Lever-Lock Connector Assembly for Vibration-Stable Fitting
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional connectors for vehicles, such as hybrid and electric cars, face instability due to weak engaging forces from elastic locking portions, leading to potential disengagement from vibrations and incorrect assembly, especially before the connector housing is properly fitted onto the counterpart housing.
Innovation Solution
A connector design featuring a lever and arm mechanism with a locking protrusion that fits into a slit on the connector housing, where the lever's movement from one position to another drives the arm to securely engage with the counterpart housing, utilizing an elastic piece to press the locking protrusion into place and an extruding portion to release it for proper fitting.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If locking portions are engaged by the elasticity of the arms, then the arms can be temporarily locked at the initial position, but the engaging force is small and the arms may be easily disengaged by external forces such as vibrations
Solution Approach 1:
The arm transitions from a static locked state to a dynamic movable state through lever operation. The arm can be temporarily locked at the initial position by engagement of locking portions, and can be moved to a locked state with the connector housing fitted onto the counterpart housing by operating the lever. This dynamic state transition resolves the contradiction by providing both temporary locking capability and stable final locking.
Solution Approach 2:
The arm is preliminarily locked at the initial position before the connector housing is fitted onto the counterpart housing. This preliminary locking action maintains the arm at a specific position during the fitting process, and after fitting is complete, the arm can be moved to achieve stable locking. The preliminary action ensures proper sequencing of operations.
2Ease of manufacture
If the arms are temporarily locked at the initial position, then the connector housing can be fitted onto the counterpart housing, but the arms may move from the initial position before proper fitting causing assembly problems
Solution Approach 1:
The lever serves as a feedback control mechanism for arm position. When the lever is operated, it drives the arm to move from the initial position to the locked position only after the connector housing is properly fitted onto the counterpart housing. This feedback mechanism ensures that the arm position is controlled based on the fitting status, preventing premature movement and ensuring assembly precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The lever acts as an intermediary between the fitting operation and the arm positioning. The lever must be operated after fitting to drive the arm to the locked position, serving as a mediator that ensures the correct sequence of operations. This intermediary mechanism prevents the arm from moving before proper fitting while still enabling the necessary positioning after assembly.
3Device complexity
If locking portions have small engaging force, then the structure can be simple, but the arms may be easily disengaged by vibrations during transport
Solution Approach 1:
The locking function is segmented into two distinct states: temporary locking at the initial position using simple locking portions, and stable locking after fitting using the lever-driven arm mechanism. This segmentation allows the simple locking portions to provide initial positioning while the more complex lever-arm mechanism provides stable final locking, resolving the contradiction between simplicity and stability.
Solution Approach 2:
The locking system transitions from a static simple locking state to a dynamic stable locking state through lever operation. The arm can be temporarily locked by simple locking portions, and after the connector housing is fitted onto the counterpart housing, operating the lever drives the arm to a locked position with stable engagement. This dynamic transition resolves the contradiction by providing both structural simplicity and connection stability at different stages.
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 configuration ensures stable fitting of the connector housing onto the counterpart housing, preventing disengagement from vibrations and ensuring correct assembly by regulating the arm and lever movements until the connector is securely locked.
Implementation Method 1
the lever has an elastic piece that presses the arm in a direction that fits the locking protrusion into the slit
Data Source
AI summary
A connector includes a connector housing, a lever that is movable relative to the connector housing along a first axis in a range from a first position to a second position, and an arm that is drivingly coupled to the lever and pivots according to a relative movement of the lever. The connector housing has a slit and is configured to approach a state of fit to the counterpart housing as the lever moves from the first position to the second position. The arm has a locking protrusion that is fit into the slit in a state in which the lever is located at the first position, and the lever has an elastic piece that presses the arm. The locking protrusion is pressed out of the slit by the extruding portion of the counterpart housing in an initial state of fit into the connector housing.