Lever-Type Connector Wire Entanglement Prevention
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional lever-type connectors allow wires to protrude into a V-shaped space, leading to potential entanglement when the lever is rotated from a projecting to a retracted position, and may interfere with projections on the housing or mating housing.
Innovation Solution
A lever-type connector design featuring side plates with forward projections that overlap the rear end edge of the housing, creating a hollow space to prevent wire entanglement and accommodate cam followers, ensuring smooth rotation and avoiding interference with external matter.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If the side plates are widened to close the V-shaped space, then wire protrusion is prevented, but projections on the housing or mating housing interfere with the front end edges of the side plates at the retracted position
Solution Approach 1:
The side plate is segmented into a main body portion and a projection portion. The projection portion extends forward from the front end edge of the side plate to close the V-shaped space and prevent wire protrusion, while the main body portion maintains the original width to avoid interference with housing projections during retraction. This segmentation allows different parts of the side plate to serve different functions without conflict.
Solution Approach 2:
The projection on the side plate performs the preventive function of stopping wire protrusion before the wires can enter the V-shaped space. By having this protective projection in place from the beginning, the design eliminates the need to widen the entire side plate, thereby preventing interference issues during lever retraction.
2Reliability
If the side plates are widened to prevent wire entanglement, then wire safety is improved, but the device complexity increases due to potential interference with external projections
Solution Approach 1:
The side plate structure is segmented into a main body and a forward projection. This segmentation allows the projection to perform the wire-preventing function while keeping the main body structure simple and unchanged, avoiding the complexity that would result from widening the entire side plate.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of uniformly widening the side plate, the projection is added only at the specific location where wire prevention is needed (the front end edge area). This local modification approach maintains simplicity in the majority of the side plate structure while achieving the reliability improvement where required.
3Force
If the lever is designed with a large projecting extent, then force multiplying action is enhanced, but wires can protrude into the V-shaped space and get caught
Solution Approach 1:
The side plate is divided into the main lever body that provides the force multiplying action through its projecting extent, and a separate projection portion that extends forward to close the V-shaped space. This segmentation allows the lever to maintain its mechanical advantage while the projection prevents wire protrusion into the hazardous space.
Solution Approach 2:
The projection on the side plate acts as an intermediary element between the lever mechanism and the wires. It provides the necessary protection against wire entanglement without interfering with the lever's force multiplying function, as it works in conjunction with rather than against the main lever body.
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
Prevents wire entanglement and ensures smooth operation by maintaining a clear path for wire exit and accommodating cam followers without interference, enhancing the connector's functionality and usability.
Implementation Method 1
The lever is rotatable about the shaft between a projecting position where the side plate projects to a large extent from the rear end of the housing and a retracted position where the side plate projects to a small extent or does not project from the rear end of the housing. Rotation of the lever displays a force multiplying action to pull the mating housing during a connecting operation of the two housings.
Implementation Method 2
The side plates have cam grooves and the mating housing has cam followers at positions corresponding to the cam grooves. The lever is rotated with the cam followers at the entrances of the cam grooves. Thus, the cam followers displace relatively along the cam grooves to display a force multiplying action that connects the two housings with a low operation force.
Data Source
AI summary
A lever (40) is rotatable about shafts (19) between a projecting position where side plates (42) project to a large extent from the rear end of a housing (10) and a retracted position where the side plates (42) do not project far the rear end of the housing (10). Projecting pieces (61) project forward on front end edges of the side plates (42) and leading ends of the projecting pieces (61) overlap the rear end of the housing (10) in forward and backward directions at the projecting position. At the projecting position, spaces (63, 64) are formed by the opposite side edges of the projections (61), the front edges of the side plates (42) and the rear end of the housing (10). These spaces include escaping spaces (63) that receive cam followers (85) on the mating housing (80) at the retracted position.