IDC Housing Assembly With Concave Grips to Prevent Shear Damage
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Solution Overview
Problem
Plier-operated insulation-displacement connectors face risks of housing damage and short-circuits due to improper handling, which can lead to shear stresses and breakage.
Innovation Solution
A housing assembly with two movable sections, each featuring a concave top surface for gripping by plier jaws, allowing for self-adjustment and reducing shear stresses through sliding or rolling motions, thereby minimizing damage and short-circuit risks.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If pliers are used to generate force for cutting through insulation, then insulation displacement is achieved, but housing assembly may become damaged or short-circuits may occur due to improper handling
Solution Approach 1:
The top surfaces of both housing sections are formed with concave areas that allow the plier jaws to roll or slide during closure. This curved geometry converts the linear closing motion of pliers into a rolling/sliding motion of the housing sections, eliminating shear stresses that would otherwise cause housing damage or conductor short-circuits while maintaining effective insulation displacement.
2Ease of operation
If pliers with pivoting jaws are used, then gripping capability is improved, but shear stresses increase causing housing breakage or bending
Solution Approach 1:
The concave areas on the top surfaces are specifically shaped to accommodate the pivoting action of plier jaws. As the jaws close with their natural pivoting motion, they roll along the curved concave surfaces, converting the rotational pivot motion into a beneficial rolling motion of the housing sections that eliminates shear stress while maintaining the ease of operation provided by pivoting jaws.
3Productivity
If force is applied directly to housing sections, then insulation cutting efficiency is improved, but housing damage risk increases
Solution Approach 1:
The concave areas concentrate the applied force from the pliers onto specific regions of the housing sections while simultaneously allowing rolling motion. This geometry ensures that sufficient force is transmitted to the ID contacts for effective insulation cutting, while the rolling action prevents force concentration that would cause housing damage.
Solution Approach 2:
The concave areas act as an intermediary mechanism between the pliers and the housing sections. They mediate the force transmission by converting direct linear pressure into a controlled rolling motion, thereby protecting the housing sections from direct shear stress while maintaining effective force application for insulation displacement.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~3
Figure 4~5
AI summary
The invention relates to a housing assembly (1) for a plier-operated insulation-displacement connector (2). The housing assembly (1) comprises two housing sections (4, 6) which are movable with respect to one another for assembly of the connector and for insulation displacement. In order to prevent damages and short-circuits when the housing assembly (1) is assembled using pliers, the following features are provided. Each of the two housing sections comprises a top surface (42, 44) configured to be gripped by a jaw (74, 78) of a plier (76). The top surface (42) of a first (4) of the two housing sections comprises an area (46) which is concave in a first direction (48). The top surface (44) of a second (6) of the two housing sections at least (a) comprises an area (50) which is concave in the first direction and (b) is arranged slidably along the first direction (48) with respect to the top surface (42) of the first housing section (4). The relative movability of the two top surfaces (42, 44) with respect to one another avoids damages to the housing assembly (1) and short-circuits.