Hermaphroditic Electrical Connector With Retractable Contact Covers
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Solution Overview
Problem
Electrical connectors for autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) face challenges such as high manufacturing costs due to independent design, alignment difficulties, and vulnerability to damage or contamination during movement, necessitating improved mating and protection mechanisms.
Innovation Solution
The development of hermaphroditic electrical connectors with retractable covers and actuators that automatically open and advance contacts during mating, ensuring protected and aligned connections using identical interfaces for both connectors.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If traditional separate male and female electrical connectors are used, then the connectors can be designed independently, but the manufacturing cost increases and alignment becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the male and female connector interfaces into a single hermaphroditic connector that has both male and female contact elements integrated into one unit. This merging eliminates the need for separate male and female connectors, simplifying the mating interface and improving alignment between the AMR and docking station while maintaining independent design capability through modular contact assemblies.
2Ease of operation
If the electrical connector contacts are exposed during movement, then mating is possible, but the contacts are vulnerable to damage or contamination
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs retractable covers that automatically deploy to protect the contacts before mating occurs and retract to expose the contacts when mating is required. This preliminary protective action prevents contamination and damage during the AMR's movement through the facility, while ensuring the contacts are accessible when needed for docking and power transfer.
3Reliability
If retractable covers are added to protect contacts, then contamination is prevented, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The retractable cover mechanism is designed to be automatically actuated by the mating process itself. When the hermaphroditic connector approaches the docking interface, the interaction between the connector components automatically triggers the cover retraction, eliminating the need for separate actuators or complex control systems. The system uses the mating action to serve its own protection function.
4Reliability
If contacts are retracted for protection, then contamination is prevented, but the mating time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent designs the hermaphroditic connector with contacts that can rapidly transition from the retracted protected position to the advanced mating position. The contact assembly is configured to advance quickly through the mating interface, minimizing the time the contacts are vulnerable during the transition, while maintaining protection during stationary periods.
Data Source
AI summary
An electrical connector includes a housing having a hermaphroditic mating interface configured to be mated with a mating electrical connector having an identical mating interface. The housing a contact shroud at the mating end with openings at the front. A contact assembly is received in the contact cavity with mating ends of contacts aligned with corresponding openings and defining a hermaphroditic contact interface. The electrical connector includes a retractable cover located at the contact shroud to close the openings that is movable relative to the housing between a closed position and an open position. A cover actuator is coupled to the housing including a pusher and an actuation element operably coupled to the retractable cover. The pusher is configured to interface with a complimentary actuation element of the mating electrical connector to actuate a retractable cover of the mating electrical connector.