Relay Housing Fastening for Miniaturization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional relays are oversized due to the protruding mounting portions required for tool clearance, hindering miniaturization efforts.
Innovation Solution
The relay design incorporates a housing with non-protruding fastening portions arranged zigzag to ensure tool clearance, allowing for downsizing while maintaining sufficient space for fixing, and utilizing plate-shaped terminals to expand widths for improved current carrying capacity without increasing size.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the mounting portion is formed to protrude from the housing to secure tool clearance, then the relay can be fixed to another member, but the size of the relay becomes large in the direction in which the mounting portion protrudes
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dimensionality change by arranging fastening portions in a zigzag pattern across multiple dimensions (second direction and third direction) rather than extending protrusions in a single direction. This allows tool clearance to be achieved through spatial distribution in orthogonal directions, reducing the protrusion length in any single direction while maintaining adequate working space for fixing operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs asymmetry by positioning the first and second fastening portions at different locations relative to the housing boundaries. The first fastening portion is arranged without protruding beyond the boundary between the first side portion and the third side portion, while the second fastening portion is arranged without protruding beyond the boundary between the second side portion and the fourth side portion. This asymmetric distribution optimizes space utilization and reduces overall relay size.
2Quantity of substance
If the widths of the first fixed terminal and the second fixed terminal are expanded in the third direction to improve current carrying capacity, then the current carrying capacity increases, but the housing size increases in the third direction
Solution Approach 1:
The patent resolves this contradiction by utilizing the second direction (orthogonal to the third direction) to accommodate the mounting portions. By distributing fastening portions across both the second and third directions in a zigzag arrangement, the design allows current carrying capacity to be improved through terminal width expansion in the third direction without proportionally increasing housing area, as space is efficiently utilized through multi-dimensional spatial distribution.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies local quality by optimizing different regions of the housing for different functions. The fastening portions are positioned to effectively utilize spaces around the boundaries of side portions, with the first fastening portion arranged without protruding beyond the boundary between the first side portion and the third side portion, and the second fastening portion arranged without protruding beyond the boundary between the second side portion and the fourth side portion. This localized optimization allows current carrying capacity to be enhanced without uniform increases in overall housing area.
Data Source
AI summary
A housing includes a first mounting portion having a first through hole penetrating in a first direction and a second mounting portion having a second through hole penetrating in the first direction. The second mounting portion is disposed separately from the first mounting portion to one side in a second direction and is disposed closer to one side in a third direction than the first mounting portion. The first fixed terminal includes a first fastening portion that is exposed outside the housing closer to one side in the third direction than the first mounting portion. The second fixed terminal includes a second fastening portion that is exposed outside the housing closer to an opposite side in the third direction than the second mounting portion and that is disposed closer to the opposite side in the third direction than the first fastening portion.