One-Piece Insulating Housing for Vehicle Electrical Connector Adapter
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electrical connector adapters for portable electronic devices in vehicles are costly and cumbersome to manufacture due to multiple parts and complex assembly processes, with separate carrier strips for each contact requiring specialized equipment and prone to assembly errors.
Innovation Solution
A one-piece insulating housing with a unitary collar and multiple electrical contacts fabricated in groups on a single carrier strip, allowing for simultaneous progressive operations in assembly, reducing parts and assembly complexity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a two-piece insulating housing with a machined metal collar is used, then the adapter is durable and robust, but the manufacturing cost increases and the assembly process becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the two-piece insulating housing and the separate machined metal collar into a single integrated insulating housing with an integral collar. This merging eliminates the need for separate fabrication and assembly of these components, reducing part count and assembly complexity while maintaining the structural integrity and durability of the adapter body.
Solution Approach 2:
The single-piece insulating housing serves multiple functions: it provides the main structural body of the adapter, incorporates the collar structure for plug reception, and integrates the electrical contact support. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate specialized components while achieving the same mechanical and electrical performance.
2Manufacturing precision
If three separate carrier strips with electrical contacts are used, then each contact can be precisely manufactured, but the assembly process becomes cumbersome and expensive requiring specialized equipment
Solution Approach 1:
The patent consolidates the three separate carrier strips into a single carrier strip that supports all three electrical contacts. This merging allows all contacts to be manufactured and positioned in a single operation, eliminating the need to handle and assemble three separate strips, thereby simplifying the assembly process while maintaining precise contact positioning through the unified carrier structure.
3Ease of manufacture
If multiple separate parts are assembled, then the adapter can be manufactured with standardized components, but the assembly process is time-consuming and prone to errors
Solution Approach 1:
The patent incorporates the collar structure and contact positioning features directly into the insulating housing during its formation, rather than adding these components separately during assembly. This preliminary integration of structural elements into the main housing reduces the number of assembly steps required and minimizes the potential for assembly errors, thereby improving productivity.
Data Source
AI summary
An electrical connector adapter (40) is disclosed for electrically interconnecting a portable electronic component such as an MP3 player, CD player, or other portable device with sound or other equipment in a vehicle. The adapter (40) includes a one-piece insulating housing (60) having a system mating end (42) for interconnecting to a vehicle's electrical system and a component mating end (44) for interconnecting to a portable electrical component. Three electric contacts (62, 64, 68) are retained in three openings (90, 92, 94) respectively in the housing (60) and are arranged to electrically mate with a plug (54) of a portable electrical component.