Sealed Connector Cover Assembly for Exposed Crimped Connections
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Solution Overview
Problem
Compression connectors and conductors exposed to the environment are prone to damage and pose safety hazards due to lack of insulation, leading to potential fires, burns, and electric shock.
Innovation Solution
A protective enclosure comprising two cover halves with seal members and latch mechanisms that snap together to form a secure housing for the crimped connector, preventing water penetration and protecting the electrical connection from environmental elements.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the run conductor and branch conductors are crimped to the connector and left exposed in the environment, then the connection can be easily accessed and installed, but damage to the connection can occur over time and safety hazards are exposed
Solution Approach 1:
The protective housing is divided into a first cover half and a second cover half that can be separately installed and then mated together. This segmentation allows for easy installation while providing complete protection when assembled, resolving the contradiction between ease of operation and reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces seal members as intermediary elements between the cover halves and the connector assembly. These seal members prevent environmental damage while maintaining the protective enclosure, thus improving reliability without compromising the ease of installation of the overall system.
2Reliability
If a protective housing is introduced to enclose the connector, then protection from environmental damage is provided, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The protective housing is segmented into two cover halves that can be manufactured separately and then assembled. This segmentation simplifies the manufacturing process and assembly while providing complete protection, thereby reducing the practical complexity despite adding protective functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent combines multiple protective functions into a single integrated housing structure that includes both the cover halves and seal members. This merging of functions reduces the overall complexity compared to having separate protective components for each function.
3Reliability
If latch members are added to secure the cover halves, then the enclosure becomes more secure and reliable, but the manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The latch members are designed to automatically engage and secure the cover halves together without requiring additional fastening operations or complex assembly steps. This self-service mechanism provides reliable enclosure security while maintaining ease of manufacture.
Solution Approach 2:
The latch members act as intermediary elements that facilitate the connection between cover halves. By introducing these simple mechanical intermediaries, the patent achieves secure enclosure without requiring complex welding, threading, or other sophisticated joining methods.
Data Source
AI summary
An enclosure for containing an electrical connector for connecting a plurality of conductors, the enclosure including a first cover half, a second cover half, at least one first seal member positionable between the first cover half and the second cover half, a first latch member pivotably attached to the first cover half and a second latch member pivotably attached to the second cover half. When the first cover half is mated with the second cover half with the at least one seal member positioned between the first cover half and the second cover half, the first latch member is pivoted to latch with the second cover half and the second latch member is pivoted to latch with the first cover half.