Hinged Connector Lid Structure for Dust and Water Blocking
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing connectors allow dust and water droplets to enter through the plug insertion opening, particularly when shutter plates face upward and are closed, compromising their functionality.
Innovation Solution
A connector unit with a rotatable lid and hinge mechanism that includes a hinge block and bearings, allowing the lid to switch between closed and open orientations, with a contact section defining the rotation limit to prevent dust and water ingress, and a hinge depression for reduced protrusion, ensuring stable and durable operation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If shutter plates are used to block the plug insertion opening, then dust and water droplet protection is improved, but the connector structure becomes more complex and the shutter plates may be damaged due to uncontrolled movement
Solution Approach 1:
The protective cover is divided into a lid portion and a base portion, with the lid being rotatably connected to the base via a hinge mechanism. This segmentation allows the lid to independently move for protection while the base remains stable, reducing overall structural complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The hinge mechanism includes a rotatable lid that can dynamically switch between closed (protective) and open (access) positions. The contact section and contact surface provide dynamic control to define rotation limits, preventing over-rotation damage while maintaining protection when closed.
2Ease of operation
If the lid is made rotatable for easy plug insertion, then ease of operation is improved, but the lid may rotate beyond the intended limit causing damage to components
Solution Approach 1:
The contact section on the lid and contact surface on the hinge block automatically engage when the lid rotates to its open position. This self-limiting mechanism provides built-in rotation control without requiring external actuators or complex control systems, ensuring reliability while maintaining ease of operation.
3Volume of moving object
If the hinge block is positioned near the end wall to downsize the connector, then the connector size is reduced, but the lid protrusion increases requiring more space
Solution Approach 1:
The hinge block is fitted into a hinge depression formed in the lid portion, creating a nested structure. This allows the hinge block to be positioned near the end wall for compactness while the lid protrudes minimally, as the hinge depression accommodates the hinge block within the lid's thickness.
Data Source
AI summary
A connector unit includes: a housing including an end wall with an insertion hole configured to receive a plug to be inserted in a connector; a lid configured to block the insertion hole; and a hinge coupling the lid to the housing, the hinge including: a hinge block disposed on an outer wall face of the end wall and having a first axial hole; a bearing disposed on the lid and having a second axial hole; and a hinge shaft extending through the first axial hole and the second axial hole, the lid being rotatable about the hinge shaft relative to the housing to be switched from a closed orientation to an open orientation, the lid including a contact section configured to, during the rotation, come into contact with a contact surface of the hinge block to define a limit of the rotation on an opening side.