Pump Terminal Box Joint Design for Assembly
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing pump units with terminal boxes having pivotable housing parts face challenges in efficient assembly and connection due to complex joint designs, which complicate the removal of the cover and increase manufacturing complexity.
Innovation Solution
A pump unit design featuring a terminal box with two housing parts connected via a joint with a shorter axial length than the terminal box, allowing for easier assembly and detachment, and a central or angled pivot axis that enables symmetrical lever ratios and improved accessibility.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If two joints spaced apart from one another are provided at outer corners of the terminal box, then the cover can be pivotally connected to the lower part, but the manufacture becomes more complex and it becomes more difficult to insert the cover into the joints
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines two separate joints into a single joint structure. The cover is pivotally connected to the lower part at only one joint located at a first corner, eliminating the need for a second joint at the opposite corner. This merging of connection points simplifies the overall structure while maintaining the pivotal connection functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent removes the unnecessary second joint from the structure. By extracting the redundant joint component from the opposite corner, the design eliminates manufacturing complexity and insertion difficulties while preserving the essential pivoting capability through the single remaining joint.
2Ease of operation
If the cover is pivoted further beyond its normal open position to remove hinge pins from hinge mounts, then the cover can be completely removed, but this is not possible if there is not enough space to swing the cover open far enough
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of requiring the cover to swing open far beyond the normal position to lever out the hinge pins, the patent inverts the approach by providing a dedicated removal position where the cover can be pivoted to a specific angle that facilitates easy extraction of the hinge pins from the hinge mounts, without requiring excessive swing space.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a removable hinge pin as an intermediary element between the cover and the lower part. This allows the cover to be detached without requiring extreme pivoting motion, as the hinge pin can be independently removed from the hinge mounts, enabling cover removal even when swing space is limited.
3Ease of manufacture
If a joint with smaller extent in the direction of its pivot axis is used, then the assembly and connection becomes more efficient, but the lever ratios for detachment may be affected
Solution Approach 1:
The patent optimizes the joint dimensions by changing the parameter of joint length in the pivot axis direction. The joint is designed with a minimized extent along the pivot axis, which improves assembly efficiency and reduces misalignment issues, while the overall lever ratio is maintained through the positioning of the single joint relative to the cover's center of gravity and the hinge pin location.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
The invention relates to a pump unit with a terminal box (12) which has at least a first (14) and a second (16) housing part which are pivotably connected to each other via at least one joint (20), wherein the joint (20) has an extent (a) in the direction of its pivot axis (S) which corresponds to less than half of the largest extent (b) of the terminal box (12) in the direction parallel to this pivot axis (S).