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
An electrical connector assembly with a protector plate and staged locks that moves from a pre-stage to a pre-lock position to securely retain electrical terminals, preventing further movement and ensuring protection through a combination of terminal locks and secondary reinforcement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a simple housing with terminal locks is used, then the device complexity is low, but the electrical terminals are not adequately protected from damage during assembly and use
Solution Approach 1:
The protector plate is positioned in a pre-stage location before terminal insertion, creating a protective barrier in advance. The staged locks are positioned in a pre-engaged state that automatically locks the protector plate after terminal insertion, performing protective action before potential damage can occur
Solution Approach 2:
The connector assembly is divided into functional segments: the housing with terminal locks, the movable protector plate, and the staged locks. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function independently while contributing to overall terminal protection without requiring complete redesign of the entire connector structure
2Reliability
If a protector plate with staged locks is added to protect terminals, then terminal protection is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The protector plate and staged locks are integrated as a combined protective mechanism within the existing housing structure. The staged locks utilize the same mating movement of the connector assemblies to automatically engage and disengage, merging the protection function with the existing connector operation without requiring separate control mechanisms
Solution Approach 2:
The staged locks automatically engage with the protector plate and housing during the normal mating and unmating movements of the connector assemblies. The system uses its own operational movements to activate the protection mechanism, eliminating the need for external actuators or additional complexity to control the protector plate
3Reliability
If the protector plate is retained in pre-lock position against further movement, then terminal protection is maximized, but the ease of operation for mating and unmating connectors is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The protector plate is designed to be movable rather than fixed, transitioning between pre-stage, staged, and locked positions dynamically. The staged locks engage and disengage based on the movement direction of the connector assemblies, allowing automatic adaptation between protection mode (during insertion) and operation mode (after mating) without manual intervention
Data Source
AI summary
A connector assembly includes a housing with a terminal cavity and a terminal lock adapted to retain an electrical terminal in the terminal cavity. A terminal position assurance is attached to the housing and engages the terminal lock. The connector assembly also includes a protector plate with a protector body having a front plate face and an opposed back plate face. Terminal openings pass through the protector body. A plurality of staged locks are attached to the protector body for relative rotational movement. The staged locks extending beyond the front plate face and also extending beyond the back plate face. The protector plate is movable relative to the housing in a mate direction from a pre-stage position to a pre-lock position. The protector plate is retained in the pre-lock position relative to the housing against further movement in the mate direction by a staged lock.