Lever-Interlock Connector Sequencing for Safer HVIL Timing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing connector devices for high voltage and large current lack sufficient time intervals between the connection or disconnection of terminals for large current and the connection or disconnection of High Voltage Interlocks (HVILs), which can lead to unsafe fitting and separation operations.
Innovation Solution
The connector device incorporates a lever with specific boss and groove configurations that allow for additional steps in the operation sequence, ensuring a larger time difference between the connection/disconnection of main terminals and HVILs. This includes a rotation operation followed by a sliding operation for HVIL connection, and a reverse sequence for disconnection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a lever with rotation and sliding operations is used for connector connection and disconnection, then the terminals can be connected and disconnected, but the time interval between terminal connection/disconnection and HVIL connection/disconnection is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The lever operation is segmented into distinct phases: rotation operation for terminal connection/disconnection, and sliding operation for HVIL connection/disconnection. This segmentation ensures that terminals and HVILs are connected and disconnected in separate steps, providing a sufficient time interval between these operations and preventing unintended HVIL connection while terminals are being manipulated.
2Ease of operation
If the lever operation is simplified to reduce steps, then the ease of operation improves, but the time interval between terminal and HVIL operations decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The lever integrates both rotation and sliding operations into a single unified component. The operator performs connected operations (rotation followed by sliding) using one lever, which maintains ease of operation while ensuring the necessary time interval between terminal and HVIL connection/disconnection through the sequential nature of these combined operations.
3Reliability
If additional operational steps are added to increase time interval, then safety improves, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The lever serves multiple functions: it controls both terminal connection/disconnection through rotation operation and HVIL connection/disconnection through sliding operation. This multi-functionality allows the single lever mechanism to provide the necessary safety time interval without requiring additional separate components or mechanisms, thus avoiding increased device complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
A connector with an interlock housing, to which an interlock terminal is attached, separately from a lever that performs connection and disconnection of main terminals with a mating connector, and a first spring piece is formed on the lever. After the main terminals are mutually connected by rotating the lever from a first position to a second position, the lever is slid from the second position to a third position and the interlock housing is pushed down from an opening position to a closing position. When the lever is on the third position and the interlock housing is on the opening position, the first spring piece generates a first elastic restoring force. When applying no external force that slides the lever to the third position against the first elastic restoring force, the lever moves away from the third position and the interlock housing cannot be pushed down.