Housing Lock System With Ramp-Guided Telescopic Assembly
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Solution Overview
Problem
Housings in bussed electrical centers (BECs) of automobiles often lack proper locking mechanisms, leading to inadequate sealing against environmental contaminants like water, which can compromise the integrity and functionality of the electrical systems.
Innovation Solution
The design incorporates a lock system with protrusions, receptacles, and ramps on the housing members, allowing for telescopic assembly that creates multiple water-tight seals between the members, minimizing initial alignment and assembly distance while preventing further assembly beyond a secure overlap.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a locking mechanism is added to the housing, then the sealing against environmental contaminants is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The locking mechanism is divided into separate functional elements: protrusions on one housing member, receptacles on the other member, and ramps positioned at specific locations. These segmented components work together to provide both locking and sealing functions, reducing the complexity of a monolithic locking structure while maintaining reliable environmental protection.
2Reliability
If multiple water-tight seals are formed, then the protection against environmental contaminants is improved, but the manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The protrusions and receptacles are pre-formed during the housing manufacturing process, with their positions and geometries predetermined to ensure proper alignment during assembly. The ramps are also pre-positioned to guide the telescoping motion, reducing the need for high-precision alignment during final assembly while maintaining multiple water-tight seals.
3Reliability
If the housing members are telescoped together with overlap, then the water-tight seal is improved, but the assembly distance increases
Solution Approach 1:
The housing members are designed to telescope into each other with one member nested within the other, creating an overlapping configuration. This nesting arrangement maximizes the water-tight seal at the interface by ensuring continuous contact between mating surfaces, while the tapered ramps facilitate the telescoping motion with minimal assembly distance.
Data Source
AI summary
A lock for a housing may have a protrusion, an opening, a receptacle, and a ramp. The protrusion is formed in a first side wall of a first member of the housing, and the opening is defined in the first side wall. The receptacle extends from a second side wall of a second member of the housing, and is in some ways complementary in shape and in dimensions to the protrusion. The ramp is formed in the second side wall. When the first member and the second member are assembled, the protrusion and the receptacle are mated to form a water-tight seal therebetween, while the ramp is received within the opening.