Socket Housing Backshell Locking Slider Assembly
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electrical sockets for trailers lack effective sealing and secure connection to the tow vehicle's electrical circuit, leading to moisture ingress and cumbersome assembly/disassembly, especially when mechanical damage requires socket replacement.
Innovation Solution
A socket design featuring a socket housing with a backshell and locking slider for secure assembly, combined with a contact insert and lamella seal for moisture protection, allowing easy disassembly and replacement of the socket without dismounting the entire harness.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the socket housing and contact support insert are produced as a single component in two consecutive injection molding steps, then the sealing of the socket housing is improved, but the assembly complexity increases and the rear connection area remains unsealed
Solution Approach 1:
The socket is divided into separate components: socket housing, contact support insert, and backshell assembly. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently - the housing provides sealing, the insert provides contacts, and the backshell provides rear connection sealing and mechanical attachment.
Solution Approach 2:
The backshell acts as an intermediary component between the contact support insert and the socket housing. It provides the missing rear connection sealing and serves as the mechanical interface for attaching the harness plug, while also supporting the contacts from the rear side.
2Manufacturing precision
If receptacle contacts are inserted individually into the contact insert, then the assembly precision can be controlled, but the assembly time and labor increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple receptacle contacts are pre-assembled with wires and protective sleeves into a single integrated contact assembly before insertion into the contact support insert. This merging of multiple components into one unit maintains precise positioning while dramatically reducing assembly steps and labor time.
3Reliability
If the complete harness assembly is fixed connected with the socket, then the connection reliability is improved, but the ease of repair deteriorates as the entire harness must be dismounted for socket replacement
Solution Approach 1:
The electrical connection system is segmented into three separable parts: the socket housing (with mounting to vehicle), the contact support insert (with contacts), and the harness plug (with wires). The backshell provides a secure mechanical connection between these parts while allowing easy disassembly for repair or replacement of individual components.
Solution Approach 2:
The connection between the backshell and socket housing is made dynamically reversible through the latch mechanism. This allows the assembly to transition from a secure connected state during operation to an easily disassembled state for maintenance, without compromising connection reliability during use.
4Ease of operation
If the rear connection area is left open for wire connection, then the ease of assembly is improved, but moisture ingress occurs causing reliability issues
Solution Approach 1:
Flexible protective sleeves are used to cover the wire connections and contact areas in the rear connection region. These sleeves provide moisture protection while allowing the assembly to remain accessible for wiring connections, sealing the vulnerable areas without complicating the assembly 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 provides a sealed and secure electrical connection, preventing moisture ingress and enabling easy socket replacement by allowing disassembly of the socket from the tow vehicle without removing the entire harness, thus improving reliability and reducing maintenance costs.
Implementation Method 1
a flexible latch for fixing in a recess of the socket housing as a snap fit
Implementation Method 2
combined with a contact insert and lamella seal for moisture protection
Implementation Method 3
a locking slider attached captive at said backshell and having two preferably flexible arms inserted into respective slits in said socket housing and said backshell
Data Source
AI summary
Socket for an electrical plug-and-socket connection comprising a socket housing having a plug-in opening for mating with a plug, a cover for closing the plug-in opening and contacts. A contact insert with receptacle contacts connected with the contacts by inserting the insert on connection ends of the contacts, the receptacle contacts being connectable with a wire each. A backshell being held in the housing and having a flexible latch for fixing in a recess of the socket housing as a snap fit. A locking slider captively attached at the backshell and comprising two arms insertable into respective slits in said housing and the backshell, the slits matching each other when the contact insert in the backshell is inserted on the connection ends of the contacts such that the arms of the locking slider inserted into the matching slits secure the backshell with the contact insert.