Terminal Block Sealing Member Protection via Inverted Housing Design
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing terminal blocks with exposed sealing members are prone to damage from external factors, necessitating additional protection measures like vinyl covering and larger housing sizes to accommodate sealing member mounting structures.
Innovation Solution
A terminal block design where a sealing member is integrated onto a resin portion of the housing, covered by a peripheral wall, ensuring protection before fitting and eliminating the need for external protection or dedicated mounting structures, allowing for a reduced size and simplified structure.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the sealing member is provided on the mating housing in an exposed state, then waterproofing is achieved, but the sealing member is vulnerable to damage from external matter and collision
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of providing the sealing member on the mating housing as in conventional designs, the sealing member is invertedly provided on the terminal block housing. This location change allows the peripheral wall to cover and protect the sealing member from external damage while maintaining the waterproofing function between the terminal block and mating housing.
Solution Approach 2:
The sealing member is nested within the protection of the peripheral wall structure. The peripheral wall surrounds and shields the sealing member, creating a protective enclosure that prevents external matter and collision from damaging the sealing member while allowing it to perform its waterproofing function.
2Reliability
If a structure for mounting the sealing member on the mating housing is provided, then waterproofing is achieved, but the housing size increases
Solution Approach 1:
The sealing member mounting structure is invertedly located on the terminal block housing rather than on the mating housing. This eliminates the need for dedicated mounting structures on the mating housing, allowing it to be reduced in size while the terminal block housing incorporates the mounting functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The terminal block housing serves multiple functions: it provides structural support, contains the sealing member mounting structure, and offers protection through the peripheral wall. By consolidating these functions into a single component, the mating housing can be minimized in size.
3Reliability
If the sealing member is exposed on the mating housing, then waterproofing is achieved, but additional protection measures like vinyl covering are necessary
Solution Approach 1:
By inverting the sealing member location to the terminal block housing, the peripheral wall naturally provides protection without requiring additional vinyl covering or other external protection measures. The structural design itself becomes the protective element.
Solution Approach 2:
The terminal block housing with its peripheral wall structure provides self-protection for the sealing member. The housing structure serves its own protective function, eliminating the need for separate protection measures and reducing overall device complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
A terminal block is provided with a conductive member including a relay portion extending in an extending direction from a device side and a connecting portion extending in a direction perpendicular to the extending direction and to be electrically connected to a mating conductive member, and a housing for integrally holding the conductive member. The housing includes a resin portion for molding the relay portion and a peripheral wall surrounding the resin portion. A sealing member is externally fit on the resin portion and the peripheral wall covers the sealing member from outside of the resin portion. A mating housing integrated with the mating conductive member is fit to the resin portion.