Automotive Plug Short-Circuit Bridge Snap-In Fixation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing plug connections for vehicles, particularly in safety-critical systems like airbags and seat belt tensioners, face challenges with complex and costly assembly processes, uneven contact surfaces leading to electrical inefficiencies, and a risk of the short-circuit bridge breaking off during plugging, which can result in malfunction or failure of safety-critical functions.
Innovation Solution
A plug or coupler design where the short-circuit bridge is fixed using a snap-in connection and produced through stamping and bending, with curved contact surfaces for secure alignment, allowing for easy assembly and reducing the risk of breakage, ensuring a defined electrical potential and optimal contact coverage without protruding geometries.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the short-circuit bridge is fixed using a complicated process, then the assembly is secure, but the assembly costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The short-circuit bridge is divided into separate contact surfaces and actuation ends, allowing independent optimization of each part's function and fixation method
Solution Approach 2:
The contact surfaces are pre-positioned and pre-fixed in the housing before the plugging process occurs, ensuring they are securely held in place without requiring complex fixation mechanisms during assembly
2Ease of manufacture
If the punched edge is used as contact surface, then the short-circuit bridge can be manufactured simply, but the electrical properties are unsatisfactory
Solution Approach 1:
Different parts of the short-circuit bridge have different properties: the contact surfaces are designed with specific geometry and material properties for optimal electrical contact, while the actuation ends are designed for mechanical function, allowing each area to be optimized for its specific purpose
3Ease of operation
If the actuation ends are decoupled from contact surface, then the short-circuit bridge can be actuated, but the contact overlap is reduced requiring longer contact pins
Solution Approach 1:
The actuation ends are positioned in a different spatial dimension (above the front) relative to the contact surfaces, allowing actuation to occur through the housing without interfering with the contact overlap between plug and coupler contact partners
4Ease of operation
If protruding ramps are required in coupler, then the short-circuit bridge can be actuated, but the risk of breaking off increases
Solution Approach 1:
The actuation function is extracted from the coupler structure itself and transferred to the short-circuit bridge's actuation ends that protrude from the plug housing, eliminating the need for protruding ramps in the coupler and reducing the risk of breakage during plugging
Data Source
Figure 1~3
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Figure 6~8
AI summary
An electrical connector (1) includes a dielectric portion having longitudinally opposite inner end face (3). An elastically U-shaped clip (6) has a bight in the central cavity (4) and a pair of longitudinally extending arms having an outer end projecting longitudinally outward from the central cavity. Each of the arms outer end bears transversely on the contact outer end in an uncoupled position of the connector. The bight is engaged with the cavity for retaining the clip against longitudinal movement.