Interlock Cover Connector for Safe Fastening Access
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing connectors require manual confirmation of electrical disconnection between interlock terminals and connecting portions, leading to potential electric shock risks and deteriorated assemblability due to conductive members remaining in a conduction state during fastening or unfastening.
Innovation Solution
A connector design featuring a cover with an integrated interlock terminal that ensures electrical disconnection between conductive members when not assembled, preventing conduction states during assembly or disassembly, and enhancing assemblability by integrating the cover with the housing via an engaging mechanism.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the cover is removed from the housing to allow fastening member operation, then access to conductive members is enabled, but electrical disconnection cannot be confirmed and electric shock risk increases
Solution Approach 1:
An interlock terminal is introduced as an intermediary component between the cover and the conductive members. This interlock terminal includes a connecting portion that electrically connects to the conductive members only when the cover is properly assembled, serving as a mediator that enables or disables electrical connection based on the cover's position. This resolves the contradiction by providing a safe mechanism that prevents electrical contact during maintenance operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The interlock terminal is designed to establish electrical connection only after the cover has been assembled into the housing. This preliminary action ensures that the protective cover is in place before any electrical connection is made, preventing electric shock risks during fastening or unfastening operations. The electrical connection is preliminarily disabled until the cover assembly is confirmed.
2Reliability
If manual confirmation of electrical disconnection is required, then safety can be verified, but assembly time increases and assemblability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The interlock terminal system provides self-service safety verification. The cover assembly itself performs the safety function by automatically enabling or disabling electrical connection based on its assembled position. No separate manual confirmation step is needed because the interlock terminal's design inherently provides the safety verification through its mechanical-electrical coupling mechanism.
Solution Approach 2:
The interlock terminal acts as an automatic intermediary that translates the mechanical state of the cover assembly into an electrical connection state. This automated mediation eliminates the need for manual safety verification steps, resolving the contradiction between reliability and assembly time by making safety verification an inherent part of the assembly process rather than a separate step.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If the cover is assembled to close the housing opening, then protection is provided, but electrical connection between conductive members cannot be established
Solution Approach 1:
The electrical connection system is segmented into two independent parts: the cover assembly that provides protection, and the interlock terminal that provides electrical connection. This segmentation allows the cover to be assembled for protection first, and then the interlock terminal can establish electrical connection separately. The interlock terminal includes a connecting portion that can be independently configured to enable electrical connection only when the cover is properly assembled, resolving the contradiction between protection and electrical connection reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The interlock terminal provides dynamic electrical connection that adapts to the cover's assembled state. When the cover is assembled, the interlock terminal's connecting portion is positioned to enable electrical connection; when the cover is removed, the electrical connection is automatically disabled. This dynamic behavior resolves the contradiction by making electrical connection reliability dependent on the protective cover being in place, rather than requiring separate confirmation steps.
Data Source
AI summary
A connector includes: a housing; a first conductive member housed in the housing; a second conductive member that is housed in the housing and is electrically connected to the first conductive member by fastening a fastening member; a cover that is assembled so as to close an opening of the housing where the fastening member is exposed; and an interlock terminal that is housed in the housing and is connectable and is disconnectable a conduction state between the first conductive member and the second conductive member. In the connector, the cover includes a connecting portion that is electrically connected to the interlock terminal and causes the first conductive member and the second conductive member to be in a conduction state, when the cover is assembled to the housing.