Touch-Proof Power Connector Assembly for Secure Vehicle Installation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional power distribution components in motor vehicles face challenges such as space constraints, harsh operating conditions, and high failure rates due to incorrect installation and dislodgment, leading to significant repair and warranty costs.
Innovation Solution
A connector system with a sealed and grounded electrical connection, featuring a female connector assembly with a touch-proof member and a male connector assembly with a spring member, designed to ensure reliable and long-term performance by preventing foreign object insertion and providing a secure mechanical and electrical connection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional connector designs are used, then device complexity is reduced, but reliability deteriorates due to incorrect installation and dislodgment
Solution Approach 1:
The connector system performs preliminary actions by incorporating guide features that align the male and female connectors before engagement, and positioning features that ensure proper terminal alignment. This preliminary alignment prevents incorrect installation and reduces installation errors, thereby improving reliability without significantly increasing complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The connector system uses intermediate structural features such as guide pins, alignment slots, and positioning ribs that act as mediators between the male and female connectors. These intermediary elements facilitate proper engagement and prevent misalignment, improving reliability while adding only moderate complexity to the overall system.
2Strength
If secure mechanical connection features are added, then durability is improved, but installation time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The connector system performs preliminary alignment through guide features and positioning structures, ensuring that the male and female connectors are properly aligned before the final securing action. This preliminary alignment reduces the complexity and time of the securing process, allowing strong mechanical connections to be made quickly without significant installation time penalty.
Solution Approach 2:
The connector system replaces complex multi-step mechanical securing operations with simplified single-action or spring-loaded mechanisms. The spring members and resilient features automatically engage and secure the connection with minimal manual intervention, maintaining strong mechanical bonds while reducing installation time.
3Reliability
If touch-proof features are added to prevent foreign object insertion, then reliability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The connector system segments the protective features into separate modular components such as touch-proof caps, protective plugs, and isolated barrier elements. These segmented protective features can be independently designed, installed, and maintained, reducing the overall complexity while providing comprehensive protection against foreign object insertion.
Solution Approach 2:
The connector system extracts the touch-proof protection as a separate removable feature rather than integrating it into the main connector body. This allows the protective elements to be taken out or removed when not needed, simplifying the active connector design while maintaining protection capabilities, thereby improving reliability without permanently increasing complexity.
4Reliability
If sealed and grounded electrical connections are implemented, then reliability is improved, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The connector system merges the sealing and grounding functions into integrated structural features rather than separate components. The housing design incorporates sealed barriers and grounded contact surfaces that are formed as part of the basic connector structure, achieving reliable sealed and grounded electrical connections through design integration that minimizes additional manufacturing steps and complexity.
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 connector system reduces installation time, increases durability, and decreases repair costs by ensuring accurate and secure connections, thereby enhancing the reliability and longevity of electrical components in motor vehicles.
Implementation Method 1
a spring member that applies an elastic force on the contact arms to retain the male terminal assembly within the female terminal assembly
Implementation Method 2
an arrangement of deformable retaining members that elastically deform from an original state to a deformed state during insertion of the touch-proof member within the female terminal assembly
Data Source
AI summary
The invention provides a connector system for use in a power distribution system, which can be found in a motor vehicle, and includes features that increase the safety, durability and reliability of the connector system and the power distribution system. The connector system includes a female connector assembly with a female housing, a female terminal assembly that is inserted into the female housing using a first force, and a touchproof member inserted into the female terminal assembly using a second force oriented opposite the first force. The touch-proof member prevents insertion of a foreign object into the female terminal assembly. The connector system also includes a male connector assembly with a male terminal assembly, and a male housing assembly with a touch-proof element opening that receives an extent of the touch-proof member. The male terminal assembly includes a male terminal body with contact arms having a neck portion with a neck width and a body portion with a body width that is greater than the neck width. The male terminal assembly also includes a spring member that resides within a receiver of the male terminal body, wherein during operation of the power distribution system, spring arms of the spring member apply an outwardly directed biasing force on the contact arms.