High-Voltage Cable Plug Mounting Device With Force Monitoring

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Solution Overview

Problem

High-voltage cable assembly is prone to safety-critical failures due to incorrect installation, which can lead to wire damage and short circuits, especially in shielded cables used in assembly vehicles for electric traction motors.

Innovation Solution

A mounting device with a holder, counter bearing, force measuring unit, and evaluation unit that ensures correct assembly by monitoring the assembly force and relative position between the contact carrier and connector housing, outputting a control signal for correct or faulty assembly.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If manual assembly of the contact carrier into the connector housing is performed, then the assembly process is simple and quick, but the assembly reliability is low due to incorrect installation risks

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveassembly reliabilityVSAvoidassembly device complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements feedback control by measuring the assembly force during contact carrier insertion and comparing it against predetermined acceptable ranges. The force measurement unit continuously monitors the insertion process and provides feedback to determine whether the assembly is correct, ensuring high reliability without requiring complex multi-step verification systems.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces manual mechanical assembly with an automated system that uses a force measurement unit and evaluation unit to control the assembly process. The mechanical insertion action is supplemented by electronic sensing and automated evaluation, substituting human judgment with objective force-based detection and automated decision-making.

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

2Reliability

If automated assembly with force monitoring is implemented, then the assembly reliability is improved, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveassembly reliabilityVSAvoidassembly device complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements feedback control by measuring the assembly force during contact carrier insertion and comparing it against predetermined acceptable ranges. The force measurement unit continuously monitors the insertion process and provides feedback to determine whether the assembly is correct, ensuring high reliability without requiring complex multi-step verification systems.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces manual mechanical assembly with an automated system that uses a force measurement unit and evaluation unit to control the assembly process. The mechanical insertion action is supplemented by electronic sensing and automated evaluation, substituting human judgment with objective force-based detection and automated decision-making.

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

3Manufacturing precision

If the contact carrier is pressed with high assembly force to ensure proper positioning, then the positioning accuracy is improved, but the risk of wire damage and component deformation increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepositioning accuracyVSAvoidwire damage and component deformation
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the critical parameter from subjective visual inspection to objective force measurement. By monitoring the assembly force as a quantitative parameter and comparing it against predetermined ranges, the system ensures proper positioning while preventing excessive force that could damage wires or deform components. This parameter-based control replaces qualitative assessment with precise quantitative measurement.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements feedback control by measuring the assembly force during contact carrier insertion and comparing it against predetermined acceptable ranges. The force measurement unit continuously monitors the insertion process and provides feedback to determine whether the assembly is correct, ensuring high reliability without requiring complex multi-step verification systems.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentEP3494617B1Mounting device
Publication Date: 2021.03.03 LEONI BORDNETZ-SYSTEME GMBH & CO KG
  • EP3494617B1 patent drawingFigure 1~3

AI summary

The mounting device (28) serves for reliable mounting of a plug (8) on a cable (2); here, the plug (8) comprises a plug housing (10) and a contact carrier (12) which can be latched at a predefined position within the plug housing (10) by way of at least one latching element (24, 26). To this end, the mounting device (28) has: - a holder (34) for the plug housing (10) with the contact carrier (12) which lies therein in a pre-mounting position, - a counter-bearing (36) with a thrust point (38) for pressing the contact carrier (12) into the plug housing (10) out of the pre-assembly position into a final assembly position, - an advancing means (44) for the automatic relative displacement of the holder (34) and the counter-bearing (36) with respect to one another, - a force measuring unit (40) which measures the exerted mounting force (F) during the relative displacement, - an evaluation unit, via which a check is carried out as to whether the measured mounting force (F) lies within a predefined tolerance range, and - an outputting unit (30) for outputting a control signal.