Tool-Free Plug Connector for Welding Robots
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing plug connections for welding robots require special tools for assembly and disassembly, are not durable enough for frequent use, and lack ease of use in confined spaces, especially when cables are routed inside the robot arm to avoid collisions.
Innovation Solution
A plug connection design featuring individual contact elements that snap into thermoplastic elastomer housings without tools, with elastic deformation allowing easy insertion and removal, and includes cable grommets and a safety clip for secure fastening and sealing, ensuring IP67 protection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If special tools are used for assembly and disassembly of contact elements, then connection reliability is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The housing material performs self-service by providing both the structural framework and the elastic deformation capability needed for contact element insertion and removal. The material's inherent elasticity allows the housing to expand and contract, enabling tool-free operation while maintaining secure connections.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the physical parameter of the housing material from rigid to elastically deformable. By selecting a thermoplastic elastomer with appropriate hardness and elasticity, the housing can dynamically change its dimensional parameters during assembly and disassembly, allowing contact elements to be inserted and removed without special tools.
2Strength
If rigid housing material is used for structural stability, then mechanical strength is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The invention optimizes the hardness parameter of the housing material to a specific range that balances structural strength and elastic deformability. The thermoplastic elastomer is selected to have sufficient strength to maintain housing integrity while being soft enough to deform elastically during contact element insertion and removal.
Solution Approach 2:
The use of thermoplastic elastomer represents a composite material approach, combining the structural properties of rigid plastics with the elastic properties of rubber-like materials. This composite material provides both the mechanical strength needed for housing stability and the elasticity required for easy contact element manipulation.
3Adaptability or versatility
If frequent cable replacement is required, then adaptability is improved, but loss of time deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The elastic housing material provides self-service by automatically expanding to accommodate contact elements during insertion and contracting to release them during removal. This eliminates the need for complex tool-based mechanisms and reduces the time required for cable and contact element replacement operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The contact elements are designed as separate, interchangeable components that can be independently inserted and removed from the housing. This segmentation allows for quick replacement of individual contacts or entire cable assemblies without affecting other components, significantly reducing replacement time.
4Ease of operation
If housing material is made soft for elastic deformation, then ease of operation is improved, but mechanical strength deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The invention precisely controls the hardness parameter of the thermoplastic elastomer to achieve an optimal balance. The material is formulated to be soft enough to allow elastic deformation during contact element insertion but maintains sufficient structural strength to support the housing's mechanical loads and protect internal components.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables quick and tool-free assembly/disassembly, enhanced durability, and secure cable fixation within the robot arm, improving handling and longevity while maintaining high mechanical stability and sealing integrity.
Implementation Method 1
the snapping-in of the contact elements in the housings is achieved by elastic deformation of the housings
Data Source
Figure 1~2
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Figure 5~6
AI summary
The invention relates to a plug connector (10) for the detachable connection of a number of cable pairs (97, 98) with a conductor cross-section of more than 10 mm2, in particular, for the supply of the welding current in welding robots, wherein individual contact elements (52, 60), with a conducting connection to the cables (97, 98), may be plugged into an insulated plug housing (11) with a clipping action and are detachably held in the plug housing (11) or terminal housing (12), the clipping action of the contact elements (52, 60) in the housings (11, 12) being achieved by an elastic deformation of the housings (11, 12). Manipulation is facilitated in that the housing (11, 12) is made from a material of such a hardness that the plugging in and exchange of contact elements can be achieved without the use of tools.