Hinged Insulation Piercing Connector for Low-Force Cable Termination
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing insulation piercing connectors require considerable time and force to pierce through insulation layers, leading to high defective rates and inefficiencies.
Innovation Solution
An insulation piercing connector design featuring a base and cover with a hinge connection, where the cover rotates to align conductive piercing members with cables, reducing the effort required to pierce insulation layers due to a shorter resistance arm relative to the effort arm, and secures the connection with snap engagements.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a blade or needle is used to pierce the insulation layer, then electrical connection is achieved, but considerable time and force are required and the defective rate increases
Solution Approach 1:
The piercing member is integrated with a rotatable cover that moves from an open position to a closed position, dynamically transitioning from a non-piercing to a piercing state. This dynamic mechanism allows the piercing action to be performed in one motion rather than requiring manual force application, thereby reducing time and improving reliability
Solution Approach 2:
The connector is divided into a base and a detachable cover portion, with the piercing member located on the cover. This segmentation allows the piercing function to be separated from the main connector body, enabling the piercing action to be performed independently and efficiently before final assembly
2Reliability
If a blade or needle is used to pierce the insulation layer, then electrical connection is achieved, but considerable force is required
Solution Approach 1:
The piercing member utilizes the rotational motion of the cover as leverage to achieve piercing. The dynamic closing motion converts rotational kinetic energy into piercing force, reducing the need for high static force that would be required with a manual blade or needle approach
Solution Approach 2:
The piercing member is pre-positioned on the cover in a ready-to-pierce configuration. When the cover is closed, the piercing action occurs automatically as part of the closing motion, eliminating the need for separate force application and reducing the overall force requirement
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
The design saves time and labor costs while enhancing piercing accuracy and ensuring secure electrical connections by minimizing the force needed for insulation layer penetration.
Implementation Method 1
The shaft is inserted into the pivoting groove to form a hinge connection between the cover and the base in a detachable manner
Implementation Method 2
During the process that the cover rotates along the first rotating direction to cover the base, the cover snap moves toward the base snap to be engaged with the base snap
Data Source
Figure 1A
Figure 1B
Figure 1C
AI summary
An insulation piercing connector (100) for piercing a cable (10) positioned therein is provided. The insulation piercing connector (100) includes a base (110) and a cover (120) detachably pivotally connected to the base (110). The base (110) has a cable slot (111) for positioning and accommodating the cable (10) and a pivoting groove (112) located at a side of the cable slot (111). The cover (120) includes a conductive piercing member (121) and a shaft (122). The shaft (122) is inserted into the pivoting groove (112) to form a hinge connection between the cover (120) and the base (110) in a detachable manner, and the conductive piercing member (121) is aligned to the cable (10). During the process that the cover (120) rotates to cover the base (110), the conductive piercing member (121) moves toward the cable (10) to pierce the cable (10).