Rigid Position Assurance Member for Tool-Free Connector Locking
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional TPA and CPA members in electrical connectors are prone to failure due to brittle materials, difficulty in removal, and require special tools, leading to instability and increased damage during assembly and use.
Innovation Solution
A rigid, unitary position assurance member made of glass-fiber-reinforced plastic with no flexible elements, featuring pre-locking and final-locking notches, and an opening wedge for easy transition between positions, integrated with a connector housing for secure locking and unlocking without tools.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If conventional TPA members are made from stiff and brittle plastic material to improve stability, then stability is improved, but the flexibility of latching hooks is reduced making them hard to deflect and prone to failure or break
Solution Approach 1:
The TPA member is divided into two separate components: a rigid body portion made of stiff brittle plastic material for stability, and a separate flexible latching hook made of elastomeric material for reliable deflection and latching. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized for its specific function without compromise.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention uses composite construction by combining two different materials: stiff brittle plastic material for the body portion and elastomeric material for the latching hook. This composite approach allows the assembly to exhibit both stability from the rigid portion and flexibility from the elastomeric portion, resolving the contradiction between these two properties.
2Ease of operation
If conventional TPA members use flexible latching hooks to secure to connector housing, then ease of mounting is improved, but the hooks are hard to deflect and may lead to failure or break
Solution Approach 1:
The material parameters of the latching hook are changed from stiff brittle plastic to elastomeric material, fundamentally altering its mechanical properties. This parameter change enables the latching hook to be easily deflected during mounting while maintaining high reliability and resistance to failure under vibration and shock conditions.
3Reliability
If conventional TPA members are designed with locking mechanisms, then secure locking is achieved, but it poses difficulties to remove the member from final-locking position and requires special tools
Solution Approach 1:
The latching hook is designed as a dynamic, flexible element that can easily transition between engaged and disengaged states. The elastomeric material allows the hook to be deflected with simple manual pressure, enabling easy removal from the locked position without requiring special tools, while still providing secure locking when engaged.
4Stability of the object's composition
If conventional TPA members are made from stiff material to prevent unintentional disconnection, then stability is improved, but the latching hooks become hard to deflect and may break
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the TPA member into a rigid body portion and a flexible latching hook, the invention achieves stable positioning through the rigid portion while the separate elastomeric latching hook provides reliable connection without being prone to breakage. This segmentation resolves the contradiction between stability and device complexity.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3A~3B
AI summary
A position assurance member 1, such as a terminal position assurance (TPA) member or a connector position assurance (CPA) member, for an electrical connector assembly 100, wherein the position assurance member 1 is a rigid unitary element.