Plug Connector Obstructing Element Prevents Accidental Contact Detachment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing plug connectors do not adequately protect contacts from accidental detachment and fail to ensure secure plugging only when the contact-securing means is in the end position.
Innovation Solution
The plug connector incorporates a contact-securing means with an obstructing element that prevents plugging unless in the end position, featuring locking mechanisms to secure the contact-securing means in both pre-locking and end positions, ensuring the contacts are protected and the housings can be plugged together securely.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the contact-securing means is provided to protect contacts from accidental detachment, then contact security is improved, but the plugging operation becomes more complex and requires additional steps
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the contact-securing means with the plugging operation by integrating the obstructing element into the actuating means. The same actuating mechanism that performs the plugging motion also moves the contact-securing means from pre-locking to end position, merging two functions into one coordinated action rather than requiring separate operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The contact-securing means is positioned in the pre-locking position before the plugging operation begins, with the obstructing element already in place to prevent accidental detachment. The actuating means automatically transitions it to the end position during the plugging motion, preparing the contact security mechanism in advance rather than requiring separate activation.
2Reliability
If the obstructing element is positioned to prevent plugging when contact-securing means is not in end position, then contact protection is ensured, but the ease of operation is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The actuating means automatically performs the dual function of plugging the housings together and simultaneously moving the contact-securing means to its end position. The operator performs a single plugging action that self-completes both the connection and the contact security activation, eliminating the need for separate manual operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The plugging motion and the contact-securing means activation are merged into a single coordinated movement. The actuating means is designed so that the same physical action that connects the housings also positions the contact-securing means correctly, combining two operational requirements into one seamless action.
3Reliability
If the contact-securing means is held in pre-locking position with locking means, then contact protection is maintained, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the contact protection function from a separate securing mechanism and integrates it into the plugging operation itself. The actuating means is designed to automatically manage the contact-securing means during plugging, removing the need for independent locking mechanisms that would add complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The actuating means serves multiple functions: it performs the plugging motion, positions the contact-securing means, and ensures contact protection. This multi-functional design eliminates the need for separate dedicated mechanisms for each function, reducing overall device complexity while maintaining reliability.
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a plug connector with a first plug housing and a second plug housing which are plugged into each other, wherein there is provided in the first plug housing a contact-securing means which can be brought from a pre-locking position into an end position in which the contact-securing means protects contacts of the first plug housing from accidental detachment, there being movably mounted on the second plug housing an actuating means which is operatively connected to the first plug housing, the first and the second plug housing being plugged together as a result of a movement of the actuating means from an open position into an end position, characterised in that the contact-securing means has an obstructing element, the obstructing element protruding into the path of movement of the actuating means or the first plug housing and preventing plugging- together of the first plug housing and the second plug housing when the contact-securing means is not in the end position.