Single Wire Seal Reinforcement for Crimping Deformation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing single wire seals made of highly elastic materials suffer from severe deformations during crimping, which compromises their sealing properties and minimum pull force requirements, especially in smaller sizes, leading to potential loosening of the crimped connection.
Innovation Solution
A single wire seal with a reinforcement element made of a stiffer material, such as plastic, is integrated into the crimping portion using a two-component molding process, providing a ring-shaped reinforcement that reduces deformations and maintains sealing properties and pull force requirements, allowing for crimping without degrading performance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a highly elastic material is used for the single wire seal to ensure flexibility and sealing capability, then the seal can conform to the cable and aperture, but severe deformations occur during crimping that compromise sealing properties and pull force requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The single wire seal combines a highly elastic sealing material (such as silicone rubber) with a reinforcement element made of a stiffer material (such as plastic or metal). This composite structure allows the seal to maintain its sealing capability through the elastic material while the reinforcement element prevents severe deformations during crimping, thus preserving sealing properties and pull force requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The reinforcement element is strategically placed in the crimping region of the single wire seal, where it provides localized structural support. This allows the sealing portions of the seal to remain highly elastic for conforming to the cable and aperture, while the crimping region gains the necessary rigidity to resist deformation during the crimping process.
2Volume of moving object
If the single wire seal is made smaller to accommodate increased number of electrical devices and smaller connector housings, then space is optimized, but the negative influence of crimping on sealing properties and pull force requirements becomes even worse
Solution Approach 1:
In smaller single wire seals, the reinforcement element becomes even more critical as it provides the structural integrity needed to withstand crimping forces. The composite structure allows miniaturization while maintaining adequate crimping resistance and sealing properties, as the reinforcement element compensates for the reduced overall size of the seal.
Solution Approach 2:
The reinforcement element is concentrated in the crimping region of the smaller seal, providing localized structural support that is disproportionately important for maintaining pull force requirements in miniaturized seals. This allows the sealing portions to remain flexible while the crimping region maintains sufficient rigidity despite the overall reduced size.
3Reliability
If multiple separate components are used to reinforce the single wire seal, then structural integrity is improved, but the manufacturing complexity and costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The reinforcement element is integrated with the single wire seal in a single molding process, combining what could have been separate components into one unified part. This integration maintains the structural integrity provided by the reinforcement while eliminating the need for separate manufacturing and assembly steps, thus reducing manufacturing complexity and costs.
Solution Approach 2:
The single wire seal with integrated reinforcement element serves multiple functions simultaneously: the elastic material provides sealing capability, the reinforcement element provides structural integrity during crimping, and the integrated design provides manufacturing efficiency. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate reinforcement components and simplifies the overall manufacturing 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 reinforcement element enhances the crimping process, maintaining consistent sealing properties and pull force, reducing the risk of connection loosening, while also simplifying and cost-reducing the manufacturing process through integral molding and form-fit fixation.
Implementation Method 1
A single wire seal with a reinforcement element made of a stiffer material, such as plastic, is integrated into the crimping portion using a two-component molding process
Implementation Method 2
form-fit fixation
Data Source
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AI summary
According to the invention, a single wire seal (3) for sealing an electric cable in an aperture of a terminal or a connector housing is provided. The single wire seal (3) is provided with an essentially cylindrical shape and a through hole (34) for the electric cable. The single wire seal further comprises a crimping portion (31) for crimping the crimping section of a terminal on both the single wire seal and the electric cable. The single wire seal is molded out of a first, preferably relatively soft elastic material having a Young's modulus E1. For reducing deformations of the single wire seal due to the crimping, the single wire seal is further provided with a reinforcement element (5) arranged at the crimping portion (31). The reinforcement element (5) is preferably provided with at least one ring shaped portion (51). The reinforcement element is molded out of a second material, which has a higher Young's modulus E2 than the first material.