Low-Voltage Receptacle Cradle Assembly to Prevent Base Plate Contact
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing power receptacle assemblies lack improvements in performance and cost-effectiveness, with a need for enhanced designs that secure low voltage power supply components within housings without direct contact with inner surfaces.
Innovation Solution
A power receptacle assembly design featuring a power supply cradle with protrusions, such as snap-fit barbs and ribs, that secures a low voltage power supply circuit subassembly within a housing, preventing direct contact with the inner surface and ensuring secure and efficient assembly.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If the base plate is directly placed on the housing inner surface, then the assembly structure is simple, but the base plate may contact and damage the housing inner surface
Solution Approach 1:
The power supply cradle acts as an intermediary component between the base plate and the housing inner surface. The cradle includes protrusions that engage with the base plate while the cradle itself contacts the housing, preventing direct contact between the base plate and housing inner surface, thus avoiding damage while maintaining assembly simplicity
Solution Approach 2:
The power supply cradle is designed beforehand to provide protective engagement. The protrusions on the cradle are configured to securely hold the base plate in a position that prevents it from contacting the housing inner surface, cushioning against potential damage before it can occur
2Reliability
If protrusions are added to the power supply cradle to secure the base plate, then the base plate is securely held, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The power supply cradle is segmented into functional features: the base member, sidewalls, and protrusions (snap-fit barbs and/or ribs). This segmentation allows each feature to perform a specific function - the protrusions provide securing engagement while the overall cradle structure remains relatively simple and manufacturable
Solution Approach 2:
The protrusions on the power supply cradle are designed to automatically engage with the base plate during assembly, providing self-service securing without requiring additional fasteners or complex assembly steps. The snap-fit barbs and/or ribs inherently provide the securing function through their geometry
Data Source
AI summary
A power receptacle assembly includes a power supply cradle, a circuit subassembly, and a housing. The power supply cradle has a base member and two sidewalls. The base member and sidewalls of the power supply cradle are configured to include one or more protrusions. The circuit subassembly includes a base plate and at least one low voltage power output receptacle electrically connected to the base plate. The base plate is secured to the power supply cradle by the one or more protrusions. With the base plate secured to the power supply cradle, the power supply cradle is arranged within the at least one cavity of the housing, such that base plate of the low voltage power supply circuit subassembly does not directly contact any of the inner surface that forms the at least one cavity of the housing.