Guide Rail Connector With Anti-Retraction Swing Rod Locking

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing guide lamps experience loosening of swing rods due to external forces, leading to poor electrical contact and difficulty in assembly verification.

Innovation Solution

An adapter with a housing, swing rods, and an anti-retraction assembly that includes conductive and grounding spring pieces, limiting ribs, and sliding slots to secure electrical connections and ensure proper installation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the swing rod is directly locked to fix it, then the loosening problem is solved, but it becomes inconvenient to disassemble and replace

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecontact stabilityVSAvoiddisassembly convenience
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The swing rod mechanism allows dynamic adjustment between locked and unlocked states. The swing rod can rotate to lock the guide rail in place, ensuring stable electrical contact, and can also be unlocked for easy disassembly and replacement, resolving the contradiction between reliability and ease of operation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The adapter is divided into separate components including the swing rod, housing, and guide rail sections. This segmentation allows the swing rod to be independently operated for locking/unlocking while maintaining overall structural integrity, enabling both stable contact and convenient disassembly.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Ease of operation

If the swing rod is used for clamping, then the assembly is simple, but it is easy to loosen under external force causing poor electrical contact

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveassembly simplicityVSAvoidelectrical contact quality
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The spring-loaded electrical contact components are pre-configured to apply continuous contact force against the guide rail. This preliminary anti-action counteracts external forces that might otherwise cause loosening, ensuring reliable electrical contact while maintaining simple swing rod clamping assembly.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #9Preliminary anti-action

Solution Approach 2:

The swing rod and guide rail interface incorporates curved or rounded surfaces that distribute contact forces more evenly. This curvature design prevents stress concentration that could lead to loosening, maintaining both assembly simplicity and electrical contact reliability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #14Spheroidality (Curvature)

3Device complexity

If the swing rod is invisible during assembly, then the structure is compact, but it is impossible to know whether it is assembled in place

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestructural compactnessVSAvoidassembly verification
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSDifficulty of detecting and measuring

Solution Approach 1:

The adapter incorporates visual indicators such as colored markings or transparent sections that change appearance or become visible when the swing rod is properly assembled. This allows assembly verification without adding significant structural complexity, resolving the contradiction between compactness and detectability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #32Color changes

Solution Approach 2:

A visual indicator component serves as an intermediary between the invisible swing rod assembly and the observer. This mediator provides visible feedback about assembly status without requiring the swing rod itself to be visible, maintaining structural compactness while enabling assembly verification.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

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

Prevents disengagement of electrical connections, maintains contact integrity, and provides visual confirmation of proper assembly, enhancing installation ease.

Implementation Method 1

a conductive spring piece protruding outward from an inside of the first extension portion

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElasticity: Elasticity

Implementation Method 2

a grounding spring piece, the grounding spring piece is fixed to the first rotating member and located above the conductive spring piece

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElasticity: Elasticity

Data Source

PatentEP4641082A1Connector, guide rail assembly and lamp
Publication Date: 2025.10.29 SUZHOU OPPLE LIGHTING
  • EP4641082A1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP4641082A1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP4641082A1 patent drawingFigure 5~6

AI summary

A connector (103), a guide rail assembly and a lamp (100). The connector (103) comprises: a housing (104), wherein the housing (104) is horizontally provided with a first through hole (1042) and a second through hole (1044), which penetrate the housing (104); a first swing rod (10), which has a first extension portion (111) extending from the inside of the housing (104) to the outside of the first through hole (1042); an electrical connection assembly (20), which has an electrically conductive elastic piece (21) protruding from the inside of the first extension portion (111); a second swing rod (30), which has a second extension portion (311) extending from the inside of the housing (104) to the outside of the second through hole (1044); and a retaining assembly, which is configured to limit the rotation of the first swing rod (10) and the second swing rod (30). By means of pushing the first swing rod (10), the lengths of the first extension portion (111) and the electrically conductive elastic piece (21) that extend to the outside of the first through hole (1042) can be changed, and by means of pushing the second swing rod (30), the length of the second extension portion (311) extending to the outside of the second through hole (1044) can be changed. By means of providing the retaining assembly, the electrically conductive elastic piece (21) can be prevented from loosening, such that poor contact between the electrical connection assembly (20) and a guide rail (102) is avoided, and whether the swing rod is installed in place can be indicated, so as to improve the hand feeling during installation.