Lever-Guided Connector Assembly to Prevent Rattling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing connectors face issues with lever rattling due to plate thicknesses of guide function portions being smaller than gaps between housing and guide wall portions, leading to assembly difficulties and impaired lever movement operations.
Innovation Solution
A connector design featuring a lever accommodating portion with a movement guide portion and an assembly guide portion that guides the lever into position, ensuring smooth assembly by correcting inward deflection of cam portions and enhancing reliability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If plate thicknesses of guide function portions are reduced for structural reasons, then the lever or housing structure is simplified, but the guide function portions rattle between housing side surfaces and guide wall portions affecting lever operation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces movement guide portions as intermediary elements between the guide function portions and the housing side surfaces. These movement guide portions act as mediators that guide the cam portions during lever movement, preventing rattling while allowing the guide function portions to maintain reduced plate thickness for structural simplification.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the guiding function from the guide function portions themselves and relocates it to separate movement guide portions. This separation allows the guide function portions to be simplified in structure while the movement guide portions provide the necessary guidance to prevent rattling during operation.
2Reliability
If movement guide portions are provided between housing side surfaces and guide wall portions to prevent rattling, then lever operation stability is improved, but cam portions are not directly opposed to movement guide portions causing assembly difficulties
Solution Approach 1:
The patent incorporates assembly guide portions that extend from the housing side surfaces toward the movement guide portions. These assembly guide portions perform the preliminary action of guiding the cam portions into proper alignment with the movement guide portions during the assembly process, ensuring that the lever can be assembled without difficulty despite the offset positioning of the movement guide portions.
Solution Approach 2:
The assembly guide portions serve as intermediary elements during the assembly process. They mediate between the cam portions and the movement guide portions by providing a gradual guidance path that brings the cam portions into proper opposition with the movement guide portions, facilitating smooth assembly operation.
3Force
If guide function portions are positioned to engage with mating fit-in side housing, then connection force is reduced, but plate thickness must be increased to prevent rattling, increasing device complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The movement guide portions act as intermediaries that enable the guide function portions to maintain thin plate thickness while still preventing rattling. The movement guide portions provide the necessary guidance and support, allowing the guide function portions to engage with the mating fit-in side housing with low connection force without requiring increased plate thickness.
Data Source
AI summary
A connector 10 includes a housing 20 and a lever 60 for connecting operation movable in a sliding direction along a slide surface 23 of the housing 20. The housing 20 includes a lever accommodating portion 26 defining a space for arranging the lever 60 between the slide surface 23 and the lever accommodating portion 26, an opening 31 facing the slide surface 23 at one end of the lever accommodating portion 26, a movement guide portion 32 extending in the sliding direction from the opening 31 at a position separated from the slide surface 23 on an inner surface of the lever accommodating portion 26, and an assembly guide portion 25 projecting from the slide surface 23, extending in the sliding direction and facing the movement guide portion 32 at a position corresponding to the opening 31.