Lever-Type Connector Lock Portion Flexural Deformation Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing lever-type connector struggles to reliably prevent incompletely fitted connectors from being attached to a panel, as the interference mechanism is not effective when the lever's turning angle is close to the completely fitted state, leading to potential misattachment, and increasing the connector's size by extending the interference portion is not a viable solution.
Innovation Solution
A lever-type connector design featuring a lock portion that can be flexurally deformed and includes an arm portion with deformation blocking and allowing parts, which are positioned based on the lever's turning angle to prevent or allow deformation, ensuring complete fitting is confirmed before attachment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the interference portion is extended longer to increase interference with the hole edge, then the prevention of incompletely fitted connectors is improved, but the size of the lever-type connector increases
Solution Approach 1:
The arm portion is designed to move between two positions: a first position where it blocks deformation of the lock portion (preventing attachment), and a second position where it allows deformation (enabling attachment). This dynamic positioning resolves the contradiction by providing reliable prevention without requiring a permanently extended interference portion that would increase size.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the positional parameter of the arm portion based on the lever's turning angle. When the lever is in the locked state, the arm portion is positioned to block lock portion deformation; when the lever is turned to the unlocked state, the arm portion moves to allow deformation. This parameter change enables reliable prevention of incompletely fitted connectors while maintaining a compact size.
2Reliability
If the interference portion is extended longer to ensure detection of fitted state, then the detection reliability is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The arm portion serves multiple functions: it blocks deformation of the lock portion to prevent attachment, and simultaneously serves as a detection mechanism since its position relative to the lock portion indicates whether the lever is in the locked or unlocked state. This multi-functionality improves detection reliability without increasing device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The detection function is merged with the existing arm portion structure rather than adding a separate detection mechanism. The arm portion's position naturally indicates the fitted state, combining the prevention and detection functions into a single structural element, thereby maintaining simplicity while improving reliability.
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
This design effectively prevents incompletely fitted connectors from being attached to the panel by blocking deformation when not fully fitted and allowing it when fully fitted, eliminating the need for an interference portion and minimizing the connector's size, while allowing manual confirmation of the fully fitted state through the lever's turning operation.
Implementation Method 1
a lock portion (14) which is flexurally deformed toward its inner surface side and inserted into the attachment hole (52)
Implementation Method 2
a deformation blocking part (36) configured to block the flexural deformation
Implementation Method 3
a deformation allowing part (37) configured to allow the flexural deformation
Data Source
AI summary
A lever-type connector (1) comprises: a first connector (11); a second connector (21); and a lever (31) configured to be turned to fit the connectors (11, 21) each other. The first connector (11) has a lock portion (14) designed to be flexurally deformed toward its inner surface side and inserted into the attachment hole (42) when the connectors are attached to the attachment hole (52). The lever (31) includes an arm portion (32) located on the inner surface side of the first connector (11) while the lever (31) is being turned. The arm portion (32) includes: a deformation blocking part (36) configured to block the flexural deformation when the deformation blocking part (36) is located on the inner surface side of the lock portion (14); and a deformation allowing part (37) configured to allow the flexural deformation.