RFID Electrical Connector with CPA Shielding for Installation Verification
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Solution Overview
Problem
The automotive industry faces significant warranty and quality issues due to mis-seated electrical connectors, particularly in high-power and high-voltage connections, where current methods lack reliable proof of proper installation, leading to costly failures and errors in connector assembly processes.
Innovation Solution
The integration of RFID technology within electrical connectors, utilizing conductive materials and mini-RFID tags to ensure proper seating and locking of connectors, allowing for recordable proof of correct installation without the need for line-of-sight scanning, thus providing a quick, inexpensive, and error-proofed solution.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If barcode readers are used to verify connector seating, then installation verification is possible, but the method is expensive and requires line-of-sight access that is not always available
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces optical barcode reading systems with RFID technology. Instead of using line-of-sight optical scanners that require complex positioning and are expensive, the invention uses RFID tags embedded in connectors that can be read wirelessly through electromagnetic fields, eliminating the need for visual line-of-sight and reducing system complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces RFID tags as an intermediary between the connector and the verification system. These tags store installation verification data and can be read remotely by RFID readers, serving as a mediator that enables verification without requiring direct physical access or line-of-sight scanning
2Strength
If eyelets with torque specifications are used for high-power connections, then connection strength is improved, but there is no method to prove proper installation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements feedback by embedding RFID tags in connectors and reading their status at assembly stations. The system provides immediate feedback about whether connectors are properly installed by reading RFID tag data that contains installation verification information, allowing real-time confirmation of proper installation
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-programming RFID tags with installation verification data before assembly. The tags are prepared in advance with the information needed to verify proper installation, so that when the connector is assembled, the verification data is already available for immediate reading and confirmation
3Reliability
If CPA features are added to connectors, then connector position assurance is improved, but there is no record proving the CPA feature is properly installed
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the CPA verification function with RFID technology. Instead of treating them as separate systems, the invention combines the mechanical CPA feature with an RFID tag that contains verification data, creating an integrated system where the physical connector position assurance is paired with digital verification capability
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The RFID-enabled Electrical Connector ensures accurate and reliable verification of proper connector seating and locking, reducing installation errors and associated costs by enabling remote reading of installation status, thereby enhancing connector reliability and reducing warranty-related expenses.
Implementation Method 1
RFID, or radio-frequency identification, uses electromagnetic fields generated by an RFID reader to automatically identify an object with an RFID tag
Implementation Method 2
When the RFID tag is covered by the conductive material, it is shielded. When the RFID tag is shielded by the conductive material, the RFID reader cannot energize the RFID tag
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention is an RFID-enabled electrical connector with connector position assurance (“CPA”) features, comprised of an electrical connector having a plug, a socket, and a CPA feature; a strategically located electrically conductive material, such as a conductive polymer or metalized plastic; and an RFID tag. The present invention can be fabricated using a standard RFID tag, or a mini-RFID tag that has no antenna. The lack of antenna gives the mini-RFID tag an effective transmission distance of less than 25 mm. In the illustrated embodiments, until the CPA feature has been fully deployed, the RFID tag or mini-RFID tag cannot be read because of the strategic placement of the electrically conductive material. The RFID tag can only be properly read after the CPA feature has been fully deployed.