Guided Housing Assembly for Precise Electromechanical Mounting

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing housings for electromechanical components, particularly contactors, face challenges in providing robust protection and secure integration, especially in high-current and high-voltage applications, with a need for improved stability and precision during assembly.

Innovation Solution

The housing arrangement features complementary mounting guides and slot guides that facilitate precise alignment and stable assembly, including multiple guides on the housing and carrier, along with a force-fit connection mechanism using guide grooves and complementary elements, and additional locking devices for enhanced stability.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Stability of the object's composition

If a housing is designed for secure integration into a device or assembly, then stability and mechanical strength are improved, but the complexity of assembly and alignment increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestability of housing assemblyVSAvoidcomplexity of assembly
Core Design Contradiction:
Stability of the object's compositionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The housing includes pre-formed mounting guides that are prepared in advance during housing manufacturing. These guides perform the preliminary action of defining the insertion path and alignment features, so that during assembly the housing simply needs to be guided into the carrier along the predefined path, eliminating the need for complex real-time alignment procedures

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The mounting guides act as intermediary elements between the housing and the carrier. They mediate the connection by providing a physical interface that translates the housing insertion motion into precise alignment with the carrier, simplifying the assembly process while ensuring stable integration

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Manufacturing precision

If positioning accuracy during insertion is improved, then electrical connection precision is improved, but the difficulty of assembly increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepositioning accuracyVSAvoidease of assembly
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The mounting guides are pre-formed with precise geometric features (such as guide grooves and complementary guide elements) that define the exact insertion path and final positioning. This preliminary precision is built into the housing structure, allowing operators to achieve high positioning accuracy simply by following the guide path without requiring complex alignment procedures or specialized tools

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces complex mechanical alignment procedures with a guided insertion system. Instead of requiring operators to manually align the housing with the carrier using measurement tools and adjustment mechanisms, the mounting guides provide passive mechanical guidance that automatically ensures precise positioning through their geometric design

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Data Source

PatentEP4305656B1Housing arrangement, method for mounting the housing arrangement and housing
Publication Date: 2026.03.25 TDK ELECTRONICS AG
  • EP4305656B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4305656B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4305656B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The invention relates to a housing suitable for accommodating an electromechanical component, and to a housing assembly. The housing comprises two housing components which are connected to each other by means of a guide groove and a complementary element engaging into said groove. A mounting guide is arranged on the housing in a housing assembly, which mounting guide engages into a plug-in point guide arranged on a carrier, whereby the housing can be guided into a plug-in position.