Widened Bearing Surface for Ergonomic Terminal Position Assurance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electrical connectors with terminal position assurance devices often have small, difficult-to-access bearing surfaces with sharp edges, making it challenging to insert the terminal position assurance device into the connector housing, which can lead to assembly difficulties, injuries, and damage.
Innovation Solution
An electrical connector design featuring a terminal position assurance device with a widened bearing surface and a raised engagement section, allowing for easier insertion and alignment with channels, enabling the use of thumbs or fingers for assembly without significant interference from wires, and providing a larger surface area for ergonomic handling.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a terminal position assurance device is added to prevent terminal movement, then terminal retention reliability is improved, but the device complexity and assembly difficulty increase due to small bearing surfaces with sharp edges
Solution Approach 1:
The bearing surface dimensions are changed from small and difficult-to-access to large and easily accessible. The bearing surface area is increased significantly, and the sharp edges are removed or rounded, transforming the physical parameters of the device to improve ease of assembly while maintaining terminal retention reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
A bearing surface is introduced as an intermediary element between the assembler's finger/thumb and the terminal position assurance device. This intermediary provides a safe, easy-to-grasp interface that mediates the assembly process, allowing assemblers to easily insert and position the device without direct contact with sharp edges or difficult-to-reach areas.
2Device complexity
If the bearing surface is used for both insertion and mating operations, then device complexity is reduced, but the ease of operation deteriorates due to difficulty in both insertion and mating
Solution Approach 1:
The bearing surface parameters are optimized to serve dual functions effectively. By increasing the surface area and improving the geometry, the same bearing surface can accommodate both insertion and mating operations with equal ease, eliminating the need for separate features while maintaining high ease of operation for both actions.
3Adaptability or versatility
If wires extend from the rear of the housing, then electrical connectivity is improved, but the ease of operation deteriorates due to interference during assembly
Solution Approach 1:
The enlarged bearing surface acts as an intermediary that allows assemblers to apply force and insert the terminal position assurance device before the wires become obstructive. The design enables assembly to be completed at a stage when wire interference is minimal, and the bearing surface provides sufficient leverage to overcome any subsequent wire resistance during final positioning.
Data Source
Figure 1~3
Figure 2
Figure 4~7
AI summary
A terminal position assurance device (30) for use with an electrical connector comprises a terminal engaging section (41) having a first end (48) and an oppositely facing second end (50). An engagement section (56) extends from the first end. The engagement section has a bearing surface (64) having a width which is greater than a width of the terminal engaging section (41). The bearing surface is configured to allow an assembler to push the terminal position assurance device during assembly of the electrical connector in an ergonomically friendly manner.