Terminal Connector Insulation Structure for Wide Hand Contact Suppression
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
In existing terminal designs, the insulating member is only provided on the tip side, allowing a worker's hand to potentially touch the side surfaces of the terminal body during handling.
Innovation Solution
A terminal unit with a plate-like terminal fitting and an insulating member that covers the tip and surrounding connection surfaces, including side surfaces, to prevent hand contact and secure attachment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If the insulating member is provided only on the tip side of the terminal body, then the manufacturing complexity is reduced, but the worker's hand may touch side surfaces of the terminal body
Solution Approach 1:
The insulating member is extended not only in the longitudinal direction but also in the width direction to cover side surfaces. This dimensional extension ensures that the insulating member covers both the tip and side surfaces of the terminal body, preventing hand contact while maintaining a relatively simple structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The insulating member is designed with different functional regions: an extending portion for covering the tip and side surfaces, and a surrounding portion for covering the connection surface. This local differentiation allows the insulating member to provide insulation where needed without unnecessarily increasing overall complexity.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If the insulating member covers a wider area including side surfaces, then hand contact is suppressed, but the manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The insulating member is divided into distinct functional portions: an extending portion that covers the tip and side surfaces, and a surrounding portion that covers the connection surface. This segmentation allows each portion to be optimized for its specific function while maintaining overall manufacturing simplicity through integrated molding.
3Area of stationary object
If the insulating member is extended to cover side surfaces, then the coverage area is increased, but the attachment security may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The insulating member is segmented into an extending portion for coverage and a surrounding portion for attachment. The surrounding portion is specifically designed to sandwich the terminal body, providing secure attachment while the extending portion provides wide coverage for hand protection.
Solution Approach 2:
Different portions of the insulating member have different functional qualities: the extending portion is optimized for coverage area, while the surrounding portion is optimized for attachment security through the sandwiching structure. This local quality differentiation resolves the contradiction between coverage area and attachment security.
Data Source
AI summary
A problem to be solved by the present disclosure is to provide a terminal unit and a connector capable of suppressing the contact of a worker's hand and a terminal body over a wide range. A terminal unit is provided with a plate-like terminal fitting including a connection region used for electrical connection to a mating terminal, and an insulating member to be mounted on the terminal fitting. The terminal fitting has a side surface extending along a third direction and a connection surface extending in a direction intersecting the third direction. The insulating member includes an extending portion that covers a region including a tip and a surrounding portion that covers a part of the connection surface. The connection region is located on the connection surface. The surrounding portion is provided on a side opposite to the tip with respect to the connection region in the first direction.