Lever Lock Connector Compact Design Segmentation
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Solution Overview
Problem
The increasing number of electronic devices in vehicles requires a more compact lever lock connector design to maintain operatability, as the existing connectors have a large rotating angle and divided force application, worsening usability.
Innovation Solution
A lever lock connector design with a housing and lever that form an angle less than 90 degrees between the base plate and guide groove, featuring a plate connecting member with a vertical surface for sliding and a horizontal surface for releasing, allowing unified force application and reduced size.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the lever lock connector is designed with a large rotating angle (90 degrees or more) to ensure unified force application and good operatability, then the ease of operation is improved, but the space required in the engine room increases
Solution Approach 1:
The connector is divided into two separate units: a male connector and a female connector. Each connector has its own lever that operates independently with a small rotating angle (less than 90 degrees). This segmentation allows both connectors to achieve compact design while maintaining good operatability, as each lever only needs to rotate a small angle rather than one lever needing a large 90-degree rotation.
2Area of stationary object
If the angle between the base plate and guide groove is reduced to less than 90 degrees to reduce the rotating space of the lever, then the space requirement is reduced, but the force application becomes divided and operatability worsens
Solution Approach 1:
The force application issue is resolved by segmenting the connector system into two independent connectors. Each connector's lever receives unified force application on its own horizontal surface, avoiding the divided force problem that would occur in a single connector design with reduced angle. The segmentation allows each lever to operate independently with optimal force application geometry.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of having one connector accommodate both male and female connections with a compromised angle, the invention inverts the approach by creating two separate connectors, each optimized for its specific function. The male connector has its lever optimized for male-side operations, and the female connector has its lever optimized for female-side operations, both with angles less than 90 degrees.
3Ease of operation
If the lever lock connector is designed as a single unit with unified lever operation to maintain good operatability, then the ease of operation is improved, but the device complexity and space requirement increase
Solution Approach 1:
The single complex connector is segmented into two simpler connectors (male and female), each with its own simplified lever mechanism. This segmentation reduces the device complexity of each individual connector while maintaining the overall system's operatability, as each connector can be independently operated with a simple small-angle lever rotation.
Data Source
AI summary
A connector 1 has a housing 4 including a side wall 42 extending vertically from a base plate 41 and a pair of projections 45 projecting from the side wall, and a lever 5 including a pair of plate members 50A having a guide groove 53 and a plate connecting member 50B connecting the pair of plate members. The lever is positioned from a release position to a slide start position, at which the surface of the base plate is in parallel to the lengthwise direction of the guide groove 53, and slid along the lengthwise direction of the guide groove 53. A first surface 5a at a side apart from the guide groove is vertical to a slide direction at the slide position and a second surface 5b at a side near to the guide groove is vertical to a connecting direction Z at the release position.