Magnetic Closure Device Plug Tilting and Jamming
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing closure devices face difficulties in being opened and closed in a simple and haptically pleasant manner due to mechanical hold issues and tilting of the plug within the housing, which impairs operability.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating electrical contact elements between the plug and housing, along with guide elements to prevent tilting and ensure axial movement, and utilizing magnetic means for assisted closure and ejection, allowing for easy engagement and disengagement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If friction acts on the connector during opening movement, then the connector is stressed relative to the housing, but this can cause the connector to jam in the housing's connector receptacle
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the traditional mechanical spring-loaded locking element with a magnetic locking mechanism. Magnets arranged on the connector and housing create magnetic attraction forces that hold the connector in the closed position, eliminating the need for mechanical springs and reducing friction-based stress during opening movements.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the physical state of the locking mechanism from mechanical (spring-based) to magnetic field-based. By utilizing magnetic field strength as the locking parameter instead of mechanical spring force, the system achieves reliable locking without the friction and stress issues associated with mechanical components during opening operations.
2Reliability
If the plug is mechanically held against the housing with a spring-loaded locking element, then the locking is secure, but the opening operation becomes complex requiring twisting or additional mechanisms
Solution Approach 1:
The patent substitutes mechanical spring-loaded locking elements with magnets that create magnetic attraction forces. This replacement simplifies the opening operation to a single linear pulling motion without requiring twisting or complex disengagement mechanisms, while maintaining secure locking through controlled magnetic field strength.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts and removes the complex spring-loaded locking element and twisting mechanism from the system, replacing them with a simpler magnetic locking system that achieves the same security function with fewer moving parts and simpler operation.
3Reliability
If the plug is held securely in the closed position, then the mechanical hold is strong, but the plug may tilt relative to the closing direction when opened
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces mechanical spring-loaded locking with magnetic attraction forces that act uniformly on the connector. This magnetic field-based approach maintains strong holding in the closed position while allowing smooth, tilt-free opening movement, as the magnetic force distribution prevents localized stress points that cause tilting.
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
Facilitates a simple and pleasant operation by ensuring defined plug positioning, preventing tilting, and enabling easy separation of the plug from the housing during opening, thus enhancing the usability of the closure device.
Implementation Method 1
at least one first electrical contact element is arranged on the plug and at least one second electrical contact element is arranged on the housing, wherein in the closed position the at least one first electrical contact element and the at least one second electrical contact element are electrically in contact with each other
Implementation Method 2
a magnetic armature assembly is provided, which creates a magnetic attraction between the plug and the housing to assist in closing the locking device
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3A
AI summary
The invention relates to a closure device for connecting two parts, comprising a plug and a housing that comprises a plug receiving area into which the plug can be inserted in a closing direction in order to close the closure device. A slide which is movably arranged on the housing can be moved along an opening direction differing from the closing direction in order to open the closure device, and a latching spring element which is elastically arranged on the slide holds the plug against the housing in a latching manner in a closed position of the closure device and can be moved out of engagement with the plug by moving the slide in the opening direction so as to open the closure device in order to release the plug from the housing such that the plug is separated from the housing in the open position of the closure device. Additionally, at least one first electric contact element (200, 211) is arranged on the plug (2), and at least one second electric contact element (303) is arranged on the housing (3) or the slide (4), wherein the at least one first electric contact element (200, 211) and the at least one second electric contact element (303) electrically contact each other in the closed position.