Floating Plug Connector Assembly for Blind Battery Plugging
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing plug connector assemblies face challenges in achieving a floating bearing that is both technically simple and compatible with a defined spatial starting position, particularly in applications like electric vehicle batteries where mechanical forces can cause damage and loss of contact due to movement and vibrations.
Innovation Solution
A plug connector assembly featuring an electrical plug connector with a housing component and elastic elements that allow movement along one or more degrees of freedom, utilizing a combination of bearing recesses and elevations to guide and dampen movements, while an elastic element provides a primary elastic travel along the plug-in direction, enabling compensation and positioning within defined limits.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a floating bearing is realized via mounting the plug connector in multiple elastic elements corresponding to the number of degrees of freedom, then the plug connector can compensate movements in multiple directions, but the technical effort and costs increase relatively high
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the compensation function into two segments: a single elastic element providing primary elastic travel along the plug-in direction (first degree of freedom), and bearing assemblies providing guidance and additional compensation in transverse directions (second and third degrees of freedom). This segmentation allows each component to specialize in specific directions, reducing the total number of elastic elements needed while maintaining multi-directional compensation capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The bearing assemblies act as intermediaries between the plug connector and the housing component. They provide mechanical guidance and constraint in transverse directions while allowing the single elastic element to handle the primary compensation function along the plug-in direction. This intermediary structure enables multi-degree-of-freedom compensation without requiring multiple elastic elements in each direction.
2Reliability
If the plug connector is floatingly mounted to allow movement compensation, then mechanical loading on the plug connection is reduced, but the plug connector cannot be disposed in a clearly defined spatial starting position for blind plugging
Solution Approach 1:
The bearing assemblies are pre-configured with bearing recesses and elevations that establish a defined spatial relationship between the plug connector and housing component before plugging occurs. This preliminary structural arrangement ensures that even though the plug connector can move elastically, it starts from a predetermined position that facilitates blind plugging operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies different mechanical properties to different parts of the connection system: the bearing assemblies provide rigid guidance and positioning in transverse directions (second and third degrees of freedom), while the elastic element provides flexible compensation only along the plug-in direction (first degree of freedom). This local differentiation of mechanical properties allows the system to simultaneously achieve defined positioning and movement compensation.
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple elastic elements are used to realize floating bearing for multiple degrees of freedom, then compensation movement is enabled, but the costs and technical effort increase
Solution Approach 1:
The bearing assemblies serve multiple functions simultaneously: they provide mechanical guidance in transverse directions, establish defined starting positions, constrain movement to specific degrees of freedom, and work together with the single elastic element to achieve multi-directional compensation. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate components for each function, thereby simplifying manufacturing.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the positioning function and the compensation function into a unified structure where bearing assemblies and a single elastic element work together. The bearing assemblies provide both mechanical guidance and positional definition, while the elastic element provides elastic compensation, combining multiple functions into fewer components compared to using multiple elastic elements for each degree of freedom.
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 solution allows for a technically simple and cost-effective floating bearing that reduces mechanical loading on the plug connection, enabling it to follow movements within defined limits, thus preventing damage and maintaining contact, while also facilitating easy plugging by guiding the connector into a defined starting position.
Implementation Method 1
an elastic element (6), which connects the plug connector (2) indirectly or directly to the housing component (5), wherein the elastic element (6) is arranged between the plug connector (2) and the housing component (5) in such a way that a primary elastic travel of the elastic element (6) runs substantially along the plug-in direction S
Data Source
AI summary
A plug connector assembly having an electrical plug connector, which is electrically and mechanically connectable along a first degree of freedom of translation (x) to a corresponding mating plug connector. The plug connector assembly has a housing component and at least one elastic element, which connects the plug connector indirectly or directly to the housing component. The elastic element allows a movement of the plug connector relative to the housing component along a first degree of freedom of translation (x) and/or along a second degree of freedom of translation (y) and/or along a third degree of freedom of translation (z). The plug connector assembly has at least one floating bearing assembly for delimiting the movability of the plug connector along at least one of the degrees of freedom of translation (x, y, z), the at least one floating bearing assembly having a bearing recess and a bearing elevation.