Box-Shaped Protective Cap With Hinged Locking Pins
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing protective caps for attachment housings are complex, prone to wear, and irreversibly connected, causing space issues and inefficiencies in media-tight sealing.
Innovation Solution
A protective cap with a box-like shape featuring locking pins on narrow sides and a locking lug on one wide side, connected via a hinge, allowing for reversible attachment and media-tight sealing without a locking clip, using a locking clip that engages with the pins for secure fixation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a locking mechanism with locking pins and locking clip is used, then the protective cap is securely fixed to the attachment housing, but the mechanism is complex and subject to wear
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the locking clip component from the system, extracting the problematic element that caused complexity and wear. The solution uses only locking pins on the protective cap that engage directly with the attachment housing, eliminating the need for a separate locking clip mechanism while maintaining secure fixation.
Solution Approach 2:
The locking function is segmented into individual locking pins distributed at specific locations (front, rear, and side) of the protective cap. Each locking pin operates independently to engage with corresponding features on the attachment housing, distributing the locking function across multiple simple elements rather than a single complex mechanism.
2Reliability
If the protective cap is irreversibly connected to the attachment housing, then the connection is secure, but space problems occur for the plug connector
Solution Approach 1:
The protective cap transitions from a static irreversible connection to a dynamic reversible connection. The locking pins are designed to engage and disengage easily, allowing the protective cap to be opened and closed multiple times. This dynamic connection maintains security when closed while providing the flexibility needed for plug connector access when opened.
3Reliability
If multiple locking devices are used on wide sides, then the protective cap is securely fixed, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The locking pins serve multiple functions: they provide lateral locking engagement, prevent rotational movement, and distribute mechanical loads across multiple contact points. This multi-functionality of the simple locking pin design eliminates the need for separate locking devices on wide sides, maintaining security while avoiding increased complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
The disclosure relates to a protective cap for an attachment housing. The protective cap has a basic shape which is substantially box-shaped. The protective cap has a first locking device on the narrow faces of the box-shaped basic shape, and the protective cap has a second locking device on at least one broad face of the box-shaped basic shape. The disclosure likewise relates to a system comprising such a protective cap and a matching attachment housing. Advantageously, the locking devices of the protective cap can be used with and without a locking bracket of an attachment housing.