Plug Contact Assembly Aid for Protecting Connector Seals
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing connectors for motor vehicle devices, such as door handles and airbag control units, face challenges in manufacturing efficiency, assembly complexity, and maintenance due to the risk of damaging soft seals during contact assembly and the limited assembly freedom for different contact configurations.
Innovation Solution
The use of an assembly aid with a special shape and material composition that reduces friction between the plug tip and the matt seal, allowing the plug contact to be gently guided through the seal without damaging it, and enabling automatic assembly and easy maintenance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If manifold gaskets are used to save space for individual wire insulation, then space optimization is improved, but the risk of damaging the soft mat gasket during contact assembly increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an assembly aid as an intermediary element between the plug contact and the manifold gasket. This assembly aid has a softer tip that contacts the gasket first during assembly, mediating the interaction to prevent damage to the gasket while still allowing the plug contact to be inserted through the through-opening.
2Ease of manufacture
If contacts are simply encapsulated within connector housing using potting compound, then manufacturing simplicity is improved, but assembly flexibility and maintenance capability are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the connector assembly into distinct components: the manifold gasket, the plug contact, and the assembly aid. This segmentation allows for flexible assembly configurations and enables maintenance or modification of individual components without requiring complete encapsulation, thus maintaining assembly flexibility while keeping manufacturing simple.
3Reliability
If punched edges of contacts are carefully machined to be burr-free, then seal damage prevention is improved, but manufacturing effort and complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The assembly aid serves as a mediator that protects the manifold gasket during assembly, eliminating the need for complex burr-free machining of the plug contact edges. The softer tip of the assembly aid absorbs the potential damage, allowing simpler manufacturing of the plug contact while maintaining seal protection.
4Ease of operation
If assembly aid with reduced friction is used to guide plug contact through seal, then assembly ease is improved, but risk of seal penetration increases
Solution Approach 1:
The assembly aid exhibits local quality variation: the tip is made softer than the rest of the body. This local softness at the contact point with the gasket provides sufficient friction to guide the plug contact through the through-opening without penetrating the seal, while the rest of the assembly aid maintains structural integrity for easy assembly.
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
This solution results in a connector that is easy and inexpensive to manufacture, allows for automatic installation, provides reliable sealing, extends the lifespan of the connector, and facilitates easy assembly, conversion, and maintenance.
Implementation Method 1
The assembly aid is designed in such a way that it influences, and in particular reduces, the friction between the tip of the connector and the seal when the connector is inserted through the opening in the seal
Implementation Method 2
The shape of the mounting aid can also influence the angle of incidence of the connector tip on the surface of the manifold seal, which can cause the connector tip to slide off the surface of the seal instead of penetrating it
Implementation Method 3
The material composition of the mounting aid can dampen the contact of the connector tip with the surface of the manifold seal and further increase the angle of incidence of the connector tip on the surface of the manifold seal
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3
Figure 4~6
AI summary
The invention relates to a plug connector (100) for providing an electric connection, having: a collective seal (10) with at least one passage opening (11), and at least one electrically conductive plug contact (30) which can be guided through the at least one passage opening (11) in the collective seal (10). According to the invention, the plug contact (30) is formed with an assembly aid (40) in order to support the plug contact (30) when the plug contact is guided through the passage opening (11) in the collective seal (10).