Sealed Plug Connector Housing With Radial Compression Sealing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing connector housings fail to achieve adequate sealing against environmental influences due to deformation of seals under excessive pressure during assembly, leading to inadequate sealing effects, especially at screw connections.
Innovation Solution
A connector housing design featuring a sealing element with elastic sealing sleeves that protrude from fastening bores, compressed radially to create a seal, and a peripheral collar to limit compression, ensuring the sealing element does not deform excessively, combined with support rings and sealing lips for enhanced sealing efficacy.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a seal is pressed between the fastening flange and mounting surface during assembly, then sealing effect is improved, but the seal deforms due to excessive pressure and loses sealing capability
Solution Approach 1:
The sealing element is divided into multiple sealing sleeves, each associated with a specific fastening bore. This segmentation allows localized sealing at each screw connection point while distributing the compression forces, preventing excessive pressure on any single seal and maintaining both sealing effectiveness and structural integrity.
Solution Approach 2:
The sealing element features sealing sleeves with specific local properties (elastic material, protruding geometry) positioned at critical sealing locations around each fastening bore. This local quality enhancement ensures adequate sealing at screw connections without requiring excessive overall compression that would deform the entire seal.
2Reliability
If sealing sleeves protrude from fastening bores and are compressed radially, then sealing at screw connections is improved, but the complexity of the sealing element increases
Solution Approach 1:
The sealing element combines multiple functions into a single integrated component: it provides the base sealing surface between the flange and mounting surface, incorporates protruding sealing sleeves for screw connection sealing, and includes support rings for structural reinforcement. This merging achieves comprehensive sealing without requiring multiple separate components.
Solution Approach 2:
The sealing element serves multiple purposes simultaneously: it seals the interface between flange and mounting surface, seals around each screw penetration, provides structural support through integrated rings, and guides screw insertion. This multi-functionality reduces the need for additional separate sealing components.
3Reliability
If the sealing element is compressed during assembly, then sealing effect is improved, but the sealing element deforms and is pushed away from the housing
Solution Approach 1:
The sealing sleeves are nested within the fastening bores, with the sleeves protruding slightly from the bore openings. This nested configuration allows the sleeves to be compressed radially inward during assembly, sealing against the screw shanks, while the support rings prevent the entire sealing element from being pushed away from the flange.
Solution Approach 2:
The sealing element is pre-configured with protruding sealing sleeves and integrated support rings before assembly. This preliminary structuring ensures that during compression, the sealing surfaces are already positioned to make contact in the correct sequence, preventing deformation and displacement during the tightening process.
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
The design ensures a reliable environmental seal by compressing the sealing sleeves radially during assembly, preventing ingress of dust, dirt, and liquids, and maintaining the sealing integrity without deforming the sealing element, thus providing a robust and effective sealing solution.
Implementation Method 1
The overhang of the sealing sleeves is compressed when tightened and thus pressed radially outwards. Accordingly, the overhang of the sealing sleeves deforms in such a way that it creates a seal between the screw and the fastening flange.
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to an environmentally sealed plug-in connector housing formed from a base body (2) having a fastening flange (10) molded thereon. The fastening flange (10) is associated with a sealing element (20) that is compressed in a sealing manner between the fastening flange (10) and an assembly surface (3). In order to ensure the sealing of fastening bores (11) provided in the fastening flange (10), sealing sleeves (21) are molded onto the sealing element (20), which sealing sleeves extend into the fastening bores (11) and at least completely pass through the latter. A fastening screw inserted into a fastening bore (11) can in this way seal with its screw head the fastening bore (11) by means of the sealing sleeve (21) that is compressed by the screw head.