Vehicle Connector Lateral Offset Insulation Cap
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electrical connector assemblies for vehicles are vulnerable to environmental conditions such as dust and humidity, which affect the safety parameter of electrical resistance during connection and disconnection, making them unreliable for secure power transmission.
Innovation Solution
The connector assembly features a design with laterally shifted insulating and conducting areas, ensuring that the conductive areas are not contaminated during the mating sequence, and includes a convex contact head surface for easy cleaning and a protruding insulation cap with a recess to maintain reliable electrical resistance independent of environmental conditions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the movable head touches the insulation cap during mating sequence, then the connection process is simplified, but the conductive areas become contaminated by environmental conditions
Solution Approach 1:
The contact surface is segmented into distinct insulating areas and conducting areas with lateral offset. The movable head sequentially touches the insulation cap (insulating area) first, then the electrical conductor (conducting area) later, preventing simultaneous contact that would cause contamination of the conductive areas during mating.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a lateral dimension offset between the insulating areas and conducting areas on the contact surface. This spatial arrangement in the lateral direction (perpendicular to the mating axis) ensures that the movable head contacts different areas at different times during the mating sequence, preventing contamination of the conductive areas.
2Ease of manufacture
If the conductive areas are exposed during mating, then the connection process is straightforward, but the electrical resistance becomes dependent on environmental conditions
Solution Approach 1:
The insulation cap acts as an intermediary element during the mating sequence. The movable head must pass through or alongside the insulation cap to reach the electrical conductor. The lateral offset ensures that the insulating area of the insulation cap protects the conducting area from direct exposure to environmental conditions during the connection process.
Solution Approach 2:
The movable head performs a preliminary action by touching the insulation cap first during the mating sequence. This preliminary contact with the insulating area occurs before the head reaches the conducting area, allowing the insulating area to act as a protective barrier that prevents environmental contamination of the conductive areas before electrical contact is made.
3Ease of manufacture
If the contact head surface is flat, then manufacturing is easier, but cleaning the electrical contacting surface becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The contact head surface is designed with a convex curved shape instead of a flat surface. This curvature allows dirt and contaminants to be more easily removed from the surface, as they do not get trapped in flat areas. The convex shape enables better cleaning access while maintaining manufacturing feasibility.
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
This design ensures that the electrical resistance between the conductive head and conductor remains reliable and independent of environmental pollution, enhancing the safety and reliability of the connector assembly during power transmission and disconnection.
Implementation Method 1
at least one spring device terminated by at least one electrically conductive head, movable in a spring load direction
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3A~3B
Figure 4
AI summary
Connector assembly for electrical power supply or transmission in vehicles, comprising a first and a second connector devices to be mated according to a mating axis. The first connector device comprises at least one spring device terminated by at least one electrically conductive head, movable in a spring load direction. The second connector device comprises at least one interlock terminal including an electrical conductor (10) and an insulation cap (15) arranged in such a way that, during the mating sequence, the at least one head touches first the insulation cap (15) on one or several insulating areas (27a, 27b) and then contacts the electrical conductor (10) on one or several conducting areas (29). Each of the one or several insulating areas (27a, 27b) is offset laterally with respect to each of the one or several conducting areas (29), according to a lateral direction perpendicular to the mating axis (14) and to the spring load direction.