Angled Plug Connector Support Inserts for Higher Transverse Strength
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Electric plug connectors face challenges in maintaining robustness and transverse tensile strength, especially when produced in large quantities for mass production, as they often need to withstand high mechanical loads without compromising electrical connectivity or increasing size and weight.
Innovation Solution
A support arrangement is introduced for the electric plug connector, where support elements are inserted into unequipped chambers instead of contact elements, providing internal support to these chambers and enhancing the transverse tensile strength of the plug connector housing without additional structural reinforcement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If the plug connector housing is designed with thicker walls to support unequipped chambers, then the transverse tensile strength and robustness are improved, but the size and weight increase
Solution Approach 1:
The housing is divided into multiple chambers, and support elements are selectively placed only in unequipped chambers rather than reinforcing the entire housing structure. This segmented approach provides localized support where needed while avoiding unnecessary material in equipped chambers, resolving the contradiction between strength and weight.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of uniformly thickening all housing walls, support elements are strategically positioned only in unequipped chambers where mechanical support is actually needed. This local quality principle ensures that material is added only where it provides functional benefit, maintaining strength while minimizing weight increase.
2Strength
If the plug connector housing is designed with thicker walls to support unequipped chambers, then the transverse tensile strength and robustness are improved, but the compactness is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The housing structure is segmented into equipped and unequipped chambers, with support elements applied only to the latter. This segmentation allows the housing to maintain a compact overall form while providing localized reinforcement only where structurally necessary, avoiding unnecessary volume increase.
Solution Approach 2:
Support elements are applied locally to unequipped chambers rather than uniformly across the entire housing. This local quality approach enables the housing to remain compact while providing targeted structural support where needed, resolving the contradiction between strength and compactness.
3Stability of the object's composition
If support elements are inserted into unequipped chambers, then the mechanical stability is improved, but the manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Support elements are designed to be pre-formed and ready for insertion into unequipped chambers before final assembly. This preliminary preparation of support elements streamlines the manufacturing process by allowing modular assembly, where support elements can be added in a simple insertion step rather than requiring complex integrated manufacturing.
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to an electric plug connector (1), in particular an angled plug connector, having at least one electric contact element (8), a plug connector housing (2) comprising multiple chambers (6, 7) which run adjacently to one another and which can be populated with the contact elements (8), and a support assembly (15), wherein at least one of the chambers (6, 7) is populated with one of the contact elements (8) such that a rigid longitudinal section (LS) of the contact element (8) rests against the inner face of the populated chamber (6) at an axial contact position (PA). The support assembly (15) has at least one support element (14) which can be fitted into the unpopulated chamber (7) of the plug connector housing (2) instead of one of the contact elements (8), and the support element (14) is arranged adjacently to the at least one populated chamber (6) in at least one additional unpopulated chamber (7) instead of a contact element (8) in order to support the unpopulated chamber (7) from the inner face at at least one axial support position (PS). The axial support position (PS) is arranged at least substantially at the same axial position as the axial contact position (PA) of the adjacent populated chamber (6).