Relay Connector Holder With Engagement Lock Arms
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing relay connector technologies face challenges in maintaining terminal alignment dimensions and productivity during secondary insert molding, leading to reduced performance and increased defective products.
Innovation Solution
The use of a holder assembly with long grooves and engagement lock arms, featuring swollen portions and cutaway sidewalls, which securely hold terminals in place and allow for flexibility during molding, preventing terminal displacement and ensuring stable alignment dimensions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If terminals are held by a holder and subjected to secondary insert molding, then the reliability of electrical connection is improved, but the productivity of secondary molding is lowered due to dispersion in intermediate product performance
Solution Approach 1:
The holder is designed with pre-formed engagement lock arms and engagement claws that securely hold terminals before secondary molding. This preliminary securing action prevents terminal displacement during the molding process, ensuring consistent intermediate product performance and maintaining high productivity while improving reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The holder structure incorporates engagement lock arms with engagement claws that change the mechanical state of terminal holding from loose to secure. This parameter change in holding force ensures terminals remain fixed during secondary molding, eliminating performance dispersion and improving both reliability and productivity.
2Manufacturing precision
If terminals are secured in a holder before secondary molding, then alignment dimensions of terminals are improved, but the complexity of the holder structure increases
Solution Approach 1:
The holder structure is segmented into distinct functional elements: engagement lock arms with engagement claws, long grooves for terminal insertion, and sidewalls with cutaway portions. This segmentation allows each element to perform its specific function efficiently while keeping the overall design manageable and not excessively complex.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of adding complex external fixtures to hold terminals, the holder uses an inverted approach where the terminals are held by engagement claws formed directly on the holder's lock arms. This integrates the holding function into the holder structure itself, improving alignment precision without proportionally increasing complexity.
3Reliability
If engagement lock arms with engagement claws are used to hold terminals, then terminals are prevented from popping out, but the manufacturing complexity of the holder increases
Solution Approach 1:
The engagement lock arms and engagement claws are merged into a single integrated structure formed as one piece during holder manufacturing. This combining of functions reduces the number of separate components and assembly steps, making the holder easier to manufacture while effectively preventing terminals from popping out through the engagement claw mechanism.
Data Source
AI summary
A holder assembly includes long terminals and a holder that includes long grooves in which the terminals are installed. Each of the long grooves is positioned between sidewalls which stand on both sides of the long groove. Each of the sidewalls includes engagement lock arms at a plurality of places arranged in a longitudinal direction of the long groove. Engagement claws are formed on each of the engagement lock arms.