Wafer Connector Retention via Lock Bar and Longitudinal Slots
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electrical connection systems using wafer connectors lack a secure and efficient method to retain multiple wafer connectors within a connector shell, leading to potential disconnection and instability during use.
Innovation Solution
An electrical connection system featuring a connector shell with longitudinal, open-ended slots for wafer connectors and a lock bar to securely retain the connectors, allowing for independent detachment and reassembly, with optional partition walls for added stability in larger configurations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If multiple wafer connectors are retained in a connector shell without a secure retention mechanism, then the device complexity is reduced, but the reliability of connection deteriorates due to potential disconnection and instability
Solution Approach 1:
The connector shell is divided into multiple compartments, with each compartment designed to hold a single wafer connector. This segmentation allows for independent retention of each connector through individual slots and lock bars, improving connection stability while keeping the retention mechanism simple and modular.
Solution Approach 2:
The wafer connectors are nested within the connector shell, with each connector fitting into its own compartment. The lock bars are nested within the shell structure, extending through slots to engage with the wafer connectors. This nesting arrangement provides secure retention while maintaining a compact overall structure.
2Reliability
If partition walls are added to provide added stability for larger configurations, then the reliability improves, but the device complexity and volume increase
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of adding partition walls that would divide the connector shell into separate sections, the design uses individual compartments formed by the shell structure itself. Each compartment is defined by the shell walls and bottom, providing structural stability without requiring additional partition elements.
3Reliability
If wafer connectors are retained securely with lock bars and slots, then the reliability improves, but the ease of operation deteriorates due to difficulty in detachment and reassembly
Solution Approach 1:
The slots are pre-formed in the connector shell with open ends at the insertion end, allowing wafer connectors to be inserted before the lock bars engage. This preliminary positioning action enables easy installation, while the lock bars automatically provide secure retention once the connectors are in place.
Solution Approach 2:
The lock bars are designed to be movable along the slots, allowing them to transition between engaged and disengaged states. This dynamic mechanism enables easy detachment by simply moving the lock bars out of engagement with the wafer connectors, while maintaining secure retention during normal operation.
Data Source
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AI summary
An electrical connection system comprises a connector shell and a plurality of wafer connectors that plug into the connector shell. Each wafer connector holds a plurality of electric terminals that are attached to ends of electric cables, and a lock bar that is attached to the connector shell to retain the wafer connectors in the connector shell. The connector shell has an upper wall, a lower wall and side walls that are spaced apart to define a stack of wafer connector compartments that extends from the upper wall to the lower wall, an uppermost compartment being defined in part by the upper wall and an lowermost compartment being defined in part by the lower wall. The side walls each have slots in their confronting surfaces for each compartment in the stack of wafer connector compartments for locating a wafer connector in each compartment, the slots being longitudinal and open ended so that a wafer connector can be inserted longitudinally into each compartment from an insertion end of the shell.