Symmetrical Mate Assist Lever With Adjustable Width Locking
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing mate assist devices for electrical connectors are limited to specific connector housing widths, leading to high production and logistics costs and assembly challenges due to the need for multiple designs.
Innovation Solution
A symmetrical U-shaped mate assist device with adjustable width, featuring interlocking arms with snap-fit hooks and geometric shapes, allowing versatile fitting to various connector housings and ensuring secure, reliable connections.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If a U-shaped lever is used for mate assistance, then the connector can be securely coupled, but the lever needs to be both rigid enough to withstand forces and flexible enough to be attached, creating installation challenges
Solution Approach 1:
The lever is divided into two separate arms that can be independently manufactured and then assembled together through interlocking means. This segmentation allows each arm to be optimized for its specific function while simplifying the overall installation process, as the arms can be attached to the connector housing separately before being joined to form the complete U-shaped structure.
2Manufacturing precision
If mate assist devices are designed for specific connector housing widths, then they can provide precise fit, but multiple designs are needed for various widths, increasing production and logistics costs
Solution Approach 1:
The lever arms are designed with interlocking means that allow them to be connected at different positions, enabling a single lever design to accommodate multiple connector housing widths. The interlocking mechanism includes multiple engagement positions that can be selectively used depending on the required width, making the mate assist device universally applicable across different connector sizes without requiring separate designs for each width.
Solution Approach 2:
The lever arms incorporate adjustable or reconfigurable interlocking positions that allow the width of the U-shaped lever to be dynamically changed based on the connector housing width. This dynamic capability enables the same lever design to adapt to different applications, replacing the need for multiple static lever designs with different fixed widths.
3Reliability
If the lever is made rigid to withstand activation forces, then connection stability is improved, but the lever becomes difficult to bend and securely attach to the connector housing
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the lever into two arms that are joined through interlocking means, the design allows each arm to maintain sufficient rigidity for withstanding activation forces while the joining mechanism provides the necessary flexibility for attachment. The interlocking connection acts as a hinge or pivot point that allows the arms to be positioned and secured during installation while maintaining structural integrity during operation.
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4B
Figure 5A~6
AI summary
The invention relates to a connector assembly that includes a connector housing and a U-shape mate assist device. This device comprises two arms, that can be connected. Each arm has at least three locking elements, designed to form a form-locked connection with matching locking elements on the other arm, creating e.g. a form-locked connection. Additionally, these locking elements are positioned on an interlocking portion of each arm in such a way that they can interlock in at least two different positions, so that the width of the U-shape mate assist device can be adjusted as needed. Further, the connectable arms are symmetrical.