Thin Sealed Connector Layout With Overlapping Seal Ranges
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional L-shaped tubular connectors face difficulties in thinning due to the stacking of sealing structures in the height direction, making it challenging to reduce the connector's height while maintaining effective sealing and electrical connectivity.
Innovation Solution
The connector design includes a wire insertion portion orthogonal to the height direction and a connector opening in the height direction, with a connector sealing member range overlapping the wire sealing member range in the height direction, allowing for a reduced connector height and thickness. Additionally, a flat plate connector terminal is used to align with the height direction, securing the cross-sectional area and preventing abnormal heat generation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If sealing structures are provided on both the wire insertion portion side and the connector opening side, then sealing reliability is improved, but the connector height increases due to stacking of sealing structures
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the connector sealing member and wire sealing member into a single integrated sealing structure. The connector sealing member includes a first sealing portion for sealing the connector opening and a second sealing portion for sealing the wire insertion portion, both formed as part of the same component. This integration eliminates the need for separate sealing structures stacked in the height direction, thereby maintaining sealing reliability while reducing connector height.
Solution Approach 2:
The connector sealing member is designed to perform multiple sealing functions simultaneously. It provides both connector opening sealing and wire insertion portion sealing through its different portions, making a single component serve multiple purposes that previously required separate components.
2Length of stationary object
If the connector height is reduced by thinning, then the overall wiring harness size is reduced, but the cross-sectional area of the connector terminal may be insufficient leading to abnormal heat generation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent reorients the connector terminal from a conventional configuration to a flat plate shape where the plate thickness direction aligns with the height direction. This dimensional change allows the terminal to have adequate cross-sectional area for current carrying capacity (preventing heat generation) while the overall connector height is minimized through the flat plate configuration.
Data Source
AI summary
It is aimed to provide a connector which can be thinned. A connector is connected to a mating connector in a height direction and includes a wire insertion portion open in a direction orthogonal to the height direction, a wire member being partially inserted into the wire insertion portion, a connector opening open in the height direction, a terminal member of the mating connector being insertable into the connector opening to be electrically connectable to the wire member, and a connector fitting portion to be fit to the mating connector. A range H2 in the height direction of a connector sealing member for sealing between the connector fitting portion and the mating connector is set to at least partially overlap within a range H1 in the height direction of a wire sealing member for sealing between the wire member and the wire insertion portion.