Vehicle Socket Detachment Prevention via Rotating Ring Clamping

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional cigarette lighter sockets face issues with detachment prevention, increased production complexity and cost, exposure to water leading to short circuits, and an unattractive design due to protruding components.

Innovation Solution

A detachment-prevention vehicle socket design featuring a rotatable ring with an inner threaded structure that drives a resilient sleeve axially inwardly to clamp the plug, preventing loosening, and an end cover to prevent water entry, with a uniform thickness and attractive appearance.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the conductive flexible plate protrudes more outwardly to prevent detachment, then the detachment prevention is improved, but the user cannot pull out the plug and the wire may be left in the socket

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedetachment preventionVSAvoidplug removal
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The socket is divided into two functional parts: a resilient plate for detachment prevention and a retaining ring for controlled retention. The resilient plate protrudes to clamp the plug securely, while the retaining ring with its annular end provides a separate mechanism to hold the plate and prevent wire entanglement during removal.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The retaining ring acts as an intermediary component between the resilient plate and the socket housing. It mediates the interaction by providing an annular end that retains the resilient plate, allowing the plug to be pulled out without the wire being left behind while still maintaining secure clamping.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If the hollow circular cover is threadedly fastened with internal thread to prevent detachment, then the clamping stability is improved, but the manufacturing process becomes troublesome and production cost increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveclamping stabilityVSAvoidmanufacturing process complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The threading function is extracted from the main socket body and transferred to a separate retainable ring component. This allows the resilient plate to be retained without requiring complex internal threading in the socket housing, simplifying the manufacturing process while maintaining clamping stability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The retainable ring provides a dynamic retention mechanism that can engage and disengage, offering flexibility in assembly and disassembly without requiring permanent threaded connections in the socket housing, thereby reducing manufacturing complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

3Reliability

If the hollow circular cover is made thicker to match the external thread depth, then the thread engagement is improved, but the overall appearance becomes unattractive due to protrusion

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvethread engagementVSAvoidappearance
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSShape

Solution Approach 1:

The retainable ring is nested within the socket housing structure, with its threading function integrated into the existing wall thickness. This nesting approach allows sufficient thread engagement without requiring the socket to protrude outward, maintaining a sleek appearance while ensuring reliable thread engagement.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

4Reliability

If slits are formed on the circumferential surface to allow resilient plate contraction, then the detachment prevention is improved, but water can enter the socket causing short circuit

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedetachment preventionVSAvoidwater ingress
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The resilient plate itself acts as a flexible shell that can contract and expand through the slits to clamp the plug. The flexible nature of this component allows it to provide detachment prevention while the overall socket structure remains sealed against water ingress.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

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 solution effectively stabilizes the cigarette lighter plug, reduces production complexity and costs, prevents water ingress, and maintains a sleek design, enhancing both functionality and aesthetics.

Implementation Method 1

a resilient sleeve connected to the movable element, the movable element includes an outer threaded structure, and the outer threaded structure is threadedly fastened to the inner threaded structure. By rotating the rotatable ring, the resilient sleeve is moved axially inwardly of the housing, and the resilient sleeve contracts radially.

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElasticity: Elasticity

Data Source

PatentEP3162628B1Detachment-prevention vehicle socket
Publication Date: 2018.09.19 TANG YANG DIES
  • EP3162628B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3162628B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3162628B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A detachment-prevention vehicle socket includes a housing (1) and an electrode body (3) installed in the housing (1). The electrode body (3) includes a movable element (31) and a resilient sleeve (32). A rotatable ring (2) is in contact with the housing (1) and is threadedly fastened to the movable element (31), so rotation of the rotatable ring (2) can drive the movable element (31) and the resilient sleeve (32) to move axially inwardly of the housing (1) and thereby clamp a cigarette lighter plug (B1) inserted in the resilient sleeve (32). Accordingly, the cigarette lighter plug (B1) can be stably fixed in the resilient sleeve (32) without loosening.