Motor Actuator Contact Assembly for Sealed Plug Adaptation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electric motor-driven actuation devices for motor vehicle applications face complexity in assembly and require multiple parts, making adjustments and adaptation to different plug types challenging, especially when exposed to environmental conditions.
Innovation Solution
The electric motor and metal contact assembly form a pre-assembled unit that is easily positioned within a two-piece housing, with the metal contact assembly serving as the sole conductor, allowing for simple adaptation to various plug types by replacing only the contact assembly, and eliminating the need for additional insert elements.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If plug contacts are equipped with an additional insert element to form a pre-assembled unit with the electric motor, then the assembly is simplified and sealing is improved, but the unit becomes bulky and has many parts causing installation problems
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts and eliminates the unnecessary insert element from the contact assembly, retaining only the essential metal contact components. This reduction in parts directly addresses the contradiction by simplifying the unit structure while maintaining the pre-assembled configuration benefits, thereby reducing installation complexity without sacrificing assembly ease or sealing performance
Solution Approach 2:
The invention segments the actuation device into distinct functional modules: the electric motor and the simplified metal contact assembly. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently - the motor for its function and the contact assembly for electrical connectivity - while maintaining a compact overall structure that avoids the bulkiness caused by unnecessary intermediate elements
2Reliability
If a two-piece housing with additional insert elements is used to accommodate the electric motor and contact assembly, then sealing against moisture ingress is improved, but the overall assembly becomes more complex and harder to install
Solution Approach 1:
The invention merges the contact assembly directly with the housing structure, eliminating the need for separate insert elements. The metal contact assembly is positioned and secured within the housing cavity through direct integration, which maintains the hermetic seal of the two-piece housing while reducing the number of discrete components and simplifying the overall assembly structure
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple electrical connection components are used between the plug and electric motor, then adaptability to different plug types is reduced, but the assembly becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The invention designs the metal contact assembly with universal functionality to accommodate different plug types. The contact assembly is configured with standardized mounting and electrical connection features that can interface with various plug configurations, allowing a single actuation device design to serve multiple applications without requiring additional specialized components for each plug type
Data Source
AI summary
An electric motor-driven actuation device for motor vehicle applications, comprising an at least two-piece housing that is made of plastic and includes a body and a cover. Furthermore, an electric motor is arranged in the housing. In addition, at least one metal contact assembly for the electric motor is provided. According to the invention, the electric motor and the contact assembly define a unit that can be pre-assembled and be jointly placed in a housing cavity accommodating the unit.