Vehicle Lighting Adapter Terminal Curvature and Retention
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional vehicle lighting adapters result in broken circuits due to imprecise abutting of terminals caused by minute spacing between the adapter holder and vehicle lamp holder contacts, leading to poor contact.
Innovation Solution
A holder with inclined insertion blocks and an insertion plate featuring parallel connection channels and retainers, along with snap portions on the terminals, ensures precise abutment and secure connection of the lamp holder terminals, minimizing the risk of broken circuits.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a flat and straight metal terminal is used in the prior art adapter, then the structure is simple, but minute spacing exists between terminals due to process allowances, leading to imprecise abutting and broken circuits
Solution Approach 1:
The terminal is designed with a curved abutting surface instead of a flat surface. This curved surface can accommodate the minute spacing and misalignment caused by process allowances in both the adapter holder and vehicle lamp holder, ensuring continuous and reliable electrical contact without requiring extremely tight manufacturing tolerances.
Solution Approach 2:
The terminal incorporates an elastic portion that can deform elastically to compensate for spacing variations. This dynamic characteristic allows the terminal to maintain continuous contact with the lamp holder terminal even when there are dimensional variations, transforming a static rigid connection into a dynamic adaptive connection that ensures reliability.
2Ease of manufacture
If process allowances are considered in the adapter holder and vehicle lamp holder, then manufacturing is easier, but minute spacing occurs between terminals, causing poor contact
Solution Approach 1:
The curved abutting surface of the terminal compensates for alignment variations caused by process allowances. Instead of requiring precise flat-to-flat alignment, the curved surface naturally accommodates minor misalignments, allowing easier manufacturing while maintaining effective electrical contact.
Solution Approach 2:
The terminal design changes the geometric parameters of the contact surface from flat to curved, and incorporates elastic deformation capability. This parameter change allows the system to tolerate larger dimensional variations from manufacturing processes while still achieving reliable contact.
3Stability of the object's composition
If the terminal is fully inserted into the fillister, then the connection is secure, but the snap portion cannot be restricted by the retainer
Solution Approach 1:
The terminal is designed to be partially inserted into the fillister rather than fully inserted. This partial insertion is sufficient to provide secure electrical connection while leaving the snap portion exposed and accessible for the retainer to restrict and secure it in place, achieving both stability and ease of operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The terminal is functionally segmented into an inserted portion (for electrical connection) and an exposed snap portion (for mechanical retention). This segmentation allows each part to fulfill its specific function optimally - the inserted portion provides stable electrical contact while the exposed snap portion can be properly restricted by the retainer.
Data Source
AI summary
A vehicle lighting source adapter includes a holder, terminals, and cables connected to the terminals. The holder has a pair of insertion blocks at both sides and an insertion plate at a front end. The insertion plate includes an upper surface and a lower surface. Each of the upper and lower surfaces is disposed with a pair of connection channels. Each connection channel includes a first and a second fillisters. A retainer is disposed to each of the first and second fillisters. Each terminal is inserted into and partially exposed from the first fillister and has its snap portion restricted by the retainer.