Relay Socket Holding Lever Stopper Center-of-Gravity Design
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional sockets for relays have weak holding force due to small protrusions and a stopper positioned at the end, leading to unintentional dislodging of relays under vibration or impact.
Innovation Solution
A socket design featuring a holding lever with a movable stopper that rotates between restriction and release positions, positioning itself to cover the relay's center-of-gravity, enhancing the holding force and preventing unintentional removal.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the stopper is positioned at the end part of the relay in the longitudinal direction, then the relay can be easily removed, but the holding force becomes weak and the relay can unintentionally fall off under vibration or impact
Solution Approach 1:
The stopper is repositioned from the end part to the center part of the relay in the longitudinal direction, creating a localized change in the holding mechanism's geometry. This local modification concentrates the holding force at the center, significantly improving reliability while maintaining ease of removal through the holding lever operation
Solution Approach 2:
The stopper is given movement capability in the width direction through the holding lever mechanism, transforming it from a fixed static component to a dynamically positionable one. This dimensional freedom allows the stopper to cover the center-of-gravity position for strong holding while still permitting easy removal when the holding lever is operated
2Device complexity
If small protrusions are used on the support walls, then the device complexity is reduced, but the holding force is insufficient to prevent relay dislodgement
Solution Approach 1:
The stopper is pre-positioned to cover the center-of-gravity position of the relay before any vibration or impact occurs. This preliminary positioning of the holding element at the optimal location (center) ensures maximum holding force is already in place, preventing relay dislodgement without requiring complex additional mechanisms
Solution Approach 2:
The stopper function is merged with the holding lever mechanism, combining the holding function with the operation mechanism. This integration allows the stopper to be both a simple structural element and an actively controllable component, achieving strong holding force without proportionally increasing device complexity
Data Source
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AI summary
A socket includes a socket body having a mounting part, and a holding lever supported on the mounting part to hold a relay mounted at a mounting position of the mounting part. The holding lever includes a support, and a stopper provided on the support and movable between a restriction position at which movement of the relay, positioned at the mounting position, in a removing direction is restricted and a restriction release position at which the restriction of the movement of the relay in the removing direction is released. The holding lever is supported on the mounting part to be movable between a retreat position at which a relay can be mounted and removed and a holding position at which a relay positioned at the mounting position can be held when the stopper is positioned at the restriction position such that the stopper covers a center-of-gravity position of the relay.