Sealed Contact Device Recess Alignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing contact systems face challenges in reliably sealing their inner spaces from the environment, which can lead to corrosion and reduced durability due to leakage or improper sealing.
Innovation Solution
A contact device design featuring an outer housing and inner housing with sealing elements, including a contact securing device that engages recesses to ensure a secure and sealed electrical connection between coaxial conductors, utilizing elastomer sealing elements and a tensioning device for secure assembly and prevention of unintended disengagement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a sealing element is arranged between the contact element and outer housing to seal the inner space, then the reliability of sealing is improved, but the device complexity increases due to additional components and assembly steps
Solution Approach 1:
The sealing element is integrated into the contact device structure by nesting it within the housing assembly. The sealing element is positioned in a recess of the outer housing, creating a nested configuration where the seal is contained within the housing structure rather than being a separate external component, thus improving sealing reliability while minimizing additional complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The sealing element is implemented as a flexible elastomeric component that can deform to accommodate manufacturing tolerances and assembly variations. This flexible membrane approach provides effective sealing against the environment while requiring minimal structural support, thereby improving sealing reliability without significantly increasing device complexity
2Reliability
If a contact securing device is provided to secure the contact element, then the reliability of electrical connection is improved, but the ease of assembly is reduced due to additional securing steps
Solution Approach 1:
The contact securing device combines multiple functions into a single integrated component. The securing element simultaneously performs mechanical retention of the contact element, electrical insulation, and positioning functions, thereby improving connection reliability while reducing the number of separate assembly steps compared to using separate securing components
Solution Approach 2:
The contact securing device is designed to be self-securing through elastic deformation or snap-fit mechanisms. The securing element automatically engages with the contact element during assembly, providing reliable retention without requiring additional fastening operations or specialized assembly tools, thus improving reliability while maintaining ease of manufacture
3Ease of operation
If the inner housing has a recess and the contact element has an aligned recess for the contact securing device, then the ease of operation is improved for securing the contact, but the manufacturing precision requirements increase due to alignment constraints
Solution Approach 1:
The recesses in the inner housing and contact element are designed with asymmetric geometries that provide self-aligning features. The securing element has an asymmetric profile that only fits into the recesses when properly aligned, guiding the assembly process and ensuring correct positioning without requiring high-precision manufacturing, thus improving ease of operation while managing precision requirements
Solution Approach 2:
The recesses are pre-formed during the molding or manufacturing process of the inner housing and contact element, establishing the alignment geometry in advance. This preliminary formation of alignment features ensures that when the components are assembled, the recesses are already positioned correctly, reducing the need for post-assembly alignment adjustments and lowering manufacturing precision requirements while maintaining ease of securing operation
Data Source
AI summary
A contact device includes an outer housing delimiting an inner space and an inner housing arranged in the inner space, the inner housing having a first recess. The contact device includes a contact element arranged in the inner space and a sealing element arranged between the contact element and the outer housing. The sealing element seals the inner space from the environment. The contact element has a second recess on an outside of the contact element aligned with the first recess. The contact device includes a contact securing device movable along the first recess to engage the second recess of the contact element.