Modular Plug-in Connector with Integrated Insulating Housing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing plug-in connectors for industrial environments are large and costly due to multiple components, limiting their compactness and functionality, which is a challenge in harsh industrial settings where space efficiency and versatility are crucial.
Innovation Solution
A modular plug-in connector design where the insulating body serves as both the casing and housing for contact elements, allowing for cost-effective production and easy adaptation of functionalities by exchanging individual components, with features like attachment tabs, strain relief, and sealing to enhance usability and reliability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If multiple separate components are used in the plug-in connector (insulating body, contact piece, metal casing), then the connector provides robust functionality and reliability, but the production costs and assembly costs increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the insulating body and metal casing into a single integrated component. The insulating body is designed with integrated attachment elements that directly connect to the contact piece, eliminating the need for separate attachment mechanisms. This merging reduces the number of parts, lowers production and assembly costs, while maintaining the structural integrity and reliability of the connector.
2Reliability
If multiple separate components are used in the plug-in connector, then the connector provides robust functionality, but the installation space required becomes excessively large
Solution Approach 1:
The integration of the insulating body and metal casing into a single unified structure reduces the overall volume of the connector. By eliminating gaps and interfaces between separate components, the design achieves a more compact form factor that requires less installation space while preserving all necessary functional elements.
3Strength
If traditional multi-component design is used, then the connector provides structural integrity, but the overall connector size becomes extremely large limiting field of application
Solution Approach 1:
The unified design merges the insulating body and metal casing into a single structurally sound component. The insulating body is designed with integrated reinforcement features that maintain structural integrity without requiring additional external bracing or support structures, thereby reducing the overall connector dimensions.
4Ease of manufacture
If identical components are used in different design variants, then the production cost decreases and modularity increases, but the adaptability to different functionalities may be limited
Solution Approach 1:
The contact piece is designed as a separable, modular component that can be exchanged independently from the integrated insulating body and casing. This segmentation allows different contact piece configurations (different numbers, types, or arrangements of contacts) to be used with the same base structure, providing functionality adaptability while maintaining production efficiency through component standardization.
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to a plug-in connector, substantially consisting of an insulating body and at least one contact element which is mounted directly in the insulating body, wherein the insulating body directly forms the plug-in connector housing of the plug-in connector. The plug-in connector is of particularly simple construction and can therefore be manufactured quickly. In addition, the plug-in connector is of very robust design and suitable for industrial use, in particular in harsh environments.