Rotatable Terminal Fitting for Flexible Wiring Arrangement
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing terminal fittings have a fixed arrangement shape, making it impossible to flexibly change the configuration according to varying wiring spaces, limiting their adaptability in connecting multiple wires.
Innovation Solution
The terminal fitting design includes a tubular portion and a shaft that can rotate about an axis and be fitted together with axial orientations changed, allowing for flexible arrangement and alignment of terminal fittings, enabling them to be wound spirally and reducing the radius in a front view.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If terminal fittings are connected in a fixed arrangement, then the connection structure is simple and stable, but the adaptability to different wiring spaces is poor
Solution Approach 1:
The terminal fitting incorporates a rotatable shaft that can rotate about its axis, transforming the fixed arrangement into a dynamic one. This allows the terminal fitting to adapt to different wiring spaces by changing its orientation while maintaining a relatively simple connection structure through the rotational mechanism.
Solution Approach 2:
The terminal fitting is divided into distinct components including the shaft, tubular portion, and wire connecting portion. This segmentation allows the shaft to rotate independently, enabling adaptability to different wiring configurations without requiring complete redesign of the entire connection structure.
2Adaptability or versatility
If terminal fittings are held in contact with fixed orientations, then the alignment is precise, but the wiring direction cannot be selected
Solution Approach 1:
The shaft is designed to rotate about its axis while maintaining contact between terminal fittings. This dynamic capability allows wiring direction to be selected after assembly, while the initial alignment can be maintained with standard manufacturing precision during the fitting process.
3Volume of moving object
If terminal fittings are arranged in a straight line, then the axial alignment is simple, but the radius when wound is large
Solution Approach 1:
The rotatable shaft enables terminal fittings to be arranged in different configurations including spiral or wound arrangements. By rotating the shaft, the terminal fitting can transition from a straight-line arrangement to a wound configuration, reducing the effective radius while maintaining manageable arrangement complexity through the rotational mechanism.
Data Source
AI summary
A terminal fitting (T) connects a plurality of wires (40) by a plurality of terminal fittings being connected to end parts of the wires (40) and held in contact, and includes a wire connecting portion (10) to be connected to the end part of the wire (40), a tubular portion (11) having a tubular shape and a shaft (12) fittable inside the tubular portion (11). The terminal fittings are held in contact by fitting the tubular portion (12) and the shaft (12) together. The tubular portion (11) or the shaft (12) is provided with an arcuate portion configured to enable the rotation of each of the tubular portion and the shaft-shaped portion about an axis in a state where the tubular portion and the shaft-shaped portion are fit together.