Quick Connector Assembly Check for Secure Connection Verification

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing quick connectors in the automotive industry often have pre-installed assembly checks that can become dislodged during shipment, preventing proper connection verification.

Innovation Solution

A quick connector assembly with a separate assembly check that includes a pull tab and a shielding portion, allowing for manual removal and revealing a machine-readable verification indicia for secure connection confirmation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a pre-installed assembly check is used in the quick connector, then visual verification of connection is provided, but the assembly check can become dislodged during shipment

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveconnection verification reliabilityVSAvoidassembly check position stability

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The assembly check is separated from the quick connector body into a distinct, removable component. This segmentation allows the assembly check to be independently secured during shipping while enabling easy removal after connection verification. The separate design prevents the assembly check from becoming dislodged while maintaining the ability to access the verification indicia.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The assembly check is pre-installed in a secured position before shipping to provide initial protection and positioning. This preliminary action ensures the assembly check remains in place during transit, and the design includes features to maintain this pre-installed position until intentional removal by the user after connection.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Ease of operation

If the assembly check is separate and manually removable, then verification indicia accessibility is improved, but assembly complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveverification indicia accessibilityVSAvoidquick connector assembly structure

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The verification indicia are placed on the removable assembly check component, which is extracted as a separate element from the main quick connector body. This extraction allows the verification indicia to be easily accessed by simply removing the assembly check, while the main connector body remains structurally simple and unchanged.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The assembly check component is designed with specific local features (retention features, pull tabs, shielding portions) only where needed for its specific functions of securing during shipping and enabling verification access. The rest of the quick connector body maintains its original simple structure, minimizing overall complexity increase.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Data Source

PatentEP4232736B1Quick connector with verification and assembly check

Publication Date: 2025.06.11 A RAYMOND & CO SCS

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AI summary

An improved quick connector is provided. The quick connector includes an assembly check that is partially received within an input end of a connector body. The assembly check includes a pull tab and a shielding portion. Upon insertion of a male connector within the input end of the connector body, assembly check retracts from the input end of the connector body and can be manually removed via the pull tab. Once removed from the connector body, a machine readable verification indicia can be read. The verification indicia is visible on an underside of the shielding portion or visible on the connector body once the shielding portion is removed.