Rotatable Terminal Connector for Strain-Free Cable Alignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional terminal connectors face challenges in achieving proper orientation and alignment during installation, particularly in confined spaces, leading to cable strain and difficulty in maintaining environmental sealing and electrical contact.
Innovation Solution
A rotational interface between a terminal assembly and a socket assembly allows for the connector to be rotated and secured to a cable before installation, eliminating the need for twisting and ensuring proper alignment without strain, while maintaining environmental sealing and electrical contact through a locking mechanism.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If terminal connectors are fixed in orientation with respect to the cable during crimping and sealing, then environmental sealing and electrical contact are maintained, but installation difficulty increases and cable strain occurs when proper alignment cannot be achieved at the endpoint
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the dynamics principle by making the terminal connector body rotatable relative to the cable after crimping. The connector includes a rotatable body portion that can rotate 360 degrees relative to the cable axis, allowing the terminal to be oriented in any desired direction after the cable is terminated. This dynamic capability resolves the contradiction by maintaining the fixed connection for sealing purposes while enabling flexible orientation adjustment for installation purposes.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the terminal connector into distinct functional portions: a crimp portion that remains fixed to the cable for sealing, and a rotatable body portion that can be independently oriented. This segmentation allows the sealing function to remain stable while the terminal orientation can be adjusted, resolving the contradiction between maintaining environmental sealing and ease of installation.
2Manufacturing precision
If terminal connectors are positioned properly on the cable based on endpoint installation orientations, then proper alignment is achieved, but cable strain occurs when cables must be twisted through tight confines with several bends
Solution Approach 1:
The rotatable body portion allows the terminal to be aligned properly with the endpoint installation orientation after the cable is terminated, without requiring the cable itself to be twisted or strained. The dynamic rotation capability enables precise angular positioning of the terminal while the cable maintains its natural routing path through tight confines.
Solution Approach 2:
The cable is terminated and secured to the crimp portion in advance, establishing a fixed reference point. Then the body portion is rotated to achieve proper alignment at the endpoint. This preliminary action of securing the cable first, then adjusting the terminal orientation separately, eliminates the need to twist the cable during alignment.
3Reliability
If terminal connectors are crimped and sealed on both ends of the cable initially, then connection reliability is improved, but installation time increases when confined space work is required
Solution Approach 1:
The rotatable body portion enables installers to complete both terminal connections on the cable ends initially (improving reliability), then quickly rotate each terminal into its final orientation without requiring time-consuming repositioning or cable manipulation in confined spaces. This separates the termination process from the orientation adjustment process.
Solution Approach 2:
Both terminals are crimped and sealed to the cable ends in advance as a preliminary action, ensuring connection reliability. The rotatable body portion then allows both terminals to be oriented in their final positions without requiring installers to work in confined spaces during the critical crimping operation, only during the simpler rotation step.
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
Facilitates efficient and strain-free installation of terminal connectors in tight spaces by allowing rotational adjustment before final fixation, ensuring proper alignment and sealing, thereby improving installation efficiency and reducing cable strain.
Implementation Method 1
An expandable ring is positioned in the outer groove and is configured for being compressed to fit inside of the outer groove
Implementation Method 2
When the assemblies are mated, the inner groove and outer grooves are positioned to align for then allowing the ring to decompress from the outer groove into at least part of the inner groove
Data Source
AI summary
An electrical connector for coupling with a terminal conductive structure includes a terminal assembly that mates with a separate socket assembly in a rotational interface. The terminal assembly terminates in a conductive element, such as a tongue, configured for coupling with a conductive structure, such as a terminal block or power strip, for example. The separate socket assembly has a portion for receiving a conductor of a cable. The terminal assembly includes a pin that fits into a socket portion of the socket assembly for mating the terminal and socket assemblies to form a rotational interface. To secure the assemblies together an outer groove is formed on an outer surface of the terminal assembly and an inner groove is formed in an inner surface of the socket portion. An expandable ring is positioned in the outer groove and is compressed to fit inside of the outer groove for mating the terminal assembly pin and the socket portion. When the assemblies are mated, the grooves align for allowing the ring to decompress into at least part of the inner groove to secure the mated terminal and socket assemblies together in the rotational interface.