Panel Mount Connector Terminal Module Secured Housing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing panel mount connectors are difficult to maintain and inspect due to their design, which constrains cable removal and is prone to disassembly errors under blind mate and mating forces, especially when space is limited.
Innovation Solution
A panel mount connector design where the housing is inserted from the terminal side with a secondary piece that securely attaches the terminal module, transferring forces and preventing accidental removal, allowing for easy maintenance and increased resistance to impact forces.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the housing is inserted from the cable side with traditional fastening methods, then the connector can be secured to the panel, but maintenance and inspection become difficult due to limited access to the cable side
Solution Approach 1:
The housing is inserted from the terminal side instead of the cable side, reversing the traditional insertion direction. This inversion allows maintenance personnel to access and service the connector from the terminal side, which is typically more accessible in panel mount applications, thereby resolving the accessibility issue without requiring complex disassembly procedures
2Device complexity
If simple latching systems are used to secure the connector, then the device complexity is reduced, but the connector becomes vulnerable to disassembly under blind mate and mating forces
Solution Approach 1:
The latching system is segmented into multiple independent latches distributed around the connector housing. Each latch independently engages with corresponding features on the panel, distributing the mechanical loads from blind mate and mating forces across multiple engagement points. This segmentation provides robust retention without requiring an overly complex monolithic latching mechanism
Solution Approach 2:
The latches are pre-configured in the housing structure to automatically engage with the panel during insertion. This preliminary positioning ensures that the latching action occurs before significant mating forces are applied, securing the connector in place and preventing disassembly under subsequent operational forces
3Device complexity
If the terminal module is constrained within the housing, then the connector structure is simplified, but cable removal becomes difficult without disassembling the entire connector
Solution Approach 1:
The connector is segmented into separable components: the housing that remains mounted on the panel, and the terminal module with cable that can be independently removed. This segmentation allows the cable to be detached by simply releasing the terminal module from the housing, eliminating the need to disassemble the entire connector assembly
Solution Approach 2:
The terminal module is extracted as a separate serviceable component from the housing. Release mechanisms allow the terminal module to be easily removed from the housing while the housing remains securely mounted on the panel, enabling cable replacement without affecting the mounted portion of the connector
4Ease of operation
If the housing is inserted from the terminal side, then maintenance accessibility is improved, but the housing may be pressed through the panel aperture under mating forces
Solution Approach 1:
The lip on the housing protrudes into the panel aperture to provide preliminary mechanical resistance against forces that would press the housing through the aperture. This lip acts as a mechanical stop that engages with the panel material, creating counteracting force before significant insertion or pressing can occur, thereby protecting against over-insertion and aperture penetration
Data Source
AI summary
A panel mount connector includes a housing that mounts to a panel from a terminal side of the panel and a terminal module that is configured to be supported by and inserted in a channel in the housing from a cable side of the panel. A secondary piece can be used to secure the terminal module to the housing and provide sufficient structure robustness while allowing for ease of assembly and disassembly.