support structure stabilizes the female terminal in the housing without restricting its electrical connection function.
2Ease of manufacture
If the female terminal is not fixed in the housing, then ease of assembly is improved, but reliability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The supporting member is designed to automatically engage with the housing structure during assembly, providing self-positioning and self-fixation functionality. The female terminal self-stabilizes within the housing through the geometric configuration of the supporting member and housing features.
3Reliability
If the female terminal is constrained to prevent movement, then reliability is improved, but ease of manufacture deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The supporting member is integrally formed with the female terminal as a single piece, combining the electrical connection function and the positioning function into one component. This eliminates the need for separate fixation elements and simplifies the assembly process while ensuring reliable positioning.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2a
Figure 2b
AI summary
The present invention relates to an electrical connection system for automotive applications, the system comprising: an outer housing defining a mating direction; at least one female terminal comprising a first elongate portion oriented substantially parallel to the mating direction and being received at least partially within a hollow portion of the housing, a second elongate portion oriented in a different direction than the mating direction, and a bent portion arranged between the first and the second elongate portion; wherein the first elongate portion has a receiving portion opposite to the bent portion for mating with a corresponding male terminal; wherein the bent portion has at least one supporting member for supporting the female terminal on a surface of the outer housing such that movement of the female terminal in the housing is substantially prevented.