Protector Plate With Staged Locks For Electrical Connector Terminals

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing electrical connector assemblies lack effective protection for electrical terminals during assembly and use, leading to potential damage.

Innovation Solution

A protector plate with staged locks that extend beyond the front and back plate faces, allowing for relative rotational movement and secure positioning to prevent terminal damage, is integrated into the electrical connector assembly.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a protector plate is added to protect electrical terminals, then terminal protection is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveterminal protectionVSAvoidconnector assembly complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines the protector plate with the connector housing into a single integrated assembly. The protector plate is positioned within the housing and works in conjunction with terminal locks and guide structures that are part of the housing, creating a unified protective system rather than adding separate independent components.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The protector plate serves multiple functions: it physically protects terminals from damage during insertion and removal, provides structural support for the terminal locks, and works with the guide structures to ensure proper alignment. This multi-functionality reduces the need for additional separate protective components.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Stability of the object's composition

If staged locks are added to secure the protector plate, then terminal position stability is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveterminal position stabilityVSAvoidconnector assembly complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Stability of the object's compositionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The locking mechanism is divided into multiple staged locks rather than using a single complex lock. Each staged lock corresponds to different positions of the protector plate during the insertion process, providing progressive stabilization. This segmentation allows the system to achieve high stability through multiple simple, discrete locking stages.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The staged locks are designed to engage automatically at predetermined positions as the protector plate is inserted. The guide structures and lock geometries are pre-configured to ensure that the locks engage at the correct stages without requiring manual intervention, providing stable positioning in advance of terminal connection.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentUS11381026B1Electrical connector protector plate with terminal position assurance

Publication Date: 2022.07.05 LEAR CORP

AI summary

A protector plate for use with an electrical connector has a protector body. The protector body has a front plate face and an opposed back plate face. The protector plate includes one or more terminal openings that pass through the protector body. A plurality of staged locks are attached to the protector body for relative rotational movement. The staged locks extend beyond the front plate face. The staged locks also extend beyond the back plate face.