Lever Connector Assembly Without Rotational Alignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing connector design requires precise alignment of restricting portions with notches during assembly, which reduces assembling workability due to the need for specific rotational positioning of the lever.
Innovation Solution
A connector design featuring a housing with a frame and sub-housing, where a lever insertion slit allows the lever to be rotatable and includes a restricting portion on the rotational shaft to prevent separation from the frame, enhancing assembly ease by allowing the lever to be assembled in any rotational position.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If restricting portions are formed on axial shafts and notches are formed on shaft holes to prevent lever separation, then the lever can be prevented from separating from the housing, but the lever must be assembled at a specific rotational position which reduces assembling workability
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of forming notches on the lever (shaft holes) that require precise alignment with restricting portions, the patent inverts the approach by forming a through hole on the housing and a protrusion on the lever that inserts into the through hole. This inversion allows the lever to be assembled in any rotational position while still preventing separation, resolving the contradiction between reliability and ease of manufacture.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the alignment requirement from the assembly process by removing the notch structure from the lever and replacing it with a protrusion that fits into a through hole on the housing. This extraction eliminates the need for precise rotational positioning during assembly while maintaining the lever separation prevention function.
2Stability of the object's composition
If restricting portions are formed on axial shafts to stabilize lever rotation, then the lever can rotate stably, but precise alignment of restricting portions with notches is required during assembly which reduces productivity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent inverts the traditional notch-and-protrusion arrangement by placing the protrusion on the lever and the through hole on the housing. This inversion maintains rotation stability through the protrusion-within-hole mechanism while eliminating the need for precise alignment during assembly, thereby improving productivity.
Solution Approach 2:
The protrusion on the lever automatically finds its seating position within the through hole on the housing during assembly, requiring no precise alignment from the assembler. This self-aligning feature enables the lever to be assembled quickly in any rotational position while still achieving stable rotation, thus improving productivity.
Data Source
AI summary
A connector includes a housing, and a lever that is rotatably assembled to the housing. The housing has a frame and a sub-housing that is inserted into the frame. A lever insertion slit, which is formed along an insertion direction of the sub-housing and whose one end on a near side of the sub-housing is open, is formed on the frame. A rotational shaft, which protrudes towards the housing and is inserted into the lever insertion slit to make the lever rotatable with respect to the frame, is provided on the lever. A restricting portion, which is located between the frame and the sub-housing and restricts the lever from being spaced from the frame, is provided on the rotational shaft.