Lever Connector Mountain-Like Surface for Reliable Fitting
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional lever type connectors face issues with incomplete insertion of the connector holder into the receptacle connector, leading to accidental retention of the lever and loss of operation, as the lever cannot be rotated until the holder is fully inserted and the provisional retaining state is cancelled.
Innovation Solution
The abutting surface of the lever is designed with a mountain-like shape, featuring a restricting surface to initially hold the lever in place and a guiding surface that forcibly moves the provisional retaining portion to a retracted position upon rotation, ensuring reliable fitting even when the connector holder is incompletely inserted, and a symmetrical shape for cost-effective production of levers for multiple connector types.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the connector holder is incompletely inserted into the receptacle connector, then the lever cannot be rotated due to the provisionally-retaining state, but this causes loss of operation and reduces workability
Solution Approach 1:
The provisionally-retaining portion is designed to automatically cancel the retaining state when the connector holder is inserted to a predetermined position, performing the cancellation action in advance before the lever rotation is attempted. This eliminates the need for operators to confirm complete insertion before rotating the lever, preventing operational loss.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses the insertion motion itself to trigger the cancellation of the provisionally-retaining state. The act of inserting the connector holder automatically causes the provisionally-retaining portion to retract, making the system self-regulating without requiring external intervention or confirmation steps.
2Reliability
If the lever is held by the lever retaining claw at incomplete insertion position, then accidental rotation is prevented, but this also prevents intentional rotation and causes operational loss
Solution Approach 1:
The provisionally-retaining portion transitions from a static retaining state to a dynamic state where it automatically retracts based on the insertion position. The retaining claw is designed to be movable, allowing it to release the lever when the connector holder reaches the predetermined insertion position, thus adapting the retention behavior to the operational stage.
Solution Approach 2:
The system pre-configures the lever retention mechanism to automatically cancel retention at a specific insertion position. This preliminary arrangement ensures that when the connector holder is inserted to the correct position, the lever is automatically released, preventing both accidental rotation during handling and intentional rotation loss during assembly.
3Reliability
If the connector holder must be completely inserted before lever rotation, then reliable coupling is ensured, but this requires additional confirmation steps and reduces assembly efficiency
Solution Approach 1:
The connector holder insertion process itself serves to trigger the cancellation of the provisionally-retaining state. The system automatically detects when the holder is inserted to the predetermined position through the mechanical interaction between the connector holder and the provisionally-retaining portion, eliminating the need for separate confirmation steps and improving assembly efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The mechanical design provides immediate feedback through the movement of the provisionally-retaining portion. When the connector holder is inserted to the correct position, the feedback mechanism automatically causes the retaining claw to retract, providing real-time confirmation of proper insertion position without requiring additional verification steps.
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 allows for reliable rotation and fitting of the connector holder into the receptacle connector, enhancing workability by cancelling the provisional retaining state automatically, and reducing production costs by allowing a single lever type to be used for multiple configurations.
Implementation Method 1
the guiding surface is adjacent to the restricting surface to forcibly move the provisionally-retaining portion to a retracted position in accordance with rotation of the lever
Implementation Method 2
the connector holder is biased to the fitting side of the receptacle connector by the principle of leverage
Data Source
AI summary
A lever connector is provided where fitting of a connector holder is reliably performed by rotation of a lever, so that workability is excellent. In a connector holder 2, a provisionally-retaining claw 17 is provided to be elastically held by a first retaining portion 14 at a predetermined rotating position in order to restrict rotation of the lever 5. In a receptacle connector 3, a pressing projection 23 is provided to move the provisionally-retaining claw 17 to a retracted position where the provisionally-retaining claw 17 is not held by the lever 5 in a state that the connector holder 2 is at a standby position, so that restriction of rotation of the lever 5 is cancelled. On the other hand, an abutting surface of the first retaining position 14 of the lever 5 is of a mountain-like shape including a restricting surface 19 and a guiding surface 20.